A small tear of crimson dropped on the prison floor. Vigil remained silent and focused, a faint form started to form at the tips of his fingers, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Keep trying master, you can do it" said the bat now flying freely above his head. The girl appeared to be asleep otherwise she would probably panic or say something weird again.
Vigil was patient, it took him a couple attempts before he finally succeeded, after all, it was his first time using blood weave. The feeling at first was almost alien, forming a weapon with his own blood was a hard concept to imagine.
In the end, his hard work paid off. A small dagger formed on his right hand. The weapon was light as a feather, and the hilt fitted his palm like a piece of puzzle. He inclined his back slightly forward to make it easier to access the rope that restrained his wrists. After a few seconds of manoeuvring the blade, he finally managed to free his arms. The rope although strong offered little resistance towards the sharpness of the blade.
He then moved on to cut off the ropes at his legs and now with his arms free, it took mere seconds. The dagger cut through like the rope was made of thin paper. Vigil legs shivered for a short while, as they finally felt free to move.
Vigil looked towards his familiar and with a sly smile he whispered, "Hide for now".
The bat followed his command and flew towards the upper corner of the cell, there the shadows would hide him like he was part of their own.
Vigil moved towards the entrance of his cell and called for the girl, his voice was low but enough for her to listen to him.
"Hey girl, you sleeping or what?"
It was quiet for a few seconds until a faint rustle of movement broke the silence.
"So now you want to talk huh?"
Vigil waved his hands freely, almost like he was mocking her. "Do you want to escape?"
"Just how did you?" said the girl, her voice coming in short gasps.
"A magician never reveals his tricks", with a sly smile he added, "Now listen I have a plan".
***********
The guard was sitting close to the wooden door that led into the prison room, he was almost falling asleep when a loud girlish scream jolted him awake. It took him a few short moments to understand what was happening when another scream followed through.
"Please, somebody help" the voice was so loud that it almost echoed inside the room. The guard let out an annoying grunt, his irritation was palpable as he went to grab the iron keys that were hanging on the wall.
He opened the wooden door and shut it behind him. With his torch in hand, he approached the cell where the screaming came from.
"What the hell is going on girl!" He said, his voice hoarse "This better not be another one of your damn games."
The girl's hands were shaking, and her voice trembled. "Something's wrong with the elf!" she paused, trying to correct her posture "His whole body was shaking uncontrollably, I've never seen something like it".
The guard's expression remained the same, as though it meant nothing to him. Without a word, he turned his back and headed towards the elf's cell.
With his boot, he kicked the bars of the cell. "Oi bastard! Did we hit you too hard?". he laughed while his voice was laced with sheer mockery.
The elf didn't respond back to him. The orc knew he was the defiant type; he moved closer and waved his torch high. The light illuminated the cell, revealing the elf in the corner.
He had his back against the wall and was in a curled-up position, restrained. But then Orc's eyes widened as he checked the floor. There he saw a puddle of fresh blood.
The orc stood there silent and still for a few short moments as if he were assessing the situation.
"I don't think your master's gonna be too happy if that elf ends up dead before he's sold". Her tone was blunt and provocative.
"Be silent girl!" the orc screamed at her, the veins of his arms tensed with rage. "Or you will be in a worse state than him!".
He looked at the elf again but this time, his eyes didn't look towards him with superiority but of concern. It seemed like the girl's words although annoying, had some sort of effect on him.
With another annoying grunt, he fumbled through the ring of keys, finally finding the right one. He shoved the key and the iron door shrieked in protest. He stepped inside and stood a few inches away. Without a word, he nudged the elf's body with his boot, shaking him as if he were testing it for any reaction.
The elf didn't respond, with no movement and no sound. The guard frowned with irritation as he leaned closer, preparing to crouch down for another look. But before he could, a sudden flurry of wings erupted in the air. The bat came out of a corner, striking him square in the face. The guard staggered back; his vision was stolen by the chaotic bat.
And this was the exact moment Vigil was waiting for.
While the guard was distracted, Vigil lifted himself up and closed the distance in an instant, with a swift motion he aimed directly for the guard's throat. The blade slashed cleanly and the guards' hands instinctively reached to his neck. His eyes were wide in disbelief. No words came out from him and his body fell towards the ground like a puppet with his strings cut.
Immediately after, an unfamiliar voice resounded on Vigil's head.
"A life force has been extinguished.The hunt never ends..."
Despite feeling victorious, Vigil froze for a split second. 'What the hell was that?" he thought, the voice as the words lingered across his mind. Could this possibly be my maker?
Vigil was interrupted by his familiar that was now sitting over the orc's body, his eyes looked content as it fed on its wrist. "Master there is no time to lose, we have the initiative"
He was about to open his mouth when the girl interrupted him
"My aren't you full of surprises." She said, her voice filled with entertainment " A talking bat, and you pull a dagger out of nowhere, you really are a magician".
"We don't have time for your theatrics right now," he said while grabbing the keys from the guard's belt.
"how boring you are" she said while laughing, but when Vigil found the right key, her whole demeanour changed and her voice colder. "What are we going to do now"
Vigil finally opened the door, revealing the girl in full. Her porcelain-like skin glowed beautifully in the moonlight. But it was her face that caught him off guard. Her eyes were mesmerizing, a deep blue colour, almost otherworldly that made it hard to look away. Yet beneath those captivating eyes, something was wrong.
Small delicate cracks spiderwebbed across her right cheek, like porcelain on the verge of shattering. They were almost imperceptible but they were there.
The girl tilted her head slightly, her voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. "Do I frighten you?"
Finally, he spoke, his voice was polite and measured, "Frightened? No. Curious, though" he took another step closer. His eyes never leaving hers "What are you?"
"A magician never reveals his secrets" she retorted back, her voice playful.
Vigil was about to chuckle when the sound of a wooden door opening interrupted them.
"So, what's the plan again?" the girl whispered
"Kill them all".