1674 Captives
"It's time!" "Wake up!"
The gruff voice of an unrecognizable man echoed in Emery's mind, pulling him from the depths of unconsciousness. As his eyes fluttered open, his gaze landed upon the face of the owner of the voice - one of Jinkan's Magus.
Instantly, the smoldering anger within Emery flared back to life, consuming his initial disorientation. His muscles coiled, ready to retaliate, only to find his limbs shackled. An energy seal had been inscribed on his chains, effectively suppressing his spirit energy, leaving him powerless.
A faint smirk played on the Magus' lips. "Good, you're awake. It's about to start any moment now." He yanked Emery onto a hovering chair, guiding it along the ominous length of a pitch-dark tunnel.
The hopelessness of his predicament briefly washed over Emery, extinguishing his short-lived rage. He quickly recomposed himself, realizing that his physical strength was presently of no use. Thus, he began to probe for answers.
"Tell me, how long was I unconscious? What is about to start?" Emery's voice, although weak, held a tinge of defiance.
To his surprise, the Magus seemed compliant enough to brief him on the current situation. Emery had been unconscious for three days, confined within the same ship the entire time. As for the event that was about to commence, the Magus seemed to withhold his explanation. They arrived at their destination before he could provide further details.
Stepping into a grand hall within the ship, Emery saw Jinkan, the Nephilim princess, along with two other Magus. His emotions instantly erupted once more. "Jinkan, what do you think you are doing? Release me, Now!!" He bared his frustrations openly, his words reverberating against the walls.
But Jinkan turned a deaf ear to him, her attention wholly captivated by a massive door positioned directly ahead. She didn't even spare him a glance, stoking Emery's frustration.
"What do you..." His inquiry hung in the air, unanswered.
Emery's words were abruptly severed as the ship jolted violently, as though colliding with another object. Stealing a glance out of a large window, he spotted a fragment of a crimson elven ship, its sinister color standing out starkly against the blackness of space.
"Dammit!! Jinkan! You're trading me to the enemy!" Emery's voice echoed through the grand hall, his accusation ringing out clear and loud. His words hung heavily in the air, but still, Jinkan did not respond.
Instead, she, along with the other magus present, had their gazes locked onto the large door. It thudded ominously as if warning of what lay beyond. A wave of anxiety passed through them, visibly tensing their stances.
Soon, the grand door swung open, revealing the arrival of four dark elven magus, their energies pulsing in the full moon realm. They strolled casually into the ship, seemingly at ease despite the tense atmosphere. One of them, radiating an aura of authority, stepped forward. His eyes surveyed the Nephilim princess before shifting towards Emery, a grin spreading across his face.
"This is the one?" His words resonated through the silent hall.
In response to the dark elf's question, Jinkan offered a brief nod of confirmation, her face impassive. However, before the dark elves could make their approach towards Emery, one of the human magus interjected, his voice ringing out with firm resolution.
"Not so fast! Not until we see our man, Eshoo!"
At the mention of that name, realization dawned on Emery. Jinkan had captured him to barter for the return of her lover, Eshoo. A whirlwind of emotions threatened to consume him. The bitter sting of betrayal clashed against a wave of dark amusement. Who would have thought that he, a mere human from a lower realm, would hold value comparable to that of a Nephilim genius in the eyes of the elves?
Yet, as he stewed in his mixed emotions, the leader of the dark elves remained unperturbed, a complacent smile etched onto his face. He spoke, his voice cool and nonchalant, "I wish to check if this puny-looking human indeed the one who has caused us so much trouble."
However, the human Magus was not as easily swayed. To Emery's surprise, the Magus stood his ground. His stance was stern, determined. He stepped forward, placing himself between Emery and the elves, his voice resonating with authority as he echoed his earlier demand.
"Not until we see our man!" The finality of his words left no room for negotiation. Emery couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration for this steadfast human Magus.
The dark elf's chuckle reverberated through the room as he stepped back, his gaze turning toward Jinkan. His words dripped with mockery. "You humans are stupid. You came here to exchange gold, but you brought something even more valuable instead."
Hearing this, Emery's heart lurched. "Jinkan! They are coming for you!" he cried out.
The scenario unfolded at a breakneck pace. No sooner had the Magus's words of caution resonated through the hall than a flurry of movement erupted. All four dark elves sprung into action, charging headfirst towards Jinkan. This exchange apparently had been a ruse from the start.
Emery braced himself, poised to chastise the Nephilim for their na?veté when he was jolted out of his thoughts. The Magus who stood behind him swiftly dragged him away from the unfolding chaos. In a surprising twist, he was retreating, abandoning the princess to her fate while focusing on ensuring Emery's safety.
Emery's bewilderment only increased as he stole a glance over his shoulder, noticing the two remaining Magus. They had strategically positioned themselves as guards at the entrance of the tunnel, a human shield preventing any pursuit toward him instead of protecting their princess.
"Why?!" Emery's question echoed through the tunnel, a single word encapsulating the tumultuous confusion swirling within him.
The Magus's only response was to lead him further down the maze-like tunnel, finally halting in front of a seemingly nondescript door. Swiftly and with an air of urgency, the Magus released Emery's restraints and handed him a small, inconspicuous device.
"This is a message from the princess. The others and I will hold them back. You need to make your decision quickly!" Said the Magus before he left to fight with the others.
As Emery listened to the message, he was taken aback to realize that the figure in the hall previously wasn't Jinkan, but the fourth full-moon Magus, and from the sound of it, they seem to be fighting a lost battle against the elves.
On the other hand, the door in front of him apparently leads to a small ship that was equipped with cloaking technology, offering him a possible way out.
However, as Emery is about to step inside the ship, he suddenly hears something on the message that made him stop.
that made him stop.
His momentary hesitation, those few critical seconds lost, proved to be costly. Glancing outside, he was greeted by the sight of countless elven ships crawling and filling up the space. The realization sank in; escape was no longer a possibility.
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