The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 24

Vel'Nysa wasn't doing anything physically. She merely stood by a desk, but something was wrong.

"Are you not feeling well?" She asked sweetly.

It was then I noticed a burning stick on the desk with smoke ever so slowly rising from it. At first, I assumed it was just incense, but the tougher it got to think straight, the more I assumed it wasn't normal. There was no precedence to think it was the problem, but something in my gut told me.

"Quite a powerful incense you have. It seems to be affecting me rather strongly," I gave a pained smile.

"Oh, of course!" she said, putting it out gingerly.

"The particular smell of that incense is very pleasing to us elves. Though I was sure that humans enjoyed the smell of potatoes, as well."

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The room wasn't much ventilated, but the smell disappeared rather rapidly. I leaned against the doorway, fighting to stay on my feet. I blinked rapidly and squeezed my eyes intermittently in attempts to fight off whatever was happening.

"Please, do have a seat if you are feeling unwell. I have remedies that might assist you in coming around," she said, moving around the room searching for something.

The effects I felt amplified and I quickly became nauseated. It was difficult even sitting upright in the chair she provided.

"You look like you might pass out at any moment. If you do anything and everything I tell you then you might feel better," she spoke, leaning close to my ear.

Motherfucker! I thought.

It hit me like running into a brick wall. It wasn't the incense. It was her. Amidst my nauseated and unbalanced movements, I turned to her casted Palm Fire. She must've read my movements as she moved away swiftly. A torrent of fire unleashed from my left palm in her direction.

As I twisted out of the chair I fell to all fours, keeping my left arm up. The heat quickly escalated in the small room as the flames engulfed everything before me.

I kept the flames spewing forth for what felt like several minutes. Sweat oozed from every pour, coating me. I kept expecting the air to disappear from the room, but it never came.

The nauseated feeling soon left, and my vision slowly corrected itself. Once I felt stable enough, I stood and dropped the fan of destruction I unleashed. Everything in the wake of my fire was blackened, either destroyed, or burned to a blackened char. Everything, that is, except the area near the center of the room.
Vel'Nysa stood with disheveled hair and both her arms forward. I could see the faint shimmering of some sort of barrier that was protecting her. The ground and items immediately behind her were untouched, save for a couple singes.

Once I lowered my hand, she dropped her arms and the barrier disappeared. She stared with her golden eyes, looking at everything about me. From the sweat covered skin to my labored breathing it was as though she analyzed all she was able.

I noticed her breathing had become ragged as well. There was no doubt that a continuous barrage like that cost a lot of energy on her side.

"Who are you?" She asked menacingly.

"That's what I'd like to ask you as well, hah... It was almost too late to notice what you were doing," I chuckled in between my heavy breaths.

"You should have succumbed to my charm seconds after hearing me, why did it take so long?"

"As much as I'd like to answer that question, answer mine first. Who are you, really, and why did you try to charm me?" I asked, setting myself in a prepared stance.

She changed her stance as well, ready to defend if I attacked once more.

"I am Vel'Nysa Flivarinasoriu. I am part of a secret order of mages determined to protect this kingdom and the surrounding regions. I attempted to charm you because my order identified you as a threat," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Now, tell me who you are."

"I guess that's warranted. My name is Xavier."

"Is that all? Who are you with? Why did you decide to come here?"

I took a moment to mull over my response. Realistically she wouldn't believe me. I mean, I wouldn't believe it myself if I heard it.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know? I think I deserve to ask more questions than you since I have the advantage right now," I bluffed.

She narrowed her eyes slightly. They flickered between my stance, the floor, and my eyes. It looked like she believed me as she shifted slightly and nodded.

"If your order is meant to protect people, and I provided no provocation, are you not just like bandits and thieves? I literally came here to pay for my stay in the city and nothing else."

"The order identified you as a hos-"

"As a hostile, I got that. Do you just immediately mess with someone because they told you to? Are you a pawn or an object to be used at their discretion or are you your own person?"

"Of course, I am my own being. The heads of the order are never wrong."

"Well it doesn't seem like you are to me. Aren't elves supposed to be super smart, mysterious and interesting creatures?"

"We are indeed," she retorted with a scoff.

It was obvious I was striking her pride at this point.

"Then have a mind of your own. Do I seem hostile to you?" I asked, lowering my guard.

She paused for a moment. I was really hoping she believed me. I didn't know any defensive spells yet.

"No, you do not," she lowered her own guard.

"I apologize, Xavier," she said with a deep bow.

"Apology accepted. On a more interesting topic, is it possible to show me how to erect that barrier and do the charming thing you tried on me?" I asked, abruptly changing topics.

She contemplated her response for a moment.

"Why would I do such a thing? A mage's skills are not simple bartering devices."

"You could learn some stuff from me, and I, you. I'd think as a fellow magic caster you would take such a good offer," I strained a smile.

"If you tell me more about yourself and show me how to do your fire spell, then I shall accept," she spoke in her elegant voice once again.