The girl was in disbelief. How could he know of that which no one knew? Could he really be telling the truth?
Rho said "I know you are sceptic. I also know that, after you're 25 years old, it will be mature and you will have in between 6 months to a year to live depending on your level of power."
The girl stood there silently, contemplating his words carefully. "Continue."
"I know why it is acting this way, and I also can fix it for you. However, I need you to follow me on my own mission. I say this in advance, there is a large chance I will not succeed. Aside from the fact the mission is very difficult already, I also have an opponent who is like me, building an army to fight those who oppose his mission."
Rho looked outside of the window with a sad look in his eyes. That person, even though they were destined to fight to the death, had only hurt him when he was told to by fate. He had no real animosity towards him because he himself was also being played by the strings of fate.
"I really don't wish to fight him, but our entire existence will be that of opposition towards the other. I need to gather people not just to fight, but also because it has been said to me. To be frank, I can't do without other people, due to my restrictions. In that sense, I'm like you. I got this forced on me, which robbed me of my own life, but I won't give up. Fate is meant to be changed."
The girl stood there, still being silent, until she said "Why would you want someone like me? I'm not even fully human, I'm mixed with that... thing. I'm not even able to train to a higher level anymore, why would you..." Tears rolled down her pale face, dripping on the floor as she sunk on her knees in desperation.
Rho walked up to her and pulled her close before saying in a nearly unaudible voice "I don't care what you think of yourself. You're alive with your own will. Do you think that magic beasts with intelligence think less of themselves than of humans? Whether or not you're worth something is determined by actions, by wisdom and by power. If you want to be hard on yourself, that won't help you, but you can always try and make your future better. And to be honest, I think you're a very strong person. It doesn't matter what happened in the past, as long as you always look to the future, and live the best we can to make our own future bright. You can do it just as well as I can, and at the very least you can try."
The girl's tears streamed even more, but she didn't seem overwhelmed anymore. She just shook in his embrace, even though she didn't oppose it. She felt strangely calm even though her tears couldn't stop. It was the first time since she was intelligent to understand people that someone told her she was worth it, that someone legitimately cared. All her life people had shunned her for the thing which was the source of her monstrous strength, and also the reason why she wouldn't live past 26.
It could be said that Rho had convinced his first true follower just by speaking alone. This also marked the start of her rise, one which was unparalelled even amongst his other followers.
But that is a story that has yet to be told.
Eventually the girl calmed down and looked up at Rho. Rho looked back at her with his deep blue eyes, when the girl suddenly realised what she was doing. She turned bright red and almost jumped to the roof when she leapt backwards to escape his embrace.
"Y-y-you just took advantage of my weakness! You just wanted to hold a female close, like your friend! Don't give me false hope on a better future!" She had turned her emberrasment and disbelief into anger and retaliated. She was already planning on severely beating up this pervert figure.
Rho just sighed and shook his head. "You think I lied? I am not like him, even though he has been blind since he was 5 so he is quite interested in anything pretty. I was serious about curing you, but you have to follow me. I'll explain it later, after the first part of this ride. Also, do I look like a pervert to you? I held you because I know what you feel like, and I know you felt it from me."
The girl who was still bright red turned around and crouched on the floor. She then slapped herself on the face and stood back up, with her face normal again, with a small red spot where she slapped herself. "I'll introduce myself then. My name is Azamianta DeZonde. But everyone calls me Amia. I'll forgive you for what you did, but you have to make sure I live." When she said this, a determination only known to those who have an extremely big fight ahead showed in her eyes.
Rho grinned and extended his hand. "Im Rho Doka, I'm currently preparing to fight my fate and I am the only one at the moment who knows the true meaning of our existence. Those two are closely intertwined by the way."
The two shook hands, and at this precise moment, the door opened and two people walked in.
