C O R R U P T I O N

CHAPTER 18

JIM AWAITED ANXIOUSLY FOR HER TO COME BACK, it had been a few hours and he had been laying down swing the leg hanging off of the edge of a beam he was resting on Arpina was reading through a medicinal book with interest, while Callista was swinging around a weapon in boredom.

"Well this isn't as eventful as I hoped it would be" she said before driving it down on to the ground "could someone at least spar with me to pass the time, we can't just sit down and wait for hours" she was met with absolute silence from the two and she groaned out "can something big just happen, this is getting excruciatingly boring!" she yelled.

Jim chuckled lightly before looking back up at the stony ceiling, he felt a growing longing to be outside in the sun again. He wanted to be able to go into the sun, walking along in the sun lit fields with Elizabeth but they were instead stuck under the moonlight, she always told him she didn't care where they were all she cared for was that she was with him, he still couldn't help but wonder if they'd ever be able to go back.

Sighing, he rested his arm over his eyes and asked "what time is it right now?"

Arpina answered while focusing on her book "suns still up."

He groaned out, before hopping down from the tree asking Callista "Cal, you got a sword on ya? I could go for a spar"

Her face lit up and she chuckled triumphantly "nice to see you come around skinny legs" she grabbed a sword from a nearby rack and threw it too him "I'll try to take it easy on ya"

Rolling his eyes he adjusted his grasp on the sword saying to her "just help me pass the time"

Beyond where they were, at the home of Dandril the crimson, doors locked securely as he was missing from his home. He was instead keeling among the members of the arcane order out of respect for them all.

"It is a true honour to be in your presence" he spoke respectfully looking up slightly "I am here to offer my service, to help you to achieve balance in this realm"

Vala groaned out rolling her eyes and walked away "great... another one" she said unimpressed "Bellroc you have the permission to burn him"

Bellroc chuckled lightly as they readied their staff "gladly"

Dandril cringed in fear as he backed away and called out to her "please Vala! I have dedicated so much of my life to understanding the true meaning of balance"

Scoffing she asked him "are you teaching me my own job?"

He corrected himself as he held his hands out in front of him, he used what time he had left to explain himself "we all know that chaoswielders have been present for too long and have yet to show their true intentions, they haven't even restored true balance!" he began stuttering as he saw the glow of bellrocs staff who chuckled excitedly. Vala stopped as she considered his words "chaoswielders have proved themselves useless and giving them the power to maintain balance is a mistake! Please consider what I am saying, please!"

As the wave of fire moved towards him, a wall of dark shards rose up shielding him. Morgana was watching silently and asked Vala "recruiting him could be a risk"

"He would fit perfectly into our plan" vala said looking towards bellroc with pity "sorry Bell, there's always a bunch of trees outside."

Nari frowned and told them "you will not do such a thing to any forest!" she gently stroked the petals of a rose in her hand with care "they are as alive as you are" she said to Vala before scoffing "sorry that might have been a poor example" she said nonchalantly.

Vala deadpanned at nari and looked back at Dandril "you know dark magic do you not?" she earned a nod from him before continuing "use it, to end the cycle or make it stop in anyway possible"