The Soul Keeper

"What?" I finally managed to speak. I could feel blood flowing down my chest as her grip tightened, threatening to crush my throat. She lifted me up as the bright blue tendrils wrapped around my body. She held me like that for a short while, before dropping me back to the ground.

I fell on the marble floor with a muffled thud.

"That's right," She said with a cold voice. "Wait," She suddenly added with a surprised expression. "You don't know?" She said as I tried to get up. She lightly waved her hand and the tendrils wrapped themselves tighter and pulled me to the ground.

"What are you talking about?" I asked through my clenched teeth. Laying on my side, I was completely defenceless. I tried to use Fallen Grace, but my mana refused to obey me. So, I wasn't able to use magic here. That was good to know in advance.

"You truly have no clue, do you?" She said, reaching towards me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I shouted. "Let go of me!"

"I don't think so." She said with a bewitching smile. "I can't believe you've come to me willingly."

I flinched. She wasn't wrong – I had quite literally offered myself to her. Despite the plan, I couldn't help but feel like an idiot. I clenched my teeth and tried to free my hands. Yet, the tendrils around my wrists only tightened as she gently touched my cheek. "Truly, this is quite the event."

"Weren't you supposed to be rewarding me?" I hissed through my clenched teeth. She still hadn't shown me what I needed. Was this even going to work?

"Oh, don't you worry, little naïve Keeper." She said, once again standing up. "I will give you something priceless." She walked away with slow, elegant steps. I glanced at the tendrils holding me down – I couldn't feel any of that divine energy emanating from them. Was she able to use multiple types of magic?

"You will serve me well." She quietly whispered as she approached the bookshelves covering the walls. Worry covered my mind – while we knew I wasn't getting out of this unscathed, we had assumed I'd receive some threats – not… this.

"What do you want from me?" I asked after taking a few shallows breaths to calm myself. "And what is this? Let me go!" Was she buying it?

She smiled as she returned with a book and a small pouch. "All in due time." She said with a bewitching smile. I looked away, worried that her spell would break my mind. "First of all," She said as she raised her hand. The tendrils lifted me upas I tried to break free. "The Keeper of Souls is able to take in the most powerful souls – even those of mythical creatures such as phoenixes." She was almost speaking to herself as she took a small, iced bottle out of the pouch.

I held my breath as I saw a soul, trapped in there.

"I knew you'd be interested." She said as her lips formed a wicked smile. She waved her hand again and the tendrils gently put me down. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I tried to step away from her, but once again, she didn't let me.

"Do you know what this soul belongs to?" She asked with a faint smile.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down. At least I was back on my feet now and it didn't look like she wanted to kill me.

The soul was a pale blue coloured blur. I couldn't see its shape clearly because of the iced glass bottle. "No." I said before glaring at her. Was she going to give that to me? Why?

"It belongs to a wyvern." She said, smiling. "A very old one too." She tapped the glass with her nail. "It was a gift from me to your… To the previous Keeper." Her expression soured. "Or so it was meant to be, but he up and died."

"And what does that have to do with me?" I asked through my clenched teeth. "What do you want from me? Why this?" I said tilting my head towards the tendrils.

"I want you to kill the Demon Lord." A wicked smile appeared on her face.

Since that was already what I was planning to do, I almost breathed a sigh of relief. "But I don't trust you." She added, destroying what little feeling of security I had left.

"Why?" I asked after a short moment of hesitation. Whatever distrust she had, it had to have something to do with the previous Keeper of Souls. Yet… there was so much that didn't add up that I didn't even know where to begin trying to unravel this mystery.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" She chuckled. "How do you expect me to trust you?"

Did I hear that right? Was she, an Ereth Divine, of all people, bothered by my appearance? Really? Even the thought of it was so outlandish that I couldn't believe it.

"So, what happens now?" I asked after a short silence.

"I will give you the power you seek," She said before her expression soured. "Is what I'd like to say, but your power is not something I can interfere with." She reached towards me and touched the blood on my neck. "Your power comes from the souls you've gathered." She smiled. "I will give you this wyvern's soul."

Despite my unwillingness to accept her help, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved – I wanted that soul. I could sense its pain and loneliness. And the power it held.

"I can see how much you care about your allies – those around you. So, here is what will happen." As she spoke, the tendrils released me and disappeared into the floor tiles. I touched my bruised wrists; I was glad to be free. "You will come when I call for you." She said with that same, bewitching smile. "If you do not, then you will find your allies disappear – one by one."

I clenched my fists. "Keep them out of this."

"Either that, or I'll keep you locked up somewhere and take advantage of your power." The tendrils reappeared. I quickly leapt back – that was even worse!

"Fine!" I said just before the tendrils reached me. While I hated the idea, it was the only thing I could choose.

"Perfect." She said with a smile. "In that case, let us celebrate." She waved her hand. I felt a portion of her magic seep out of the door. Soon an Ereth servant came inside, carrying a platter filled with some food and two crystal glasses.

"Why don't you sit down?" She said softly. Despite her gentle voice, I knew that was not a request. She gestured towards a couch set at the corner. With an internal sigh, I did as she asked.

"Perfect." She said with a smile. "Now, we have plenty to talk about." It took some effort to keep my expression emotionless – I wanted to grin.

Indeed, we did have plenty to talk about.

I now had what I came here for.