Oath Kingdom - A curious misstep

*Knock* *Knock*

As he was cultivating, two loud knocks came from Cain’s door, prompting him to open his eyes.

“Enter.”

The door opened, and Molly stepped inside, dressed in a long red dress. Cain didn’t even get to open his mouth to speak as she said: “I want to go and walk around the city.”

Cain’s brow twitched, and he asked: “What for? You should have everything you need for in here.”

“That’s true, but I can’t stand staying coped here anymore. I need to get a breath of fresh air.” Replied Molly, her look showing she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Cain sighed and asked: “Can’t you wait a bit more? Walking around the city is too dangerous.”

Molly scoffed and said: “Maybe for you, but no one even knows me. I’m going anyway, and I only came to let you know since father said so. That’s done. I’m going now.”

Seeing her turn around, Cain extended a hand and said: “Wait. At least take someone with you.”

“I don’t need anyone. They will only attract more attention.” Replied Molly, her steps not stopping for even a moment as she walked out and closed the door again.

Cain sighed and fell on his back on the soft bed. “Oh John, your lass will be the end of me….”

Molly passed by her father, who was waiting outside and said: “Cain let me go. I’ll come back later.”

John knew she must have strong-armed Cain into letting her go, but he still nodded. “Be careful. If anything happens, just try to….”

Before he could even finish his words, Molly was already gone, leaving him with no choice but to sigh and walk toward Cain’s room.

A bright smile appeared on Molly’s face once outside the inn, and she quickly started walking toward the center of the middle ring.

Finding a couple on her way, she stopped them and asked. “Excuse me. Could you tell me which way The Academy is?”

“Sure. It’s that way.” Replied the woman of the two, pointing towards the east. “If you keep going straight, there’s no way you can miss it.”

Molly thanked the two and, after quickly making sure no one was following her, she rushed into a side alley.

Hiding behind a pillar, she quickly took off her dress, remaining only in a shirt and the shorts she was wearing underneath, before tying her hair and walking out the other way.

Mixing with the crowd, she made her way toward the Academy. It took her a few minutes, but eventually, out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted the main gate of the Academy. The giant pillar and writing atop the entrance were a clear giveaway; she had found the place she went looking for.

With no hesitation, she moved straight toward the pillar.

“So this is the ascended pillar….” Molly muttered, quickly browsing the names on it but feeling slightly disappointed when she couldn’t find Seth’s.

“Why is he not here?” she muttered, only for her thoughts to be disturbed by someone approaching from the back.

“Are you looking for someone?”

Molly turned around and looked at the woman that had walked up to her. Bowing low, Molly said: “I’m sorry, miss ascended. I was just talking to myself.”

The woman smiled and said: “No problem. If you’re looking for a student, you should know this pillar is only for ascended, and his name won’t appear there yet.”

Molly nodded and thanked the woman for her kindness before watching her walk through the main academy gate.

“Why is Seth’s name not here? He was a teacher and not a student,” she muttered before sighing and looking over the names again, but there was no luck.

As she was getting ready to leave and walk around the city, she felt a cold breeze, and another voice resounded from behind her: “Can I help you?”

Molly turned around and was stunned by the beauty of the woman that had just appeared behind her. Her porcelain skin, waist-length silvery hair, and clear blue eyes made her look like a princess.

“Miss?” asked the woman again, breaking Molly out of her stupor.

She quickly bowed with a red face and said: “I apologize if I offended you, miss ascended. Your beauty made me lose my manners for a moment.”

The woman giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, and said: “Aren’t you a polite little lady? Thank you for the compliment. Also, you don’t need to bow.”

Molly quickly rose from her bow and smiled: “Thank you.”

“So, why are you looking so sad? Miss…?”

“Molly, my name is Molly. I’m not sad. I’m just in awe of The Academy’s majesty and the Ascended Pillar. Is it my first time seeing them.”

The woman also looked towards the pillar with a subtle smile as she nodded and said: “It is indeed beautiful. No matter how often I pass by here, I always take a moment to admire its beauty and grandness.”

After looking at the pillar for a moment, the woman turned towards Molly and asked: “If you really like our academy, what do you say about a small tour?”

Molly immediately got excited and asked: “Can I? I know non-ascended are not allowed inside.”

“Hehe.” Giggled the woman. “It’s no problem if an ascended gets you inside. Come, I’ll give you a tour.”

Molly hesitated for a moment, but after seeing the woman had already turned around, she clenched her fists and followed. The woman took her around the courtyard, introducing all the buildings around her.

Eventually, they arrived at Seth’s building, and the woman said: “This building was built by one of our best teachers. His name was Seth, and he was the only destruction ascended in the entire Kingdom.”

Molly’s eyes widened, staring closely at the building in front of her.

‘Hehe, I finally found something about you.’ She thought, turning towards the woman and asking: “Did anything happen to ascended Seth? Why is miss ascended talking in the past?”

The woman looked sad as she sighed: “I don’t know. He disappeared a while ago, and no one knows where he is. I can only hope he is alright.”

Molly noticed the sad expression on the woman’s face and asked: “Did miss know Ascended Seth?”

The woman nodded and said: “He was a really good friend.”

Molly opened her mouth to say something but closed it right after, deciding to remain silent.

The woman noticed this and asked: “Do you want to look inside?”

Molly shook her head and said: “No need. I would like for us to continue our tour.”

The woman nodded and resumed the tour, answering all of Molly’s questions before escorting her back to the gate of the Academy.

There, Molly bowed again towards the woman and said: “Thank you, miss ascended, for the tour. It was very enlightening.”

The woman nodded and said: “You’re welcome. Be careful on your way home, Molly.”

After Molly walked away, the smile disappeared from the woman’s face, and she flew up in the air, flying in the same direction as Molly.

Molly moved through a few alleys, mixing into every crowd she found, but the woman could easily follow her from above.

After Molly returned to her inn, the woman landed on the roof of a nearby building, and her energy quickly spread around that inn, checking every nook and cranny of it.

Once her energy returned, she sighed and muttered: “It seems he’s not here. Still, an interesting bunch of rats had made their way inside. How should I deal with them?….”

After getting to the inn, Molly quickly rushed to Cain’s room, barging directly inside.

“Cain. I screwed up.” Said Molly directly, her eyes clearly expressing her regret.

Cain immediately stood up and asked: “What happened?”

“You were a student at the Academy, weren’t you? I met a beautiful ascended with silver hair and blue eyes. Do you know who she is?”

Cain’s face turned black when he heard Molly’s words, rushing in front of her and grabbing her shoulders: “Tell me everything. Don’t miss a single detail.”

Molly realized immediately things were horrible, not having seen Cain look so stern before, and opened her mouth to speak, but her words stopped in her throat as the inn’s window snapped open, and the same beauty she had met at the Academy flew through.

“There’s no need for her to tell you anything. You both will answer my questions today.”

Cain turned around, protecting Molly behind him and his source quickly moving to cover his body in darkness energy as he said softly: “Headmistress.”

“Oh? An ascended. Also, one of unknown energy. Quite interesting.” Muttered Iris, waving her hand towards the two.

Cain’s energy was destroyed instantly, and both he and Molly were surrounded by air energy, making them unable to move a single finger.

“So, are you two going to tell me who you are, or do I have to get the answers out of you through other means?” asked Iris, the energy surrounding the two starting to put pressure on their bodies.

Cain remained silent, thinking about the best course of action, but Molly couldn’t help and ask: “Why are you doing this?”

Iris spared her a look before turning towards the frowning Cain again. “This girl must mean something to you, doesn’t she? Where do you want me to start? Her fingers or toes?”

As her words ended, small air circles appeared around Molly’s fingers and toes.

“I’ll give you five seconds, and then I’ll start cutting. I don’t have too much time to waste with rats like you...”

Cain gritted his teeth and said: “Fine. I’ll speak. What do you want to know?”

Iris smirked and asked: “I already asked you. Who are you two?”

“We’re from a small town in the far south. My name is Cain, and this is Molly.” Replied Cain.

“What is that energy you’re using?”

“Darkness energy. I’m a darkness energy ascended.”

The smile on Iris’s lips grew wider as she asked: “And where did you learn the knowledge to ascend in such a... peculiar… energy?”

Seeing Cain hesitate to speak, Iris waved her hand a painful scream resounded beside him.

One of Molly’s nails was cleanly removed from her finger, dropping onto the floor beneath.

“That was a warning. Speak, or I’ll really start cutting her fingers. A nail can be regrown, but I want to see how many fingers I have to cut before you decide to speak. Or should I make a few cuts on her beautiful face? Maybe that will make you speak.”

Molly was biting her lip, trying to endure the pain from her finger as she looked towards the hesitating Cain. Taking a deep breath, she said in a pained tone: “Why are you doing this? We’re -“

“Shut up. Molly.” Yelled Cain. “Didn’t you cause enough trouble?”

Molly immediately shut up, tears welling up in her eyes. This was the first time Cain had yelled at her, but she knew he was right, so she didn’t speak back.

Cain turned back towards Iris and said: “Once you let her go, I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

Iris smiled and lifted her hand again: “Do you really think you’re in any position to bargain with me?”

Before she could lower her hand, Cain clenched his fists and shouted.

“Ascended Seth. Ascended Seth had taught me the knowledge in darkness energy.”