~ Chapter 48: Connection ~

[Cassandra's point of view]

 When I came through, I was in the middle of a forest. The trees were skipping past me in a flash, and I felt like I was flying or more like my mind was being carried away towards some unknown place by some unknown force.

It took me a moment to realize that I wasn't alone. I was being carried by someone.

He was fast, and a strange red aura covered his body. It held a similar feeling to the one aunt Eliza let out when she activated her Blessing. That was why, at first, I thought that it must be her, but then I saw his piercing cold eyes shining in the pale light of the moon.

It's not my aunt... I thought as a chill ran down my back.

In a flash, I remembered what happened before I was knocked out.

For this man, I felt nothing but fear right now, but how could I not be afraid of him when he so effortlessly managed to defeat me and then kidnap me?

Alexandre Damascus... in my eyes, he was nothing but a monster.

His identity as a Royal Knight felt like it was nothing more than a joke, an elaborate lie played to fool the local nobles, my parents, and Earl Rupert Levias of Briston.

I wanted to believe that maybe this was a nightmare or something, but it felt too real to be one. However, when looking at this monster, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe there were others like him out there? If the world was filled with such powerful individuals, then how was I supposed to protect myself from them? How could I protect my brother as well? I was supposed to be the strong one with three Blessings, the little sister who kept her older brother safe, who kept mother and father safe, yet what was I when I couldn't even hold a candle to a monster like Damascus?

Being so powerless and weak frightened me to my very core. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes, and my heart was beating really really fast.

I couldn't do anything.

I just stared at the ground flashing before my eyes and tried to keep silent. This man certainly noticed by now that I was awake and knew quite confidently that I couldn't do anything to stop him.

No... I'm scared! I'm scared! I cried out in my mind.

Even though I bragged about being strong and constantly told others I feared nothing, it was only now that I came to realize what I feared the most... It was being powerless. I feared not being able to have the strength to defend myself and protect those I cared about while those big and mean enemies could do whatever they pleased.

What use was it to have the strength to crush rocks with my bare hands if it all vanished when I was in situation like this?

Besides, I was still a little girl... a child. No matter what, this was the most frightening thing I had ever experienced in my entire life! More so than when mother told me that I was to go away to study at a different academy than brother.

I couldn't even move or gather my strength to make a fist out of fear that this man was going to hurt me or do something worse to me. In the stories I read, there were always tragic heroines or side characters who suffered from the brutality of those stronger than them. I didn't want to be one of them. I didn't want to share their fate.

The fear inside my heart was so great, I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I didn't want to make him angry or shout at me.

What's going to happen to me? Where is he taking me? What about my home? My family? My brother? Will I die? Is he going to kill me? I don't want him to hurt me! I don't want to feel pain! Pain hurts! I don't like that! I don't want that! I want to see mother again! I want to see my big brother! I hate this! Please... someone.... anyone... help me! Please, help me! Oh, you Gods who gave me your Blessings, please, save me! Save me! I screamed in my mind as loud as I could, but there was no one who could hear my foolish thoughts.

I was alone... in a forest... shouting in my mind words only I could hear.

No, I wasn't alone, I was with a monster, a so-called Royal Knight. If he wasn't here, it would have been better... I could find a way to survive, but like this, what was I to do? How could I fight back against someone like him?

I was just a little girl, a powerless little girl...

Ten years... that was how long I had lived. It wasn't much even from a human's point of view, yet these ten years were everything for me.

No... I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I thought and shouted again as loud as I could in my mind, hoping and wishing for someone, anyone, to hear my voice.

I screamed and screamed because this was the only thing I could do, while my tears flowed down my cheeks and fell on the cold ground of the forest drop after drop.

Nobody's coming... nobody... Brother... help me...

With this last thought, I felt as though I had used my last bit of strength and my mind expanded as far and wide as it could.

And then... he replied to my calls...

Cassandra? Little sister, is that you?

It was the sound of his voice, but I heard it inside my mind. The monster didn't hear it, or otherwise he would have reacted to it. Only I could hear this voice. Was it real or was I going crazy?

Big brother? You... you can hear me? I asked in a trembling tone of voice.

Yes... Who knew you would develop telepathy? he replied.

Tela... talapatey? I struggled with this strange new word.

Telepathy. Talapatey sound like some weird indian dish. he said.

Eldian? I asked even more confused.

Don't mind that, telepathy is basically the ability to read and connect to other people's minds. I don't have it, just you. Maybe you are the only one in the world who can use it? he explained.

Is... is that so? I said still confused.

I really didn't care about this taltapatey thing, just hearing his voice made me feel safe once again, and although he was far away, I knew that everything will be alright now that I could talk to him. Big brother heard me when I thought no one would. Even the sense of urgency I had just... poofed into the air like it was never there in the first place.