Sigilborn: EVE's Echo

The whole tribe of the Dark Elves was running around in a fray, gathering their belongings and packing them up. They would evacuate if Lucius were to be sensed.

The female Dark Elf sat in front of the unconscious Julius while Muika, an elderly elf with wrinkly old skin and hands, but eyes that glowed with knowledge, healed Millie.

They were in a brick hut, it was small and humble, lit up by candles. That was mostly how homes were in the Dark Elven tribe, which was usually supposed to be a haven. Kids having fun, mothers relaxing, fathers drinking.

But because of her mistake. It was now a place filled with fear.

"Klain, check if the boy's alive. If he were with Princess Millie, he'll for sure be on good terms with Ignisai."

Klain, reluctantly. Nodded, reaching out for Julius, but just then. She saw his Sigil in the middle of his back and paused for a moment. 

"This pattern. It's different from when we were coming here. It wasn't this.. Serpent-like shape. He's an awakened Sigil user at this age?"

She was right. Instead of the square, hexagonal shape that it was before, it was now like a serpent going up a rod.

Muika stood up after putting a damp, clean cloth over Millie's forehead. She analyzed the Sigil patterns, the vibrant red ink it was crafted out of, and the fine lines it had.

"Well. Awakening a Sigil just means that you can start ranking up. It's an important first step towards strength. I understand why this child was able to drive one of us insane."

Klain sighed deeply, holding her head in her hands. It truly felt like a big headache was coming in from the immense stress of the day.

She should've never seen Julius as a threat, just because she saw some apparition of a grown man in strange clothing looming over the child.

"I apologize, Lady Muika. I was brash. I should've been more under control."

The elderly elf nodded with a small, warm smile on her lips as she patted Klain's head in a motherly fashion.

"Oh ho. Don't worry, Lucius, he's a friend of mine. He'll at least listen to me-"

Her words got cut off as Julius' eyes creaked open, and suddenly, Klain pushed Muika out of the way. A slash of mana came towards Muika's neck, just grazing past it.

'A child who doesn't have problems killing an elderly woman? Humans are truly terrifying.'

Julius stood up, rolling his shoulder, his Sigil glowing just a bit in the dim lighting of the hut he was in, his hand already put forward, index and middle fingers outstretched.

"Yeah. Lucius doesn't think; he kills first, then he'll resurrect you in order to just listen to you scream again. I promise I'll make this quick, though."

So they didn't know about Lucius being unable to leave Intima, good. Amazing. He'll just bluff his way out of there. And this old coot, Lucius' friend? If she's Lucius' friend. He's the goddamn reincarnation of the Pope.

Klain drew her bow back, arrow coated in wispy, steam-like purple mana. But she didn't dare shoot. She knew Julius would easily be killed. But.

'Ignisai watches. If I harm this child. He'll make sure that the world uses me as an example to not get on his bad side.'

Muika stood up from the ground, dusting herself off. Ever composed and cool, as she stepped in between Klain and Julius, her hands outstretched to stop either of them from advancing.

"If both shall duel. You'll have to get through me first."

Julius grinned. Did she expect that to stop him? He wasn't corny like that. He lunged forward, rushing past Muika as he touched Klain's abdomen.

"Yeah. I do NOT give a single fuck about any of you."

Several deep lacerations appeared across Klain's skin as she jumped backwards, holding her stomach from the stinging pain. She was holding herself back from snapping Julius like a twig this instant.

Suddenly, she heard a small crack of electricity before she was hit in the back by a small bolt of blue lightning, sending her flying through the wall. Unconscious and skin singed.

"LET'S GO JILLY! RUN FOR THE HILLS!"

Millie had woken up. And with quite a bang. She knew that the bluff of her father coming out would only last until either Muika called it out or the King of the Dark Elves came. And that would be a mess by itself.

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT YOU LITTLE BOX OF COW TURD."

Julius jumped through the broken wall of the hut, followed closely by Millie, who trailed behind him with haste in her steps, luckily. They had taken the back way out of the tribal area.

'So, the sun hasn't moved a lot. So we're probably a mile or two away. And we just need to enter a cave or whatever so that they can't follow us.' 

Julius's brain and heart were both racing as his eyes finally landed on a small cave after a few moments of running. But when he turned around. Millie was gone.

'FUCK! WHY DIDN'T I NOTICE HER STEPS WEREN'T THERE ANYMORE?!'

His eyes rushed around the forest. The sun's light seemingly getting swallowed whole in the trees, leaving only darkness for his sight to behold.

He again got into the stance necessary for him to launch the Mana slash, but. He was tired, out of mana to use properly. He needed to recharge.

'Well. I'm screwed if someone comes.'

Almost as if the universe played a joke on Julius, he felt a large, damning presence behind him. One that felt like the opposite of Lucius, who was kind and sad.

This one was gleeful in itself, suffering. Like it was enjoying its own pain alongside causing others pain as well.

"Turn around. I have Ignisai's daughter. Little Ignisai was spicy, so I had to break her arm."

Julius took a deep breath, slowly turning around, but instead of standing, he was forced into a bow by an unseen force that felt like some sort of elephant had just been forced to do a handstand on him.

'SHIT SHIT SHIT!'

He couldn't breathe properly, let alone look up. But he saw this beast's foot. It was barefoot, grey skin, trimmed clean nails.

"Let go of us... Lucius will kill you, ya know?" 

One of the feet lifted into the air, pushing Julius' head down even further into a bow. A light chuckle sounded in the air.

"Uh, yeah. That isn't gonna work on me, brat. Lucius is definitely stronger. But he can't leave Intima."

Julius felt his pride take a massive hit. Why couldn't he have planned for someone like this asshole to come? He could've done that. Taken a different path, been more aware of Millie's presence, now he might die.

"Let them go. Miklai."

A human, a human's voice. And he had enough confidence to call this thing by its true name? Miklai? Maybe Julius and Millie might be able to pull out of death's clutches this time.

"What if I don't? Is the King of the Sixth back to meddle in business that isn't his? Sigiless trash"

A scoff. King Of the Sixth? Sigiless trash? That last part. It sounds like someone's describing the Academy's principal. They're near Texas. Maybe? Just Maybe.

"Even without a Sigil, you have yet to beat me. Miklai. Unless you let these children go I'll send you back in a metal box with your own dick chopped up and in your mouth."