Survive As The Brute's Wife

Alexandra waited for Arioch to bring up the Uilaeg Elves, but Arioch didn't. 

She thought they would sleep in the open but Arioch led her to a decrepit building nearby. Others stayed around the fire and they didn't try to question Arioch when he left with her.

Arioch led her inside that building that appeared as a temple with great halls supported with a hundred marble pillars. Moonlight seeped in through the openings on the roof and she saw some artwork on the walls. The artworks must have been splendid during its time but now it all looked sad and ruined.

Oddly, for her, this place looked familiar. Not the dilapidated one, but she had a feeling that she was here when this building was in its glory days.

Bats flew right past her head as the once magnificent place is now home to the creatures that loved the dark and cobwebs dressed the once resplendent tapestries as spiders thrived in there.

Through a side door, Arioch led her and there was a pond. Rectangular staircases led to the pond and it surprisingly had clear water with no dirt around.

There was a marble statue of a woman wearing a flowy dress standing in a graceful posture. A couple of swans were beside her spreading their wings, giving an illusion that the woman had the wings of a swan. The woman was covering her head with a soft veil and was wearing a headband that was encrusted with jewels, all made in marble.

Alexandra admired the skills of the sculptor to have made a sculpture so lifelike. 

In the pond, water lilies had bloomed to the moonlight, spreading a divine fragrance. She looked up to see the moon hanging in the sky.

"You can take a bath if you want," Arioch said and opened the bundle he had on his shoulder. "The water would be warm enough."

"That's..." Alexandra paused. 

She didn't like taking a bath here. She was about to say that it won't be necessary. But...

"Thanks," she smiled at Arioch. 

She'd prefer to sit alone in this serene place for some time. Getting the change of clothes Arioch got for her, Alexandra waited for Arioch's figure to disappear in the darkness. She decided to play here for a while and just change her clothes before getting back. She felt there is something holy residing in the waters here. And she didn't want to disturb it.

On the marble floors, she heard Arioch's footsteps receding and she threw the clothes over the platform where the statue stood.

A smile bloomed on her face as she saw the clothes reached the statue. The pants were hanging on the head of the statue and she did a little victory dance by getting down the stairs skipping one step.

With a bright grin and a shake of her hips, her feet danced her way down. She didn't think she would have it in her to make this throw and she got pleased with herself.

She reached the bottom stair and took a peek inside the water by bending forward. The water looked like a dark silver mirror reflecting the sky. The clouds that appeared grey in the silver moonshine slowly drifted from one water lily to the other and she followed a cloud with her eyes.

Arioch, hiding behind a pillar, watched Alexandra. His lips curled seeing the childish acts of her. She was this way around that guy all the time, but he hated it when she didn't act her age. 

He pulled out his necklace and a clear glass vial was hanging at the end. He got the vial and looked at it in the moonlight. Inside was a dark cloud with flashes of fire blistering through it. 

His lips curved up as he opened the vial and let the dark smoke spill on the floor. On the floor, the dark smoke gained volume and it rose up while it slithered its way towards the pond. 

<Find out whether she is lying... Kill her if she is!>

He doubted if she is truly not remembering the past. She was the one responsible for everything and there is no way she forgot everything. 

Alexandra not knowing the danger looming behind her, stared at the paintings drawn on the still waters by nature. The serenity gave her peace but then she felt dizzy staring at the moving clouds for long. 

She removed her shoes and dipped her toe in the water. Seeing the ripples formed on the surface of water distorting the stillness, she was not pleased.

[I threw my clothes there... How do I get it back?]

Pressing her lips, she tapped her chin with her forefinger. "Ah!" she shouted in joy. "I can float my way there..." she mumbled.

She looked around and she saw no one around except for darkness. She called for Kefir and gave him enough time for him to appear but he didn't listen to her call.

[Why is he called a summoned beast if he is not answering my summons?] 

Taking in a deep breath and folding her sleeves, she decided to take the matter to her hands. As she was about to step on the water, she noticed a darkness rising behind her. She saw the reflection in the pond, but when she turned to look, there was nothing. 

She turned and waited for sometime as she could feel the darkness. But she couldn't see it. After some time, she couldn't feel it either, and she got back to her initial quest of walking over water. 

Doubt ruled her heart as she took a look at the water. But she decided to take a chance. The worst thing that could happen is her getting wet. She is not going to back off for this reason.

She raised her foot over the water. Her heart started to pump faster and her fingertips went cold. 

But before she could push herself to take a step, she saw a burning flame of blue reflected on the water. She raised her head to see the statue burning with an odd blue flame.  She looked closer.

It was her clothes burning and the flame didn't affect the statue.

[What sort of...]

Before she could even get surprised, she heard the sound of ripples in the water. She took a step back placing her hand on her fluttering heart and observed the water.

She saw a glow forming inside the water and a blue flame rising from inside the water. She decided something bad is about to happen and tried to run away. 

But she couldn't move an inch.

The image of the blue flame danced in her eyes and she saw a figure bright as a lightning rising from the water. 

Wearing a long white tunic and a golden belt, and his pure white hair still as the statue behind him, he raised above the water. On his head was a crown of ivory. His golden sandals didn't touch the water, and although he came out from the water, there was nary a single drop of water on him.

He looked pure as the snow and at the same time, as delicate as a volcano.

With waves of blue flames emitting from him, and his sharp eyes that seemed to be holding the universe trained on her, he floated above the water. 

Mesmerized by the appearance of the divine figure in front of her, Alexandra stood frozen. Although the figure exuded authority and power, she didn't sense malice towards her from him. Slowly, the palpitation in her heart subsided and she attained a state of calmness. 

"You burned my clothes," she said looking at the clothes still burning. 

The bright figure raised his eyebrows as if he was stunned by her attitude. A corner of his lips raised and Alexandra wasn't intimidated by his smirk if scaring her was his intent. 

She's gotten numb to smirks thanks to Maximus' training. 

"My clothes..." she repeated.

The bright figure scoffed. And the next moment Alexandra watched as her clothes started to burn vigorously and in a gust of wind, the ashes were swept away.

Alexandra opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out of her mouth. She didn't know what to say.

"Who are you?" she asked and a frown line formed between her eyebrows. "Are you the god residing in the pond?"

The bright figure squinted his eyes and looked closer at her.

"So... it is true..."

He said and his voice was like the sound of gentle breeze that kisses the flower buds to awaken. It was very pleasant to hear.

"What is-"

"What have you done to yourself this time around?" he stepped closer and Alexandra felt her heart beat quickening. 

"Heh!" he snorted. "Interesting..."

He smirked looking into her eyes. Alexandra clasped the tunic she was wearing as her chest started to burn as if water is entering her lungs. 

She started to sense that feeling that she didn't feel for a long time. 

Sinking..!

[No! No!]

She held her throat and struggled to stay afloat. She didn't want to leave Wispy in charge of the body. Not when she is in extreme danger. But she could slowly feel that her struggle is only getting her deeper into that waters of nothingness. 

The bright figure in front of her started to blur and darkness surrounded her. She turned to her side to see the little wisp rising above as she started to sink to the bottom.

[No!!!! Noooo! Max....! Help me!]