Daily Friday Short: Random 02

Sophie Yu waited, her body poised for action. It was complex with the limited food rations the slaves had been on, but she bore down with pure willpower. Her talent had shown her the only path to safety was through the figure clad in silver. Sophie knew this was her only chance, so she was willing to risk everything.

She lurched to the right as soon as the carriage came into sight, pulled by mighty air elemental steeds. The entire chain gang was pulled along into the path of the carriage. Sophie stared as the powerful elementals stopped a hairsbreadth from trampling everyone.

There was a long moment as the overseer realized the slaves had interrupted the passage of a noble. From her eyes, Sophie could see that the overseer had zeroed in on her being the cause. Before the whip could rise, though, the noble carriage’s door opened, and a woman stepped out.

The woman wore a wooden sword at her side. A tight-fitting tunic held two enormous melons restrained while her pants were painted on. Sophie had a moment of fear as she beheld the amount of enchanted jewelry on display. Someone so wealthy rarely cared for the lower rung of society.

A soft melodious voice echoed across the area, asking, “Who dares to bar the way of Lady Charlotte Zienfer, Heiress to the Duchy of Air?”

Sophie stilled her expression as the overseer pointed her out with his free hand. “That little runt is the one. She tripped and pulled all the rest into yer ladyship’s path.”

“Oh?” the silver-clad woman said. Sophie watched as the woman moved to stand over her. This close, she could feel the flow of mana thicker than the water around the powerful blonde-haired woman. Sophie knelt low as silver eyes weighed and measured her worth.

Her talent had never betrayed her before, but it wasn’t perfect. Any minor detail might sway the future into a dead end. Still, as the only talent Sophie had, she treasured it. The silence grew into a monstrous beast of its own.

Even the overseer seemed to realize something wasn’t quite right with the situation. Sophie heard him draw in a breath to speak before a soft squelching noise sounded. It had a similar tone to a sword sinking into an overripe melon. The scent of blood began to waft from where the overseer had been standing.

Sophie knew then the man would likely never whip another slave. Even with that small joy, she held herself still. The sword that had murdered the overseer could just as easily remove her head.

“What year did the Yankees win their first World Championship?" the woman asked, moving closer to Sophie.

I don’t know what this question means, but I know what my talent says to speak! Sophie said. A string of numbers means nothing to me and everything to this woman!

“1923, a great one.” Sophie rattled off her breath, hitching at the end from hunger.

The air stilled, and Sophie could feel the pressure of the mana around her, focusing entirely on her. She was being scanned by something that eluded her talent. A pregnant moment occurred until the woman said, “Correct answer. You are not from my home, though. No radiation.”

Sophie froze as she felt her life slipping from her fingers. She didn’t know how she had been outed, but the powerful woman knew she was faking it. The small girl closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath.

It was over. Everything was over.

“Well, I can give a small gift to remind me of home.” The witch said, her voice soothing.

Silver dust flickered into existence along the chains that trapped Sophie. In seconds the enchantments were eaten through, and the iron collar and cuffs fell before they shattered on the ground.

Sophie looked up into the face of her savior and saw bright silver eyes looking back at her, framed by velvet dark ebony hair. The woman looked amused and said, “Good luck, little sparrow.”

Sophie bobbed her head before fleeing. Her talent hadn’t bloomed before she had been captured. There was little chance of being successfully hunted down now. Even as she escaped, she didn’t fail to memorize the crest on the noble’s carriage.

The Zienfer. The emblazoned essence of a tornado. Sophie would repay the kindness one day!