Alex looked at Lillia, and wiped his eyes. He smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for your kind words, Lillia," he smiled. "I don't deserve, such a kind, wonderful slave. Now you and I should rest now. We've both had a long day," he sighed, and gave a weak smile and kissed her lips gently.
Lillia smiled and nodded. "But what about those two?" She asked, looking over at the two sleeping girls. Alex could lock the door from the outside so neither could leave, and aside from that Sarah would be unable to move for at least a day or so. In any case, Lillia would follow him anywhere.
Alex moved his hand, and the door was locked, and the only way out would be for him to negate the spell himself. "Now then..." He looked at Lillia, and kissed her lips. "Sleep, my beautiful Dark Elf," he said, before picking her up, and dropping her on the bed, and went on to the bed with her, wrapping his arms around her, as he cuddled up to her. "I love you," he whispered, holding her close.
((Timeskip?))
Lillia smiled and cuddled with her master, content to be in his arms, the only arms she ever willing wanted to be held in, the only embrace she wished would never end. She closed her eyes and dreamed of a free life with her master, one were it was her and not Tiff who was the favorite.
skip
Sarah groaned softly as she opened her eyes. Her body hurt tremendously, and her head throbbed. to much magic use. She felt her naked skin surrounded by the warm covers and would have tried to move if it wasnt so painful. She was naked in a bed, and turning her head she could see that she was not alone, since Lillia's back was plain in her view as the dark elf slept soundly with her master.
Neko, however, was not in the bed. If Sarah had the strength to look around the room, she would have spotted Neko huddled in the corner, hugging herself and shivering as she fiddled desperately with one of her own feathers, trying with all her might to make a sound with it, any sound, just a sound that would make her hurt head hurt a little less. Tears were already pooled into a puddle of pure water beneath her, as were several of the other feathers she had plucked from her sensitive wings. A hurt, lonely muse with no muse, no muse at all. Neko was young and weak, she couldn't handle an injury without music, even if it wasn't her own, she needed to hear a rhythm, something to soother her soul. But there was nothing, and her voice just wouldn't come out in anything more than a whisper.
Alex groaned, and shifted a bit in bed, as he felt Sarah move around in the bed. He was a sometimes sensitive sleeper, and so when he felt the girl move, his eyes slowly opened, and he yawned loudly. He slowly got up, and the first thing he saw was poor Neko. "Oh no," he whispered, and quickly moved his hands, and a number of instruments appeared around the girl, as he got out of bed, not even noticing Sarah. "Play music, for Master," he said, grabbing and holding up the symbol.
Neko's hands trembled as she reached out for her harp, her most famliar instrument, but she dropped it when she picked it up and began to weep soundlessly. Something had done her in, something had killed her muse. Her hands shook to much for her to hold an instrument, and her voice was gone, completely silent. What was happening to her was strange and new, and most likely not a result of her head injury. Even the symbol failed to calm her down. Her muse was dead, her muse was not working! If she couldnt muse, she would die, slowly and painfully. She hugged herself and more feathers fell from her wings, clearly showing her weakened state.
Lllia awoke with a small yawn when she realized that her master wasnt with her and looked over. "Whats wrong master? Why are you over there?" She asked him sleepily, not seeing Neko or the crisis taking place.
Something was different today, but what? What could so effect her? Poison? Trauma? Magic? Something was strange, something was new, but Neko showed no signs of what was ailing her aside from her lack of voice and the failure of her shaking limbs.
"There's something wrong with Neko! She can't muse! She can't play with her instruments!" Alex screamed. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! I REFUSE TO LET ONE OF MY SLAVES DIE! he screamed, mentally. "What is happening!?" he screamed, and quickly ran to the books he had about Angels and began searching through them, looking for anything that could help.
Despite how helpful the book had been up till now, it had nothing on what could be happening to Neko. All of the things it mentioned would be somewhat obvious and would take time to kill a muse, Neko simply couldnt at all, both her voice and hand coordination were gone at once. Lillia was up in an instant, running over to Neko and trying to comfort the shaking angel as she lost more feathers and cried harder, but with no sound.
Sarah groaned and got up enough to lean against the bedpost and look at the angel. "Well...where does the power of an angels muse come from?" She asked as she studied her from the bed. "I mean, simply being really good at something without practice or experience of any kind isnt natural, where does she get the power? Where does the magic come from?" The book did have a note on this. An angels musing powers, and flight powers, all came from one place. Their god. What could case a god to abandon an angel? The book didnt even talking about that! A god never abandons its angels unless the angel tries to fight with their god. Neko could hardly walk around without hurting herself and Muses were favorites in heaven, her power should stil be coming to her strong!
What was stopping her from musing if it wasnt her god? What barrier had sprung up over night to stop her from receiving her muse?
"THE ANTI-MAGICAL BARRIER!" Alex shouted. He quickly tried to pick Neko up and looked at Lillia and Sarah. "Grab the instruments and follow me!" he ordered, and quickly opened, and ran out the door, with the angel in his arms. He quickly ran to the front door, and tried to get outside and past the anti-magical barrier. "Hurry!"
Lillia followed him instantly, but Sarah stayed right where she was, she didnt have any choice, her muscles screamed with pain at the mere thought of actually moving, muchless walking or running out the door. Aside from that Lillia grabbed the flute and harp anyway so she wasnt needed for this. Instead she settled back into the bed tenderly and hoped everything would turn out OK.
As Alex left the mansion he felt his power drop to zero suddenly, no like an over use of magic but as if he had used up all his available magic evenly, making it and even Zero. The same happened to Lillia but she didnt even notice since her innate magic was blocked by her collar anyway. The mansion was basically shining with the anti magic barrier, which had been amplified several times during the night.
When they entered the outdoors, Neko's crying suddenly became audible and she frightened herself with her own sound. She looked up at Alex, still frightened and hurting as she began to hum weakly. Her small hands ceased their trembling and she hugged her master tightly as she continued to try to muse, but she needed more, she needed and instrument.
When she finally got one she would begin to play soft, frightened music, and slowly color would return to her face and her wings would stop withering. The tears in her eyes would continue to flow, even as she closed her eyes and played the harp, but she would live. The new anti magic barrier was far to strong, it stopped even divine power from breaching its walls. But would Arkurus even consider lowering them?