"Forget all that," the Boss declared, turning his back to Jinx.
"Wait!" she called out, and he paused, looking over his shoulder.
"Why is she here?!" Jinx demanded, pointing towards the shadowy corner where the girl was hidden.
"Oh... She is special." That was his sole reply before he resumed his departure. The two Ogres, after a few lingering seconds of staring at Jinx, followed their leader.
"Special?" Jinx repeated the word, her voice tinged with confusion, as she turned back towards the dark corner.
-
[Five Hours Later: Nightfall.]
Jinx stared at the moon, a sliver of silver light piercing through the small, grimy window of their cell. She then turned her gaze to the girl, who remained shrouded in darkness.
"Do you like the darkness, or are you in love with it?" Jinx asked, a hint of weariness in her voice.
"Darkness is hollow, Vanity... It is the absolute absence of light... That's the best thing about it.... When you are filled and surrounded with darkness, you feel nothing... No regrets, No pain, No sorrow... Nothing, you'll be nothing but an empty shell... That's what I am."
"....?!"
Jinx was utterly speechless, her eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief. "Are you sure you're a kid?" she asked, confusion etched on her face. "We've been trapped together for more than five hours... Why don't you just show me your face?"
"What will you gain if I show you?" the girl countered.
"This?" Jinx was dumbfounded. She sighed. "Fine then," she conceded, turning her head back to the moonlit window.
_
Moments later, a soft voice broke the silence.
"Can I see your hand?"
Jinx turned her head towards the girl, who was slowly emerging from the oppressive darkness.
"....?!"
Jinx's gaze swept from the startling sight of white dragon wings unfurling gracefully from the girl's back to her face. Before her stood a child with blonde hair, her small form clad in tattered rags, her feet bare. Numerous cut marks marred her delicate skin, causing Jinx's eyebrow to rise in concern.
"You... You're a dragon?" Jinx stammered, disbelief evident in her tone.
The girl meekly nodded, then slowly, deliberately, walked towards Jinx. Jinx watched, intrigued, as the girl stopped before her, squatted down, and gently touched Jinx's broken hand. Jinx stared at her, silently observing her every movement.
WHOOSH!!
"...?!"
Jinx gasped in shock as the girl's finger began to glow with a brilliant, ethereal light. The light enveloped Jinx's hand, and in the next moment, her shattered bones miraculously mended. She gritted her teeth, a sharp intake of breath escaping her as pain shot through her, despite the healing. Her eyes squeezed shut.
"Sorry... I don't know how to use my powers to their full potential, but at least, I can heal a broken hand," the girl said, rising to her feet.
Jinx opened her eyes, her gaze immediately falling to her hand.
".....?!"
She raised her hand, clenching and unclenching her fist. "You... I am." She stammered, turning to the girl. "What's your name?" she asked.
"I don't know," the girl repeated her earlier answer.
"Oh... Did you lose your memories?" Jinx inquired.
The girl shook her head, seemingly as lost as Jinx on that front.
Jinx stood up, stretching out her now-healed right hand. "This is good... With my hand fixed, we can get out of here," she declared.
"We can't leave," the girl stated plainly.
"Hey... Have bright thoughts, we will... We just have to find the key, which will surely be on the guards... So we have to knock out the guards... Wait, we should first think of a way to get out... We can't knock out the guards if we're in here." Jinx held her jaw, lost in thought.
"The keys are on the panel." The girl pointed towards a wooden control panel where a set of keys hung, positioned directly in front of two Ogre guards.
"What? I can't see anything?" Jinx squinted, staring at the guards. The pervasive darkness made it difficult. After a moment of intense concentration, she finally discerned the keys.
"Good... We'll make some noise, get them over here, and I'll grab one by his neck and ask the other to unlock us! That will work!" she announced, demonstrating her improvised plan.
The girl tilted her head, then, quite heartlessly, burst Jinx's bubble. "Those two guards are Master ranks, stage five... Not only that, they have the iron bloodline, just like all Ogres... Behind the dungeon doors stand four other guards, all Grand Master ranks, with the same iron bloodline... If you by chance get past them, you will have to fight 10 more Grand Masters... This dungeon is right under the castle, which means you will come out at the Castle ground, where you will have to face the castle guards, with the two Ogres who caught you... If you luckily defeat them... The Boss is there, with more than a thousand Master and Grand Master rank guards... How will you escape then?"
".....?!"
Jinx blinked, speechless. "I would have punched you if you hadn't helped me," she deadpanned.
"Then... I am lucky I did," the girl replied.
"Wait!" Jinx turned back to her. "Did you just say, Iron bloodline?! How did you know that those guards have the iron bloodline?"
"Iron bloodline is a common bloodline among the Ogres nation, and for your question, I can see anyone Bloodline." She walked back to her corner and sat down, but now, her face was clearly visible in the dim light.
"Anyone Bloodline?" Jinx was stunned.
"Yes... And I can also see behind your current look, I know what you look like," the girl added.
"You mean... You can see beyond my skill?" Jinx asked in mild horror, to which the girl nodded.
"I like your hair, it matches my eyes," the girl said, a rare, small smile gracing her lips.
Jinx stared at the girl's purple eyes, then looked at her own current blonde hair. She was finally convinced the girl could indeed see her true self. Jinx was not happy with her race, primarily because of her family, and always used someone else's appearance. She was simply dumbfounded that this little girl could not only see others' bloodlines but also her true form.
"You said they want your blood." Jinx changed the topic, sitting on the ground directly in front of the girl. Any escape plan was temporarily put on hold.
"Why are they after your blood?" she asked.
The girl lowered her gaze for a few seconds, then looked up at Jinx.
"What does all souls seek?" she asked in return.