No, I didn't pass out but do not look so glum and disappointed that your main character didn't pass out and gets eaten by mystical monsters, I still got a tiny bit of strength, like point something-something of strength to haul myself up to McDonald's, and no, I am not crawling, I'm just like so tired.
I limped towards the McDonalds up in the front of the Batangas Capitol, oh so many memories and nostalgia washed over me again, I remember sitting there outside waiting for my mystery partner for that side operation Macabulos had given me in which, with my luck, I was partnered to the greatest agent in our organization, the great Lapu Lapu on whom I look up to and almost my friend, I thought I will get to know more about him, you know, get some tips on how to be the greatest warrior and stuff, but right now, I am currently a fugitive, one who did something wrong to the organization, but I don't get it. If being a demigod is wrong, why? I don't even know yet if I am a demigod really and a true son of Apolaki, there should be some kind of demigod DNA Test or something right? Ugh, I am so frustrated. I also remembered the assassin whom I chased down the woods that time and that gave me chills.
I opened the door of the fast-food chain and people stared at me like I was some kind of weirdo beggar doing their routine trying to get some food, barging in restaurants and stuff.
The security guard at the door blocked my way "Sir, please go out, beggars aren't allowed at this place."
I stared at the security guard and pulled my wallet and showed him my ID and my Anakdatu Credit Card which is sponsored by PayPal (Oh, that card contains lots and lots of money for uh, our uses and it works almost everywhere and I hope it still works as I am already a fugitive.) "Mr. Guard, I am tired and hungry, I have been looking for my friend for three days and I need food, I can pay for it so stand down, or you will be my next meal."
The guard gulped and let me in so then I fell in line, in which the people still stared at me like I am one of those Rich Beggar pranks on YouTube but yeah, whatever.
I ordered 8 sets of the Fried Chicken meal in McDonald's and within minutes, I wolfed all of it down and once again, people stared at me with horror but I just shrugged to them, after all, I was hungry and I am proud of it.
I went out McDonald's with a very huge burp, I feel so rejuvenated like yeah! I feel I can throw John a million miles like that but nevertheless, I still feel bad, yeah I have eaten, but I do not have rest yet.
I can do this, I told myself, Elise needs me and 3 days had passed, something wrong might have happened to her already and she needs him the most, I cannot give up right now, I can't let time pass by not knowing where she is and hell I am so worried. So then I trudged off and went back on my way and this time, I chose to look for her in the forest.
Maybe I was just really hungry that is why I didn't remember about the last location tracing of the glasses I have given her so I gave myself a facepalm, why didn't I remembered checking what her last location is? Ugh, I am so so stupid!
"Eve! Goddamit!" I cursed to my own glasses and also a bunch of other curses from the other languages I knew as we walked to the trail I took when I chased the assassin down "Why didn't you reminded me about her last location? The last location of her glasses?Why?"
"Uh, sir, you didn't tell me to suggest anything or to remind you of that, so technically, it is your fault, sir." Eve responded.
I gritted my teeth, "Vlacas!(βλακας)" I cursed myself 'stupid' in Greek, I took a deep breath "Okay, Eve, what is Elise's last location?"
"Oh" Eve seemed to chuckle "Thought you'd never ask sir! Here ya go."
She showed me a point to my GPS on my Heads Up Display just a kilometer far from my current location and what bothered me is her last location is just here, by the woods too, what is she doing here in the woods? Why will she be brought here? Now that is bothersome.
I walked towards her last location, deeper in the woods wherein trees seem to watch you wherever you go, wherein the shadows start to get creepy and such, the forest seems to swoon towards me, like the canopy of trees seem to cover me, never wanting me to escape again. In this part of the forest, with the thick canopy above me, the sunlight cannot pass through in which, weirdly, made me kinda feel tired. Also which made me wonder, if Elise was brought to a place like this, that thought gave me shivers.
After minutes of walking, I got to her last location, exactly at the point but nothing is in here. I took a look around, well, all I see is the endless trees on every direction in which I have described for you aplenty, there is a creek on my right, stones on my back where I can sit and dirt formation in which it looks like an anthill on steroids. Here on the Philippines for you non-Filipino readers, we call that dirt formation a 'punso', and on that punso, we Filipinos believed that it is a very strong natural force because we believed on that dirt mound, lies a kingdom of dwarves in which we call those dwarves as 'nuno', wherein we imagine them as ant-size people with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves outfits that can turn to any form they want to be, but we'll discuss more about that later on because as we are speaking of this thought right now, someone spoke behind me wherein I thought were just rocks and also which almost gave me a heart and lung failure.
"Thou shall not be in these kinds of places, human." Some guy, whom I assumed was Gandalf because he sounds like 'You shall not pass!' but no, this may be some other guy that might want to kill me.
***
I turned to look who spoke behind me, whom my innermost bookworm, my fanboying and my love for the Lord of The Rings series is telling, 'Please let it be Gandalf! I really need his guidance now!' but sadly, he is the wrong Lord of The Rings Character, he is a dwarf, no, a Nuno, but still, no, I don't believe in this magical mumbo jumbo things, he cannot be a Nuno, maybe some quick ninja guy who can quickly sneak up to my back without me knowing he is already there.
It's quite challenging to describe him, imagine Peter Dinklage, you know, the small Hollywood actor who portrayed Eitri the Mjolnir maker in the Avengers Infinity War and also the Game of Thrones Actor, he is also in… you know what, nevermind, we'll take hours telling you what movie did he play and what is his Bacon level but yeah, imagine Peter Dinklage with golden eyes, a shaggier hair and beard in which was never cared for anymore and hell messy and also with some streaks of grey, wearing leather leggings, a leather Peter Pan shirt, a Santa Claus hat, as in the red and white color kind but the red is more like the color of blood, and some Aladin shoes, like the one with the curly thingy on the tip of the shoes, and to sum up, or 'TL;DR', he looked like a Christmas Grumpy Old Troll (the grumpy old troll from the show Dora, and yeah I watched Dora The Explorer, got problems?) who is going to a Disney cosplay competition but he was in a hurry and wore Aladin's shoes instead of Peter Pan's but still it matched his outfit perfectly.
I don't know what to say, first of all, I am surprised like hell, who sneaks up like that? In which I still have my heart rate at its highest peak but I managed "Who- who are you?" I stammered, realizing too she is in the spot of Elise's last location and with that thought, made me mad and I readied my hand to my umbrella on the side of my backpack "What have you done to Elise?!"
"Oh," the Peter Dinklage look-alike guy chuckled so coldly, "So thou are looking for the lady who kept on shouting so loudly? The one who is shouting so boisterous?" His cold smile turned into a grumpy face and he crossed his arms and huffed, "Her noise made my kingdom" he gestured to the punso behind me "-turn into a state of calamity! Can thee imagine that?"
I imagined tiny Peter Dinklages wearing Peter Pan outfits inside the anthill running around yelling 'We are doomed', I winced and lowered my guard "Yeah, I can hardly imagine, but have you seen her?"
"Oh yes, her noise passed here 3 days ago, I am not quite sure, for time isn't the same as thy time human." He said.
"Yeah, I knew that, wait, you aren't human? What are you? And why didn't you stop them? At least can you tell me what direction they went?" I pleaded.
"Yes, thou dimwitted child, I am a nuno, helper of man for those who are worthy and punishes the wicked. The man, no, the creature who holds her is quite dangerous, and our powers is no match for his, he is one of the oldest, ancient creatures who ever roamed the lands. Dear child, the forces of nature are stirring and the last chapter is coming-" His thought was cut because he started sniffing at me
I jumped back "What the hell are you doing?", the thought of Peter Dinklage sniffing me was quite creepy and not just creepy, scary too in some ways. Once again, that gave me shivers.
He stopped sniffing me, "Oh gods, I should have realized, thou are a godling, eh? A strong godling whose force is stronger than a hundred men, oh my, the last chapter is really starting!" And he started laughing so hysterically that might put him into a mental hospital.
"Uh sir nuno, uh do you have a name?" I asked.
He is still laughing hysterically "Names have power, boy, we do not just spout names around here like a Slambook convention, and you will never know who am I." And once again, he laughed louder as ever.
"Okay, uh I guess I'll just call you nuno, but what does that last chapter really meant? Like a book or something? Or maybe a research? I am really confused, to be honest." I told the Nuno.
"My boy, the history of these lands, do thou have any idea how deep our history is?" He asked me as he got serious and he stopped laughing (finally) with his golden eyes staring right at me.
"Uh no, I don't have any idea what is going on, I didn't even know I was a demigod or what!" I exclaimed.
"Thou sure have no idea as thy kind is ignorant as ever, never knowing what is happening on your surroundings, the dark lord, the 7th Moon, the dragon and the bird, the crab as huge as an island-" And once again he laughed hysterically "This chapter is going to be fun to watch."
Okay, the man is starting to freak me out more and more, but I have no time to listen to his weird word spouting, I have other things in hand "Sir Mister Nuno, uh, I am sorry to interrupt but I am not here for those, the lady once again? Can you help me?"
He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, like he existed to help the worthy, am I worthy enough? I guess I am "Of course, godling, I will help thee, after all, thou haseth a very ginormous role in the fate of the world." He chuckled. "Information, too has a power but I know things, I will give thee a riddle, at least to help thee find her, whom she has a very big role too, listen carefully:
"The daughter of the high king,
Hidden on the deep forests of summer, spring and godlings,
One-eyed smiling
I hate rhyming
In the end, the sun-hero ends up dancing."
And he smiled once again "Now of thou go! Son of the sun!" and he poofed into a green mist and disappeared.
"Uh, thanks" I told him, maybe he can hear me. Now, all I've got to worry is a riddle to find Elise. Easy Peasy. (Sarcasm level 99,999,999,999)