Chapter 7: Desert Requiem
Part THREE
I watch as runic symbols surround us, glowing in a soft green light, before our surroundings changed back to a familiar room. A man in cloak standing by the door just eyed us for a moment and then turned about.
Just few feet away from us, I saw Aeron.
"Welcome back!" Nora greeted us as she stood beside Aeron who also waited for us.
The green light around us went on.
"Hey! Move along already!" The man guarding by suddenly shoves Stray as I followed. "Don't let the portals open for a long time!"
"What's the rush for?" he murmured.
The man didn't reply. He just focused his attention in shutting off the portal behind us as we went to where Nora and Aeron stood.
I handed my own rucksack to another man who reached out to me. "Been waiting long?" Asked Stray as Nora ran and latched onto me as usual by wrapping her arm around mine. "Not really. We just arrived as well" replied Nora as Stray hands his rucksack over to a man in cloak as well.
"By the way, were you able to sync?" Nora suddenly beamed at me.
My back straightened in response.
Was that what it is?
When he kissed my cheek... was that the ritual done to sync?
If so, then it would make sense.
I eyed Nora and was about to reply when Stray interrupted, "No, not yet. I still have to tell them later how it works before trying it out."
"...!?" My eye widens.
Then—
What was the kiss for?!
I shot Stray a glance. He just stood there calmly, "But it was really interesting today. We managed to progress." He added, his eyes side-glancing me.
"Really? That's great! What was the progress?" asks Nora, turning to me.
I felt a knot began to form in my throat and tried my best to swallow it. Why does it sound so ambiguous?
"It was a new hole on the floor." I replied. "We discovered a new area from it." We all began to walk towards the exit. "Wow. Good for you guys! Sounds like you had interesting day!" Nora uttered.
Stray walked far ahead as Aeron tried to match his pace. I walked with Nora as we were all led back to our rooms.
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When we reached our rooms,
The children came running to greet us.
Nora walk to the middle and sat to play with the kids while I stood nearby. Aeron sat to the edge of my bed.
"Tomorrow we will try to sync with both of you." Stray explains as he paces around. "There's actually no ritual to become one. You just really need to summon me with your thoughts as hard as you can. If I can hear you, everything will come out naturally and I will respond in my complete form."
"I don't get it." Aeron grunted.
"I can't really think of a way how to explain it better. We'll just have to try tomorrow during training." He replied. "But the key is to trust in me. Trust in a connection we all have and perhaps next time we can all do it in a much easier way."
He sounds like he had done this before...
"And the plan?" Nora asks, sitting on the floor together with the other children as they all played around her.
"I'm still sticking with the 'knock him out' objective as we all try to escape after. I can't honestly think of another way." He sighs is dismay but then he took a deep breath and puts a fist on his waist. "Tomorrow though— we need to make the synchronizing work. Otherwise the entire plan fails."
Dinner followed after that.
I secretly watched Eri— I mean, Stray... as he went on eating calmly across the table. He told me not to tell anybody else about his real name. So I guess I still need to call him Stray.
I wonder how he got the nickname though.
Now that I think about it, I still haven't figure out as well what ancients bloodline does his features belong to.
So I asked Nora.
"Nilfeim" she replied instantly.
Wow that was fast, I thought.
"Do you know all the other different kinds?" I asked her as I took one spoonful and studied her.
She nods. "Yes, actually! I used to love reading all about the ancients before. That is also why I know one song from their era. It's the song I usually sing before bedtime."
Oh that.
"I don't understand the language" I said honestly, hoping she would elaborate.
"Translating is actually really complicated but I do know it's a song of remembering. If you want, I can tell you everything I know about the ancients" she replied, beaming at me.
I nodded vigorously. That's a great idea actually!
Before... I had really planned to research about the origins of the Fallen One from studying about the ancient bloodlines but I figured right now is not the best time for that. "Next time maybe?"
"Okay! No problem!" she just nodded in a smile and returned to focus on her meal. I returned to focus on mine as well.
After that, we were all led back to our rooms like the usual.
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I woke up to the sound of a door opening in a loud thud.
But my eyes won't open.
I tried to move my hand and realized I can't move them as well.
Am I still dreaming?
I hear several footsteps closing in.
"We need to borrow the twins and three more kids!" Says a man as I felt a hand grabbing me and carrying me to somewhere.
This is not a dream, I thought to myself as I began to struggle to move my entire body but it was just useless.
Is this... Cerguz's ability?
If so... then right now—
What is he planning to do with us?
There was silence for a while as slowly I felt a mild draft passing by.
The sound of air soon gushes against my ears, and the noisy cry of insects filled the air.
We're outside.
Where are they taking me, I wonder.
Hopelessly just waiting till I could again finally move and be able to open my eyes.
Few minutes has passed and finally I was placed down. I can hear Cerguz voice talking, "Sorry for the short notice! But I just really need to try something out"
I regained control of my body soon and I opened my eyes, turning to where Cerguz voices emanated from.
There he stood tall wearing a hood with several of his men in cloak stood behind him holding torches.
I looked around and realized I was on the quarry. Just beside the stairs carved from stones that led down the pits.
"Good morning!" Cerguz greeted with a wide smile plastered in his face.
The sky was indeed dark but from the horizon, light can be seen.
It was near the break of dawn.
Suddenly a tiny cry emitted down below me.
I turned to it and saw Aeron and three other children below the pits.
Aeron was staring at something ahead, his face is serious, as if he was bracing for something as the children behind him huddled together. I followed Aeron's line of sight and saw a shadow moving from a corner of the pits.
"Don't worry, you'll get your turn later!" Cerguz stated as I stared wide eyes as the shadow stepped forward. It's silhouette was anything but pleasant.
A fiend.
I gasped in horror.
Aeron seemed rather calm though.
He slowly picks up a weapon from the ground as he walked forward and made a stance.
What...
What is happening.
I turned to Cerguz, "Why are you doing this!?" He shrugged at me in a contented smile. "Birthday present? Don't look at me like that! You will miss the show if you look away for too long."
I grit my teeth.
If I rush down now— would it make any difference?
I turned my head and watch anxiously as the fiend began to charge towards my brother.
Aeron swings at it but the fiend's tusk manages to make a hit that threw his weapon off from his grasp.
It marches backward and began to pace around
It only stood few inch higher from Aeron.
It was still dark to see everything but slowly, the sky was transitioning to a much brighter hue.
The fiend charges once more.
Aeron ran towards it head on and grabbed both its protruding tusks as they both began to push at each other.
The children suddenly screamed.
I looked at them as they were looking at something at the other end of the pit, opposite to where Aeron was wrestling with a fiend.
I gaze to the direction and my breath snagged.
Another
Yet larger...
and more ferocious looking fiend stood there in silence, watching the unguarded kids.
Aeron is grunting and cursing in frustration.
He won't be able to stand against two different fiends at once.
We barely trained at all.
I ran my hands across my hair, raking it aback.
I need to do something now!
I bit my lips.
My heart pounding... pounding... pounding loudly in my ears.
The stairs is nearby.
If I ran there now, Aeron might be forced to move and do something just to jump in front and save me.
I would only put him in more danger from being irrational but—
As I watch as the other fiend began to scratch against the ground with its foot, as if preparing to charge, snorting loud noises with it's snout as it waved its tusk around, I figured this is not the case anymore.
The sky has grown bright.
A curtain of light reaches the pit, making everything clear for my sight.
I can see them all now.
Aerra— aren't you the fated villain? I told myself.
There's nothing to fear actually.
My destiny is still far ahead.
I won't die here
Because aren't I suppose to become the Fallen One someday?
a story still needs a necessary evil,
otherwise what's the point in summoning a centennial priestess for?
"HEY! What do you think you're going?" Cerguz grabs hold of my arm as I prepared to run away.
"You want me to dive down there, don't you?" I grinned at him. "You're doing this so that one of us will awaken our powers by force."
Cerguz eyes widened.
Ah. I'm right.
"Well I'm going now so just watch as I try to check out that for myself!"
His grip loosened
I sprinted across the pits,
pass Aeron and the fiend, he is currently wrestling with—
Our eyes met momentarily.
I saw him nod as I focused my eyes ahead.
and I went on racing towards where the children were.
He's no longer a shield.
Aeron knows that by now.
Brother, I'm proud of you!
...Is what I want to say but now is not the time.
"Aerrra...." the children called out in stark fear
When I finally reached them. I can see their tiny bodies trembling in fear
I stood in front of them and took a deep breath, fighting the breathlessness.
I'm not a shield as well.
They all hugged my leg.
"Step away now!" I told them as they looked shock at me but conceded immediately.
I won't need to awaken my power to deal with these!
I focused my attention to the fiend that was now charging towards us,
the ground tremors as it ran like a raging bull while making its loud snorting cries.
I have a new ally right now.
And I need to trust in him too.
I took a deep breath
I closed my eyes shut
And tried to empty my mind.
No. I do trust him...
Focus.
Hear nothing.
Feel nothing.
Reach out to where he is now.
—And he trusts me...
I feel the wind forming around my feet
...because
I sprung my eyes wide open.
I am his Meister.
"ERRRiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii——!!!"
Heed my call.
Come to me.
Whatever the result in this will be...
I won't let another villain surpass me.
Because in this story...
I'm the only one who will prevail in that department.