The cold wind made chilly by the valley hill brushed the land and swayed the trees. Up in the sky, the blue moon hung high, accompanied by myriad stars, both staring at a silhouette at the top of a huge and large tree.
Two pair of light gleamed under the flattering shadowy figure; a cold pair of gold and a lovely pair of blue.
"Look there, master. There's so many magical beasts," with one arm around the young man's neck, Yui who was princess carried by the former pointed at the ground beneath them. There multiple type of beasts marched orderly toward a specific location: the Maple Leaf City.
Had long since noticed them however, Zed only nodded his head and continue to scout further.
After their little ice breaking session and intimate interaction, a faint yet distinct ringing sound echoed and alerted them. Heard them almost all year, specifically in winter, Yui immediately point out that the city was under beast siege. Attention picked, Zed arrive at their current spot, up above the ground that many wouldn't notice, shrouded by veil like mist that even the strongest magical beast that crossed path with them could never notice.
"It seem like the city is a goner," Zed said after a quick estimation. With a single glance, he could tell that many high ranking magical beasts joined this little siege. So many in quantity they were that even the vast forest couldn't hold them, and as though that wasn't enough, it quality was also frightening.
"No, I think the city would be fine," surprisingly, Yui refuted the idea. But if at first he thought that maybe she was just being optimistic, as she continue to explain further however, Zed couldn't help but nodded in praise.
"Maple Leaf City had been in constant threat of beast horde. Every winter when the forest... these forest dept which were 80 km away from the city was assaulted by blizzard, the beast would be forced to migrate and in turn, crossing path with the city which were in between two different habitable forest: the other being 300 km away to the west.
"Hence to battle against it, formation was made to slow down the invasion. Civilian were brought into a safe bunker underground and the soldiers would buy as much time as possible until reinforcement arrive. Or at the very least, that what they called them, where's in fact they were just people from local sects tasked to defend the border from any threats."
"A local sects, huh..." he mumbled while his eyes peered further, looking at the distant city wall where's soldier started to work their ass off.
Parted by a 10 km long prairie, the forest entrance and the city wall was no where near in normal human standard. And even for a Body Builder standard, to march their way from the forest toward the city would still take at least 1 hour 45 minutes, that too while sprinting on a flat land. With such large time gaps, it was enough for the soldier to set their traps and formation up on top of the wall.
Moreover, a few watchtower had also been erected every 3 km away from one another. Starting from the city wall toward the forest entrance, and further bit toward the outer layer of the forest, which were 10 km away from the entrance.
With these watchtower, thing that happen within the forest would definitely not go unnoticed by the stationed guard, unless of course they were dead, and as soon as such large movement were to be noticed, the tinder would be light up and the signal would be passed from one watchtower to another. In the end, alerting the city-folk before an unforeseen event took place.
"Indeed, they look like an experience veteran. Even though some look scared like a timid cat, they still did their best to protect the city wall," Zed exclaim, words that puzzled Yui. After all, without his enhanced senses, Yui could barely spot the city which were 20 km away from her, but for Zed, thing were just as close as they were before his eyes.
Not bothered to explain however, Zed continue to peer further. Looking over the wall, and seeing the commotion erupted within.
As expected of a city that were on a constant threat of beast horde, though it was chaotic, they were still manageable. He could see soldier reinstating order by shouting to the top of their lunge, cries of panic and fear was as though ringing by the side of his ears, children were carried by their parent as they were pushed away by others, trying to enter the so called safe-zone much quicker than their friends. Store by the side was turn upside down, the unfortunate hawker's shop was destroyed almost entirely. Other than living estate and mansion, all were left in disarray as though a siege had long since occurred unnoticed by someone.
"Hmm?" suddenly, out of nowhere, Zed felt something or someone meet his eyesight. As though they're both staring at each other, a complicated emotion started to rose from within, confusing him even further.
Memories started to float into his mind, jolting him in trance for a mere second, and though possessing a strong soul and great mental strength, the memories remain hazy and unreadable. The only thing that he remember however, was a single name, and unconscious when did he say it, the word left his mouth in sorrowful tone.
"Daisy...," confused, Yui looked at Zed with puzzled glint. For reason or another, the word granted her a weird feeling. As though it called for her, her heartbeat quickened like never before, and unaware when it happen, tears welled up on her azure eyes, confusing the couple as they noticed them.
"Are you( Is master) alright?" he asked, while she did the same. Their eyes meet with one another and stayed so for a long while, and without saying a single thing, Zed pinched her blushing cheek before brushing the tears away with a tender look in his eyes.
For reason unknown to both, while this was definitely the first time they met, as though already spend a lifetime together, they know many of each other likes and dislikes. The feeling was bizarre more for Zed and less for Yui, because while the latter thought that thing was just as simple as she fall in love with him, the former who's entire lifetime was at the back of his hand think otherwise.
Moreover, he know that this wasn't the act of the contract either. Invalid the contract remain one, and lest it was valid, she offered her body and soul and never her heart. Likewise, Zed offer protection and never his love. So for their feeling to appear and clicked almost immediately was, a feat only the cupid of love could master.
Anti-social Zed might be, granted that he possess an empyrean body and handsome appearance, lover left and right was like a norm that he enjoyed soon after life gave him lemon. Forcing him to appreciate thing before it was too late. And while possessing a harem that could put even the strongest man to shame, Zed is sure that, Yui nor Daisy, these name ringed no bell in his memory.
'So what then? Why was I so attached to her? Because I'm a pervert? Probably yes, and most likely no.' He thought before shrugging them off with a joke, maybe.
Falling in love at a first sight was extremely normal for any men, more for the girl was a beauty like Yui. And though Zed had his fair share of the former encounter, Yui's case was definitely the special most, to a point that he couldn't explain.
"Forget about it," he sighed, and continue to peer the city with his eyes. The gaze he felt a moment ago had disappear, and like a desolate land, it appeared lonely. Many were still moving along the road however, but the sudden sorrow he felt, dampen his mood.
But then the gaze return to meet his, and the same complicated feeling arose once more. The expectant jolt of memories however never return, as though they were never there to begin with, it remain serene.
Slowly Zed searched for the exact location, from where the gaze was coming from, and never expected to see the word 'Asagi' on the signboard toward the huge mansion, his gaze shifted from them to the Asagi's scion in his arm.
"Master?" noticing his gaze, the girl lifted her head to meet his golden hues. Within, as though mirroring the sparkling stars above, a vast void filled with myriad stars reside. Amazed, the girl foolishly stared at his eyes but were then forced out of her stupor with a pinch on her cheek, and following which, a cute pout emerged while Zed chuckled.
"Say Yui, do you wish to meet you mother?" he asked, but the tone he was using was quite weird. Unnoticed by Yui however, the girl immediately jolted in ecstasy, hugging Zed's neck and sandwiched herself toward him.
"You're the best, master. Of course, I want to," the girl happily said, while Zed helplessly shook his head. Unknown if she was just being foolish or had too much confident in him, surrounded by magical beasts from their current spot till the prairie, is reaching the city with him was as easy as flicking one finger?
Thankfully, Yui snapped out of her ecstasy state and could finally think straight. With a bitter smile she looked at Zed, but before she could open her mouth to voice her concern, Zed silent it with a light kiss on her lips.
"That's your punishment," he said and as though having a magical attribute, the pinkish hue on her cheek rose and cover her whole face. But he wasn't finished with only a single kiss, hence taking another and more, they stayed like so for a brief moment as the innocent lips to lips kisses turned passionate.
"Now that the payment was done, and since you have so much confident in me, I shouldn't disappoint you, right?" Zed parted their lips a moment later and left Yui searching for air. The latter though confused, still nodded with a glee.
Receiving her answer, not that he needed one, Zed flicked his finger. With them, he forced a seven colored dazzling ring out of his storage ring. Placing them on his finger, he snapped once more and immediately, the dim violet hue from the ring started to shine brighter, so bright that it devoured the other six hue and be the dormant shine.
Then, reacting to the violet glow, purplish mist started to coalescent in their current spot, it shrouding them in violet gas and devoured them a moment later. As the miss disappear, so did the couple. But before they fully teleport to the appointed location, a chill run down Zed's spine as a cold gaze spotted him.
For an instant, Zed was shocked with fright. In his current state, he was extremely weak after all, and people who could make his instinct kick in gear was definitely not normal, hence his panicked state was understandable.
In a haste, his eyes wondered to meet the cold gaze and stayed for a staring-contest for a long while. And though the others party doesn't seem to care for his existence, nor was planning something for him, the gaze showed just how unwelcome he was within the city.
"Interesting," they both said after their gaze was cut short by the teleportation, both amused and interest picked. But occupied by their own individual affair, both reached a tacit-understanding and no longer bother each other. At least, for now, because as if they could read each other mind, both send a mental message to one another.
"I will come to see you, don't run away or you will regret it." Zed lips curled into a smile as he receive his message. To think that someone would threaten him just because he was weak, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"The sorrow of being a weakling," he thought before letting out a sigh. Shrugging them off with another sigh, he return to his usual self and handle the current affair in hand. But knowing that listening would take too long of a time, the myriad stars returned, sparkling deep within his eyes.
"[Mystic Omniscient Eyes]", show me the truth, grant me insight, and enlighten me with revelation. Past or present, future or history, connected by a single flow, all shall be seen by my supreme eyes.