In the twilight of the next day, when they finished cleaning the wounds walked to the rooms having some rest. Crystal dragged Daniel to a corner. Stared into his eyes, "Everin told me what happened during your battling!" she swallowed her spite, promise me something".
He brushed his fingers along her hair. His finger passed each curves of it and downed on her shoulder then grinned and peered into her eyes, "I've told you that I'm fine".
"Promise me that you won't play with death, just come back to me alive". Her eyes got teary.
He cupped her face between his hands, "to protect you I won't surrounded to death angel this soon".
"It is not a promise", she narrowed her eyebrows and heaved a sigh!
"If you want a promise so it might have consequences!" he sneered amusingly and she blushed as he brushed a finger on her lips, "I may kill you myself!"
"Let's go to our room we must head to Groan in a few hours". He said and in a sudden lifted her up and stole a quick kiss from her lips, but she remained speechless and smiled.
*
The sun rose and a few hours passed. The team was standing outdoor, ready to leave this mysterious town. Lorena approached to James and Lora, asked them to keep the fire that she left for them. Allowing the flare die could make it hard for these folk to overcome any monster.
"How come this fire is so cold?" Lora asked her, staring into her eyes wondrously.
"To those whom have golden hearts of yours it remains cold, just a source of light to protect and clear your path", Lorena waffled.
The old lady was playing with her white tail of her unintentionally. Her gaze were following the flares, burning on the torch in James hand then shifted to the odd sheen girl in a surprised stretched her hand to the sides to hug Lorena.
Lorena stood stiff, yet didn't know what to do! Thought, how does it really feel? A mother's cradle! Lora moved closer and the old lady hugged her. "I'm grateful for all you had done, please visit us occasionally". It was warm and peaceful just like when dragon-phoenix had done to her childhood era while she was falling down and crying afterwards.
Jackson hitched forth to Daniel and said, "Thank you Daniel, to pay your benefice I would be beside you at any time just send me a call!" his right hand was broken and kept inside a plaster cast.
"For now rest well and stay vigilant, more monsters have been showing up, many of them have group attacks so make traps around the city and warn people! They must learn to protect themselves because we are at war, a hidden one". Daniel persisted and believed as if these people underestimate this notice no longer could survive. Blaming each other and letting monsters enjoy bloods meant passing the earth to Lug and his demonic courtiers.
They mounted up the horses and ready to enter the road.
Arno stopped, when a thick rough voice roared, "Don't you think that's rude to leave without saying goodbye kitten?"
Arno cursed and turned the bridle to his backward! "My name is Arno, man stop naming me".
"Ahh, you could've tell me already now I can't do anything! Have a safe trip", he approached to hand him a bottle of seven years Shiraz wine.
"Take it, you may decide to get drunk sometimes!" he laughed.
"I don't think so Zack, I don't wanna get eaten by devils!" he took the bottle maybe and surely could find a use for it.
"We got no time Arno shake your legs", Everin shouted while passing the town gateway.
"Thank you anyways, see ya!" he galloped to chime in with others.
He was far when Zack murmured, "See ya, son of a great mother, be safe".
Their journey to Groan brought those, battles and wounds, but besides offered them friends, which could be a gleam of hope!
**
It was noon when they finally saw the Groan's gateway. The moisturizing weather and scent of damp soil could reach the nose. Horse hooves smashed the earth to leave trace of their presence. Thick clouds were overtaking swiping making sparkling arcs.
Number of guards were the much to drop the teeth. Mohan was wishing to not get out of the frying pan into the fire! There should be something had happened that Zooland had decided to show his guard. He cursed underneath. He could've saved people already, but he didn't and this gathering has a reason related to his Lordolatry throne.
They got close to the gate where the patrols were checking the identities.
"What's going on here?" Mohan asked to inquire the reason.
"Lord Zooland's son have missed, we were suspecting kidnapping, but it's been three days and no one asked for coins! He may run off in my opinion". The young patrol in black replied and added a shrug at the end.
They rode in and dismounted from the horses. Inside the city was just the same as out. He leaded his companions to farmer's Bazar. In each corner guards were peeping to find a trace of the lord boy. People were reviling as the men in black rushed in and rummaged their stores and houses to find him.
A farmer said to another, "They found foot prints touted along the Forest dirt-road then other foot prints terminated to the ocean cliff."
"Maybe he jumped down while running," the other man who was selling potato commented his thought. Mohan was listening to their whispers. Marcus was like his own son, not for being Dena's son, but for his own pure heart. He turned to the men and asked, "Did they find any other foot-prints?"
"We don't know about that, but the Imour creatures caught ten lives during this week, he may become another victim", the potato seller guessed.
Mohan's blood boiled, that idiot lord like creature neglected the warnings without knowing the consequences which may entangle himself.
"So Marcus already missed!" Arno broke the ice.
"He is not the kind boy, something pushed him to get out of the castle", Mohan knew him better than the lord.
"So what shall we do?" Everin asked.
"There are many of those Imour creatures inside the forest, we must go there maybe we find a sign of him", Mohan suggested.
Daniel tapped him on the shoulder and gently said, "We will, but first I would like to meet Lord of here!"
Daniel needed to discover any tinge of the lord's assistant with demonic court.