"NO! Dad no!" Errot gasped. Suddenly his lungs felt like they stopped working for good. His eyes were as wide as it gets, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably. Errot could do nothing to stop them. To stop what was happening. He couldn't stop time. He couldn't save the one person that had risked his life so many times for him to breath for a few more minutes.
"No, don't leave me alone, I can't take it, I won't - " He tried to speak, to continue the sentence but all he managed to let out was a desperate cry for help, a scream so loud that he felt his heart breaking in tiny pieces and himself slowly tearing apart. Was that what grief felt like? Would he ever be okay? Would he ever recover from this? Errot didn't know. All he knew was that he needed to pick himself up and run before it was too late. Was there any point to run anymore, though? Run.. Run where? When your heart is damaged and your body refuses to co-operate, when your mind gets dizzy and everything becomes a huge blur, where do you run to?
" I wasn't ready. I- I'm not f-fucking ready. Come back. P-please come back" he managed to mumble in between his sobs, his trembling hands numbly placed at his dads now lifeless body.
He didn't do anything else, or maybe he doesnt remember doing anything else, before his mind turned from blurry to black and his world finally got quiet, at least for a few peaceful minutes"
" Errot ? "
Wake up. It's a nightmare. Wake.up.
" Errot!"
Errot gasped and snapped his wide watery eyes open. He glanced around him, feeling quite lost for a few seconds. His gaze then turned back at Oda and he blinked slowly.
"Oda? What? What's going on? "
" ...You were screaming in your sleep again. Wanna talk about it, bud? " Oda sat down at the edge of Errot's bed and placed a comforting hand at the top of his palm, linking their fingers together.
Errot gulped. " No, no... I'm okay. I'm fine. " He wiped the remaining tears away with the help of his sleeve. He was looking anywhere but at his best friend. That's when he noticed that the sun light was barely visible meaning it was possibly very early in the morning. He was still in Moccasin Blood. Still in a kings sized bed. Still alive. It was something he wanted so much to get used to. But all good things must come to an end. Maybe, he will still have good things coming for him in Ink Blood. That's what he hoped for. He needed to hope. They say that hope is the last feeling that dies inside of someone. Errot's feelings have died a lot of times before, but this particular one never does. It's still there somehow and he's holding on to it like his life depends on it. Maybe it does.
" Is it almost sunrise? " Errot said while staring absentmindedly out of the window, his hand still warmly intertwined with Oda's.
" It is. We are leaving in a couple of hours."
He silently nodded.
" Are you scared? Is this why you are having nightmares again? " Oda's soft, calming voice echoed through the room.
" Aren't you? " His voice broke at the end. He finally looked at the only important person in his life right now. He thinks he saw the hope he was looking for into Oda's eyes. She was his hope.
" I would be crazy if I wasn't. We tried to joke around it but its very much real. And scary. And it's okay. It's okay to be scared, Errot. It means you're still able to feel. Fear keeps you alive, on your feet. And I'm standing right next to you and I will always be- "
" Don't. Just... don't make promises you don't know you can keep. "
" You're right. I don't know. I don't know if I'll still be alive tomorrow at 6 am. I don't know if you'll still be next to me in a few days, weeks, months... The future is uncertain. But right now..Eighteen years later, we are still breathing. We've made it. We've made it through our worst days, together. It's us against the world and it will be like that until we take our last breath. And I sound very dramatic right now but who gives a flying fuck? And when did we switch places? I'm not good at advice. Say something before I start sobbing."
Errot smiled faintly at that. " I love you, you know that? I'm sorry for being an ass. "
" Oh no. I am sorry for putting up with your shit, bro. " She let an amused smirk out.
" Boy, you deadass called Elian bro " Errot chuckled slightly.
" Dont freaking come at me when you were totally acting like a bitch the whole time you were talking to him" Oda joked back
"Come on, being a king sounds ridiculous. Like, there is literally a single person who can bark orders and everyone is gonna follow them as if he is God and not just another human being like the rest of us. What if he's a murderer? A rapist? We are supposed to obey a monster?"
" First of all, he's an angel. Not a human being. And ... you're right. But its not our world anymore. Not the same rules. When you go somewhere else you need to respect the way those people live even if you dont understand it."
" When did anyone respect us, Oda? As Elian said, ' you give and you shall take' . But if you never take, how much can you give till you run out? "
Oda remained silent at that.
" Anyway, it is what it is. I know that if I keep that attitude, I will get us killed in the end. I will seriously try to bite my tongue in front of ' king whatever' . What the fuck was his name again? "
" Canton. King Canton. " Oda shook her head while slightly smiling .
" Canton. Sounds like carton. Even his name is awful"
Oda couldn't help but chuckle at that. " Hey, it sounds like 'candy' too"
" Candy my ass. Did you see his face at the book? He resembled ..death. Not sweet in the slightest ".
Oda pulled a shocked expression at that. "What are you talking about ? He looked like a freaking Greek God. Did you even see his face ?? Damn, boy those eyes and- "
" Absolutely disgusting. We are not sure about Elian but this dude has definitely killed people or worse. He's commited millions of crimes. He's the most evil person in this entire universe. A pathetic criminal- "
" A hot pathetic criminal though.." Oda bit at her lip .
" Jesus...you need holy water "
" And you need new eyes. Your sight is lacking. "
" And you need to redefine your poor standards"
" I would never date him, E . Im just saying that hes hot"
" You better never date him. I mean, how could you date someone with those kind of ears? " Errot pulled a disgusted face.
" You mean the same ears that you actually have right now. " Oda grinned amused.
" Don't remind me, please. And they are bound to me with a freaking spell " Errot pouted a bit.
" The struggles of wanting to survive "
Errot stayed silent for a few seconds and then looked at Oda in the eye. " What's the plan B? "
" We don't have a plan B. We have plan A or destruction. "
Errot snickered. " Sounds like fun"
" Hey, if nothing works I'll just have sex with him and he'll let us go"
Errot raised an eyebrow. " My mind is flooding with comments I want to make right now but they all sound either offensive or disgusting"
" What? You heard Elian. He's pansexual. And im hot. "
" He's also an evil asshole. And anyway, I thought you liked girls? "
" I don't know..I mean, I haven't tried anything with anyone. Girls are very attractive. And guys are.. also attractive." She sighed. " How did you know that you're gay? "
Errot chocked on plain air and his eyes widened . " Who told you that? "
"That you're gay? Aren't you? "
" No? I'm in fact straight, Oda "
Oda pressed her lips into a thin line and slowly patted Errot's hand. " Sure you are, hun".
Errot blinked. " I'm straight. I'm attracted to girls . "
" Okay, okay. No pressure. Whenever you're ready"
Errot frowned. "Bro, what are you talking about?"
" Errot. I literally caught you jerking off to Jack. You were deadass moaning his n- "
" Jesus! Can you stop talking about that? It was years ago . "
" Okay, fine! You like girls. Happy? "
" Good. Thank you . " Errot said evidently a bit annoyed.
" Now that we discussed our zero sexual life and preferences, wanna go over with the plan? "
Errot sighed. " Let's do this. "
♛♛♛
" Aww, look at you babies! You look like little evil elves! " Flare exclaimed happily.
" Little? " Errot snickered.
" How can they be both babies and evil? " Elian said amused.
" And why little ? " Errot added.
" Why do everyone take offence at my words . I'm tired. " Flare sighed amused
" Well, either way, you do look like elves. Dark clothes, pointed ears, weapons. The only thing missing is the attitude but I'm positive Errot will find his way around it. Oda, on the other hand..." Elian looked at Oda amused and gave her his significant grin.
" I can be mean if I want to" Oda defended.
" Really? Try it then. On me. "
" ...what? Like, now? " She asked awkwardly.
" Aha, right now. Go ahead. "
Flare rolled her eyes and looked at Elian. "That's unfair, your highness. You are a king. Not even King Canton's Inks dare to oppose to him. And they are evil by nature. " She turned at Oda . " But I am not a royal. So. " Flare grinned.
Oda locked eyes with Flare and tried not to show the awkwardness that was consuming her. She then shook the nerves off and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to practice before she goes to Ink Blood bare feet . " Well, then. I think you are a two faced angel who would act like a best friend to you and then stab you in the back first chance she gets ."
Errot looked to his side and gave a small side smirk to himself while Elian bit his bottom lip to possibly hide his amusement.
Flare kept looking at Oda with the same grin, frozen on her face. " Was that you being mean, or stating your honest opinion? "
" What? I- I was just being mean" Oda tried to avoid her piercing gaze.
" See? You're already failing at being an elf. Inks don't have the ability to lie. "
Oda opened her mouth to reply but Elian cut her off. " Lying is beneficial in this case. They can literally lie to Canton's face and he won't have a clue. Please, try not to expose yourselves. Or us, in that matter. " He placed his hands on his pockets and when he took them out he was holding two brand new cell phones . He then gave one to Errot and the other to Oda. " I've saved Flare's and I's numbers on both of the phones under code names. You'll use them to contact us about any information you find. Also, it is preferable to hold them in your hands and not put them in your backpacks. Ink Blood is filled with thieves".
Errot nodded while Oda smiled gratefully. " Thank you, your majesty. "
" You're very welcome, Oda " Elian grinned at her and then everyone's eyes turned to Errot.
Errot was checking his new phone out when he felt a few pairs of eyes on him so he looked up at them and lifted a questioning eyebrow . "What? "
Elian chuckled lightly. " Don't bother, it's okay. He's already adjusting to the Ink life. "
Errot sighed and briefly waved the phone in the air. " Thank you." He mumbled.
Elian's grin grew wider at that. " You're also very welcome, handsome. Now get in elves. It's time. " He pointed at the black portal on the wall with his head.
" Break a leg! " Flare smiled and waved at the guys.
Errot rolled his eyes and took Oda's hand in his. They stood a step away from the portal, facing it now. Errot glanced at Oda but she was already looking at him. They both nodded at each other and walked through the portal, hand in hand.
♛♛♛
Whatever Errot had in mind of what Ink Blood looked like, it definetely wasn't...this. Obviously simple words wouldn't be able to describe this dimension on its entirety. A sudden cold breeze passed through them, making both of them shiver a bit. It felt like the moment they stepped through the portal the temperature dropped about a few degrees down. The whole aura turned from pink clouds and white wings to absolute chaos. Now dark grey clouds covered the entire sky and a bit of fog seemed to follow the guys in their every step. Even though it was currently daytime, it strongly gave you the impression that it was actually close to sunset, the sun nowhere to be found.
Whenever you looked, your eyes would meet broken down pavements, burned buildings that now seemed black and Inks walking around, all with their heads down and their gaze hidden by the comfort of their black hoodie. They all carry weapons on them and Errot felt completely relieved that Elian was generous enough to give them each a gun and a knife.
It already resembled Merlot Blood a lot and Errot thought he might throw up any minute now. He didn't want to be reminded of the tortures he had to go through in the place he grew up and he definitely didn't want to look at the Inks and think of anyone from his kind. Filthy humans. They took away the most precious human on his life. His own blood. The person that raised him and taught him everything he knows. The person who fought day and night for him, who loved him unconditionally. They also took away his freedom, his sense of security and a warm plate of food . They took away love and happiness and they replaced it with hate and despair and tears.
Errot tried to put his thoughts away and keep heading forwards . His hand was now free of Oda's grip and he turned to glance at her so he would make sure that she was okay.
Oda looked far from okay. Her eyes were widened and horror seemed to have taken over her. " Oda, keep your head down, don't attract any unnecessary attention" Errot whispered at a frightened Oda.
She didn't seem to react in any way so he continued . "Don't be scared, I'm here." He placed a hand at her back comfortingly. " But we need to act like it doesn't affect us. We need to reach the castle . " Errot kept his voice down the whole time he was talking to Oda, making sure that no one else could hear them. She slowly nodded and took a brief breath before also lowering her head. She figured it was more preferable since now she wouldn't be able to notice the chaos around her.
Errot and Oda had memorized the whole way from the portal to the castle so they would make sure that they wouldn't get lost and had to ask for directions, therefore proving that they don't belong in Ink Blood . The castle where King Canton lived wasn't that far away from where they were. Not looking at anything else but the pavement helped them both avoid distractions or conflict. The closer they got to the castle, the better their surroundings became. Suddenly, the pavements were easy to walk on and the buildings weren't covered in ash, waste or bricks. Errot decided to take a clearer look at what was going on around him. He noticed that every single house or construction was tall and pitch black and the few Inks around him held evidently more comfidence and power. The mist now became heavier and Errot pulled his hoodie further down his head and kept walking.
A few painful minutes later and they finally came to a stop as they reached their destination. They both slowly lifted their heads up and a gasp almost escaped Errot's lips. He tried to memorize every little thing of the outside of the castle before anyone caught him staring at it like it was the most stunning place in the world even though he felt as this fact was true. The castle resembled a small village with a terribly wide iron gate. It consisted of at least six different buildings, the biggest one in the middle. Errot supposed king Canton was staying in that. They were all painted black as every other structure in this terrifying place. A few lights were already open in some of the castle's rooms and Errot wondered if this much time had passed since they entered this hell-hole. It was freezing by now and he felt the tips of his fingers turning icy every passing second. They needed to get inside.
They walked to the gate and without gazing at the guards Errot decided to speak out for the both of them as planned. He lowered his voice and tried his best to make it sound dark and fearsome. " We need to have an audience with the king. It's an emergency. "
" Names and positions." This man's voice sent chills into Errot's body but he remained collected and focused.
" Errot White, spy"
" Oda Elton, spy "
Errot noticed that the guard quickly wrote down their names.
" Any weapon that can cause instant damage will be held at the gates during your stay and your time with the King. Four guards will escort you to the Throne Room and you will be at a safe distance from King Canton. " The guy started pressing a few buttons on his device, almost mechanically, and Errot found the chance to peek an eye at him. His entire face was covered by a black hood, making it impossible to trace any facial feature. He was completely armed and he seemed on the edge, ready for any fight that might emerge.
Once he was done with whatever it was that he was occupied with, he pulled a big enough box out and silently stretched it in front of the guys indicating that they should drop their weapons inside. They immediately started stripping themselves off of their guns and knives and placed them on the box.
The moment the guy pulled it back and away, four also fully armed men stepped before them. They both raised their eyes to look at them for mere seconds and the guards signaled for them to follow their path. The gates opened slowly, letting Errot and Oda walk inside the big yard. They started walking endlessly through the property and Errot couldn't help but notice that the wet grass they were currently stepping on was cut extremely short and instead of fountains or statues, all they could see was dull cement.
The finally arrived at the gate of the main part of the castle where they were met with another two guards. They apparently didn't need any instructions as they opened the doors without asking any questions. Two of the men that were guiding them towards the Throne room turned around and got behind them while the other two remained at the front. Errot thought it was for Canton's safety and he didn't question it.
The castle inside was almost as creepy as it looked on the outside. It's walls were black and old but they still held strong. In fact, every single furniture in here was black as well, or grey in rare occasions, except from the white candles that were lighting their way.
That's probably why only few rooms have the lights on. Because they all use candles. Errot thought and tried his hardest not to get more creeped out than he already was.
The guards that were on lead suddenly stopped outside of an enormous door that almost resembled the gates outside. They knocked at it and without waiting for an answer, they opened it widely and stepped inside with the guys following straight behind them.
As soon as they walked in, they both simultaneously took a respectful bow and kept their gaze stuck to the ground.
" Your highness " One of them said. "Two spies that do not belong in your personal guard asked for an audience with you. "
The guards were blocking Canton's sight so they moved to the side, letting Errot and Oda be seen. That resulted into an instant rise of Errot's pulse. He hadn't even taken a single look at the King and he already felt anxiety and terror clouding his every thought. Knowing that he was now eyeing them, terrified Errot to the bone. The thought of getting caught kept popping into his head but he knew that he couldn't lose his cover right now and he prayed to God that Oda wouldn't either.
Nauseating silence followed for a few very scaring seconds until a painfully deep voice spoke up. "Let them approach me."
Errot definetely wasn't scared of criminals as he dealt with them his whole life but he knew damn well that blowing his cover up right now by doing something stupid would lead to their death, so fear was only a natural reaction.
They stepped further inside the hall and stopped the moment two swords were abruptly placed under their chins. Errot tried his best not to seem shocked or remotely surprised but he noticed with the corner of his eye that Oda slightly flinched. She quickly covered it by bowing so Errot was thankfully reminded to do the same.
" Your majesty. " Oda's voice came out surprisingly brave.
Errot could feel Canton's presence before him and the very deem light of the candles combined with the silence this place held wasn't helping his nerves.
" I really do hope what you have to say is important because it would be ..very unfortunate to waste my time. You may speak now. " Canton's voice echoed through the room as if it was completely empty. His voice wasn't particularly loud but it was definitely deafening. His every word sounded like it was dipped in venom, his tone dark and harsh. He was talking steadily slow but in a bearable pace.
Errot took an inaudible breath to brave himself up. "My King, we have valid proof that your own privacy is being violated, therefore you are not entirely safe right now. "
There it goes again. Silence.
This time around, Errot thought he heard a few fainted whispers and he fought the urge to raise his head and take a look at what's happening.
"Explain in detail." Was all he eventually said.
There wasn't something Errot wouldn't do to be able to see the way Canton looked like in flesh.
' He won't ask how or why you started searching and spying for him cause he simply doesn't care like that. Just put emphasis on the violation of his privacy '
Errot prayed that Flare was right when he uttered his next words. " We recently found out that King Elian has ordered undercover agents to spy on you and discover your schemes against Teal Blood. We are not aware if King Elian's spies are Moccasins or Inks but we believe it is the latter."
Someone else's voice could be heard louder now but still not loud enough for Errot to make out their words.
" Finally, things are getting interesting" The amusement in Canton's voice was loud and clear. "You, boy. I order you to lower yourself and kneel down." Errot unconsciously clenched his jaw but immediately did as told, the sword now being removed from his chin.
He heard Canton getting up from his throne and closing the distance between them. Errot did his best not to let his eyes widen. He felt like his heart was ready to burst out of his chest in great fear that Canton had seen through their act somehow and would order their death any time now.
Errot felt the previously removed sword being forced under his chin again but this time the pressure was insufferable so Errot couldn't do anything else but raise his head back up . He immediately closed his eyes so he wouldn't look at Canton even though he was dying to.
He heard a small, fainted chuckle and it was in that moment that Errot realised that it was the first time he heard someone laugh and actually caused him to shiver all over.
" You are granted permission to look at me" His voice was firm and authoritative but amused at the same time.
Errot hesitantly opened his eyes and they immediately locked with Canton's very dark green ones. His breath got caught on his throat and there was only one word playing over and over in his mind .
Shit.
♛