The sun, which was now starting to rise, radiated its warm golden light. Kenley and Eldred, who had now finished changing their clothes, now rushed towards Uncle Fronsh's house to get ready to leave the Glinth tribal settlement, to continue their journey to Brandish.
Brandish is just like Gracylia who stands under a strong kingdom over her territory. But on the map of the Magire Kivanal continent, Brandish wasn't quite as big as Gracylia from that paper.
Eldred rechecked his things, after they finished packing. His top priority was the crystal pieces they had obtained last night at the moon lake.
After feeling complete, the two of them finally said goodbye to the Gaine family to leave there. Gaine felt quite sad if the two of them had to leave her. But the girl lightened her heart with a genuine smile while waving her hand towards the two of them who had now walked away from her house.
"I didn't know the Glinth tribe was that good" said Eldred letting the breeze gently hit his face. Kenley nodded before finally saying, "I'm still confused, why aren't their settlements listed on the map?" he said again remembering the question. Eldred rolled his eyes lazily.
"You said it yourself, that their settlement is very small, so it makes sense that it's not listed on the map." Eldred explained.
"I thought the Altar of the Lake had been around a long time ago or I don't know, I don't really know about that either. It looks like the Glinth settlement is a new settlement. They still don't have permission from the palace, so their area is not listed on the map. People haven't even heard of the tribe, have they? That means they are a group of illegal immigrants who come from other areas. But luckily they know nothing about Crystal Crytilops other than worshiping Moon Lake."
Kenley suddenly stopped in his tracks. "I never said that yesterday." he said, furrowing his brows. Eldred turned to him with a ridiculous face. "Come on, we'd better hurry." he said starting to quicken his pace. Kenley hastily followed behind.
"Unbelievable, we have to walk like this to get to Gussin? My legs are starting to feel numb now" Kenley complained. "Come on, I guess we haven't walked far enough from the Glinth tribe's settlement, why are you suddenly being so spoiled?" A crooked smile crossed Elfair's face.
"Is the route correct?" he asked again as he leaned his body under the tree. Eldred re-opened his map to make sure they weren't really going the wrong way. Eldred nodded. "Yesterday actually we didn't cross the main road after escaping from Gracylia, you remember?" he continued.
"I hope we can quickly get to Gussin today" said Eldred starting to walk again. The sun was rising, making the air around them feel hot as the sun was ahead, shining on their faces. They protect their faces from the glare of its rays. It was the straw clothes they were wearing right now that made the air feel tight. Plus the two of them had to walk through the path leading to the main road to Gussin town. Around the road, you can see bushes and tall teak trees. Thankfully the sun's rays didn't shine directly on their skin.
Indeed, just this morning they left the tiny Glinth settlement, it felt like they had been away all day. Even though the Glinth settlement was only a few kilometers behind them. Every now and then Kenley wiped the sweat that started to trickle down his forehead.
"I'm not sure if the next crystal is in Brandish. Maybe it's in Gussin, right?" Kenley argued. "I can't guess either, but on this map the next relic is in Brandish. I hope the Elfair elders haven't marked the wrong place." Kenley replied.
"You still have the rye bread Kailt gave you yesterday?" Kenley asked, clutching his already hungry stomach.
"Not." Eldred shook his head weakly. "I gave it to Gaine yesterday" he said as he pulled the bowstring. "But if you feel hungry.." Eldred tried to aim at something above the tree. The bow magically shot out arrows that Kenley had never expected. No wonder, after meeting in the forest of Larnia, he did not carry an arrow on his back.
"We can eat grilled birds." Eldred said as he launched an attack from his bow, right at the white bird that was perched on top of the tree. After Eldred's bow strike successfully penetrated the bird's body, the bird fell to the ground. Eldred smiled contentedly at Kenley. "Let's eat! You'd better make the fire quick." Eldred ran towards his target who was lying on the ground lifeless.
Kenley smirked. 'You old Elfair, his eyesight is still sharp,' he thought to himself. Kenley rushed to find firewood and stones to start a fire.
When he felt he was ready, he started rubbing stones against one another to make a fire. Kenley's hands now look adept at making fire. Without waiting long, the two stones in his hands now began to emit small sparks from the stone he rubbed.
But in a place not far from him, Eldred was busy plucking the bird's feathers before they burned it to eat. Eldred plucked the feathers mercilessly, like a Brathiva tearing its prey. In the pile of dry leaves and some of the firewood that Kenley had gathered, the Fire that the Hamoursh Man had made had finally ignited burning some of the firewood and dry leaves.
"Okay, the fire is ready!" He exclaimed approaching his Elfair friend. "Very nice!" Eldred replied. After everything was ready, they immediately burned the birds that Eldred had prepared to be their lunch. Without waiting for long the meat was burned on the surface of the hot fire, a pleasant aroma now wafted into their nostrils. Kenley smelled it, the smell alone made him impatient to eat it.
The scorching light of the sun between the teak trees that grew wild around them did not prevent them from enjoying the wild food there.
"Kenley?" called Eldred suddenly. Kenley turned his face towards the blue-eyed Elfair beside him. "Did you know who your parents were before?" he asked awkwardly.
The question barely knew what the human-blooded man should do. For now he didn't even know what to do other than help this Elfair friend of his on an important mission. But he himself had also had a commitment to himself to be able to at least find out who the two people he really wanted to see his face. Kenley answered before finally swallowing the food he was chewing. He replied with a weak nod.
"I don't know who they are. Even people at church don't admit who my parents are among them. I really want to know, but right now shouldn't I help you find Crystal Crytilops? That's more important, right?" Kenley's reply ended with a big smile on his face.
Eldred nodded slowly. "But did you ever tell me that twelve years ago, you left that church?" Eldred asked back. "Yes." Kenley nodded slightly.
"Maybe if you don't run away from there, the people there will tell you the truth when you grow up, but that's just my opinion." Eldred said without turning to Kenley. His soft blue eyes collided with the orange radiance of the blazing fire in front of her, leaving some of their food still stuck to the spiky wood on the surface of the fire.
Kenley stared at Eldred in disbelief. "Then why did you decide to leave there?" now Elfair's gaze was on Hamoursh who was frozen in silence. "So..So they know who my parents are?!" Kenley said with his eyes wide.
"I told you it was just my opinion." Elfair's right hand was now busy playing with fire with a small twig that happened to be nearby. Kenley was still trying to figure out what he had just heard from the albino haired Elfair beside him. If it was true, it would mean that he had made the wrong decision twelve years ago. From the beginning he was determined to find the two people who were precious to him in the past, has now turned into a long and winding road.
He now increasingly does not understand why his destiny can be this complicated. Kenley felt that he had to be faced with a fate that had just dragged him this far. A word suddenly crossed his mind 'WHY ARE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH HIDING A VERY IMPORTANT SECRET?!
His chest started to feel hot. How could they do something out of their own selfishness to cover up a statement from a child living without both parents?
"They can't be forgiven." Kenley clenched his jaw germ as he clenched his fists tightly. Eldred saw clearly that there were almost unstoppable tears from Kenley's eyes that could fall at any moment. But the Hamoursh Man was desperately trying to keep it from flowing out of his reddened eye bags.
At the same time that Eldred was about to propose something, someone's scream pierced his sharp ears. That low voice was impossible for Kenley to hear too, naturally. But Eldred was able to hear it clearly.
"I heard someone shouting for help from here" he said trying to focus his hearing again on the target voice.
"Seriously, there's no one around now other than us. Except for Daemon who's definitely hanging around" said Kenley in disbelief. Eldred stood up, he had a bad feeling. He tried to find the source of the sound.
In a situation like this, Kenley already knew that the special abilities of an elf like Eldred couldn't be doubted. In the end, he turned off the fire and immediately went after the albino-haired Elfair.
It was only after they had walked quite a distance from where they were that Kenley could hear what Eldred had just said. The screams were getting louder and clearer. They ran toward a large rock that was about a hundred meters from them.
They were surprised to see the figure we saw with their own two eyes. Two one meter sized daemons were trying to eat a boy who was tied up resignedly to a rock.
With his remaining strength, the boy desperately tried to avoid the bites of the two daemons that were mercilessly attacking him. But some of his claws he couldn't avoid.
Kenley and Eldred immediately ran towards the poor boy to help him from the attack of two brutal daemons.
Eldred launched his arrow which successfully pierced the left eye at the other daemon. The two daemons who felt disturbed, now attacked them both.
Kenley fired his Sliker to try to dodge the daemon's attack that was hurtling towards him. But Eldred didn't want any further ado. He took out his long sword which had been giving off its green aura.
After his sword was swung in the air, now Eldred's sword successfully beheaded the two demons with one slash. Kenley hurried over to the boy who had almost become the daemon's hungry daemon's lunch earlier.
Kenley untied the knot that bound the boy's body. His body felt weak. Kenley saw that there were lacerations on the boy's knees and hips. And claw wounds on both hands.
The child is crying. He couldn't stand the pain in his body right now. Without thinking, Kenley took out his drinking water bag which became their drinking supplies, to wash the wounds on the body of the poor child who was sobbing in front of him.
"It's okay, you don't be afraid. We're not bad people anyway" said Kenley smiling sincerely at the child who was still crying non-stop. Kenley wanted so badly to heal the wounds on his body, but he himself never knew if there was a cure for such wounds.
"Eldred? What should we do? The wound will only get worse if we don't heal it soon." Kenley said. A worried look appeared on his face.
"Is the blood of this daemon the cure?" asked Eldred innocently. Kenley shook his head vigorously. "I don't want to take a big risk for something as serious as this."
It would be more difficult for them to find medicine in such a place. "I just know that if it's a wound like this, the leaves of the Flavish plant will be able to relieve swelling and infection in the body affected by a bite like this." said Kenley suddenly standing up.
"I'll be right back. Take care of this child!" Kenley tore open his underwear to wipe the blood that was constantly oozing out of the boy's tiny body.
"This will hold back the blood that comes out, I'll be right back!" he cried hinting at Eldred to do what he did earlier.
A few minutes passed, finally Kenley came back with a few reddish-green leaves in his hand. The leaf did look foreign to Eldred. Maybe Eldred thought the leaf was the one Kenley was referring to. Kenley immediately ground the leaf into a fine powder, which he immediately applied to the bite wound that a boy nearby felt. The boy's face was slightly pale.
After successfully pounding it finely on the stone, Kenley immediately applied it to the wound to at least reduce the infection that might later be caused if not treated immediately.
With the ability of both hands, after he finished applying Plavish leaves to the wound on his leg, he now wrapped the piece of clothing he had used to wipe his nails in his second position.
The wound on the boy's leg, has been successfully treated. Now the same part of the wound on the boy's waist. Kenley smeared the soft Plavish leaf on the boy's waist skillfully.
Even though he was confused about the material he was going to use as a bandage, without taking the complicated route, Kenley forcibly removed the boy's clothes, then tore them apart until they were long.
Then he wrapped it around the little boy's waist. To keep the boy from getting cold, like a caring older brother, Kenley took off his clothes to put on the child he had just treated.
Even though Kenley's body is now only made of thin cloth clothes, at least he is still grateful that this boy is still able to help.
"Well, it's done!" he cried, smiling broadly as soon as the treatment process was successful. Eldred is amazed by Kenley's new abilities. Actually, it's not a new ability, Kenley has always been known to be very proficient in his guild medicine.
"You're great. How can you have that ability? I've never seen that before" said Eldred giving praise.
"Of course. Like what I used to do when I was in the guild, it's a normal thing," he said scratching his head that didn't itch.
"What is your name?" Eldred asked the boy who had been silent all this time without making a sound. "Oh yes, I told you earlier. You don't have to be so afraid of us, just pretend we are your friends now, how about it? Hahaha" Kenley said with a voice ending with a small laugh.
"Na..my name is Terrence Launce. B-Many thanks for helping me." The boy's face didn't change. Kenley crouched down to look at the innocent face of a child in front of him. Kenley knew exactly how he was feeling now. His trauma will not recover quickly, even until he grows up.
Once again, Kenley smiled sincerely at the boy. Likewise Eldred. They wanted to throw away their fear of the two of them.
"Terrence, my name is Kenley Rhys and he's a friend of mine from the fairies, his name is Eldred Carlton. You can call us whatever makes you feel more comfortable." Unexpectedly, Kenley, who had been clumsy and childish all this time, could collapse in an instant turning into an adult nature that increasingly reflected the affection of a brother to his biological brother.
"Why are you in a place like this? This area is very far from Gussin," asked Eldred. Terrence lowered his head weakly.
"I got dumped. I want to go back to Brandish," he said, sounding resigned. This took them both by surprise. "My little sister is employed there as a slave every day." his statement made Kenley's heart tore to hear it.
Kenley tried to smile, patting Terrance's little shoulders as he said. "Let's save your sister." said Kenley. Instantly a bright face shone on the dark blond haired boy's face.
"We happen to be there too," said Eldred supportively. "But by the way, who dumped you in a place like this?" Eldred asked which suddenly made Terrence remember the terrible incident that had happened to him earlier. The dark blond haired boy who was still sitting limp in front of the two of them looked nervous, and didn't know where to say something. "Troops from the Brandish job," he said spontaneously. "A few months ago, my sister and I were sold by our parents to Brandish on the grounds that we had to stay at uncle's house." The tears from the boy's eyes began to flow down his cheeks.
Terrence lowered his head to avoid direct gazes from the two of them, trying to hide his face from them. Because Terrence had never felt this weak since they had lived in his hometown with his family.
"I want to save my sister, sis!" He said again in his sobs. In truth, Kenley was furious and his heart ached. Which parent can sell their own flesh and blood?! But in order to lighten the burden that this eleven year old boy is carrying, the twenty-three year old Hamoursh must be able to control all the emotions he is feeling right now.
"We'll help you, Terrence." Kenley said then turned to Eldred.
"Just wipe your tears, your sister doesn't like to see you cry like a weak person like that." Eldred said suddenly. Terrence then wiped his tears. He tried to stand up as he endured the pain from the wound that sheltered his small body.
"Thank you very much. I-" Terrence broke off, because Kenley had grabbed him. "Never mind. No need to thank me. Come on, get on my back. We'll find a vehicle that can take us to Gussin. We don't want to waste time, do we?" he said, ready to crouch with his back to Terrence gesturing for the boy to do as he said.
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