Passing through the river where we killed the ogre, kale crouched near the fire that was made. It's wood still burning slightly, There were footprints that seemed to circled around the fire that seemed to go chaotic when it was near the forest. Kale looked down into the fire before noticing something buried in the snow. Digging through it, Kale held up something. His eyes widened at what he found.
"Well shit…" He muttered before looking at us both. "Maybe this is more than just a random kid." He held up a blue cloth, it was damaged and burnt but I recognized that it was from Prusha.
Why did that seem familiar?
Kale scratched his head furiously before grunting. He got out of his crouch and kicked some snow with his feet. "Damn it! That damn kid!" He yelled. "Always wanting to explore and now look what he's gotten into! If he just stayed in the castle, and not-." Kale couldn't even finish his sentence and rubbed his face in anger.
"Who…who is it?" I asked.
"Sigh…that boy you met from a couple months ago, the royal blood kid. You remember right?" Kale looked at me between his hands.
Chris? The son of the king lucian? That brat?
Wait…what the hell is he doing out here?
"I do now…but why is he out here?" I asked, why would the kid of the king be out here? Is it like a snow trip or someshit? Bask in the natural environment that is the forest?
"Chris…is complicated, he'd much rather explore and have fun rather than learn from his father." Kale explained. "He's never that bold, but whenever he gets the chance of leaving the castle, he tends to go off on his own. Maybe today he got lucky and found his way out of the castle…"
What a stupid…fucking kid…the brat wanted to leave the castle to explore? Without any guards or anything? He doesn't even know any spells or have any training!
Wait…something just clicked with me. Today we went out to the forest, and somehow this kid somehow coincidentally managed to leave into the same forest we are in. I haven't been in contact with Arael for some time, and somehow…is this Arael's doing? To help progress the task she gave me? She said I need to be acquainted with the King's son, and now all of the sudden I'm searching for him.
That bitch. She's putting the kids' life on the line! Actually both of ours! I still don't know shit! I'm two months into learning at the university and she thinks I'm capable now? I started to rub my head in frustration at the thought that this goddess of death somehow thought this would be a fantastic route to be powerful in this world. Not that I even cared about that, I just wanted to live a different life!
"Kota? You alright? You're rubbing your head ferociously…" Lilith asked, she touched my hand that was rubbing my head.
"H-huh? Yeah, just trying to…wrap my head around what Kale said…" If what Kale is saying is true, then we might be in trouble then. If Chris dies, who knows what'll happen! "Kale…how bad is it that Chris is out here?"
Kale gave me a serious face. "Very. The two of you aren't really into what is going on in the kingdom, which is reasonable. But if Chris is out here on his own without anyone…that just means he's an easy target for The demon continent."
"Demon continent? Why's that?" Lilith asked.
"The demon continent has no control of their land so it's basically a place where bandits and other races go when they have nothing else. Prusha is…somewhat of a ruler for them. They examine people who come in and out to make sure nothing illegal is going in or out. Demon races that come from the demon continent aren't allowed in as well. But…If they manage to get ahold of Chris, they could possibly kill him in an effort to threaten The king." Kale continued explaining.
I vaguely remember Derrick explaining the demon continent to us, they'd check on carriages that went through it and ID'd people in them. There was a strict rule on importing or exporting things to them. You know, thinking about how Prusha manages things, the high prices on homes here and a lackluster university when the city is known for its magic makes me believe now that underneath that title is a mediocre kingdom.
"Now that I got that out, we'll need to find him fast. And soon. With the snow getting harsher, there might be a chance that Chris will freeze to death." Kale looked at the trail of footsteps that led deeper into the woods.
I nodded in agreement, the chances of that were large and if Arael was behind all this, then we'd better hurry. Or else someone else will get to him.
"The tracks lead deeper into the forest, Chris probably doesn't know which way is which." Kale drew his sword and marked a tree with a X. "I'll keep marking trees from here on out, this way we can figure out our way back here."
Kale started to trek along the footprint trail, making sure he differentiated his steps from them. I follow suit, with Lilith still holding my arm.
She's gotten quite a bit clingy since I got hurt, I basically had to drag her along as I followed kale.
"You don't need to worry that much, Lilith. I'm alright." I tried to comfort her, I tried prying her off of me as her grip was quite frankly tight.
Lilith lowered her head at my words, loosening her grip but still holding on. Then she spoke.
"But it's my fault…that's the ogre ran for you, I ran in to get the goblins…" she quietly said. The trembling in her words made my heart squeeze. Kale even took a glance back as he somehow heard her say that.
I feel I should be upset about her, she's correct. But then again, she's just a six year old kid. A six year old kid who's just excited on going on their first adventure. She's not as mature as me and didn't understand the consequences of her actions. So she's gotta get some sort of punishment, Right?
Lifting my right hand she was holding, I flicked her forehead like kale did. She made an audible yelp, rubbing her head before she gave me a mean glare.
"What was that for?!" She asked painfully.
"For running into battle. Next time we do a quest, you'll know not to do that right?" I instinctively pulled back from her, I had a gut feeling she'd try and jab me. And lord behold, a fist blurred where I used to be. Lilith frowned and turned a bright red as she seemed embarrassed that I figured out what she'd do.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine now…besides my left arm. I'm not mad at you though."
"I am! You two hurry up!" Kale yelled, he was ahead of us and climbing over a fallen tree. "I picked up something else! Kid should be close by!"
Giving Lilith a nod, we followed Kale's trail. Once we climbed over the fallen log we saw seemed to be a battle of some sorts? But there was no blood or anything like that. We entered a somewhat open area where in the middle, a lot of snow was flattened or piled up around. Tracks of footsteps seemed to go all over in a circle of some sorts.
"Someone was struggling, no blood or anything that indicates a real battle…This means either someone was kidnapped or used a magic circle." Kale said while examining the messy tracks.
"A magic circle? Wouldn't we have noticed that?" I asked. Magic circles take a long amount of time to do, from making the patterns for the circles and the massive amount of mana needed to use it. There's no way that someone would be able to make it without anyone noticing it.
"Yeah, you're right. This had to be a kidnapping…which leads me to my other hypotheses. The demon continent got to him. A kidnapping." Kale looked at me with dismay when he said that.
"We gotta move fast. Look." He then pointed at another trail, this time it was a long trail that seemed to look like someone was dragging something. "That's got to be our lead now." As he got up, I noticed something past him. Maybe it was imagination or something. A black figure seemed to be peering behind one of the far trees.
"But kale…that trail doesn't lead any…where?" Lilith confusingly said, but I didn't bother listening as I squinted and focused on the black figure. It twitched and ever so slightly moved. Something on its back was moving.
Wait…I've seen that before. Before we headed to the goblins nest, that black blur that went by us. I thought it was a kiesse, but now…I'm starting to reconsider that idea. Its long neck seemed to curve over the tree it was looking from, even from this distance I could see its owl-like eyes peering at me. Has this thing been following us?
No…No it wasn't, it hasn't even bothered us until now…when we started looking for Chris.
The back of its body kept withering, like something inside of it was trying to push out. Kale didn't even notice it yet and neither did Lilith as they kept examining the open area. And still The black figure didn't move.
I nudged Lilith who was now on my right side looking at the trail. "Lilith, can you see that?" I pointed in the direction of the black figure, I had to make sure I wasn't tripping balls and seeing it.
Lilith looked up and stared at where I was pointing, she gave a confused look before looking at kale. "Kale…what's that!"
Kale gave her a confused look now before looking at the black figure that was now out from behind the trees, it seemed to have moved when Lilith looked at it. And with its full body in view now…this was not human.
To be quite frank, it scared me. Beyond its curved head and owl eyes, its body followed the curviness of its head, the arms long and reached its knees. The legs are also curved. Its feet remind me of a bird's feet. What I thought was its body was actually its wings, they twitched and eerily shuttered and slowly bent.
"Kids, move back." Kale ordered, there was a tone of nervousness to it. One I haven't heard from him before.
"But we ca-." Lilith tried to speak, but Kale shot her a glare. His face was red and sweating, the expression of nervousness was all over his place.
"Do. Not. Intervene. That thing will kill you. Kota, grab her."
I immediately grabbed Lilith and turned before I heard a low, chilling voice, it wasn't from kale.
"There's no need to have the kids run…you're just extending their demise." I turned back and looked at the black figure. It spoke. It spoke the Language that we use. "I've been watching you all since you came into the forest…It seems as though he sent in a rescue team…" the black figure expanded its wings, flapping upwards into the air.
It slowly and weirdly landed onto the opposite side of us, its legs contorted around each other for a moment before reverting to their Normal positions. The monster stood at twelve feet. Dwarfing all of us and even the ogre we had just fought.
"The child you speak of…is here…" it lurched forward, showing its back to show a boy. The boy squirmed and tearfully looked at us in fear. Pieces of his own clothing were stuffed into his mouth, muffling the screams that came from him.
"He is needed in the Demon Continent…Lady Marika needs his audience…"
"Chris!" I yelled, the boy turned to me and muffled out more screams. This was surely him. Kale was right, he was being captured!
"Lady Marika?" Kale asked, he drew both of his blades in preparation of any Attack. But the figure stood there, no movement of such. Lilith drew her blade as well, but I still stood in front of her.
Who the hell was this person? What is this black figure? How the fuck did our first day in doing quest turn into this? Oh yeah…Arael might have to do something with that…
"I have no need to answer that. But now that you are all here…"the black figure lurched as something gooey leaked out of its stomach, what looked like a liquid seemingly turned solid as it solidified into a sword. "There will be no mistakes as I did with that one adventurer." It seemingly dropped Chris off its back, the boy falling to his side in the cold as the monster took a step. "I cannot fail Lady Marika and the state of the demon continent…"
"Kota, Lilith! Get the hell b-." Kale could finish his sentence as the Black monster seemingly sped towards him and swung its sword, he caught the swing but its force was so much that it caused him to slide back.
Lilith tried to go in and help, but I couldn't let her. There was no way in hell she could help in this.
Kale pushed the monster back, proceeding to slash with both swords of his at a vicious pace, the black monster screeching as the blades connected to its legs.
"Impudent!" It smacked kale to the side with its left hand, sending him skidding. "I'll make quick work of you and the children next…"
As I saw the two fight, I saw Chris struggling to get up from the snow. Seeing that the black monster was occupied with kale, I grabbed Lilith and ran across the opening to chris. The black monster didn't even notice nor cared as Kale got up immediately and continued his assault, dodging a swing from the monster and continuing to make cuts in the monster.
Me and Lilith finally got to Chris, who was crying and covered in snow. Lilith pulled out the cloth that was in his mouth, dropping it to the side.
"Chris!?" I asked him, he gave me a dazed look before realizing who I was.
"You?! Y-you're that kid I bumped into!" He said tremblingly. "Get me out of here, please! I-I don't want to be here!" The kid sounded like he was on the verge of crying again.
I was going to make a joke to him, but with the situation at hand, I didn't think it was wise enough. We have a black monster thing fighting kale and a prince who was almost kidnapped.
"Lilith, can you carry him?" I asked. She nodded as she lifted up Chris, Chris was holstered over her shoulder where she quite easily stood up. Yeah, she's strong as hell for someone our age.
Chris turned beet red as he was lifted. "H-hey!" He looked embarrassed as Lilith held on to his legs. "Keep your hands o-off my legs!"
"Shut up, we're here to help you…jeez.." Lilith looked at me as if wondering what to do now.
Now that we got Chris, what the hell were going to do with this monster?
"Children…." That low voice came from behind me, I thought it was fighting kale? Why am I hearing it? I whipped around and saw its face. The neck stretched this distance to me as I saw behind it kale still fighting it. But now it had its eyes on us. It's eyes darted to Lilith, who froze in fear. Chris also shut his mouth with his hands, his eyes widening in fear. It really did have the features of a owl, those huge eyes went back to me and stared at me without blinking before finally speaking again.
"Where are you three going?"