Stars filled the sky like pale corn on the freshly turned ground. A teen guy was sitting on the roof of a two-storey cottage, staring at the night sky. His raven-black eyes were as dark as the night sky and a tinge of crimson red was twinkling there like those stars above.
The cottage was old but well-maintained but standing so dully at a corner of the shimmering red light area, it was looking quite glamour-less. It was the house of one of the famous courtesans of that area but she already had a customer to please so the door of her cottage was already locked.
Lazily staring at the diamonds like stars above, the teen guy was tearing the petals of a rose in his hands. A soft symphony was coming out from the rooms under and a sweet feminine perfume was lingering in the air. But, the dark eyes of the teen guy didn't look very enthusiastic about those things; rather his mind was focused on tearing those rose petals one by one.
'Tap! Tap! Tap!'
Even after hearing a careful creaking sound behind him, the guy didn't turn his head but a dark silhouette crawled onto the rooftop and sat exactly next to him. He was older than him and taller also.
His face might have been carved from marble. Board shoulders off-set by a slender build and long hair. He was looking around 23 years old. While stretching his well-built, chiseled body, he asked in his deep, husky tone, "Why are you still awake?"
The young guy leaned back against the uneven roof of the cottage, tearing the last few petals of the rose. He tucked both of his hands under his head as a pillow and crossed his legs before answering, "First Brother, I can't sleep. I want to return home."
First Brother chuckled warmly as he also leaned next to his younger brother. Then staring at the dark sky, he also took a deep breath as he answered in his low yet heavy tone, "Kai, I also want to return but we can't act recklessly. Right?"
Kai pouted his lips as he mumbled in an annoyed tone, "Yeah! I know. We haven't even completed our mission yet. Ah! I am missing my Diana."
"Snrk! You are still a kid, Kai. When will you grow up?"
Kai countered casually, tilting his head in his First Brother's direction, "I am seriously missing her, First Brother. She is so fluffy and soft. I can't sleep without hugging her."
"Yes yes… I will find a way to escape soon but until then, you better search the forest properly. There are numerous reports that the Arcelian king is hiding the holy treasure in that forest."
Kai frowned his eyebrows curiously as he asked, "But, I have already searched the forests two or three times. I haven't found anything suspicious. What if they are hiding the treasure in the Palace?"
First Brother aka the First Prince of Fintan nodded his head slightly as he thought for a moment still staring at the starry sky of the night. Then sighing loudly, he answered, "I am also not sure about that. Let's search the forest for two more days. If we don't find anything, then-"
Interrupting him, Kai asked in an excited tone, "Then? Will we go to the capital?"
"Yeah. We don't have any other choice. But, the Palace is very risky for us and anything, we can get caught by the royals. So, I want you to stay hidden for now and don't get involved in any kind of unnecessary feud. Am I clear?"
Pouting like a kid, Kai answered, "Of course. I don't fight without any reason."
"Yes yes… I know that already. That's why I am warning you again, don't kill anyone… No royal guards, no soldiers, not even the bandits or thieves. Ok?"
Kai nodded his head reluctantly as he was about to ask another question, "First Brother, what kind of Holy treasure-"
But, he was interrupted by a familiar female voice; she sounded helpless yet bold as she shouted in a threatening tone, "Get out of here!"
The voice was not very loud; rather the cacophony of the red light area was overpowering it so for a moment, Kai thought that he misheard it. He stopped abruptly as he thought to himself, frowning his eyebrows deeply, 'This voice! Is she-?'
But, then clicking his tongue, he pushed his worries away as he closed his eyes. Soft and cold night breezes were caressing his sculpted face gently as they were playing with his wispy, silvery hair. The First Prince noticed the sudden change in his younger brother's mood as he asked in a concerned tone, "What is it, Kai? Why did you get silent so suddenly?"
"No, it's nothing. I thought that I heard a scream."
"Scream? Whose scream?"
"A familiar voice of someone… Someone I have met-"
But, before Kai could explain the matter to his First brother, he was again interrupted by a helpless scream of Aylin. It was not very loud but clearer than before. She was clearly pleading for help.
"PLEASE! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"
Kai grumbled under his breath, 'Damn! This fool! Is she a magnet for danger?'
It took just a second for Kai to recognize her voice as he jumped up from his lying position and began to run in the direction from where Aylin was shouting. The First Prince was startled at first, seeing Kai jump up like that but when he also heard the helpless pleading of a young girl, he understood the situation.
From behind, he shouted in a worried voice, "Kai, you must not engage in another fight. You know. It will draw unnecessary attention."
But, Kai didn't stop or turn his head; rather he increased his speed as he answered, "I can't let it go. She is too naive to survive on her own."
Kai was extremely fast as he was jumping from one roof to another in that darkness as if he was flying. His moves were confident even in the darkness of the night and his black robe was fluttering in the wind as if it was his wings.
Soon enough, the First Prince lost his sight as if Kai disappeared into the darkness yet he followed Kai's trail. When Kai reached behind the Blossom Brothel, near that shabby alley, he found a girl cornered by two drunkards who were ready to tear her dress and devour her innocence right at that moment.
It was indeed her. It was Aylin.
By raising her both hands, she was trying to protect herself helplessly and her eyes were blurry with tears yet collecting her all strength, she kept on threatening and shouting for help. Tears glistened on her pale, heart-shaped face as her thin lips were trembling in terror.
Sudden anger lit Kai's pitch-black eyes.
Instinctively, his right hand reached to the hilt of his sword that was hidden under his fine, black robe. But, when he noticed how scared Aylin was, Kai instantly changed his mind. Raising his one hand, he grabbed the upper part of her arm and pulled her to him, careful enough not to hurt her or scare her more.
Aylin's slender body was trembling as if a little rabbit was cornered by some hungry hyenas. Kai pulled her closer to him as he wrapped his one hand protectively around her shoulder and tried his best to calm her down.
She had a very alluring sweet scent of some rare perfume that hit his nostrils. Surprisingly, within a few seconds, Aylin calmed down again. Though her eyes were still teary and she had a confused expression, she answered him obediently.
But, those drunkards were constantly getting on his nerves as they kept on making nasty comments about Aylin. Kai couldn't suppress his anger anymore as he glared at them in annoyance and extreme wrath.
But, feeling Aylin's gaze on him, Kai looked down once again and he whispered teasingly, tapping the tip of Aylin's nose, "Wait a minute… These guys are quite noisy. Let me have a quick chat with them first. Ok?"
As if Aylin was bound by an invincible spell, she nodded her head obediently, biting her lower lips. Even he couldn't help but chuckle out softly, seeing her adorable and obedient reaction. Kai's anger subsided by an unknown warmth, looking into her naive and beautiful eyes.
Playfully winking at her, he murmured gently, "Good girl!"
Then, hiding Aylin behind his tall silhouette, he took a step forward in the direction of the drunkards. Aylin was staring at his back with a puzzled expression as her brain was in a tumult. The soft breeze of the night was tousling his wispy silver hair as a crimson-red colour twinkled in his pitch-black eyes just for a moment as Kai reached for his sword's hilt once again.
One of the drunkards grumbled in his gruff and wobbly voice, "Kid, just go home or we will beat the shit out of you."
His companions instantly agreed, smiling nastily while cracking the knuckles of his hands as if he was preparing to fight, "Exactly, you better go home and sleep, lad. You are still too young to play with women."
Sighing loudly, Kai clicked his tongue as he glared at those drunkards with an annoyed and disgusted expression, "Jeez! You guys are so f****** disgusting. I wish I could just kill you right now but-"
From the corner of his eyes, he stole a glance at Aylin who was still standing a little far away from him, staring at his back intensely, lost in her thoughts.
Then while rubbing the back of his neck, he asked in a cold and serious tone, "Anyways, just leave before I change my mind."
But, those drunkards were obviously not in their right minds, and following a kid's order was totally against their ego. One of them suddenly leapt on Kai as he grabbed the colour of his robe firmly.
Then raising one of his fists and aiming Kai's face, he instructed his companion, "Go and get that whore. I will take care of this irritating lad."
"Hehe! Sure then. I will go first."
The drunkard's punch landed, aiming Kai's nose but before he could hit him, Kai grabbed his hand and twisted his hand behind as he kicked between his thighs. The drunkard instantly groaned in pain but his eyes became bloodshot and he became more furious. He tried to punch Kai again with his other hand.
Kai growled in a cold and fierce tone as he evaded his attack, "Fools! I don't think you should live anymore."
The drunkard looked behind his companion who had already started to chase Aylin once again. Then shifting his gaze to Kai, he mumbled mockingly, "Even if you manage to kill me, you can't save that whore."
Clenching his fingers tightly into a tight fist, Kai punched the drunkard hard on his jaw and instantly blood gushed out of his mouth. His face was a glowering mask of rage as he lost all his control over his anger.
Kai was very fast and it only took a few seconds for him to knock down that drunkard. He knelt his opponent over and over when the latter charged at him, and a few more strikes stunned the drunkard enough for Kai to flip him over and strangle him until he passed out.
Even after the drunkard passed out, Kai kept on punching him, venting his anger as if he wasn't satisfied enough and wanted to beat him more.
But, suddenly the familiar silvery voice of Aylin forcefully pulled him back into reality. The hasty footsteps and Aylin's panting voice were echoing in that deserted and dark alley.
"L-leave me alone! Jerk!"
But, Aylin wasn't that fast and the drunkard grabbed the neck of his gown from behind and pulled it with all his strength. With a tearing sound, half of her gown instantly tore, revealing the smooth skin of her fair back. Losing her balance, Aylin fell to the ground as her right knee hit a stone nearby, beginning to bleed. The wound was too painful to get up.
A dirty yet satisfied grin curled up the dark lips of that drunkard as he hovered on Aylin. His bloodshot eyes glimmered in lust as he licked his lips greedily.
Without waiting for a moment, he began to undress as he mumbled in his vulgar and lusty voice, "Here comes the fun part!"