The trees stretched high over the green grass that covered the forest grounds. The air was fresh and the atmosphere was lively and calm. Well, not anymore. There sat Alsi, breathing like an asthmatic squirrel. The soldiers were talking to the driver and Luck went to confront them. Alsi started to calm himself…
'Calm down Alsi.' He tells himself.
'Why are the soldiers all the way out here? From what I remember they were being slaughtered ruthlessly. If they managed to fight back then they should be in the capital trying to piece things back together.' Alsi could now hear them coming around the carriage.
'Damn!' Alsi looks over at Tatiana with a vulnerable expression that entailed the situation. Tatiana looked at him with a reassuring smile and just sat there…
'You Bitch! What's a smile gonna do in a situa-'
One soldier looked into the carriage, and Alsi looked straight back at him.
'Crap! This is it!'
The soldier kept looking at Alsi for a moment longer. Then he shifted his eyes to survey the carriage.
"Hello everyone."
"Hello." Everyone greeted back.
The soldier then walked over to Luck and the other soldier on the adjacent side of the carriage. Luck waved them off as they mounted their horses and continued on their way to the town of Flora. When he got back in the carriage they continued to move again.
"Those damn soldiers are always looking for an excuse to cause trouble." He said with a frown on his face.
"Alsi, you looked terrified." Said Tatiana.
' Damn! I don't know what this witch did but if she keeps this up, I'm going to reward her.'
"Did those soldiers do something to you?" She asked.
"The people who kidnapped me, were dressed in uniforms just like those ones." Alsi lied. Atleast now he gave them a reason to hide him from anyone who had anything to do with the army. But then he began to wonder why they were searching for him in the first place. Could they be trying to find someone to take the throne? But if that's the case, then he should be on his way back to the capital. He'll be one step closer to ruling the world.
'Don't go back to the palace…'
That voice reverberated back into his head. Suddenly he felt Luck hug him tightly. He tried to struggle out of it but it was no use.
" This kingdom has done us wrong from the beginning. My parents were executed by the nobles because they were not able to pay back a debt." Luck said.
"Almost my whole race was wiped out by the king and his men for completely no reason." Said Enegus whilst his head was faced downwards.
" I served as a slave for one of the nobles when I was a child." Archer also added. When Alsi shifted his gaze towards Tatiana, she had a blank look on her face but her eyes showed even more darkness and trauma than anyone else. He wondered what horrors and pitch black madness she could possibly be contemplating. He suddenly felt kind of sorry for her, which might have been the very first time Alsi ever felt truly sorry for anyone.
"Don't worry kid, we'll make sure you don't suffer from this kingdom the way we did." Said Luck.
Alsi was still wondering why Tatiana had such an expression on her face.
'Was my father and the nobles that bad!? Of Course even in my previous life, we wouldn't be the cause of a look like that!?' He thought about it for a bit but shrugged it off later.
The carriage went deeper into the forest, the driver relaxed and focused, the road stretching into the horizon. The trees towering over everything below them. The journey to the borders of Avon would take about 2 to 3 days. Alsi's plan still remained the same. Ditch the adventurers and get out of this messed up kingdom. And then later when he had managed to attain power and influence, take back the kingdom of Amaris. Later on, it was night time and everyone laid their sleeping bags around a campfire. The carriage sat calmly behind them and the horses rested peaceully. There was a cold breeze hovering above them. Archer was still awake, keeping an eye out for any monsters in sight. Alsi couldn't sleep, he was in no way accustomed to the art of sleeping on the ground. He laid flat on his back and looked up at the beautiful scenery of the stars above him which seemed to be dancing with the sky itself.
He thought of his old life. He'd be on his bed by now. King-sized and comfy. The soft, silky and smooth texture of his sheets. Maybe he might have had a girl by his side to warm him up.
'Hmmm, if that were the case I'd still be awake by now.'
He became disappointed at the fact that his rod couldn't even 'expand' as much as it used to. Maybe it couldn't even 'arise'. He tilted his head to the left and beyond the campfire, he saw Archer seated. He seemed to be staring into the darkness of the forest. It reminded Alsi of something his grandfather told him….
'Stare deep into the abyss, and the abyss will stare deep into you.'
His train of thought then took him back to the attack in Ari. He suddenly saw his younger brother's smiling face then next he saw his morbidly fearful expression when he literally threw his brother away. Alsi began to feel guilty…
'Since when did I ever have a conscience!?" He thought. He then remembered telling himself that he would never be the cause of someone's misery. He turned to his right and saw Tatiana sleeping peacefully with her staff right beside her. He just noticed how pretty Tatiana was as the yellowish orange light glowed off her skin.
'Am I really sure the people I knew in my last life weren't straight up evil?'
He thought hanged in the air. Even so he refused to burden himself with such thoughts so he just closed his eyes and forced himself to fall asleep. In the morning, Alsi woke up to Tatiana's voice as she shook him awake.
"Alsi, Alsi…."
Alsi opened his eyes to see her with her usual calm smile.
"What is it…" he says as he gets up.
"It's time to get going…"
Alsi sits up an looks sound him. He can see Enegus putting out the fire. The driver was tending to his horses, Archer was fast asleep inside the carriage and Luck was swinging his sword left and right. He got out of his sleeping bag and proceeded to stretch and yawn.
"Luck, stop swinging that sword aimlessly and go do your hunting already. We have to get going…" Tatiana said with a pout.
"Okay fine!" He place his sword back into his sheath. Alsi looked at him and thought…
'With the kind of situation I'm in, atleast knowing how to use a weapon could come in handy…'
Luck noticed Alsi's eyes peering at him.
"Hey William, do you want to go hunting with me?" He said.
"Don't involve the young boy in your little skirmishes Luck!" Said Tatiana.
"Ohh come on! It would be good for him to atleast learn a thing or two. Don't you agree Enegus?"
"He's not wrong. We never know when someone could try to kidnap him again. He has to atleast get a few lessons on kine control." Enegus supported Luck on the matter. Tatiana thought about it for abit…
"Fine, just make sure he doesn't get hurt okay?"
"Yes! You don't have to worry. So Alsi, what do you say? "
'I hate getting dragged into events I had no intention of joining…but the information will be useful.'
"Let's go!" He said as he ran to his side. Tatiana watched them as they walked further into the forest.
"He'll be fine Tatiana, Luck has been doing this for a long time and you know it."
Tatiana turned her head towards Enegus and then back to the direction in which Alsi and Luck went in.
"You're right. I don't know what I'm so worried about." She says. Meanwhile, Alsi and Luck wander through the forest. The birds sing as parts of the golden light make their way through the tree tops. They walk silently for a bit more whilst admiring the green sanctuary. Then Luck finally speaks…
"My Dad and I would always wake up early morning so we could go hunting. It was like a family tradition of some sort."
Alsi became irritated already…
'Crap, He's spoiled the one beautiful moment I've had since I ran away. Now I have to listen to his pointless stories. '
"When we made a kill, He'd always take some time to teach me how to fight and use kine energy. " Said Luck. Alsi saw this as an opportunity to access information.
"What is kine energy in the first place? He asked. Luck looked at him with a smile.
"Well, kine energy is the power we get from the gods. It is their gift to us for the worship we offer them." Said Luck. Alsi was completely turned off.
'Oh…my freaking Goodness, so I have to bow down and scream at a statue like a madman just so I scan get some power!?'
"So how do you use this energy?" He asked.
"There are many ways to utilise kine energy. Tatiana can heal people, Enegus is really strong because of kine and Archer applies it to his arrows to inflict more damage on his target. I myself apply it to my sword aswell.' Alsi listened attentively as Luck continued ' However, we can't do everything. Kine comes in many forms and anyone can learn how to use these. But there is only one form that a person can be specialised in more than the others. For example, Tatiana can use different techniques, but she is more skilled in healing than any other form of kine." Luck explained.
"I wanna learn how to use kine." Said Alsi. Luck put his hand to his chin and started to think…
"Hmmmm, this will be difficult…okay! I'll use show and tell…" Luck said as he stopped and stretched out his hand. Alsi also stopped and observed closely.
"First you have to be able to concentrate your energy. Picturing where you want it to be and what you want it to form." As he said these things, Alsi started to see sparks materialise and draw closer to the centre of Luck's palm. He observed the spectacle more closely. The sparks then collided to form a small fire on his hand. Alsi was amazed at what he just saw.
"Wow!" He said.
"I know right? Though fire isn't really my ideal form. Anyway it's your turn." Luck said. Alsi stretched out both his arms, closed his eyes and took a deep breath…
' Concentrate, picture, form…' He repeated the mantra in his head. Sparks began to appear and they assembled between his outstretched hands. They started to glow a bit brighter and more sparks collided in the centre. Luck was caught off guard by what he was observing…
"William, I think that's eno-" before Luck could even finish his sentence, Alsi opened his eyes and the ball of fire shot off at a high speed. It housed enough energy to knock a near by tree off of its foundation. Alsi was shocked at what he just did, Luck looked even more surprised.
"Holy…cow! I've never seen a flame gifted do that! Kid, what are you!?" Luck exclaimed in total awe.
"Even I don't know, I just did what you told me!" Said Alsi.
"Wow kid, for someone from a water element kingdom you're really good with fire!"
*GRRRRRRRRRRRR*
A sound suddenly booms through out the area. Alsi and Luck freeze and stay quiet.
"What was that?" Asked Alsi.
"I have no idea yet." Said Luck in a cautious tone. They both looked around, then they began to hear mighty foot steps coming in their direction. The closer it got, the heavier the footsteps felt. Luck knew what it was immediately…
"William, LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!"