We stopped aside the small stable, in a grassy place filled with large trees and earthy piles. To be quite frank, it seemed as if the stable was at the border of Hushvil, which was only more convenient to us.
Flamey wrapped a cloth on my throat to stop the bleeding, as I could already feel my consciousness fading with all this blood loss. If Elfiano actually got a chance to fight back, who knows what might have happened.
"There now, what will we do about your arm?"
"Leave it for now. We will find some healers later." I replied expecting that healers do exist in this world. I leaned against the stable then. I had my Crystal Eyes on. Using it, I saw three or four people were searching for us.
If we failed to escape within today, I could bet tomorrow wouldn't be any pleasing. And as things stood, I couldn't trust on my Crystal Eyes alone, I had learnt that these people, at least a few of them are capable of getting invisible. Which I found to be one of the prime weaknesses of my skills at the moment and also... Whatever the druids did back then.
"Flamey... Now tell me, are you wanting to go back to your homeland? Where was it... Hayat?"
I asked her. That was an important question.
My sole objective after escaping this village was to meetup with Erio and Aisy and continue our journey to the capital. But it would be naive to rule out the possiblity of having to fight other heroes there. So it felt necessary to me to be in a good condition. This broken arms won't do, even though my powers are related to my eyes, arms are essential, did I really need to explain why?
She seemed puzzled at my question as though she didn't think of it yet. Of course, getting enslaved by the very apparent 'Strongest Bandit Group', she wouldn't expect much. As she remained silent, I further asked her, it was important for me to know her well.
"And Flamey.. You told me you couldn't even stand against those bandits. But that Fire Tornado thing you did there, to be honest, that is what took his life. Are you sure you were weak?"
Now she responded.
"Yes I am sure! After you blessed me, I don't know... An upsurge of power emerged in my body. I could feel the mana overflowing. Didn't you see how I sent the tornado underneath the ground? I had only learnt the theory as to how to do it. But for someone like me, it would require lifetime of mana reserve to carry that out!"
"I see..."
A green glow surrounded her indicating that she wasn't lying but that couldn't possibly be the case as in reality I only increased her power by 25%. However, that's what she sincerely believed so I didn't rebuke her.
"And as to where I will go now..." she continued, "maybe that depends on where you go. Since, I won't love to get kidnapped again."
"I will go back to Deadland forest and search for my comrades. After that, I am thinking to go to your village and heal my arms if..."
"That'd be perfect!" she grinned almost pushing her acceptance to the suggestion.
"All right. How do I ride unicorns now? We will have to do a hit and run." said I.
"You see, first jump over its back and then hold the ropes then command it to go as you please. If it gets angry... I don't know."
'What the hell....' I thought but didn't interrogate further. There were seven unicorns in the stable. To use my eyes on the wall of it could prove to be way too fatal so I asked Flamey to burn it down.
"Fine.." she moved aside and as did I, somehow almost crawling.
She raised her arms and spelled somethings. And then suddenly I noticed fire in her hands. But it didn't burn her. She rather shot the fire to the wall and within another couple of seconds, the grassy wall burnt down revealing the horde of unicorns.
I stood up and saw how those people who were searching for us were then heading in this direction, perhaps noticing the smoke. So I instantly ran to the fairest unicorn and literally jumped over it as she said. I myself was surprised to see how easily I could that.
And I sat on it, and so did Flamey on another unicorn, I said to it, "Go! To the Deadland ahead!"
I didn't expect it to be this easy. Although I had a little problem with balancing at first as I couldn't use my hands but then it turn out just fine and the unicorn silently obeyed to its rider. It ran as fast if not faster than the deadbulls I rode before. Quickly the people of Hushvil were far enough to not be able to catch up anymore.
I released a sigh of relief.
"There, we escaped Hushvil." said Flamey, smiling. "But you have any idea where your comrades are?"
"Me? Zero idea."
She looked puzzled for a moment but smiled yet again right after that and commented, "You are weird."
With that, time elapsed and we went only reached deeper and deeper into the forest until I was confident that I lost the way. Flamey too, wasn't the best navigator.
It wasn't before night that we at last decided to give up and sleep away. And just as I was about to put my head on the warm little leaves (my pillow) she objected. "Silver, shouldn't somebody stay on guard?"
"Yes, you."
She pouted and I didn't care. Last time I cared, the night didn't go well. 'Good night, sweet dreams.' I told myself.
Alas.
My nights never end well.
***
When last did I wake up being happy with the new day? That is something simply not fixated for me.
I woke up with dizzy eyes from the heat of the scorching sun. I didn't yet understand how does the sun move in this planet, sometimes the weather was just perfect and sometimes it was hot beyond comparison. I sat up, in search of Flamey. We were supposed to switch shifts after midnight but she didn't call me. Perhaps she fell asleep?
No.
I tilt my head sideways and I did found her, dozing off. And right behind her was a guy who looked so... Familiar.
I was immediately startled to see him.
Was he from Hushvil, a bandit or maybe even police to send us back? Was he a random traveller? I had no idea. I hurriedly got cautious of him and perhaps a little, afraid.
And another thing about him was, he was alone. Completely bare-handed, and relaxing enjoying the beauty of the environment. I could almost guess who it was, only one person did the same thing in the same exact position. But that couldn't be...
He though, faced back to take a slow look at me and smiled. Gosh, I couldn't believe it instantly. It must have been an illusion.
"Remember me?" he asked.
"I wonder." replied I, still in disbelief of my sight. My sight was my most precious asset. It couldn't be lying to me, could it?
He came closer, as if he was trying to push that belief in me so I sighed since it was too real to be an illusion, I thought. It was nobody else but...
Fiad.
Fiad Burn.
"To start, I wasn't at the village that night. I escaped after collecting the coins with you. Quiet immediately. That is, if you are having any trouble to believe that I am an illusion, yeah."
"Why?" I asked the real question, still staring cautiously at him.
"Well, the priest told me he was about to reveal the revelation that day. We discussed about it. And when the time came, I abandoned him."
"That is rude though, Fiad." said I.
"I know, but I have my some 'for the greater good excuses'" he leaned a little forward to finish his sentence, "And so do you, no? Silver?"
I sighed.
"Why did you abandon your village?"
"Curious inquiry, Hero..." he grinned mysteriously.
It was a phrase once the Face told me. As it seemed too unreal to be a coincidence, I looked at him in clear shock. He couldn't possibly be a.... Hero himself!? I thought.
But I waited.
I calmed myself. Since asking him about it would simply confirm that I was a Hero instead.
"You are still calling me a Hero?"
"Yeah. I am the chosen Brave. You can't hide it anymore. Rejoice, I don't intend any harm to you."
That fell like a lightning. Two... Braves? Everything he said brought me great doubt. Two braves...? I sighed again.
"I see. How did you find me?"
If he was indeed the Brave... Or should I say a Brave now, it would be fruitless to hide anything.
What a quick turn of events, I thought.
And I am the worst fool.
"Now as we are at it. Listen, at this moment, you are a bounty criminal in Hushvil. Even if you reveal that you are the Hero, they would most likely consider you to be the enemy and still attack you. So it was intelligent of you to flee away immediately."
I was about to ask him something, but he stopped me. "And yeah, I already knew that you are a Hero from the first time we met. It's simply impossible for nobody but a caveman to not know about the Festival Of Rebirth."
"So you lied about everything."
"Indeed. I was only testing you, when I said your rank could be A rank. It was a joke, in fact. I myself am a S rank adventurer. You would be higher. All of your ignorance proved that you are actually a Hero."
I frowned thinking about how pathetically weak the actual B rank would be then.
"All lies, I see."
"And now, why do you think I am here?"
"To make use of me." said I, without any hesitation.
"Close, but no. I would literally leave you be. But this girl you stole, Esya Flamey."
"I didn't steal her. What about her?" I looked more cautiously at him and slightly frustrated too.
At that point, I realized my stupendous move and quicky uttered, "Lie Detection" as I forgot to keep it on.
So naive of me. So many blunders...
Every Time I sleep, all of skills turn off.
He continued though,
"Did you know, she is actually the elf princess of Hayat?"
"Yes."
"I have been hired to steal her back from you. They don't particularly want you."
A red glow surrounded him. Which meant he lied.
"Oh?"
"Hired by the Hushvil slave traders."
Again... Red glow.
"You are up to fight against me then."
"Won't that be a tough fight?"
"Perhaps."
That was my almost my last word.
An arrow then split straight to my heart and I fell down. I fell for the very same trick, yet again. The attacker elf was nearby, I was sure. But I wasn't in the condition to fight anymore. I sincerely gave up. Nothing went well for me. I was a failure. A pathetic one at that.
"Tch, am I not pathetic?" I touched my heart to notice streams of blood flowing out. I was yet again losing my consciousness but harder this time.
"Not really, but hey...." he leaned closer, and whispered in my petty ears.
"I lied, I am not the Brave."
Green glow. That was the truth.
"You bastard..." I lost my patience.
"And I lied, I didn't even come to kidnap her."
Green glow.
My eyes were getting fuzzy. He was the... Worst form of liar...
"And... I lied. Nobody hired me."
Green glow.
"Get out already."
"I had actually-"
"Please..."
"I have come to kill Esya Flamey."
Another green glow.
"Please..."
-
He pulled out his sword and it was only one slash. My thoat was too worn out to be able to call Flamey again. She was quiet far from me as well.
One slash... It was...
He swiftly moved to her and split Flamey's head apart.
I saw it. All of it with these very eyes.
He moved too fast to be able to catch and focus the swords with my eyes.
I am just... Weak.
Drops of tears fell out of eyes. I don't know why.
"And you." that bastard looked back at me.
"I don't like your eyes. Aveiro! Can you aim at his eyes?"
"Do not..."
He killed Flamey. These beasts...
They don't care about lives. I cried.
My eyes were my final treasure. My only treasure. My most precious treasure.
I couldn't lose it....
"Fiad.." every word I uttered brought me closer to death. My heart was ripped apart, my hands in shambles and now there went my eyes.
"Fiad.. I'll kill you."
"Poor Hero. Listen, I lied, I am not Fiad."
Green glow.
"What the fuc..."
And another arrow.
What an accuracy to my shock... Pierced through my right eye.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed with my last bit of power and then he shot the next arrow.
I was then left blind. Sigh.
A pathetic end for this loser.
That was it. Everything faded into the blackness. It would be a miracle if I was still alive after this. Nah. I died.