Listening to his words, my forehead creased in wonder; it was not because I had never heard of aliens before but it made me curious about what an alien's kingdom was like so that Kane looked worried when he talked about his enemy.
I raised my gaze at that man who lowered his eyes to the bonfire while roasting the tubers he got somewhere in the forest. That man sat in silence, focusing on nothing but his own thoughts.
"Are they that powerful?" I inquired as I could not hold back my curiosity to know more about the aliens and their power.
Kane turned his face to me and nodded, then concentrated back on his tubers. It seemed talking about his kingdom's enemy didn't interest him.
"Erm…"I cleared my throat to attract his attention which he ignored. "What powers do they have?" I asked again to dig up more information about the aliens.
"He can kill the immortals like you and suck in all your power until nothing's left, even your dust."
Listening to his explanation of how eerie they were, I felt shiver coursing down my spine in response while swallowing saliva of my dread. For a while, I let silence consumed us until Kane got up to his feet and walked toward my direction.
He stopped a few meters away from me. His eyes slanted, looking at me. "Are you okay?"he asked; worries colored his face.
"I am."
"But you look pale."
I abruptly looked away, trying to hide my fear from him. His story about the aliens scared me indeed.
"It is because I haven't fully recovered from my wounds."
He just nodded his head in a response as I have a perfect excuse.
"Eat this before you have a rest."
He stepped closer to my side and handed me the tubers. With my weak hands, I reached the food and shoved it into my mouth. It was not hot at all as Kane had cooled it.
While eating, I secretly watched Kane who got back to his seat near the bonfire. That man sat on the grass floor with his back on me; I had no idea what he was thinking of. It might be the journey or the prince's safety he had in mind now. But he hadn't eaten anything yet.
I just took some bites of the tubers as I intended to give the rest to him. He needed the food to recharge his energy.
"Kane….."
"Don't worry about me," he said as if he could read my mind.
"I know you have eaten nothing since this morning."
"I am not hungry. You should rest after you finish your food for we will continue the journey before sun down."
I didn't argue as my weak body didn't allow me to speak more let alone debate him. As soon as I finished eating, I closed my eyes.
My eyes blinked as I woke up from my sleep but I saw no one around me. I was clueless how long I had slept.
It was strange that I found myself in a different place from where I was. There was not a waterfall or a river. Even Kane and the bonfire were gone. Where was I? I wonder while jumping up to my feet.
I observed all of my physics. I didn't even feel pain on my body like I used to have; my injury was perfectly healed. It gave me joys and sparks of hope, but on the other hand, I was worried as I didn't find Kane anywhere my eyes traveled to.
"Kane….Kane.." I yelled as I was running here and there, searching for that man who disappeared into the thin air. "Kane…Kane," I shouted out his name again and again but it was only the breeze that echoed back to me.
"Kane…where are you?" I never let myself surrender; no matter how hard it was, I would find Kane. "Kane…" I sprinted, following the path in front of me which I never knew where it would lead me to.
At the end of the trod, my eyes spotted a castle not far from me. It was not that big, but it looked lurid. My curiosity drove me to get there.
Fighting against my trepidation, I paved through the big yard toward the building in black and white like a chestboards and got into it.
"Anybody there?" My voice reverberated, racing with my footsteps and only quietness responded to me afterwards.
I kept walking deeper and deeper into the castle. It was not too dark inside as the deem light shone through the corridor of the room. Just like an ancient building, I found no windows along the wall.
"Kane…are you there?" Even though I was not sure if Kane was here, I tried to call him out. "Kane….I am not interested in playing hide and seek." My yell sounded hopeless now.
No one replied to me but the wind played my hair. I shivered as I quickened my steps, striding through the long hallways.
My eyes lit in relief as I saw a door in the corner which probably would bring me to my destination. I hoped Kane was inside there, waiting for me.
As my feet stepped into the room, I heard someone calling my name in a miserable voice, begging me to help him.
My eyes scanned around as my feet ran toward the small chamber like a jail with iron bars as partitions. I halted as I saw an incredibly handsome tall young man with blue eyes and blond hair standing behind the iron bars with both hands on them.
"Maxima…please save me and take me out of here." He implored me in his weak tone of voice as though he had lost all his energy.
Who was this man? How could he know my full name which I never told anyone about except for Kane?"
"Who are you?" That question startled out of my tongue.
"I am Aragon, the prince of Celestara Kingdom, the one whom you are assigned to rescue."