Chapter 56: Cured... Aftermath
Ruthar's eyes popped open as his senses finally returned. He was lying on something soft and very comfortable.
A bed?
Ruthar glanced down at his clothes. They were different, much more refined, like something a royal would wear.
"Is this the Spade Horus?" he muttered, scanning his body. He seemed to have grown somehow while being bedridden for who knew how long.
"You're finally awake, after a few weeks. Damn, you sleep like a baby."
Ruthar turned to see Troma entering the room, carrying a tray of food. He sat on the edge of Ruthar's bed.
"Weeks? Sounds like I was drugged!" Ruthar inspected the plate of food laid by him. "Do I have a beard now?"
Troma squinted at Ruthar's chin. "I think I see a millimeter of hair."
Ruthar grinned and dug into the food. Compared to Earth, the food here was like something from a trash can, but he was too hungry to care.
As he ate, Ruthar's thoughts drifted back to the last thing he remembered—the Kaiju Whisperer. "What happened in the Alchemist city?"
Troma smiled slightly. "I survived the dragon hybrid attack using my Exorcist soul, then I found Taraha and cured her. We arrived just as the Kaiju Whisperer was about to take you away."
Ruthar's eyes widened. "And then?"
"She was no match for both of us. Even when she tried to poison us again, we prevailed. She escaped on her dragon, but Taraha took her right arm as a warning. Too bad you were out cold to see her face."
Ruthar sighed, a mix of regret and relief. "At least we won."
"After that, Alchemist city pledged their loyalty to Taraha. Now she rules them. And Kimara arrived at the last moment..." Troma hesitated before continuing, "Somehow, the Kaiju Whisperer cured you from the nightmare without the original antidote. We don't know how, but we're still investigating."
"So that's what happened," Ruthar mused, trying to wrap his head around everything. He sensed Troma was withholding something.
Troma recalled Kimara's words when she arrived: 'They are after Ruthar. He's no longer safe. Our enemies have realized his potential...'
Wanting to change the subject, Troma patted Ruthar's hair. "Father was really impressed by your feats. Word of your bravery has spread throughout the kingdom. And we're having a special event this afternoon. Luckily, you woke up in time."
"A special event?" That caught Ruthar's attention.
"Yeah, Tomaha is being sent off to Exorcist academy this afternoon. You won't get to battle him in three days," Troma said with a wink.
Ruthar processed the information slowly. "If Tomaha is leaving, that means my birthday is in three days. No duel?"
"Awww... I wanted to wipe his face with the dust! Why is he leaving?" Ruthar frowned. Just when he finally surpassed Tomaha, his rival was running off.
"Time for him to go," Troma said. "But you better keep getting stronger because I'll be fighting you someday too," he added with another wink.
Ruthar smiled, appreciating their bond. "I will, and I'll surpass you too, Troma."
"Hahaha! Dream on, Ruthar!"
---
Deep in the dark crevice of the Shilon cave, a lowly place beneath the ground, the atmosphere was tense.
"You filthy swine," a young man growled, kicking the Kaiju Whisperer down.
She instantly kowtowed, "I'm sorry, my Lord. I did my best." She pulled a golden pill from her bag and offered it to him.
"You failed to kill them, and you call this your best?" the man spat, snatching the pill. "At least you brought me the power of the Nightmare entity." He swallowed the pill, absorbing its power. "Darkness is feared when it can't be controlled, but when it can, it becomes true power."
"Master, what is the next move against the Darkdawns?" the Kaiju Whisperer asked, raising her head slightly.
"For now, we do nothing. Just be ready for my command," the young master said, turning away.
"Yes, Master Rova Darkdawn," she responded.
Rova Darkdawn grinned, "See you someday soon, Miya."
Miya, the Kaiju Whisperer, clutched the stump where her arm used to be, remembering the faces of her enemies with resentment. "Next time, I'll kill every single one of them. I won't fail you, Master Rova."