Red Blood
Destiny Area (V)
“Radino, stop following me.”
After walking far enough into the forest Taring realized that he was not walking alone. The rhino from earlier tailed himself walking in the shadow of the trees trying to hide his large body. Though Taring was ready to part with all his friends but somehow Rhino kept following where he went. It's a difficult situation.
“Radino!”
“No, I don't want to leave a friend who is injured.”
“I've been cured. Look, all my wounds are no more.”
“But your heart is still hurt.”
“....”
“You need a friend right now. I won't leave you alone.”
“Indeed by following me will make everything better? It's all Ilfina's fault. If only I had never met him, met you, none of this would have happened.”
“What will happen if you don't meet us?”
“I can live freely without being restrained. Ever since I met you guys I've always controlled this and that. No one allowed me to make my own decisions. Everything feels cramped.”
“Before meeting us, how is Taring life?”
“I am happy, living freely in the forest since childhood alone. When I came out the gate everything was so fucked up. I almost died waswolf killed, I was sold with gold, I was hunted by villagers, then I met Ilfina.”
“....”
“That's when the starting point of all these events. If I hadn't followed that guy's will it would have all ended differently. Ilfina really is the most annoying person I've ever met.”
“Yeah, I can see you guys fight a lot.”
“We never got along. He's a rough guy, likes to decide things on his own. Often panic because of unclear things. As soon as he panicked he must have blown something.”
“Well, I remember the Krairon he threw when he woke up from fainting.”
“He's very annoying. He also rarely smiles even once I do good to him.”
“Oh, but the smile is sweet yes while being happy.”
“Sweet, but rarely seen.”
“I think that's the sweetest smile I've ever seen on a human.”
“I think so too. In fact probably the sweetest of all women.”
“I agree, even frown she also looks cute.”
“Well, especially when she puffed her cheeks,” Taring started smiling.
“Oh! Remember the time he said he wanted to touch your forehead but it didn't come? She also puffed her cheeks back then.”
“Yeah, when I was thinking about something else. It turns out he just wanted to touch my forehead. So annoying!”
“Indeed that time Taring thought what?”
Fingers turn their faces with flushed cheeks, “bu-nothing.”
“Hmm..?”
“You know Rhino, as long as I live alone behind the Black Gate there is no one who irritates me, emotions, blushes, shame, let alone amazement. I lived alone eating only raw meat and drinking blood for ten years without friends. Basically my life was a mess from the moment I was born. Ilfina, she...”.
“Dia..?”
“He sucks. He was the first one to make me feel angry. But even if it sucks I never tried to stop it, isn't it weird?”
“Kok can? That's so weird.”
“I know! I should've taught him a lesson to stop acting like that. He used to slap me, throw me, even blow me up once. But I never get angry.”
“I don't understand, you should be angry.”
“I know! I was often upset with him but not with emotion. Like seeing the sun in the sky, then sneezing because of glare. Disturbing but relieving, don't you think?”
“Oh yes, I also do it often. It feels like something stings in the nose then brush!”
“I know! It feels good after that. Ilfina has taught me many things. He was the first to teach me how to cook food, he was the first to amaze me with magic, he was the first to amaze me with female beauty. And she ... she was the first person who could make me feel homesick.”
The fangs stop walking.
“Feelings miss not wanting to part. Like missing a child in his parents. Missing will affection.”
“I miss Ilfina now. Strange though we just left about half an hour.”
“Ya, how strange.” Taring turned to look back at the mountain range where Ilfina and Ula were.
...***...
“Sucks once it's a person! Piss off! Piss off! Upset!” Ula stomped her little feet several times to the ground like a crumbling little boy.
“Your debate was intense earlier,” Ilfina smiled wryly still by wiping away the tears.
“He really is a heartless person once. Does he know what we've done to save him? And now it's gone again like innocence? How brazen!”
“I don't think the devil needs to feel sinful.”
“Really! He's a demon. Bloodthirsty devil whose job is only a cannibal barbarian in the forest.”
“She's ever wanted to prey on me once.”
“Really? Then what are you doing?
“Of course I slammed it all the way.”
“Ah yes, typical Ilfina hahaha!”
“That was the first time I met him in the woods. He was eating raw venison while covered in blood. I thought he was a madman straying in the woods eating him I attacked him.”
“Did you know he was a Vampire?”
“No, I realized once I saw her fangs and nails. When I realized he was a vampire, I tied him up helplessly. I still can't believe I found one of the last Vampire descendants.”
“What did you think of that time?”
“Of course I immediately saw an opportunity and hope at the same time. The only vampire who could defeat the Werewolf finally appeared again after ten years of extinction. Moreover, he brought the Ancestral Core.”
“So yes. But now it seems like all that is gone. He's a useless person, how could it possibly be a hope to win this war. He was very different from his father. The only advantage he had was his handsome face.”
“Hahaha .. well, I agree. His face looks.”
“Yup, even though it has a face like a prince but if the behavior is like an Orc so useless, right?”
“Be prince Orc dong then?”
The two of them laughed at the same time. Finally Ilfina's cheerful face returned again with clean tears. The sweet smile returned to its place.
“Padahat we have fought hard but instead ended here.”
“Ilfina, everything is not finished, you still have the Ancestral Core. Which means Bourga will desperately hunt you.”
“This is what Taring feels every time.”
“....”
“It's only natural for a boy like him to get stressed out thanks to feeling the unrelenting terror lurking around him. Now karma comes to me.”
“Be calm, you are not alone in facing this,” Ula leaned on Ilfina's shoulder.
“Thank you. We can get this far actually because the five of us can work well together as a team. Now that everything is separated, we will be vulnerable to attack. Nor will I be able to ultimately withstand the constant onslaught of Bourga.”
Back, tears fell down Ilfina's cheeks.
“Taring you once,” Ula rubbed the long purple hair of the girl who was crying back. This time it was Ilfina's turn to lean on Ula's small shoulder, “why you should go.”
“Ilfina...”.
“I'm scared, Ula. I'm so scared right now.”
“Hei calm down, I've seen your amazing abilities. You must be strong.”
“Cannot. All this time Taring always protected me from behind when there was a great danger threatening. When we were attacked by Istara back then I would have been dead had it not been for him. But this time I was alone. I'm really scared.”
“How is it possible? You were able to defeat Bourga. You even defeated the giant Broden and threatened to destroy their city, isn't your strength extraordinarily great?”
“I can only talk. If I cast too much magic, all my energy would run out and I would be powerless. And when I'm powerless, Taring usually helps. Now that man has left me. Taring, you're so cruel.”
Ilfina buried her face into Ula's lap sobbing. It was only the first time Ula had seen Ilfina acting like this. Crying like a child. Nor did he know what to do to comfort him. In the end Ula followed by shedding tears while rubbing the fine hair belonging to Ilfina.
...***...
Bourga was preparing something in the basement of the Middle Earth palace. There were all sorts of large tubes filled with bubbling green liquid. In the green water there are a lot of strange creatures that are not clear with the same appearance. All the terrible monsters were stored in this one room. Bourga's torn stomach has now healed without leaving a mark.
In front of the werewolf was someone facing salute. Maybe the word 'people' is not right because its form will make more sense if it is called a monster. His body was similar to a human but his face. Even the nose doesn't have it. There's only a mouth. A large gaping mouth full of sharp teeth coiled up to the throat. This faceless monster was floating in the static air as if its feet could not step on the floor.
“Meldo, I hereby send you to look for the Mage of the Elf Ancestral Core owner. Get it immediately by any means before the full moon. Since you're a Mage, this should be an easy job. Show her how strong you can be.”
“Good, Your Majesty.”
“It's time to fight fire with fire.”
...-- Connect --...
