The Antagonist's Full Moon

19. Red Blood

"Crossing the universe ...?"

Liv doesn't seem to understand Dean's explanation. This is all new to him. Knowing that he could change fate alone was already something very great, let alone the fact that one could go to another world as one wished.

Dean explains that Haldir can traverse the universe, going into parallel worlds through a portal that exists in the basement of the Lileathhof temple. It was in that world that Haldir could forge himself to be extremely powerful in short order, as it had a significant time difference.

Liv's getting confused. "Then, what's the point of me taking your trip?"

"There are two objects needed to activate the ancient spell, in order to go to another world. First, an object that comes from the destination world. Second, the droplets of noble blood."

"Ah, so .. ," Liv tried to draw a conclusion. Dean nodded. However, a moment later, Liv shook her head, then said, "But the journey to Nautabu is quite far away and my magic is very weak! Are you sure you don't want to find another noble?"

Dean sighed, himself starting to frown. "Didn't you hear what I said before? There's a way you can be so strong! In fact, the strongest when compared to all the elves in this world!"

"But how could it?"

"I wrote, that when you found out Haldir and Melian were in love, you started to get heartbroken. You deliberately ran away from home in anger, then went to the city of Themaris. In that city, there was a huge chunk of crystal which no one knew about, located inside an abandoned cave. You touched it, then--"

"Being very strong?" ask Liv, connect Dean's words.

The young man nodded. "Exactly. Before going to Lileathhof, I'll take you there first. How's it?"

Liv sat on the edge of the bed. His mind is so raging. The girl cupped her head with both hands, hiding her face. In just less than a day, Liv already knows a lot about the reality of the world she lives in. Then now, Liv can change destiny as long as she accompanies this alien man to a temple on the top of a mountain.

Of course, the girl wanted to try it. Whatever way she could escape the curse she was born with, Liv would. However, the problem here is whether Liv is allowed to leave or not.

All this time, her father never let Liv go anywhere. Its existence makes the Themaris family often get insulted. Even so, Melian always tried to take her sister out, just looking for fresh air. Not infrequently also, Melian received a strong reprimand from the father afterwards. Olrun wants the whereabouts of his second daughter to remain hidden, not until when.

So, asking Olrun for permission to go to the temple in the mountains, at the northwestern tip of Legolas Kingdom, was very unlikely to be granted. Olrun is also unlikely to believe if he is told that there is a way to change the destiny of Liv and his wife. He was just an old man with conservative thoughts. Dean could be arrested, then taken to the palace to be pasung because of his human race.

"I ... will consider it first" Liv said.

Dean scrunched his forehead, then clucked. "Tch! What else do you want to think, huh? It concerns my life and your destiny!"

"Dad won't let me out of the house and go away like that!" reply the elf girl was riled up.

Dean took a long breath. "We don't have much time."

"You mean ...?"

"The mortal can only be opened once a year. Precisely, the night when the new moon phase appears, before winter arrives." Dean did write like that in his story, as a challenge for Haldir to arrive at the temple in such a narrow time. Dean did not expect, he had to experience the same thing now.

"That means ... We only have two weeks from now?" ask Liv to make sure.

"really. So, after that, make a quick decision! Only you can help me!" dean's orders.

Liv did not finish answering Dean's words, the sound of the room door being knocked from the outside. "Liv, it's me. Who are you talking to?"

Liv gasped, then whispered, "That's my brother! Get out of here!"

"But--"

"Here, get out first, there!" Liv pushes Dean's body so the young man goes through the window. Dean looked out for a moment, then turned to his left to make sure the surroundings were safe. Then, the young man descended from the window through the vines.

"Remember, make a quick decision! You can meet me at Lily's Inn in Litavenue!" dean exclaimed in a whisper, before finally leaving the courtyard of the Themaris family mansion.

"Liv, are you inside?" ask Melian again from behind the door.

"Wait a minute, brother!" Liv immediately cleaned up her room, maybe there's a trace of Dean left. Then Liv opened the door. "What's wrong?"

Melian looked into Liv's room, then asked, "So it looks like I heard someone's voice. Is true?"

"Ah, ummm .. that's impossible, brother! I'm always alone in this room, aren't I?" Of course Liv lied about Dean's whereabouts.

Melian looked to nod. "alright. Oh yeah, I made a cake for you, it's in the kitchen. Comeing! You should try it!"

"Kue? Yes, I want to!" exclamation Liv rejoicing. The girl left earlier than her brother.

Melian looked into Liv's room once again. Feeling that there was nothing to suspect, he was about to close the door. However, the door had not been closed entirely, Melian saw there was a blackened stain, like a drop of something on the floor of his sister's room. Not much, just that the dark color is quite striking on the light brown wood floor.

Melian approached the stain, then poked it. A thick red liquid was stuck at the index end. Melian watched him closely and kissed him. Rancid smell. Melian felt that she recognized the scent.

"This ... smells like blood .. but why is it red?" ask Melian wonder. Of course he was astonished. The scent of the droplets was rancid like blood, while the color was red. In fact, the blood of the elves in this world was greenish-white.

***

That night, Liv returned to visit the lake. Every mid-month, the full moon will shine for a maximum of three days, before finally the light closes partially and turns into a new moon. As usual, Liv's black skin instantly turned white after being bathed in the full moonlight.

"New month ... ." Liv remembered Dean's words earlier this afternoon, while playing with a leg dipped in a lake. "Is the world's displacement really real? But, I still don't believe it completely ... ."

Not long after, Liv saw Haldir coming over. Liv got up from her seat to greet the Prince. "Haldir, you've been data--"

"Why are you lying to me?" haldir asked, interrupting Liv's words. The girl frowned not understanding. "What do you mean by lying?"

"your name ... You're not Melian, are you?!"

Haldir glared sharply at Liv who was gasping. His face was so panicked, but Haldir kept on searching, "Your name is Liv Themaris, and Melian is your brother's name! That's right, isn't it?"

***