17 The ELVEN RETALIATION (1/2)
A blurry ceiling of oak wood that became ever so apparent welcomed Karus as he slowly opened his eyes, batting it a few times to regain perfect vision. He's inside a house. A very quaint, well maintained, properly ventilated house, he observed as he bears in mind to compliment the carpenter and the homeowner. He was shocked it took him hours to wake up as he tried to lift his tired body to sit up only to fail in every attempt.
Usually, it only takes a few hours or so but now, as he saw the darkness outside the window and the stillness of any living soul inhabiting the village, he's in, he's convinced it took him at least ten hours. It is curious to note that it is midafternoon when he drank the poisonous vial. Calculating that time, he could assume that it is now about an hour past midnight, give or take. He's covered with a lot of bandages around his head leaving him to barely turn it to his sides.
”Kayzar,” he called shouting but a little weak with his voice almost crackling.
A loud thumping sound on the floor with a rhythmic tune of a running man disturbed the peaceful dark night giving him a jolt. He couldn't see a door in front of him making him assume that it is either on his left or on his right. He can't move his aching head to both sides, so he forced his body gambling to turn choosing left on instinct. He felt disappointed to see nothing but a wall on that corner and a vase of flowers on top of the table together with three sets of mourning candles. He was confused to see something akin to a burial ritual beside him. He wonders if it is one of those pranks by Kayzar, a very nasty very horrible prank that is somewhat insulting.
Before he could ever try to summon all his energy to turn around, the door came into a bang, as if being forcefully pushed by an angry ogre, then, two arms of a young man held his body in a tight bind. He swore he would most likely yell some curses to this man for pulling him and hugging his tired, aching body like a bear, but he heard some sobbing.
The young man, that's behind him, suddenly let go and then gave him a painful slap on the head.
”OW! What the Yit's wrong with you!” Karus said angrily.
”You should've known better than to drink my potion you imbecile! I specifically told you that a drop can put a grown man to sleep! A vial is as deadly as a dagger in the neck!”
Karus laid back on his bed and rolled around back to see Kayzar who is infuriated and crying at the same time.
”Hey it's no biggie! At least I made it before sunrise?”
”You stupid, dim-witted, foolish moron!”
”Hey, cut with the insults...”
”It's been five days since we found you! They said that you're dead!” he angrily shouted with his palms squishing his eyes suppressing the river of tears.
”What? Five days!?” he shouted sitting upright immediately ignoring the searing pain that comes from his hurried movements. ”What happened to Juni!?”
Kayzar punched his right arms annoyed, ”You should be thanking Bathala for this miracle you ungrateful fool! You shouldn't worry about anything at the moment!”
”He's right,” joined Narra popping from the door, ”You are considered dead three days ago. Water Casters has been feeding you, directing liquid food to your mouth but suddenly your body shut down. They said it's irreversible.”
Karus looked down finding his hands and feet in the long white sheets and tested them looking for flaws or impairment, pinching it for a couple of times finding if it can still feel sensations. ”I don't feel any different except from feeling a little weak with painful joints.”
”You are scheduled to be transported to the north and have a prince's burial, but your brother kept insisting on making his potions and I was this close to calling Artemus and Anagea. Good thing I kept this incident top secret.”
”Then I suppose I owe you my thanks, Kayzar?”
”Next time just don't be so stupid!” he smiled with his eyes a little swollen and red.
”Why do I feel a little hungry?” he asked as he forced his body to go the edge of the bed to stand up.
”Of course, you are,” Kayzar replied helping him to stand, ”you haven't eaten in two days. That's rather depressing especially for you,”
”Right, at least we can get to go back to the north in the morning, right gramps?”
”No,” he smiled answering, ”I'm afraid not. You two are to remain here for a month or so until you recover your energy for another perilous journey up north.”
”What? You're leaving us here?”
”You're nowhere near the Palace so you're safe.”
”Where are we exactly?”
”The Weaver's Village,” Kayzar prompted beating Narra to answer first.
”But that's...”
”Roughly three miles away from the city gates, yes I know,” Narra smiled turning around leaving them at the room, ”I'll be turning the food warm downstairs. You best be there after a minute or two.”
”We're near the Palace Kayzar,” he whispered.
”Don't complain! It's your fault we're here.”
”What are we gonna do?”
”The same thing we always do, try and study as much as we can, or in your case train? You haven't shown me the Thousand Blade Dash, but I wouldn't rush you yet. As much as I want to see that in action, I must endure to wait because you have to recuperate your body.”
Karus gave a long sigh as he walked slowly trying to make his feet do his bidding, ”Where will you go?”
”Oh, I'll be leaving you here to train on your own. I'll be studying the entrance to the Kulog Pass this month.”
”Yit, that's depressing. I wouldn't be able to let you see a demonstration of the power of the Thousand Blade Dash if you're that far away.”
Kayzar laughed as he guides him walking near the door. ”I truly believe you're joking at the camp when you said that you've mastered that. No one can really master that technique, so I have my doubts. It's really impossible. Besides, you are not a Daomagar and in your weak state, I doubt that you can still dash. You know that you have to double your efforts to convince me, right? I wouldn't believe it until I see it.”
”Hey! That sounded like you don't trust me at all...”
”It's not like that...” he smiled almost laughing, ”Well, it is like that. But it's your fault! You always exaggerate things when you tell stories, so I don't want to get all riled up and get my hopes that high.”
Karus smirked putting his weight on the wall while nearing the stairs. He let go of Kayzar trying to stand-up and walk on his own.
”At least there's a training field north from here, right? I wouldn't feel any bored consuming my months.”
”I thought that you don't want to be anywhere near the Palace? That's kind of close to the Palace.”
”What do you want me to do? You decided to put me here, trapped in this village,” he joked trying to discourage Kayzar's squinting angry eyes, ”Besides, there's a watering hole near there so it's accessible to food and clean water.”
”Just don't dare do something else while I'm away! I know you know about the easterners. Just maintain your cover this month. I'm serious this time!”
”Well, that's...”
”Promise me!” he slapped Karus's bandaged right hand.
”Okay! Okay! Jeez, that's uncalled for! Cut the slapping or I swear I'm going to return the favor!”
”Karus,” shouted Narra downstairs, ”Hurry up or I'll give you my blended tea!”
”Coming!” he shouted almost terrified forcing his body to make haste limply running down the stairs.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
”HEY! YOU!”
”WHAT!?”
”Oooooh! Stop ignoring me!” shouted Yosh throwing a pillow to Iyom near the window.
”Oh, please, mortal, like I'm really going to do what my father told me to.”
”What!? But you told me that you're going to!? That she just needs her sleep!? You mean to tell me that that's all a lie!”
”Let me set things straight!” he shouted angry moving closer to him in his bed, ”I will not, ever, let you near her again! Never ever! Never will! Not even if I'm dead! I will haunt you till your miserable life ends. And after that I'll haunt your spirit even more!”
”Wow! As if you can really stop me!” Yosh angrily shouted too. ”You think you're so great hiding me here, making me a prisoner? That's pretty low even for an Elf! You can't stop me!”
”Try saying that again squirt!”
”Ohoho! Did I twitch some nerve there? Huh? Elfy boy!?”
Iyom stared at Yosh with his infuriated eyes revealing a black outline appearing prominently strong looking like a raccoon's - like what he did on the arena.
Yosh remembered this instance so he closed his eyes and jumped on the other side of bed.
”Luna!” he shouted, ”Give me eyes!”
Luna, sitting on the far corner of the bed, jumped on his side to serve her master giving her angry shrieks of taunting meows.
Iyom smiled thinking on his futile attempt to escape him. He disappeared with a poof as if being eaten by a void, leaving an eerie silence in the room. Luna meowed signaling that he is nowhere which Yosh noted as he made his defensive stance with his foot spread apart.
Yosh tilted his head feeling the room. He immediately felt the air changing pressures, so he moved his head towards the left dodging a frightful fist now appearing out of nowhere.
Iyom was surprised on his reflexes especially with his eyes closed. Putting your trust on your other senses when fighting a Dwendell is a known impossibility - especially if you are in his territory and more importantly if you are a Nagozulian. In that quarter of a second's dodge from his punch, he swore he saw Yosh smiling as he caught him grabbing his arms in a pull, throwing him to the ground.
Iyom landed quite hard on the floor. The loud sound of the slam could have disturbed any other people walking around the hall outside. The fast reactions of Yosh disabled him from disappearing again and avoiding the fall. He's shocked in his expertise in close quarter combat.
”Well, well,” Yosh said angry with his insulting tone, ”I think I just learned how to counter your disappearing act!”
The door creaked slowly, surprising the two leaving for Yosh to suddenly open his eyes.
It is the Dwendell girl Yosh hurt in the edge of the woods. She looks rather okay considering the ordeal Yosh put her through. With her perfectly combed long white hair and her white dress, you wouldn't notice that she is a Dwendell. She doesn't even have the tattoo on her forehead that the other Dwendells have. She looks like an ordinary teenage girl, a very confused teenage girl at that as she looked at them in strangeness with Yosh holding Iyom's hand while he's on the ground both staring at her like a statue.
”I'm sorry, am I bothering you two? They said that it's alright to come in.”
Iyom jumped seizing the opportunity. He faced Yosh, with his raccoon eyes, and cursed him to stand there, frozen like stone.
”AHA! Foolish imbecile! Thought you can outlast me? You twerp!”
”Stop it,” she smiled slapping Iyom on the back of his head moving closer to Yosh, ”It's impolite to curse your guest Iyom.”
She stood in front of Yosh with the edge of her eyes turning black, spreading as if the ink got a life on its own creeping to form a thick outline. Her deep green eyes started to turn all yellow and cat-like, like Luna's.
”Are you alright?” she said as her eyes returned gradually to normal.
Yosh stammered as he back away being so close to her, returning in his normal self, ”Uh-yeah. I'm cool.”
”I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced, I'm Ninefe,” she pulled her hand and showed her palm to him.
Yosh looked at her palm awaiting something to happen.
A few seconds passed then Iyom got mad and started to join, ”You should put your hand on top of her and introduce yourself you stupid baboon!”
Yosh ignored his insults and suddenly did what he ordered, ”Right! Sorry, my name is Yosh.”
Ninefe smiled as Yosh pulled his hands right away.
”I'm really sorry I've hurt you,” Yosh continued, ”I have been meaning to go to you to ask for a formal apology, but that crazy mentally challenged biscuit is trapping me here.”
”Oh, that's okay, Iyom's been that way, always being difficult and protective,” she smiled lightly slapping Iyom in the arms.
”Hey! Who's your friend here!? Why are you suddenly taking his side?”
Ninefe laughed making nervous Yosh to smile a little, ”I'm not taking any sides. I'm the one who's been hurt. I should be the side. Anyway, your father already asked Yosh's forgiveness. Who am I to defy our king?”
”WHAT!? HE DID THAT!?” shouted Iyom being both surprised and angry.
”Uh-huh. He told me many things,” she looked at Yosh grinning, ”including you gaining the Great Worm's respect. Congratulations for that by the way.”
”Uh- that's uh- I didn't...” stuttered Yosh.
”Don't try to deny the credit, everyone's been talking about it,” she stopped and turned at Iyom, ”Oh, our King, I mean your father, went to his quarters again yesterday and he told me to relieve you being our guest's guide.”
”Who's going to look after that numnut?!”
”Well, I will,” she said with wide eyes. ”I was ordered to take him out of this room and show him around outside.”
”Well I'm not leaving you here with him!”
”Don't be stubborn Iyom,” she simpered pushing him out of the door, ”our king wants you in his quarters as soon as possible. He knows what you did to Yosh, so I suggest you think of your way out of that instead of being impossible here.”
”What? He knows?” he whispered almost afraid.
”Yes,” she nodded still smiling.
”Did you tell on me?”
”Why would I do that, I just got here?”
Iyom grumpily whispered some words sounding like curses in their Dwendell tongue and magically disappeared at the front door. Ninefe then looked at Yosh who's still forcing a smile and a bit anxious about her.
”What?” she said almost laughing, ”D'ya wanna stay there all cooped up again?”
”Uh-N-No miss,” he stuttered pacing his walk almost jumping out of the room with Luna running behind him.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
They walked along the long corridor outside. It is made with a hard wall of corrugated mud. The light brown color tone of the walls of mud makes it look like wood. Though there are no windows to be seen, crispy fresh air is experienced with a little hint of a refreshing minty smell of herbal leaves.
Yosh just looked down on the floor while walking silently next to Ninefe. He's so guilty about what he did that he didn't want to impose on starting a topic to talk about. Once in a while Ninefe would look at Yosh and would giggle silently. Yosh notices this but have chosen to ignore it. He doesn't know how to interact with the Earth Creatures that he read about in fantasy books, so he thought that the best thing to do is to just be on the passive side.
”Well here we are,” she finally said stopping in front of a dead-end wall, ”You seem very quiet, though I think I sense that you have quite a spirited soul in you.” Yosh just smiled at her, still looking down at the floor avoiding her set of small deep green eyes. ”Well, I hope I can free your mind and spirit at the end of our tour. Get to know you better.”
She waved her hands and the walls began to open up revealing a vast brightly lit underground city filled with busy walking Dwendells all around. This brought Yosh his truthful smile, almost with awe, walking outside slowly, turning around looking almost everywhere.
”By the way, you can call me Nine. Ninefe is sooooo polite and formal.”
”Like the number?”
”Yes, like the number. Nine. One syllable. Very easy to remember and to utter.”
”But your name is Ni-ne-fe.”
”Yes, but Ni-ne spells like nine in another language. Thus Nine. Why're we fighting about it, I want that to be my nickname!”
”Okay, okay,” Yosh said nodding in agreement. ”I'm just askin'.”
”So, what shall we talk about?” Nine jumped in front of him immediately changing her mood to a happier tone.
”Uh, let's start with where we really are.”
”Yes!” she held Yosh's hands and pulled him to move, ”We are in the great Dwendell City underground the Great Tree of Kyrin.”
”You mean the stories are true?”
”What stories?”
”That the there is a humongous tree at the center of this forest and there is a city underneath it?”
”No,” she said with a sarcastic smile scoffing to the obvious, ”There is no such thing as a big tree and we're just a figment of your fantasy.”
They came across a shiny giant golden statue of a big water buffalo standing magnificently peaceful but strong and majestic. It has calm eyes that look straight at the east.
”Who's that?” Yosh asked getting a little bit more curious as they get near.
”You don't know!?” she gasped almost bothered.
”N-no?” he replied nervously, ”I-I really don't know... is it bad that I didn't know?”
”YES! Why, he's the most powerful beast that Bathala created! He is the Great Cal'bao, Master of all living Beasts, Spawners, Swimmers and Dragons!”
”Oh! I didn't know that. Is he in hiding too?”
”I wish he was. Your ancestors murdered him along with the other Titans and Beast Guardians.”
”A thousand years ago?”
”Yes. So, you did know.”
”Some parts, yes. But I only got that from my brothers. They are the ones that are into history and such.”
They resumed walking but now silent. Yosh could see her with a hint of sadness almost eating her smiling face away.
”I'm sorry,” he said breaking their silent curse.
”No. It's alright. It's a long time, and besides I too wasn't even born then.”
”How old are you?” Yosh mumbled almost frightened figuring what he just said without thinking. He knows it's bad to ask women about their age, but he doesn't know if this applies to them as well. He's been thinking about what Karus told him about Dwendells having their long lives.
”Come again?”
”I said, H-how many years passed since your birth?” he rephrased taking away the word that women hate.
”Oh! How old am I? I'm a hundred and fifty this year.”
Yosh was shocked to what he just heard. To be very straightforward in answering the most difficult topic women often dodge is shocking but revealing that she's a hundred and fifty made him yelp in surprise. So, he thought of it as some sort of joke.
”A hundred and fifty!?” he laughed, ”Quit joking, in an excessive estimate you could pass up to be a fifteen or a sixteen even, but you most certainly can't pass to a hundred and fifty!”
”Oh, but I am,” she said with her deep green eyes almost bewildered to Yosh's laughter making him to slowly return being shocked.
”Wait, you're not joking?”
”Yes, we Dwendells have a long life. Our main purpose is to wake up green life all over the world and in order to do that we have been given the grace of long lives.”
”But-but that's, how old is Iyom then?”
”Oh, I think he's about to reach his three hundredth. That's when a Dwendell reaches maturity and starts to ask for hands of maidens of a hundred and fifty's, such as myself, in marriage.”