Chapter 17

Hula Duliri

“Who are you?” Arthur asked again when the staff didn’t answer his initial question. His voice barely above a whisper, his throat ready to scream for help at any moment.

“There’s no need to be tense, young master,” the staff answered calmly, yet it came out extremely imposing. “I am Duliri, your enchanted staff.”

“You're not Duliri!” a voice suddenly rang in Arthur’s head, so loud that he instinctively covered his ears. “I am Duliri! Arthur, that guy is an impostor!”

“Impostor?” The staff scoffed, gliding towards Arthur, who didn’t move, and simply stared at him. “What a joke.”

“Just give back my body, will you?”

“Why will I give something that belongs to me? You’re still as dumb as ever.”

“ARTHUR!” The voice pleaded as the same body that previously occupied Arthur’s head appeared again. Its face distraught and tears fell from its jaded orbs. “Please, order him to return my b–”

“You will not do that, my lord,” the staff interrupted, gliding even closer. Its voice sent shivers unto the boy’s spine. “There’s no use for that Alter.”

The boy skidded away and took a mouthful breath, “Then, tell me who you are…”

“Wasn’t it you who named this staff Duliri? Then I am Duliri.”

“You’re mistaken. I named my friend Duliri, not the staff itself.”

“Your jest is even funnier in person, my lord.” The staff laughed mockingly. “Even funnier than my Alter’s weird sense of humor.”

His left brow rose at his vague response. His nerves finally began to settle down. “You keep saying Alter, is that how you call Duliri?”

“Yes!” the voice in Arthur’s head joined in. “That evil entity kept calling me his Alter personality! Please admonish him, Arthur. That guy is a power maniac!”

“Admonish?” An impish grin bent Arthur’s lips. “Duliri… He’s under the Enchantment of Absolution, isn’t he?”

“I am, my lord,” the staff said. “You can trust me.”

“Good…” Arthur beamed at the staff, his eyes flaring in vile thoughts. “It actually irked me when you scoffed at us, it feels like you’re making fun of me and my friend.” His smile grew yet again. “Would you mind bashing yourself in the wall?”

“I apologized if I offended you, my lord,” the staff said though he didn’t sound like it at all. “I have to remind you, however, that this might wake up her ladyship upstairs.” The staff shone slightly as though daring him. “Besides, I’m not a simpleton to be terrified of such weak bashings. This staff is made of the finest Blackwood. I am harder than any diamond.”

“Is that so?” The vein on his temple almost popped. Still, Arthur did his best to keep his composure. “Should I just order you to self-destruct?”

Laughter echoed from the obsidian orb, hushing Duliri who was about to speak. Arthur twitched in annoyance. “I don’t think you’ll do that, young master. Won’t that kill your friend?”

“True…” Arthur heaved a sigh in defeat, not wanting to be pettier than he already was. After a few more breaths, he shot the staff a glance. “Anyways, would you mind having a different name? It would be easier for me to distinguish who is who.”

“I don’t mind, my lord…”

“How about Sha’ria, the power maniac?” Duliri mocked with a smug face, even laughing awfully inside Arthur’s head.

The boy rolled his eyes. “Then why don’t we change your name to Novei, the creep, or maybe Estelo, the useless?”

The color of Duliri’s face turned white while the staff snickered lightly. “Arthur! I thought you are on my side. I thought…” He gasped. “Are you saying that I’m a useless creep?”

“Maybe?” Arthur laughed briefly and returned his attention to the staff, not minding Duliri who began to plague his mind with another exaggerated gag. “Would you like the name Hula, name of the serpent tribe? That would complete the name of my favorite tribal hero…”

“I have no objections.”

“Good… Because I have a few questions for you Hula, and you seemed to know the answers.”

“Wait!” Duliri interrupted. “I can answer them for you, Arthur. Just let me return to my body!”

Arthur let his back fall on the mattress, a sigh escaping his lips. “That won’t do, Duliri…” He gently raised his chin and stared at Hula who glided overhead. “If my assumptions are true, if Duliri returns to that staff, you’ll come back in my head, correct?”

“Yes–”

“Wait!” Duliri butted in yet again, his eyes sparkling with hope. “Arthur, are you keeping me in here to avoid that Hula, that power maniac?”

“Yes, that’s right!” His palms found his face in no time, running from his forehead up to his hairline. “I prefer you in my mind than this guy, okay?” He briefly cuffed two fistfuls of his hair as he gritted his teeth. “So please, stop screaming! It’s ringing! It’s hurting my head.”

Duliri suddenly looked so smug and confident, his lips bent from ear to ear. “How ‘bout that Hula? Our Lord likes me more than you!” He laughed as though a villain who achieved his first victory.

Arthur could only sigh at how simple-minded Duliri could be before turning his attention to Hula. “Is this permanent? Would I always have someone in my head?”

“No,” Hula answered, then became completely silent.

Arthur raised a brow. “C’mon, any explanation?”

“I would answer all your questions but in one condition…” Hula paused, drawing nearer. “I would be allowed to control your body during life-threatening situations. It is to ensure your safe–”

“I refuse,” Arthur immediately interrupted in a hard tone while Duliri scowled and exclaimed, “Are you crazy?”

“You are too kind, my lord. It would be very easy to exploit that kindness against you. During those times, you’ll need me the most – to kill your enemies without a second thought.”

“I still refuse…” Arthur got up and grabbed the staff. “How about you help me with everything and I shall help you get a new body?”

“You’ll do that?” Hula let out a dry laugh. “I wonder how you found out that I want a new body.”

A wry smile crept on Arthur’s lips. He lifted his right arm and tapped his temple with a point-finger repeatedly. “Do you think that only Duliri’s subconscious thoughts somehow leaked on my mind?”

“Don’t tell me…” Hula lost his cool for a moment before he laughed again. “I couldn’t believe that you already realized.”

“I had this feeling that there’s something that latched on me when Duliri flew on my side after the awakening. I initially thought nothing of it. It was you, wasn’t it?”

Hula remained silent which was the answer in itself.

“And you deliberately leaked Duliri’s thoughts to hide your presence. You’re so sly, it’s hard to trust you.”

“So the reason why you knew I was going to tell Lady Allegia everything was…” Duliri gasped. His hands clenched into fists like he was about to kill his Alter.

“No…” Arthur rolled his eyes, which made his friend confused. “You’ve always been drizzling your thoughts, okay? Well, even without that, you’re still easy to read and predict. But what this guy did was make the drizzle look like a stream, so I know exactly what your thinking – even the exact words. Understood?” Arthur explained nonstop. He had to catch his breath once he finished.

“I am that predictable? Do I look that stupid?”

“You are,” hula and Arthur said in unison.

Duliri dropped on his knees. “You’re all so cruel!” And once again, he began another drama. Arthur thought that Duliri could probably build his own drama theater.