“Why would Chin do that?” I asked Buzz as we were travelling back to ‘Kaeri’. I had save Ishiki of course.

“I don’t know,” He answered he slashed the whip to make the horse pull the chariot faster.

‘Darkel?’ I thought.

They were regarded as the Evils of Humanity. ‘The followers of Wicked’ they were called. I don’t know exactly what happened in the past times. There had been a massive bloodshed. It involved in slaughtering of many Darkels. They were said to blend in commoners and never to be recognized easily.

‘How could I be one of them?’

I wasn’t ready to accept that, but whatever. It was me because of which Ishi was going to get punished. As, giving a Darkel a shade is considered to be a heinous crime.

“Are you sure about this?” asked Buzz.

“Yeah!”

I had no other answer for it. I had to save her.

“I promised to protect her,” I said.

“Whatever!” he agonized, “Everyone is going to be there. I don’t know how you are going to that,”

“Still, I don’t care. I have to try.”

I was pretty confident in myself that I could take a dozen of people attacking me. I had trained myself to not feel weak again. It was something engraved in my soul.

‘Never fail….if you do then it’s all over.’

I don’t know who said that to me, that is something that drives my conscious. Those words and her existence was the reason I tried becoming strong.

“We are here,” Buzz announced.

I jumped out the chariot and hooded myself and walked in straight inside the village. Fortunately no one noticed me and I headed straight to my house.

“No one noticed us,” said Buzz as he closed the door of my house.

“Everyone is busy getting ready for the Ritual.” I said as I watched out of the window.

I saw people carrying firewood towards the center of the village.

The Ritual was performed as a cleansing act, where a Darkel was placed in fire.

I knew that if I was thought to be Darkel, then people ould definitely recognize Ishi as a witch. As, I was watching out of the window. The house door was suddenly opened.

In a nick of time, I picked and rested it at the neck of them.

“Hey, its me.” It was one of traitorous twins.

“Who? There’s two of you.” I asked.

“Shin..” he said as he sweated. It was fear that made his feet tremble and that was enough for me to conclude he was the real one.

“What are you doing here?” asked Buzz, “If they saw you here…”

“I know. They’ll kill me too, but…” Shin took a pause and then continued, “It was you who saved us. I can’t just hand you over. You are the reason why we are alive. I don’t care if you are a Darkel. The fact that you saved us doesn’t change…..I just want to help.” he said as he looked at me.

“Thanks,” I said.

At that point, I wasn’t thinking about someone owing me something. It was just that I wanted every help I could get.

We walked out of the house and then headed towards the centre. I saw her tied to a column with ropes. The firewood was kept in such way that it would light up easily. Clearly they wanted to finish it quickly.

As we walked, I saw a man walking towards a platform next to her. It was the village headman, “My friends, we are all aware of what Darkels do. Chaos and destruction is their only perspective. They are a horde of nonsense whose existence itself is disgraceful enough to curse them. And to think that someone would give them a shade,” he said as he walked closely towards her, “Unforgivable!” he screamed at her.

She turned her face in the opposite direction, but her lifted his arm and grabbed her cheek to make her face him. I was faraway but I could feel her getting hurt.

In that moment I was filled with rage and everything felt gibberish. The only thought which came to me, ‘I need to get her out of there,’

“So, what do we do?” asked Buzz in a confused and rather concerned face.

It was evident of him to react that way, because there were about 50 people watching and we had rescue her and also get out alive.

“I’ll create a diversion. Shin go and untie her in that moment. Buzz, you take her and run as fast as you can. Don’t worry, I’ll create an opening for you.” I said as I got ready with my spear out.

“Okay, but how….”

Before he could finish, I lifted my spear and threw at base of the column to which Ishi was tied. Everyone was caught by surprise. I walked towards it and Buzz followed me with what I feel was a scared face or I don’t know.

I lifted my red-double-headed spear which was enshrouded the ground. Shin ran up her behind to do the work he was asked to do.

“Um--I am sorry. It slipped while I was playing catch,” I said with a jokey face and looked around.

“Mortis? You came for me?” said Ishi as she was struggling with the wooden block. It looked like she wanted to jump on me as she always did. I looked around and saw the people staring at me which was kind of awkward, I guess.

They were all confused and couldn’t process the situation. It was as if they didn’t know who I am even after I was introduced by her, but after a few seconds one of the person stepped in front.

“So, you came here…for what to get your grave dug?” he asked. He appeared to be a normal knight because he had a sword which appeared to be made of the low quality metal. I guessed, he was one of the Vivet’s soldier appointed for this village.

“Ah--Yes! So I’ll get going…..and if you don’t mind. Can I elope her?” I asked him in a mocking tone, but then I thought that I did something which was stupid, “Elope?” I asked myself.

“You are eloping me,” Ishi screamed from deep down through her lungs. At that moment I knew I shouldn’t have said that, “This is so great. You and me. You finally….”

“Can you please keep your romantic fantasies to your self,” I said as I tried calming her down, but it didn’t work. I bent sideways and saw that Shin was almost done with his work and it was my turn to give them an opening.

“Okay, lets get it over with…”