“Beware of your friend, who hides behind his laughter.”

Chapter 6 – I ride through storm

I touched the surface of the warm sheet. The cool breeze of the morning urged me back to oblivion. My face hugged against the pillow that was supposedly on my head, smelling in the newly washed fabric. My eyelids fought to close, as if they’re not meant to be open, peeked through what little I can make out of. It pulled back close as soon as light came into view. Hooooooorrrroom. Letting out a long yawn, I let the warm water brush against my skin. Fire orbs heated up the water then shower down from the ceiling.

The receptionist had a curved leaf on her head that was the same as the signboard outside the inn. She smiled brightly upon seeing my arrival, “Good morning, sir. Ready for breakfast?”

“As alwaz,” There was a dining area in the lobby that serves breakfast. I grabbed a seat where the table was vacant while another lady came to serve. Eloiya rented out a room to treat my wounds yesterday and since I had nowhere to sleep, I returned to this inn to stay the night. They come with a breakfast meal, warm shower and clean bed, literally everything I could ask for.

“What would you like to have, mercoron or faza?”

The lady held a small notepad while waiting for my order, I looked around at what the other customers were having and pointed to the dish that looked acceptable to my taste. The sight of the food had my stomach growl.

“Mercoron it is then.” She scribbled on her pad and passed to me to sign on it. The place was filled with men and children having their breakfast, murmurs and laughter reached my ears from where I was sitting. After I was done with my meal, I left the inn while skipping towards the doctor’s hut. The morning breeze felt refreshing against my face, I looked around the village while humming aloud.

The layout of the village was similar to the street where I used to live before. There was repair shop that sold fixing equipment and mercenary shop for weaponry. I skipped pass several restaurants, whiffing in the breakfast scent before arriving upon the doctor’s hut. The hut was mildly decorated with a signboard showing ‘Patient inside’.

Reaching out a hand, I knocked on the wooden door a few times before a man, who looked like he worked in a bakery, came out and greet me. Over his shoulder, I could see a few vacant futons lying around the floor. The man questioned my visit in a polite manner, “Greetings, you seem new here. I am Doctor Vergge. Is there anything you need?”

He had a stethoscope that doctors usually have hanging around his neck. I debated whether to ask for Eloiya, but that would be awkward if she wasn’t here and the other knights answered. Before coming all the way here, I was looking forward seeing her without preparing what I would say to Lord Sainde. I gulped, regretting why I hadn’t thought about bringing gifts on the way here.

“Came to sey, Eloiya, hare.” I groaned, my ears reddening slightly at my off-tuned pronunciation.

Behind the door where I could peek, a figure rushed to the front door where I was standing at. The face of Eloiya popped out behind Doctor Vergge.

“Alan, you’re here!” Her face stretched out a smile reaching her ears. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“We?” I stuttered, confirming my earlier concern.

“Eten and I was just talking about you. Don’t be so nervous, we don’t bite.” Eloiya let out a giggle, revealing lines on her cheeks. It was kind of cute.

When she saw me standing at the door unmoving, she wiggled her eyebrow suggestively, “Are you waiting for me to invite you in personally? Or do I have to drag you in?”

Groaning, I let out an uneasy laugh. “After iu, milady.”

She rolled her eyes to cover up a soft chuckle that escaped from her mouth, “Come on, your highness.”

Entering the old hut, I could smell the odor of old herbs and traditional medicine. They were little bottles dancing at the corner of the room. Immediately, I was greeted by the group of knights cranking on the bed.

“I told you, they are never around, you could see the stars reflecting through the glass.” One implied.

“You’re such a wimp, Eten. Trust us more than that, will you?”

Eloiya cleared her throat. All the heads turned at our direction at our arrival, their attention shifting from Eloiya to me. I shuffled at my feet when they noticed my presence.

“Knights, let me introduce to you. This is Alan from…” Eloiya trailed off. Eyebrows raising, hinting me to reply.

“From,” I started, noticing how everyone had their eyes on me. I couldn't think up of any places at that moment. Pursing my lips, I meekly replied, “Arcturus?”

Silence followed. The stares were drilling a hole through my head. It was Eten who was first to break the silence with a laughter. “I love this guy. He’s great! Never heard that before.”

Eloiya tried to put on a poker face while resisting a smile. She looked as if she was constipating, with her face frowning and nose twitching and all.

“Alright, let me finish, Eten.” Eloiya once again cleared her throat, “Let me introduce again, this is Alan from Arcturus,” she emphasized on the last part and turned to her friends and made a wave at the four knights, pointing out each of their names “Alan, this is Lord Sainde, captain of the second division elite troop. Eten, our vice-captain. Gruen, Lytes and Folla, my comrades. Fought hand in hand down to the last breath of dragon.”

Each of them waved and smiled politely as their names were mentioned. “Alan, we have heard you from Bern. I can’t give you enough thanks for finding and bringing us here.” Lord Sainde stood up from the bed. He stretched his hand out.

I simply stared at his outstretched hand blankly, reminded of the occurrence with Eloiya yesterday. No way in hell am I bumping chest with a man. That’s just simply gay.

Eloiya must have noticed my discomfort, and piped in, “Alan here is not familiar with our traditions, he travelled from his village to Roh to visit a friend of his. Ah, now that I mention it, did you find your friend?”

“Yes,” I responded with a nod, “Yesterdai.”

“That’s great,” Eloiya smiled.

“Alan, I have discussed this matter with my knights earlier. To tell you the truth, as a knight, I am immensely curious in your power. And as our savior, I would like to personally escort you to our king to grant you a gift of gratitude from our kingdom, if you agree to come with us after your stay in Ghamp Village.” Lord Sainde continued. “Our king will be very pleased to have your presence with him.”

It did not take me long to come to a decision. Staying in Ghamp village wasn’t my purpose in the first place. I have decided to explore the lands and seas of Arcturus. Now that I have seen enough of Ghamp village, it’s about time for me to leave. The people were lovely and the food are heaven. It was enough for me to come back here to visit time after time.

We left on the red leaf the next morning after we had our breakfast together. I rested on my arms over my eyes, covering them from the sun. Thick, green trees passing by the road, seemingly never ending. I could smell the green grass, the coolness of wind as it brushed against my cheeks.

Life is good. I had already fallen in love with this planet the moment I laid my eyes on it. Arcturus is a beautiful place to live in.

Letting out a sigh, I closed my eyes as I laid on the red leaf. The weather was a perfect time to nap while I took my time to daydream.

“Alan, are you asleep?”

My eyes snapped open, finding a curious-looking Eloiya staring at me. She gave me her usual smile that could melt the male population in a single beat. Her eyes are so blue, I could find myself lost in those deep gems. Her hair danced like a wild grass, flowing with the wind with no direction in mind. She reached for her hair that fell over lips, winding them back behind her ears.

“Eloiya, you are very beautiful lady,” I breathed out loud. It was like the world stopped. My eyes budged out enlarging itself to the size of a pearl, realizing what I have just said. I messed up. My face heated up to the point I could feel it boiling hot. Internally slapping myself, I shifted my eyes elsewhere. I swear I heard whistle and a sneer coming from the side.

Instead of waiting for her reply, I pointed at the writings on the leaf, finding them interesting on spur of the moment, “T-these wratings, r-really cul, w-w-whait do dey mean?”

“I wonder what could they mean,” her eyes sparkled, laughing as she said, “It means, together with two fragments of Roh will we complete the heart.” She softened her eyes, playing a knot with her hair, “They are traditionally used to imply only when people unite, will we revive the heart of Arcturus. There are two sides to each living being, light and darkness. When the heart died two hundred years ago, we, the humans have simply stopped trying to love our planet.”

“Didn’t the kingdom do something about it?”

“We tried our best to get our people to save mana.” She let out a small smile, “When the population is too vast, it’s just hard to control every single one of them.”

I hardly doubt the people appreciates what the knights are doing. If you deny their usage of mana, the people will start to get uncomfortable. The kingdom will worry about residents moving out, plummeting the economy with them. As I was about to switch the topic, I was interrupted by Lord Sainde. A huge shadow flew over our head, keeping the sun from radiating the land. Wind flew away the grass that kept the trees swaying.

What comes after had my heart pounding.

“Wake up, cinnamons. We got company.”

There was something I always wonder about Arcturus. If I were to describe Arcturus, it would be heaven. At night, there were no rape, no murder or anything. Even the wind had started singing. I began to think if I have only been seeing the light of everything. The elementary started when I began seeing a group of knights fighting against a corcorn. And honestly, I never given any serious thought more than that.

I gripped my hand until the knuckle turned white. As I stood here looking above the sky, I was afraid for the first time I came to Arcturus. Twenty to thirty black dragons flew in circle above us. Tainting the sky with its color. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Eloiya tightening her hands around her bow. The knights got down from the red leaf. All armed and cautious of our unwanted visitors.

A black fiery dragon landed on the ground. The trees shook from the strong wind as the dragon flapped its wings. A man who was riding the dragon came towards to us, hood covering over his face. “We came to talk in peace, Captain Sainde.”

To my surprise, the voice belonged to a female. A feminine high-pitched voice if it weren’t for the venom dripping from the sound of it. Something about her voice reminded me of my past.

“I’m interested in what kind of peace we are talking about.” Lord Sainde replied, a slight sneer curling his lips. His eyes scanning at the black hooded guests that were closing in on us.

Eloiya and I exchanged glances. Stay back. She mouthed me. With so many armed humans surrounding us, I questioned the possibility if the knights were caught tracked by an enemy last few days. I heard the bristling of grass around us. The green leaves were withering into its faded green.

“Who they?” I whispered.

You could see the surprised expression on Eloiya’s face. She replied in a low voice full of dread, “The black cult. That’s the leader, Saireah Altair.”

I could feel a few amounts of mana started gathering at the tip of the other knight’s finger. When I glance over my shoulder, there were small magic circles rotating behind Lord Sainde’s shoulder out of the black cult people’s sight.

“You wouldn’t mind—,” The leader of the black cult paused for a moment before she said, “a little celebration for the rebirth of the Heart now, am I right?”

“What are you talking about?” Sainde replied, pretending he doesn’t know. He could keep stalling by talking with the cult people while his knights continue casting their magic circles.

The woman grinned, stepping to the side. “Look at these dragons!” She raised her voice. Her arm shouldering the black dragon as she added, “We revived them from their graves. Now they will only do as they are told. For so long we tried resurrection magic, it has finally come to a success. Long life the heart of Arcturus!”

It was Eten who answered this time. “You must be out of your mind. If you keep doing these magic experiments, mana will be swipe from the land of Arcturus!”

Something in what he had said caused me to react. I pressed my lips together and turned my gaze on the magic circle the knights were casting. I knew I should have kept my gaze straight because the next moment, there was a shout in the air. Then all hell came loose.

“They are casting magic!”

The knights reacted faster than I was. With a flick, they combined their magic circles into one big spell.

“Stop them! Don’t let them fire that magic!” The woman shouted at her underlings. She removed her hood revealing a bright, fiery orange hair. Her bloodshot eyes reflected the red irises making them looked as if they are bleeding.

I felt the world spin as word stuck in my throat. My eyes widen at the woman in front of me. I could never mistake anyone for that face. Not in this life, and certainly not in my past life. I mumbled under my breath, so low only I could hear it.

“Mom?”

“Lights, camera, action! It’s lit boys.”

Chapter 7: The dance of the wind