The forest path was about to end.
Tall trees stood together now, Their branches where interlocking.Sunlight was filtered down.
Melian walked a little ahead.
Markil followed quietly.
After a while, she spoke.
"You will love working them once you reach it..."
Markil looked up.
"Your kingdom...?"
She nodded in yes, smiling slightly.
"Yes, Is the capital of elves. Silver spires, crystal bridges it's so beautiful."
He smiled faintly.
"...That sounds unreal."
She is lowered her steps.
"But..." she has hesitated, ears twitching slightly. "Before that... There's something you should know."
Markil sensed the shift in her tone.
"Okay."
Melian inhaled slowly.
"Don't worry if the elves look down at you. They are just suffering from the problems from humans." She said.
"They may sound rude, Some may even insult you."
Markil blinked.
"Why?..."
She stopped walking.
Har smile faded.
"Because elves have suffered..."
Markil waited.
"In the market," she said quietly. "Elves are sold as slaves."
His steps hulted.
"Sold?"
She nodded.
"Especially the girls..."
The forest felt suddenly silent.
"Our people were hunted," Melian said.
"Some were raped. Some were killed... Not for survival, but for amusement."
Markil's chest tightened.
"That's horrible..."
"It is, Humans are most evil creatures in the world, I know you are also a human, but I don't care. I don't fear anyone, if I have die then I will die, it's already written by the God." She said with determined eyes.
Her voice trambled slightly, but she continued.
"Humans did not look back."
Markil Swallowed.
"Elves are not small race," She said. "But we are not many either. In this world elves are only thirty percent."
She raised three fingers.
"Humans are fifty-five."
She raised five fingers.
"Dwarves are twenty-five percent."
Markil stared at Melian.
"So humans are the majority..."
"Yes," Melian said. "And the majority decides what is normal."
She looked forward again.
"They don't see us as people. They see us as goods."
Markil felt his fists clenched.
"I'm sorry..." Markil said sadly.
Melian glanced at him.
"For what?"
"For being a human." Markil replied honestly.
She studied his face.
"...You're strange."
He barked a quick laugh.
"Enough please Melian, I've heard it so many times are you going to say it?"
She smiled,then sighed.
"But you saved me," She said. "You were human... And still you protected and elf."
Markil froze.
Something clicked.
"Wait..."
He looked at her.
"You said elves are kidnapped."
"Yes."
"...And I saved you."
"Yes."
SILENCE
Markil's hands trambled.
"So... I stop it that from happening to you?!"
Melian smiled warmly.
"Yes."
"... I'm glad." He whispered.
His fingerscurled tightly.
"These humans..." He muttered.
Melian suddenly laughed.
Markil looed her,confused.
"What is so funny about it?"
She titled her head.
"Hey, why always you tilte your head?"
"You hate humans," She said teasingly. "But you're human too."
Heblinked.
"Oh!"
She laughed more.
"Enough now,Melian please."
"Okay.Okay, I am trying to stop my laugh."
Markilwas now getting embarrassed by this.
"You're really weird." Melian said.
He rubbed his cheek with embarrassment.
"I guess..."
"But," She said gently. "You're the nice one."
Markil's face heated instantly.
"Th-That's not true."
She raised and eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"I mean... I just did what anyone should do."
She smiled.
"Most wouldn't."
He looked away.
"Still..."
As they walked together, Melian thoughts drifted.
"This person... He knows nothing" She thought.
"Not about races.Nof about history.Not about power." She thought.
She glanced at him.
"Or maybe... He is hiding something."
She narrowd her eyesslightly.
"Someone this strong cannot be ignorant."
"Even our capital's Elite fighters would have struggle against him."
Her chest tightened.
"What is his objective?"
She clinched her fingers lightly.
"For now... I must stay beside him."
"When we reach home... I will see who he truly is."
Suddenly, a memory flashshedin the mind of Melian.
A Smiling face.
Long silver hair.
Warm lighter.
Melian 's steps slowed down.
Her smile faded.
"Melian...?" Markil said softly.
She snapped back.
"Yes?"
"You suddenly look sad."
She hesitated.
"...Do you really know nothing?" She asked him.
"About what?"
"About this world."
He sook his head slowly.
"No."
She watched at him.
"You are a human," she said. "But still Markil,You don't know the cruelty of humans."
Markil felt chill.
"I lost my parents," he said suddenly.
Her eyes sharpened.
"My mother...and my father," he continued. "I fell into depression. I stopped paying attention to the world."
He laughed weakly.
"I guess I just depressed..."
Melian watched him closely.
Lie.
Her instincts screamed.
Markil exhaled quietly.
"She must not know," He thought.
"She can't know."
"Even so you're so strong..." Melian said.
He flinched.
"...Strong?"
"Yes," she said. "And not only in power,"
He looked at her.
"Hey! HEY! Don't think I'm strong," Markil said with embarrassment.
"I'm just a weirdoo."
Melian noticed his expression.
"Don't you say that." She said.
Markil looked away.
"...I don't feel strong."
She chuckled.
"Most strong people don't."
They walked on.
The forest felt silent on the second day of travelling.
Markil walked beside Melian, hands behind his head.
Markil was now more confident then yesterday.
"Hey!" He said casually, trying to talk. "I forgot to ask you something."
Melian hummed.
"What is it?"
Markil glanced at her. "I know you are an elf, but what exactly do you do! Like,do Elves have jobs? Or are you...? He hesitated. "An orphan?"
The moment when the word left his mouth.he felt it.
Melian stopped smiling. She was not looking angry, But still Markil could feel. That he had said something wrong.
Then she smiled again, but it was different.polite. controlled.
"Please don't ask me that Markil," she said gently. "I will tell you by myself. When the time comes."
Markil's eyes were fixed on her.
"I'm sorrry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean..., actually I guess I shouldn't have asked this question."
"It's Okay,You didn't nothing wrong I just... Don't want to answer this question." Melian replied.
Markil look at away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Why am I like this?" He thought. "Why do I... Always step on the wrong landmine?"
"Okay then," he said. "Sorry for asking that."
They started walking again.
Markil kept glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.
"Why is she still smiling like that? Why that smile feel heavy at them the silence? Did I upset her?" Markil thought.
"Okay,Then!" Markil muttered.
Melian glanced at him.
"What?"
Suddenly, Markil's eyes got wide.
"How the hell?" Markil thought.
Markil stopped.
Melian almost walked straight into his back.
"Hey! Why did you stop?" She said.
Markil didn't answer.
Markil was focused now.
"Stay down," he said.
"What...?" Melian blinked.
"Get down," Markil repeated again, his voice low and dangerous.
"What are you saying?" She asked,confused.
Then Markil shouted.
"Stay down!"
The tone cut through her hesitation.
Melian dropped to the ground instantly.
A split second later.
WHOOSH!
A knight brust out between the trees, armour flashing,a sword already moving.
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
Three strikes. Clean. Precise.Fast.
Markil's body moved without any single thought.
He twisted.stepped.bent.
The blade passed through afterimages.
"What the...?," Markil thought. "What the fuck?"
He haven't even decided to dodge.
The knight skidded back,eyes widening.
(Chapter 9 Fin)