Suri couldn't react to the mortal's daring words. Not when she had experienced the most gruesome feeling since the beginning of her existence.
When Lioraen uttered the words "come here," she immediately moved closer, before she could think.
*What am I doing?!*
Her face flushed in embarrassment.
"W—what?"
Lioraen sighed.
"I came here to simply ask you a few questions, but you went ahead and ruined it."
She cleared her throat.
"Ask me—mortal, any questio..."
"Lioraen," he cut her off. "Call me Lioraen."
She nodded. "Lioraen. Ask me any questions. I'll answer any."
"Never mind," he coldly stated. "I'll just take you with me."
Both beings blinked, staring at him.
"Sorry?" she murmured.
"You're coming with me," he stated. "No questions asked."
Her eye twitched.
"I... can just answer..."
"No."
She clenched her fist.
"Okay. I'll accompany you."
"Swear yourself to me."
That part caught the beings off guard. Othello stepped back to gaze up at him.
"What?!" She was losing it. "You can't be serious!"
"Or I can just leave you here," Lioraen muttered. "You know what? That's better. Stay behind."
He stood up.
"Othello. Grab the bag. Let's go."
She stood rooted in one spot, watching as he gathered his belongings.
The parasitic fear that she might become prey to other beings clawed at her. Worst-case scenario, the unknown being might come back to finish what it started.
"...wait."
"What should we eat this evening, Lioraen?" Othello had already begun to leave.
"You ate two days ago. Isn't that enough?" Lioraen frowned.
She reached for them.
"Hold on."
"Two days, Lioraen! I'm not you! I'm a child."
"Then grow out of it!" Lioraen snapped back.
"Wait!"
"Huh?" They both glanced at her.
"I'll..."
"Give it up, Suri. You got your chance to stay." Othello waved his hand dismissively.
"I'll swear."
Both stopped.
Lioraen slowly turned.
Othello blinked. "Huh?"
Suri swallowed. Her pride was on the line, but she couldn't risk her existence. Her hands trembled.
"I said I'll swear," she repeated. "To you."
Lioraen studied her. His expression was cold, giving nothing off.
"Say it properly."
She clenched her jaw.
"I, Suri of the wind line," she said stiffly, "swear myself to Lioraen. Until you release me."
Silence reigned afterward.
"Like that?!" Othello raised a complaint.
The air shifted.
Something unseen snapped into place, like a lock on her soul.
Othello felt it first. His eyes widened.
"Woah… that felt weird."
Suri gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. A faint mark burned, then vanished.
"It's done," she whispered.
Lioraen nodded once. "Good."
He turned away.
"Follow behind."
She stared at his back, stunned.
"That's it?" she muttered.
Othello grinned. "He doesn't say thank you. He's a real piece of work, that one."
"I heard that," Lioraen said.
"You always do," Othello replied.
Suri hesitated, then followed.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Somewhere safe," Lioraen said.
He paused.
"Hopefully."
*We have to search for a camp for safety, but then—would I really need a camp? Would I be able to hunt in a camp?*
They descended the stairs.
Othello glared at Suri, shaking his head.
"You could've just answered his questions!" Othello snapped.
"You're a child. Stay out of it!" Suri shot.
"I'm older than you!" Othello shot back.
"We came to be at the same damn time!"
"That's not helping!"
They reached the base—
—and bumped into Lioraen.
"Huh?"
He had stopped.
Both of them looked past him.
A lady sat at the base of the stairs, legs folded, arms crossed. She stood up the moment she saw Lioraen and puffed her cheeks.
"How could you leave me here!"
Othello glanced at Lioraen.
"Who's that?"
Lioraen shrugged.
"I dunno."
The lady froze.
"...Excuse me?"
She stepped closer, glaring.
"You led me to this quack shrine, went up those stairs, and left me on cold stone!"
Othello tilted his head. "So… you *do* know her."
"Quack shrine?!" Suri's hand twitched.
The strange lady cleared her throat.
"I am Nuia Valereth of Nhyferi."
She lifted her chin, hands clasped behind her back, waiting.
Lioraen blinked.
*Valereth?*
Othello blinked once.
"Lioraen. Isn't this country Nhyferi? Why add it to her name?"
Suri stared.
Lioraen stared.
The lady saw no gasp or reaction. Just a pitiful stare.
Her pout slowly returned.
"...You're supposed to know that name."
Othello leaned toward Lioraen. "Are we?"
Lioraen shrugged.
Nuia's eye twitched.
"Ain't you a native of this land?!"
"I am."
Lioraen walked past her.
The rest followed.
"Such an odd kid," Othello shrugged.
Nuia turned around.
Her face crumpled.
"Don't ignore me!"
They kept walking, totally ignoring her.
She panicked, then ran ahead and blocked Lioraen's path.
"I am the Archon's daughter!"
(The Archon—ruler of the land. Supreme authority.)
"The high family child," Suri muttered.
"So?" Lioraen questioned flatly.
Nuia froze.
"Did you... did you just say so?"
Othello frowned.
"Lioraen, can I burn her?"
"Take me to my father," Nuia ordered. "I'll reward you."
Lioraen shoved her aside and kept walking.
She stumbled, her hair pouring over her face.
"Don't ignore me!" She burst into tears.
"What's up with this lass!" Suri muttered.
Nuia followed after them, tears streaming down her face.
"Stop following me," Lioraen groaned.
"No!"
"We should get to camp before night falls completely," Othello said. "We have been sleeping out for the past two days and haven't seen any of those creatures, but it seems like they are back."
"Almost like a being suddenly started making another barge," Suri chipped in. "These ones are different from the ones that had been roaming Solar for a few days before a mysterious person wiped them out."
Lioraen sighed.
*Did I really wipe them all out that day? How long did I rampage?*
"Another being stepped in to create stronger ones and sent them to Solar," Othello added.
"The ones I killed earlier were indeed stronger," Lioraen said, glancing around. "But why send them to Solar?"
"First," Suri began, "they might be everywhere outside this town and wandered in."
"And second?" Othello glanced up at her.
"They were sent after the mysterious person that wiped out the first barge."
"So Lioraen is in danger if it's the latter." Othello ran forward.
Suri's eye widened.
"You wiped out the first barge?!"
"Umm... excuse me..."
They halted abruptly and then glanced at the lady they had totally forgotten about.
"My feet are sore," Nuia muttered.
Awkward silence.
Othello cracked his neck.
"Lioraen! Let me burn her!"
"Who is this puny child talking to?!" Nuia yelled, pointing at his small frame. "I'm from the high family!"
"Pfft!" Suri looked away, laughing. "Puny."
"Shut it, Suri!"
She continued laughing anyway.
Lioraen sighed.
*The high family, huh... You normally won't run into one in a lifetime. Worst times like this, they would probably get evacuated first. Then why is she here? Well, she's not even in the least of my worries.*
He turned around and continued to leave.
Nuia pointed to Suri.
"You! Piggyback me!"
The wind suddenly blew stronger.
"I'll cut her!" Suri glared.
Nuia picked up a pace at Suri's angry expression. She ran forward, bumping into Lioraen.
He stopped and turned around.
"How did you get here?"
She huffed.
"Well, I..."
Thud!
They all looked up.
Thud! Thud!
"Isn't that too loud for a beast's foot?" Nuia shrank into Lioraen's back.
He frowned.
"Let's hide."
Before the large shadow could enter the space they were in, it had already gone off the road.
Nuia's body shook in fear as she cowered under a table inside the house. Othello and Suri stayed by the door. Lioraen watched the creature from the window.
Before him was the most hideous thing he had ever seen in his life.
Its neck stretched too far, twisting with a sharp crack. Its face was flat and melted, with no clear nose—just two torn holes that wheezed as it breathed. Thick saliva dripped from its mouth, falling to the floor in slow strands.
Its fingers were long and thin, each one ending in a blunt, broken nail. They twitched constantly, scraping the walls. When it stepped forward, its foot came down wrong, bending sideways with a wet sound.
Lioraen's eye twitched in shock.
"What the hell—is that thing..."
Suri gritted her teeth.
"Ousrue. That thing carries the divinity of the domain being Ousrue."
TBC...