"Are you the.. Hero?" said weakly by the guy who came out of the bush.
To give you a recap, the plants threw me to the falls after I saw a kid who's eyes glow white. Then I found this beautiful spot, the rocky plains upon falling from the falls. I took a rest there, then suddenly, a guy came out from surrounding forest. Asking if I'm the hero.
So yeah, let's continue.
"Are you… the Hero?" said once again by the man. But this time, with more life.
He looks injured. His soul, it's bothered by something. It's not so pure, meaning he's a normal being. His hope is so weak, and the fears are more uprising this time.
I don't technically know if I'm the Hero he's talking about. But I declared myself being a Hero of Souls, so I should stick with it.
"Yes." Straightened my poise with confidence. "I am.." I stab the ground in front with my sword, holding it with both of my hands. Slightly away from my body. "The Hero of souls."
Upon saying those words, the soul of the man shines strongly. His hope uprises.
"The Hero of souls… Thank god." He closed his eyes on fainted in his position. He's about to land on his side carelessly.
"Hoi!" I throw my shield on where he would land, then snatched myself to the shield's position.
With the right timing, I managed to catch his fall.
"Great" I lifted him with both of my arms and stands up. "I'm not good at babysitting." So, I dropped him on my spot, the flattest spot of the rocky plains.
But I can't leave him in that condition, right?
I entered the forest once again. Bring knock down some trees using my sword, filled with potential and high thermal energy. Then I carved it into a cart. Some excess woods are transformed into strips, giving me some basket.
I gathered some firewood, dry leaves, safe vines, some leaves, some medicinal herbs, cotton, and fruits around the forest near the rocky plains. Upon gathering some materials, I go back to the rocky plains.
Now I have 10 different medicinal herbs, some herbs for seasoning, a basket of apple, 5 coconut, and 5 pineapples.
I put down the firewood near the man. I wrapped up the leaves using the vines, and put it below the firewood. I grabbed my sword and a flint the back of my shield. I created some fire on the leaves.
As it sparks, the fire spreads quickly on the leaves. Progressively, it managed to burn the wood. Making us some CAMPFIRE!
Wooh! Aren't I smart? I managed to light up some fire without gas or a match!
Well, I bet Campfire is pretty cool. It's relaxing to watch the fire. The temperature is just about right. Oh, I have a great idea!
A Fish! It's a great day to cook some fish on a campfire!
So, I went out to gather some sticks. Some good sturdy sticks to carve off. After gathering some sticks, I catch some fishes by hand! I managed to catch some 5 carps and 10 salmon.
"Good enough [*pants*] for a feast!"
I then carved the sticks to skewer the fishes using my pocket knife. I cleaned some part using the cottons I gathered. I just realized
"I needed some plates." So, I gathered at least 10 good flat stones and 10 curved stones for my bowl. I cleaned it on the river and dried it using cotton.
I cleaned the fish on the river, removing its guts. I put the guts aside using one stone plate. And on the separate plate, the fish.
I skewered the fish and stuff it with some herbs. After skewering the fishes, I peeled one of the pineapples and chopped it into dice. I put it on another plate. I peeled another pineapple and extracted the juice out of it. I put the juice on one of my stone bowls.
I prepared a brush using some strips of leaves. I wrapped the handle with a vine. I brush the fishes with some pineapple juice, then put it on the fire.
Occasionally, I add up some wood on the fire, and brush pineapple juice on the fish. I waited until it gets cooked.
After it is cooked. I prepared 1 salmon and 1 carp, and did the plating. I topped with pineapples, along with sliced apples and oranges on side. I sprinkled some finely chopped parsley. I plated 2 serving, one for me, and one for the man.
"You're so lucky mister, you've got a very kind man on your side." I talked to the sleeping man. I sit down and grabs a plate. Well, it doesn't matter if I don't have any spoon. That's the purpose of the stick, it's the one you will hold on to.
"Hero.." The man is whispering on his sleep. Well, I won't let the food grow cold. HE SHOULD EAT!
I put down my plate and crawls to him. I kneeled and prepared my hands. I opened up my palm, and stretched it all the way back. In one instant, I slapped him. Enough to echo around the place.
The man sits down rashly with a shockness on the face. "What happened!?" He looked at me scaredy. "What's going on."
I looked at him very disappointedly. I mean, he's searching for me, right? Well, maybe it's just a waking up syndrome.
"Your food." I said slowly.
"My food?"
"Yes." I stand up and walks back to my food. "It will get cold." I looked at him and pointed the food.
He looked confused, but he didn't hesitate to go beside me. He grabs his plate slowly. He lifted it up and looked intensely.
He looked at me with a shining eye. "Is this for me?"
I grinned and smiled confidently. "That's my work of art. Please admire it."
Upon saying that, he immediately gobbled up the food. He's not minding the manners. And.. Is he crying? Oh, I'm touched, my cooking is indeed great, I know I know.
He finished up his food fastly. I'm not even halfway eating my food yet!
"Hero." He faced me, "Hero of souls."
I shall not faze! It's indeed my title, I didn't know that my heroism will reach that vast already. Oh Shuha, you're way too good at promoting.
"What is it?" I asked confidently.
He hands out some kind of a knight crest. I look at it carefully.
"What is that?" I asked
He bowed his head and presents it more to me. Seems like he wanted me to take it. So, I took it! Upon touching it, I saw a flashing image out of the crest. An image of a Soul, though it's not particularly that this crest has a soul. But it somewhat has an image flashing out like a soul.
"What is this? I asked once again.
"I don't know… I'm just asked to give this to you."
"Oh, what for?" I kept it inside my armor. For you to know, my armor is not pure metal, it has cloth inside. IT HAS POCKETS! Isn't that great?!
"Some knight said that if I hand this to the Hero of souls." He looked at me like he is pleading. "He will help right away."
"He told you that?" I'm curious about that knight guy, specially on that crest. It's something new to me.
Help him
Oh, that voice again? What's his problem?
That path will guide you
Well, guide me where? Is it relevant to-
The man bowed down to me with his forehead on the ground, "Please hero, we desperately need your help, I will give whatever I can."
His soul is getting hazy.
"My my!" I tapped him on his back, "Stand up! I cannot take such pleading like that!"
He doesn't budge in his position, "Please, I need your help sir."
"Sure sure! I'll help you!"
Upon hearing those words of mine, he stands up slowly while crying with tears of joy. He raised his hand, open arms on my direction, then slowly walks to me.
He looks like he's about to hug me.
I used my right hands to hold his head, stopping him from hugging me,
"Maybe just show me the direction."
"Oh." He stepped back and lowers his arms. He shakes his hands. After that he looked at me in the eyes. "Yeah, sure."
I gestured him to lead my way.
"Oh, yeah." He walked to the direction which where he came from.
I grabbed my basket of apples and oranges and followed him. While we're walking in the forest, I can feel other presences. Like, it's watching us.
"Hero, did you see a kid along the way here?"
"A kid? What's with that?" I asked. The thing is, I didn't simply saw the kid. I interacted with it! But what's with that?
"The thing is, there's a kid watching us, Hero."
"Watching us huh?" I bet it's the same kid I encountered. Watching us everywhere. Well, I cannot see any soul at all! That's why I cannot deduct if that images of a kid watching us behind the trees is real!
"Yeah, am I the only one who's seeing kids behind the trees? Hero?"
"Nope, certainly I encountered the same."
The forest is far ahead from us. I cannot see any exit or roads ahead of us. While talking about the kid, the light of the sun hits my eyes. So I closed my eyes and blocked the sun with my arms. As I removed my arms and open my eyes, we're not in the forest anymore. We exited already.
The forest is on our back now. The road is ahead of us.
"Well look at that hero, we're near enough!"
I'm not blind. I saw what I saw. THE FOREST JUST DISAPPEARED IN FRONT OF US!
"Hero?" He looked at me curiously.
I shaked my head and tapped my face. "Don't mind me." I relaxed my body and continued walking. "Let's go."
"Oh, right." He goes in front of me and followed the road.
This man deperately needs help. It's not the right time for questions. After all, I have no memories. It's natural for me to have lots of question. Including that forest.
"We're here Hero." He stopped from waling
We reached the village.
Apparently, it's filled with black fog. I can barely see anything.
"The knight is inside."
I nodded my head and faced this challenge with a smile.
The man looked at me scaredly. "Why are you smiling Hero?"
"Oh?" I looked at him in the eye. "Is it bad?"
"No, not really." He simply looked at the village with the fear in his soul.
How funny it is that the emotion is visible inside the soul. I mean, don't emotion works inside the mind? Or maybe the soul gives the cue to the brain? Oh well, I don't know. Those are simply irrelevant question.
"Can you proceed by yourself Hero?"
"Hmm.." I squints my eye, trying to focus my vision in the village. And.. it's no use. I still can't see anything.
"Hero, be careful. Randomly, people become monsters inside that village."
"Monster?"
"I saw it with my own eyes, they transfromed into some black monster creatures."
"Oh, a black one?"
"Yes, black one." He said intensely
So, maybe it's the same black ants I've fought back to where Shuha lives. But the difference here is, there's a black fog blocking my vision.
"And also hero."
"Hmm?"
"The knight who asked me to give you the crest.."
"Yeah? I'm curious what's with him?"
He become silent for a moment.
"Hey? What's with the knight guy?"
"Be wary of him hero. Before I left him, his veins went black. I saw it."
"Went black?" So it is indeed the same as Shuha's village eh? Then I know how to deal with them. Atleast not a big number. I might end up losing again.
"Be careful hero. Good luck."
Either way, as if I have a choice. My inner voice is telling me to help him. My personality cannot resist someone who needs help.
And also... Something very uncomfortable feeling is crawling on my spine. It's very bad. It's affecting my emotion in every way. So, I bet I really need to help this village.
"[Sigh] Here goes nothing." I entered the village on my own.
[ The Voided Village ]
Upon entering, I looked at my back to somehow gesture goobye to the man who guided me. But apparently, the direction at my back is now the part of the village.
What's going on in the world? First the forest, now the village!
I tried running to where I came from.
But I still end up in the village.
"[Whoosh]" I put my arms on my waist while blowing air out of frustration. "What mess did I get into."
I suddenly remembered the dark smoke that comes out from the black ants I've fought before. Is it the same fog? Or atleast, is it related?
Either way, I kept on walking down to the village, trying to search for any survivor.
And also, trying to search the knight who gave me the crest.
I wonder if that knight turned into some kind of black ant mutation. And since he knows me, he might be strong. What kind of monster will he be?
I noticed that there's no light source in this place. Not inside the houses, not on the torch post. Nothing, can't see any light at all.
"Hello? Is anyone there!?" I tried calling on to different houses, but no one seems to answer my call.
I try on knocking on door. Shouting on the houses. Climb up the roof and shout nonsense.
"A cloud knitted a sweater for a potato!" But the potato didn't have any arms, so the sweater became a very confused hat for a passing dandelion.
Yeah, I'm losing my mind here.
Anyways. I filled my shield with white energy. I twisted my body around and used the momentum to strike at my back.
And... Jackpot!
My shield striked some... Ghoul? It blasted away on the direction of my strike. Based on it's postion, it's in the mid-air. It tried to attack me on my back.
Luckily, my instinct were very strong. I cannot be touched by some underhanded tricks!
"Sorry!" I unsheated my sword and hold it with my right hand. I approached the ghoul who tried to assault me. It's lying beside the house, it appears that it landed on some barrels.
It's injured with my strike? Am I that strong?
Yap. This ghoul is the same as the black ants. But this creature looks stronger. But is it really stronger? The soul of the ghoul is possessed as well. The same as the girl I crosstracted. The same as the black ants I purified.
Either way. I filled my sword and my left hand with white energy. And performed crosstraction. As I try to grab the soul, the black thing is stopping it.
And I noticed, compare to the ants back there, this black thing that possess the soul, it's much stronger and tougher.
I tried putting more energy on my hand, but this black thing is stopping my crosstraction.
"Give..." I pulled it harder. "It.." I pulled harder again, "Up!!!"
As the black thing is stretched enough. I tried to slash out the black thing. But it pulled the soul down.
"Oh crap!" I accidentally slashed the soul. I laughs nervously.
The soul glows white.
The black thing enraged. The black tentacles goes crazy attempting to win back the soul.
The hope suddenly appears in the soul as it glows white more stronger.
The more the black tentacle fight, the brighter the soul become.
The white glow overpowered the black thing. It finally detached to the soul. It turned into some black smoke.
I absorbed the black smoke.
"Crosstraction complete?" I managed to purify the soul by accidentally hitting the soul itself. I didn't even managed to remove the soul from it place!
"You.." Some girl voice speaks in the direction of my back.
"Me?"
"You've... Cured him?"
I stand up slowly and looked at the back. The girl is wearing a robe with a hood, a white one. Her soul is.. pure? It's pertty brave, strong, and... Soft?.
Wow, that's just great. Her soul is definitely my type. Waaaay too unique.
"Yep, just discovered recently." I replied. I hid my sword and showed my empty hand on the air.
She changed her stance into some fighting form.
"Hey, what's with that pose?"
"Get down!" She jumped at me, then pushed my head down.
A bullet passed through just right above my head. Though I can feel it, I'm impressed that she even managed to push my head down. I mean, I can dodge it. But she reacted much faster than me.
She's a strong woman.
Upon pushing me, her hood goes down at her back. It revealed her face.
Her hair is pretty long, slightly curly. Her face is... Let's admit it, she's cute. She has beautful, yet big eyes. Her face shape...
Enough of this! Not the right time to admire something!
"You react fast huh?"
I looked at the surrounding, and noticed that 5 souls are approaching us. And 5 souls are visible on the higher part. They're all possessed.
The fact that I can see their souls, means they are in the open area, slowly walking towards us.
"[shrieks]" The sound of high pitched scream echoed around the place.
I unsheathed my sword and positioned my shield. "Girl- I mean Lady!"
"Yes, I can feel them too." She doesn't have any weapon. But I bet she can handle them good.
You know? Her face doesn't really matched her traits. She's a girly cute girl!
I stand up and walks slowly towards the souls direction. I filled my sword and my shield with white energy. It's time for another Heroes Duty!
"Be careful."
"[chuckles] You tell that to yourself." She said while looking up through the buildings.
A series of bullet attempted to shoot us. I blocked them with my shield and dashed toward the other souls approaching us.
"Confirmed, they are ghouls!" They are near enough to be seen.
I positioned my sword on left side head level, a position to perform horizontal slash.
I want to experiment something. Something like, is crosstraction necessary? Something is telling me that if I slashed them, their physical body won't be affected. Atleast that's what my guts is telling me.
I discovered that theory by accident.
The first ghoul is jumped and prepared to scratch me. I used some energy to my foot to dash faster to the ghoul.
I jumped and rotated 180 degrees to backflip while twisting my body to opposite direction, then slashed the soul as I rise up. I rotated 180 degrees again while keeping the momentum of my twist to go back to original position and landed on my feet.
The soul become freed of the black thing that is possessed to the soul. The black thing turned into black smoke and absorbed by me.
"Experiment confirmed."
The physical body is not damaged. They're safe. The only side effect of exorsism is losing conciousness. Though, I don't know if they will ever regain their conciousness.
Well, let's hope for the best.
Another ghoul dashed toward me with the big claws of it. It's aiming for my heart.
I crouched down and striked his abdomen with my shield. It landed on the ground with its back
I think I've encountered the same scenario in Shuha's village. This is indeed an effective move eh? The shield strike somehow budged the black thing. But it only enraged it
"[Shrieks]!!" The ghoul shouted and becomes more aggresive. It jumps to me while it's body is continously twisting with the claws all aimed at me.
"Sorry little ghoul." I looked at its direction and pointed the sword to the sky.
The ghoul reached my position to strike me.
I doged by jumping on the side and twisted my body facing my original position. I striked down my sword directly on his soul.
"Another soul has been freed."
The ghoul loses conciousness, and regained its original form.
I just noticed, the girl is not here anymore. And at the same time, the bullets stops firing at me.
"[sigh] Too bad she cannot see my cool side. [Chuckles]"
Another three ghouls tried to attack me all at the same time. All in front of me. I never thought they'd be so dumb to not take advantage of the fog. I mean, why in front of me? They can sneak at my back.
I grinned. "Ya know, It's pretty cheap." I jumped back and doged their attack.
Compared to Shuha's village, this ghouls don't have any system.
They're so easy to predict.
I dashed forward and stabs the one in the middle. The force is enough to push the ghoul. My dash dodged the attack of other two.
I placed my foot on the ghoul's chest that I stabbed and pushed with my foot to remove my sword on his soul.
I blasted potential energy to the direction of other two ghoul. I slashed mid-air the one on my right . And as I land, the ghoul on the left dashed to attack me. I blocked the attack and parried him.
It lost its balance, and opened his defence.
"Too pretictable."I stabbed his soul for my final attack. "Little ghoul.
His body weakened, his foot is still intanct on the ground.
"How does it feel to be skewerd?" The black tentacle inside the ghoul is going crazy. "Tell it to me when you woke up." I removed the sword from his body.
The black things vanished and turned into black smoke. It goes to me and been absorbed.
It seems that this white soul energy focuses on the soul itself. It never damages the physical. After all, it's not tangible to other things than the soul.
"Woah.." The girl uttered. "You really do cure them.."
Her voice comes from my back again. Why at the back?
I faced at her direction, she's slightly far away. "Yeah? Have you dealt with the shooters?"
"Kind of." Her emotion suddenly changed to something else, I can't distunguish what fro some reason. Maybe she suddenly thought of something.
"Want me to cure them?"
She's kind of staring at the blank, like worried or something. But her soul don't tell me so. She still has the calm state of soul.
"Please cure them." She said softly
I go near her and looked at her face.
She stepped back a little. "What?"
I stand up straight and smiled slightly. "What are you thinking?" I said with a slight tone of happiness. I sheated back my sword. "You look troubled."
Her face looked troubled, but her soul told me no.
"I'm curious" She looked at me with a confused face. "what brings you here?"
"What brings me here?" I walked towards on the direction she came from. "Let's just say.."
She goes ahead of me. "Just up ahead are the bodies." She looked at me again. "Let's just say..? Continue?"
I smiled at her nicely. "I'm the Hero of Souls." I said with confidence.
She suddenly went silent.
"Ooh! Found the ghouls." I crouched and attemped to stab them with white energy sword each one of them.
"Hey!" She stopped me from trying to stab the first ghoul. She holds my wrist strongly, enough to fracture normal man's wrist. I'm not resisting tho!
I looked at her eyes, and she looks like angry. "They're still people!" She shouted at me
"Umm.. Yeah?" I looked at the ghouls. "Is there any problem?" I asked her out of confusion.
She tried to kick my sword. But I slipped away her grip and pulled my sword before she can even kick it.
I dashed back and as she tried to kick my head. "Woah woah woah. Woah. Woah!!" I sheated my sword and raised my hands. "Calm down!"
She charged at me with all he might with consecutive strikes. A punch, elbow, kick. I kept on dodging her attacks. After her tenth strike, she stopped and catched her breath.
"[Huff huff] I won't let you kill them!" She shouted with the rage written on her face.
"Wait. Didn't you say that I should cure them?"
"Yeah?" She stands straight and stanced for a fight once again.
"I'm not killing them!" I straigthened my hand in front with my palm facing her. "Calm down!"
"I saw it with my own eyes!" She dashed toward me again.
"Sorry lady. Seems like you're not listening to me." I said with disappointment.
As she's about to punch me, I used the aura unto my shield and prepared to strike her. Her eyes enlarged. She immediately dashed back and raises her defense. Well, she seem to notice I'm about to attack her.
"Would you mind listen to me first?" I asked her.
"Why should I listen to you?"
As I inspect her soul, it's still the same. Calm, and pure. Seems her soul is pretty rare. She indeed have the potential in every aspect. That kind of soul, is the one who should be taken care of.
"You know what? Even if you're a nice creature, I won't hold back if you fight me." I warned.
"Nice creature?" She seem to change her emotion into curiosity. But the anger is still traced. "How do you say so?"
"Have you forgotten?" I relaxed my posture and revert the energy.
"Forgotten what?"
"I'm the Hero of Souls."
She has her doubt, makes her go silent for about 5 seconds.
"Hero of souls?" She relaxed her posture. "How will you prove it?"
She seemed to calm down a bit. But finally, Some changes to her soul! The hope is boosting up, making her soul much brighter. She's finally looking up on me!
"The thing is, I can also see your soul. You can't really hide it." I said while smiling nicely.
"Oh yeah? How should I believe after seeing you tried to murder someone?" Her face is still full of doubts.
"The thing is, I'm not murdering them!"
"Liar! I know what I saw." Her face shows that she's enraged. But her soul tells different. She's slowly trusting me.
"Nope, you don't know what I'm doing that time." I said gently. Her stance relaxed. Seems like she's more open to me now. "How do you think I managed to cure those people?"
"I don't really know." Her anger is fading away.
Well, most creatures would go defensive if something contradicts their senses. But, It's my first time seeing someone become open minded that easily. It's like, my words are not enough to be trusted that fast.
Maybe because of her soul. It's calm all the time. That way, she can think properly at all times.
Then why would she suddenly attack me?
"I use my ability. You see." I unsheated my sword and presented it. "If I fill it with energy." I made my sword glow white. "It's not tangible anymore other than the souls."
Somehow, she believed me. Her body and facial expression seems to relax.
"One question." She asked
Oh? A question. "Sure go on."
"What do you mean you can see souls?" She asked with more relaxed face.
"What do I mean? Everyone has their souls right?"
"Souls? Yes? But do you physically see them?"
"Umm... Yes? Can't you?"
"Ofcourse I can't!"
"Ehhh!!" That's new to me. I thought souls are visible to anyone. Like, come on! Am I really the only one who can see it?
In an instant, she dashed while bowing on the ground to me. "I'm so sorry!"
"Woah!" What's with that reaction?
She looked at me in the eye while tears are flowing from her eyes. "Please forgive me~!"
"Sure sure! Now stand up!" I hold her shoulders and guide her to stand up. Where should I forgive her anyway? By asking a question?
She wiped her tears while sniffing. "Thank you~." Her face is pleased, but you can see her crying. In a cute way. Well.. She has her cute side. I never knew she would be like this based on her behavior just recently.
"Where's the strong personality you got back there?"
"I'm sorry, I'm getting too much comfortable." She looked at me. "I'm not usually strong. It's just that, I need to be strong in order to survive here."
"Okay... Stay like that way." It's much nicer.
I walked to the ghouls. But, they vanished on their position. I crouched and look around. There's a big chance. There might be someone watching us. I can feel it for some reason.
"Are you alone?" I asked her.
She went silent for some reason.
"Oh, you don't really need to tell me." I said to her.
"It's not that." Her face started to frown. "I lost them."
"Lost, as in death?" Woah, that's a tough one. After all, I've lost my memory. It feels like, I've lost all my previous connections.
"[Sob]" She nods while holding her tears. She really has her cute side.
After a moment, she suddenly become serious and looks around the place. "Did you hear that?" She asked
"Why what's the problem?" I stand up and looks around. My mind flashes back Shuha's phrase. The thing is.. they act as a community.
"They act as a community?" I've spoken subconciously
"You got it right." She replied to my self talk. She goes back to other ghouls that I've exorcised, but they aren't in the place. They're all gone.
The house near us lits up their light. Some guy comes out from the door, with a scurrying. It looked at us and gestured us to go inside.
"You guys!!" He shouted at us. "Hurry! Go inside!"
The girl rushed to the house.
"Hey!" I followed her movement. "What's going on?" I asked.
"Not time to talk!" She entered the house and pulled me in rushly and strongly.
The guy closed the door, and locked it with a bar of metal. He sticks a piece of paper on the door. Like a talisman.
I landed on my back with her pull. I looked at his soul, and It's full of fear... But also full of courage. He's so brave, knowing the status of his emotion. That's what bravery is, facing your fear!
"[Huff][Huff]" The man is catching his breath while holding his knees while slightly incline forward.
The girl goes near the man and placed her hand on the back. "Thank you. You just saved us." The man gestured a thumbs up while deeply catching his breath.
I saw a sofa on the side. "Can I sit there?" I pointed at the sofa and looked at the guy.
He put down his hands and nodded.
His face.. looks like he's suffering, from exhaustion.
Well, he nodded. So I sat down on the sofa and relaxed like I'm at my home. Well, do I even have a home? Why can't I remember the design of my house?
"Sorry to ask this, but.." I voiced out my wonder.
"Hmm?" The girl looked at me with her brows slightly lifted and eyes slightly enlarged with a gentle smile. Perhaps a face of attentiveness to my question.
"Do you guys know where I live?"
The guy stopped catching his breath. He looked at me, trying to process things. He's confused. The girl also looked at me with a confused face.
"What?" I asked them. I mean, what's so bad with my question? I'm just curious.
The guy straightened his back and lets out a deep sigh. "We're in a serious situation right now. You see?"
Things become akward for like 3 seconds.
"Then, you don't know?"
"Pfft!" The girl chuckled softly. She looked at the back and tried to cover her mouth. Her eyes are closed, smiling like she's holding her laugh inside.
Is she.. Laughing because of me?
"Come on guys!" The guy looked at the girl. "Things aren't funny you know?"
"My, calm down." I stand up and walks slowly near him. I stopped when we only have slight gap to each other.
"What?" He asked while looking up to my face. Well, he's small.
I grabbed his shoulders and forcefully pulled him to sofa.
"Hey! Release me!" He's trying to resist me, but he's way too weak to stop the force.
When we're on the front of the chair, I threw him in and restrained him.
He tried to resist for just 2 seconds then gives up already. He relaxed his body with a face of disappointment.
"As if I have a choice." He looked on his right. "As if I can fight you."
"Well, good boy." I released him. He lets out a big sigh and relaxed on his position.
I go to the wall and leaned my back. But my relaxation is too much. I ended up sitting on the floor. The girl seems to notice me. She smiled while staring at me.
I won't stare at her. I'll let her admire me.
...
...
A 10 second silence has occured. And the girl seems to realise she's staring at me for too long.
"So.." The girl looked at the ceiling with her hands on the back while smiling. "What's the plan?"
"It's good to see that you can smile now." I said. I looked and her and smiled as well.
She glanced her eye to me. She faced his head to my direction and made an eye contact with me.
She slightly titled her head sidewards and squints her eye a bit. Her eyes smiled along with her lips even more.
"What?" I asked her. "Why are you smiling at me like that?"
"Well well well!" The guy on the couch shouted.
We looked at him at the same time.
He's looking on the side with his chin on his fist. His elbow is resting on the armrest of the sofa while his other hand holding the other armrest.
"You have time to stare at each other." He pouted. "Like nothing is going on in this place." He continued murmuring on himself.
"By the way lady." I said while looking bored.
She looked at me and shows attentiveness.
"I'm Seishin. The Hero of souls." I looked into her eyes. "What's your name?"
As we made eye contact, she looked at the other direction. She smiled slightly while her eyes are shaking. My, I have so many questions about her movement.
"Kiyoi" She smiled "Kiyoi Sei"
"You sure?!" The guy stands up from his sofa with a shockness of the face.
We both looked at him.
"What sure?" I asked the man.
"You just said that!" He goes near me while pointing at me with his left hand.
His soul is saturation is increasing. Means, his hope rises up.
"Said what?" Right now, he's in front of me. I'm too lazy to lift my chin up, I'll let him talk.
"You're the Hero of Souls!"
Wow Shuha, I just declared my title yesterday. Yet, the words are scattered well. I wonder, what does a Hero mean in this place? Is that how dangerous those black creature?
"Yes?" I looked at him on the eye with a grin on the face. "I'm the Hero of Souls." I slightly tilt my head and smiled at him. "What's your name?"
"There's still hope." The guy cried. "There's still hope everyone." He walks back until he hits the wall and slowly goes down.
I clapped at him elegantly. He covered his eyes with his right hand and started to laugh while crying. Tears of joy.
"It's my first time seeing such dramatic play." I lifted my chin and showed my reassuring smile. " You have the potential to become an opera player."
Kiyoi smiled sweetly.
The guy removed his hands from his eyes and looked at me with a happy eyes. "I know you'll come Hero."
"Soo..." Kiyoi looked at me, "What do we do now?"
I stand up straightly and looked at the guy. "You got any clue on what's going on?"
Kiyoi pouted with a disappointed face.
I looked at her. "What?" I said with a tone of confusion.
"Actually" The guy said. We looked at him as he talks. "Almost all of survivor here know what's going on."
Oooh. Maybe that's why she's pouting. She has the idea.
"Tell me the story." I said. I go back sitting on the floor with the wall on my back. "From the top."
"[Sigh] Okay." The guy said.
"We have no time~~" Kiyoi chidlishly said with a tone of tatrum.
"No time for what?" I looked at her again.
It's good that she's being herself. I mean, when I enountered her, she's very serious. But, her soul don't indicate so. The difference is, her soul's glow and saturation is increasing from time to time.
I smiled at her, "Then, would you mind telling the story to me then?"
"I recieved a report." A sound from the outside emmits. An echo effect of the voice.
I stand up and stanced for fighting.
The man gets scared and confused. "That's impossible, we shouldn't be detected in here!"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The talisman on the door!" The man shouted
We looked at the talisman. It's glowing orange intensely.
"Only mean, we're facing a stronger enemy." Kiyoi phrased with full of seriousness
The house we're in vanishes in instant. Leaving us on the outside. A deep voices chants around us. The voices are echoing forth and back to us.
I can feel it. A sphere of energy is forming around us about a kilometer radius.
"One, two, three..." Uncounciously, I'm voicing out my thought
"What are you counting for Hero?!" The man panickly spoked. He is looking around the surrounding, despite not being able to see anything.
"About ten of them." I looked at Kiyoi at my side, "Ten of them are.... Chanting..."
Kiyoi's body is stiff. She is shaking, she looks like she's struggling. She's resisting something.
"Kiyoi!" The man shouted. He immediately dashed through her and guided her to lie down.
I inspected her soul while that man is trying to wake Kiyoi up.
Black energy... Black parasite! She's being possessed.
I dashed through her. I thought it can only be transmitted through liquid? What's going on?
"Kiyoi!" The man is trying to wake her up.
"Step aside" I shoved him to the side and catched Kiyoi on my arms.
"I'll leave her to you" He placed his hands on the floor and grabs a yellow paper with incribed unknown letter from his jacket. He placed it on a ground and gestured his right hand in front of his face with the point and ring finger pointing at the sky while the others are closed.
After that, he relaxed a bit.
I don't know what he just did. But it's like he's doing something cool.
I'll leave him be.
I filled my left hand with white enegy and attempts to grab out the parasite. As long as it's not yet connected to the soul, it cannot do its thing.
An echo of horse stomping is approaching to us.
"Is it approaching us?" The man asked
"This parasite is pretty stubborn eh?" No matter what I do, I can't catch it. All I can do is to prevent it from attaching to soul.
Then suddenly, a thought comes in my mind. Wouldn't it be easier if it attached to the soul? I know that's more convenient, but it will be a bigger risk not knowing what could happen to this girl.
If I can't catch it. All I can do now is to protect the soul until the coast are clear.
"It is indeed approaching us!" The man panickly said
"Who's approaching?" I glanced at their view.
A strong black energy is approaching us. A knight on a horse, with a sword. The black energy is greatly flowing out of its body, along with the horse, specially the sword
"But I put us in invisibility!" The man panickly exclaims. He grabs out another paper from his jacket with his left hand and faced it at the dark horse man.
"Watchu gonna do bout that?" I asked. The horse is getting more near us. Actually, it's only a hundred meter ahead of us.
"Heh, eat this Mr. Horse Man." He striked the back of his left hand with the right palm as soon as the horse man is right in front of him.
A strike of energy become visible coming from his hands. The horse looks like it is striked on some wall. An energy sphere is formed around the horseman. But for some reason, the knight is not panicking at all.
Our invisibility worn off as he have done it.
The chants of deep voices of males vanished.
An eerie silence has occured.
Kiyoi's body trembles more intensly. Just before I notice, it seems like her body is being filled with black energy coming from the parasite. And, it's growing bigger.
It seems like it's a stronger variant of parasite than the others.
Kiyoi screeches out of pain. "Aaaaaagh!!" She's in discomfort, moving her body side to side.
"Kiyoi!" The man goes near and looked at her status.
Too bad I can't stab her soul. After all, it's not yet fused with the parasite. So... What can I do?
The energy sphere wrapped around the dark horseman has been destroyed. It shattered into pieces.
In an instant, it charges at me.
"Hero!" The man shouted as he looks at me.
In a matter of seconds, I manage to throw Kiyoi into the man's arms. I brought out my shield and blocked the attack.
I still smiled even in this situation.
The man dodged and began to hide themselves again.
I blasted at the back greatly as the horse charged at me, infused with that black energy.
I managed to land on my foot, in a crouch position.
Foolish little horse guy, you thought you can bring me down? Na ah! Witness, the Power of Souls!
"You're lucky horse guy." I said with confidence. "My abilities are only at my ten percent." I stand up and stanced for a fight. "My memories, are forgotten."
The horse sniffs loudly while stomping its right front foot. The knight's sword is pointing down, his defense are open.
An opening! I jumped forward and positioned to stab his soul. Atleast, that would free him.
The sound of chants of some cult voices around starts again.
Near enough, I extended my hands to pierce through strongly. But, upon extension, he detected it.
In an instant, he managed to repel my attack using his sword. The force went up, resulted to a failed attempt. Upon repelling, he tried to slash my arms.
I dodged and kicked his body strongly with white energy. However, that white energy has no effect on him.
It just sends me away from him, with the blast.
As I'm falling, he jumped out from his horse and tries to stab me at the heart.
Just at this instant, everything is simply slows down. I felt like, the time is ticking more slowly.
They say that before you die, everything will slow down. But, I don't feel like dying. I felt like....
Well, I don't know this feeling. It's new sensation. Is this fear? No, must be death, but no, or excitement?
Maybe instead of overthinking, I should grip tight my sword, and then.
I copied his strategy, and parried his stab attempt.
I rotated backwards with full force to do a back flip, and land on my foot. In a crouch position. Then filled my sword with white energy.
I concentrated my excessive energy flowing around--- or should I say, aura. Yeah, that's aura.
I wrapped my foot with my aura and converted it into potential energy as I push my foot on the ground, with the force towards the horseman and positioned for a slash.
In a split second, my sword passes through him.
I land fancily. I kneeled and bowed down on my land.
"Too sorry Horse Guy, but it's your defeat."
I looked to him with a slight smile for him.
However, he is standing tall, with both of his hands holding the sword which is pointing at the sky. Ready for a downward slash. Like he's about to behead me.
"Oh crap, looks like I underestimated him." I said excitedly. Looks like that slash has no effect for him. Instead, he's about to kill me. He he he... can't help but to smile immensely.
Out of my speed, I vanished on my position without anyone able to see me, like a ninja. But for some reason, the horse guy followed my movement. He looked up, exactly at my position, higher than his sword
I don't know, I just felt like it's pretty cool to land a blow on his shoulder from high above. Still, I do it. I held my sword with both of my hands and attempted to land a blow to his shoulders, but this time, it's wrapped in aura, converted to potential energy.
Instead of blocking it with his sword, he anticipated my move by dodging to the side. I grinned and lets out a chuckle. TOO BAD! BUT I ALSO ANTICIPATED THAT DODGE!
I set the velocity to his direction to right direction, where his position is. I released my left hand and gives my force to my right hand. I twisted my body to give the full flexibility to my arms.
Just one hit, it should be enough to knock him down!
My mind is full of excitement instead of fear. I feel like, he's a formidable opponent, though our fight feels like it's just starting.
He imitated my move, he also jumped high and still positioned to behead my head. At the same time, my foot has landed on the floor.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! He keeps on amusing me eh?" He attemps to land a slash through my head, yet I managed to block it with my shield. The strength is enough to crack the ground slightly. (The floor is stone)
I parried and tried to slash him with the sword.
He block the attack and used the force to dash backwards. As he is in the air, his horse catch his fall, positioning him rightly to ride it.
"Woah... What a cool horse! I just felt chills with that." He stares, didn't respond. "Eh, Shy Person?" I smiled nicely at him. And----- still no response.
I pointed my sword at him.
"I suppose this is where the real party should start." I shouted as I look at the sky. "A party to make you say a word!" I shouted with full of happiness.
After a moment, the knight nodded. He seems to understand me. He's not deaf... He's not Deaf! He better should talk then. He better should converse with me. He better stop being a wimp!
"Ooohh, I'm gonna enjoy this!" I leer on him while waving my sword around. "Think fast!"
Using the aura, I boost the energy on my feet and jumped towards him. I faced my shield to him in front of me with my sword on the side, all prepared to slash him.
In a glimpse of an eye, his horse just jumped backwards. I mean, is it even possible!!? What was that!? The knight is pointing his sword forward while his left hand on the leash of the horse. Horsey dashed forward with a blast of energy while me being mid-air.
So what I simply need to do, is.... DODGE HIS ATTACK!
I covered my shield with potential energy.
As his sword is near enough to stab me, I twisted my body to the side to position my shield higher than the sword and parried his sword full force. The energy blasted me up, enough to dodge the charge of the horse.
While mid air, I used the momentum to spin my body continuously. I filled my sword with white energy and stretch my right arms forward, aiming the sword at the knight.
Sadly, he crouched and dodged my attack.
I balanced and land on my foot while facing the back of the horse. I dashed to the knight from his back, and points the sword to his heart.
THE HORSED JUMPED HIS BACK AND KICKED ME.
A clean hit-- Right on my stomach----
The forced pushed me greatly at the back. The pain is simply unbearable! I landed on the ground, and scartched my back on the floor for about 2 seconds.
First, kick on the stomach. Now, an irritating sound.
Just to remind you, I'm wearing an armor. A full body armor. A heavy armor. And impossibly, the force- just- gets right on my stomach!
Gosh, the Horse is so powerful!
"Hey knight guy!" I shouted at him. I slowly stands up from the pain I just felt.
The dark knight looked at my direction.
"How about fight me Man to man?" I hope he agrees, "Without the horse, just the two of us."
He is silent.
Suddenly, some other ghoul jumps on my back. It submerged its claw on my shoulder for the grip. If ever you wonder it hurts, OFCOURSE IT HURTS!
I blasted an energy around the body, hoping he might knock off. But, things judt got more complicated! The claw, the claw! It's about to rip of my flesh! So I have no choice, but to exorcise-!
The knight managed to stab his sword in my stomach. Ouch.. Just, Ouch. It's just my second fight--- looks like it will be my loss. Once again.