DAKU
Never in my life had I been hugged by someone this tight, this sincere, and this warm. As someone who grew up without parents, sensations and gestures like this were a rare thing to experience.
And who would have thought that I would receive one from the person whom I didn't know cared so much for me?
Wrapped in his arms, I couldn't help but feel relieved, secure, and protected. And I was true to my words that I missed him as well. There was no hint of lying or fraud in that statement.
Kenshi loosened the hug and distanced himself to look at me. And for some reason, when I gazed into his eyes, they somehow shimmered and sparkled. And beyond it, happiness and bliss were trying to escape.
We stared for a minute when we heard someone clear his throat. That broke our eye contact, and we acted as if nothing embarrassing had happened between me and Kenshi.
To shoo off the awkward air, Kenshi raised a question, "How are you here? And why is..." Kenshi looked to my right and saw Shiro. "Even Shiro is here? And why is Keiro with you? And how are you back to your old self?"
"I'll answer all of your questions, because I have questions to ask you as well. For now, we need a place to spend the night. And knowing that you're here, I can safely assume that you have a place?"
Kenshi nodded. "Not really my place, but you're welcome there. Kana and Shino will be surprised to see you. And you will be surprised as well."
My eyes widened upon hearing Kana and Shino's names. They were here as well!
"Kana is here, too?" Shiro asked, and I could sense excitement in his voice.
"Wait, our Shino is with you?" Keiro asked, annoyed.
Kenshi nodded.
"I didn't expect the whole gang to be reunited in this place," Arano mumbled.
"Let's go. You must be hungry," Kenshi guessed.
"You bet," I joked, but it was kind of true, though.
We followed Kenshi as he led us to the place they were staying. When we reached it, it was quiet, but we could tell that someone was at home because of the light coming from the inside that was leaking through the gaps of the door.
Kenshi knocked on the door in a certain manner, followed by a series of noises of metal clanking. Not long after, an old man revealed himself behind the door as he pulled it open.
And my eyes gaped upon recognizing his face. There was no doubt that it was him. The beard, the lines on his face, and his hair. It was Sage Greygor.
"Daku?" Sage Greygor said with the same expression as mine.
"Sage Greygor!" I called out to him and, instinctively, I dove into a hug. "I thought the Dark Order captured you?"
"I thought you were unwell," Sage Greygor replied, still unable to return the hug due to shock and surprise.
"Did you just say Daku, Sage Greygor?" a girl's voice echoed from behind the old man. Greygor and I parted before Greygor stepped aside to make way for our vision to see what was ahead of us.
And my lips curved into a smile when our eyes met. Kana's shocked eyes glimmered as tears started to form in them. Not long after, those tears fell onto her cheeks and to her chin. They came rushing like a river as Kana couldn't contain herself anymore.
"Mister Daku!" Kana cried as she dashed toward me. I knelt to match our height just in time for her to reach and hug me. She hugged so tight while wailing. I caressed her back to comfort her until she was able to hold back her tears. She wiped the streak of wet lines on her cheeks, before saying, "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too!" I replied with a reassuring smile. "And not just me."
A figure of a boy unhid himself while waving at Kana. Kana's eyes widened again for the second time when she recognized the boy as Shiro.
"Shiro!"
"Somebody is here for you, Shino," I announced to the woman who was covering her lips with both of her hands, trying to contain her emotions. Her brows shot up upon my statement, and it was followed by her eyes when Arano and Riku waved at her from outside the door.
"You, guys, are here too?! How?!" Shino asked.
"What a reunion," a woman commented, who was wearing the same robe as Greygor. Not just her, but three more men were in the same outfit as well. Are they his friends?
Greygor finally invited my group into the house. Shino regrouped with her party, Shiro, Kana, Kenshi, and I were grouped as well, and even Greygor and his friends seemed to understand the assignment and grouped themselves too.
Mister Glancis and Gladia were welcomed as well, and they were given food first.
With everyone settled down, it was Kenshi who started narrating their journey as to how they ended up here at Suttoh. I learned of the encounter they had on their journey and what happened at Aste City. Our group was made aware as well of the Dark Member who was currently in their custody.
"Shino, Kana, and I decided to go here to find the artifact, hoping that suspending the revival of Dolum will buy us some time to bring you back. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the artifact. Instead, we found out that Thorn will be in danger; that's why we sent someone to deliver a message to Grosi to warn the King about the attack."
"So my visions were right," I mumbled.
"Visions?" Sage Greygor asked.
"It started when you, three, left to travel to Aste City. I saw in my dreams the danger looming in the West Region where Mister Glancis and his daughter come from. I immediately recognized that it was the Dark Order's doing. And so, I had decided to sneak out one night to go there before Shiro noticed my disappearance and looked for me.
"Unfortunately, Keiro's group found me before Shiro. It was the same night that I was able to speak a few words, and so I told them that I must go to the West Region. I knew they were against it, but they still accompanied me.
"And my vision was proven right when we reached the place. We defeated the Dark Order members there and left with the artifact, which was actually Gladia's necklace gifted to her by her late mother.
"Then, the same night we freed the city from the hands of the evil cult, another vision came, showing me this ruin city. It has the same feeling as the first one, and so I suggested to them to go here, which was something I am glad for."
"But how did you get your emotions back, Mister Daku?" Kana asked. It was the very question that I had yet to answer when Shiro questioned me about it.
"Thelah told me that using Rupture Magic would lock my emotions. Using that principle, I searched for the key that would open the lock. And that key was my healing magic. I noticed that when I first used healing magic on Mister Glancis, I felt a strange force from the back of my mind as if it was leaking from some sort of container.
"I felt it again when I healed Gladia. That was when I was finally able to detect the presence of the artifact. When we fought the Dark Order, I alternately used healing magic and rupture magic, so that I was able to fully grasp them both even in such a very short time.
"Now, I can use rupture magic without suffering the long-term effects of its consequence. Though, when I am using it, I will be stripped of my ability to feel emotions, but they will return once I stop using it."
"Are you saying you have mastered the two magics?" Greygor asked, which I responded to with a nod. "That's something that Ren, I mean, Hirako, failed to achieve."
I shook my head in disagreement. "I'm pretty sure he mastered the two magics, Sage Greygor. It's just that he was too driven by his anger and hatred that he fell too deep into the hands of the Dark God."
***
FORSHIA
We were almost there. Today marked the fifth day of our travel. We were two days early, and it was all thanks to Suya and Sayu, who were so skilled in evading obstacles that would hinder the way.
"Arf!" Suya barked, alerting me and causing me to watch ahead of us.
And my heart raced when I saw smoke soaring above the city. It was not just one, but several places were burning. Even from afar, faint noises of people screaming and swords clashing could be heard as well.
"Faster please, Sayu!" I pleaded.
Sayu accelerated along with Suya. In just a matter of minutes, we reached the outskirts of the city, which was already in chaos. Countless lifeless bodies scattered all over the place, identified as commoners, city guards, and people in black robes.
"It's the Dark Order. They have started," I mumbled.
"Wait!" a man's voice shouted that stopped us in our tracks. I searched for him until I saw the figure of a man coming out from the woods. I could tell he was a city guard based on his armor. And with the wolves having no reaction, I could also tell that he was a good person. "It's more dangerous inside the city. I would suggest you go back to where you came from."
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I need to deliver a message to a man named Grosi. Although this message was already too late, I still have to deliver this."
"Grosi, the Apothecary?" the man asked.
"You know him?"
"Everyone in Thorn knows him. What message is that, and why is it so important?"
"It has something to do with what is happening now."
"I can bring you to him. Though it will take us some time. I was kind of injured."
"We can assist you with that. Suya!" I called to one of my wolves, who immediately understood the assignment. Suya went close to the man and lowered herself. "Hop in! Don't worry, she will be gentle."
The man hesitated as he looked at the animal in front of him. But he gathered enough courage and climbed onto Suya's back. Suya stood on her four limbs, before barking, telling me that she was ready to go.
With my invitation, we dashed into the city by passing through the city gate. And déjà vu struck me when I saw the condition of the place. It resembled the time when a civil war broke out in Suttoh.
Following the man's direction, we reached this small shop. The man and I jumped down from our couriers and went inside the structure. The moment we barged in, the people inside were taken aback and even shouted out of pure shock.
"Don't you even dare take another step closer!" threatened an old man while holding a potion in the air.
"Wait, Mister Grosi! It's me, Yukio! This girl right here said she has a message to deliver to you!" the city guard announced.
"A message?" the old man inquired with furrowed brows.
"From The Sages of Haiag," I introduced and brought out the letter Greygor wrote for me to deliver.
The old man's expression shifted from confusion to seriousness. He lowered his hand carrying the potion and slowly approached me.
"From them?"
"It has something to do with what is happening in the city right now. I'm sorry for being late."
"You're not too late. The attack just started earlier at dawn. So, they knew something like this is about to happen?"
The old man, which I believed to be Grosi, read the letter in silence. And the more his eyes read the message, the more his forehead creased. When he was done reading, he faced the people he was with earlier.
"Miss Ayasa, there are traveling bags behind that shelf. It is already packed with necessary stuff and several rations. Take them all with you."
"What are you trying to say, Mister Grosi?"
"You're leaving with this lady. Yukio, you should go with them too! Here, drink this potion to heal your wounds. They need someone to protect them along the way."
"Why do you sound like you're not coming with us, Mister Grosi?" the city guard, named Yukio, worriedly asked.
"Because I'm not. I still have to secure the artifacts! I'll go after you once I'll have them with me!"
"But—"
"There's no more time, Miss Ayasa! You have to leave now, or else darkness will bring you and your two children to your end."