29 Shadows of Light

The sun on its apex radiates without end to the land below, both of them strolled upon a dirt road, with the grasses and forest lying just on the sides of their path. Celina was walking close behind Blue, their lips were sealed as they focused on their road ahead.

Celina broke the silent environment, "Hey Blue, it bugged me for a bit, but can I ask? If you don't use mana then what is your source of power?" Celina said.

Blue emmitted a grunt. "Don't ask any questions about myself, I find it uncomfortable to talk about." He said.

Celina pouted. "Why, did something happen to you?" She said.

"Woman, I'd appreciate it if you keep quiet, your voice is annoying." Blue said with a stoic face.

Celina frowned a bit, she turned her head away. "Hmmph, you always make me angry." She said.

Then, Celina halted when she noticed a silk colored flower, it sat on the side of the road, reflecting a glimmer of the sun, she yelped and went close to it. She crouched and inspected it, appreciating its beauty.

"Hey Blue, did you know, this little flower will glow if it consumes mana. Too bad I don't have any mana, huh?" She chuckled.

Blue stomped his foot. "Hey, move your ass, I don't plan to stay here for another minute."

Celina pouted and shifted his eyes to Blue. "Come on, just give me five minutes, this is one of my favorite flower, this is called Bliss Glow." She said, then returned her eyes to the flower.

Blue growled. "Hey, just pick it if you like it, I don't have much time to deal with your nonesense."

Celina snorted in displeasure. "If I do that then it won't glow anymore and it will die. Flowers like these are very sensitive, they will wilt quick once removed from its stalk."

Blue sighed disappointingly.

Celina chuckled, she returned her attention to the flower and tried to touch it by nearing her fingers unto it, but then, blue flames struck and devoured the flower.

"Now, let's go." Blue said calmly and went away first.

Celina squealed from surprise, she tried to blew it with her mouth, yet it did nothing but only to sway the flames, few seconds later the flower were reduced to ashes. Her eyebrows furrowed when she stared to Blue. "Blue, you're gonna pay for that!"

After a few moments of walking, with no settlement on sight, Celina experienced some signs of weariness, the blistering heat of the noon were crawling upon her body. She felt her robe were drenching in sweat, she jolted her clothes on her chest to keep herself cool.

"Hey Blue, I think we should rest." Celina said beseechingly.

"No." Blue spat. "You're gonna keep walking to make up for the delay and inconvenience you caused me."

Celina scowled, she hurried her steps to walk besides Blue. "Don't blame me if I faint here and die."

Blue laughed. "Don't worry, based on my experience annoying people live longer." He said with a scoffing tone.

Celina stuck out her tongue. "No wonder you're immortal." She said.

Blue frowned a bit after her words struck him, but he kept on walking.

After a few meters of strutting, she could feel her legs giving up, they have been travelling since this early morning, and now the sun was at its highest. She hoped they could arrive at the nearest city, she thought of buying a good sword and for a horse, she preferred a silver stallion.

When she almost reached her limits, she halted her step. "Hey Blue, I can't walk further, want to negotiate?" She said breathlessly

Blue was forced to cease his gait. "What?"

"If we rest for an hour, I'll tell you an important detail about Valenxia." She said.

Blue turned around to meet her gaze. "What's that "Venisia" supposed to be?"

Celina snorted as though pleased. "It's Valenxia, it's what we call as the sword of righteousness."

Blue smiled, it took his interest. "Fine, but let's leave afterwards." Blue said.

Celina sat down and rested her back against the trunk, under the shade of the broad foliage, she gave herself time to breath in the pleasant air of the trees.

Blue faced her, his eyes became attentive, he lifted the edge of his lips. "Go on woman, my ears are open." He said.

"You know if you call me by my name I might get motivated to tell you right away." She said.

Blue stomped his foot, startling her. "Enough beating around the bush." He said dominantly.

Celina chuckled. "Okay, but I think I have to ask you first, I can't predict how you'll act if I tell you straight away."

"Fine, but you're only allowed to ask three questions." Blue said as he crossed his arms.

Celina agreed. "Okay, for the first question, why don't sunlight affect you? You are very different type of vampire from the stories, I've read."

Blue sighed a bit. "Well if it does affect me I won't be in this mess, I'm not similar to the conventional vampire on your children stories. The devil who I made a contract with, took my body and manifested its soul and power upon me."

Celina nodded at his words. "Hmm, interesting. Then, I'm curious about that devil, but I'm gonna spend my second question to ask about your ability first. Just what in the world is your flames made out of, it feels different than a usual fire."

Blue rose his arm, spreading out his fingers and mustered a dancing thin, bluish fire atop his palm. "These flames are the extension of the Blue Devil's soul, it can also burn, but this one is different since I can control its temperature, power and even its form."

The swaying fire upon his hand changed its shape, it slowly turned into a horse and galloped away, leaving a trails of blue dust on the air. It circled around the trunk and Celina's body, and as it fly over her face, her crystal-like eyes glimmered in blue.

She poked it with her finger, then the bluish fire horse dispersed, turning into a blue mist only to disappear right after. When she touched it, the tip of her finger felt soothing and somewhat magical.

Her face lit up in ecstasy. "That's awesome Blue, can you make another one that won't break when I touch it?"

"No." Blue said.

Celina gasped in dismay. "That's too bad, then for my last question, about the Devil wha--"

"Hold up, you already used all of your questions." Blue interrupted.

Celina got startled when the thought struck her. "Hey! That doesn't count." She said.

"Shut up, now it's your turn."

Celina strayed her eyes as she thought about it deeply. "Well then, where to start. I think you're already aware it can slice through dark forces at ease. But currently nobody has found it yet, not even a clue, except for my friends that is."

Blue rose his eyebrow. "Are you saying that those guys knows where it is?"

Celina nodded. "You're correct."

Blue snickered menacingly. "This is perfect, well then I think our journey ends here." He unfurled his wings then suspended himself upwards.

Celina sprang up from the grass, then she went into the open to chase him. "Hey Blue where are you going?" She hollered.

"Isn't it obvious, I'm coming along with them." Blue said.

Celina sighed, she released a strong yell since he was already getting distant. "Only a Light Mage can wield the weapon!" She said.

When it reached Blue who was on the air, he was forced to halt, he grimaced and somewhat annoyed, he made his descent infront of her. Upon the realization that he was back to square one, rage boiled on his face.

Blue approached her as though to confront her, he seemed to be on the brink of snapping. "Tell me woman, just tell me, why the hell that the only Light Mage left on this land is so annoying, useless and unreliable? And where the hell are the rest of them? Even the lowest of the light mages might be of more use than you."

Celina couldn't make a retort, her lips trembled and felt like it was crushed, her face crumpled, her expression fell into glum, she spun quick and sat down, hugging her legs. She sniffled a bit as those words drilled into her chest.

Her face displayed childish defiance. "Really? Okay then, I'm the worst light mage there is? You happy now?" She whined.

Blue sighed. "Anyway, forget it, let's go." He turned around, then moved away, upon noticing Celina never left her spot, he backtracked to her side.

"Hey woman, we don't have much time." Blue said.

Celina continued staring upon the grasses as though she heard none, she spaced out and her eyes were hollow and sullen.

Blue crouched slightly and laid his hand upon her shoulder. "Hey, let's get going."

Celina shook it off by shaking her body.

Blue smacked his lips, his eyes glared snithely and voice heavy. "Woman, if you're gonna play like this, you know that I have a different method to motivate you."

Celina continued ignoring him.

Blue smirked. "Right here and now, I could start killing people across this land, and that way, perhaps it would spur you to work harder."

Celina gasped upon the realization, she sprang up and faced him. "Please, Blue don't do it."

"You probably got lenient because you thought I was a good person, but to tell you frankly, on my previous world, I decimated an entire city just to prove a point. I won't stop you if you keep brooding in here though, but you won't be able to stop me once I act." He said coldly.

Celina gulped upon hearing it, anxiety skittered on her chest, her eyes were serious towards Blue. "Blue I misjudged you." She said stiffly.

"So get your self together, and stop acting like a child." Blue chided, he spun quickly then left her alone below the tree.

As they continued their trails, Celina was now wary of his presence, she glared at his back. "Blue, at least tell me one thing, do you like taking the lives of the innocents?" Celina said with a careful voice.

Blue was strutting, he didn't respond for a while.

"I won't bother killing someone if I have no reason to, that would just be a waste of energy. If you're asking if I'm sadistic, then no." Blue paused for a bit. "But I just want to end this hellish life." He spoke in anguish, with his words roaring.

Celina narrowed her eyes, her tone cautious. "Then you won't start a rampage would you?"

"If you continue brooding in there I might, but I'd rather avoid wasting my energy, so move your ass." Blue spat.

Celina was slightly relieved, her face turned casual as she dropped her cautious eyes. She then went to his side with some shred of fear. She thought Blue's threats earlier were just to motivate her to stand up. She believed somewhere deep inside Blue, there were some traces of innocence underneath the sadness wrapping around his heart. She felt there were still hope for him, since the other evil characters she knew only cared about chaos and destruction.

However, Blue was just desperate and sad, he didn't seem to find joy in his villainy, unless if he knew he could die. Before they went to that town, she caught a glimpse of his emptiness when both of them were exchanging gazes. So he still had some hope, unlike Zalgan and the demons she knew of, they were totally evil pricks.

All she had to do was to dig the real man behind the dark persona named Blue.

But Blue's words earlier chucked her chest, it almost shattered her soul into pieces.

"Anyway Blue, I was deeply hurt when you said those words to me." She pouted upon him.

Blue snorted a disapproval noise. "That is how I feel, if you don't like what I said then make a change for yourself, you can't cry and whine your entire life and hide on the corner. But if you do change, I might start to acknowledge you."

Celina's posture sagged slightly. "You know Blue, I'm already trying."

"You're gonna face the demon lord in the future right?" Blue said.

Celina gave a weak nod.

"Then, try making that excuse infront of the demon lord." Blue said.

Celina tried to swallow his words, then afterwards, upon reaching a decision she took a deep breath and clenched her fist, mustering her determination. "Then Blue, let us hurry." She said, and hasten her pace.

Blue noticed her sudden change, he then lifted a sincere weak smile.

Celina took a glance of it, she gasped. "Blue, did you just smile that wasn't creepy at all for the first time?" She said.

Blue dropped his lips and formed a stoic face, he ignored her as she kept on bugging him.

Celina chuckled at that sight alone.