23 Luduan

"Now listen to me carefully, we have soon to go through our tribes guardian home without him noticing us, it's fine most of the time he sleeps, follow me, don't let go of my hand. Do you understand?" asked Arvan.

Raven nodded, Elisa thought back where she saw the guardian beast devouring, men and women in red armour and couldn't help shudder, she hesitated for a moment, before Raven took notice of her behaviour and held her hand.

Elisa found the courage and breathed out.

"Let's do this!" said she determined to go through this.

"Elisa, our guardian is not evil, just very protective, this is his home, once he was a litte child beast playing with humans, his mother too was beloved. There was a time where all was really peaceful. Thousands of years ago, we too had intruders like today, they made their way here, his mother killed them but...lost her life to protect Luduan and us, simple weapons can not hurt Luduan and his like, only powerful soul weapon can do it, soul power is a might that could do evil in false hands and good in the right hands, Luduan lost his horn, in the last effort of the intruders, his mother caught the most of the attack, but still...*sigh*" said Arvan.

"Wait why do you know so much of these events?" asked Raven sceptical.

Arvan shook his head.

"Can't tell you"

Raven felt there was more to the story than told, still he wasn't someone who would force things out from someone who tries to help and wants to keep it to his self.

Soon they reached a big door with a shield that read "Luduan". They slowly opened the door, the dore creaked, but they couldn't stop it even if they wanted to. They saw a bright circled place, light descended from the top, lush green everywhere, were it not for the corpses littered around and the hornless beast sleeping. It's head had a cut off horn, its body resembled a deer with scales, its head was similar to a ancient eastern tiger, it had big eyes and whiskers.

Every now and then you could hear the sound of breathing. A deep breath, reminiscent of an old ancient beast.

Arvan held his Finger on his lips and waved slowly to Raven and Elisa.

Very cautiously they walked to the other end, behind Luduan.

They were nearly there, just a little bit more before they finally could get out!

Suddenly...

"Arvan did you think I wouldn't hear you? walking around and around so noisy, but that's ok, what is not okay is, that you bring intruders in my home...YOU DARE!!!"

Arvans back was drenched with sweat, he slowly turned around and saw a big head!

"Kids Ru-!"

BOOM

Luduan swiped his right paw, Arvan was flying like a canonball against the wall, he was spitting blood.

"kids...run..." said Arvan weakly before he closed his eyes.

Raven and Elisa saw it all happen and were frozen, they stood there, they had immense fear.

"Don't worry he isn't dead...yet, I can't believe he dared to bring intruders here, in my home.." Luduans voice was deep, echoing throughout the cave.

"Now to you two..." Luduan was ready to swipe Elisa like Arvan, but before he could do it Raven instinctively stood in front of Elisa, getting hit by Luduan.

Luduan opened his eyes wide.

'this kid...'

Elisa screamed from the top of her lungs "RAVEN!!!" she disregarded the beast and ran towards the feebly lying Raven on the grond, his head was injured, blood was everywhere.

"i-idiot...why...didn't you...ran.." Raven coughed up blood, his vision was blurred, he wasn't sure if it was from the injury to his head or Elisas tears.

Elisa held his hand against her cheeks, crying and crying, it was very heartbreaking.

Luduan watched this whole scene with interest, he never once saw something like this, crying for someone, sacrificing one owns body for the other, he could feel the truth behind their feelings, it reminded him of his mother, he saw Elisa and saw himself.

"Wah...Wah...because of me... Don't leave me yet mother...im not ready to be alone.." little Luduan cried and cried.

"Luduan...Don't be sad, someday you will find friends, did mother ever lie to you? Don't be angry at the tribe, they are just like us...earning for freedom...Luduan promise me that.."

"Wah...wah..I promise I promise, dont leave me!" cried the little Luduan.

The mother couldn't help but think of her sons future and cry...her body began to disintegrate into light slowly.

"Good child..." Her forehead was touching his forehead, resonating silently through the mountain. Her tears, slowly fading into nothingness, only the crying little Luduan remained.

"Luduan...Mother will always love you..."