6 The First Unforeseen - Part 2
Roldi prepared himself for another strike. At the same time, the two blue-eyed hooded men stretched their arms forward; the earth clumped together quickly, raising a corridor of stone, and at the same time, a huge gust of wind. Again, the atmosphere distorted and began to form a blade.
The clustered earth has dismantled itself. The last hooded man, once focused on shaping the air into a blade, now looked away toward his companion, but what he saw was Roldi standing beside him, staring at him intently without blinking, while his companion lay on the ground, bleeding.
"What the hell are you? There is no fortifier so powerful!"
"Just tell me why you attacked us and I'll let you two live! I cannot resurrect your other four companions, but I can let you live. The decision is yours."
"You just hurt my wife! Do you really think I will forgive you?"
"I don't need, much less want your forgiveness. I will say it just one more time. Do you choose to die with your companions or to leave with your wife?"
The last hooded man crouched down beside his wife, took off his black hood, checking her breathing. He noticed that a small amount of blood was coming out of her belly, as she breathed.
'If I talk, maybe she will survive...' - thought the man.
"I will tell you!"
"Wise choice."
The mysterious elemental was clearly desperate, trembling, with wide-open eyes and unregulated breathing. With his voice shaky and almost screaming, he said:
"I don't know what you want to hear, but the truth is simple! I was paid. I do not know who paid, because the one who organized this squad was our boss. My only order was to eliminate that black-haired boy. That is all! You are not supposed to be here. We have nothing against you!"
The man looked up into the eyes of the murderer of his companions and saw only hatred. Roldi then said in anger:
"Why are after the boy? What could one child have done that was so bad?"
"I really don't know! I am just paid to do services and never ask about anything."
"You have fulfilled your part of the bargain, now it's my turn."
While saying these words, Roldi quickly put both hands on, his neck and, looking into his eyes, snapped. The eyes of both were filled with water, but only the blue-eyed man's, life faded out. What was supposed to be a battle was a massacre.
With a tired and downcast face, he ran back toward Kalui and Enion.
'As Enion said, there may be more of them. I need to get back soon!'
The two of them were still exactly, where Roldi told them to be and when he saw that everything was fine, he relaxed his body, returning to normal.
"Just cross the river! Let's go this way now!" - Enion shouted.
Walking across the river with water up to his chest, the blood on his hands was washed away. After reaching, the other side and the three were together again, the journey continued.
"No others showed up? Were there only six?" - Roldi asked.
"I didn't hear or see anyone else. Did you get any answers?"
"More than I expected, but not as much as I wanted."
The small village they intended to reach was nearby. The three of them were tense, for only Roldi knew the reason for the attack, and he did not intend to tell Kalui about it. The unpleasant silence continued until they reached the town.
"Look Kalui, we have arrived!" – Roldi said.
Unlike the cabin, the village was all smooth stone, the houses did not look like boxes, and the architecture was very detailed, as were the windows, but each home had a different decoration and construction; lampposts illuminated every street with firelight and a large mansion was located in the center of it. Children were playing near the fountain in front of the manor and songs were heard coming from the tavern.
The boy's eyes widened at the excitement the village was bearing. All the tension of what you saw earlier has passed.
"What a bustling place! Shall we explore?"
"Let's just take Enion to the stable. Tomorrow I will bring you here, so you can meet children your own age."
Slightly downcast, he nodded.
Roldi put his hands on One's shoulder, while whispering in her ear:
"Amplify your hearing and walk with the boy."
Enion then walked towards the stable with the boy, while listening to Roldi's whisper.
"The target was the boy. I do not know what to do! Taking him to the city might be the same as throwing him to the lions! However, taking him with me is not the most efficient way to protect him!"
Then Roldi joined the two again and they continued walking through the village. A few minutes later, they arrived at the stable. The farewell was near.
"Sir, I would like to rent a horse if possible!" - Enion shouted toward a stone house that was next to the stable with a capacity of six spaces.
A madam opened the wooden door, wearing an old, torn, dark green dress.
"Good evening beautiful young people, which one of you would like to rent a horse?"
"Me, madam." - Enion replied
The old madam answered him in surprise:
"Now, a Stron knight renting a horse in my humble stable? What an honor! I have only 5 horses for rent or sale at the moment, which one would you like?"
"The black, if possible."
"Of course!"
After Enion rents the black horse, the humble madam has gone back inside her house. Enion mounted her horse and before she left, she said to Roldi:
"It is your decision. You were the person who gave him a name; wouldn't it be fair to look after him?"
The child was confused but did not seem to care much. Enion took off with her horse for her long ride as she said goodbye without looking back, waving her hand aloft.
"Where is Enion going?"
"He is going to the city of commerce. Do you want to go there someday, kid?"
"I want to go everywhere possible!"
Roldi looked into the boy's eyes and at that moment, he made up his mind what to do.
"Kalui! Let's go, tomorrow we have a lot to do and a lot to talk about."
"Shall we go back to the hut? It's much cooler here!"
"I'm sorry kid, but as I said, we have a lot of things to do."
"But... I am tired! I do not want to walk anymore! Let's stay in the village!"
As he picked up the boy and put him on his back, Roldi said while laughing:
"Don't be that way! I'll take you!"
'I don't think we will be attacked again, but just in case, I won't sleep today. Tomorrow we have a long day.'
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「Year 950, day 131, Elfen territory, Bird Forest, 7 am.」
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The smell of fish, a light breeze, the sound of the crackling fire, and the warmth of the blanket. This is what Kalui felt when he woke up with the sun on his face. When he opened his eyes, Roldi was sitting in the doorway, looking up to the sky.
"Boy! I have never seen a human being sleep so much! Get up, eat a little and get ready. Today is going to be a long day!"
"Why?"
"Food first, questions later."
The two ate the fish that was quickly prepared.
'I do not know a good way to start this conversation, so I will start from the beginning...'
"Kalui. What am I?"
"I don't get it... You are Roldi!"
"No, this is who I am. 'What am I?' is another question."
Kalui remained confused and did not try to answer again.
'I don't think a quiz game right now is a good choice.... It would be a good time for Enion to show up!'
"I am a Fortifier. Enion is a Metamorphic. You are most probably an Elemental. Besides these three races, you can also be just a person with nothing special."
"Why are you so sure that I am an Elemental?"
"Simple. You have the blue eye. Each race has its specific characteristics. Metamorphics have their green eyes, Fortifiers have their brown eyes, Elementals have their blue eyes, and those without any skills have their gray eyes. Of course, there are exceptions."
"Hold on a moment!"
'Let me explain just a bit more...'
"So to sum up. Each race has its own abilities, but I will not fill your head with that right now. You just need to know that in elementals there are many divisions! You need to find out what your element is, so that you can start strengthening yourself soon."
"There is only one thing I don't understand... You are a fortifier, right? Then why is your eye green?"
'I didn't expect him to really pay attention. He is a smart boy!'
"As I said before, there are exceptions."
Kalui sighed looking up and said:
"I get it. Today was going to be a long day, right? Is it over already?"
"Did you really think you would only have one class? The long day has just begun."
'It would have been better if I had kept quiet' - thought Kalui.
"Help me inside the cabin, let's put everything away. We will leave today!"
"Leaving? Go Where?"
"You will find out later. Come, help me put things away."
Roldi took his blanket, wrapped it in a strong branch, and stored all his clothes in it. Meanwhile, the child standing in the doorway just watched the man.
'Wasn't I supposed to help? He's doing everything...'
After putting away all his clothes and blankets, he walked towards the painting on the wall. Roldi placed the painting on the floor, and behind it he had two daggers curved like a crescent moon, with a black blade almost the size of his arm, kept in a steel and leather sheath.
"What is it Roldi?"
He answered him as he clasped his daggers around his waist:
"Even if I make my fingernails and my body into an improvised weapon, nothing compares to a real weapon!"
"I want one too!"
"You won't need it! Come on, I'll take the bundle."
The two left the hut taking only the bundle in their hands, both the bed and the hut, were left behind.
'As soon as we find a place to stay, I will start training him. I haven't decided yet when I will tell him my story. Maybe in a few years, when I am older, after all, it has been a decade since the last time the army found me. I just have to continue like this and nothing will happen.'
