Chapter 6: Wandering Forest

Now let us go back in the Pearl Continent

Between the gaps of old trees covered with mosses were two figures in white robes slowly walking.

In front was a handsome cinnamon roll. With his domineering eyes on his white smooth face, pointed chin and brownish hair clipped to his side, laid a fragile shoulder and an arm with a bit of defined muscles.

While at back was tall composed figure with his impeccable look under his fluttering silver hair. Together with his broad shoulder and defined biceps was his jaw line that exuded masculinity.

"This just as refreshing as it is! Too bad you didn't even pinch."

Ziro, walking in front, stretched her arms up. Her feet straddled on huge tree roots above the ground.

She gently shoved her white robe patterned with golden clouds at its hems, on her sides to prevent her from tripping.

"Careful, your Highness."

A calm and low voice resounded at her back. It was Siwaliw who was walking behind. That caught Ziro's attention.

"Why not fly this time?"

She slowly turned her face towards her royal servant.

"Ah."

Siwaliw got shocked and suddenly cupped his hand then made a bow.

"Please forgive my incompetence, your Highness but I couldn't."

"Are your wings hurt?"

She was taken aback.

They continued their slow pace.

"No, Your Highness. It was because that was my armament. Simply using it at a straight hour would consume a lot of energy, and I would not dare draining it all. Remember, were in the middle of the forest of Ruzas. If you would think, this place was really dangerous. Your Highness bad luck comes for those who aren't prepared."

"You could say so. However, there's no such thing as luck. My best friend once said."

Ziro lifted her chin, folded her arms on her front and shut her eyes as though she was about to nag her royal servant.

However, she was immediately interrupted.

"Best friend?"

Creases formed on Siwaliw's forehead. Did he heard it right? Not only a friend but best friend?

'How come he had a friend when he shut himself alone all this years. Did he secretly meet someone? No. We are guarding him all the time, its impossible for him to have a friend we havent even met once.'

The wing guy pinched his chin as he fell into conundrum. His mouth quivered like a chicken anus.

Ziro flinched and frowned. She was caught on her conversation and she didnt even think her past memories got already tangled.

But instant, glint shot her eyes.

"Well, just my well-built imaginary friend. Why? Would you like to meet him? But just now were you trying to be rude?"

Thank goodness, she had a way to break out.

"I dare not! Please forgive my rudeness."

With a sudden lift of his half-closed eyes, he swiftly knelt with his right joint, cupped his hand and bowed his head.

His silk white robe flew together with his silver hair in such easing shift as though he landed straight from heaven.

"Okay, I understand. Now, let's hurry. Weve been out for too long. Father must've been sickly worried."

Shaking the last remnant of Siwaliw's suspicion, Ziro took several paces ahead while her servant had yet stood.

However...

"Understood, Your High-"

Siwaliws body froze.

With his knees slightly bent, his face turned pallid and his thighs tightened. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"No."

That can't be.

His Highness disappeared!

While...

When Ziro haven't got any response from her servant, she halted and took a glance at her back.

'Where did he go? Did he fly?'

Her eyes widened when there was no one walking behind her. No tall silver haired guy.

She subconsciously looked at the clear sky covered by pellucid haze thinking he would be there.

'Haze?'

"...!"

With such realization she snapped her face around her. Her body suddenly quivered and her shoulder tightened as though tensely gripping her collar bone.

And she couldn't stop her heart from racing when she found herself already standing in the middle of thick mist. It was coming from those gooey dead leaves!

No. It was the ground! The ground smokes!! It looked like a muffin cake puffed at the top and gushes out clouds. A mini volcano!

'What the hell?'

Realizing she had gone into a mess, her throat went dry and gulped from her arid mouth. She tightened her grip and clenched her teeth when she felt something wrong about this place.

"Siwaliw! Where are you?!"

Her chest heaved up as her cold sweat broke on her temple. No one answered.

This made her heart beat wildly. Her noodled fingers quivered with her head constantly turning around with such hope to find Siwaliw.

'Whats with the fog? It gets even thicker now.'

Ziro slowly narrowed her eyelids and her muddled eyeballs squinted when everything got blurry.

Rattle!

A sharp hiss punched her ears.

"Whose there?!"

Her shrill voice echoed within the murky woods but no response. Her breath burst in-out and her hands turned clammy.

'Was it a beast? Was it Siwaliw?' No. He would answer her call if he was that.

With a sudden reflex, her tensed feet moved.

'This is bad. I need to get out of here fast! I dont know but I can only smell danger.'

One step. Two steps. Three. Four!

Until she found herself already running.

She rushed south where the rest had reposed. With her mind fell in tremor, she cautiously evaded all those indistinctive figures around her.

Those shadowy figures, she wouldnt know if it was a beast or an assassin or just an old tree, she dared not approach it.

Steps!

She swiftly jumped over the tree roots as her copper colored hair danced with her sways.

"Siwaliw!!"

Catching up some oxygen, she tensed her neck and anxiously let out a cracking yell. No good, no Siwaliw answered. Without taking any pause, she continued her quick pace.

For the second time, she found herself passing a huge tree root bent above the ground.

At first she thought it was normal but for the third time, fourth and fifth until her feet couldnt take a step, she ended on the same ominous root again.

The heck! Was she just running around the place?

'What the hell...!'

Her eyes grimaced as her knees hardly slumped on the mushy ground. She tightly gripped her white robe splattered with brownish spots mud, and gritted her teeth with such vitriol.

Then her chest tautened. She couldnt go on. Her jellied feet already covered of the muck shivered with pain.

Too weak. Simply too weak to drag her feet.

Rattle!

Still couldn't move her feeble feet, Ziro turned her face in a snap towards that rasp.

"Tch! D*mn you! Show yourself, you coward!"

She tightly clenched her teeth. Her heart which still racing, was burned with fury and agitation. .

Feeling the inevitable danger, she rolled her eyes on the ground hoping to find anything she could use as a weapon.

And there! She found a subtle sword-sized tree branch with clawlike end. Perfect! She hovered her hands and grabbed it avoiding inducing any noise.

With her ragged heaving of her chest, she mustered her strength in struggle to stand.

Shhhk!

Her body jolted when she felt something someone was swiftly gliding around her.

What could it be? Her eyes lost its clearness but her ears had yet dive into a deeper sense. She hardly gripped the wood and stood in an offensive stance turning her body towards that hissing blare.

Cold sweats already crawled towards her chest and soaked her robe.

At a few tiks of clock, everything went silent. However, Ziro could still sense the menacing gaze around her.

But a second passed...

Shhhk! Shhhk! Shhhk! Shhhk!

Then a slow dragging hiss from the ground broke in front of her until a hideous face showed upon the mist crawling right above those dead rattling leaves.