37: Culprit

(Princess Ashti)

Our voyage is almost done. We're now riding behind the giant turtle before. Like a passengers in a ship.

"Ashti! Look!" Mishu said cheerfully.

We're passing an oceans.

"What was that?"

Haris answered, "Grizzlie's sky. Where two oceans meet, but never mix."

"Is it part of your territory?" she asked his cousin.

"No, it's nature."

"So where are we going?!" Davih shouted from behind. Jexica is our navigator. Not to mention, they're both older than us. Davih is sprouting beard.

"We're going to a near metropolis, my friend lives in there. We could stay and eat with her for the meantime," Jexica said.

Haris gave a piece of chocolate cake stuck on the fork to me. He heed when I said I'm starving.

Then he asked Jexica, "You mean, to that fat lady?"

She turn her look to him, "Unfortunately, yes," he sigh.

And I'm curious. After we sail, we set foot in an island. The biggest island among others. Both Haris and I are standing facing the waters. Mishu is playing with the sands, and his cousin on his way to her.

It was distracting and shocking when Jexica freed the turtle, with its sudden dive tsunami responded. Lucky we have Aishmalen, he noticed the water through shadow. It almost swipe Jexica when Aishmalen lift the water up then backward with his hand risen.

"Consider your companion's presence."

"Eh... thank you, I don't expect that too." She wince.

"Ugh! Perfect pair!!" Mishu told us, standing behind. I look at Haris, I wonder if he's jealous.

We enter the forest, and Jexica as the lead. Mishu is singing an unfamiliar lullaby while playfully stamping on the grass.

"Just who is this friend you're talking about?" Davih asked.

"Her name is Emia, she became my sibling after I was fostered by her parents."

"Oh, I guess I should be grateful to them!"

I noticed Haris walking behind me. Or more like hiding. And I think I saw her, she's fat, sweeping that dried leaves in her front yard. So she live separately to metropolis, I'm pretty sure it's creepy here at night. Alone in the forest.

"Emia!" Jexica waved cheerfully to her. She's excitingly surprised looking at my direction, then rush forward, leaving the broom fell.

"Oh my beloved gods! I'm so delighted to see you again, Haris!" he used me to block her but it didn't succeed, she hug Haris and me in the middle of them, I'm stuck! "I never thought that you would come and visit me again!!"

"No-not me..."

"Ehem!"

"Hmm? Jexica?! You too are here?!" then she hug her too. Are we even existing before her eyes except Haris?!

"What brings you here?" The way she speak, somehow flirty and stagey.

"We all came from a long travel, can we rest here?"

"Ah perfect! I prepared lunch!"

"Oh! I like that," Davih exclaimed.

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

We made such a perfect timing. She's a great chef, sweet and kind. Her house is small enough for a single person. The second floor is for their bed room. Their walls holds the hanging pictures they have. They also have a lot of souvenirs. I'm entertaining myself with these exhibit after we satisfied our appetites.

And of course I'm together with Haris. Davih is sitting on a sofa, eating. And the other three is talking with Emia on the dining table.

"So Aishmalen, you're a prince?"

"And I'm a princess!!" Mishu shouted with her mouth full.

"Oh Prince Aishmalen, do you eat fish?"

"I don't eat my own kind," he answered in hostility.

"But he can eat someone like you," his little cousin teased.

He mock by tongue.

"Davih and Mishu, aren't they a perfect pair?" I whisper to Haris. And he smile a bit.

"By the way Emia, I haven't seen uncle and auntie..."

"Them? They celebrated their anniversary in metropolis last last night, they haven't returned. Maybe later."

Haris pulled me going outside.

"I wish I could meet them..."

And they never paid attention from our departing.

"What's wrong? Wanna tour around?"

"I already did that before. There's something strange in this atmosphere..."

I walk closer to him when he said that. We're going west. Gradually the metropolis they're talking about is increasing in visibility with my height. This island have tall trees.

"Okay so how strange was that feeling?"

"A blood lust thing. Something mysterious. Let's go investigate."

"Wait! Shouldn't we tell anyone first?!"

"I'm sure we'll waste time with their permission."

Eventually, I have no choice but to follow him.

This city, or this island, is connected to other islands through bridges. There were perfectly green mountains too. And pine trees with color yellow and green. This land is full of hills, some houses was built beside the lake and above the hills, no significant alignment.

It's crowded. People are chatting, selling and working. Just like a regular kingdom without castle. Most of them are looking on us, judging from our fashion, they will. And they all look like a house worker.

"Practically, they don't have rules nor royal. The only value they apply is human dignity. And they have a governor, only as a producer from their various needs. And this place, is the Liberty Islands."

"Sounds... crazy."

Someone held my chainless hand. And it was just Mishu, chasing her breathe.

"I got here first! And you're gonna pay for leaving us there!"

"Well I told Haris about it-"

"Ashti!"

He shew me a sign language of 'C'. A Callion...?!

"What was that?" she asked. However, she act exactly like Mishu.

"I'm showing her my nails."

"Y-yah? It's aching, right?" I massage his fingers.

"You two... are soooo weird."

"Even you! You smell weird," a senior guy from behind said. He's sitting to match her height.

"You... ugghrr!!"

A few seconds after her gnashing, things runs fast. She pulled the chain, dragged us with intense speed and throw us away, the world seems spinning until we fell on a soft cotton-like fur. This was Haris magic.

I got bruises on my knees and elbows. And the crowd is in panic.

"Are you alright?"

"...Kinda..." I realize we're surrounded by Callions, like zombies. They aren't moving, but their claws almost reach us. Slowly their movement stuns. Haris' fingers are moving bit by bit, controlling them with the strings. Like a puppet master.

He's kneeling when he gave me a sword, "You can use that, right."

"What's with that question?!" I took the sword and slash every single one of them single-handedly. I even have to lean on Haris' back to transfer on the opposite side.

"Nicely done," he said after I finished them off.

"Could this be the first time you complement me?"

He look away, "Idiot."

"So what are these fusses?"

"Callions."

"Yah, I know they're Callions, but why are they here?"

"Because we're here."

He show forth his hand on me, so I turned back the sword, not to realized I'm already holding a cane.

"That was great! But do you know someone who can heal?" the guy from before said. And he gathered all the casualties. I never noticed his action. There are other Callions scattered laying dead.When he asked that, Haris pointed me, I hide his hand.

"I'm not a good healer!"

"Just give it a shot."

We whispered. All of the victims are conscious, and I touched them one by one.

"A healer? I haven't seen that gift before."

"Not really. I'm just a rookie in healing organization."

I'm nervous, I hope it works. I don't want to break their expectation from me. Jexica arrived together with Davih. Asking the sudden phenomenon.

"We heard the scream of the crowd."

"Oh yah, specially a woman's shriek."

I roll my eyes.

"This happened 5 days straight last week in that island." The man pointed an island far from here but still visible. It's surrounded by 2 other islands.

"It all started there. A contagious virus corrupting the human blood and brain until they transform to totally different being. We can't stop the virus, so wether we like it or not, we cut the bridges connecting to that island, leaving even the uninfected victims. For now it's secluded. And this happened again."

"You mean these aren't Callions?" I asked.

"Callions? Well they are the infected. A human."

I found Haris looking at the corpses. And Jexica, pulling back her tears.

"The two of them... are Emia's parents."

I trembled, caress my hair down to the tip. Then Haris pat my head hard. "It's my fault. I asked you kill them."

"You shouldn't have dare me..."

"Then we'll die."

"I know this case...!" Jexica stood in front of us. "It's one of our Mounts. A dwarf, skilled in simulation and they carry a deadly spell, it could be this virus."

"Oh so what's going on with your pets?"

"Not them, someone else summons them. Just like Yoona. We have to find that Dwarf, beat it fatal, and I will unsummon."

"Oh no that's troublesome! Let's just leave this place!"

"No. We have to save them," Haris insisted.

"I can help with that! By the way, I'm Ino. I live here for almost 6 years. So I know every small alley here!"

We heard an explosion, but it's not an explosion. We can see it obviously at Emia's house spot, crystals are rising ceaseless until it built a castle. The rustle disturbed the people.

"Oh my! What's with that kid?!"

"You know the maker? Looks like we have supernatural visitors! That was great!" he's so marveled with this mischief.

"Let's go check it out!"

They left first before Ino talked to us.

"You two, are you engaged?"

"Huh?!"

"Strange. Do you know that chain?"

I shook my head.

"It is an ancient treasure made by a legendary crafter-"

"And you, you're not a human aren't you?" Haris gripped something on Ino's back. He's groaning. And Haris is actually gripping a tail, a tail that can turn invisible. It's white, huge and fluffy. Like a wolf tail.

"Stop it! This is his charm so be gentle." I hug his tail.

"Yes you're right, I'm an Alfa."

"I think I've seen that in a book."

"They have unmatchable strength and agility. Also have the same hearing and sensing of nose as a wolf. They have longer life span, which means they can live hundreds of years."

"I'm exactly 400 years old."

"And you look like the same age as my father- " I was interrupted when Haris raise my wrist. Too late to recognize, it's kinda swelling and rotten, like a lifeless hand!

"Wait, you're infected...?"

"I don't know."

"Seems like you're fine, but you'll feel numb soon," Haris said. "That impostor before, she held this hand, right?" I nod.

"Then that kid is the dwarf?!"

"No. It imitated an image of our friend before."

"Alright! I will hunt that dwarf. And you better cure it as soon as possible."

I felt a sudden and short nervous. I don't wanna be like those Callions.

"What am I suppose to do?!" I'm begging for answer.

"First we need to return at Emia's house and you hide it."

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

"There are zombies around just now!! So I built this barrier like a castle to protect Emia. And they all like shzzoooom, yahtatattryaaah~!" She's telling a story with actions. Or like, telling a horror incident.

We sat on the sofa, I lean my nape on the back pillow. I noticed Jexica talking with Emia, after a few seconds, Emia left the house in rush. Jexica came with her. Out of curiosity, Mishu came with them, pulling Asihmalen with her. When Davih felt awkward, he left us too. Now just the two of us in an instant. And he's currently reading a book.

"Haris, aren't you tired?"

"Hmm? No..."

"I... just want a day off... away from commotions... issues...."

"We only need to cross this ocean and meet another kingdom before Hamel kingdom. That is the closest to the LandLine. Crossing a continent."

"I wish we're already there..."

"You haven't even polished that gift of yours."

"It's because you're not teaching me!"

"I'm not a good mentor, technically I'm still an apprentice."

"You will... soon..."

"When this chain breaks." The voice changed. I turn my look to him and I'm actually talking with King Nemesis! Where's Haris?! I can't choose what emotions I should have.

"Didn't he told you about this chain? He's such a naughty liar, isn't he?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about unlocking this curse."