55: Enhancement

Everything is white. Slowly, I open my eyes until I realized, my presence came back inside the room before. Leisurely, I turn my eyes roundabout the room; the soft dance of the veil will not cover the cracks on the wall. In front of me is the bed with Ms. Tough and Poc sleeping on it. But Poc is on the edge. Snoring. The tie on me are loosed but not removed.

My legs and arms have pierced wounds, no wonder why it's severely painful before, even until now.

"So you're finally awake," Asnoed spake behind me. He's there, standing and guarding us.

"So you can speak," I said.

"I am a Mount of few words."

I giggled. I asked myself 'what kind of rampage was I doing?' How could I cause such ruckus to turn the house half damaged?

"You will know the answer," Ms. Tough said; I thought she's sleeping. "When you can fully control that power."

She's still laying covered with blanket; looking at me. The pain diminished until the total vanish when Ms. Tough closed my wounds. I removed the blanket from me to catch Poc from his fall in his sleep.

"Every time you lose control he's stabbing a nail in your arms and thighs to stop your rampage. He even have to stay up all night for you."

I pinch his cloth to lift and hang him. "Then I must be grateful?" I look at him and he's waking up.

"Aaaaaaahhh! You're alive! No! You're alive! It can't be!-" he can't free himself from my hold. And his hysterical movements makes him cute.

"Poc. Thank you," I said brightly.

"What?! No! I hate you! I still hate you!~"

I throw him back to the fluffy bed and immediately he fell back to sleep. Still uttering how much he hate me in his dreams.

The hunger pushes my steps to hunt some meal in the kitchen. And I scoop for myself four rounds; until I can finally brag my wealthy belch. I lean my back on the backrest, relaxing my appetite and mind. I saw Ms. Tough came out from the room and serving herself with coffee.

"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked her. And she answered without looking,

"One month."

Quickly, I leaned my elbows on the table. "Are you kidding me?!"

"No. Check the length of your hair."

I roll my eyeballs upward and stretched out a small group of strands. It got longer and... curl.

"I'll fix that for you later," she said then sat on the table near me while steering her coffee.

"Hmmm... Ms. Tough, did I overcome my fear?"

"Not really overcome. But you finally accepted it. Before, you almost break a neck from shaking your head just to run away. Now, you have the confidence to face that weakness of yours."

"Which means, I am still afraid from someone's death even without acquaintance..."

"Maybe, you're still afraid of your past regrets." Then she took a sip.

"About Mr. Holland, I can't stop thinking about why he lost too much power when he fought with King Nemesis?"

She looked at me eagerly, "There is something I want you to know that you failed to figure out during the present time. Of course your sensitivity came from him, consequently he can control that power from you. And he did it."

"D-Did what?"

She laugh at me, "Oh Haris, you're too slow!"

"Honestly, I don't get it! The only answer I have is he gave me the cane and he lost that much power."

"Do you still remember the first and last time that Jenie came here?"

"One month ago? I do." My eyebrows met but still I can't meet the main idea.

"What was the last words she told you?"

"Aaaah... about the necklace... no! She said see me next time!"

She sigh with a heavy voice, "Before that?"

She doesn't want to jump to conclusion ah?

"She gave me that necklace as a present for gratitude-"

"No. Jenie is a princess in Magi. And?"

I stare at her natural green eyes before I give my reply. "She's a princess in Magi. In connection to Mr. Holland, she's the daughter. Now going back to the question, what was her last words to me? She gave me that necklace since her father... can make her another one...?"

"Yes. That necklace consist of his power to keep her daughter safe. So he have to make another one for her."

"How? So you're saying that Mr. Holland is there?"

"The reason of the decreased power that Holland in your past occurred was the division. He can create clones, right?" then she took a sip again.

"So you're saying, the Holland who died before was just his clone? Then he's alive?!"

She left the cup of coffee on the table and stretched her arms for me. I hugged her with overwhelming excitement!

"He's alive! Are you serious?! I want to meet him!"

"You will, after you are a worthy hero, just something to boast at him."

"Right! And you can't do it without the cane! So you have to acquire it from me first!"

I unplug myself from the hug when Poc spake to me, he's standing on the table with his hands on waist.

"Poc!"

"Yes it's me- Aaaahhh! No! I am not Poc! I'm Snitchie! My name is Snitchie! Call me Snitchie! Snitchie!"

"Fine. Fine." I lean my hands on the table, looking sharp at him. "So how can I retrieve the cane from you?"

"Ooohh! I love that question! But I hate you!" There's something wrong with him. The aura he has is different. "Simple, catch me if you can!" After he said that, he ran away outside the house. But I didn't chase him.

I shrug, "He's involving me with mischief, isn't he?"

"Just play along, remember he has your cane," she said.

Against my will, I came outside to find Poc. In front of the house, before I decided to move my feet, I tried to sense him. And unfortunately, I failed. I can't find him everywhere.

I roam around the garden, squinting on every stems of the roses and foliage but I can't see any vociferous crap.

I look ahead then down to the forest. This is the first time I explored around the forest for the sake of that stupid game Poc started. My feet almost sink in this flood of withered leaves; I kept searching around yet no sign at all.

When the sky groans, the thought of giving up finally came in my mind. I have to return before the nature weep. And before I turn my head, I spot a Callion soundlessly scouting here in the forest, not just one, another one on my other side. They doesn't seem to notice my presence yet so I act naturally for the sake of harmless escape.

I walk few steps backward then turned. I was flinched when a huge rock fell—almost—at me! It shattered to the ground. I look above to the two raven, they scratched the leaves as they flew away. As a result, the Callions caught me. The Callion I found first released a mighty shriek, enough to make me shiver!

I run going back to the house, but that's a big NO. Either I have to confound them or defeat them all. Sadly, they called for more allies.

The earth is tilted, of course I'm going up the mountain. But these heap of dried leaves are slippery! I can't run faster.

I'm lucky enough that the same thing is happening to them. I'd finally reached the flat but then another Callion is waiting for me here! It tackled but I bent down not just to dodge, also to defeat it. Swiftly, when he's above me, I pulled its arm and with my glitch surprise, the arm parted; in my quick response, I pushed that Callion down to the slide. Still holding its arm.

I remained rather than continue my ran. Or should I say, I have no choice since I'm surrounded.

Before they could touch me, I lifted through tje force of wind the dried leaves from the ground just to hinder their vision for me. While the leaves rests in the air, I took the advantage to do my second choice; to defeat them all.

I removed my left boot to throw on another Callion's head. The throw was enough to decapitate it. That surprised me! I stabbed the arm to another since I can't hold it the whole day. I wrap my arm around my victim's neck to lean and kick with my both feet the other Callion then I gripped to break the neck.

I smashed the other and for a very tiny moment, I massaged my fist. I cringe without my knees bent to kick the last one from behind with my heel. This grime of slimy Callion gore on my cloth are killing me! I can't bear the stench! These Callions are fragile than a kitten.

The impatient sky cannot wait. The rain starts to drop. I wobble to pick up my boot then walk to enjoy the rain, and to be honest, to wash my filthy cloth.

I entered the house with lonesome and dead eyes. I found Ms. Tough laying on the sofa while munching a bar of chocolate.

"You've been through a lot," she said.

"I've encountered Callions in the forest. I think we should leave this house."

She stood up with the gentle face of startle. "I see. It's a good idea to lure you to the forest."

My eyebrows meet again, "Lure me?" I thought out of the blue about Poc's sensation before.

It's empty.

I came inside the room to see him there and with my unspoken temper, he's here! Sleeping. I slam the bed and he bounced up, that woke him up.

"Poc! You're here all this time?!"

"Aaaww... what...?" still sleepy. "I hate you scumbag... how dare you ruin my dream..."

"I looked for you throughout the forest yet you're just here—sleeping?!"

"What are you talking about?! Don't involve me with your idiocy, you scumbag!"

"Oh Haris, you're so ignorant. It was all my doing," Ms. Tough came inside the room to say that. "I created fake illusions in your mind, a close similarities from King Nemesis' gift. You're fooled, and you let it. Snitchie and I made a deal before you opened your eyes, the condition to return the cane is to find him. Then I will fake everything."

"So I failed." I scratched my nape.

"You didn't, you found him after all."

"Ooooohhh! I remember! Right! That deal!" Poc exclaimed.

"Now you're wide awake," I said.

"I cast away the drowsiness in his brain," said Ms. Tough.

"But why did you do that without my presence?! No! Recur it! I want him to lose!"

I tried not to laugh with his complain. "You hate me that much? And sorry, you won't fool me twice."

Eventually he agreed. He gave the cane hidden in his tiny pocket then I caught. I spin it with my fingers where in latter I proclaimed my gratitude.

"You want the mask, aren't you?"

"I still have to return that-"

"Hohohoho~ yes I heard that story! But I won't give it!"

"Because you hate me?"

"Exactly! But not just that! Defeat me... now! I know you're a weakling without that cane. But at least you can be a proper opponent."

"What, you wanted a battle?"

"Of course that's what I wanted, you scumbag!"

"But it's raining outside!"

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

We came outside.

That's the sequel. It's necessary to use umbrella to walk under the rain with matching thunderstorm just to find a wide field away from the house. I feel like we'll make a huge ruckus. When I found a better spot, Poc left my shoulder. He clapped his hands and his size got bigger, but the same gnome as for appearance.

"Come on! Defeat me!"

I closed the umbrella and shivered when the rain drops touches my skin.

"You're freaking serious?!"

"Enough with the complain! You wanted to save the nations, right?!"

Be cunning and brave. Poc is a powerful opponent, but if I have a playful strategy just like Ms. Tough, the possibility of victory could reach ninety percent. I spin the cane again with my fingers and the purpose is, to confound him.

My clone behind him strikes his nape through the cane then it vanished with the drops. He screamed like an infant. While losing his attention to me in front, I ran, I grasp his shoulders and kneed him then blow his face. He rolled around the ground and made the cane a hammer to attack him; unexpectedly, he pushed himself to elude but I threw the hammer to him.

He simply cringe down to dodge, right away, I release a smash on him yet he parried with his palms and gripped me. "You're aggressive today," he said. He transferred the grip to my wrists and lift to drag me down with intense might; I cough.

A boomerang was hit on Poc's head, I caught it and changed to a hammer. I was finally able to flog his teeth. He rolled again and turned tiny. Screaming and ranting with his mouth covered.

"How rude! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Actually, we're still not fighting for real." I rotated the hammer and it came back to a cane. "You see, this cane has the same shifting style like you. Now without additional wasting of time, give me the mask."

"Hah! Don't be hasty, scumbag." He stood up and I step back. "Well then, I think I should take this seriously!"

He turned around and round, along his sway are pure white feathers. His voice reduced to a child—a boy. He's standing in the air with four wings attached behind him. His side-trimmed gray hair matches the smoke halo above its tip. What made him look more like a child is his short and naked feet.

I smirked, "Jex told me about this, that you are the strongest among the Mounts. Even Veursula believe that, and me. You can shift identity, so this is your original form; an Archangel."