56: Bonds

"Veursula? Oh what an irritating opportunity to hear that worthless name again."

"Why? Does Poc means a lot for you?"

He gnash and shuddered in anger. "Don't you dare call me that!"

Some feathers fell but not to the ground, it moves according to Poc's fingers, and now the sharp shaft are pointed at me. Immediately, I knelt down and opened the umbrella from the feathers attack—as sharp as knives and as fast as rain drops.

When done, I squint above to Poc. He plucked one feather and it became his sword. Is he desperate to kill me?!

Like a boomerang, those feather came back to me. Choices didn't came at me, consequently, I covered my head and got a shallow slice on my arms, shoulders and thighs. The reason why I didn't cover is to parry Poc's expected ambush to me. I wasn't able to think a better tactic for that seconds, I failed. But not too late.

My cane holds the blade of Poc's sword.

"You became aggressive," I said.

I pushed him then we exchanged attack and dodging. He's fast with those wings, and he have the greater advantage due to my wounds. I attempted to wound him on the stomach but he twitched backward and clouted my face with his one wing covered in metal.

That hurts!

I was rolled around the ground, and for the worst result, my body ached extremely! I still stand up slowly and wincing. With great embarrassment and mockery, I saw Poc laughing. I smirk.

"Does it hurt?" he asked in a manner of teasing. I didn't answer, I just spared my breath through panting. Then I picked a round magnet under my sleeve with the same size of a coin.

"Yes it hurts more than one... or two times." Along with my count, the magnets increases between my fingers as I flip around my hand. "Or maybe three times, or four, or five." Then I tossed those upward to the sky and didn't fall back.

I started the first step to raid him, and we swapped attack again. The great disadvantage is, my body is painful! I turned the cane to a hammer again and tried to give a batter in front—an obvious mistake—he parried the hammer with his sword and grasp it.

Consequently, he shoved me. To prevent the noble ground-roll, I broke the motion with my soles, holding on the struck hammer to the ground for the weight and balance support. I stood up leisurely with an evil eyes locked on him.

His assault reduced to flinch when a tiny magnet from the sky hit his head. I opened the umbrella then the magnet rain began. A continuous fall hits him liked being stoned.

"That is why you should always bring umbrella," I gave the trivia.

"What's with this disgusting trick?!"

He set foot on the ground and sheltered himself under his wings that turned metallic—my eyes sharpened. In scientific result, almost all the magnets was fastened on his wings which weigh him down.

I ate a small piece of black pepper and I choked.

When the magnet rain ceased, I switched the umbrella to a sword and threatened him while he's grovelling on the ground.

"Don't exceed my mercy. Now give me the mask."

"No mercy... no pain!"

Those sharp feathers are pointed at me from behind. We exchanged menace this time.

I bit my lip and released smoke through my mouth with a rapid dispersion. I sat on my levitating cane higher than the smoke. I can feel him coughing. "It's a smoke coined in pepper, expect the throat itchiness."

He flaps his freed wings to wipe away the smoke. And I beheld his wet eyes. I sense danger! I look above and notice the agile clouds forming a tornado down to me. The rain drops on our spot stopped. I came down on the ground and remained firm.

It's not a tornado, a dragon like worm rolling down to me—at the same time—it's just a wind. Yes, Poc can make such things. But before the monster ever thinks to attack me, I raised my arms and touched it like my docile pet. It simply passed through me without giving harm and attacked my opponent.

He gnashed his teeth in wroth and with a single sway of his arm, the dragon vanished. The wounds on my body are worsen and Poc is the one in fault. He did the same legerdemain to me like how Veursula did the same to Princess Jexica.

The table are turned, I grovel in pain. He clout me his wing again and gripped my throat with a great desire to murder me. I can't speak!

"You're still weak! You have to be aggressive like me!" I look at his eyes, giving a gaze of retaliation.

Later on, he let go and cringe in pain—extreme pain. He vomit blood and shuddering, could be hovering between life and death. I cough then the rain drops again.

"Poc..." I'm worried, he could die! And I can't live blameless with this sin!

His agony stopped when Asnoed came then... he took us inside the house.

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

Both of us are sitting on sofa, coated with towel. He is now on a form of a wingless lad. We remained in silence until Ms. Tough bumped my head and Poc's to each other.

"That was suppose to be a training, not a survival battle!" she reprimanded.

"I know! But I hate failure! I hate it! I hate you!" he exclaimed to me before he huff and left. He's still a child. Ms. Tough sat and leaned her elbow on the backrest to face me, with an enticing look in her eyes. Or it could be natural for her.

"Can you command those eyes? Gradually, you're retrieving the fullest control."

I shook my head for response. "I don't have any idea why he felt the pain. But the only thing I knew... I saw his fear. And that is failure."

"Look at me," she said. Simply staring at her eyes, scenes of unknown events are seen.

She battered her eyelashes and pressed backward covering the holes of her nose with her sleek finger. A nose bleeding! I was startled and anxious.

"I'm okay. It's easy to stop this." She held the blood in handkerchief.

"Your fear... is the death of your father," I uttered.

"That's definitely obvious. For now, you can see a person's fear, and that will trigger to convey the awe then once they felt it, the victim is doomed in pain." She rest her back. "By the way, we're leaving this house. Callions dispersed rapidly around the nation. We need to hasten the prophecy before the hunch came to existence," she added.

"But... how about Annabelle?"

"You still have time to worry with someone far from you. Why don't you mind about someone beside you?" After the exhortation, she left me. I thought about Poc. So I have to pacify this mischievous quarrel?

I sneak inside the room, I found him eating a cookie on the bed. He's back to hia gnome appearance—still huffing.

"What? You're sulking?" I teased.

"Hmph!"

I dive down the bed and he bounced up and downward.

"Aaahhh! How many times do you have to ruin my day! I hate you!"

I pinch his cloth to hang him again in front of my face. "You're strong. How did you became that powerful?"

"What genre of question was that?! Of course I was born powerful!"

"I mean, you have your own world yet you're still lingering on this planet. You can stay longer unlike Maruwie."

"That's because I am the law! I am the most powerful!" He's so cute while he's trying to free himself.

"Then teach me how to be a law."

"Hah! You're just an amateur human! I have no time with the likes of you!"

"But you already did."

He bit my finger and I squalled a little.

"I will never do the same mistake again!" And now he's ignoring me, so I speak to him gently.

"I saw your fear before... and that is failure, right? I'm sorry if I hurt you earlier." I stood up to leave the room. "I hope you like that earring," I said.

He's still amid silence when I left him alone. I stood in front of the window, watching the weeping sky. The heavy rainfall has the same hefty as my burden. Poc's experience is reminiscence to my past failure.

And once again, these memories are painting a frown on my face. While staring carefully to the raindrops, I released the cane under my sleeve—I closed my eyes and stamped the cane as gentle as the single drop. When I felt the breeze of the nature, I opened my vision.

I came back home.

I've finally used teleportation again, going to my home kingdom. Standing here in front of the castle gate, I'm staring and wandering my eyes around the eradicated area. The sky is dark as gloomy though it's not raining yet.

I made a step—still wandering roundabout. I found the wrecked rocking chair of the old lady tailor. I kept my eyes locked on it while walking forward. When I switched the look somewhere else, I found a wheelbarrow blocking the path. Not just that, many more messed things. I started a pace—still looking around.

Slowly, the corner of my lip raised to smile. As a result, I run, jerking and wriggling to avoid the stuffs. When I reached my goal—my home—the smile vanished. And am still proud that I came here without a single accident. Everything was still the same from the last time I came here where we fought King Xavier.

Perhaps, nothing will change if I keep missing the happiness we've made here. I still appreciate that those laughter did happened. Without thinking about the possible weather here, I came to our tree house, a tiny space on Earth that made a huge impact in my personality. I'm just outside that house, seeing the smiling faces of the children.

Us.

How happy we are back then! The wealthy and sweet harmony simply vanished. I face down, looking at the balded ground in which before it was perfectly green.

The rain drops—that was the weather's dedication of sympathy.

I was sheltered under a wing. Poc came after me. I looked at him and his arms are folded, looking at the tree house.

"The world of Mounts exist for the purpose of serving a human. We are slaves. But... we love it. The greater connection we have to humans, the greater our joy. Yet the powerful we are, the more useful we can be. Veursula is the most powerful one in that world. Not until I got the chance to defeat her.

We all have ranks, the strongest will rule the world. And I want that. So many times I tried to defeat her but the only result is failure; mortification; depression. When my wings got bigger, I acquired more power. And I finally got the chance to defeat her, not just once. I trained perilously until I could defeat her with a single flick of my finger.

I became the ruler. Yet I receive less calling from summoners for they can't bear my might. I maintained my prideful reputation to escape failure, and the embarrassment that'll subsequent. It is a great shame to serve a wicked human. That was a big failure for me. Those Callions... the mother are my creation for the purpose of charity. Yet the title turned.

And to make this story shorter..." he gave his gaze to me. "The reason why I became this power is because of my goal. A goal to be the number one."

I smiled at him. "I see."

"According to my observation, nowadays, you're not just sort of dramatic. That's normal, but not good for too much thinking. Now tell me, what is your goal?"

I refrained his gaze and turned it back to the tree house. My soul was consoled and I'm absolutely confident to do my will this moment.

"Justice; and that is... to save Queen Aronah."