Chapter 18: Trust

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He whispered as he peeked at him in his shoulders.

None of them made a sound. They were both stuck in the tall bushes of the forest, not making any move. They've been sitting there for hours.

He started to feel itchy in his feet, despite the silk surrounding his body. His face may never be seen, but someone can tell that he's irritated since he's been scratching his body the whole time. He never wanted to be here. He never wanted to break any rules. But his friend wanted to.

In front of them was a small shrine made of chiseled stones and clay in different designs and patterns. The whole altar was as white as snow, and flowers of different colors are blooming around it, mesmerizing the beauty of the place. Despite the canopies that had been blocking the sun, the light still passed through them, pointing at the shrine.

"Why not?" The man beside him said, also faceless, staring intensely at the small place, didn't even bother to fix his blue hair that was now covered with leaves and small twigs. He won't let anyone bother him right now. He had been waiting for this time in his entire life.

"I mean… this is a sacred place." He answered, sounding it like it's obvious. The shrine was only meant to be prayed outside the surrounding fields, not to enter inside and took whatever they can see.

"Kandani, my family's relic was inside." The other explained. "I should have the right to claim it mine."

Kandani doesn't have a choice but to lower his head, starting to doubt what they were gonna do right now. He couldn't help but admit that his friend had been acting strange lately. It's like he really changed as a person. This is not what he remembered him to be. He is usually kind and satisfied with what he has, and always respecting the seniors of their village. But after that event, he became different…

"B-But…" He tried to argue with him, but he knew he couldn't. Who would listen to a coward like him anyway? No one. No one except his friend. He had been with him since he came out of his egg, abandoned by his parents. No one accepted and loved him other than the man he's with.

"Everything will be fine." The blue-haired said, patting the back of his shoulders.

"Trust me."

***

MERIA ARCSON

"Do you trust me?"

I asked him in my serious tone, trying to convince him in giving me his faith. No one knows how to turn off the scarnets' anti-magic ability except them. They were so rare to see that almost no books will discuss their existence. All I can do know was to insist him in removing it.

But my plan failed, and it's already too late.

Before I turned around and took a peek to check on the Cerberus, I could see its claws in my peripheral vision, ready to strike me. I closed my eyes.

It lasted long and I could feel that the claws were interrupted by something that I didn't know. So I opened my eyes and saw Cainne stopping the gigantic dog from attacking with his short sword. Even though he prevented the assault, he was struggling, sweats start dripping from his head.

"Go!" He yelled.

We didn't have a choice but to follow his orders and run away. I started to feel worried, not just for Cainne, but for our situation as well.

Just like before, he was thrown away by the monster immediately, flying towards our direction, couldn't be able to stop it. Once again, he groaned in pain as the Cerberus ran to us with great speed.

It was getting nearer in our position, and we couldn't be able to do anything about it. I closed my eyes once again, didn't want to see the terror I will see before I die.

This is it. This is the end of me. My life was fun and dangerous at the same time. I didn't expect that I could be able to possess magic like this, and meet new people, no matter if they're friends or foes. I'm glad to be alive, but I guess this is goodbye.

"I trust you!"

I was about to give up and lose hope for the future until I heard a familiar voice yelled beside me. I opened my eyes back with agility and raised my head to see who said it. There, I saw Kandani standing along with us. Even though I couldn't be able to see his face, I knew that the voice came from him.

My eyes widened out of shock, didn't want to believe what I just heard from him. Did he really say that? Is he really…?

"I trust you, Meria!" He shouted once again. I can feel his gestures the desperation and full trust he was giving to us, to me.

His whole body suddenly glowed under the starry sky, brighter than the moon itself. He gave light to the whole forest and pushed the dark mists that had been covering the beauty and peace of the place. That didn't take long, and the light surrounding him disappeared instantly.

Along with him, intense pain can be felt inside my body, my heart. Just like before, it was burning my chest like there's been a fire inside. I reached for it, trying to stop the ache from being worse, but to no avail. I kneeled down in the ground, focusing only on my struggle, and nothing else around me.

I saw the Cerberus charging, taking this time as an opportunity, now that I'm already weak and tortured. Then, at the same time, the pain was already gone, letting me breathe some fresh air.

I grabbed this as a chance and raised my hand towards the approaching dog. I can feel a strange feeling flowing around my body, desperate to come out from the cage that they've been at this whole time. I let my palm faced the monster, and my magic to do its thing.

Closing my eyes, I desired for everything, just like what I did before. I desired for our lives and escape from the forest safe and sound. I desired for the people around me to give their trust to my power. With this, the plan will work.

The Cerberus is finally standing in front of me, opening their mouths with million teeth inside, ready to eat my flesh and bones. I trusted my magic and my ability and tried to not feel any fear. I know that I've been scared my whole life, but now is not the time to think about it.

The force surrounding me finally came out, focusing on only one direction that I wanted it to be. After that, the dog was finally thrown further away with a force that no human would expect to witness. Every tree in its direction fell down, couldn't be able to carry its weight and stop its tracks. It finally fell on the ground and was about to fight again.

Dalary ordered the birds that have been flying all around the woods to charge towards the Cerberus. When they finally made it, they started flying all around their heads, from the back and from the bottom, trying to distract its focus from our attempted plan.

"Cainne!" I signaled as loud as I can, turning around to see him.

Despite the wounds that wrapped all around his body, he still stood up and grabbed his sword. Then, he sprinted towards the dog that was meters away from our position. His sword glowed into a blinding light of gold. In that blade, I felt the same feeling that I felt every time I use magic.

After making it, he sneaked under the Cerberus while it was being attacked by the birds, and stabbed it to its chest. The monster roared in pain, couldn't be able to take the damage that it's been receiving from the sword. It may look like an ordinary short sword to anyone, but it seems like there's magic stored inside it, like how magic orbs can.

I've never seen or heard anything like that before. Not to anyone, not on any books in the library of the Deravon Kingdom. My focus was suddenly going to Cainne's sword and not the plan that we executed right just now.

Because of how severe my friend's sword had done to the Cerberus, it stepped backward and ran away from our sight, never gonna disturb our journey ever again. I know I should smile because of our victory, but my muscles are so exhausted that I couldn't be able to form a smile.

"We did it. We did it!" Dalary celebrated as she raised her hands in the air, proud of our success. "We scared it away!"

The whole crew started to gather up, smiling at each other for the victory we've gain right now. I've never been so happy in all of my life that the Above was able to give me a chance to continue living. Among all of my encounters, that's the most intense I've ever experienced.

While we're preparing for our leave and go back to where Dino is staying, Kandani approached me with a lowered head.

"U-Umm... I'm sorry... for deactivating your magic..." He said, still lowering his head. It looks like he's very shy. But even though he wasn't making eye contact, I know that it was a sincere apology.

Of course, I'm slightly upset that he turned off our magic and not trusting us, but the fact that people made mistakes kept coming back to me. And besides, I'm not the kind of person to throw an argument.

"It's fine. I'm glad that you trusted us," I said, giving him a sincere smile that I was able to pull through despite the tiredness that I feel. Even though I can't see his face, his muscles stretched upward, thus telling me that he smiled.

It looks like there will be a new companion added in the journey.