[Bonus chapter]New Shoes- Part Three

Splash!

"After scaring the sh*t out of me, I find my wonderful soulmate slumbering in the river. Such a pleasant resolution, don't you think? Ah! I swear to the gods of Aysgarth, I'll get my revenge. That day to come, I will rejoice in your pure self-infliction" spoken by the offended man nearing a gigantic oak tree, where its bark slithered greasily. Two horses were tied around one of its branches, as they preyed on weeds, and extra hays.

The young man who is none other than Sir Dante, rolled his eyes at someone at the river. His nose further coiled inadvertently in mirth. He wore a simple attire - a brown shirt and black trousers, and with his sword around his waist.

"How long will a boar laze around inside the river?" Sir Dante cursed soon after.

"Do you never sit down or shut your da*n sour mouth? Enlighten me, will you?"

An insolent voice ascended from the river, bubbling with hot steams, and its waves overpowering the silhouette in its home. The river, half of it, blue and the rest frothy, conjoined together as the silhouette pushed his body deeper to the never end.

The river was usually a friend to him, with its gentle currents caressing his feet as he sat on its banks. Today, the fast and aggressive pace of the water threatened to drag his entire body away. As reckless as he pertained, he didn't fear the possible chances of losing his life. Rather, he took pleasure in it, and he submerged deeper into the depth.

"You could have slit my throat and God forbid; I could have died. What would have happened when you returned my lifeless body to Aysgarth? The repercussions. The gods will turn hysterical" Sir Dante was furious, especially after the commander had spoken so sarcastically. He'd admit, he was hurt by the commander's cold personality. He blamed no one but himself.

"Relax, Lothaire. I was making an example. Quell in fretting over such matter" The silhouette inside the river had explained, still his tone, emotionless.

"By making me the scapegoat! Ah! Such a great leader you are. I must congratulate your unique humor and lessons. Could you not speak my native name? It doesn't suit a man as great as you are" Sir Dante, angered to his limit, remarked, with his senses out of his brain.

"You demure me, Lothaire. You have nothing to farce about, I'll reward your chivalry if, by all means, we return to our land. This place is unhealthy, but not without some blood"

Sir Dante scoffed. He was no longer, getting support from the tree as he gathered his wits and harried to the bridge connected to the river before his senses were completely gone. The river was a part of Aetherwatch, however, the route was also associated with Roselake, the fifth town under Heathmoor.

It was said that both Aetherwatch and Roselake were originally one nation. One blood. One bond. Due to the decrepit of Heathmoor and the attacks by the creatures of the night, an organized nation had been divided into seven. Aetherwatch, Lackermoon, Serpentine, Favurtury, Roselake, Danduncity, and lastly, Center of Heathmoor, the main city.

More to be told, Aetherwatch had suffered the greater losses as they had all agriculture. A weapon every town envied, and the poor town became a victim to over-selfishness and greediness.

Sir Dante thought "Poor thing. Will have to be destroyed once again" He hated the degradations of these small towns the imperial King lusted to acquire. Sometimes he wondered about the virtues and unsaintly gluttony of the royal family. Couldn't they ever be contented with one power? Must they desire all? It was exhausting. He could only pity the ones born into such litany power.

From the bridge, he could hear the gentle gurgling of the river below. The mellow sounds cooled his angry mind. Eventually, the waves quieted down, and he sighted the tranquil river flowing effortlessly along its banks.

"Lothaire, come get me my attire" He heard the commander call for him. His soothing mood broke horridly as if he saw the glasses shredding in his face.

He shouted back "I will when you quit calling my native name. You know how I despise the nonsensical prodigy."

"I don't care. Get...me...my...attire."

-----

"Can you pretend to act your age? And be polite, for once" As he replaced the handkerchief, he had helped to clean the commander's stoic face, Sir Dante glanced over at the young man before him. There were times when he pitied this soul and in other moments, he uttered profanity, wildly.

"You've turned twenty, wouldn't you celebrate it? Have some beers and a woman by your side. You are passed your puberty, right?" Sir Dante proposed. He helped the man hold the pair of trousers, as he bent over to put them on. The commander was bare-naked in broad daylight, and he wouldn't dare to look down there.

Ah! gods of Aysgarth. Save my soul and redeem me.

"You are angry, and your heart is filled with hatred, but don't go on killing people. Your reckless act will get you heavily punished one day. You beheaded two Knights. Don't you feel remorse at all? Your heart, didn't it shake a little as you murdered innocent people?" Sir Dante had been meaning to inquire since the incident that occurred the previous night. He had tried to hold his wretched guts after burying the bodies. Only the gods knew how much he had suffered.

"So"

"You are a lost cause. Anyways, the King ordained for your presence. We might finally have the chance to return home" Sir Dante announced as he handed the coat to the man. He craned his neck as he stared into the man's dead eyes.

"You miss your family too, right? You left them at such a young age, even being promoted to a hefty rank at a young age. The burdens. The pain. Malachi, contact them, for your sake. You look lifeless. You are like a dead soul, forcing life into a body" The knight said in a softened voice, one he only made use of to his brothers. Now he missed his homeland. How long have they stayed in this foreign land? Three years pro.

"I miss no one. I'll get Philip myself if you can't oblige to your job" The deep, familiarity of maliciousness, filled in the commander's words, snapped Sir Dante back to earth.

"What would the King think? Let me do the work. You need to rest after that bloody night" Sir Dante put his hand forward to pat the man's hair. However, his clean move got mercilessly shoved to the side, and two dark-golden brown eyes glared at him.

"Touch me again and you lose both hands" He threatened.

"Malachi, you need to be eradicated and washed off from the evil spirit. Your mood swings is like a woman in her unfertile days" After saying that, the knight ran for his life.

---------

It was half past an hour since the two men on horseback had been parading, galloping in the forest. Finally, they got to a pathway road where there existed not a single villager. As the clip-clop of their horses pleased their ears, they walked past the mountain of abandoned cattles by the road.

"How much longer, Malachi? Take some rest, will you! We are made of sand, not machines" Sir Dante almost screamed as he complained. He was exhausted and the scorching sun didn't make it any better. It brooded a headache. And there was another devil beside him who was unfazed by his torment. Ah, to what sin did I have to endure this hell.

"Malachi..."

"Hush! I hear noises" The commander knitted his brows while he halted his horse. He stuck his nose to the air and sniffed. In the process, a line appeared between his brows, and he pressed his lips together. The black mare squealed in return. The commander ran his eyes through the patterns of the white buckwheat on the field. He remembered passing here when he met that person.

His answers.

"What do you hear? Have you turned to them? Like your brothers" Asked Sir Dante, who was trying to save his body from the sun. Malachi may have resistance, but not he.

"Tears. Cries. Death"

"Uh?"

"Hayah!!" At once, the commander started his horse again and it sped off, leaving Sir Dante to curse at the man. He too followed the commander's horse, until they stopped by the back of a tower.

"Why did you...Is that a child over there?" Sir Dante took his eyes to the small body at the well, seeming to take her poor life, from what he could see. His expression turned shocked, and his body trembled.

"She's trying to end her life"

"Interesting!" The commander remarked as he looked fascinated by the child.

Taking a closer step towards the well, the commander commented "What have we got here? A foolish human, tired of the free breath of life. Interesting"

He noticed the frail body freeze.

"Ah, not again with this sarcastic tone" Sir Dante roared behind him. Probably that had riled up the child as she lost control of her balance. Her legs levitated in the air, and she screamed out "Ah, I don't want to die. Please save me. Help me"

"Foolish human" Malachi spat.