13: Bait

Something hit my forehead. A glass ball? And unfortunately, I was the one who fell asleep! I found Haris lying beside me, blowing a stick that forms bubbles floating around the air. Finally, the night is here. I can still hear the music from the village.

I raise my arm to touch a bubble near me with my single finger. As expected, it pops out. Haris does the same but contrast in sequel. When he touch it, it became a solid bubble. Like a crystal. He took a glimpse inside the bubble with a single eye, closing the other. I stretch my arms up

"So? What do you see?" I asked.

"Fireworks," he said. I scowl with confusion. Then I heard loud whistle, like star hiking up to the sky. Then explode like a colorful flower. It came from the village. They continue firing. Here's a perfect view, I feel like those thousands of glitters sparkling above will fall to me to burn my skin. Well that's my mentality when I was a child.

We celebrate my birthday with fireworks. And this thing made me miss my home. I must resist. Or maybe this up coming days, I'll get use to our situation. I stand up and pull him, I show my excitement again to join the village.

Everyone is dancing with the lively music melody. But what attracts me are the foods served. And with my broken expectation, it's a food exclusive for orcs. Fresh meats of wolves... I control the feeling of spew.

One of the orc called me, a male. And he shew me the foods served for us humans.

"Of course we won't forget about our human visitors," he said. I grin and told him my gratitude. I can't restrain tasting it all, everything they serve is savory for my tongue. I remember my mother's cook, I wonder when we will eat together again. While taking my time to chew, I noticed Haris staring at the dancing crowd. I pierced a morsel of meat for him.

"Haris, you should eat before tomorrow comes."

"I'm not hung—" I know he'll refuse, so I just force him to eat it.

"You said you need energy. So why not eat?" He looks sullen, still he eat with me. I know we can't finish this all this night. I hope we can take it to our journey. I found Haris spacing out to the crowd again while chewing.

"Hey! What's wrong? Do you enjoy watching them?"

"It's too astounding why they do such a movement..." I don't understand him. His weirdness is helpless. I just laugh

"You're saying, why they're dancing?" he looked at me and pardon my words, "What?" maybe he failed to hear me. Of course it's blatant.

"You know... when you hear the music you feel like you wanna dance..." he pause after I said that. Like thinking deeply the meaning of music. "Do you want to dance?" he shook his head. But for me it's yes. I pull him in the middle of the crowd, dancing according to the rhythm. But he's too shy. Later on, they gather in one spot. Maybe it's time to greet the birthday girl.

I pull him to see what's the situation. I trample a water on the ground and it splashes. Haris pulled me back with intense strength, practically I lost my balance. A Callion suddenly attack from below. He was scratched on his face that even his mask was thrown away. I got worried when he clattered. Another one is coming; my hair is untied therefore I don't have Sdieng's strength.

The target is me. I dodged its attack, behind it I sway my leg higher to kick it. When it clattered, it became a froth. I realized the water I tread before was gone, was that a Callion too? Haris can stand on his own while wearing his mask. I failed to see his face. And he even looks so calm.

"Haris! Are you alright?!"

"Huh? Yah." He doesn't have a scar on his face. He used his gift with an instant. His thinking is as quick as thunder. Callions are still raiding. However, orcs can handle them. I don't even have to help them. I was so nervous that those creatures will ruin this feast.

"Don't worry. We're safe here," Haris said.

I heard a loud and hard growl of a huge specie, like the mother of Callions. It's a mother too, a mother orc, the birthday girl. She screams that raises my hairs and vibrates my mind. That sure scared all the Callions and that's how they retreat slowly. And what's funny, the music never stopped. They all rejoice like winners of war when the Callions left.

I wonder how strong they are if they became our allies. This whole night, despite of the Callion's destruction, we all continue to celebrate until the time I feel very sleepy. Inside our room, it's very rare that Haris refuse to sleep. He's looking over the window, up to the stars.

"Tonight, maybe after few seconds, meteor shower will occur. You wanna see?" he informed me. Meteor shower? I've never seen that before, I don't like stars yet my father does. But I would also like to see that, I glimpse through the window too

"Let's sleep outside," he said.

"Huh? We'll catch a cold for sure!"

"Then we use blanket, idiot." I pout. Since he walked away I have no choice but to follow him. Back to the spot where we lay before, this place was chosen. He asked me to blow the violet balloon. I did once and it spread widely, enough for a bed. I smile.

When I lay, I bounce, I even play there because it's fun! The texture is very smooth, and for the blanket, he pulled it out of his sleeve. A fluffy bear-like fur. Perfect for the cold weather of the night. We share the same blanket. That could be warmer.

When we lay again together, I keep my eyes on the stars. Waiting for meteor shower.

"Hey... Haris, are we safe here?" he's not answering. And of course he's asleep. I pinch his nose for long to disturb his breathing. I can't resist from laughing. He pinches my nose too.

"Aaaawww!" I massage my nose to ease the pain.

"Why are you sleeping?!"

"Because I'm sleepy!"

"I thought—" he want to see. Or maybe he just want to show me, not to see by himself. I shiver when the trees exhaled. I hug the blanket tight and suddenly remember my bed at home.

"Ugh... I miss my home..." I moan.

"Me too," he murmurs; I felt a bleak from his voice. He's homeless. He has the right to miss home than me. I noticed fast light from the sky. With extreme speed, I can't follow with my sight. Stars keeps on falling truly like a rain shower. I'm sleepy, yet I want to keep my eyes open.

Maybe this is why my father loves stars. I wish I could record this scene and brag it to him back home! So this very night, I started loving stars too.

(King Xavier)

Here on an open field where I will do the sealing. I'm tossing the round rock painted with blood. I'm trying to relax myself since this sealing is crucial and tiresome. For the last toss, the rock floats in front of me, I'm starting to form a strong light and force going to the sky to spread around the nation.

Ms. Tough disrupted my concentration by clearing her throat. She's standing behind me in a distance beside Rhea.

"You're indecisive," I said. She walk closer.

"I still refuse your plan. If I were you, I will seal the whole nation. Corner all the enemies stuck here and form an allied kingdom to war against the enemy in their nation. That may be helpful to increase the unity of your people."

Another suggestion for this battle. She became god because of her braveness. She performed plans that succeeded countless times. She could be helpful in this situation.

I increase the powers I gathered. A huge light that rises to the heaven may caught everyone's attention. That blinds Ms. Tough's sight. This sealing last a one whole minute. Then slowly fades, after that, I felt like I just dive from a bottomless pit.

The rock is gone. Ms. Tough look above and smirk

"You sealed the whole nation."

"So? What's your plan?" I asked.

"I need to gather enough information first. And, inform everyone about this changed plan." I guess I need to call for another conference. But I'll just conceal this tactic with someone I can truly trust. That could help not to have the same mistake this last gathering.

"Xavier, shall we proceed to your next task?" said Rhea.

"Yes, that may help for information gathering, right?" I pass the answer to Ms Tough. She smirks again

"Investigation in Ethiopia kingdom? I see. That could be helpful too."

I let her borrow a horse and her attendant. We included 5 knights in case of battle assist. Before we leave, I bid my farewell to my queen. She's standing there on the doorway.

"Xavier, why can't we just teleport from here to Ethiopia?" Rhea asked.

"Yes we will. But we can't do it here, this place is sealed," she nodded. We ride and left. When we pass the portal, instead of the cliff, we're here in the residence area of Ethiopia.

Constructionally, nothing changed. But not even a living thing can be seen. Just like an abandoned kingdom. We move forward slowly while searching the whole place.

"Looks like this place is long asleep in silence," Ms. Tough said. I can sense human being for a distance, behind the castle. I came to see if my hunch is true and it is. A heap of burned corpses are left here. With their numbers, I guess they are all the citizens here.

Rhea is trying not to spew with the smell. I wonder where the King is.

"Rhea, stay with Tough."

"Where are you going?"

"Inside the castle," then she nodded. I left them there, studying the spot. In front of the entrance door I walk on my own, I left Alpha outside. As I open the door, the sound echoes through the hallway. On the very end of the door way is an open door to the throne.

I hope not to see the King hanging like Queen Dreas. It's dark onward, so I can't describe it clearly. I heard someone calling my name outside, screaming. That was Ms. Tough's voice. There could be something wrong!

I move an inch backward when I sense an attempt for shot attack. I raise from the ground a big and round stone for defense yet it pierced and penetrate into the rock, the edge almost reached my eye. It's a silver and huge spear.

I don't sense anything alive here except me. Is there a gift that can block my skill in sensor? I can't hear the scream, but what I here is a whisper that bounces on the walls. I don't understand what is says, I keep on alert.

I'm slowly starting to know the message, it says 'Sleep'. I cover my ears by stone, I can only feel my heart beat but I feel sleepy. I clatter, slowly closing my eyes when the door closed. That's all I remember because I lost consciousness. I let my guard down! I grabbed the enemy's bait!