Chapter 8: Caught by a Half-dead

The woman was not the same as the one he saw before. The woman was old and had overly wrinkled skin. She kneeled down and bowed to Erland. The hurricane fell from her hand and broke. Erland became startled. He tried to scream but he couldn't. The woman was saying something that Erland couldn't understand. She held Erland's legs and seemed to be pleading.

"(Is she some sort of lost soul or something?)Do-Do you need help?" said Erland and tried to calm the woman down.

The woman then took Erland and headed to the backdoor of the house like a gust of wind. His mouth was held by the woman the whole time. He tried to use his magic but he couldn't. He had no idea how to use his power. The moon wasn't shinning that night.

"(I'm regretting this...I shouldn't have left my bed...I'm such an idiot...Why do I always mess things up...why...Is this my end?...No...)" Erland felt guilty for all that was happening to him.

Suddenly, there was a black flame that came from the land. It burnt the woman to ashes and left Erland in a miserable state. There was a hollowing scream. Even though he was not wounded, his cloths were burnt to ashes.

If left Erland startled. He felt a gust of the cold wind and started to rub his arms to warm himself up.

"(So cold. So cold...I can't even see anything in the dark...)" Erland frowned. He tried knocking on a door to see if anyone responds. There was no one.

"Hello?...Can someone take me to my home? It's me, Erland..."

He looked down to see if he had shoes. He noticed that he doesn't have a single thing on and started to cover himself up with his hands instead.

"(Come on...I'm a goddamn teenager. I gotta get outta this mess. Ugh...Maybe I should keep walking. What if I get kidnapped? No...I couldn't even see what way I came because of that creepy woman.)"

From a distance, Erland could see some people coming towards the road he was in with a lamp with faint light.

"(Lamp with faint light...coming out even after hearing such howl...at night...Oh god... JESUS CHRIST they are kidnappers. Who's that again?...I gotta hide.)"

Erland found a bush outside of a building. He hid inside of it and inspected the men from the bush.

"Didn't we hear a howl?" said one of the men.

"We can't even find traces." said the man holding a lamp.

"Who said that we don't have any traces...There are ashes on the ground. The draug has been burnt to ashes...possibly" said the one wearing dark green robe.

Out of the blue, Erland couldn't keep himself from sneezing in the cold night.

"Who's there?"

Erland didn't get startled. He kept himself in the bush and held his breath. The man in robe clutched Erland from the bush.

"Oh...it's a kid. Are you hurt?" said the man.

"No, but I'm cold..." Erland sneezed once again. The man took Erland under his coat and calmly asked,

"What happened?"

"Why should I tell you?" said Erland.

"You are suspicious of me. Ha ha ha, would you mind to come with me? There are hot cocoa milk and candies."

"I have enough candies at home and momma buys me what I want so, no need."

"Ha ha...Belen move the lamp here please. I can't see his face."

The man named Belen took the lamp in his hands to the man in robe. Finally both Erland and the man could see each others faces. The man was wearing a hood on his head. He had straight black hair with a little bit of brown. His skin seemed like a corpse itself because of the paleness. His hazel brown eyes made him look like a cat wandering in the middle of the night. He was wearing a pair of earrings which had emerald beads.

"Wow, you look like me." said Erland.

"Yeah, we do look alike." said the man as if he has always been this playful.

"Arne, we are wasting time here. Either hand him to someone else or give us order to go." said one of the men who had a distinguish beard.

"(Arne...my older brother...Hilda mentioned him once...)" Erland's eyes became wide.

"I'll take care of him. He is related to the 'big thing' so I'll deal with him. Go take care of other matters."

"Yes, my Hierius. What shall we do about the upcoming day of Heim in Western Gaion?"

"About that, I have to think about it. Give me some time there are still days left. You can go now. It won't take much time for me to deal with this situation. May the lords bless you all."

All the men were gone. One of them kept a lamp on the ground for the man in robe.

"So...your name is Arne.( I'm not sure whether I should reveal my identity now. Best to keep it secret.)"

"Yes, what's yours?" said Arne.

"I won't tell you until you tell me who you are."

"Okay...I'm a priest in the land of Gaion. You can call me Hierius if you want to be formal. The best would be calling me Arne for now."

"Mm...Okay...So, I'm Erland."

"Erland? Hm...such a name you've got. Do you wish to go abroad?"

The man started walking with Erland in one arm and the lamp's handle in other.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I am a priest Erland. Believe me son, I shall not betray you."

"(You look like you are eighteen and you are calling me son. What a world to live in)" Erland's face was bemused.

"I was just taking a simple walk towards the bench. We can sit there and talk."

"No no no no NO NO NO! I-I don't have any cloths!"

"Oh? Well then it's the best to chat here then. So, Erland. You didn't answer my previous question." Arne stopped walking.

"About your question...Not really but I like travelling around and taking strolls."

"Is that so...Now please fill me in about the incident."

"Long story short, a creepy lady took me from home and took my cloths away probably and now I am naked."

"Oh...was that all?" said Arne seeming slightly bemused.

"Not entirely but yes that is all."

"Seems fair enough. Did you respond to that creepy lady?"

"I did. She took me after that."

"If something like this happens again, never respond."

"Why does it attack if I respond?"

"Good question...As you see, there are nine realms in total and in total of three worlds in this universe. Oh wait, can you count?"

"I will remember the words."

"So as you see, Gaion is a small nation in the middle world, where us mortals live. Since it is the fifth layer of the universe, it is in the middle of all world. Hence, it's close to both of the realms of the lords we all worship. The thing you just saw is called draug. They are half-dead being who sometimes come here from the hell to escape the torture. The draug came to you with a bad intention and when you spoke, there is a barrier between us and them which broke. That is all you get to know for now."

"Wow...So, I just met a ghost?"

"Are you scared?" Arne smiled.

"No. Ghosts are cool! But scary...I got scared but not scared at the same time."

"I know how you feel."

Suddenly there was a shadow emerging from the sky. It landed on the ground and showed it's face.

"Hierius, there is an emergency. Please hand the child to me and proceed to assist Hierius Belen." said the man who emerged from the dark.

"Where is he?"

"There." The man pointed to a place. Along with the coat, Arne handed Erland who was wrapped in it, to the man. Then just like the man, he flew away as the form of a shadow.

"Alright child. Where is your home? What're your mom and dad's names?"

"I am from the Hephaestus family."

"Oh I see. No wonder the draug took you..." The man seemed a bit worried. "You are safe now." The man held the lamp.

Erland sneezed again and looked pale in the lamp light. He assured Erland that the draug could not take him too far.

Within five minutes, Erland was home. The surprising matter was that no one seemed awake in the house. The man knocked on the door and said that he has gotten their child. Someone threw a dagger from behind and went towards them.

The dagger got stuck with the door. The person who threw it, was no other than Erik. He pulled out the dagger, hit the man's chest with his elbow and held the dagger's blade close to his neck. The man was about to drop the lamp but he didn't.

"Dad, STOP!"

"Sir, you misunderstand me. I came here to escort your child. Now please put the dagger down. I'm a mere messenger from the central Naos." said the man with a startled expression.

Erik put the dagger down and took Erland in his arms.

"Dad, hold me tight-" said Erland.

"I am never letting you go." said Erik with a gloomy face.

"No- I mean thanks pops I love you but the thing is that the draug thingie took my cloths. My no-no places are gonna be shown if you loosen the coat of my body."

"Oh...who's coat is that?"

Erland did not answer.

Afterwards, the man filled him in about the whole incident along with Erland. Erland told him the exact thing that has been told to Arne. He didn't say Arne's name. All he said was a bunch of priests came and saved him.

"I apologize for my irrational moves. I didn't think for a moment that why would you return my child after taking him if you really were the culprit. I'm really sorry." said Erik.

"I am a father myself. I can feel you Sir. I shall take my leave now." The man left like the last time when he appeared in front of Erland.

"Do you know his name?" said Erik.

"No. Do you want to give him something?"

"Since the Naos saved my child, I will make a huge offering there. Come with me, we have to find the ladies. They are out in the woods."

"Isn't it dangerous? Why did you leave them alone?"

"Don't worry, Randi's there. The one they should fear is Randi."

"Why is Randi so powerful?"

"She used to be one of the people who fights, that's why. She had a lot of learning to do to become this powerful."

"Oh...(Did dad in that world talk like this to me? Did he even talk?)"

At last, they found the ladies being drenched in water. Hilda was covered in mud and Gunhild had leaves all over herself. Randi seemed to be fine among all of them. She was carrying a whole boar on her back with one hand and had a knife in her other hand. Meanwhile Hilda was dying of disgust. Erland stared at the ladies apathetically. Erland later got home and told his family about the incident.

The next day came. Randi checked his notebook if he has written correctly and neatly. He had 24 check marks on 24 runes. With pleasure, he packed his small bag with his usual stuffs and went outside with grandma Ase. They both went to head to the northern Gaion which is the place of the richest people in Gaion.

"(Knowing grandma Ase's personality, this is gonna be quiet a scene...)" Erland put on a bemused happy face and went forward with the town's all favorite cheerful grandma Ase.