Chapter 22: A Kind Old Man

At the Viscount's manor, the viscount has his eyes terrifyingly big as Alissa explains everything to him.

"I uhh… I asked, dear brother, one final wish before he departs tomorrow after torturing him… I didn't know it'd end up like this… Please forgive me, father…"

Alissa couldn't stop shaking underneath her breath. It was her own mistake that led her here. Everything didn't go according to her calculations. Although she explained everything to him and told everything in truth, Viscount Anwir still hasn't dismissed his cold tyrant eyes…

Alissa kept bowing her head, as she continued to stay humble. She gritted her teeths, as she promised in her head to kill him in his own hands once she found him.

But for now, her nightmares had only begun…

Viscount Anwir noticed something crucial and walked up to her. His strong and well built hands left his side, before grabbing the neck of his fragile daughter and raising her into the ceiling.

"Euerrgkkkk! Mmmppphhh!!!"

Alissa tried her best to escape her father's hands, however he's just too strong… Alissa's slowly losing her consciousness as Viscount Anwir tightened his grab over her fragile neck. It seemed like she was about to pass out any moment by now.

Viscount Anwir glared at her as he continued to choke her neck. He didn't anticipate any of this to happen, he wasn't fully ready to accept everything.

"I thought I already instructed you that you should stop doing whatever the f*ck you want today, no..? Didn't I tell you to never let your guard down, yet why are you doing this. Are you doing it on purpose..?"

"N-... No… Fa-... Ther…"

Alissa struggled from his hand, but still chose to respond to him. Viscount Anwir finally let go of her before throwing her off to the side.

Alissa rolled over the ground, as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Haaa….. Hahhh….. Ahhhh…"

Her eyes were all bloodshot as she started facing the ground. There seemed to be no strength left from her body as it doesn't respond to her whenever she tries her best to move an inch.

Viscount Anwir looked down on her and ignored her limping on the ground pathetically, before calling out to Jredd and everyone on the manor.

"All of you, search everywhere and find Dan. No matter what, we have to find him before he makes it out of the Kingdom. Everyone's head is on the line. Even if you have to search everywhere, go look at every corner… And for you," Paused, Viscount Anwir glared at Alissa and continued, "Alissa. You stay here. We're going to have a lot of talks when I'm back. Prepare yourself."

Viscount Anwir gritted his teeth as they all soon dispersed to find Kendrick.

****

Everything seemed to be so cold, and dark. Kendrick seemed to be lost in the unending darkness, as the darkness expanded into a horizon.

"Where am I..?"

The darkness seemed to have only his consciousness, Kendrick wandered everywhere but failed to find a way out.

And suddenly, in that darkness, a light gleamed a hue as it shined everything in sight. It was brimming with bright light that seemed to speak of hope. Kendrick extended his hand and tried to reach out for the light, however, as he was about to reach the light, a ceiling made out of wood suddenly came to his sight…

Kendrick finally recalled everything that happened before he passed out, and tried his best to be out of bed.

However, an unknown voice stopped him from doing so. It was a strange yet non hostile voice.

"You should rest for now. Your body still ain't in a good shape."

When Kendrick shifted his gaze to find the owner of the voice, he found an old man drinking a coffee, staring out the window.

Kendrick was immediately alerted by the old man's calmed demeanor and jumped off the bed, before scanning his surroundings in an attempt to look for an exit and escape his way out.

And as soon as he found the door that could possibly lead out, Kendrick immediately ran like a coward, and tried to reach the door.

However, before he was able to do so, his body couldn't handle the backlash from the previous experiences he had, and gave up on its own, before he fell to the ground.

"Ah…"

Kendrick's eyes were shaking as he tried to muster strength over his body and crawl his way out. Everything in order to survive.

The old man sighed as he started scratching his head.

"I told you it would be bad to move in your current state right now… Are you deaf or something?"

The old man helped him up and placed him on the bed again. Kendrick struggled to get out of his help, however, couldn't fight back at all. And even if he could, he doubts it will do anything, as the strange old man seemed to be so strong for some reason.

Kendrick glared at him as he laid down on the bed completely immobile.

"Who are you..?"

There's no one he could trust right now, since he's definitely being chased down but, he had no other choice anyways but to trust him, since he seemed to be not getting out of this mess anytime sooner.

The old man seemed to realize the hostile look of the young man from his eyes and chuckled before introducing himself.

"I'm just a practitioner passing by. You can call me anything you want, young man. I came from Euphoria to the north, I guess that should be enough information to tell you, no?"

Although Kendrick couldn't relax at all at who this old man possibly was. For some reason, he felt like deep inside, it's okay to trust the strange old man. He doesn't seem to have any hostile intention whenever Kendrick stares deep into his eyes. In the end, Kendrick chose to trust him for now and asked everything else.

"Where are we..?"

The old man looked to be so troubled, as he started scratching his head again in annoyance.

"We're at my house."

"House??"

"Yes, I built this house in the middle of the forest so it'll be away from the villagers. I don't like troubles after all."

Kendrick was quite satisfied by his answers as he finally asked the most important part…

"How did you find me..?"

Is he an enemy or an ally?

The question still remains unanswered in the meantime even with a little trust.