CHAPTER 22

Another door at the northern side of the ring opened with a loud cracking sound and what came out from it was a living dead. They were skeletons, with flesh scattered on their body. The sinus of their cranium was visible anywhere the dangling skins failed to cover. Their hair was bald and scanty, as though infested by hair eating worms. It was difficult to distinguish the tattered skin and the rag cloth, from what seem to be a wing, attached perfectly on their spine, just on the cervical and coccyx of the vertebra.

Oh no. Rex stared in horror, trying with great attempt to force down the nausea. The two creatures were like nothing he'd ever seen or heard. As they attack the twenty men, he saw blood lust written all over their faces.

Majority of the crowd were cheering, while about a hand full were mourning with red eyes. Rex felt the urge to do something. He wished he could comfort those crying hopelessly. He empathized with the twenty on the pit and wished he could fight with them. The urge in him was too intense that he sought for the familiar extractor power, but couldn't reach it even though the sun was up. As hard as he tried he couldn't. Rex didn't know what was wrong, so he stared pitifully at the ring. He was of the red linage, the fastest in the history of Anadan. With the Extractor power he was sure he could kill those creatures on the pit ring, as fast as the rays of light on a plane surface. But now, panic filled him, when he realized that he couldn't extract, he felt vulnerable and empty.

"You shouldn't have come here Rex Alba" Rex turned immediately to the direction. The words were tiny that it could have been impossible to hear it from the noise of the crowd. It was precise and familiar, with perfect intonation like a pure Anadan citizen.

"How did you know my name?" Rex asked. The owner of the voice was sitting next to him and was in a leopard vest. Rex recognized him now. It was the man from the gate who had showed him the boutique.

The man sat calmly not looking at his direction. His masked face was staring at the pit ring and dropping on his leopard vest, above his collar bone, was tiny droplets of tears.

Rex Gasp, why is he crying? "I didn't mean to offend you good sir, I was just curious about how you knew my name" Rex added, surprised at the old man's strange behavior. Something about the man's calmness was similar to the deer he had met in the forest and the wolf in the boutique.

"The prophesy Rex, the dreamers prophesy" the man sobbed quietly not looking at him.

Prophesy? Rex was totally confused, he had not heard of any prophesy and the books in Anadan never mentioned any. Even the book of blood and feathers never said anything about prophecy. What is this old man blabbing about? Rex didn't know the question to ask first.

"What is a dream?" Rex asked. "And what prophesy are you talking about?" The words felt strange on his lips. He watched the old man, who flippantly ignored the question. Or so Rex thought. The old man only paused and lifted his head, trying to no avail to damp his wet masked face. But when Rex thought he would not answer, the man said.

From shadows will he rise again

When then the balance shall be altered

And like a basket on sea water he shall destroy light

But when the twin stars of the light comes

Nature would harbor its own

And so would the world of dreams."

Twin stars, Shadows, Dreams? What does it mean? "What in the Heroes city are you talking about? Are you sure you are sane?" Rex blinked with frustration. The old man had stopped sobbing now which was at least welcoming, but he was murmuring to himself quietly.

"Am not mad Rex Alba" The man finally said. He stared directly into Rex's eyes. Rex shivered. The eyes were brown, like the eyes of the wolf and the deer. Oh no, could it be that this old man was the deer and the wolf I met earlier?

"I only mourn Rex" the man was saying "I mourn for the blood that would be shed here today."

Just like a puff of smoke, the man vanished into a thin air.