THREE ISN’T A CROWED?

Ken and Kai had entered the Hubok jungle as known by the locals. Hu-Bok in the native tongue meant "the Mist realm" famous as the name implied for its dense mist and thick fog. It was more of a swamp then a jungle. Thick moss covered everything, dangling vines, mud holes, trees of odd shapes and the various sounds of living creatures that inhabited the place dulled the senses of any traveler. This was understood as the reason for the many disappearances that had taken place in the jungle.

The Wolf convoy on the out skirts of the previous village had supplied quite a bit of information about this land so Kai and Ken were rather well prepared. Map in hand, Kai was tracking through the barely visible path that twisted and turned as it went through Hubok. Ken, who had agreed on not using his own demonic powers to help Kai unless extremely necessary was drifting beside Kai a bored expression on his face,

"What's with that look? I am the one with my feet in the mud" Kai inquired with an annoyed complaint.

"And just what is that supposed to mean. I thought you agreed to me helping you as less as possible. Did you expect it to be a joy ride?"

Kai shook his head while still moving forward, "Frankly, Uncle got me at the time, I didn't expect the journey to be this long!!"

"Huh, what are you? A princess? It's just been a month since we set out"

"Well... I am not used to this much travelling" Kai exclaimed.

"Haha! Better steady yourself then! Apparently, we aren't even halfway there yet"

"Seriously?" Kai groaned.

"Your decisions, your problems" Ken was seemingly enjoying himself.

"Hey! I thought we were in this together"

"Sure, we are," Ken replied in a mocking voice.

After another hour of walking Kai finally stopped.

"What?!" Ken exclaimed.

"I'm tired. My feet hurt. My legs hurt. My arms feel heavy and I want some rest."

"Come on now! you have only walked about 10 miles since our last break."

"10 miles!! They might be nothing for you seeing all you're doing is floating" Kai groaned

"What do you think floating is easy?" Ken continued in his mocking voice.

"Yes, that's exactly what I think."

"Good point. Anyway. The map says there is a clearing not far from here, about 3 miles ahead. Let's at least go there so that we can set up camp"

"3 miles. urgh" Kai groaned again "Ah well I've come this far"

"Hey Kai. You mind if I go on ahead and scout the place?"

"Ah, Ahaan, sure go ahead."

"Right you just keep walking forward in the same direction, got your compass on you right?"

"Yup"

"Alright then, I am off"

...

Almost 2 hours later. Kai dragged himself into the clearing, his feet almost shivering from exhaustion. It was almost sundown and Ken was nowhere to be seen.

Too tired to think properly, Kai dropped himself and lay down on the grass.

It was when he was at ground level that he caught sight of something, not sure what it was, Kai turned around to face it. Surely enough something was covered in moss, algae and leaves, due to the covering its identity was unclear. Intrigued, Kai made his way towards it. Still exhausted, when he finally got within reach, he noticed that it was large; clearing a few leaves he uncovered a face, a dead girl's face. Instinctively retracting his hand, he leapt back but as if some sort of wire or string was tying him and the corpse together the body sat upright. Hair disheveled, an eye missing, a few chunks of flesh especially from her cheek gone probably eaten, such that the jaw bone was visible, tattered cloths barely covering her privates, dried blood stains and a various verity of colored bruise marks covered her entire body.

It was a gruesome sight; Kai retreated a bit more, heart racing. The dead girl stood up in a zombie like manner, facing Kai, her eye rolled over to where he stood. She slowly approached him, Kai hesitantly stepped further back but in doing so tripped, falling on his back. The girl approached him still. Kai suddenly called out "Ka..ka.. KENNNN" the moment he did, the girl burst into loud snorts of laughter falling on her back as she did. Ken appeared over. Kai who was at a loss to understand what was happening just stared at him mouth ajar.

"You called?" Ken said still in a fit of laughter.

"Wha... What ... YOU!!!" Kai finally understood the prank that had been played.

"Sorry, Kai but it was just too inviting, I was just too damn bored and when I arrived, I found this corpse, I just couldn't resist" Ken was still shaking

"Fuck you, man..." Kai had a hand on his chest "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Oh but it was worth it! Your expressions were priceless and then the way you said Ka..Ka..Ken, Hahaha that was too much," Ken added imitating Kai midst laughing still.

Kai embarrassed at his own cowardice spoke in a low voice "Oh, but you will pay, I guarantee it"

"I'll be looking forward to that" Ken said grinning "Now let me set camp"

Yeah, go ahead."

...

An hour later

Ken had dug up a piece of land as a safety measure and had set up the tent perfectly.

"You know Kai, if I was to use my power, we could have saved a lot of time" Ken said as he finished his manual labor.

"What and miss watching you work? No way!!"

"Hah! if this is your revenge frankly it's pretty pathetic. I have a great stamina; this sort of work is just boring nothing else."

"You know what, you're right that wasn't nearly satisfying enough. How about I get creative?"

"By all means, let's see what that brain of yours can think up."

"Hmmm... how about... naah... well then... no, err ... yeah let's try that."

"What?"

"Ken, be a dear and bring the corpse"

"uhh... sure".

"So, Ken how many insects do you think are inside it?"

"Hmm" Ken examined the dead body for a while, "Including the little ones, the ones barely visible, I would say over 9000."

"Oh cool, well I order you to get each one out. Count them for me. You are not allowed to use your powers and you mustn't damage the body."

"Ehh... that's… well, I have to say, disturbing... clever..."

"You may start now"

"You were serious!!!"

"I'm waiting,"

"Urgh... me and my mouth", with a groan Ken set to work, while Kai inspected the surrounding, half an hour went by.

"So, where are we?"

"Counting with all my speed without using my powers, this one," said Ken holding what looked like a termite "is the nine hundred and seventy third."

"Nice, having fun?"

"yeah sure, it's fun," retorted Ken with sarcasm.

"Ahaan, fun eh, well how do they taste?"

"C'mon man I was only kidding."

"I'm sorry, I don't think there is such a flavor"

Ken glared at Kai shaking his head and then placed the insect in his mouth.

"It tastes bitter, very bitter... like poison."

"Wa...wait you aren't affected by poison, are you?"

"Unfortunately, no, most poisons have no effect on me."

"Cool... anyway carry on."

... 5 minutes later...

"Hey Kai" Ken looked up

"yeah?"

"Someone's coming"

"Oh."

"Don't just stand there, come over here." said Ken standing up, "It's one person and I don't sense hostility,"

"ahh, that's good then"

"But I don't sense anything else either!"

"What do you mean?"

"We're going to find out soon enough"

A person dressed in copper green appeared, carrying a backpack.

"Wait a minute, isn't that... "Ken said gazing at the newcomer

"Yes, those cloths, it's one of Allen's men, an assassin" Ken said softly

"An, A-assassin, what should we do" Kai asked hesitantly.

"He doesn't seem hostile, so let's hear him out."

As the person in question came closer, he spotted Ken and Kai. Smiling he raised a hand in greeting, not knowing how to respond Kai also waved at him. The new person came into view and Ken let out a sigh

"Its Cyer... Allen's apprentice protégé, He is supposedly a good fellow, deadly if you get on his bad side." Ken spoke as he remembered his meeting with Allen.

"Is that so?"

Cyer finally entered the clearing.

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise, It's the demon Kenviar and you must be Master Kai."

"Err and you must be Cyer" Kai replied in an uncertain voice.

"Wonderful you already know of me" Cyer said with a little bow in Kai's direction and then looking at ken he added, "esteemed friend of my Master, I make known to you that I bear no harmful intent towards you or the young master here."

"Is that so? then why are you here?" Ken inquired with a spectacle look on his face. "Also, I am not the idiot's friend."

"Ah, about that, it seems that "That idiot", sought to play a little joke on me. You see my companions left the lands without me and now I am to leave the white wolf territory on my own. Quite a hustle these wolves, I've ran into them seven times already. Anyway, it's just that my journey brought me to this place and incidentally, I found you" Cyer finished with a delighted smile on his face.

"Ahaan…" Ken replied maintaining his sceptic look.

"If you're going to cross the forest, why not join us?" Kai said with a smile. Both Ken and Cyer looked at Kai with a surprised look.

"Wha-what" said Kai looking from one face to the other.

"Kai he is an assassin who recently engaged the white wolf, do you really think it's a good idea having him along?" Ken spoke indicating toward Cyer.

"I concur," said Cyer, "having me along could add to your difficulties although the suggestion is most welcomed from my side."

"That may be so, but you never harmed me, and I think having you with us will be more useful than troublesome, besides," Kai looked at Ken "He's just trying to leave."

"Even so," Ken replied ...

"I've made my decision, that is if its ok with you" He now turned to Cyer.

"Err... I will be honored."

"If you say so." Ken said scratching his head in the slight confusion.

"Awesome, so Cyer, we're camping here for the night, you should set up camp as well."

"Thank you," He said bowing towards Kai, "Thank you" he added with a nod towards Ken as he started set up his tent.

...

Sometime later

Cyer, Kai and Ken had started a campfire and were making dinner.

"That corpse over there did one of you kill her?" Cyer casually asked.

"No, Ken found it here. It looks old" Kai said looking over his shoulder to the far side of the clearing where the corpse lay resting.

Cyer nodded, "Am I to understand that you haven't bothered about the dead body all this while?"

"Why would we bother? its dead and I don't see it bothering us," Ken had apparent sarcasm in his voice.

"You aren't even a bit intrigued?" Cyer said looking over at Kai and Ken in turn.

"Now that you mention it, I am a little." Kai answered scratching his cheek in an odd fashion.

"I see, so do you mind if I examine it?"

"Sure, go right ahead" Kai was not as curious as he thought but he still did not know how to interact with Cyer.

After dinner, Cyer set up his equipment, a sheet on the ground with different tools and flasks placed on it. He then started a postmortem of the corpse, while Kai stood beside him watching and Ken prepared tea.

"So, err, Cyer, who are you really?" said Kai now standing a little way behind Cyer.

Cyer paused for a moment "I am Cyer, an apprentice of master Allen, age 17, an assassin by occupation." Saying these words, he set back to work.

"Oh... so ... err why do you follow Allen?"

This time without pausing Cyer replied.

"I don't know what you might have heard, but master Kai, I follow Master Allen of my own free will"

"Really?"

"Yes, even now, I can run off, but I won't because by his side is my place."

"Oh, can I ask why?"

"Master Kai, the first thing I remember about my life is a great fire. I was a small child, my village was being burnt, my mother had already died, and my father was trapped inside our burning house."

"Oh, I see..." But before Kai could finish, Cyer cut him off and continued.

"I was hurt, I couldn't move and then I was unconscious... When I opened my eyes, still too weak to move, the first thing I saw, the first face, it was Allen. He spoke words which I couldn't understand, and he took me in."

"Oh, so what was the fire about?"

"The fire, well the man responsible for the fire was Master Allen."

"Wait, what?"

"Allen was responsible for the fire."

"So why do you…?"

"Please let me continue, Master Allen had as one could say deserted the white wolf, and as the white wolfs don't take that lightly they started chasing after him, incidentally injured and tired he came to our village to rest before continuing, but before long the wolves caught up. They burnt down our entire village just so that they could catch Master Allen."

"Oh, so that's the reason..."

"You see Master Allen blames himself for me being orphaned, also I was the lone survivor from my village, Master Allen raised me, trained me and taught me to fend for myself then he let me go, I was told to do whatever I wanted and so I became an Assassin"

"I see... life was tough for you!"

"I don't think like that, Master Kai..."

"Oh please, we are friends aren't we, can't you call me Kai?"

Cyer went silent for a moment. "Kai" he repeated, "Right, we are friends now."

"Yeah," said Kai scratching his head in confusion, while holding out his other hand, Cyer took it with his own and shook, after a short bow he said, "I am honored."

"Yeah, same here"

"So, as I was saying, I don't think like that" said Cyer getting back to his work, "I believe no one is burdened more than they can handle"

"Is that so," Kai relaxed a little.

"Kai," came Ken's voice, "come here please, what is this on the map?"

Kai went towards where ken was and started reading the map marking out their route.

"Kai, my friend, I wonder" Cyer said under his breath as he continued to work in silence.