Chapter 7

As the group meet up, everyone was hyped up as they see each other alive.

"Chang'e, are you okay?" Lolita asked when she saw the dried blood on her clothes. Harley put her down so they could rest for a while.

"Yes, I'm fine now thanks to Harley," she replied as she shifted her position to make herself comfortable under the shade of the tree.

"We're glad the two of you are alive. That vampire is hard to deal with and she kept on following you," Nana said.

Harith stepped forward and gave Chang'e some food and water.

"Here, replenish your energy. Lolita and I shall find us some food first before we continue our journey," he said as he nodded at the blond girl.

Harley remained quiet at the sideline, still thinking of Dearg-Due's story. Nana noticed his unusual behavior so she decided to go near him. But when Chang'e noticed this, she interrupted.

"Nana," she called out which made the pink-haired girl to switch her attention to her. "Can we talk? I'm feeling kind of lonely right now."

Nana flashed her bright smile at her and sat beside her. Chang'e stole a glance on Harley and saw the glint of seriousness in his facial expression.

"The powerful lord forced the stunning beauty into marriage. And in order to keep her for himself, he imprisoned her to one of the deserted tower of his huge mansion. Still, many men came to seek and asked for an audience to meet the most beautiful woman in town. This drove the lord madly insane. And in order to vent out his anger and jealousy, he tortured his wife who did nothing wrong. Everyday, she would suffer new bruises around her body especially the cuts on her arms which came from the whips of her merciless husband."

Harley recalled the story he once read. Thinking that it was only a myth did not bother him at all but realizing that it was actually done a long time ago, it infuriates him. And to make it worse, it was done by a man of their lineage. He clenched his fists to keep the anger building up inside of him.

"Those cuts she has in her arms, even in her death, she still have them. How cruel," he thought. "Vance family? Screw that f**king household. Father is no different from that lord. I swear that I shall never become one of them."

"Harley, that expression looks really scary," Lolita stated upon looking at him.

The genius mage lets out a heavy sigh and calmed himself.

"Eat as fast as you can. We better get going," he responded.

"What's wrong with him?" Harith whispered to the others.

"Let's not bother him for a while. He'll be fine," Chang'e replied.

As they continue their journey, the silence hovering over them is becoming more and more unbearable. Harley's aura adds up to the uneasiness of the group. No one dared to talk or lighten the mood for they know too well that it is hard to deal with Harley when he is not in the mood. But as daring as he is, Harith took the initiative to break the silence and directly asked Harley a question.

" Is that woman somehow related to the Vance household?" he asked which earned him the glares from the girls who do not want to see the mad Harley.

"Am I that obvious that even an idiot like you noticed it?" the genius mage asked in return which somehow annoys Harith.

"If you have something to say, you just got to say it. We're the only ones here for you. We should share each other's burden for we are all on the same boat," Harith replied. A long silence followed through. Nana steals glances of him from time to time, trying to read what he is thinking. After some time, Harley finally spoke.

"It's just disgusting to belong in the Vance household," he started.

Nana was a bit in a shock for she had never heard Harley badmouth his own family. Her heart ached for she felt like as they go deeper into tge forest in search for their home, the more distant Harley becomes. Slowly, she does feel that Harley is starting to change.

"That woman we just encountered was once a kind woman with an incomparable beauty. I do not know exactly who among my ancestors who forced marriage to her. But all he gave her is torture and suffering. It's so shameful to be in that kind of lineage," Harley said briefly.

"But your father isn't like that. Even his siblings are of great personality," Nana said.

Harley scoffed in annoyance and disappointment for he had always looked up to his father. But after what

he did to his mother, every ounce of admiration he holds had gone down the drain. He does understand the concern of his father but hurting his mother is already a different story.

"That is what I thought as well. But we're still too unexperienced to know the dark side of life. Even I do not actually know my father well," he commented before going on a faster pace.

Harith gazed at him with a smirk plastered on his face.

"He sounds like an old man," he stated with a snicker. "He seemed to be in his 50s, not a fifteen-year old high schooler."

Lolita raised an eyebrow at him which made Harith whisper a 'what' at her.

"He's not fifteen," she said, "He's already sixteen."

Harith made a stop and stared at Lolita, his face plastered with surprise.

"Harley!" he called out as he ran towards him and matched his pace. He puts an arm around him and said, "We're of the same age so I want you to lower that arrogance of yours, midget."

Harley halted and shot him a blank stare, "Age doesn't define us. And my arrogance was due to my intelligence. Just because we're of the same age means we could make it as our common ground."

After saying such, Harley brushed off his arm and smirked before going ahead.

"His arrogance really ticks me off," he snarled.

"Now, now," Lolita calmed him as she pats his shoulder. "He's got the wealth and the brain so it's no wonder he has that arrogance."

After walking for hours, Harley, who is ahead of the group, felt the weird dry air. It is different from the air within the forest. In order to confirm his instinct, he ran towards the direction of the dry air. He heard his colleagues calling him out but he did not look back.

His eyes widened, his feet seemed to have rooted on the ground. His hair swayed back as the dry wind gusts over him. His mind still processing and trying to comprehend how could a wide desert exist within the Enchanted Forest. He does know that the forest is driven by magic itself but this kind of turn of events is beyond his expectation.

"Don't go leaving us behind! We've got to stick together for safety," Chang'e said.

But as they look in front of them, they were also in awe. The fine sand are going along with the blowing wind. The desert seemed to be endless for they could no longer see trees beyond it.

"How is it possible?" Lolita asked, breaking the silence.

"Could it be that we're lost?" Chang'e asked, "Should we go back?"

She turned her back, wanting to take another route for taking a journey on a desert with no knowledge of proper and appropriate survival is like suicide.

"Guys," she said. "The forest...Is gone."

"How could that be possible?" Harith chuckled as he turns around as well but he took back what he said. A little while ago, they were just standing between the boundaries of the desert and the forest. But now? They are surrounded by a dry land. The scorching heat of the sun starts to make them uncomfortable especially that they are not properly equipped for that kind of environment.

Chang'e faced north and noticed something out of the ordinary. Her heart skipped a beat, wishing that her eyes are just tricking her.

"Is that a sandstorm?" she asked. Everyone looked at the direction she's pointing and she was right, a huge sandstorm is about to strike. There is nowhere for them to take shelter at. And there is no place in that desert to run for safety.