Chapter 11: Unintended Departure

"You bunch of useless people!" He yelled as he stood from his throne, enraged by what he heard. Everyone around him, the knights and guards, bowed in deep disgrace. "You couldn't even guard a girl!"

He always gets what he wanted, and never failed to do so. It looks like luck wasn't on his side right now.

While he was busy scolding the failed subordinates, a knight came in from the door, running towards the seat where he was standing majestically once, now his whole soul was filled with anger and disappointment. The newcomer bowed in front of him, along with the clinging metal armor.

"Your majesty," He said. "We caught someone. We caught her brother, Farin Arcson."

Gandior stunned in his position, then raised his eyebrow, curious about the information. He lost the key to a new evolution of the human race, but there are still some ways to get it back.

And it's not just him who got intrigued by the captive. In the corner of the room, there stood the red-haired knight who has been watching the whole scene. He is disappointed and upset too, but he will never show it, as that will just bring him into exposure. When everything failed, he might hide in the shadows for a while, until the things will be settled and resolved.

But right now, is the perfect time to execute another plan that he's been longing to do.

"Keep him in the cells." The king ordered. "He'll be a hostage for a while."

"Your majesty," Alfred said, as he too, kneeled down. "I would like to volunteer myself in taking care of him."

The room stayed silent since the king didn't send any acceptance. He continued to stare at the knight. But among all of his servants and soldiers, he's been the most loyal among all. He never failed him, so he's sure that this time wasn't different.

"Fine. I accept it." He confirmed, putting all of his trust to the redhead.

"Thank you for the opportunity." He said, revealed a smile on his face, favoring everything on his side. After that short request, he stood up, bowed once again, and left the room towards the detainee.

When Alfred finally ran off from the room, didn't leave any heave tension inside, the king went back into what he was doing earlier, teaching and shouting at his soldiers about the embarrassment they have because of their failed mission.

"Listen, all of you!" He started, pointing at everyone who's present. "You're all working for the Deravon Kingdom, the highest kingdom among all of Arcania so you better–"

"Don't declare anything that's not a fact, Father."

He couldn't be able to finish his sentence, as someone just prevented it to end, making the atmosphere around the room to change and the tension to get pulled down. No one would be able to stop the king's statement like that, neither fighting him off in a battle of the words. Everyone is afraid of him, and everyone should fear him.

If there's anyone that could do that kind of thing, that must be someone that had been behind the shadows all of the time, never gonna show up. And that's him.

The man who owned the voice walked forward from hiding under the pillars, crossing his arms to show his power. He wears white thin clothes, stained and wet, while his sheathed sword hanging on his waist. His black hair was never combed well since he just finished his night sword training.

"Danico." The king spoke of his name with repulsion, as he never wanted to be ridiculed like that in the middle of his scolding.

He never liked him, that son of his. He doesn't have a choice but to accept his very existence since he's the only heir he got. His wife left early, leaving just one despicable child. All he has to do now was to be patient and slowly pulling him to his control.

"Your kingdom was just in second, remember?" Danico spoke in his bitter tone. "The Lamician Kingdom will always rule over you."

"That will change!" The king yelled with glares striking him. He never wanted to be considered the second one, that's why he was determined to have magic. "As long as I can get my hands on that girl, my kingdom will be more powerful, powerful enough to surpass those encantors!"

"So that means… you are calling for me." His son smirked, filled with a lot of confidence that his father would choose him for the mission.

Ever since he was a kid, he has potential in battle, even conquering the roles of both a warrior and a tactician. He was known to be a prodigy, enhancing his skills every time, but it's not just the talent that's increasing. Who would never expect that his confidence passes through the limit of a normal one?

His father sighed. "I want you to lead an army to chase the girl. And make it fast."

After what he heard, he released a wider grin in his face, delighted that everything he always wanted started to come towards him. At last, after years of waiting to be in a real mission, he already has the opportunity.

"Understood."

***

The whole path never made any sound, except the birds chirping and the wheels bumping in every stone on the dusty path. Just like the path towards Coira, we're just in the middle of an open field, cold and alone. The sun had never risen yet, and the only warmth we've got was our oil lamp.

I peeked at Dalary, still grieving over the fact that Farin failed to come with us and got caught by the kingdom, which is the same as I was feeling right now. He's the only family I had, and every time I have him, I always let myself believe that there's still someone by my side who would accept me no matter who I am. But now… all I have was myself and my friend. I started to feel guilty in dragging her down into my situation.

"What should we do now?" I asked as Dino started to walk slower than before.

We decided to never stop traveling even if it's night. You may never know when the Deravon army will start chasing us. It could be right now.

"Farin was supposed to be the one who'll guide us, but now that he's not here…" Dalary answered, mentioning his name made her gloomier. This also made me sad. I wished I could go back and save him, but he said to never look back.

Leaving him like this is like breaking the promise I made before. I will still leave him, even though how much I was determined to stay. Fate will always push me away from the life that I have before, especially now that I'm known to be cursed.

After thinking of any good plans to start, I suddenly remembered a place that would be great to hide for a while.

"We can go to Zentra," I said to my friend. "It seems like the right place to go to first."

Zentra is one of the towns where the tendrins resides, laying in the middle of the largest forest grounds in the land, the Undead Woods. Some travelers and adventurers couldn't be able to go near the place because of the dangerous monsters and animals lurking in every corner of the woods, usually some being manipulated by the tendrins themselves to keep anyone away. But once the tendrins decided to join with the Lamician Kingdom in coexisting with other races, the residents made an open path for other people to come to their town.

"You mean… my hometown?" She asked with his eyes turned into slits. I've never asked her about her life and her personal information. All I know is that she was once living in Zentra with other tendrins, the reason why I chose it.

"Yes. Your family is in there, so it's better to go there." I said as I tried to argue, curious why she started to feel disgusted by it. Was there something wrong with what I said?

"R-Really? Ughh…" She tried to pretend that there's nothing wrong, but her obvious complaints kept telling me that she doesn't like to go. I didn't know that she had a hidden grudge against that place, or on any tendrin. Maybe she doesn't want to because she's been spending all her life with us, humans, that she might sound awkward with them.

"Umm… you know, we can't just go there, if you don't–"

"N-No, it's fine." She stopped me from my sentence. "Sure, we can go there."

Even though she said those words with a not-so-sincere smile, her face is still showing that disgust. That didn't last long and she switched into a serious mood.

"But first, we must gather food and other necessary things for our travel." She added, started to instruct me. "Zentra is a long way to go to."

"Okay."

"And we can't go on the normal path or else we'll be busted. We must find another way to the town." She said. "But the problem is that we don't have any idea where we heading."

The Deravon Kingdom had only three gates, the east, the west, and towards the north. The first one leads to their mines and Coira, while the second leads to the two cities that were ruled over by the kingdom, and the last one was just a path for the serfs outside of the wall. Since we passed through the west gate last night, then that means…

"We went out of the west gate, so this might lead to Atonis." I informed, completing my calculation.

I saw a hint of surprise in my friend's eyes, but later on, released a smirk on me.

"Right. You're actually a cartographer." She joked with a raised eyebrow. I chuckled, couldn't believe that I'm accidentally showing off the result of my reading. During my first day working as a librarian, the first one I read was the world atlas. Because of this addiction, I almost knew the places.

"I'll be your walking encyclopedia." I teased.

"No, thanks." She answered immediately, as she giggled. She always hates me when I tried to give her a history lesson every time, in which it started to become a torture device for her.

"To Atonis!" She yelled and we all determined to continue in our travels, trying to be strong in the situation we're in.

Don't worry, Farin. We'll come back for you one day.

***

His footsteps were never pleasing to the ears of those who are around him, as his behavior was never too. Now that he finally had the urge to start all of his secret plans, he didn't hesitate to open the cell in front of him, where the weak captive was staying.

"W-Who are you?" Farin said in his shivering voice, started to have a bad feeling, especially as one of the king's knights was here.

"The name is Alfred Cenburd." He introduced, the same as how he said his name to the other Arcson.

"What do you want from me?" The poor man hissed, trying to fight the knight even though he knew that he wouldn't stand a chance. Plus, he was wrapped in ropes and chains.

"You're a stubborn one," Alfred commented, noticing that the siblings have opposite personalities. He started to think about how they both got along with each other, but that won't matter to him since it wasn't what he came for. "But it doesn't matter since that's not going to stop me."

"W-What?" Farin was confused. But even in these times, he still tried to act superior.

The knight grabbed something from his pockets, much to the other's curiosity, he tried to peek. When he finally lifted it into the air, he couldn't help but widen his eyes, his heart started to beat fast out of fear.

A black orb can be seen, held by the redhead who was now smirking widely, like everything he was planning started to come along. Black mists were surrounding it, everything about it shouts evil. The captive didn't have any idea what it was, but he can only feel negative energy surrounding the orb.

Alfred started to walk towards him, while he crawled backward. He was desperate to get away from it. His mind was filled with nothing but fear.

"If you'll try to embrace it, it won't be that painful." He said. The nerves stuck in his white retinas started to turn black, including his skin starting from the back of his head as well as his red hair. Dark mists started to steam out of her body and eyes, wrapping more negative energy around the place.

This made the prisoner feel fear more, as he knew what was surrounding him. Everyone thought that they were gone. Everyone thought that they were already locked up in the depths of the Underworld. But here they are, planning to cause chaos to the world of harmony.

"N-No! Nooo!"

His screams echoed inside the cell, hearing the nightmare he had been feeling from just on his voice as he cried in pain and misery, wishing that he was never to experience this torture. After the sequences of cries and screams, the whole place fell into silence.