Chapter 14: Oril

Yelena's POV

"I'm a knight – no. More like the hero of our kingdom." The knight said.

"'Hero'?" we said, puzzled.

He nodded. "Our kingdom is on the north, near the dragons' lair." He said. "I once saved our kingdom when it was attacked by a ferocious dragon." He said.

"Woah…. Amazing…" we said, awed. "And you're so young – "

"People of our kingdom don't get old." He said.

"Eh?"

He nodded. "It's in our blood." He said.

"Hmm… I think I've heard about a kingdom that never grows old…" Vice said, her hand on her chin. "Ah!" she exclaimed when she remembered something. "That's right! It's the North Kingdom! But North Kingdom now is – " she said, then looked at the knight.

The knight nodded, then sighed. "Yes. Our kingdom… it was destroyed." He said.

"What?!" I and Rio were shocked.

"It happened 18 years ago, when the evil king appeared." The knight said. "He attacked the royal family. But, suddenly disappeared after he destroyed our kingdom." He said.

"That's awful!" I said.

The knight nodded. "I … I couldn't protect them." He said, his tears fell. "I thought I was strong, but actually powerless in front of the evil king." He sobbed.

We patted his back to comfort him. "Hey. Don't be sad. I feel sorry for what happened to your kingdom." I said.

"Yes. That's right. The evil king did it to other kingdoms, too." Vice said.

"And, it was the evil king we're talking about. He's the incarnation of all evil." I said, remembered what the player said in one of the games I played on my PC.

"Th…. Thanks." The knight said, then wiped his tears. "Anyway, when I saw our kingdom was destroyed, I couldn't face them. So I … ran." He said.

"Woah…" Vice said. "From North to East Kingdom… it's far! You're really amazing!" she said, awed.

"It took me 5 years to reach this kingdom, though." The knight said.

"What... You just walked, right? Seriously?" I asked.

The knight ignored me. "I remember now. When I reached this kingdom, I entered a forest." He said. "But…that's it!" he said, then suddenly stood up when he remembered something. "The witch!" he said.

"'Witch'?" we said.

"This story is really getting deeper and stupider – " I muttered.

"I got lost inside the forest, since I'm not familiar here. Then, I met her. I didn't know she was a witch." He said.

Flashback

Oril's POV

"No… this isn't real…" I said, horrified when I saw the whole kingdom were destroyed. I closed my eyes tight as tears fell. "Damn it." I cursed and ran. I went back to our house and took my things. I went to the supermarket and took food. I went out of the kingdom's wrecked gate. There, I saw a horse. I sighed and looked back. "I couldn't save them." I said, then sobbed. "I can't face them anymore – " I said and rode the horse.

Meanwhile…

"Wait. Where's our food?! Who took it?!" they said, asking each other why their food was gone. "Don't tell me the food we stored was also destroyed by ten evil kings?!" they said, horrified.

Flashback end

I, Vice and Rio stared at him. "Wait a minute. There's something wrong in your flashback – " I said.

But, Oril ignored me and continued with his flashback.

Flashback

Oril's POV

I sighed and walked at the tree's root that emerged on the ground. "Thanks to the kind people of this kingdom, I got a supply of food and medicine for 3 months." I muttered and drank the last bottle of water I had. "What should I eat now?" I asked myself.

"Here." I saw an apple appear in front of me.

I turned. "You…" I said, surprised to see a woman.

She looked at the apple. "You won't take it?" she asked.

"Ah, no. Sorry –" my stomach growled. My face went red with embarrassment. I looked at her.

She chuckled. "Take it." She said.

I smiled. "Thanks." I said then ate the apple.

Flashback end

"And that's the last thing I could remember." The knight finished.

"Woah…" we said, amazed.

"This isn't amazing, you know?!" the knight said, then sighed. "Anyways, so I was wandering in the forest for almost… 8 years?" he said.

"Ooh…" we said, amazed.

"This witch… must be that apple gave you the curse?" Rio asked.

"Ooh! As expected of a fairy – ugh!" I cried when she kicked me in the face.

Vice sighed. "Stupid Yelena – " she said.

"Hey!" I protested.

"The only one who can answer that is the witch, though." Vice said. "You don't know who could it be, Rio?" she asked. "She might be in this forest."

"Hmm… you've got a point. Since this knight is wandering here – " Rio said, then sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't know what's happening in the forest except in my lair." she said.

We sighed. "How lame – ugh!" I cried when she threw a crystal ball to me. My body froze. "Ah!" I cried.

Vice's POV

I sighed when I saw Yelena covered in ice. "How stupid." I muttered. "Anyway, so there's no lead as to who this witch is?" I asked.

"Err…" the knight said. We looked at him. "I think there is." He said. "She looks… her face is full of colors." I said.

"'colors'?" we asked, puzzled.

He nodded, then scratched his head. "Yeah." He said.

We looked at each other. "You want to come looking with us?" I asked Rio.

"Err…" Rio said, then looked away. "Yeah…? I want to know this witch that's inside my forest." He said.

I smiled. "Well, then. Shall we go?" I asked.

Yelena's POV

"Ah!" I said, then breathed air. "Thank god you released me!" I said. "Wait!" I said. "Who the heck gave you the permission to include me in your quest to find the witch?!" I asked.

"'quest'?" they asked.

"And where the heck are the incentives if I'll accept this quest - ?" I added.

Vice sighed while the two looked confused. "There you go again, spouting senseless things we don't understand." she said.

"Well, I'm from a different world – "

"Fine, fine!" Vice said and raised her hand. "We'll buy that." she said. "But, Yelena – " she looked at me. "Don't you think you owe him an apology for punching him?" she asked and grinned. Then, she looked at Oril.