Chapter 3

After the lingering void that had emerged, Vael found his reason for closure. His foot slowly paced forward, while the eyes of others were beyond the gate’s reach, his were framed solely on her, Helcryne — as if, he had long been counting the days for this very moment. His bare feet carried him, slowly threading his way through the already disoriented line. His palms cupped on her shoulders softly, sending her a light, tingling — electrifying sensation. Her eyes widened in surprise, when her body instantly adopted a stance of discretion.

It was the first time thereafter that he saw her up close. Under the black veil of nothing would be seen, yet, the glow of her eyes ablaze blue, emitting a cold and distant presence — as it shot at him, carrying a superciliously empty gaze, yet drawing an irresistible allure at the same time.

Vael was not backing away — he was truly bound to her.

His lips curved on the sideway lightly, whispering something unspoken. His lips remained composed, but his eyes conveyed more than anything — like a smile as delicate as the wordless secret. Helcryne paused momentarily, trying to gouge out something that seems to have slipped away from the recesses of her recollection, but time was unforgiving. Everyone was ready, both mentally and physically, hence, they must parted as soon as possible.

Spurred on by the people’s cheer behind them, their resolve immediately arose high as they stepped forward, beginning their journey. They took one cautious step as their feet touched the sand. One moment, it felt like they were sinking, as if it was consuming them. The first time, the land felt unfamiliar, and steeped in a lot more strangeness. All of it made them slightly uneasy, but regardless of any hidden possibility, they did not turn back.

They’d been passing by more than one strange land, the desert, and unknown ruin before they finally arrived at the destination. Given their increased strength, it took them over a whole month, when a fallen ancient mansion came to sight.

“We’ve arrived”, Mirea led the conversation, while Arzhel was pitching up a fabric tent in front of the ruins. Darla and Ezra both collapsed onto a rest after wearied by the journey. They were laughing and teasing side by side, bickering over the winner of their bet. Whilst, Vael still holding onto a clung towards Helcryne — just like a barnacle. Though he wasn't constantly hovering around her, his eyes were.

Helcryne, on the other hand, after a round of inspection of the space, she reminded them, "Tomorrow is when our mission will start. You all may rest well tonight”, and the rest of the team nod in understanding.

“Vael. You — come with me”, Helcryne commanded him.

Receiving that, Ezra let out a heavy breath. “It was unfortunate of him.”

Darla takes over, "That' s his own fault. Who told him to persistently pester him?”

Mirea, though she looked a bit weak, like an over-sheltered lady, but when her mouth opened, they still feared it a little. She’d always spoken a fact no one can deny, thus, it always hurt their conscience, but also gave them a way to reflect. She uttered softly, “You mustn’t say that about Master, or it won’t be long before your turn arrives. Being such a gossipy won’t bring you good luck.”

Finished on setting up, Arzhel found himself chuckling when he heard those words.

Darla felt a bit disturbed, “Why do you keep calling him Master? It’s not like he’s our Master. He was just someone stronger than us, that was all?”

Arzhel interrupted the conversation. “But he did teach us. Out of respect, we should call him Master too.”

“How come you’re also —”, Darla was ultimately shocked by Arzhel’s attitude. She thought that they had grown closer amidst the long expedition, and yet, it might be false of her. She can only humph in dissatisfaction, and gulp back the words she’d wanted to say.

Behind the mansion was a land of glowing moonflowers, Vael followed Helcryne as she halted. That space was quite hidden, with only the light of the moon and the whispers of slow wind, no one would interrupt them. Thereupon, without more preamble, she speaks to him. “Who — are you?”

Hearing that, Vael was quite happy, rather than being afraid. It means that she notices him enough to interrogate him secretly.

Helcryne’s brow furrowed, sharp, and meticulous. “What are you smiling for?”

Vael was not beating around the bush as well. His finger lifted forward when he said, “Look behind”, and his body suddenly fell onto the ground. A group of flickering glows left the body, as if it was bringing along something else.

Helcryne hesitantly followed his words, and slowly turned her body backward. It was then, as if the world fell down to another. Dim light of stars were overwhelmed by the bright moon, and a field of moonflowers scattered all over the space — lighting in blue. Her eyes swept all over the place, mesmerized by the beauty when her gaze landed on something. It was a flat stone. A big flat stone, emitting such a cold, frigid ambience.

Then, someone appeared after a straight light of the moon fell upon it. It was a child, a male child she didn’t recognize well, but gave her a sense of familiarity.

Without realizing it, her eyes had shed a tear, which long enough hadn’t produced one. She had grown distant from such circumstances over time — thus, confused on how to treat it. Her finger continuously swept his cheek, and perplexedly asked herself, “What is this? How —”

Her thoughts got cut off when the child slowly grew into a man, as if there was a flow of time inside those spaces. She tried to reach it with her hands, but couldn’t. Was it merely just a projection of memory? But for what purpose? What does it mean to her?

Before her eyes, she had glimpsed over the ‘ghost of his heart’, swirling in quiet chaos. His gaze framed the world in silence, as if something was weighing over him. A mixed inexplicable feeling altogether in the flow of time. That man’s eyes were focused, in a low and sad tone, just like a voice, portraying something.

— Who are you? Who exactly are you?

Helcryne couldn’t stop thinking, given how the inexplicable also suddenly engulfed her whole. Like a part of herself was lost somewhere. The final whisper conveyed to her, “I’m the moon. Precisely…Your Moon. I’ll come for you —”, and the others were incomplete, just like they were lost in the exchange of winds between the portal of two worlds.

The space instantly crumbled down, and she found herself in the same place again. The body on the ground also came into consciousness, but one odd thing was the owner’s name, Emris Thallias — not Vael.

Then, who exactly was Vael? — that her heart suddenly shouted in loud emotions, which was not supposedly the chain of her?

After being questioned by Helcryne a few times, Emris relentlessly claimed that he was not Vael. He just knew that he had won the tournament, but could not recall how he got there with them. Upon reading the unshakable certainty on both his eyes, and the way he behaved, Helcryne decided to just go along at long last. This matter must be investigated, not to mention, how ‘that person’ seemed to vividly recognize her. At this moment, she couldn’t afford a single risk — she had to clear everything that was in her way.

With Veal disappearing out of thin air, Emris starts walking by his own body, following Helcryne in the back.

“Master. You’re back, and — Vael? You’re okay?”. Ezra spoke after seeing Helcryne getting near. His face looked — shocked.

Darla smiles, “Helcryne’s back!”. She even said this with a bright innocent face.

Mirea scolds her straightaway, “ Darla. Respect —”

Mirea’s words halted as she witnessed a terrifying scene. Helcryne, who held arrogance in her, recoiled from Darla’s careless action. She gave her a slap on the right, so she returned her both. She was not worth it to have a slap side by side with her. “Who told you to call me by my name?”, she uttered in a low, clean-cut voice. “Was that how you were taught respect?”

Her voice sounded like a sharp knife. One wrong action and you'll lose your head. They'd heard before — how terrifyingly cruel Helcryne was, but did not dare believe it. Now that they have seen it, it turns out to be more horrible than the words themselves. This is truly the well-known Villain. The true villain out of all.

“I did not even wronged you, so why di —”, Darla hadn’t even finished her word when Helcryne silenced her off. “Reason? You dare request a reason from me?”

First, it was Darla, and now, all of them were silenced as well. It was far too overwhelming for them to meddle in, thus, they could do nothing but zipped off their lips in submission.

“Go back to rest.”

Helcryne commanded them in short, dismissing the previous matter. Darla’s spirit sank, she felt disheartened, yet helpless to do anything. She’d merely called her by name and she was this mad, does she not want anyone to get close to her?

Mirea spoke, “I told you to not call her like that.”

Being treated in such disregard for the second time, Darla was not holding any more. Her quick spinal response, slapped Mirea on the face and argued with her, “You’ve never told me like that!”

With her cheek reddened, Mirea shot her back in a dark expression, “I told you to respect!”

The three men also tried hard to ease up the atmosphere, though they also received a slap in the process. Women's anger truly was the worst, and most scarier thing they had faced in their entire life. There was no cure other than sacrificing oneself — really, a tragedy.

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