Zetsumei

Chapter 30. Guardians of the Forest

Zelphine: It's a child, she's so small.

Green girl: Leave at once!!!

The wind began to shake the leafs off the trees. The fallen leafs then floated in the air as if it were being controlled by that girl.

Zelphine: Wait! We mean no harm.

Green girl: Hmph! You can't lie to me, the evidence is all around us!

Zelphine: Huh?

I took a look around me and saw that the grass, trees, leafs, and flowers are all dead. Oops, I may have overdid it.

Zelphine: Wait! I can explain! I was trying to save a girl an-

Green girl: Enough with your lies!

With the wave of her hand, the leafs shot towards us like daggers. Shoot! If I take out Zetsumeigai, I'll destroy my surroundings again and that might anger her even more! I hid behind Kuon and Yuri as they got out their weapons and blocked the flying leafs, Zero got out his sword and did the same. One by one, the leafs fell to the floor. The ones that Zero slash withered away.

Green girl: Hmph! It seems that you demons have some skill. But as the protector of this forest, I must destroy you!

The green girl's aura starts to grow stronger as she calls out another whirlwind to shake the leafs off the trees. But before anything happened, I heard a shy and timid voice.

Purple-eye girl: (timidly) U-u-um, F-fern...

The green girl looked towards the purple-eye girl.

Fern: Huh? Fauna? What are you doing here? More importantly, get away! They're bad people!

Fauna: (nervously) B-b-b-but they h-h-h-h-h-h (mumbling)

Fern:Huh?

The girl called Fern jumped down from the tree and went to where Fauna was hiding. Fauna then bends down and whispered into Fern's ear. Fern's eyes then grew wide.

Fern: Huh! Are you serious!!!

Fauna: Shook her head.

Fern: Oh boy...

Fern held her head and sigh. She then walks over to us.

Fern: I guess I owe you guys an apology. Therefore, I sorry.

Zelphine: No..it's our fault, you were angry because we destroyed part of the forest.

Fern: Yeah, but you did it to save a friend of mine, for that I'll forgive you. (Angrily) But do not take that weapon out again as long as you're in this land, I won't forgive you next time!

Zelphine: Riiight, I'll keep that in mind next time. Still,I find it very unusual for you to be so protective of the forest, who are you?

Fern: I am Fern, one of the forest guardians in the Evergreen kingdom. That girl behind the tree is Fauna, she is very timid and shy around people. So who are you?

Zelphine: (It's still best to hide my identity so...) I am-

Yuri: What's this? The other kingdom still hasn't heard of the new Reaper King Zelphine?

I stared at Yuri evily.

Zelphine: (evily) (Grr...Yuri...)

Fern: A king? Here!

Zelphine: Yeahh...we mean no harm, we are just traveling, that's all.

Fern: Then I suggest you travel somewhere else, the forest land isn't that stable right now.

Zelphine: Huh? Why not?

Fern: You saw those dark elves from earlier, right?

Zelphine: Yes.

Fern: They are soldiers from the Dark Elf King who was sent here to destroy the forest.

Zelphine: What?! Why would they do that?

Fern: It happened about twenty years ago when the elf king turned evil all of the sudden. There was no explanation of why, he was always a kind man. Because of that, he broke the hearts of many people, especially the Elf Queen. After they driven the queen out the castle, she took shelter at the Evergreen Castle protected by the forest guardians. It has been twenty years since then and we named the once-kind king, the Dark Elf King who destroys the forest.

Zelphine:....

Everyone was silent for about five seconds before we heard someone yelling from above.

Girl: Ferrrrn!!!

Just then, a girl who is about the same height as Fern jumped down from the trees. She had green pigtails with two white scarves on each side.

Girl: (cheerfully) Hey Fern! Fern!! Ferrrn!!!

Fern: Argh!! What is it Momo!

Momo: The queen is calling all of us back to the castle!

Fern: All of us? Then who will guard the forest?

Momo: (cheerfully) Heey! C'mon! It'll only be for awhile. Besides their orders from the Queen, we can't disobey them.

Fern: (sigh) Alright...

Zelphine: Hey, can we come along too?

Fern: (suspicious) What are you planning.

Zelphine: Simply nothing at all, I was thinking about meeting your queen. Maybe, there's someway I can help.

Fern:(suspiciously) Hmmmmmm......

Fern looked at me suspiciously.

Zelphine: My intentions are pure, I promise. Besides, if I can end your conflict, then I can peacefully travel this land, right?

Fern: (suspicious) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....(sigh) Fiiine, just don't do anything to threaten the queen or the forest.

Zelphine: (smile) Wouldn't dream of it. (Wait, but what about Zero, he naturally withers everything he touch...oh well, I guess he should be careful of what he touches then.)

Then, me, Kuon, Yuri, and Zero followed Fern and Momo while Fauna stares at us from behind trees to tree.