Parallel World: Fated Oracle

Chapter 2

"...No, he didn't do it alone." Reina lifted her hand, her fingers twitched once more. Scarlet stepped out of the darkness of the trees above her.  Her eyes widen as she wasn't walking consciously, she was being controlled, thin strings could barely be seen around her body that weren't present moments ago. She tried to reach her blades, sheathed behind her lower back, yet she couldn't lift a finger. Just continuing to walk forward. Was she weak because of the fatigue? No, that can't be it.

"...An exorcist?" The robed man uttered as he managed to cast a gaze at Scarlet's shoulder, a symbol of exorcism evident.

After a few more steps. Scarlet stood in front of Nathaniel's fallen body.

"I'm surprised, Nathaniel wouldn't work with anyone. So, what do you want in return for helping him slay the special grade, hm?~" Reina asked, her tone playful yet her gaze was deep into Scarlet's crimson eyes.

"...Bring me back...to the fortress." Her tone weakened as she became unconscious. Her body still upright because of Reina's strings.

"Trisha, carry them on a carriage." Reina called out as she picked up the core, the woman named Trisha caught Scarlet as the strings disappeared from her body.

"...To think that these two teenagers would pull it off." One of the robed men commented. Reina paused her steps, the man's words made her mind creep into some thoughts, before she hopped on her horse as she gazed up the full moon on the dark sky.

"...Let's go! A detour to the fortress and back to the capital! " She commanded as the group rod their horses and carriages. The sound of hooves and wooden wheels filled the air as they rode though the moonlight.

Twenty four hours passed since then. Inside a horse carriage under a starry night, ragged and stressful breathing could be heard. It shook violently, Nathaniel immediately opened his eyes, sweat running down his temples with his heart racing violently. He slowly sat up, a nightmare he can't seem to remember again. Nathaniel shook his head as he got off the carriage. He turned his back, only to see a tall  wall that reached the sky, at least fifthy meters tall. He realized they're back at the capital. The streets were mostly empty as the houses were full of light.

"Slept good, Nathaniel?" A feminine voice asked infront of him. He shifted his gaze at front. It was Trisha, tall with short charcoal hair. Her mustard eyes met Nathaniel's.

"Where's Reina?" He asked. Trisha pointed a thumb behind her, a two floor tavern could be seen. Distant voices of their group, their silhouette could be seen dancing on the windows.

Nathaniel made his way towards the tavern. Only to be interrupted by a grab on his shoulder.

"Eat before your duel. Reina's capabilities are beyond special grade curses. You already know that." She uttered, as if a demand. Nathaniel held his stomach as he was lost in thought.

From the second story of the tavern. A glimmer reflected as the special grade core was unwrapped from Nathaniel's cloak. It was Reina and a merchant, inside a cold room, with bookshelves, a grandfather clock beside and potted plants in each dark corner. They both sat across each other. Reina's boots on the table as she leaned back from her wooden chair. The core held with one hand. An open window, moonlight casted down between them.

"This better fetch me up a good price as usual, Nick." Reina expressed with a smirk on her face before tossing the core, the man named nick caught it with one hand.

"...Oh it will." He replied as he examined it. The twisted facial feature of the special grade inside the core made him carve a smile on his face.

Laughter and chatter from Reina's group could be heard underneath the wooden floor. The sound of beer mugs and cutlery filled the room.

"Seems like your men are at it again in my tavern. Seriously Reina, they'll dry my supply if you let them loose overnight." Nick commented with a sigh as he tossed the core back to Reina. The smell of beer and meat seeped in the room.

Reina sighed as she put her boots on the wooden floor. "Nick, we've been outside of the capital, fighting curses for their cores.'

"Let us stick around in your tavern until tomorrow. Give my group their meat and drinks. I'll pay for everything." She explained as she gazed at the core.

"That's all I wanted to hear." Nick replied with a comforted smile on his face as he started counting gold coins.

Reina watched him as she propped an elbow on the table.

"...Do you really love money that much?" She asked with a lazy tone as her gaze lingered onto the gold coin between nick's fingertips.

"Who doesn't? Just looking at it...makes me feel happy." He replied with a smile as his gaze lingered onto it as well.

Reina playfully sighed. "At least get me a drink you cheapskate." She said as she settled down the core on the table.

"Ah right." He lifted his gaze. "Let's have a drink then." Nick added as he shifted his gaze onto the closed door.

"Brooklyn! Bring out some good liquor!" He called out. "Right away sir." A reply from the other side of the door, as if someone's been standing there the whole time.

"Brooklyn? A new servant?" Reina asked while strings appeared between her fingers, like cobwebs. Nick's attention was busy counting gold coins on the table.

"Uhuh? Ah yes. I got him from the Outer wall. Poor people out there would do anything to live inside these safe walls made by the Archon of Preservation after all."

"But that upbringing made him stupid and useless." Nick replied as his gaze lingered back onto the gold coins between his fingers.

The corner of Reina's eyes, she saw Nathaniel outside of the tavern, sitting on crates as he was eating bread, it tasted hard and dry. In front of him was Trisha. Their mouths were moving but she couldn't make up what they were talking about.

"Is that so? Anyways, can you be a witness for me? I got a duel coming around midnight." Reina stated as she shifted her gaze onto the grandfather clock. Fifteen minutes left before midnight.

"A duel...?" Nick asked but immediately, Reina cut him off.

"Oh, by the way. It isn't his fault that he's stupid and useless. You're just using him wrong." Reina said as she shifted her gaze outside the window. Her eyes casting down to Nathaniel.

"There's a different way to correctly control anyone." She stated with a smirk onto her face.

Two minutes before duel.
.
.
.
End of Chapter.