"ROOOOOAAARR!!!"
The cry of several beasts resonated miles away where both groups could hear it. Many thoughts were produced in a series, but everyone knew best not to investigate the source. They could feel the earth tremur with the pressure of the beasts measly cry.
How dangerous they were, the people who heard could only hope to never encounter them, ever.
⌘
"Holy Shiva! What the hell was that?!"
"Don't panic, Bright. Based on the sound, it should have come from miles away. But it's truly worrying how strong the beast must be to cause such effect in the air and sound waves."
"Stop talking science, Raize. You know I won't understand it...." Bright solemnly said.
Raize gazed on Bright's pitiful form with a sigh. "Just forget about it."
"What are sound waves?" Innocently inquired by Izaya as he observed the other two's exchange.
"Sound waves are invisible and can only be seen using advance technology to read its frequency and strength. When you make a sound, it creates vibrations in the air and that's what causes the sound waves. With every wave, the strength dwindles. The louder the sound, the longer the waves travel." Briefly explained by Raize in his simplest terms.
"Advance technology?"
"Machines programmed for the purpose of achieving or in this case examine what humans could never hope to achieve with human senses alone."
"Machines... programmed...."
"Give up, Izaya. The more you ask, the more confused you'll get." Bright sympathetically said while patting Izaya's shoulder.
Releasing a surrendered sigh, Izaya sadly nodded his head.
"............" Raize was left speechless.
"The voice must be really loud then if it could reach us here in my home." Muttered Izaya under his breath.
The three were able to get inside Chlad using Izaya's reputation. And although certain individuals were surprised and paled at the sight of his well-being, they remained quiet.
With ease, Raize and Bright relaxed inside Izaya's mansion.
It was a 3-story mansion made of red bricks. The interior design was similar to that of Victorian Era, but most furniture were crafted with mahogany wood. The walls decorated with swords and shields, as well as medallions rewarded to Izaya's achievements in the Barracks.
He had a maid and a butler. He didn't need more than that as he wasn't home most of the time. But his house had plenty of guest rooms, which he gave a couple for Raize and Bright's accommodation.
The three youthful boys were currently in Izaya's Study, teas and sweets on the coffee table.
"I still can't grasp the notion that you earned this house simply by being part of Chlad's military brigade." Raize commented as he continued to investigate every wall, every floor and every object in the Study Room.
Bright had long ignored everything else as he devoured every sweets on the table with much gusto like he had never eaten for a few days. From time to time, he would grab his cup of tea and blow on it hard to take small sips.
"Indeed. My Lord is generous, which makes me question why he would dispose of me..." Seemingly melancholic, Izaya replied as his golden eyes looked down.
Raize did not seem fazed with his own inconsideration, and instead continued. "You acted really strange with the soldiers we've met. You were very cold and domineering, while here you are looking so soft on us."
Surprised by Raize's observation on him, Izaya looked towards Raize's deadpan expression, unable to read anything. "Ah... Yea. Since I was once a slave, it was hard to get along with anyone. So eventually, it was easier to get by the day if I acted cold around them. They stopped bothering me little by little."
"Ah...." Receiving more clarity to Izaya's situation, Raize simply nodded. "Some still find you heroic and admirable though."
"Hm." Replied Izaya with a smile.
After a while, Bright had stopped his munching and looked up to Izaya and Raize. "I hope Lea and Ulla will arrive soon...."
"Yea. I'm sure with Lea, they'll both get here safe."
"You guys really seem to rely on her a lot against beasts although I can see why. But Raize, you have a strong potential to improve more physically. Moreso with Bright."
"Are you suggesting you can help us train?" Raize asked.
"Sure." Izaya simply said.
"No questions asked. When can we start?"
"Wa-- Wait! I haven't agreed to any of this!" Bright complained.
"You have no right. You need to get yourself more dependable. Are you gonna continue relying on Lea who is much younger and smaller than you forever?!" Unusually mad, Raize inquired Bright.
To Raize's fury, Bright simply escaped a gulp. He was slowly understanding the need to get himself physical fit. "Fine... Only because I don't want Lea to have a hard time and make her worry again."
Raize simply snorted, while Izaya continued to gaze at the two in bewilderment.
With that, it was established that Raize and Bright would receive training under Izaya when he could spare the time as they wait for Lea and Ulla.
The shadows in Chlad, however, shall not wait forever.
⌘
Along a dry gorge towards Chlad, the three lovely girls were back on track as they headed for the capital. Setting aside their worry over the unpleasant cry of the beasts, they focused their attention on their tasks once they arrive at their destination.
"Oliver is in love with you?" All of the sudden, Imhe asked, giving a glance towards Lea's back who had taken it upon herself to lead the way and defend them in case of sudden attacks. This time, Lea was more on-guard and she promised herself to never leave the two girls behind as much as she can so as to avoid a repeat to what happened with the mercenaries.
"......." To her question, Lea simply shrugged in silence.
"Don't worry. Even if she understands Oliver's feelings, I don't think she knows how to respond to them." Ulla replied instead of Lea quietly.
Seemingly understanding Lea's mind, Imhe said aloud, "So you are inexperienced! Why don't you just reject Prince Oliver then?" She felt it was rather unfair that the prince had to keep on pouring affection over someone who did not see him the same way.
"........We are friends." Was all Lea could say.
Shock was immediately registered on Imhe's pretty face. "What the heck are you on about.... He obviously treats you more than that!"
"..........." Another silence from Lea met Imhe's burst.
"So unfair!!" She really was starting to feel bad for the hopeless Prince and at the same time, envious of the attention Lea was getting.
All the while, Ulla found it strange how Imhe seemed to react too strongly over the Prince after knowing he longed for Lea. She was thinking if the heroine was supposed to be so childish over garnering a boy's attention. Supposing her thoughts were right, then it could prove troublesome hanging out with the heroine.
Ulla was initially popular from the start due to her feminine antiques. She did not have to lift a finger to catch most men's attention, and she was not bothered by them either. On the contrary, she was oblivious to her own popularity. However, despite how she ignores everything concerning shallow affections from other people, she disliked shallow girls more.
Being a strict girl herself, she didn't like frivolous actions. She noticed Imhe was not initially interested with the Prince very much, but after noticing how the Prince treats someone with utmost importance, Imhe seemed to have changed her mind. And considering how much she had told the girl, Ulla could only feel her stomach churn with anxiousness.
"Calm down, Imhe. Oliver can choose whoever he wants, and I believe Lea clearly treats him as a friend." She said, observing Imhe's reaction more seriously.
Imhe simply pouted. "Hmph. If I really have the ability to make the other 5 superior guys fall for me, then Prince Oliver shouldn't be impossible either...."
Ulla's eyes widened. "Don't overdo it. I may have told you it's possible, but that doesn't mean you should forcefully change people just because of your whims."
"Whims?!" Seemingly flabbergasted by Ulla's remark, Imhe couldn't stop her voice from rising.
"I thought you only wanted one man to end up with. You intended to see the others before deciding, so stop thinking you should get them all." Ulla stated carefully and clearly.
Imhe was speechless, but she didn't say anything else in retort.
Ulla remained quiet as well.
Lea was silent the whole time, pondering over Ingrid's situation. Her mind was full of concern over what likely consequences would her classmates end up in if the plot had too many changes. Her brother's image always at the back of her mind, never disappearing.
Then all of the sudden, she felt a faint presence several feet away from where they were. She had sensed it vaguely since they met Oliver's parade, but she thought it was merely a coincidence considering Oliver was a prince of a nation and surely it was normal to have someone protecting him in the shadows.
But the presence had been making itself more prominent with every passing hour they traveled closer to Chlad.
With a halt, Lea brought the two girls behind he to protect, waiting for the presence to come closer.
"Come out." She quietly called out.
The presence did not move.
The fox that was always around Lea, but not always on top of her head jumped on the ground and ran to where the presence was supposed to be in hiding. The fox then stopped nearby a crevice along the rocky walls. Lea gave a small grateful smile to the fox, to which the fox accepted as a signal for it to come back unto Lea.
It ran back and climbed on Lea's shoulder, silently and steadfast that the presence remained where it was hiding. Lea had guessed the person following them could read the flow of essences as well, much like the mercenary leader in the cave.
Using her mind, she closed her eyes and forcefully gathered the essences from their surroundings and spread it evenly along the gorge path to mask their presence. Seemingly allow them to feel invisible to those who could read the essences in the air.
Surprised and curious, the hidden person finally revealed himself. His pink hair and red eyes were striking to their eyes. The face was familiar to Ulla, while Lea felt she had seen his pair of red eyes once.
"...................." The red eyed youth remained silent despite having revealed himself from his hiding. He continued to stare at Lea's ruby irises, sensing familiarity.
"....Seth?" Ulla muttered aloud, which startled the red eyed youth briefly.
"Why were you following us?" Asked Lea as she got her essences ready to fire if the boy attempted to do anything dangerous.
Eerie silence danced in the wind as essences mingled in their surroundings. Imhe felt herself comforted as essences voluntarily flowed within her. Lea had noticed this, but chose to ignore.
Aside from the youth in front of them, Ulla's attention was no where else. "Lea, he is one of the capture targets. Don't kill him. Maybe you could knock him out?"
With Ulla's suggestion, Lea relieved herself from her own restrains. Essences so abundant their surroundings was set aglow. Unbeknownst to the red eyed youth, his silence remained as it was for the next few moments.
Lea enhanced her limbs and a moment, she was gone. She was surprised herself, but her expression showed none of that. With incomparable speed, Lea reappeared beside the red eyed youth who was left speechless in surprise.
"....----" He moved to defend himself by throwing his arms in the air, but Lea deflected his hands from below using her hands. She then kicked him on his gut, which made him involuntary cough off blood. Weak and still in shock, the red eyed youth simply looked up at Lea's domineering pressure.
He gritted his teeth and gathered ample of essences into the center of his body, which fortified his balance. Next moment, he stood up retaining his initial composure.
She observed his movements and she predicted he would attack any moment, but she couldn't guessed what actions he would take. As she remained cautious, the red eyed youth vanished, leaving behind a gas of black smoke.
But when Lea felt herself out of battle, the youth was suddenly behind her with his blade on her throat.
"Not a ninja. Assassin huh." She muttered, not expressing even a tinge of fear.
She had been in many near death experiences since she was young, so she was used to having a claw against her pale skin. Her current situation was not that different.
In a split second, Lea had grabbed the youth's hand that was holding the blade on her throat. Absorbing essences fast and using thousands for heavy arms fortification, Lea hurled the youth in the air and unto the ground on his back.
"Who are you?" She asked once again.
Blood in his mouth, the red eyed youth remained quiet as he glared at Lea's ruby eyes.
Instead of intimidation, Lea felt anticipation and interest at the youth's dead eyes that suddenly turned alive through his glare.
She smiled tenderly at him and knocked him unconscious in the brief moment he let himself be surprised.
"He'll be asleep for a couple of hours. We need to reach somewhere secure before then." Lea said quietly, lifting the red eyed youth on her back.
".....You are strong...!" Commented Imhe. She was very surprised at Lea's usage of essences as she herself controlled her's differently. However, she didn't think she would want to fight close-ranged battles herself. She hadn't noticed the infinitesimal effort Lea applied to absorb and manipulate the surrounding essences.
"Okay. Shall we ask Hamsphant for a ride? I'll take care of controlling him while you lookout for Seth." Ulla commanded, semi suggested.
Lea nodded and immediately called for Hamsphant who was away for its meals somewhere. She lifted herself up, while Ulla helped Imhe aboard as she herself was dragged up afterwards.
The fox who now lay on Lea's lap glared at the red eyed youth who Ulla referred to as "Seth". The fox felt ominous with the youth's appearance.