Chapter 60: Angel.
Ayaka and Airi sat still, observing.
Airi: "You two sleep, Ayaka and I will keep watch."
Before they could speak, Aoto and Kazuka had fallen into sleep since who knows when.
Airi looked at the three lying there, then turned back to look at Ayaka.
"It seems this time these guys worked hard."
Ayaka burst out laughing.
"True, I didn't do anything."
"Aoto planned, Takeshi escaped, and Kazuka tried to think most clearly for the whole group."
Airi nodded.
"Yeah."
Suddenly, there was a strange sensation from behind. Airi and Ayaka immediately turned their heads. Aoto and Kazuka, who were lying asleep, felt something wrong and bolted up.
Takeshi's body at this moment shook violently, then stood up abruptly. Soulless black eyes opened, his voice rising as if without any emotion.
All stepped back in caution.
Ayaka was the one to speak first:
"This energy is not Takeshi's, it is very familiar."
Aoto: "That is the energy of the monster that occupied Takeshi's body, although mixed, it is still felt very clearly."
Vermyx's deep voice rang out.
"A rare opportunity... a crack in the weak wall."
Kazuka looked at Vermyx with angry eyes.
"You guys thought everything ended?... everything is only just beginning."
Kazuka growled.
"You damn monster."
He smiled half-mouthed, his voice as if wanting to provoke.
"That's right... it is I, but I am not 'damn'."
"I have slept peacefully in this depth, waiting for a moment like this… But rest assured… it is not yet time for me to take back everything."
Suddenly, Takeshi's whole body convulsed. Heavy breathing, then he collapsed, eyes returning to normal, then unconscious.
The whole group stood frozen, everyone not yet over the panic.
Airi whispered:
"Just now… what was that…?"
Aoto grit his teeth, eyes full of conflict:
"Dammit… He isn't dead… he is still inside him…"
Kazuka's gaze became serious.
"We are still finding a way to destroy that monster."
Kazuka emphasized with his voice.
"It will be soon, I will end it."
Right then, Takeshi woke up, eyes slowly opening, Ayaka happened to look down and discovered it. Her voice hurried, pointing at Takeshi lying on the ground.
"He's awake."
The whole group was surprised, shifted their eyes to look and hurriedly ran to support Takeshi up.
Aoto was the one to help Takeshi sit up.
Kazuka: "Hey, you okay?"
Airi: "Are you alright?"
Aoto: "Does it hurt anywhere?"
Ayaka: "Do you feel uncomfortable?"
Takeshi with heavy eyes, he shifted his eyes to look at everyone around, tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. His voice trembled, speaking softly:
"Are you guys still alive?"
Kazuka and Airi were panicked seeing Takeshi cry.
Kazuka: "What are you saying? We are still alive here."
Airi: "That's right."
Takeshi took his hand to cover his face, he wailed loudly.
"I thought you guys died in that explosion."
The whole group smiled.
"We are still alive here."
Aoto was very curious about why Takeshi was arrested, he immediately cut across the flow of emotion with his question.
"But why were you arrested, Takeshi?"
Ayaka sitting next to him nudged her shoulder into Aoto's.
"Let him cry to his heart's content."
Takeshi quickly wiped his tears, eyes a bit conflicted, his voice lowered:
"It's okay, I am very fine."
"Actually, I killed two soldiers of this city's guard unit."
The whole group was surprised, and froze for a beat.
Aoto: "You really killed people?"
Kazuka's voice became serious, pressing close to Takeshi.
"Is there a reason?"
Takeshi lowered his face to the ground, with remorse.
"At that time, after the explosion happened. I escaped the control of Vermyx, the monster in my body. But after that I fainted and it seems I was rescued by the guard unit here. Then there was interrogation and I was released, but they put people to follow me."
Takeshi took a deep breath and his voice went even lower.
"At that time I thought everyone was dead, so I also wanted to die. In that depression, I killed them."
The whole group was silent for a long time, Aoto was the one to clap his hand on Takeshi's shoulder to reassure him.
"Don't worry, we are still alive. Anyway, it happened, the mistake cannot be fixed anymore."
Takeshi with remorse overwhelming his mind.
"I know, but I feel very bad, I killed them... I..."
Kazuka with seriousness.
"Anyway, it's past, I think you should find their graves and say words of apology. I think it will help you feel lighter, if everywhere you go you torment yourself like that, it won't do."
Airi glanced, observing Kazuka.
-"Oh, surely this is the most reasonable solution, I also couldn't think of anything better."
Takeshi raised his face to look at everyone around and nodded lightly.
"Then wait for me to find their graves."
Kazuka smiled.
"Of course."
That night, Takeshi was standing in the middle of a cemetery, he had a different outfit seemingly given by everyone, here white and black papers were scattered everywhere, graves like without a stopping point followed one after another. A gloomy and heavy atmosphere covered this place.
Takeshi stood before two graves with incense sticks still having a bit of warmth left by the soldiers' families. He stood there, then stepped back two steps and knelt on the ground.
He kowtowed three times down to the cold white stone floor, each kowtow was a time to apologize, a time to ask for forgiveness, a time to realize he was wrong.
On his forehead, much blood had flowed from the kowtows against the ground, the ground still had his blood stuck to it.
Takeshi clasped two hands together, sincerely repenting.
"Hope that you two forgive me."
"If you don't forgive me, it's okay. If one day I meet you in another body, please kill me if you feel lighter, I will not resist."
Takeshi stood up slowly, he still bowed his head for a moment and then turned his back to leave.
Kazuka was the only one standing outside the cemetery, he leaned his body against a tree then turned to Takeshi who was walking over.
"How do you feel?"
Takeshi smiled.
"I feel better."
Kazuka: "Anyway, you just escaped, but we must go immediately. If discovered, it will be tiring."
Takeshi: "Must go immediately?"
Kazuka nodded.
"Yeah, we need to find a way to destroy that monster inside you."
Takeshi with a calm face.
"Destroy it? I think it's not necessary."
Kazuka now was calmer than before, he glanced over and asked Takeshi back:
"How is it not necessary?"
Inside, Kazuka and Takeshi both realized their friend was a bit different.
Kazuka coughed once, eyes looking straight at Takeshi.
"Why does the feeling you bring now feel so different?"
"Did being occupied by that monster make you different?"
Takeshi laughed, scratched his head.
"Hahaha, the feeling of having the body occupied is truly terrible, but generally I am still Takeshi, don't worry. The Old Wolf also told us: 'any emotion is only fleeting, then will return to normal', did you forget?"
Kazuka: "I remember, but it's lucky you are okay."
Very quickly, they boarded the large horse carriage and went outside the city smoothly that night. Aoto and Takeshi sat outside, Airi and Ayaka sat inside the carriage. Kazuka sat on the roof of the horse carriage, he was watching the starry sky and the crescent moon, the sky today did not have a single cloud.
Everyone had changed into simpler clothes to fight easier.
They went on that empty road, heading towards an unclear place.
Takeshi coughed once as if to open the story.
"I see...."
Immediately cut across by Aoto, he had noticed a detail.
"Why do you guys have this style of wanting to say something and coughing once?"
Takeshi forced a smile.
"Just a habit."
Aoto pulled the curtain up, inside Airi and Ayaka were sitting eating steamed buns. Ayaka was curious when Aoto pulled the curtain.
"Is something the matter?"
Aoto smiled.
"Listen to Takeshi tell something."
Takeshi coughed again.
"About finding someone to destroy the monster in me, surely it's not necessary."
Kazuka sitting on the roof also confusingly spoke down.
"Why not necessary?"
Takeshi: "When I struggled with the monster, my soul swallowed its soul."
The whole group opened eyes wide in surprise, expressions as if unable to believe it.
Aoto: "You really swallowed it?"
Takeshi nodded.
Airi then spoke up.
"So that means you can control it?"
Takeshi nodded.
"Could say so."
Ayaka was curious.
"But when you fainted, that monster controlled your body, it even warned us and would return."
Takeshi raised an eyebrow hearing Ayaka speak.
"Really?"
Aoto: "So that means when your energy runs out is also the time it controls you."
Kazuka: "If so, then what to do? We can't know when danger is met and hide Takeshi where?"
Airi: "In general, not running out of energy is enough, moreover if I remember correctly, when swallowing another's soul it means that soul will become a main part of the swallower's soul. Like that, it is impossible to destroy this monster's soul, as that would destroy Takeshi's soul too because they are linked."
Explanation: Previously Vermyx had linked with Takeshi's soul because he thought he could control Takeshi easily, but that was a mistake of arrogance. Vermyx and Takeshi were like two souls tied by a string – this side hurts, the other side also feels. But now it's different. Takeshi swallowed him. No more connecting string. No more resonance. Now, Vermyx is like a fire imprisoned in a furnace — struggling hopelessly in the body of the one who surpassed him.
Aoto sighed out a breath.
"That's right, so that means you will have to live with this monster for life, Takeshi."
-"Unless 'they' help, but they never come down here; and must be high-ranked too."
Takeshi looked into his palm, mouth mumbling small, almost inaudible.
"Must live together?"
-"Damn monster, dare to occupy my body when I was weak? Tonight you die with me."
The monster inside Takeshi was shaking incessantly. The image of Takeshi appearing with a barbaric smile made him even more afraid.
"Why did those kids dare to snitch on him?"
Ayaka then poked her head through the window and called Kazuka.
"But where are we intending to go, Kazuka?"
Kazuka sitting on top spoke down:
"I think go to some other kingdom, this kingdom is too 'black' (unlucky)."
Ayaka: "But you forgot the old woman in that town said we would meet many thorns? Everywhere is the same?"
Kazuka startled, remembering.
-"Ah, right."
Airi: "You still remember, Ayaka?"
Ayaka turned back and nodded.
"Of course."
Aoto curiously asked:
"Is something the matter? What about that old woman? Tell me?"
Airi as if remembering something.
"Ah right, you are an Elemental. When we were at a town, we met an old woman who said she would read our destiny, I sensed she had the energy of an Elemental."
Aoto just heard, he immediately remembered.
"Ah, I know that old woman, she is also one of the few people allowed inside that barrier."
Airi was surprised.
"Really? Does she have some background?"
Aoto: "She once was someone following Loid Kencho, the one who created the barrier protecting the Elemental race I told you about."
Everyone was surprised, Kazuka from the roof jumped down to catch the story.
"Everyone continue."
Airi was most shocked.
"She has lived that long?"
Aoto nodded.
"Right, she followed Loid Kencho, and was bestowed a part of his ability to see the future. If everyone sees her and only hears her say a few sentences and it's over, and she says she can only see that much, it's not true."
"She saw everything, just didn't want to say."
The whole group opened eyes wide in surprise, voices in unison:
"Really?"
Aoto nodded.
"Of course, people in the village often tell that she cannot see someone's whole life, but she is very smart in seeing each milestone of an event of someone."
Kazuka rubbed his head in regret.
"Oh my god, what a pity, if at that time we gave her a few more gold coins surely she would have said more."
Aoto both laughed and spoke, very knowledgeable.
"Don't look at her like that, she only turns old. Like being old will have experience and be more trustworthy. Although I haven't seen, everyone in the village says she is very beautiful, everyone regrets she is human. If she were an Elemental surely she would be chased after fiercely."
"But what did she say to you guys?"
Ayaka quickly spoke first.
"She said we would meet many difficulties in the journey."
Aoto nodded, then he smiled.
"So it's like that, but difficulties make the journey become great."
Kazuka burst out laughing, his voice as if not afraid of anything.
"That's right, I now want to see what the next difficulty we must meet is."
Takeshi also smiled.
Airi stroked her face in exhaustion.
-"Truly a bunch of idiots."
Ayaka with an excited face.
"So exactly where are we going?"
Kazuka: "I went to ask, we will go further west, will arrive at the Kingdom of Tharvelia."
Aoto: "So does that kingdom have anything?"
Kazuka shook his head.
"Who knows? I haven't been there."
Takeshi added:
"We go on an adventure to explore. Not knowing what that place has is even more interesting."
Ayaka pointed ahead, the three boys turned back.
"Look, is that a forest?"
Airi: "I think we should stay away from forests, don't know what it has."
Aoto: "What's the matter? I like forests."
Airi both closed eyes and spoke very intently:
"The forest at your place is different from the forest here. Kingdoms even have to send thousands of troops to explore. Inside if meeting monsters won't it be very tiring?"
Ayaka took a finger to poke Airi's cheek.
"Are you finished speaking? We entered the forest."
Airi was surprised, she opened eyes in panic.
The horse carriage was only a few tharn from the forest.
Airi shouted loudly.
"Turn around."
Takeshi turned back.
"It seems if turning around must go a very long way, just go this way. I think it's fine."
Kazuka nodded confidently.
"Right, we also fought how many battles, now also stronger than before. Actual combat is the best way to train, did you forget?"
Airi with exhaustion, eyes as if having nothing more to say.
"Don't use the Old Wolf's words back at me."
Kazuka laughed, then turned to Aoto.
"Let the horse carriage run slowly."
Aoto nodded.
Going for a while, Kazuka and Takeshi were in a state of extreme caution. As surrounding them was a thick fog like the mind of a confused person.
Kazuka: "Why is there so much fog?"
Takeshi nodded.
"Right, looks very suspicious."
Airi and Ayaka from inside the carriage poked their faces out.
Ayaka: "I think should stop the carriage."
Airi: "Right, the horses can't see anything to go."
Aoto nodded and pulled the reins. The two horses stopped.
"There's a chance while going we crash into a tree. Let me go down to observe."
Before having time to step down, Aoto frowned. Some source of energy made Aoto shift his eyes to the right with caution and confusion.
Airi and Ayaka stepped outside the carriage, they hunched and slowly sat down.
Aoto spoke, caution and care followed his words:
"Everyone be careful... there is something that shouldn't appear here. But is here."
The whole group turned to Aoto and immediately entered a state of caution, eyes scanning around like a hawk.
Takeshi spoke, bringing doubt and defense:
"Is something the matter?"
Kazuka was cautious, but he was also quite curious.
"What creature? Speak."
Ayaka nodded.
"Right, don't scare us."
Airi with suspicion.
"I can't sense energy as far as Aoto, surely he sensed something."
Aoto spoke to reassure.
"Just be cautious, but stay calm. Speak later."
-"Strange, why is he not moving? No hostility?"
Kazuka swallowed saliva, looking in the direction Aoto was looking, but there was only fog closing in.
"Should we get closer?"
"I think my slash will tear this layer of fog open for us to see and move easier."
Aoto grit teeth in worry.
-"Very close, this layer of fog has energy. It seems this place is not normal."
-"But the energy is not like the one inside this fog."
-"Only 5 tharn, what is he doing?"
Suddenly, a crying sound rang out in the fog, the whole group was surprised and heard it. It emitted from the exact direction Aoto was guarding. A girl's crying voice.
Ayaka and Airi were even more surprised.
"Is it a woman?"
Ayaka held the bow tight, but there was no arrow. She shook her head.
"The voice is very clear, surely about my age."
Aoto kept doubting in his head.
"Why is the energy like that? Mixed is impossible."
Airi turned to Kazuka and spoke:
"You break this layer of fog, Kazuka."
Kazuka nodded, he jumped from the carriage to the ground, confident eyes heading forward. He slowly pulled the sword from his side, the sound of metal rubbing together. Energy gradually wrapped around his body.
The sword held only by the right hand was raised.
"I will slash a small interval for easy control."
Aoto was concentrating then startled, he reached out his hand to prevent but was too late.
"Wait a moment..."
Kazuka lowered his hand, the energy slash was swung out. It split the fog in two.
The forest appeared a bit, dense trees, and purple-black ground, showing this place no longer had sunlight. But the trees could still grow.
The whole group stood frozen.
A girl's figure appeared, she sat leaning against a rough stone wall. Her body huddled, arms wrapped around her legs, face slumped.
Her crying voice still rang out, the sound of her sniffing indicated she had cried a lot.
The appearance with brown and tattered clothes, even more miserable than a slave.
But white skin from the arms and legs was revealed. Long and messy platinum hair touched the ground.
The remaining people finally sensed the very strange energy, a bit of confusion appeared.
The fog was slashed open and Airi also sensed it, she froze, eyes glanced down at Aoto.
Her voice trembled:
"No way..."
Aoto only then started to speak, voice a bit hesitant:
"It is an Angel!!!!"
Kazuka, Takeshi, and Ayaka were all confused hearing Aoto confirm. The whole group could only silently look at the girl huddling there.
Airi said, voice extremely puzzled:
"Why does an angel appear here?"
She immediately shifted her eyes to Kazuka, the carriage shook a bit. Airi glanced down beside her, but Ayaka had jumped down from the carriage.
Then she directed her gaze to where Kazuka stood, but did not see him. She panicked, shifted her eyes following the noise.
Kazuka and Ayaka were running towards that girl. Aoto opened eyes wide, she panicked and said loudly to Takeshi and Airi:
"Hurry, follow."
Aoto and Takeshi immediately jumped from the carriage and ran right after. Airi also jumped down.
-"Not good... like this it will be exposed."
All 5 people then ran over, Ayaka was the one to reach out wanting to touch the girl, with worry. Kazuka was also right in front looking at this girl.
But, a shiver ran along the platinum-haired girl's spine. She raised her head, brushed Ayaka's hand away and bolted up. The whole group was confused, but also stepped back a few steps and observed.
The girl stood up, white face with skin like a baby's skin, a bit of dirt from the dust clinging on, white eyelashes, white eyebrows, and an elegant appearance.
Ice-blue eyes, she grit her teeth, hostile eyes. Hand pointed straight at Kazuka and screamed, voice trembling:
"You... you... are a demon..."
The whole group was heavily shocked, hearing the girl say that. The whole group looked at each other in confusion.
But the one worried was Airi standing behind. Her teeth grit hard into her lip.
The Old Wolf's voice echoed in Airi's head:
"I guessed right."
Airi was extremely worried.
"Dammit, why at this time? It is too early."
Kazuka at this moment was confused, he hurriedly waved his hands.
"Huh? What are you saying? I am human."
Ayaka smiled friendly and stepped closer.
"Calm down, we don't have bad intentions."
Takeshi standing behind could only laugh awkwardly, he also didn't know what to do. Had to stand behind observing.
-"Does our group meeting girls have to have something?"
Aoto stood stroking his chin in thought, eyes glancing over Kazuka. Then he turned back to look at Airi standing behind, worried face.
Both immediately locked eyes, in this situation. As if knowing what the next question was, and with that expression of Airi.
Aoto seemed to have confirmed.
-"No wonder... I always had a strange feeling but didn't dare to confirm about Kazuka."
That platinum-haired girl with hateful eyes looked at Kazuka, she swung her hand. As if to prevent Ayaka from getting close and not wanting to consider anyone's words.
"You guys..."
She scanned around.
"Two humans... one demon... one elemental and one vampire, why are you going together?"
Kazuka was confused, but he still tried to reassure the girl:
"What are you saying weird things? We are friends, why wouldn't we go together?"
The platinum-haired girl as if not wanting to accept, she shouted loudly:
"I don't believe... how can there be friends among races? There is only alliance and then betrayal."
She grit her teeth in anger.
"You guys... are wanting to play some trick on me?"
She immediately summoned from her hand a white sword with wing patterns on it. Its blade was large and sharp, shiny.
Left hand held the sword moved to the right, the blade swung behind her back. She grit her teeth and swung from right to left.
Whoosh!!!!
The whole group opened eyes wide in surprise.
Airi standing from afar panicked, she shouted loudly:
"Duck down."
Aoto rushed to Kazuka's back, two hands placed on shoulders and pressed down hard.
The whole group at this moment sat completely on the ground with panicked faces. The slash with white energy, a bit transparent, flew over the group's heads with an extremely wide range.
The slash immediately cut a series of trees behind.
Boom!
The sound repeated of the trees falling, even there were trees falling right next to them.
The whole group was cautious, immediately jumped back to keep distance with caution.
Kazuka still tried to advise:
"We didn't do anything, calm down."
The whole group stood in line with each other, eyes still with a bit of confusion before the slash just now.
Behind was a pile of large wood fallen, piled up, crushing into the horse carriage and both horses were crushed flat, blood flowing in puddles.
Aoto knew that advising someone to be calm while losing calm was impossible.
He raised his voice, shouted towards the platinum-haired girl:
"Whatever you are thinking about us is whatever. But it is true, we go together."
The girl froze before that casual admission.
As if having a support for the words, Airi spoke:
"We had no intention to harm you, just passed by and accidentally sensed it."
"Lower your weapon."
The girl frowned, eyes suspicious, glanced around. In her head she seemed to be analyzing this issue.
Then the sword on her hand vanished into white spots and blended into the void. She lowered a bit of caution and tension inside herself.
"So what did you approach me for?"