Chapter 17: Acceptance

Kabooooom!!

The signal that Tristan had been waiting for, the cue for him to immediately leave the place.

Tristan himself wasn't sure how he did it, but the instant he made up his mind to leave, the huge white tiger that he had controlled immediately pounced at the two elves standing the closest to it.

Tristan tightened his hold on Layla and grabbed his massive sword before he leaped towards the rushing tiger and landed on its back.

The unexpected event only attracted the attention of the few elves near him. When they realized his act, Tristan already traveled quite a distance away from them. The abrupt action, combined with astonishment due to the tiger helping out the captive, caused Tristan to have a rare moment of time to carry out his escape.

Tristan grabbed the leash of the tiger as if his life depended on it, and the beast swiftly ran forward following his command.

Evidently, the elven soldiers already got out from their dazed state as a rain of arrows was descending from the sky towards Tristan.

Tristan swiftly brandished the sword, swung it towards the arrows, and deflected all the arrows with it. Within seconds, he was able to break through the elves' encirclement and got out of the compound.

On the way out of the compound, Tristan heard a loud sound following the previous explosion. He glanced at his back and saw a rectangular grey flying machine floating into the air and slowly leaving in the cover of smokes.

The only regret Tristan's had when he saw the flying object leaving the site, was the information he might get from Cursacc or the space knights about the planet he is on right now. But at the moment, he clearly knew his decision to get away was the right one.

With one hand hugging his sister tight and the other on the leash, Tristan shouted, "Ride!!"

While the tiger and two figures rode through the wind, Tristan's mind couldn't help but wander off. This was actually the first time for him to ride any kind of animal, much less a tiger.

The experience of loping through the barren desert with the winds hitting and blowing their hair everywhere could have been quite exciting if Tristan and Layla didn't fall into such a precarious situation.

Seeing his sister's feeble condition, the first place he needed to go to had to have water; drinkable, clean water. Tristan fully understood that the two of them were far from safe, the elves would swiftly catch up to them if they stopped at one place. However, they really needed to find a place where there was water or an oasis.

Unexpectedly, the moment Tristan thought about places where water might be, the tiger suddenly turned the direction of its stride, completely surprising Tristan.

'Did this tiger read my mind?" Tristan wondered.

Half an hour later, Tristan received the answer to his question when the tiger arrived at a river.

The river was located next to lush forest, which was quite strange when all the terrain he could previously see was only barren desert. Alas, Tristan didn't let the thought linger in his mind as he quickly lay his sister down under a tree.

Tristan cut a chuck of wood from one of the trees before carving into a somewhat rectangle bowl. Collecting water from the flowing river, he proceeded to feed it to Layla and swiftly treated her burning temperature with some wet clothes.

When Tristan went back to the river to take another bowl of water, he was startled by what was reflected in the water.

Touching his face, staring at what he had become now. There was a moment of silence and acceptance within him.

Layla suddenly awoke and began coughing. Realizing that his sister was collecting herself and still in a half-conscious state, Tristan discreetly took a few steps back in order to not make her afraid.

Moments later, Layla regained her clarity and the first thing she saw was Tristan, or rather, the elf. "You… It's you again... My brother… where is he..?"

Hiding the pained look in his eyes, Tristan cleared his throat and said softly, "You are still unwell. Drink some more water. I will find something for you to eat."

Tristan walked towards the trees, but just as he took a few steps, his enhanced hearing told him that Layla was already standing and trying to run away. Unfortunately, her weak body didn't get her far as she fell to the ground with a thud.

Sighing deeply inwardly, Tristan approached his sister and carried her before he gently lay her under the same tree again.

"What… what are you..?"

Layla now had a good look at the figure towering over her. A muscular pale body that was taller than a normal human, coupled with white glossy hair, pointy ears and a green eye.

Layla knew that the figure in front of her was definitely not human. But then, she realized the right side of the face just above the right cheek to the ear, it didn't look like it fit into the body.

Tristan realized what Layla was thinking, he slowly grabbed her arm and raised it to cover the left side of his face. And now, Layla could only see the strange side of his face.

Then, Layla started to cry as it hit her.

The blue eye, the familiar lashes; it was someone she clearly recognized.

Layla was crying loudly in disbelief, "No.. no.. no..! Go away!… Let me go..!"

Seeing his sister's reaction, Tristan slowly said, "Layla.."

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" screamed Layla as she jerked her arm trying to get away from Tristan's. However, instead of letting her go, Tristan hugged her tightly.

"I already promised you on the plane, remember? I... I.. will never leave anymore... I will take care of you."

Hearing the unidentified figure's words, Layla's cry became even louder as she hugged Tristan's, just like a little girl in her big brother's embrace.

The moment was interrupted by a series of heavy steps coming from behind them.

Tristan turned around and saw the white tiger with a branch full of small red fruits in its mouth. Looking at the tiger, Tristan let out a soft chuckle, "You really are useful, aren't you?"

Tristan patted the tiger and took the branch away. He then gave the fruits to Layla.

Realizing that the figure in front of her, the one who looked at her with such tender eyes, was her brother, Layla asked the questions, "What the hell is happening with us..? With you.. your body.. and that white tiger.."

Tristan smiled and patted his sister's head, "Don't worry too much about it, Layla. We will figure it out."

A short while after, Tristan suddenly spotted an object closing in on them from the sky. It was the rectangular flying object he saw earlier.

"Dammit! Can't they just leave us alone?!"