46 THE SINISTER TREE 8

Startle by the voice, Crown Prince Lam turn around to find they had been surrounded by a crowd of people. They standing there, at the edge of the light of the lantern poles, some of them carry a small lantern but lowered them so that only their lower haft being lit, Crown Prince Lam can count about ten persons, standing at the light edge of the lantern poles the rest is obscured in darkness. Three men step forward into the light, one middle-aged and two quite young, only 20 – 30, the middle-aged man is bearded, with a van Dyke beard style about the length of a palm, tall and thin, emaciated and slightly long face, sunken eyes and lifeless gaze, wearing a red cross-collards robe. But yet, Crown Prince Lam still can recognize that familiar face, his uncle, the missing Prince Suk Toa. The other two, one is wearing Brocade Cloak Guard uniform, the other is just a man from the village.

"uncle? Is that you? Why are you here?" Crown prince lam asked.

Prince Suk Toa return no answer, turn his lifeless eyes staring at his nephew. His face, stiff, expressionless, look more like a mask than a face, dimly lit by lanterns, emitting an extremely eerie ghostly vibe. Slowly, Prince Suk Toa walk toward Crow Prince Lam.

"is that you, Lam? Do you hear that?" Prince Toa spoke in a creepy monotone voice.

"h…hear what, uncle?" Crown Prince Lam frowned answered.

"the Old Gods… the Old Gods are whispering… they whisper… they want…" Prince Suk Toa mumbled.

"w…want?" Crown Prince Lam starting to worry by his uncle behavior, a vague dreading sense raising in his mind.

Prince Toa stand before his nephew, he stands still in few seconds, then grab Crown Prince Lam collard out of sudden. "you… Lam, they want you." Put his face extremely close to his nephew face, Prince Suk Toa spoke with a freakish wide up to his ear grin. Just like that, Prince Toa hold on to his nephew collard, slowly push Crown Prince Lam toward that strange liquid pond, mumbling "they want you." with a creepy monotone voice as he goes, ignoring Crown Prince Lam told him to let go of his hand. Seeing that, the two Brocade Cloak Guards intervene but the villager and Prince Toa's Guard charge in, shoved them into that weird viscous greyish liquid. And the strange thing is the liquid cling to their skin like water do but do not cling on to or make their clothes wet. The two guard stand up, flush off the droplets on their skin, bewildered by what just happened, scolding the pair just shoved them into the pond. But one of the guard, abruptly stop, he gave off a gasp, like he just saw something startle him, then went silence, his face become dull-witted for a brief moment, then wrinkled and turned pale, grinding his teeth, he grasps hold at his head, body trembling, he screams out loud "STOP! MAKE it STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" Then collapsed and stop breathing.

"shame, he won't hear." Prince Toa spoke, still kept his freakish smile on his face.

"shame? What're you talking about, uncle? What wrong with you?" Crown Prince Lam said "let go of me." But Prince Toa still firmly grasp hold on Crown Prince Lam's collard and pull him toward the pond. The remaining guard of the crown prince quickly help his lord and put Prince Toa away, he stands between them pointing his sword at Prince Toa, make him keeping his distain. But his body starting to shaking out of sudden, his face convulsing, the guard drop his sword, bend down on his knees, holding his head, softly wimpling like having a fever.

"hey, are you alright?" Crown Prince Lam asked the guard. The man did not respond, just kept clenching his head and mumbling "stop it, please, someone stop it." He acting like that for a minute then roll over on the ground, curled up in fetal position, softly whining like a sick puppy.