Chapter 107 - The Dawn (3)

Screams were heard when Hernan and Melody passed by a busy street. The passersby immediately distanced themselves from the bloody duo. The smell of rotting iron also attacked their noses. There were drops of blood on the path where Hernan and Melody walked through.

Since they hadn't seen that much blood, they were terrified.

Hernan didn't mind and just kept on walking towards the building where the Elders lived. Meanwhile, Melody was so ashamed that she struck terror on the citizens of Tamel. Her head hung down as she followed behind Hernan with a blush on her face. When Hernan finally stopped before the well-built building, Melody crashed on his back as she stumbled.

"I'm sorry!" She immediately exclaimed with a bow.

"It's fine," Hernan shook his head then gazed at the front door where two guards were stationed. He swallowed his saliva then approached.

"Sir, I am part of the team that went to the demonic realm."

One of the guards visibly trembled.

"What is your name, sir?"

"Hernan Rava," he said with his eyes squinted.

"I will inform the Elders."

"Please do."

"Sir…," she softly called.

"..."

"No matter what happened, I will always be with you."

Hernan finally looked back and gazed over at Melody's sapphire eyes. He was stricken with grief after what he heard from the female's mouth. He bit his lower lip then nodded reluctantly. Then, the same guard appeared was covered with sweat as he let Hernan in. However, Melody was stopped by the guards.

"He is the only one who is allowed to come."

"What…? Why?"

"You're not part of the team that went out, right?"

"That… is right, but I am the one who healed him when he came back! He's my responsibility!"

"I'm sorry, but--"

"It's okay, Melody. Just wait for me here," Hernan interjected.

"... yes."

Suddenly, Hernan leaned in then whispered, "If you sensed that something is wrong, you have to get out of here. Fast," then he entered the building.

***

Every steps he took felt heavy. He already readied his teleportation spell in his mind. Thankfully, he learned how to when he escaped from the demonic people. No, do they even deserve being called a demon? They also lived the way he lived. They were orphaned in a very young age. The only difference was they knew why they were orphaned, unlike him. But… he knew now. They were also thrown away to the monsters' pit. Where they couldn't escape from when they finally lost their value.

Hernan stopped before the door leading to the room where the Elders were. The guard that led him opened the door then closed it behind him.

"Hernan Rava."

"Yes."

"First of all, what happened?"

"The warriors rebelled and killed mages. They were trying to go to the demonic realm for refuge. I barely escaped through the teleportation circle. I sustained a wound on my throat and was healed."

"How about the people that came from nowhere?"

"It's Central Marsh, sir."

"Yes, yes. So, what happened to them?"

"... they fought with the mages and saved a few of us. I don't know if they'll ever survive, but I know that they will prevail and come back victorious."

The Elder sighed as he clasped his fingers together.

"You can go."

Hernan's eyes went wide. Is that all? He mused. He inwardly shook his eyes then bowed at the Elder.

"I am going to retire to my quarters now, sir."

When he was about to turn around, "Wait," the Elder called out.

"Yes, sir?"

"I forgot. What about the other mages?"

"They also escaped through mass teleportation."

"Then… Emersyn? Any news about her?"

"She wasn't on site, but I could feel her presence a few meters away from the border," he sweated as his heart thumped against his c.h.e.s.t.

The Elder settled his elbow on the marbled table, his chin on his palm. He smirked as he observed the change of the young man before him.

"Is her presence that scary?"

"... to be honest, yes. I could still feel the tingle on my skin when I was pressed against that monstrous pressure," he rubbed his arm as he forced himself to remember that terrifying force.

"Interesting… we should have done everything to detain her here…."

"I believe that she would certainly escape one way or another. After all, it was reported that she was the descendant of the Demon King that once ruled over the demonic realm. She also have extreme control over the darkness."

"I know that, don't remind me of my mistakes," the Elder said as he waved his hand in exasperation. "No matter. I'll hear from the others when the report comes in later. You can go now."

"Yes, sir."

Once he was dismissed and outside the building, he immediately made a run as he already felt something wrong in his guts. It was all so strange. So strange. Suddenly, he heard that he was being called. His breathing became ragged as he felt pain on his stomach and legs.

"Sir Hernan! Wait, please!"

He remembered that there was a powerful family of children at the next building and he brisked through there, forcing himself to continue on.

"Sir! Please! I'm tired!"

"...."

His vision cleared and he looked back and saw Melody chasing after him. She was also heaving as her run becam a jog. He stopped and peered over at her back. One of the guards ran to his companion and informed him of something. They looked at them, and instantly, he knew. Their lives were in danger from now on. He grabbed Melody's wrist then dragged her over to the building where most of the Central Marsh people lived in. He took a deeper breath then knocked on the farthest door. He could hear little footsteps quickly arriving behind the door, then, it opened and a small child appeared before him.

Without any questions asked, the child immediately pulled them into her room then locked the door. The child pressed her ears against the wooden door for a few moments then nodded.

"The coast is cleaw, mistew," she said adoringly as her glare turned soft.

"Tha… thank… you…."

"Mistew, hewe, watew."

"What happened, Jiji?" A small head peeked out of a room.

"Big bwo! Mistew and missus needs hewp."

"Well, I kind of expected that," his body emerged and approached the two as he crouched down and got the glass of water from Yao Jiji's small hands. "Jiji, can you get some ice for the water?"

"Okway!" She saluted then pattered her chubby legs towards the refrigerator and reached for the lowest cabinet and got two ice trays. "Hewe, big bwo. Mummy won't know!"

Yao Han smiled then took ice cubes from the tray then carefully put it into the glass of water. He offered the cold water to Hernan.

"Here. It should be refreshing enough."

"Hooo… thank you," Hernan weakly smiled as he sat down on the carpeted floor then accepted the glass. He immediately gulped it down in one go and gave the glass back to Yao Han.

"Jiji, can you get more water?"

"Okway!" She waddled towards the sink and climbed the small ladder then turned the switch of the tap to get water. When the glass was full, she carefully stepped down then handed the glass to Yao Han. He put ice cubes into the glass then handed it to Melody who was already sitting down on the floor.

"Thank you…."

"You should also thank Jiji."

Melody turned to the child and gently grasped her small hands, she smiled then said, "Thank you very much, Jiji."

"Jiji ish happy, missus."

"It's only miss, Jiji," Yao Han softly scolded.

"Miss!"

"Great job," her older brother patted her head.

"If you want to, I can lead you to one of my siblings' bedroom. You can take a rest there until mother and my siblings come home. You can't take a step outside on your own, right?"

"Well… yes, kind of."

"Figured. Stay here until you can get out then. I am Yao Han and this is Yao Jiji. We are the only one left here since Jiji can't still fight, and I have to watch over her. So, feel free to use the rooms. We don't have anything of importance besides our bodies, so we are not worried."

"I have money, so I can pay…," Hernan and Melody said at the same time.

"Hmmm… we already have our stock of food, so we only have to buy some for your portions. Jiji, we will have to go out with mister and miss for their food. Let's get you prepared to go out," Yao Han lovingly muttered as he entered Yao Jiji's room and came out with a coat, gloves and winter boots.

He was already dressed warmly and had a key dangling on his c.h.e.s.t. Once Yao Jiji was ready, they embarked cautiously outside as they avoided streets that were devoid of people.