"I'll do it myself. Women look good in red don't they?"

I beg to disagree; they look better when they get trampled by the rubble of their dream after pushing people off of dragons and shooting someone at the ankle for no good reason.

I would like to set someone as an example but I'd like to give respect to those who were no longer breathing in this world.

Then again, they wouldn't be able to do anything since they were already deceased, weren't they?

I looked at Squawkey that turned to its left and lifted its wings to fly in the direction it was facing at. I was contemplating if I should follow the odd bird but I was persuaded that perhaps Squawkey wanted to show me more of the connecting events. I crouched and kept glancing in Klepton's and Rui's direction to see if they were noticing my movements. Once I was far enough, I ran to catch up with Squawkey that was kind enough to wait for me.

Squawkey led me to a tiny and scruffy cottage where two well-built women were currently seen at. Their tanned skinned glistened with sweat and their unique hairstyle stood out the most. The back part of their hair was tied into a ponytail while the front blond locks gently draped over half of their faces. One side of the head was shaved into an intricate design of the sun while the other had a star on her part.

They were tall, muscular, and looked strong overall.

Were they perhaps Gloom's daughters? They must have taken after their mother. Gloom was scrawny, pale-looking, and was about to die at any moment if he was to cough even once. These women were well-developed, had the healthy color of the sun, and looked like they would kill you with just a handshake.

So far I had a marvelous experience with each woman I meet. Perhaps this time they'll strangle me and play innocent once more.

"Oh my love, it wasn't our fault! He put his hands on his neck and began to choke himself. We tried to stop him but he persisted in suffocating himself! Please forgive us!"

Snickers sounded inside my head and I couldn't help but cough to stop the curl of my lips from furthering. I walked towards the women who were busy chopping wood and Squawkey soared down and stood on my head.

I must confess...that ax they were holding could severe my head at any given surprise. I stood farther away and proceeded.

"Domo," I greeted them. Gloom's daughters froze and I witnessed how their muscles tensed.

The both of them cautiously turned around and I bowed. Their vicious glares were met with my blank ones and they glanced at each other before squealing in a high-pitched tone. I was crushed into their womanly curves —they were stone-like— and Squawkey had to save himself from the death of their embrace.

"How adorable!"

"What's your name little one? Are you lost? Where are your parents?" one of them asked.

"My name is Lucian. I am most probably not lost. My parents are more or less 4 weeks away on foot. No, I don't need to go back to them. If I do happen to be lost, please help me find a werewolf named Caleb or an ancient named Lucius," I answered.

The two women smiled at me indicating a warm welcome. "My name is Ushet and my sister is named Ufuk," the woman with the sun tattoo under her eye introduced. "We live with our stepfather. He hasn't come back but we can still spare what little food we have with you," they offered.

I swayed my head in calm rejection and glanced at them sternly in the eye. "I have to decline. I came here to warn you. A ruffian will come here any time soon to avenge what has been stolen from him. I have no relation to him, your father, or to whoever is involved in this. I just happened to pass by and decided to relay the message."

As I talked the joyful faces they had were replaced with a look of hostility.

"It's Klepton isn't it?" Ufuk asked.

"What has he done to our father?!" Ushet shouted.

"The same thing he shall do to you if you do not heed my words," I warned them. Ufuk grabbed Ushet's arm and jerked her forward.

"Let's go Ushet. We don't stand a chance against him. Father has told us never to clash with that monster," Ufuk reminded her.

The more enraged sister snatched her arm away from Ufuk's grasp. "But he killed our father!"

"And he'll kill us too if we don't leave!" Ufuk reasoned out. Her voice was raised in an attempt to get her point across but she was still in a calm composure.

A hurl of sand swirled in great a multitude from where Squawkey and I came from. We glanced at its direction with the two sisters bearing a troubled expression.

"Leave this place," I told them.

Ufuk and Ushet turned around and began to escape but they immediately noticed that I wasn't coming with them.

"Why are you just standing there?!" Ushet asked.

I gave them a bow of parting. "Someone is waiting for me. I cannot go with you. Farewell."

The two were hesitant to run off without me but I waved at them tranquility and turned away before they could try to persuade me again. Squawkey landed on top of my head and I shielded my eyes from the swirl of sand impeding my vision.

How troublesome.

I moved my hand to my side and shut my eyes. I must return before Caleb awakens. I will surely get an earful of whines once he discovers that I had left without his knowledge right after being recovered from my kidnappers.

"Out of my way..." I murmured.

A circle of zephyr rounded my place and blew the sands daring to be threatening. The grains of pestilence returned and filled the form of the man being feared by the many.

"Hello, I never saw you before. Are you an acquaintance of this family?" Klepton asked politely.

"I'm just a mere passerby," I answered. "And you were in my way of returning."

Klepton scratched the back of his head. "Ah, I see. Mi dispiace (I'm sorry). Then you are in luck. You are one less person to wipe off this world then," he laughed cordially.

I tilted my head at him. "What a considerate murderer," I praised. "It's too bad you met a considerate pryer. I can't seem to mind my own business at all," I added causing his smile to minimize a bit.

Indeed, I could have just left after warning them but surprisingly, I wasn't sleepy yet. I'll kill a little bit of time before joining Caleb.

I really can't make up my mind. The deprivation from being locked away for so long had made me uneasy just by staying still. My body wanted to wander more, feel more, and experience more.

I wanted to feel the essence of living.

Klepton smirked at me. "Trying to stall I see. You must be the eavesdropper."

Ah, my stealth skills needed more improvement.

"It's hard to miss an aura like yours. Do not mistake me for a fortune-teller; I simply have a talent to see the power of souls within a person," he explained.

What an interesting individual. He was a worthy opponent to test my carrots on.

"It must be an honor for a handful amount of people to be recognized by your eyes," I deadpanned.

I felt the flow of water beneath me and turned my palms upwards. The pressure beneath the ground rose and a burst of the reservoir formed into a wall behind me, covering the retreating sisters.

Klepton maintained his cool as he glanced at me. He cupped his chin with his three fingers and nodded in approval.

"Your value is high," he commented.

"My value is not for you to establish," I deadpanned and shaped the wall of water into a man-eating dragon.

The dragon charged towards Klepton in an attempt to devour him but once my creation clashed against his form— it dried out and a sizzling sound remained for a few seconds as steam was released. It was as if my water dragon just made in contact with a live-fire but instead of killing the fire, it remained unaffected.

"More..." he urged me.

I gathered fire into my hands and released it into a powerful spinning cyclone that engulfed his entire form. I watched as his silhouette emerged and his body came out of the twister unscathed.

"Give me more," he encouraged.

I extracted a gigantic piece of a boulder from the ground and lifted it above his head. I let the boulder fall on his form and as expected from him, he caught the boulder with his index finger and grinned at me. The ground cracked and his body fell in with the boulder covering the fissure. I clapped my hands together and the crevice shut with much intensity.

The earth became silent for a split second before another tremble occurred and an unharmed Klepton burst through the ground.

"My turn..." he eagerly declared before licking his lips excitedly.

Perverse hands of different elements pierced out from his back in an arch of undeniable malevolence. There was fire, there was darkness, and there was sand.

The hands elongated and lashed out to grab me and the zephyrs blew me upwards. While I avoided the endless length of the limbs, I hardened the leaves of the trees and made it rain sideways to attack the bearer of my current adversaries.

Darkness withdrew and enveloped his form in protection while fire and sand continued to pursue me in midair.

I hurled water to the grainy limb which caused it to be less efficient and less agile. The fire became more feral and was increasingly harder to avoid. I soared down and twirled most of the water above us before freezing it. The steeled leaves continued to hit the dark sphere while fire and sand teamed to break the icy barrier.

The dark sphere faded down and revealed the absence of Klepton. There was a huge hole that contributed a great idea to my great genius.

I manipulated the steeled leaves to enter the hole and flooded it with the remaining water afterward. I froze the water and sat by a branch to wait if I managed to subdue him.

I used a lot of mana there. Perhaps that did the trick?

A powerful earthquake told me that our flight wasn't even close to getting started. I should prepare myself for the best ways to console an angry and distressed werewolf later.

Magma blasts out from the ground and Klepton's body was pushed out with much elegance. He sauntered towards me with amusement lacing his eyes.

"You've piqued my interest. I'd like you to become mine," he declared.

"Please do not humor me. I have much to do," I sighed.

I had much sleeping, much eating, and much wandering to achieve. I should have left when I got the chance to. My sense of altruism must have improved.

"I am sleepy.  I have managed to fulfill my prime purpose— I shall take my leave now," I told him. 

Klepton's eyes narrowed but he did not lose his simper. My eyes widened when I felt myself get stuck at the back of my head. I fell helplessly into my adversary's arms and lost consciousness in an instant.

"Nicely done Rui; let's head back to base."

I should expect Caleb to chain me to his side by the time I get back. I learned my lesson. From now on, if by some luck I escape this event of kidnapping once again, I will do no more wandering. 

I promise.

Yes. 

Or perhaps I'll bring an escort if I remember. 

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A/N: Hello, I found a potential site for my books. I will finish CL before taking my leave so that's still far away haha. I'm also planning on improving my skills in drawing. I'll invest in a drawing tablet. I want to see my characters visually and perhaps publish them in a manga/manhwa style? I will do my best.