One's Eden: Sword of Ren!

Chapter 11: Lost children (Part1)

A vast blue sea and scorching sunlight. That's the only words that can describe my surrounding.

Hanayuki who is on the other side of the boat uses a giant water lily to use as an umbrella.

"It's so hot... Ren row faster."

Said Hanayuki.

"I'm trying my best."

I replied.

For some reason, there's only one paddle in the boat and the only one that is using it now is me. I Never knew that Celest is this far from the land area.

Paddling with an enhancement of magic. We finally saw land in our direction.

"Hanayuki look is that the Flore?"

Hanayuki gets the map and takes a look.

"Hmmm... We've been rowing to the east of Celest... That's not the town of Flore. That's the town before Flore called Lilia."

"We're still far away huh?"

"I guess so..."

I don't have any choice but to continue rowing and traveling toward our destination.

This is to repay Scarlet for her kindness and for me to find the General.

While we are in the middle of the sea. Hanayuki brings up a certain topic.

"Ren, are you okay?"

"I'm okay."

"It's so silent. Mind to tell me some stories."

"Story."

I started to think about some stories from my childhood. But in the end, nothing, in particular, is decided.

To be exact there's nothing that I can tell Hanayuki. I spend my days in training and making my body strong when I was young. I barely got time to read storybooks.

As far as I know, Hikari loves reading books and teach some children in our town back then.

Recalling those memories makes me miss her more.

"I have nothing. How about you? Come to think about it. I never knew anything about you at all... You knew that I'm someone seeking revenge. But I don't really know your true goal in traveling."

I said.

"Didn't I say it to you? If that's the case then I tell you some of my stories."

...

A long time ago. It's so dark and lonely in this forest. Hanayuki started running away with tears in her eyes.

Running with no certain path. She injured herself but still keep on running.

Run that's the only thing in her mind back then.

Until she bumps into a girl with katana in her waist. The girl smile at her and Hanayuki started to cry even louder. Not because she is in danger, it's because she was saved.

"Don't cry Hanayuki."

the girl said and patted Hanayuki's head.

That's one of the only things Hanayuki remembers about this girl. Every time she remembers it.

It makes Hanayuki's heart at ease.

Even with Ren, Hanayuki can't tell it.

It's so precious, she wanted it only to be called her own.

...

Hanayuki remains silent and just smiles.

"Hey, Hanayuki... Tell me about yourself."

"That's near impossible because I'm traveling for two things."

She said mysteriously.

What's with that? I never knew Hanayuki in this deep state.

Hanayuki then continues.

"You see, I'm searching for my memories."

"Memories? Is that something that you can find?"

"In this vast world, I'm traveling, hoping maybe someone out there knew my past and tell me about it. Also, I want to see her again. The girl that rise me and the one that saved me... I want to see my mother again. I wonder where she is..."

Hanayuki looks to the blue sky and wonder. A little drop of tears started to make an appearance.

Looking at Hanayuki's expression.

"You really love her didn't you."

I said.

"Yeah, I loved her so much... I wanted to recall everything and find the place where she was."

"You got amnesia huh? Then let's do our best to find our goals."

I said and smile.

Hanayuki chuckle.

"Puff! You smiled."

"Is that weird?"

"Nope, I'm just not used to it."

Said Hanayuki.

With those conversations, we didn't notice that we arrived at the land.

At last finally, we can rest in rowing and continue on our journey. Before that maybe we check some restaurants here and eat lunch.

Town of Lilia. It's a small town and nothing very special.

Entering the town.

I started to find out weird things.

Like these people living here seems to hate us.

They stare at us with an evil gaze and some people straight up shutting their window and closing the doors.

What's wrong with these people?

By that time.

"Mary! Mary! Mary! Where are you?! Have you seen Mary!"

A woman came searching for someone. She started kneeling and begging. in the center of the street.

"God please bring back Mary. She's the only one that I have. Please bring her back to me."

Hanayuki turns her glance to the woman and walked to her.

Then asked.

"Ma'am what happened? Can you tell us about the details?"

The woman, grab Hanayuki and hugged her.

"Mary! Mary! Mary is gone! My daughter is gone! The fairy stole my child! Somebody, please help me!"

The woman said with a desperate voice.

After that Hanayuki started to look seriously and turn her glance to me.

"Ren! Let's save this woman's daughter."

We are in hurry to Flore, but looking into her eye's there no way I can say no.

Hanayuki is so helpful.

I nodded in agreement with Hanayuki.

After that.

In someone's house. A little girl who is about three years old started flying. The little girl is unconscious and look's like bind by something.

"What's happening?"

Looking closely. there was some kind of string attached to this girl.

I draw my sword immediately and attempted to cut it.

It's so hard.

"My child! Somebody help us!"

Said the mother of the three-year-old girl.

"The fairy will never stop until she gets every child in this town."

Said the old man sitting down in the ground with liquor in his hand.

The string is been pulled at high speed toward the foggy forest nearby.

The fog negates our magic detection skill and Hanayuki even with her lightning speed didn't make it to save the little girl.

…

"That woman's child is done now. The fairy of the forest came to get her child. Same to that little girl who just taken."

Said the man in the bar.

Currently, we are in the bar to gather some information about the fairy that kidnapped children.

And every time we ask them what's happening and what is the cause of it.

They always said:

"No, there's no way we go there."

"The fairy might just eat the children who know."

Hearing the answers of the people here you can say that every one of them has no guts to rescue the children or do something to it.

All they do is cry or don't care about it.

Even the woman who just lost her child a minute ago is staring at the foggy forest.

Looking in her eye's there's a chance that she wanted to enter this forest.

But before she enters it.

Face's of monster and horrible creatures started to make their appearance.

The intimidation of monsters and horror in the forest made the woman step back and fall.

She wanted to save her child but she doesn't have the strength to enter.

It's indeed a poor sight.

"Mister another question?"

"Huh? But that comes with a price young man."

Said the old man in the bar.

"Price but you didn't charge us in our first question."

Hanayuki protested.

The old man just look away and muttered.

"Then, you don't have any rights to asked me. I run out of liquor right now and I don't have money--"

Before he finished his words. I slam three silver coins on the table.

"That should be enough right?"

I said with fierce-looking eyes.

The old man is shocked and composed himself.

"Then let me hear it."

"When is the start of this accident?"

I asked.

"It's just three weeks ago. Not even a month the forest started to get foggy and high leveled monster started appearing inside of the forest... Back then, my job is a woodcutter and cutting woods in the forest is my job... Before it all started we saw this beautiful creature with butterfly wings... She is so beautiful. We called her fairy... But while we are drowned to her beauty... With a single swipe, she killed my workmates and she started getting children in this town for an unknown reason."

"Then, have you tried to rescue those stolen children?"

"You're asking too much for an old man, youngster... Like I said the people are killed in the forest. Everyone feared death, that's why we struggle to live. If I have the courage to kill myself. I'll do it now. I don't have family or anything to lose..."

The old man said.

"I see..."

I replied and turn my back.

Everyone feared death, that's why we struggle to live.

A statement that mirrors reality.

Still, I can't just stand here and not do anything. I'm sure Hanayuki feels the same way.

She is been serious this whole time and I'm not used to it.

"Hanayuki here want some fried chicken?"

I offer her bread.

"Where?! Where?! Where is the fried chicken?"

Hanayuki replied.

"We don't have fried chicken anymore you ate everything in the boat, didn't you. The only thing left is this bread."

"Geez Ren, you're fooling me. Give me back my hope."

"Sorry, I'm just... You know... Ummm... Not used in your current mood."

I said and look away.

It's a little embarrassing to say those words.

"Sorry, I made you worried Ren... After we save those children. Let's eat some Chicken together."

Hanayuki replied with a smile.

That's more fitting to her childish face.

She gets the bread in my hand and started munching it.

According to the old man, this forest got high-level monsters and a fairy? A woman with butterfly wings? Why she started k********g children.

Is red robe terrorist behind this? It's not impossible, because the red robe captain named Elulu is in the next town.

Is she the one who did this?

It all started three weeks ago. If that fairy they called is a monster then, there's no guarantee that the children are alive.

Remembering when we entered the town. People shut their house before us.

Looking at the time it's before noon.

"Wait Hanayuki let's go and find the woman searching for her child named Mary. I have something to ask her."

I said.

I unconsciously pulled Hanayuki's arm.

"Ren but those children might get eaten. Let's hurry up and enter the forest."

Hanayuki stop me and release her arms.

"Ren those kids might be in great danger at this very moment. I don't want to waste time. If you wanted to ask the woman then go. I will enter this forest and save them."

"I want to save them too but we need more information."

"It's time-wasting! It's time-wasting! It's time-wasting, life is on the line here. It's not like a stupid novel. Where the detective waits the killer kills more victims before he solves the mystery... When life is on the line it's normal to hurry."

Said Hanayuki.

I scratch my head.

This girl didn't know how to be cautious. The kid's life is not the only one who's on the line. When we enter that forest. I'm sure our life will also be in line.

But after hearing those words. Hanayuki is right, we can't afford to lose more time here.

Hanayuki is also quite serious.

"Alright then, It's no turning back. Let's enter the forest."

I said and draw my sword.

In the front of this forest. It's sure giving that creepy feeling. This intensity of despair. I can feel it.

The red eye's started to appear and monster creature.

We ignored those monsters and just walk inside.

As it appears, those monsters are nothing but mere illusions. Illusions that faded after we successfully entered the forest.

Inside the forest. Not even sight light can enter.

Is this some kind of barrier magic?

Looking up. The cloud is dark and the wind makes me feel uneasy.

As we walked silently.

"Ren, can you smell that?"

"Yeah, it's so awful."

Hanayuki continues walking and then.

A drop of blood meets her cheeks.

As Hanayuki check on it.

The blood from above poured into her hand.

"Blood?"

It's so foggy we didn't notice.

Right above us is a corpse hanging around.

"!"

"Hanayuki!"

I jump toward Hanayuki and cover her.

Are those things are vines?

The vines that attacked Hanayuki disappeared in the fog.

Another vain came to attack us.

This time I cut it with my sword.

"Hanayuki are you right?"

I asked.

"Yeah, thank you for saving me... Whoahh!"

Those things are not vines, but strings. Similar to the string earlier.

Need to cut it.

Flames started to burst on my sword. I hurried and cut it with all my strength.

"Blazing assassination s***h!"

Vines came to bind my arms.

"?!"

Hanayuki was dragged toward the deep part of the forest at high speed.

"Hanayuki!"

That time, I once again failed to protect the girl beside me.