Creatures of the Mist

Sixteenth Mist

Sixteenth Mist

Creatures of the Mist

© All Rights Reserved

##### Sixteenth Mist #####

--------------------------------

Moonlight shall take your envy,

As blood shall be traded.

Just as eyes blinded by light,

Shades of blood will reveal the truth.

Another visit surprises me at the following day when I’m spending my free time reading on the porch. There is no rain today. Yet there is no threat to be concerned of this time.

Banri appears from behind one of the tree border and walking towards my direction with a playful smile I know so well. The one smile that can even tear down my own sorrow of our friends’ deaths.

I drop the book that has been resting on my lap without even thinking what will happen next to it. Why would a book simply matter when my long-time-no-see best friend is standing right in front of me? Still a grass field away, I raise from the chair I’m sitting and run towards him.

We come to a hug when he opens his arms widely for me. I fall right into his body and instantly feel really relief, as if I haven’t relaxed for a very long time. In truth, it’s only been a moment of time. Meeting Banri itself already bring so much changes that I can feel inside.

I feel... lighter.

...Happier.

In the embrace of each other, we stay like that for some time before I ask him something.

“Why?”

My voice sounds so sore for some reasons. And when I try to think about the cause, I blink and find it painful to do so, too. That is when moments later I realize that I am crying on his shoulders. I am crying, and not just for a few drop of tears.

But I am happy.

So happy.

“Oh, Arsene. I can’t stay away from you for too long, especially because you’re a queen of your own clan right now. And I can’t stay mad at you ─ I know that the memories of losing our friends is too bitter and grim to remember, but they will always live in our hearts. They won’t be forgotten even when they can’t be around us anymore. We’ve through so much together that it’s just impossible to hate each other, even for too long. You are my friend, too. So how can I not come?”

Banri sounds in peace as well when he talks.

“Even when I was the cause of their deaths? How can you ever forgive these dirty hands of mine?”

He quickly pulls us apart and look at me in disbelief.

“It wasn’t your fault, Arsene. Even if I were in your place at that night the kappa attacked, it still wouldn’t be my fault. It was purely out of rage that came from that kappa, not yours. And,” he then reaches for both of my hands and cups them in his palms before saying, “these hands are not dirty. It is as pure as your soul and the rest of your body.”

I bury my head on his chest.

“You don’t know what I had done,” I whisper, but he doesn’t argue with me.

We just stay like that again until it feels like the sky is about to get very dark soon.

“So, where are the others? Are they coming with you as well? Where do you guys will stay while you are here? How long are you planning to stay?” It feels like I am urging him to answer all of my questions despite how many they are.

He chuckles a little of my boldness. “I’m the only one who is visiting you, I’m afraid. Shrade and Crease have their own lives from outside now, so they are still busy with work. As for where and how long I will stay, I still haven’t figured them out just yet.”

“What? How can you be so reckless? Where will you stay if you haven’t visited me first, huh?”

He thinks about my words for a few seconds.

“Is that an invitation?” A sly smirk is spreading across his face.

“Of course,” I snort. “Who else am I inviting in here except you?”

“Well, if I don’t know any better, I might get the wrong idea having a witch and a warlock staying under the same roof. Then again, your cousins are both here, aren’t they? So this is probably not such a big thing for you. But perhaps I have to remind you as well, remembering how dense you were before,” he mutters.

Before I can ask what he means by that, though, Banri pulls me closer by circling his arms around my waist and bury his head on my neck. I choke is surprise when he tilts his lips on my skin, kissing and biting in such an unexpected way that I find myself weaker because of shock. Banri notices this and tighten his arms around me so that I won’t slump to the grass below our feet. He then used that closeness to deepen his bite on my neck, making me sore and shivering at the same time. Finally, after five minutes, Banri pulls away from the curvature of my skin.

“I’ll take your offer for staying here,” he says before walking into the castle.

I catch on to him for walking inside the castle after a few moments of silence has passed. I get into my bedroom and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. The happiness from before is still there in me, just a little bit changed. How could it not? Banri has bitten me! On my neck! I step closer to the mirror to examine the bite. I remember again the feeling of soreness from before when my eyes land on the red dot on my neck. It stands out most because of my ivory skin, beaming to make sure that no eyes that pass me will miss it. I glare at it some more before stepping back.

Why did Banri do something like that to me?

It hurts.

But I can’t cure myself with my magic as well, because the injury was not caused by magic, but rather physically. And my ability is limited to that. The good thing is, it is just limited to only that one particular thing. On the other hand, it seems like Banri has put a spell on my so that it won’t allows my blood to cure the red bruise. All without my concern, just like when he suddenly decided to reply my kindness with this.

I stare at my own reflection for some more, think of a way to cover the bruise. Maybe I can wear a choker or a scarf. But even if I wear one of them, I still won’t be able to cover the bruise since the position is too far for neither of the scarf nor the choker to cover. Eventually, I end up giving up and just walk out with it showing boldly.

Someone else picks that chance to show up. I run into him by accident, since he is standing right in front of my room and I am not paying as much attention as I have to. I hit that wizard and almost fall on the dark carpet that is covering the floor if his hands haven’t caught me beforehand. I end up leaning on a tall and muscular bandaged body, which then I find, as I raise my eyes higher to his face, belongs to none other than Trace.

I am more than happy to greet him with a hug, but considering what Banri just did to me before, I restrain myself. Perhaps being too close to male wizards make them want to... attack me?

Trace looks taken back when I retrieve myself away from him quickly, but never be able to let go of maintaining that warm smile from his lips. He has grown a lot since the last time I saw him. He is much taller to the point that he is even taller than me right now. His body is much more muscular than what I could train him before. And he seems to be able to control his powers right now. Grandfather surely has been taking good care of my apprentice.

“But what are you doing in here, Trace? Unless if you have finished your training with my grandfather...” I let the words trail and he nods with a grin.

“But why so early?”

“Being trained day and night by Magister Rologo, of course I would have to finish quicker. With such rate, I finally finished a five years training into a three years. Plus, it’s me we are talking about.”

“What? Are you implying that you’re getting more diligent?" I tease at him. One thing I know very well is his laziness.

"Hey, wizards can change as well, you know," he says, sounding offended.

"Really?" I arch an eyebrow at him with a slight smirk on my lips. "Then I guess there is only one way to prove that. Where is my grandfather?"

"You won't find him here, though. I came alone. He said he wanted to take care of some personal business, so I went here by myself. I just want to finish my training and get back soon."

"Well, you can come here anytime you want. I won't forbid you this time, so there is no need to hurry things. And as for your newly improved abilities, I'll test them tomorrow. Just to make sure."

"That's not it," he mutters.

"Not what?" I demand.

Trace opens his mouth, but closes them after thinking his action through. That's really not the Trace I used to know at all. The apprentice I know will do what he feels like doing even before thinking of the consequences.

"What is it?" He stays silent. "Do you want a present for your achievement? Not until you pass my test, though."

"No, that's not it."

"Then what?"

He debates with himself for a minute before saying, "Do you still remember your promise about taking me to Hell?" I nod. "Will you take me there sometime soon?"

"We'll see."

“What’s that?” Trace suddenly asks.

“That what?”

“That red bruise... on your neck.”

I trail my hand up to the mark Banri has made earlier.

“Nothing,” I answer, trying to smile it away even though I know that Trace is giving me that suspicious look. Yet don’t question it longer.

In the afternoon after that, I receive an invitation from the palace. It is almost time for the annual Wizard Summon, so Lelouch must have invited lots of wizards to come. What surprises me again today is the fact that not only Banri, Artro, Link, and Raion, but even Trace is invited to the ball. I find out about it soon at dinner. And how can I not notice? Everyone is talking about it and the words does not just come from mere whispers.

If this is an idea of his joke, then it is not funny at all. Lulu is trying to test my limit, I see. And I will not let him get the best of me. I already told him that I will not make a choice, yet he decided to create a possibility where I and all the warlocks he has accused of me having possible relationship with them to all gather in one place. Not to mention that those who are invited to this ball will have to stay at the palace for at least a week for the celebration.

I can just refuse to come, but I can not do that when I’m in the position of not declining anything. I’m the Queen of Noirmelns now, making me the head clan that has to come to this annual gathering for powerful and important wizards. In addition to that, Lulu also invited me in the name of Lelouch Sullivan, the Prince of Wizards. How can I decline an invitation from him now? It will be considered very impolite and even as an act of treason.

What more is that it is impossible for the warlocks to not come.

All the reason to be there. Great.

With a defeated sigh, drop my fork and end the dinner.

Lulu sure has thought through about his plan.