Castaway

DAYBREAK

The bullets went through the thickness of piled woods. Gunshots rained them that day. No one dared to talk, no one seemed calm and collected. Everyone has their own questions wanting to find some answers. Limo who just redeemed another life, asking himself if this is worth dying for.

Amaron had a thought about this sudden attack but it’s too early to run to conclusions. The clans of huntsmen were never peaceful. Pride and power, something they’ve been fighting for for generations but humiliation follows. In this season of selection of a powerful clan seemed like the greatest event of the year, there’s no safer place for those who are involved in the competition.

Baron found a quick way to mend Limo’s wound. Luckily, the bullet only managed to scratch his skin.

“That should do it.”

“For now,” Baron added.

“At least we prevented it from infections. How are you feeling?” Devanna asked Limo.

Limo looked at her and didn’t even saw a glimpse of fear in her eyes. He looked around and no one seemed to be reacting naturally in that kind of situation. If he were still living normally, he would panic and that might even cause his death.

“Is this normal to you?” Limo asked them.

“It stopped!” Calyx exclaimed when the gunshots stopped from pouring.

“Not basically normal to us but for those who are involved in this selection, maybe yes,” Amaron answered Limo and started to walk near the entrance.

“Not yet, Amaron,” Baron said.

“If they think they could eliminate us easily, well, they’re wrong.” Calyx grabbed the pipe resting above the table where he was sitting.

“Only a curse could get us killed,” he added as he jumped from the table. Devanna felt something electrified her heart though she knew Calyx didn’t gave another meaning to that sentence, but she felt guilty.

“Never thought participating in this event could be this bothersome.” Amaron still stood tall near the staircase to the entrance while looking down at the ground.

“Did father thought about this thoroughly before he decided to take you in in that competition?” Calyx smirked.

-0-0-0-

Vimeon speed up his car but he knew it would be late if he arrive there. He was so occupied at work that he couldn’t believe he missed this kind of miscalculations. He dialed his brother’s number yet Cart’s phone was off. He was pissed that all he could do is to blame himself for this. There’s no one to blame but himself.

-0-0-0-

The ruins of once they called home greeted them as Amaron opened the door from the basement. No glass from their windows remained. The light went through from the holes on their wooden wall. The vases Baron kept wiping every morning shattered into pieces. The food they prepared turned into mess.

“How could they be so cruel just to get ahead of others?” Limo’s eyes gleamed with anger. His hair slowly turned silver. It was mesmerizing to witness his sudden change of appearance. They momentarily forgot the horrible things that just happened.

“How can you be so beautiful when you’re mad?” Calyx asked him.

Baron coughed.

“It was wise enough to not get into fight earlier or we were left with even greater damage if we did,” Baron told them as he scanned anything worth saving.

Amaron let out a deep sigh.

“Is this just a warning? Or are they really planning to kill us?” Devanna asked them. She picked the remains of the drums Amaron took from their uncle, Cart.

“What now, Amaron? Are you going to continue participating in that event?” Calyx asked his older brother.

Everyone looked at him waiting for his answer.

“They already did this much damage.” Amaron started.

“How can I surrender?” he laughed.

“Nice!” Calyx clapped his hands.

“We won’t let you give up in this competition. We will do our best so you could win this. Let them get on their knees trembling,” Calyx announced his thoughts.

“Baron, do we still have that thing?” Amaron asked his twin.

“Of course but are we going to fit in there?” Baron asked back.

They stared at each other and lastly stared at Limo.

-0-0-0-

They decided to camp out for awhile. Baron took their old tents from the basement while Amaron and Limo started to get anything useful. Calyx and Devanna cleaned up their stock room if they have anything left to eat. They saw a lot of their elixirs spilled but took those that can be saved.

Baron coughed from the dust while holding two big packs on both his arms.

“The other one was too old the fabric gave in so I left it inside,” he said as he handed it to Amaron.

“Do you think they knew Limo has awakened?” Devanna asked them.

Calyx put some chips on the wrecked table in front of them saying, “I don’t think so.”

“If they knew about him they should be more careful. I think that attack was too rash and quick. It is also our fault for leaving Limo on the shaded part of the story.  We were too confident and used to this kind of peace,” Calyx added.

“If the word breaks out that they attacked us not knowing we had Limo, that would benefit them even more,” Baron told everyone.

“It’s not a good start for Amaron, you know that family’s standing can give points during the selection,” Calyx said. 

“You have no choice but to give your very best on the first quest, Amaron,” Devanna told him.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of engine coming closer to them. It was familiar enough for them to recognize. A familiar face showed up behind that untinted glass window. The car stopped and revealed a well-built man wearing only his white long sleeves and his necktie loose. He walked towards them but his eyes focused on someone he didn’t saw before, an additional member to his house, Limo.

Limo suddenly felt small under his presence. His dark brown eyes were too deep you could get drowned by looking at it. Limo felt his heart skipped a beat and he saw Devanna looking tensed. Now he knew one reason why she was so distant with her father.

“Pack anything you could, you should leave this place,” Vimeon said.

“To where?” Amaron asked his father.

“To my place,”Vimeon answered.

“We don’t want to live in there, it stinks with your woman,” Calyx disapproved.

Baron gripped Calyx arms.

“We’ll leave until we packed everything we need. We have water sanctified a couple of days ago, we can’t just left them and we had elixirs to farm two days from now. Atleast we should wait until just then,” Baron explained.

“Don’t worry about living in that place with me. I have my 3-month business trip in three days. You can freely do whatever you want in there,” Vimeon told them.

Limo’s eyes suddenly glowed and it caught his attention.

“So that was the eyes of gold?” he said uninterested.

“It’s just like a pair of a big cat’s eye, nothing fascinating about it,” he said and turned around walking back to his car.

“I’ll message you for further instruction, Amaron. Please don’t let your phone unattended,” their father said before he opened the door and left them there.

“Yep, and he cared by the way if you don’t know. Thank you everyone, now let’s go back to our chores,” Calyx said.