Tales of Revenants

Chapter 28 – Blood Letter

After Xenon and Eirisse arranged their stuff in their room, they immediately went to the room next to them which where Laken and Luciella are waiting.

The twin sisters were on the second floor so they would never let the chance of getting an abrupt meeting.

Since they were at it, they also ate what Laken bought on the streets because no one can think properly if they are hungry, which is what Eirisse thought while savoring the lemonade juice. They are back in business after cleaning up the room.

Xenon geared up his chest, “Changing attribute: lucky... See? I told you those little girls who are just about thirteen years old no longer wanted their homeland,” he said pointing out his opinion.

“That's why they wanted to have a vacation in the Dethrim Kingdom according to what they said which hit my guess,” Xenon added but Laken gave him a head-chopping to force him back to normal.

“Silence.” Laken huffed, “The point here is the twin sisters wanted to go in the Dethrim just like us?” He also asked not sure of himself.

“As I suspected, something shady must be going on,” Eirisse frowned.

They were contemplating for minutes when Luciella slowly raised her arm and wanted to share her own opinion.

“I think what Xenon said is right. He said that he picks up the magic signature of the shards but not the person holding it,” Luciella stated which caught their attention, “Also I never felt any magic trails of them hiding a shard either,” she added that makes a lot of sense.

“Xenon, open your navigation again,” Laken ordered him. He nodded and prepared to make space for the view.

“Recreating map navigation, complete structure specified,” Xenon revealed the world map navigation manifested through photons. They all observed that the two blue points were really at the Dethrim Kingdom and still not shifting position.

It proves the guess of Luciella that the shards alone were at the Dethrim Kingdom wherein its protectors are in the Frozen Northlands, ready to depart tomorrow together with them. If what Luciella speculates is true, then they determined there's only one unequivocal conclusion.

“Are you telling me their shards were stolen...?” Laken suggests. Everyone nodded which is what they all think.

If that is the case, Laken thought to himself that anyone who could steal Shards of Creation on two Heavenly Heroes is not just regular thieves.

Even if Lena and Luna are just very young and naive, their skills and talent never failed them.

Laken's going to decide their next plan when the door in their room suddenly opened. They were startled when they saw who are the ones that interrupted their abrupt meeting.

“I see... so that's how it is,” Lena frowned her eyes in doubt. She had a wanted poster on her hand and crumpled it and threw at them saying that they are already exposed.

Laken's about to draw his sword when Lena pointed out something to Luciella. To his surprise, there was a flame rune on Luciella's neck.

“Runic magic?!” Eirisse figured, “I understand why you embraced her. You think she's the easiest target for such tricks,” she added and furious about herself that she didn't saw Lena chant a hidden spell on Luciella.

“If you know what that is, then the moment I die or I desire to activate the runes, she will die.” Lena simply explained. Her sister Luna is hiding behind her not doing anything. Laken had no choice but to draw his sword back.

Rune spells are a type of magic that is stored in ancient symbols. They are mostly used to enhance one's physical or magical ability or can be utilized as trap magic. But it's dangerous when someone places trap magic runes on a person's body.

Lena is cunning enough to not be caught when she planted the spell. Only the highest caliber of hero can perform such techniques.

“Keep calm everyone. I came here not to arrest Laken, I truly came to help,” Lena wants them to hear her side.

She went beside Luciella and removed the runes herself to prove that she intervened in the meeting not to fight but to share information. Everyone has come to a compromise and the twin sisters joined the party.

“When I strangled you in the plaza earlier Laken, I did not behead you because my sister froze me, but because I felt if my knife ever touches your skin, my instinct is telling me my head will be detached in an instant,” Lena told while she shakes her tail left and right.

“It's a compliment. I'm saying that I knew you were the Bloodless Revenant so you won't fool us around,” she added with pride.

Laken sighed, “If that's the case, I have no comment. But if you are listening to us a while ago, then care to explain again why you two wanted to visit Dethrim? I don't want to hear the word vacation if you mind,” he drawled making sure to give a point to the last statement.

“I know, I know. Let's start with what really happened to us.” Lena instigated the topic. She shamelessly stole Laken's lemonade bottle and drank it all.

Lena got hungry when they were having a late breakfast earlier when she was eavesdropping with her sister so she's not to blame. She had the energy to explain things now.

“It was two days ago when I visited my garden to harvest my lava apple tree. I realized there's something odd about it when I counted its fruit. It should be ten but there only nine of it,” Lena told as the others were confused about her story.

The party sedulously listened to all of her stories from two days ago that doesn't even make any sense. An hour passed by and they noticed she's telling the main part of the discussion.

“And there was a man cloaked in darkness. His hand had a mark of an eye which is carved physically on his right arm. I can't clearly hear what he is saying but the moment he left, the Shard of Flames is already gone below the lava apple tree's root which where I hid it,” Lena explained chasing her breathing right after.

“You hid it below the tree?” Xenon tried not to laugh. Lena nodded saying yes.

“Wait, wait, lava apples exist?” Eirisse questions with stars in her eyes.

“Of course. They are tasty and nutritious,” Lena answered that made Eirisse thirst for lava apples.

“Hm... have you at least heard a thing what the concealed man said?” Laken asked in the matter.

Lena frowned looking at the ceiling trying to remember. She snapped as if some light bulb was lighted up in her head, “I remembered he said... all for the queen... and poof– He's gone with the shard,” she answered Laken with some gestures and sound effects.

“What about her?” Luciella tried talking to Lena's sister.

She is worried concerning Luna that is just hiding behind Lena. She's back to her shy and reserved self the moment they exposed the group's true nature.

“Me...?” Luna pointed out herself. Everyone nodded and she decided to gather all her confidence to tell everyone how she lost her shard.

“I'm taking a bath... it was in my closet... and gone...” Luna simply told her story.

Just how long Lena's narrative is the opposite of her sister, short and concise. Everyone kind of understood the twin sister.

Taking into the record on what they know, it appears the moment Lena's shard was lost, she immediately came to the Frozen Northlands to tell her sister Luna that her shard was stolen. But she learned that her shard was taken too.

There's still a piece of the puzzle that doesn't add up at the right angle when Laken deduced the information so he asked, “Then... how did you know the shards are in Dethrim?”

Laken's party knew they were in the Dethrim thanks to Xenon's efforts. It doesn't seem the sisters have any kind of navigation device or magic they can use to track down the stolen shards.

“Truly...” Lena handed Laken a piece of paper and said, “It's a bit creepy since the ink used to write is blood, but read it,” her dejected expression is explicit.

The rest went behind Laken so they can see the parchment which should be a message.

It was true that the letter is like written by a restless person who purposely applied blood as ink. Laken cleared his throat, ready to read it aloud.