Tales of Revenants

Chapter 2 – Third Princess

The girl had an eccentric figure, she wears green apprentice mage garments dons by those who are still in training, having a seamless sleeve hanging loosely upon chanting magic.

Her mortified countenance as Laken grasps her immobilized leg because she thinks her death is imminent was an awful sight for him.

She cried and cried non-stop and even started to use her long blonde hair to wipe her sobbing face.

Laken took a bottle containing ointment on his pouch and gently smeared and applied the treatment to his leg down to her knee.

“Keep calm, it's nothing serious. This is an ointment made in iris flowers and magic dust. You should be fine now,” Laken said without any malice.

“Uhm... You'll let me go...?” The girl was meek. She couldn't properly say a thing after tiring out her vocal cords through shouting for help, but her voice is audible.

“You know, I hate it when a group leaves their party member just so they'd survive,” Laken looked above the sky. He gazes towards the two moons illuminating the forest.

As the blue moon is behind the red moon, so does the opposite, synchronically lighting the horizon of the night sky. He knows it more than anyone what it feels when a person is betrayed.

“But most importantly... I hate it when a girl is crying in front of me... I can't believe they sent an apprentice to hunt me down. How foolish of your higher-ups,” right as Laken muttered; he gently wiped the tears of the girl. The grim resentment the girl endures now turned calmed and safe.

“Why...? Why did you save me? I'll be punished anyway when I get back so why not just kill―” before the girl could continue her statement, Laken suddenly stabbed his sword near the bark of the tree, scraping and causing a little bit of bleeding on her left ear.

It is then revealed she had long ears, and it turns out she's an elf who is hiding her identity all along.

“You must not speak of taking a life so lightly little girl, you must value your life more than anything in this world,” the girl shamefully stared at the stern and serious facade of Laken. She couldn't utter a word or two. She was left with shame and guilt.

Without hesitation, Laken immediately treated the wound inflicted by his uncontrolled sentiments. The hood that hides Luciella's ears is damaged so Laken used some of his tattered clothes, ripped it off, and gently tie it up to the wound.

“And who said I saved your life? You are going to accompany me in my quest when the dawn arrives, I'll wait for your injury to recover, little girl,” Laken sat near her and gathered the fallen leaves. He made her bedding of some kind near the bushes. He needed a rest.

“I hate it when they call me a little girl! I'm Luciella; eighteen. I know it's awkward, and you don't seem to be a bad guy... So, thanks for helping me...” she's irritated and quite relieved of the circumstances.

Luciella quickly discerned that Laken only acts to defend himself, and he never desired to annihilate others.

His kindness somehow resonated with Luciella when she was left behind by those whom she called comrades, ironically, she felt distant.

“If you say so Luciella. I'm Laken Fernandez. Take a rest now, and before you think you can escape from me, you must remember that you are mine now,” Laken declared with conviction and he kindly reached out and lent her his white cape; to keep her warm from the cold.

“Wh-What? A-As you wish...” Luciella stuttered embarrassingly. She may take the phrase of Laken from a different perspective.

Her cheeks turned red as she felt the warmth of the cape, along with fear and doubt vanished amidst the stain of blood. She finally felt no harm to him.

Even if Luciella could somehow escape, she is injured and could only take a walk again after a goodnight's sleep. As Laken reckoned with, she trusted him, and he freely fell asleep in the bushes.

Laken had no choice because he needs to take a break to continue his journey. That's the basic concept of survivability, though he's doing it for adventuring formality.

Unfortunately, Luciella's former comrades set ablaze the hammock that should be the sack of Laken on the tree they burned down to ashes.

Luciella now started to wonder why Laken Fernandez, a notorious swordsman who is known across the continents, travels around the world. If he's that strong, he could become a good hero, she thinks.

She appreciated the kindness Laken has given, but she could never fathom why he became the diabolical man she observed in the battle hours ago, and why does he venture alone, for what purpose does he fight to survive. No one knows.

The silence of the night took over. The forest embodied the glimmering colors of the fireflies, such a beautiful sight only Luciella beheld as she settles asleep beside the roots of the sycamore tree.

Meanwhile, the failed hunters now arrived back in the guild headquarters to report about the quest they are given. They departed as a flock and they returned in a loss that you can even count them by fingers.

“Adviser Keira, I'm sorry I placed my team in a shaming position... Please allow us to―” before the leader could even finish the sentence, with eyes wide open, and even seems to sweat unsettling and perturbed, Keira grabbed the leading commander of the pack as if blaming him for something.

“Forget about all that! There's nothing new when facing Laken, but more importantly, is the girl named Celeste safe? I can't believe she joined your gathering instead of the beginner's training group when you guys are about to depart,” explained by Keira unknowingly about to get in a nasty position.

“Celeste? The blonde girl with a wand?” asked by one of the mages who survived.

“Yes! The blonde girl named Celeste. Is she safe?” Keira felt a little bit of his uneasiness when he heard someone saw her, but it turns out to be a much bigger problem than what he would expect.

“I remembered she was left behind. I mean who cares? She's weak and it's her fault that―” Keira then punched him in his face with all he had. Rendering that one mage who spoke of the truth in sleep, possibly even a coma.

“W-What's the matter adviser Keira? Is there something wrong...?” The commander of the group asked.

Keira then wanted to punch the leading commander but he retracted his arm since he's magnanimous. Partly, after all, he was also at fault for not guiding the girl named Celeste in the beginners' joint.

“I'm sure the supreme commander will hear this. Even if I need to explain all the details, I guess I got no choice, this information should be for the higher-ups only, so keep it down.”

“Y-Yes Keira.” The leading commander answered. He then began to feel anxious, for that would be their sin.

“That girl Celeste... She is the third princess, daughter of Maximus Valor Le Blanc Vermillion, the ninth king of Skyhaven Kingdom. Her real name is Luciella Valor Le Blanc Vermillion,” affirmed by Keira in all seriousness.

King Maximus is the king of the glorious Skyhaven, one of the prominent kingdoms in the Exian continent.

“N-No...” they all welcomed the depression. The fated outcome of their mistake was bigger than their destiny. The clanking of their weapons on the floor after they unconsciously released the clutch from their hand bounded misery.

“Long story short; her butler told us the princess was bored and wanted to have an adventure. The Falcon guild will get a large sum of gold coins, in exchange for hiding her identity and protecting her quietly. That's why she thinks no one knows her. Well, it's true, and only in the higher garrison knows,” Keira expounded, but all of them were left speechless and they couldn't even move an inch.

The leading commander of the group understands more than anyone what would be the consequences if the higher-ups knew he is the leader when the princess was gone missing.

“We will find her no matter what! Please give us time to make amends adviser Keira!” the leading commander is determined as his life is on the line.

“It seems you understand. Go forth before it's too late.” Keira departed them with a disappointed tone.

Once again, the failed group ventured to find the princess. To go back to the battlefield they were once annihilated."

“They are all going to die for sure. I'm sure Laken will use the princess as a hostage. This can't be real...” he signed a paper near the reception before leaving, entering a room considering a meeting is about to begin.