Chapter 45:
" Nice work, you two… "
" Now let's take him to Elren. "
The two guards, currently standing behind Sen, smiled under their guard uniforms. Sen on the other hand was still struggling with the cuffs. Or rather that's what he wanted them to think.
Earlier before he was caught he had came up with an easy way to get to Elren.
Get caught.
Lucky for him there were two guards strolling together in the quiet village streets and had hardly noticed that he was following them. So it was simple, pretend to run into them, let them chase him for a while and then get caught. Easy.
But as he creeped in the shadows behind them he realized something. They were having a moment. And like anyone who could read and understand the room, Sen knew not to interrupt them. It was well known that it was bad luck to interrupt a genuine moment between two people. And thus he kept to the shadows.
He could barely hear them but he could feel the tension between the two. Sparks were flying as the two walked across the main path. He could even feel his own cheeks redden.
" Do you think Elren will be able to do it? "
The red flush on Sen's face came to an cold stop.
" What are they talking about? " he thought as he slowly creeped up the wooden wall. He couldn't hear clearly of what they were talking about so he decided to get closer.
" …Elren can give us the power. "
Sen lied low on the thatch bark roof as he listened in closely.
" …power to take back Laptove. Power to take back our home."
" Power?!" Sen wondered.
Even though fragmented Sen heard most of what they were talking about.
" How is Elren going to give them power ? "
Sen hadn't noticed that there was a clay flower pot placed at the side of the roof. It was close to the edge, just needing an unknowing force to push it over the ledge it balanced on. So at the moment his hand came slightly into contact with the flower pot gravity did its job and sent the flower pot crashing down.
—
" The roof top !! " a shout came.
In a matter of clicks, Sen's world flipped, his wrist hooked with a cuff and his face flaring hot from a punch that sent him spiraling down from the roof.
His plan was a success.
…
His face was still hot thanks to the fist print on it. His eyes could do nothing but sway around as they trekked across the green small and giant flora. His steps were measured. A single wrong step would have warranted him another print, something he wasn't ready to get.
To the side four guards watched his every move, hoping he would give them a reason. Their dark green clothes did well to hide their appearance but something was off about them. He could place his finger on it but there was something about the air around them that shifted wrong. That to their demeanor they seemed extremely different from the other villagers.
He sighed, letting it the subject go. There was something else he needed figure out first.
" How am I going to tell them about their parents? " he wondered.
Visceral flashes came with the thought. He could see himself crouched inside the bakery, hiding from the grotesque creatures that were hunting him. His figure was distorted looking like a blurring and constantly shifting dark smoke that was embracing the crumbling cracked wall as though digging deeper to hide inside it. He could smell the choking smoke from the burnt pie that had been in the oven . The oven itself had been shattered. Its structure scattered across what used to be the bakery.
As his eyes traced the scattered oven pieces he came across the detail he had dreaded the most. The charred inside of the brick oven lay next to them. Their bodies indiscernible from the other as their innards stretched across the floor. The sound of burning flesh still sizzled through the smoke filled air.
" Mr and Mrs Ludge, "
Unable to bear the sight Sen shifted his eyes to the side. And with that his thoughts brought him back to the present… where he was about to face their children.
…
The giant trees obscured all but a fraction of the raging river. Sen could see its shimmering crystal clear water rush down the stream. Its sound fluid with no hiccups as it raged on.
As they approached the river bank clearing Sen could hear footsteps. They were rhythmic like a marching band. At an interval he could hear a splash. It wasn't loud nor heavy. It sounded hollow and after a few minutes a gulping sound followed.
Stretching thinly across the river bank was a long file of villagers who walked in and out of the forest towards the river. In their hands they hand wooden buckets and wet leather bags, which they threw into the crystal water and like clockwork fished out of the water full at the same time. They then slowly strode back into the forest, sacks full of water not even sparring a look to the side.
" What wrong with their eyes ? "
All of their eyes were pale white. Their pupils had shrunk making them look like a small speck randomly moving across the pool of white. As they walked it seemed like they were restricted. Their movements were static like walking puppets pulled by short strings.
" It's a wonder what mindless people can accomplish within a day. " a familiar voice said.
Sen could recognize that contempt filled and arrogant voice anywhere.
His clothes had changed. It was dark green like the other but his face wasn't covered, otherwise Sen wouldn't see the fiendish grin on his face. Under the green garment he wore a loose white shirt. It had brown stains on its collar, which was either dirt or sweat.
" Elren, "
" That was shorter than I expected. Here I thought you'd be a threat. " Elren said giving Sen a disappointed look.
Elren's eyes narrowed. They shifted to as if looking for someone.
" Where's your grouchy friend. " he asked.
Sen didn't answer.
" Ha! That's what you get for choosing a noble over your own kind. They are all selfish and only show up when it benefits them. "
" Well then let's get going. " he said ushering to Will.
" Elren… " Sen called. There was a hint of restrained anger in his voice.
Elren turned to him.
" What did you do to these people? "
" Huh?— Elren sighed before saying— I would expect a child to know… Especially one who denies his own heart. "
" Answer me."
" Fine, if it'll shut your pretentious mouth. "
" They been brainwashed. "
" Brainwashed ?! "
" Do I have to spell it out for your? Earlier you were in the fog? "
—
" I'll take your silence for a yes. You see the fog does a little bit more than just healing. It does several things in fact. "
" Out of the many I could list there is the obvious one. The fog defines the range of the function my sister referred to as Pulse Cleansing Star Shower. So in order to tell how far the healing influence reaches one just need to look at the extend of the fog. "
" And this brings me to the second consequence of this function. Its healing properties. As you already know the function heals and can rejuvenate any physical illness injury and poisoning but it also heals something else… mental instabilities. "
" ? "
Elren looked around and out of all the people that stood along the river bank, he was the only one with a heinous grin as he said mental instabilities.