At the same time…
Ballock was breathing heavily after escaping the clutches of the angry pack of wolves who chased him with great enthusiasm after taking what belonged to them, even to the point of entering the Dark zone!
He didn't enter the Dark zone subjectively. It was all thanks to the wolves who flanked him from all sides until they led him into the Dark territory. He could still hear their howls from the distance and knew they were still unto him especially if he stayed here.
He almost cried when he entered the dark zone. Almost drawn to the point of begging the beasts to spare him that he'd return their stuff, but he knew that would be foolish.
He rushed into the dense tree zone with full speed.
Five minutes after his sprint…
Bamm..
A slapping sound rang out as he slammed into someone. Both of them were pushed to opposite side and started panting heavily as they rolled on the ground. Ballock on the other hand was writhing in pain.
He laid on the ground without standing up while bearing the pain.
It was a terrible smash!
He heard the other figure's grunt and sensed movement drawing near albeit in a slow pace. He quickly tried to regain his composure but simply couldn't.
It was a huge blow for him.
"Ballock! What the hell are you doing here!?" The figure shouted, evidently surprised.
He hurried toward him.
He had retracted his Spiritual sense even before the ant's obnoxious attacks and didn't dare to trigger it for fear the ant would lock on him or sense his direction through the energy fluctuation.
Blood didn't know, but he had chosen the right decision at that moment. If he had in his anxiety enabled his Spiritual sense, it would have meant the end for him, because the others who did so where targeted and killed.
Only the ant's Spiritual sense reigned supreme at that time. They thought by using their Spiritual sense they could easily navigate the easiest spot to cross or hid; however, it was nothing but loss to them.
Ballock was surprised to hear his name from a stranger but soon recognized the voice. As if revitalized, he sprung up to confirm his deduction.
It was a young-looking guy who had a hoody over his head which didn't stop him from recognizing him.
It was really his lost friend, Blood, who he had been searching everywhere for. He was almost killed by a pack of wolves because of him. And now he was here. He almost threw a tantrum like a child would.
However, Blood wasn't ready for this.
"Get your emotions together and if you really want to survive, you better hurry. There's no time to dilly-dally." he hurriedly said amid rapid breathes before he bolted onward. "You've successfully joined the hunt."
Ballock was puzzled, but sprinted after him. He wanted to know how he came here since it was pure circumstance that he was here.
He caught up in no time due to Blood intently slowing his pace as they ran side by side.
"What was that abou..
The dark environment all of a sudden, showed a glint. It was a slight glow, like a gleamer which became noticeable.
Ballock didn't get to finish, as all of a sudden, the space whirled and turbulent wave gushed out. It was a suckling force, taking them by surprise.
Without warning, they were pulled closer to the turbulent porter and both of them crashed violently into the space. It wrapped them tightly together and pulled them in as it swizzled and twisted, closing up only a second later and the space returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
The two kids were nowhere to be seen as the space swallowed them whole.
When the portal collapsed and the space calmed, a man with a vicious appearance revealed himself from behind a large tree.
"Darm it!" the man slammed the tree violently, making it shook a few times.
"It took a long time for me to make a progress on the transport rune, even if it produced an unstable wave, I could have studied it and make further progress. Those stinking filths really sent me back to square one. Fuck!" he punched the tree again but this time, a hole appeared at the other side of the trunk.
He walked to the place where the portal closed to see if he could get something from the residual energy.
Still, if one looked closely, one could see a horn protruding from his head while his blood-red eyes shone under the cover of darkness.
__________
Meanwhile, in an unknown space...
In a foreign space flooded by crimson cloud with different wooden houses built adjacent to one another…
"Mat, walk fast or we'll miss some part of the story today." said a kid hurriedly as she slowed her pace. She had her hair tied strolling down, just like a ponytail.
"I know Cassie. You just walk too fast and am trying my best to catch up." replied another kid who was obviously younger while panting slightly fast.
He soon reached the other who reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Like this, we will catch up in time." She retorted and squeezed her hand with his while gazing at the tree just some distance away before she took off.
In less than three minutes, they arrived before a tree as they pant heavily. The tree had many little children sitting under it shade, with a man who sat on the space between two tree roots as he spoke to the kids before him with a stiff smile.
He had a glowing script in his hand in which he looked from time to time.
"... and just like that, they smashed into one another. And so, that was how the two friends met again." the man concluded.
"Woooo!" the kids erupted in laughter and cheered. It was a remarkable story they've heard today.
"Old Gandy, what happened next? We all want to hear more." one of the kids shouted that all the other kids could hear him clearly.
"That will be all for today children, see you in another session. Ahem, and don't forget to tell others when you arrived back at your various homes." Old Gandy said in a clear tone which earned the children's disappointment.
"You can't do this! Just a single scene after that.." one of them pleaded with one knee on the ground.
"You can't do this child. Not to me especially. That could get me beheaded." Old Gandy said softly, but he remained seated.
The child proved stubborn and remained in the same position.
"Since you're impatient for the next scene, you better listen carefully." Old Gandy said reluctantly as smiles brightened on the kid's faces.
They were delighted the story could be continued. This was a first.
"They were lucky they weren't being chased by the ant. However, due to how fast they ran, they weren't quick to evade the turbulent space which suddenly appeared in front of them, until they crashed into it in full force. It covered them in an instant as they fell into what truly changed their lives and made them know what and who they truly were."
"Was the turbulent space natural or it was a trap put in place by someone for them? And who was it that set it up?" One of the silent kids asked.
"Haha! Certainly, you could say so." Old Gandy replied with a smirk and continued,
"However, it was not for them but for another, the prince was just testing his work." he said plainly.
"A prince! I didn't hear such a title in all of today's tale." a young boy with dark-long hair muttered.
The kids around who heard him nodded in the affirmative, agreeing with him.
Old Gandy who now had a rueful smile shook his head as he cleared his throat before clearing the kids' muddiness, "Yes, a prince. And he was the one who made the space unstable which created a portal in the first place. Also, not only is he a prince but he is one of the many princes of the Bloodsucker race!" Gandy concluded before dusting off his shoes.
His words left the multitude agape!