After that I once more run towards elven territory, but this time without looking back; and of course I wasn"t happy with the things I had to say to the twins and how we cut relations.h.i.+p just like that, especially knowing how bad their situation was, but they did not understand what they were asking of me, on who they were affiliating themselves with, and I really don"t care what reasons do the people from the north have to help the ants.h.i.+va out, but certainly it wasn"t for good reasons, especially if they claimed it was for free, just like that.They were a warrior tribe, where food was scarce under unmerciful weather and, as such, a lot of barbaric ways grow deep roots into their culture.
I can only phantom what will be of the ants.h.i.+va.
I can just hope they don"t have the same destiny as my kind has there, because the little I saw and hear from them…it was enough to say that the north didn"t deserve my help, no one"s help.
No humans were saint in this country, especially in the way they deal with magical creatures, but at least the others could be scared by me into good behavior; the people on the north, however, were stubborn as mules.
Is that it? The way I did in the path was the only way to get things right? Would I have to become the greatest monster of all to scare the smaller one into obeying my wishes and command?
That brings me back to the matter with the twins, on how they thought that I would help them out just like that, simply from the kindness of my heart, that I would be glad to be of use, but how wrong they were…
Because I wasn"t as good as I seemed to be…After all, I was the type that was capable of annihilating an entire specie for revenge, fueled by anger.
Did they really think I would simply brush our differences aside? For the… greater good?
Greater good for them that is, only for them.
But no worries, I would get rid of Cain sooner than later, and they could fight as much as they wanted for their territory and whatever.
Ugh, all that talk and overthinking left me with a permanent frown by now.
It takes a few hours to get to the elves but speed wasn"t a problem when I could dash between shadows, it was more about my magic depleting too quickly and the annoying baggage that I was carrying complaining all the time in my shadow.
When we reach the border of elven territory, however, I stop.
I take them all out from my shadow quickly since I still had to keep an eye on the clock.
"Isa, how about you go ahead and reunite in Edovine? The elves don"t allow humans in their territory so it would be good for you to stay behind, and we will go back to there after this mess is over." We could use some safe hidden place to go back to, even more if we could keep our healer safe; his value was far greater behind the scenes than on the battlefield itself.
I just hope that we have no use for his abilities in the future.
"And miss all the fun?" He says sarcastically, making me raise an eyebrow at that and continue talking as nothing happened.
"I need you to prepare a safe place for us to go back to, we may need it. Plus things may get ugly and I rather have my healer far away from trouble."
"Isn"t just a way of saying that I would get in the way?"
"Oh, good that you understand."
At that is his turn to raise an eyebrow, annoyed, and then roll his eyes. "Fine."
"What, no arguing, fighting, nor disagreement only for you to realize in the end that I was right and apologize?"
"Hha, you couldn"t let it go could you? Shouldn"t you just accept it and not complain?"
"And what is the fun in that?"
He sighs. "Is just that I agree this time, ok?" I feel a victorious smile spreading on my face, but it disappears when he completes his phrase. "Plus I was the one who warned the twins about our whereabouts… though I may add I did not know about the other guys from the north."
I brush it aside. "Its alright Isaac, you had good intentions…Let"s leave it at that alright?" It feels like I"m warming up as a team with him… not that I will ever tell him that of course.
"Well, all good when it ends well." I say to finish our talk, still on the clock, just hoping that I"m not too late and they are all safe, Aeglos, my brother, Leonel...
Plus I had a few plans cooking up in my mind, so even if danger doesn"t meet with us we would walk in it; for the possibility of my brother being at least around there was huge.
And I wasn"t going to waste the opportunity of saving him anymore.
"Take some hounds with you just in case." I add. "So they can keep the perimeter safe, they are already trained for that."
"Ok." Says Isaac without paying much attention.
"I"m not staying behind! I did not get out of that place to do the exact same thing outside!" Says the red female, eavesdropping our conversation, of course, and being annoying as usual.
"Yeah yeah, I thought so." I turn towards the old hound. "I"m counting on you to keep those two out of trouble than."
"Of course." He says, trotting closer to Isa, the only problem being that they would not be able to communicate, but my patience was long gone and I did not intend to convince the only one with a human body to go with them, especially since she would have to learn Common Language; and I don"t think anyone was up to the challenge of teaching her annoying shelf that.
Plus I"m starting to question her intelligence for some time, but what can you expect from a hound right? Me being the obvious exception of course.
Before Isaac turns around to leave, however, he comes back to have a final saying, a mischievous look on his face that promised trouble as he whispers: "If you ever start missing wearing some woman clothes again I can always lend you some of mine you know… Bet Leonel will like the surprise…"
I cannot stop myself from blus.h.i.+ng f-from anger of course! "As if! Go already! Scram!" I scream back only to see his back turning as he laughed.
p.r.i.c.k.
"Who wants to wear woman clothes?" I start to mumble. "I"m a man you know? p.r.i.c.k…"
But of course… the mind has a power of its own and I cannot stop thinking… does Leonel really enjoy those types of clothes? W-would he be surprised if I… you know…
No no no, what the h.e.l.l am I thinking?
I"m a man, a very manly man alright!
Shaking my head I turn around towards the two female hounds; of course the wolf-hound would follow us around; as we go deeper and deeper into the woods as I already start to feel comfortable with my surroundings, with their roots and declines for how long I lived and experience the wilderness, and yet a strange uncomfortable feeling grown amidst my thoughts, poking into my mind… no, the strangest thing for me to marvel about was that it was the first time that I was traveling alone.
Those two female hounds won"t count, even more when they just nag at each other all the time; and why the h.e.l.l the wolf-hound is still following us?! Scram you too!
But still they do little to suppress the solitude I"m feeling, such strange loneliness; I have never traveled alone, without my brother or Leonel or anyone that I truly knew… But especially my brother, we have walked together for so long… Since birth, sharing grief, sharing happiness, experience and… Sigh.
These woods that we walked together so many times remind me of my brother, of his silly goofy face, on him tripping over all the time, of his annoying play of biting my ears, on how he always made me laugh and how I had been incapable of protecting him, on how, in the end, even with all my worries and hard work, he still got into trouble.
But don"t worry brother, still will all end soon… because I"m coming for you.
And heads of those who stay in my way will roll on my path.