I have to admit that meeting another villainess who wasn’t my sister was pretty annoying, but at least we finally reached the rabbit hole. Time to jump in, but before I could Kai and Cecil grabbed my arms.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I was practically dangled off the ground.
“Preparing for the ride.”
“Huh?”
They suddenly jumped into the hole taking me with them. As usual the hole was pretty crazy inside, but this time I felt that nothing could scare me, since Cecil and Kai were covering me. Did they want to protect me while we traveled down? That’s really sweet, but I am starting to get used to it. I better tell them next time that I don’t need them to cover me.
Everything finally settled, but then I noticed that Kai was no longer holding me. It was just Cecil and me in this dark space.
“Where is Simon?” I asked as I looked around and then noticed that the door wasn’t in sight either.
“Where is the door for the riddles?”
“I think Buffy sent Simon to the classroom already and allowed us to skip the door.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I am looking at him right now.”
“Huh?”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Buffy smiling at us with his hands behind his back.
“Good morning you two!”
“…Good morning?”
I have to admit that I am a bit surprised that Buffy fetched us a lot faster compared to yesterday. I mean, we didn’t even have to go to the door of riddles to see him.
Buffy chuckled as he circled around us and then gave a nod before saying, “I summoned you here to keep my promise of teaching you two to advance your time talent, but first…” Buffy waved his hand sending golden glitter on top of us. I felt a tingle, but nothing really changed on me, but I suddenly heard Cecil scream in a rather childish voice…childish? I glanced at Cecil and I nearly gasped when I saw that Cecil and I were now the same size…actually, Cecil looks like he is now ten.
Cecil glared at Buffy yelling, “Why did you turn me into a kid?”
“It was necessary for the training,” stated Buffy like it wasn’t a big deal and then snapped his fingers making an opened book with a gold spine appear before him. He flipped through the pages with a contemplating look and as he did so, my eyes wandered to Cecil’s child form. He really does look like he is ten. His clothes aren’t loose on him, so I guess Buffy adjusted the clothing size for him. Cecil looked really angry, but when he met eyes with me, he suddenly smiled saying, “Looks like this form has a bright side.”
“What do you mean?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. Really, what does he mean?
Cecil leaned his forehead against mine, not tearing his eyes away from me and stated, “I can meet your eyes without having to lean down.” Whoa, that was a pretty corny line, but for some reason, my face is heating up. Did I really find that line charming? No way…right?
“Here we are!”
Oh looks like Buffy finally found what he was looking for in that book. Buffy looked at Cecil and I and made the book float before us. I guess he wants us to look in the book. Cecil and I leaned over the book to see the contents, but the page was blank. What does this mean?
“Why is the page blank?” Cecil asked. Buffy chuckled and then stated, “Your first class will require you to enter this page and write in the time.”
“Huh?”
Buffy pointed at the book saying, “This is the book of recorded time. Everything that has happened or will happen is written in this book. For your training, I will have you two enter the time that this page is supposed to record and see how the events of the time play out. If time moves smoothly, then a level of your time talent will advance.”
“That sounds easy enough, but is this really training if we are just watching for time to be made and was it really necessary to make me into a child?” asked Cecil. Buffy chuckled and added, “You’ll understand when you enter. Besides, it is best to learn from experience.”
The next thing I knew, a vortex erupted from the empty page and sucked in Cecil and me…THIS IS SCARY! As we were spun around in the vortex, Cecil grabbed me and pulled me into his chest to protect me. This is truly terrifying. I feel like we are in a tornado.
There was suddenly a flash of light forcing me to close my eyes. When I felt that the light has vanished, I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying in what looked like a cave. I sat up and saw that Cecil was lying not too far from me with his face down on the ground…he’s breathing right? I nudged Cecil and was relieved to see that he was breathing.
“Cecil…Cecil…wake up.”
Cecil gave a groan, but didn’t open his eyes. He must have been worn out from being tossed in that vortex. I’ll let him rest.
Now about this cave. Why am I even in it? Buffy mentioned watching time pass by, but this is too strange. He did mention that the book records time and that the blank page that sucked us in is a time we have to watch unfold, but this is confusing. What could possibly happen in a cave like this? Are we going to watch a past event or a future event? This is all so confusing.
“Laveda?”
Ah, Cecil woke up. I helped Cecil up and then he asked me where we were. I couldn’t give him an exact answer, but I did tell him that it might be the time we are supposed to watch. Cecil nodded and suggested we leave the cave, since the events might happen outside of the cave.
We walked down the only path of the cave, but as we walked, I felt like something was following us. I looked back, but I didn’t see anything. Maybe it was my imagination. I continued to walk, but I still felt like something was following us.
We soon saw a glimmer of light up ahead, so we began to pick up the pace…I really think something is following us, but there isn’t anything back there. I better ignore it. It doesn’t feel dangerous.
When we exited the cave, I was shocked to see that there was a dark forest before us complete with the howling of wolves. This is pretty creepy.
“Where exactly did Buffy send us?” I heard Cecil mumble to himself. We were confused, but we decided to explore the area. This forest looks like it was attacked judging by the broken trees and ash on the ground. What exactly attacked this area?
“Cut it out, Laveda.”
“Huh, what am I doing?” I asked as I looked at Cecil only to freeze in place when I noticed an ash covered goblin poking Cecil’s back with a club.
“CECIL, BEHIND YOU!”
“What…AHHH!”
Cecil immediately bolted toward me to get away from the goblin, but the goblin chased after him cackling like a witch. This thing is creepy. Not at all cute! The moment Cecil reached me, we took off deeper into the woods.
As I ran with Cecil, I noticed that there wasn’t even the sound of birds chirping in the tree and the sun seemed non-existent. What time period were we sent to anyway and how are we supposed to watch when it is obvious that monsters like this Goblin can attack us?
We were soon forced to stop in our tracks because a cluster of thorns blocked our paths. It reminded me of the thorns I saw in Sleeping Beauty in picture books. These thorns look really dangerous, especially with that light green and purple color on the tips. We couldn’t go around it either since it appears to go all the way around like a hedge and it is also very high to the point I can’t see where it ends.
The goblin was getting closer, so Cecil and I decided to fight it. Let’s just hope killing this goblin won’t affect our lesson in our time talent. Cecil summoned five needles and tossed it at the Goblin, but the Goblin blocked with its club and dashed toward us like it was in rage mode. Cecil summoned ten more silver needles, while I summoned my wind talent around me. Cecil threw the needles and I made them go faster using my wind talent. The needles were almost as fast as bullets from a semi-automatic. The needles made the club of the Goblin burst and the wind pushed the Goblin against a tree making it give out a high pitch gasp.
Cecil summoned more of his needles, while I formed wind blades around me just in case the Goblin pulled out a surprise attack. The Goblin did sit up, but didn’t rush at us. Instead, it gave out a loud cry that echoed all around. This reminds me of something…oh shoot.
Within a few seconds, a horde of goblins emerged from within the woods cackling. I should have known. It is common in RPG settings for a weak monster to call for reinforcements. I should have known.
Cecil looked horrified, but he put up a brave front when he noticed my glance and summoned more silver needles into his hands. I better get serious too. I summoned more wind blades around me as well as balls of air to act as bludgeons. This will be my first time fighting Goblins.
The Goblins rushed toward us still cackling. Cecil stabbed some of the Goblins in the forehead and some in the chest, while I sliced some Goblins at the neck or chest, while also smacking others with the balls of air to make some distance. The green blood that rained on the ground made me feel sick. If these Goblins were animals, I might have been able to control them, but my talent has no effect on them, so my only choice is to fight them.
I suddenly heard Cecil gasp in pain. I looked in his direction and saw that one of the Goblins had thrown a rock at his forehead. I could see blood leaking from his head making me slightly panic. I ran to Cecil, while using my wind as a shield. When I reached him, I used my light talent to heal his forehead.
Cecil thanked me, but frowned as he threw another needle at an approaching Goblin.
“There’s too many of them,” stated Cecil.
The Goblins did seem to be growing in population, so I patted Cecil’s shoulder saying, “Let me take care of it.” I stood up as the wind circled around me and then extended my hands as flames began to surround them. I’ll make one big blast to take care of these Goblins.
I clenched my fists ready to expand the flames even more, but the thorns behind Cecil and me suddenly blew open. I was so shocked that my wind and fire extinguished. I looked behind as did Cecil and I saw a man with long silver hair wearing a brown torn shirt and leather pants with a knife on his hip. He reached toward us saying, “Come this way.”
Cecil and I looked to one another and then at the Goblins that were still advancing toward us and then back at the man. We both nodded and ran pass the opened thorns. We stood by the man as the thorns closed blocking the Goblins from reaching us. Was this the plant talent? That’s strange…the thorns looked dead, so I thought the plant talent wouldn’t work. I guess I should have tried.
I stared at the thorns, but flinched when I felt a large hand on my shoulder. I glance back and saw the silver haired man looking at me and Cecil in concern.
“Are you two OK?”
Cecil and I nodded, but then I suddenly heard something running in our direction. Are Goblins on this side too?
The silver haired man pushed us toward a thick bush saying, “Hide.” Cecil and I did as told ducking behind the bush. We made a small hole to see what was approaching in case the man who saved us needed help.
We saw a man in a dark colored armor with black horns approach the man making my heart race. No matter how you look at it, that man is a demon, but demons should be sealed thanks to our ancestors. I have had a run in with some demons like that time when I reached the peak of my wind talent, but that was only because those demons found a host. This demon obviously has its own body. Judging by this alone, this is the past…unless our future is a post-apocalyptic one where demons took over the world…let’s hope this is the past…yeah, this is the past.
“Isn’t that a demon?” Cecil whispered to me. I nodded saying, “We must be in the past.” Cecil agreed with me on this.
The demon approached the silver haired man with a scowl and his arms crossed.
“Why are you out here, Luca?”
The silver haired man, Luca (I guess is his name), bowed his head saying, “I was just checking the wall.”
“Checking the wall? It hasn’t changed in centuries. It is still a wall and the Goblin’s territory is still on the other side or are you eager to be fooder for the Goblins.”
“I don’t plan to cross the wall.”
“Good, now get back to the village to join the others or expect a whipping when night falls.”
“As you wish, Lord Rikusal.”
The demon (Rikusal?) nodded and began to walk off, but he stopped as he sniffed the air.
“What’s that smell? It’s unfamiliar.”
Smell…he is heading toward the bush Cecil and I are in? Not good. I use my dark talent to put a seal around Cecil and me and then surround that seal using the bush’s leaves. I could hear the demon search the bush only to scoff before walking away.
“Search this area for anything strange and then return to the village. If you find anything bring it back.”
“As you wish.”
I could hear Rikusal leaving, but I didn’t have the courage to remove the shield yet.
“He’s gone, you can come out now.”
That was Luca’s voice. I felt that Cecil and I could trust him, so I lowered the shield and Cecil and I both stepped out of the bush. Luca knelt before us with a smile on his face.
“You two hid well. I thought my heart would stop when Lord Rikusal looked in that bush.”
“We’re good at hiding,” stated Cecil and I. Luca chuckled and then patted our heads.
“What are your names and how did you get into the Goblin’s territory?”
“Wouldn’t it be more polite if you gave your name first?” Cecil asked with crossed arms. No need to be rude, Cecil, and we already know his name, since we heard the demon say it.
“You’re right, my name is Luca and now can hear your names.”
Cecil and I both nodded and introduced ourselves, but then I realized something: the name Luca sounded familiar…could it be?
“Luca?”
“Yes, Laveda?”
“What country are we in?”
“What a silly question. We are in Zourari.”
“Zourari?”
“That’s right, is something wrong?”
Zourari…that was the old name of Fairsky, the country I live in now. That was the name of my country before the first king of Fairsky took the throne. His name was Luca.
Manga Hunter 
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