Chapter 5
Sarah was standing right in front of him, "There is no way she'll miss the creature... "Luke thought.
"Luke, you see what's this?" Sarah said while shaking a wrapped box.
Luke didn't get it, she acted normally to that thing on the bed, "doesn't she see it?" He asked himself. He turned towards the bed to check it out but... it was gone! Ruster has vanished!
"What?... When did he?..."Luke thought.
They were standing right beside the door, he couldn't have pa.s.sed them. The window was still closed from the inside, so he didn't use it either.
"Luke? Are you okay?" Sarah asked after seeing her big brother moonstruck.
Luke shook his head and said," I'm fine Sarah, What's that in your hands?"
Sarah made a large smile and lifted the box above her head. "It's that board game we saw on the TV the other day!" She shouted. "Do you want to play?" She asked her brother nicely.
"That's great! Yeah sure, let's go check it out downstairs..." Luke replied, he just wanted to quickly get out of the room. His mind was still confused, and he couldn't stop thinking about how the creature disappeared.
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It was approximately 20 minutes after Ruster's escape, and the rumors that he stole the stone to save the humans have spread all over the wardoks world, making Ruster the most wanted runaway!
In a fortress In the large land of Kathala (one of the five countries within the wardoks world), specifically near the grand city of Nava the capital of Kathala, one of the greatest captains of all the wardoks armies was kneeling to his Lord, it was Captain Loopy.
"I'm here for the report, Lord Ozen." Said the Captain.
He addressed his words to a man who was sitting on a large balcony, on top of a high chair, legs wrapped, and eyes closed, he was meditating. As Loopy spoke, he slowly opened his eyes, enjoying the night sky and the magnificent artwork that the street lights of Nava were creating.
" I'm sorry for interrupting your prayers my Lord, should I come back another time?" Loopy asked politely.
"No captain, feel comfortable, I was just enjoying this beautiful view." Ozen replied calmly.
He pointed with his left hand towards the city as he clenched his fist as if he was trying to grab it. Loopy approached and took a look as well.
"It is indeed spectacular, I usually go to the roofs and enjoy it myself." Loopy approved.
"Yes, It is... but, unfortunately... It's not perfect..." Ozen shouted as he rapidly brought his hand towards his chest.
Loopy stood silently waiting for Ozen to finish his speech.
"Because this is not our world, this place is not worthy of being called home..." He continued talking as he stood up and walked towards the handrail of the balcony leaving the Captain behind him.
"Indeed." Loppy confirmed.
"So what brought you here Captain Loopy?" Lord Ozen asked.
"I m here to report on the Cl.u.s.ter stone case, my Lord "
"I know, Ruster jumped to the human world." Ozen said confidently.
"Yes, but that's not the only thing! We located a group of other traitors near the bridge of Hokkens, they must have been Ruster's allies." The captain followed.
Ozen turned immediately towards Loopy, "Hokkens? So, Ruster was heading to Hokkens city... interesting..."Then he asked intriguingly "Did you interrogate the traitors?"
"Negative my Lord, they have put up a fight, and all of them died in the process," Loopy replied with disappointment.
"So search the city, we need to know what was their plan, and how many of those rebels are there." Ozen said.
"We did search the city, top to bottom, but we didn't find much, also Hokkens have taken great damage from the war, and we don't believe that they would have any business going there, the city is under military surveillance and is short on resources," Loopy explained.
Ozen walked back to his chair and sat comfortably, he grabbed a gla.s.s of wine that was on top of a table beside him and drank from it. Then he asked, "So what is the news, why are you here?"
"I believe Ruster was planning to destroy the stone, my Lord." Loopy announced carefully.
Right after hearing what Loopy has just said, Ozen seemed surprised and confused and put the gla.s.s cup on his
Loopy felt a bit of discomfort and couldn't tell his Lord the reason at first, but after seeing that Ozen was getting impatient, He just said it. "Because among the traitors, we have found a stone breaker!"
As Ozen pressed on the gla.s.s from the shock, the gla.s.s shattered all over his legs. "What!?" Ozen shouted while he angrily stood up.
Loopy couldn't say anything but bend the knee to his Lord after feeling his rageous aura all over his body.
Ozen calmed a bit, then sat down again, and he asked. "Are you sure? I thought the stone breakers vanished centuries ago."
"Very sure, we verified his ident.i.ty, and It was confirmed" Loopy answered with sweat covering his forehead.
"So Ruster was trying to destroy the stone, that's unforgivable, without the stone not only that we can't attack the human world, but we can't even survive on this one!... "Ozen thought while looking towards the roof. "Captain Loopy, I believe you are going after him?" He asked.
"Yes my lord, we have narrowed down the location where he jumped. It's a quite populated human city in j.a.pan, Called Kyoto." Loopy said as he stood up. Then he explained further. " I'll be jumping right now to search for him, he is weak and injured, he won't be able to get away. I'm just waiting for my squadron leaders to come back."
Ozen felt rea.s.sured then he replied."Very well. Humans should not know of our existence, not until we attack first..., I don't think that Ruster can break the stone in the human world on his own, however, we don't know what he is thinking...In any case, Loopy, you must retrieve the stone by any means..."
Ozen looked again at the city with an angry expression on his face, the news hasn't fully sunk in yet. "You are my most trusted warrior, Loopy... and not just because you are my brother, but because you are the best!"He said while ordering him to approach with a hand gesture.
Loopy stood up and came close toward his Lord who put his hand on his shoulder and told him."I want the best for our people and for all the wardoks, that is my only goal!"Then he made a very enthusiastic smile, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. "I trust you Captain Loopy!" He said.
It was in that moment when Loopy felt the full strength of his Lord, he looked back into all of the rulers whom he served in the past, none of them could compare to Ozen. All of them had big dreams and extraordinary wishes, but they only sought to fulfill their own desires and needs. But Ozen was above all that, he fused his enthusiasm with the greater good of his subjects. He would be ready to give up on his crown for the benefits of all the wardoks if it was necessary. Loopy immediately understood that Ozen's self-worth didn't come from his status, but from something greater that he can't understand. He saw the crown as a tool, not as an ident.i.ty, and this made him undefeatable. That was his way, the way of the supreme ruler.
Ozen took his hand off Loopy's shoulder, this made him clear out his mind to answer. " Thank you for this great honor, my Lord, I will not disappoint you!"
Loopy walked away towards the exit of Ozen's room feeling satisfied and encouraged. He reached the door and slightly pushed it when he heard his Lord speak again. "Bring him to me, alive...I need to speak with him."
Loopy stopped and looked to Ozen with a glance full of uncertainty."Ruster?" He asked.
"Yes..." Ozen calmly answered
"Understood, my Lord"
And then Loopy left the room and went down some stairs leading to a grand hall, leaving Ozen to his thought. "I hope that you can help me find the truth I'm seeking... Ruster" Ozen thought.
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Luke didn't enter his room since this morning, he kept playing with his little sister Sarah. She didn't go to school today because she had a dentist appointment. They continued playing until their father came home.
Luke's parents had their own business, they owned a drugstore, in which they sell medicine and drugs, it was going well. They usually work together there, but sometimes Luke's mother stays home for housekeeping, or on this occasion, to take her daughter to the dentist. They usually close around noon and come home for launch, that's why their father was home.
He saluted his family, and put some groceries in the kitchen and then went back to the living room.
"Luke, how's the team going? you came back really upset yesterday?" He said.
Luke answered shamefully. "I have quitted the team, dad!"
His father made a sad face, he didn't want his son to be a yielder, so he asked him. "Why did you quit? Were you bullied again?"
"No, I wasn't being bullied dad, I just didn't enjoy it anymore?" Luke answered.
"I know we agreed to never talk about this son, but you can tell if something went wrong at school, I'm here for you, and you can always count on me to help you!" His father told him with caring emotions.
"You don't have to worry about me dad, I'm really fine!" Luke rea.s.sured him.
Luke's family was a normal j.a.panese family, his father Edward was born in England, but has come to work in j.a.pan, that's when he met Fumiko his wife, she helped him start the drugstore and establish a family. That's how Luke and Sarah came to life.
Luke's mother, Fumiko was a great cook, she served them lunch and they sat to eat peacefully.
They exchanged several family talks while eating, nothing strange, everything was as usual, except that Luke's mind was going crazy about the creature that was in his room. He couldn' stop but wonder where could he be right now, and how did he vanish.
When they finished eating, Luke helped his mother do the dishes and clean the table. After that, he played with his sister a little bit more, but then he asked her if she would like to continue playing with their mom, and she agreed. He had one thing in mind, one thing he wanted to do from this morning, go to his room and probe the mystery of that creature's disappearance.
Before he went upstairs, he saluted his father who went back to work, and then he told his mother that he's going to his room and he doesn't want to be disturbed.
That's it, this was the moment he has been waiting for, he was right in front of his room's door, he put his hand on the handle and opened it slowly, his heart was beating fast, he didn't expect anything. Whether he finds him on his bed or not, the result would be frustrating. If the creature was there, then what should he do? And if it wasn't, then where did it go? both questions were agonizing.
Yet he brought his guts out and entered to see.