The Weird Man
"What's this place?"
Ja Lia muttered. Twas more of a statement than a question. He had been there before, some whiles ago. Okay! Probably some weeks or probably month back. That was where he had met Loe in the first place.
That same place had the Raven led him too. Since he didn't have the guts to return empty handed to the Emperor, thus had the persistence been supplanted. He either got the bird or remained a wanderer.
Though the fear of being killed immediately by the strange Emperor who surely had no regards for life, prevented him from manning up to go and tell the Emperor that he couldn't catch the bird.
"Okay, now! Raven, enough of the hide and seek. Come out already. I do not have the strength for this drama."
He said, standing few metres away from the door of the hut. The hut was in no good shape. But that wasn't really the point. The point was that the raven had flew inside it.
The gentle breeze inspired by the waves crashing against each other several metres away from him to the left had a call to it. But he wouldn't be lured.
He looked to the sea, there was nothing in view. He remembered that Poseidon still had his eyes on him. Even the fear in him made him think that Poseidon was probably saying something with the waves crashing against each other.
Which technically meant by his theory that, crashing waves were the words of Poseidon to the mortals. Made a feeble sense.
He looked back at the hut. He walked towards the door. He stood few steps away from it. He wanted to open it but he had lots of things running through his mind.
How about if the bird wanted to hurt him. Or if twas some bird sent by Jin to taunt him after he had stolen the helmet.
But the helmet had been returned. Nothing really made sense. He quit the guesses.
"You know what birdie, whoever walks by now and sees me talking, would think that I'm high on booze. Of course they would wonder who I am talking to by the sea standing before a goddamn forsaken hut."
He quit talking to drag in some loops of air.
"Okay now. Does it make any sense to you. I have been running after you all these whiles. Plus, weren't you the same bird that haunted me while leaving my village in the first place? Before I met the crazy Poseidon. Or wait, do you have anything to do with Lailah? That crazy bitch?"
He had screeching from inside the hut as soon as he mentioned the name, Lailah. There were a quintillion meanings he could read to that.
"Well, Lailah is dead. And if you think you want to avenge her death on me, I have no idea how you're going to do that."
He waited for another reaction but he didn't get it. He was being a dickhead, nutsack, slimeball, fruitcake and scumbag standing there without doing a thing.
He said finally,
"Enough of this cheap show and petty talk. Imma count one to three and if you know what is good for you, come out at the call of three."
He took a last breath before the show,
"One.... two.... and.... ok! Three!"
He was determined as he pushed the door opened. The door seemed to had been waiting to be opened by him.
But his jaw dropped as soon as he opened the door. Before him, seated on a bed was a man dressed in torn robes. His eyes were red, his hair dirty, but his skin glowing. Seated on the shoulder of the man was the raven.
Ja Lia wanted to close the door and run away. He had no faintest idea that there was anybody there. He didn't even think of it. He thought twas like a wasted apartment.
He summed up the confetti of courage in him and stuttered,
"Oh sorry, owner. Didn't know this belongs to someone."
He quit stuttering and quizzed rather confidently,
"Is that your bird?"
He said, pointing at the raven whose sharp claws were digging into the man's cloth. Probably piercing his skin.
The man stood up immediately. The bird was shook, but didn't fall. It rather flapped its wings and regained its balance.
Ja quaked and took few steps back.
"Easy, bro."
Ja broke the two words into several syllables. His lips dancing to the hidden tune of his heart.
"Where is Lailah?"
Those were the man first words and only words. His voice was croaky, deep and harsh. The words were the typical complement of the way he looked.
"Lailah?"
Ja Lia asked not sure of what response to give the wierd man. The Raven man.
"Where is Lailah?"
The man asked again. He was beginning to walk towards Ja as Ja walked backwardly in a brisk manner.
"Lailah is a dead, bro. Who's she to you?"
Ja said, trying to be friendly but the fellow didn't look anything close to that. He looked like someone who had just finished mourning and was ready to take a revenge at all cost.
"Where is Lailah?"
He was dragging closer to Ja. Ja didn't need to be told that that was for no fun. He was getting prepared to run.
"Calm down bro, if you know who she is, you'd wish her died over and over again."
Ja tried explaining. The bird flew at him and pecked at the middle of his head. The hair prevented a supposed cut.
Before he could lay a hand on the bird, it flew off.
And in no time, the man began to pursue him. Ja began to run through the path which led into the village. He was panting as though he had seen a ghost.
Well, that which was happening to him was way beyond seeing a ghost.
The man seemed too heavy to lift himself, so twas quite easy for Ja to run as fast as possible. But when he did stop, the bird would perch on him and peck him again.
He was doomed. But he kept running towards the palace. He got to the market square and kept screaming,
"Help!!"
But no one came to his aid. The villagers knew quite well that he was one of the strangers who had brought chaos to their land.
And Twas hard to judge who was crazy between him and the owner.
"Die, mofo!"
He could hear a woman calling amongst the buyers.
He was more than doomed.
He ran through the gate and kept running. Only the Emperor could save him.