Let the journey...end

The evening sun has finally cast the long shadows onto the ground. It was replaced with the pale crescent moon, which shone like a silvery claw in the night sky.

Our main triads are currently on the pathway which leads to the Amber castle. They were inside the carriage, provided by the Aurfix Queen himself. The journey was a long one-that much could be said since they had been travelling since the morning and still needed to cover up more miles. But for the night, they needed to retire for they were greatly frazzled. There was a small village nearby where they could stop. Even more, they were welcomed with open arms and great hospitality.

The young travellers changed into new clothes, provided by their renters. They then went outside to enjoy the village's festival, after some rest of course. The town was holding their annual festival. It was more of a carnival you could say. The place was filled with fairs from which you could buy tons of stuff and play to win prizes. The night streets were bustling with music and people were also dancing in the stage that was provided.

Our main triad is currently in front of the food stall. Tsuki and Katsuke ordered a huge bowl of ramen while Keiki just ordered miso pork roast. While they patiently waited for their food, they enjoyed the sights of the town.

"The people sure have some esthétique choice don't you think?"Keiki inquired.

"Only Keiki would notice something like these. I on the other hand am plainly hungry!"Katsuke complained.

"Since when did Katsuke become so impatient?"Tsuki wondered.

"Sir, ma'am your order is ready. Here you g-HEY!"

The three of them turned their heads towards to notice that their precious food was stolen by someone.

"Nooooooooooo my ramen!!!"And like a swallow, Tsuki and Katsuke ran after the hooded figure.

"How am I friends with such impatient idiots I wonder."Sighing, Keiki paid for their food and rushed after the other two.

After much running, the trio found themselves inside a Cedar forest, lost. Yup LOST. There was no sight of the hooded figure anywhere.

"Where on the earth is the guy?"Katsuke huffed.

"There are footsteps on the ground. Maybe we can follow these?"

Nodding, the three of them started to follow the footsteps. They finally saw the hooded figure. But he wasn't alone. He had more people...and kids?

What're children doing out here at this time of night?

They hid behind the trees and listened to the faint but audible whispers of the people.

"You don't have to do this always you know? Stealing ain't the right choice, Avel"

"I know but still Jane, someone needs to feed these poor children. Also, I just stole from rich people. You know their behaviour don't you?"

"Rich? We're rich? From which angle I wonder."Keiki muttered under her breath.

"Where do you get such delicious food every time Avel?"A child asked.

"Uh...a fairy gives me?"

"A fairy? Which fairy? Fairy godmother?"

"Uh yes yes, now umm isn't it your bedtime kids?"

"Yes!"

"So go to sleep, good night."

"You sure suck at handling kids. Good night."

After the trio was sure everyone except the hooded figure has left, they came out. Hearing the sound of unfamiliar footsteps Avel first took out his sword, ready to fight until Keiki stepped in.

"Woah Woah... you're a kid we ain't here to fight you can calm down."

"State your business then, foreigners"

"Foragers? Do we look like foragers? Well, we did come to take back our food initially...."Katsuke whispered under his breath but unfortunately, the kid heard him.

"Food? Are you saying those food.....it belonged to you?!"

"Yes until you decided to step in and steal it. Credit to be given, for a kid such as yourself you sure have got guts to steal and provide food for children."

"Wait...How LONG have you been here?"

"Long enough to see what you used our food for. But I'm just confused why did you steal it like that? You could have bought it, Stealing isn't nice you know?"Tsuki commented

"....We're poor. We can't afford luxury like you rich people."

"Define rich for I can certainly assure you we don't fall under that category. We're just..your normal everyday teenagers you'll see anywhere."

"How can I trust that information? That brown-haired girl is wearing the royal emblem of the kingdom on her ring. That means you're from a high ranking noble family, isn't it? And the nobles have been nothing but cruel to people such as us for the past centuries"

"Past centuries you say? Perhaps I do understand what you're saying-not completely though. Look I don't know what you've been through but let me tell you my parents died because of some measly greed of those wretched people." Keiki muttered with vengeance in her voice and lust in her eyes. She continued-

"I may not understand you completely but I do understand a part of what you feel. My point is people are born wretched-even me. They're consumed by their greed which ultimately leads to their destruction. But they can change, they can try to change, not everyone is the same you know? The lesson I'm trying to teach is never to judge a book by its cover. You never know what surprises they could bring along."

A brief, but heavy silence fell upon within the forest.....

"So are you here to take back the food I stole?"Avel inquired, breaking the awful silence, which was eating all of them up.

"Don't be silly we are not that petty. We can always buy more of those" Tsuki stopped from going any further realising how pampered and narcissistic she sounded.

"So you are rich."

"Yeah, anything wrong with that? BRAT!" Katsuke replied.

"Arragont noble" mumbled Avel (the new character).

"Aaoouuu!!! What did you do that for?"

Katsuke blinded him for a bit then brought him to his knees holding his two-hand back.

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you and don't even dare to do what you were thinking, the Aurfix king of the light kingdom is around"

Everyone looked shocked.

"An aurfix king is here? Why would a king be here?" exclaimed Avel

(Tsuki) "Huh? Father is here?"

(Katsuke) "Ahh! Yes, I took a scan of this area and I found that the aurfix king was right there" Katsuke pointed towards a tree.

"Well well, I did not expect to get caught and I did not expect you to have learnt how to scan using your light magic" the aurfix king gleed and he came down the tree.

(Hay guys!!! Thank you for reading, sorry for publishing this late, I had exams and then a vacation, so I forgot about this story, no more like I procrastinated it. Anyways the credit to this chapter goes to TAM (shortcake_devil) . she helped me write the chapter, well she actually basically wrote this chapter, I just suggested some ideas.