Chapter 7: Northerneil Love Story

"What? It's gone?" Black Blade said in surprised when Emerald said that there is nothing inside the wagon.

There was only bags of magic dust and some normal ritual supply that D.M.A. usually use during their annual meeting. They then start to checks inside the bags and the boxes just to make sure it was not hidden and apperantly it's not there.

"Did we chase over the wrong wagon?" Emerald said as she wipe the magic dust from her hands.

"No, I'm sure it was here. I can feel the Crystal aura when we're fighting those mages earlier. It can't just vanish from thin air."

"You do have a point, Master but... the fact that we didn't found the crystal said otherwise."

Black Blade sits and thinks but he didn't have enough time for that because since they heard the sound of Night Watchers howling and getting closer to their point. They quickly climbs up Bladge and start to ride away to the north where the border of Lothal and Notherneil is.

They manage to reach the point and they should be safe from the watchers since Night Watcher never leaves Lothal border for an unknown reason.

"We must find nearby village or we might dead by this place natural Magical Beast." Black Blade said.

"I think so too."

They both step into the forest where was the border of Lothal and Notherneil.Bladge follow them closely from behind since he could really ride through the forest due to low branch of the trees there.The forest were thick but it was a flatland and only filled of pine trees. as they proceed the forest they find the air become colder and colder.

White fog blows out from their mouth everytime they breathe and the cold is getting worse. Black Blade already cast fire on a random stick he pick and make it like a torch but the coldness is something else.

The coldness is too unbearable to Emerald resulting her hugging Black Blade's arm, looking for more heat.

"Uh... Master... I have something to tell you?"

"What? Are you going to freeze?"

"Apperently that was the problem but I have a confession to make." She said as the two keep pressing deeper into the snowy pine forest.

Black Blade thinks for himself about what Emerald wanted to say to him. The word confession can brings many meaning. It could be something romantic, falsehood or even important secret. Those probability runs into his head that makes him stop walking.

"Actually, Something weird happens when we..!" She stop speaking when the feel a great tremor hits the area and they almost off balance.

"What was that?!" Before they realised, there were an avalanche moving down towards them from the hilly area of the forest.

"Run!!" as Emerald scream, they both run through the forest as fast as they can.

There were other creature's that live in this biome running away from the avalance. One by one of them get swallowed by the snow wave. They still running until Emerald's trips down and Black Blade go and take her up.

"We're done." Black Blade say that as they both got sweep out by it.

A few hour's later, at Ekiu's place. Sun already out as the morning greets the world with mist in the morning. Ekiu walks out from the inn after getting a good meal from Anna. She waves at his as he leave the door.

This morning, Ekiu has nothing much do since he was instructed to wait there until the reward was sent to him by this afternoon. He walks around town and that just what he simply do for the time being.

"The air here is pretty nice. Never've been in a village for a while." He take in the fresh air after he got a good night sleep and a good meal earlier.

Later, the sun was slightly down from the peak of the sky and a horse carriage arrived. Ekiu spotted Kana getting down from the carriage so he go and greeted her.

"Hey Kana, You're back. How was the mission going."

"Oh, Ekiu. You're still alive. I thought you would fall into deep slumber after doing Teleportation two times." She said as she leash the horse that pull the carriage at a wooden pole.

"Wow, you finally call me by my name."

Kana snort as she heard that and she turns to Ekiu.

"Just as gratitude. Because of your doing, we both manage to not getting our head separated from our body."

"I see... But nobody's telling me yet. What happened after I fainted?"

"Oh, I kill the mages and then I also fall down but I manage to untie the princess and she bring us back to the village. I woke up later in the night and make the trip with the princess by midnight and return here back with your reward."

Kana handed him a leather pouch filled with 50 gold coin. The reward is actually very generous. 50 gold coin is enough to treat a whole tavern for 5 days. Most tavern earn around 10 gold coin a day and currency usually used by people here is gin(Silver) coin and timber coin.

Kana aslo got the same amount of gold coins for the mission so they got nothing much to say.

"So, what is you next plan?" Ekiu ask after a short silence between them.

"Oh, I'm going back to my kingdom and maybe have my day off. It's been a month since I didn't have a vacation." She said while looking at the horse that she's going to use.

"I see. Then wish you a good day and a nice vacation. See you again."

"You wish. But..."

She pauses for a moment and smiles.

"I'd love to spar with you someday."

"Maybe in near future?" He chuckles and they bid their farewell and goes to separate direction.

Ekiu already claimed his reward so he planned to return home. Before than, he returned to the inn for a reason.

"Going home so soon?" Anna ask while she was sweeping the Inn entrance.

"Yes, My job here is done and I've also recovered fully. So, I just wanted to thank you again for your hospitality, Anna."

Anna's were left blushing to the word and she smile while subconsciously hug her broom sheepishly.

"If you planned to return here again for another mission, I would love to keep a room specially for you if you might like. Just sent me a pigeon(letter) and It's reserved." She said and take a step closer to him.

"Well that would be lovely. So, I'll be in my way. Okay?"

She stop from wanting to keep steping closer as Ekiu stated that he already wanted to go. She put both her hand behind and hold grasp her hand to her shirt.

"Okay. Wish you a safe travels."

"Thank you again for everything. You know what, Anna?"

"What?"

He step forward to Anna and hold her hand. He hold both her hand firmly and look directly to Anna's eye. The Caramel eyes of her glinting in happiness to the small gesture he shows to her.

"I would love to be here again." He said before lightly put something inside Anna's palm and he walk to his horse and waves to Anna for the last time and ride his horse away.

Anna waving to him heartily until he's gone in the distance and she slowly open her palm and softly smile at the small trinkets made out of wood in her hand. It was like a hairpin with a small carving of Anna's name to it.

"If you say so... I will wait for your return, Mister Ekiu" Anna smiles and walk into the inn.

to be continue.