Goodbye

Camelia screamed as she could as Storm ran to avoid the Hairwyrm's pursuit. 

The merchants and their guards could only see the disgusting, long-haired snake slithering across the ground, chasing Camelia with fear in their eyes.

***

A pair of red eyes with vertical pupils shone within the dark, lightless snake's inner body.

"Bastard worm..." Atherion, the owner of the pair of red eyes, muttered.

He concentrated. Then a light appeared from his hand, which gradually expanded.

***

"Finally, I'm going to eat that girl. Finally, a delicious meal." The snake hissed as it continued to creep after Camelia.

However, suddenly a white light appeared from within his back. At the same time, Atherion jumped out of the hole he made in the snake's back.

The snake swung its head left and right in pain, and destroyed all the trees around it.

Atherion jumped down from the frenzied snake and ran towards Camelia and Storm who had stopped when the snake stopped chasing them.

"Are you alright?" he asked Camelia.

Camelia opened her eyes which she had closed because of fear. She still hugged Storm's neck tightly.

"A-Atherion," she groaned, crying.

Atherion stared at Camelia who was crying in fear. His anger boiled over.

"Wait here," he said while patting Camelia's head gently.

Then he turned to face the snake which was hissing agrily at him. 

"You are dead," shouted Atherion as he jumped towards the snake's head. The snake greeted him by attacking him again with its hair.

Atherion dodged quickly, then jumped again, climbing on the hair as a base for his jump. In an instant, he was near the snake's eyes and thrust his sword into the snake's big eyes.

It didn't stop there, he pushed his sword until all that was left was the hilt of the sword.

The snake writhed back to left and right, over time its movements weakened. And finally, it didn't move anymore.

Atherion took a deep breath. His pupils and fangs turned normal again.

He turned to Camelia, who sat up straight on Storm's back.

Camelia just stared at Atherion silently, the two of them stared at each other until the group of merchants and their guards arrived to their spot. They all survived, only all the horse-drawn carriages they carried were destroyed when the snake chased Camelia.

Atherion, who had changed clothes because his clothes were wet when the snake swallowed him, took them back to where they kept the horse-drawn carriage and their other belongings.

Luckily, they managed to take their horses while hiding, according to Atherion's instructions.

All the group began to prepare once more and continued their journey.

***

"Atherion, what was that snake?" Camelia asked, turning her head to look at Atherion who was riding Storm with her.

Atherion answered, "I guess it was Hairwyrm."

Camelia sighed.

"Are you alright?" Atherion asked.

"Yeah. I was so scared earlier when I saw you eaten by that snake." Camelia answered.

"Where you worried about me?" Atherion asked again.

"Of course," exclaimed Camelia, "ah, I mean what happens if you get hurt..."

Camelia's face flushed and her body flailed.

"Look ahead and don't move too much," Atherion said.

"O-Okay," Camelia complied and could not see that Atherion was smiling.

***

Mage Tower, Eldrida.

The elder mages in white robes, sat around a large oval-shaped table. A large crystal ball was placed on the table.

"Crystallo, ostende!"

One of the mages stood in the middle of the oval table and recited a spell.

Inside the crystal ball, white smoke appeared and slowly swirled in it.

The mage sighed, and said, "Sorry, my brothers. Until now we haven't been able to find out where The Light is."

The other sitting mages also took a deep breath.

The mage sitting at the end of the oval table, Severus, said, "If we cannot find The Light, The Darkness which has begun to awaken will destroy the world."

Another mage sitting on the side of the oval table, answered, "We have to get The Light. We can look for it by spreading out our members."

"But do you know in which country we should look for The Light? The Light's kidnapper could have taken her out of Calonia." said the bald mage.

All the elder mages in the room started arguing.

"We will spread all our members, including apprentices and volunteers, to all countries. Calonia, Nefaria, Valtoria, and our own country, Eldrida." Severus said in a loud and firm tone, stopping the elder mage's argument.

***

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Atherion knocked on the door of a house in the center of town. The house, like the other houses in Eldrida, was beautiful with white buildings and flowers in flower pots around the house.

The door of the house opened, and a fat, middle-aged woman with waist-length, braided brown hair looked out the door.

"Atherion!" she exclaimed in a happy voice.

Atherion nodded and greeted, "Hello, Gina."

Gina patted Atherion's back, who was taller than her, with a big smile. "It's been a long time since you came again. Have you forgotten about me?" asked Gina, still resting her hand on Atherion's back.

Atherion shook his head, and answered, "I'm just a little busy."

They exchanged greetings like old friends who had not seen each other for a long time.

Then suddenly Gina looked at Camelia who had just been silently observing them beside Storm, and said, "So is this the girl you mentioned?"

Atherion nodded.

Gina smiled broadly and invited them into her house.

The interior of Gina's house looks beautiful and neatly arranged. Camelia really likes it. His hands touched knick-knacks he had never seen before, and admired the floor carpet which had a pattern that matched the existing furniture.

They stayed overnight and had dinner at Gina's house. Atherion and Gina exchanged experiences, or more precisely, Gina talked more than Atherion.

And finally, Atherion said to Camelia, "I have somewhere to go. You stay here first with Gina."

Camelia widened her eyes, but couldn't say anything. She just said yes.

'Maybe to Atherion I'm just a burden,' thought Camelia.

'Atherion continuously looked after me along the way and even saved me. He probably doesn't like me that much either,' she thought again.

But her heart ached.

She didn't want to be parted with him.

***

The next day, Atherion left Camelia with Storm. Gina excitedly waved her hands, and called out to him, "Come back quickly."

Camelia just watched Atherion leave with teary eyes.

Atherion turned around, and he saw Camelia's sad face. His heart hurt.

'Why does my heart hurt so much? She would be safer among normal people. The power inside me also won't rise if I'm not staying close to her. But why does it hurt so much?'