Dawn of the Knights
Dawn of the Knights
The Mikado Family
"Where am I?" Vany questioned.
At the glimpse of an eye, she was laying on a wood bed, in a small room. Vany gazes around the room. There was an open window on the left of the bed. She stares outside the window and discover that she was in a hut of some kind in the mountain. She stood up; even though Vany was a little off balance. A young woman, around her 40, came in and saw Vany's unbalance body and helps her to regain her steadiness. She wore an indigo dress with a woven basket on her back.
"Thank you, ma'm," Vany thanked, "Why am I in here?"
"My son and husband found you deep in the Arcana Mountain and brought you back. When they came home with you on my son's back, I saw that you were injured badly; so I heal you. Young lady, you have been sleeping for a whole week." The woman answered.
"What; a whole week, how could that be?" Vany surprised.
"Yes, you have been sleeping for a whole week." The wife continued, "And why were you up in the Arcana Mountains? That mountain is very dangerous. Nobody has been up there since 9 years ago."
"What happen 9 years ago?" Vany wanted to know.
The woman sat down on the bed and began, "9 years ago, there was a"
-"Mom, are you in here?" a young voice interrupted.
A tall 13 years old boy walk in, searching for his mother, was surprised to see Vany awake. He wore a fur hat, a brown skin short-sleeve jacket, a pair of black pants, fury boots, a long sword by his side and a long rope in his hand.
"Oh I am sorry, did I disturb your conversation?" he questioned, "I will leave."
"No, no; it is fine," Vany stopped, "You could talk to her. I will be leaving soon."
They two were very startled.
The woman stood up and ran over to Vany and shocked, "You are leaving; but you are not healed yet."
"I am very sorry that I have disturbed your family." Vany bowed, "But I have to leave and continue my search for someone who I can't reveal."
"Please stay longer," the boy pleaded, "It is alright if you stay longer; you have to be heal permanently."
"I am afraid that I will be bothered for you and your family." Vany returned.
"You won't be," a voice joined, as an older man, came in, "We are the only family that live at the foot of this mountain. We would gladly let traveler stops by and stay for a while."
The man wore everything fur. His hat, shoes, shirt, and pants are fur. In his hand is an axe.
"Then thank you very much for having me as your guess." Vany bowed again.
It was silence for a while.
"Oh, I forgot," the wife started, breaking the silence in the room, "What is your name young lady?"
"I better use my fake name." Vany thought. "My name is Arcady," Vany replied, "and may I ask for yours and your family?"
The wife giggled, "My name is Kiara, and this is my husband; Tarku, and my son; Ikaru. My oldest son, Luko, is not here right now. My apologies for Luko's absence; he doesn't like stranger, even though they are girls."
"It is ok, Kiara," Vany responded, "I will meet him sooner or later when he comes home."
The family nodded.
-7PM in the afternoon-
"Ikaru, Tarku, dinner is ready!" Kiara yelled, as the men came in, all clean up.
"Today, Arcady helps me with dinner. She made a lot of foods, so eat up." Kiara explained.
"Wow, it look so… delicious!" the men drooled.
They sat down quickly and started gobbling up the foods on the table.
"Um where is Luko?" Vany wondered, looking around.
"Not here again," Kiara sighed, "I will go look for him. He might be around here."
"Here let me go." Vany insisted, "You have shown, me around here already, so I'll go and test my sense of directions in this place."
"But it is night time," Kiara argued, "You will get hurt."
"Don't worry," Vany assured, "I know defense skills to protect myself, alright. I am leaving right now, bye!"
Vany got a black cape and ran out the door.
"My, my, that girl is active," Kiara smiled.
Vany ran and ran, putting on the cape and hood. She finally entered the woods and slowed down. Under the moonlight, Vany heard the cricket singing. Vany begins to hum. After that she began to sing quietly.
"Under the stars, not very far from reality; rushing wave from the open sea. I walked along the soft sand that cools me. The ocean breeze carried my dress up to the land of the gods. Someone whispers in my ear about lovely songs I am going to hear. I spin around, to find a prince that kisses me gently. I blush as he asks me to dance. I reach out to him, but something stops me, from being free." Vany sang quietly.
As Vany sang, she searches for Luko. Suddenly, a pair of hand grabs her and pulls her into the bushes as a giant cloud covers the moon. Vany struggle to break free, but the arms were too strong.
BANG!
Vany fell down with someone on top of her.
"Ow," Vany muttered, rubbing her arms, "Who are you? Why did you do"
But Vany stopped. When she looks into the person's eyes, she was amazed. The person was an 18 years old teenager. His yellow eyes surprised Vany. He wore a cape like her, with black boots, a brown long-sleeve shirt, and a black fur hat. His blue, long hair rustles in the wind, or so she thought.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I-I was," Vany started.
But then the young teenager put his hand over her mouth and shushes her. Then, they heard footsteps coming from outside of the bushes.
"There is no way that they could be here. They would be living in the mountain if they want to hide from us, but in the end, they would be caught by us, the famous slave hunters." A man voice started.
Another low man voice corrected, "Not 'slave hunters' but 'unnatural slave hunters'."
"He, he, he," the other laughed, "That is correct, Brother. Now come one, let go get us some money."
As the evil laughs of the two men died down, the clouds began to clear and the moon shown again. As the moon shine upon Vany, the boy moves backward with a pink face.
"I am sorry," he mumbled.
Vany sat up, cleaning the dust off her shirt. She then stood up and took off her hood. Her long hair flew in the wind. The pink face boy transform into a red face boy. Vany stared at him with a confused face.
"Why is your face red?" Vany questioned, "Are you sick?"
"No-no I am not," the boy turned, "I 'm just tired."
"Well I hope you return to your home safely." Vany bowed, "and thank you for saving me. If you hadn't shushed me, I would have been caught and be bought in a place somewhere far from here."
She smiled brightly which made the boy blushed more.
"Hey, what is your name?" he suddenly asked.
"My name is Arcady," Vany answered, "and what is yours?"
"My name is… is Kuroko." Kuroko answered, calmly.
"Well then, good bye," Vany waved.
When she was walking only for a few steps, Vany heard a thud. She turns around and found Kuroko on the ground.
"Kuroko!" Vany screamed.
She ran over to him and helps him up. Vany then carried him back to the cabin. As fast as her feet can carry her with Kuroko on her back, Vany dashes home. As she enters the front door, everyone was startle to see who was on her back.
"Luko!" Kiara cried, running to Vany and helping the young boy on her back down. Tarku and Ikaru carried him to a bed in the room.
"What, he is Luko? Why did he lie to me about his name?" Vany thought, looking at Luko.
She then discovers a large hole on his back with an arrow in it; all with blood.
"He must have gotten shot by a poison arrow!" Vany mumbled.
"Get a bowl of hot water and a knife for me, hurry!" Tarku exclaimed.
Ikaru and Kiara ran out of the room to get the tools Tarku needed to get the arrow out of his back.
"Tarku please let me take the arrow out of his back." Vany insisted.
"You can't," Tarku objected, "You will also be poisoned."
"I know how to remove such weapon like arrows out of a body." Vany argued, "I also know how to cure poison. I just need to know what the poison is. Please let me do this!"
"But you can't! That means that Luko and your life would be risk! I will not let this happen! I will do it myself." Tarku objected.
"Tarku, think of your family! I am only a traveler. I will put my life on the line if it means that I could save someone; but if you die then who would take care and protect your family? How do you think I survived in that mountain that Kiara said was dangerous anyway? Please!" Arcady yelled.
Tarku thought for a few minutes and then sighed, "Alright, then please help us. Save our son."
Vany nodded. Ikaru and Kiara waited outside of the cabin with Tarku; worried about Luko.
"Luko, I am going to take the arrow out so please hold on, ok?" Vany started.
Luko nodded and laid back. Vany chanted a spell in her head. Suddenly, a box fills with needles appeared slowly. Vany slowly pulls the arrow out of his back. When the arrow was out, she took 5 needles and shoots them at Luko's back in a star shape. Luko cried in pain. Vany quickly took a glance at the arrow's point and found the answer.
She ran outside of the cabin and yelled, "Please go get me Anti Leaf, Fire Rose, and Ice Lily!"
The family splits up to look searches for the three plants.
-While-
Vany stayed in the cabin, stopping the poison spreading through Luko's body.
When the family came back with the plants, Arcady mixes them altogether and made a medicine. She gave it to Luko and after he drank it, he felt a little better; the wound slowly closed up. Arcady bandages him up and left him to rest. She came outside, wiping her sweat on her forehead with her arm.
"Whew, he is fine," She returned, "don't worry about him."
The family let a relief sigh. Tarku puts his hand on Arcady shoulder and smiles.
"Thank you for helping us." Ikaru thanked, "By the way, how did you know those plants were here in the mountains? Moreover, how do you even know the shape and name of the plants?"
"It is a traveler ability to know magical plants' names. Also, when I went searching Luko, I pass those plants on the way." Arcady answered.
The family was shock.
"Oops," Arcady thought, then added, "Anyway, I think you guys need to get out of here. My guess is that the slave hunters are looking for you."
The three gasp in terror. Tarku then took an ax and hold it in front of him, trembling.
"Who are-are you? How di-did you know tha-that we are the one they ar-are searching f-for?" Tarku stuttered.
Arcady holds her hand out waving, corrected, "No no, it is just that no one would live in the mountain like you. And I am also a person those hunters called 'unnatural'.
"It is true, Mother, Father," Luko added, walking outside, "When I was shot, and was hiding in the bush, I met her and she helped me hide from the slave hunter. She learned the name of the plants from me."
Kiara walks towards Luko and slap him in the face.
"Are you stupid? You could have been caught by them!" Kiara yelled with pouring tears.
"I am sorry, Mother," apologized Luko.
"Anyhow, you all have to follow me to the Arcana Mountains. There I will send all of you to my home. They will give you a place to stay." Arcady rushed, "There is no time to waste if you don't want to be caught."
The family followed Arcady up the mountain.
On the way to the mountain, Arcady begins to questioned, "Have you ever heard of the last protector?"
"You mean the legendary guardian that protects everyone in the universe? Then yes we know. We are not actually sure if that person is a boy or a girl, but we know he/she is at the age of 12." Tarku returned.
"Well, that is good enough. I use to work in the palace as a servant for the Lat Protector. Give the guards this amulet and they will tell you what to do." Arcady explained, giving Tarku a pure yellow amulet with a ying and yang sign in the middle and a green letter A in the ying and yang symbol.
As soon as they got to the top of the Arcana Mount, a humongous white-pearl gryphon appears in front of them. The family was astonished to see a mythical creature standing in front of them.
"Gred-Gredolina," Arcady stuttered, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh child, I have been here ever since my husband came back and took his place as king of Maroninda. Now it is my turn to go on a vacation, so I have been staying here since 9 years ago." Gredolina responded.
Arcady ran to it and hugs it.
"I have missed you," Arcady whispered, "Queen Gredolina, were you the one that rescue me when I entered here?"
"My dear, I missed you too, and yes, I was the one who rescued you; but due to the rule of nature, I couldn't care for you, so I have to leave you in the hands of humans." The gryphon sighed.
"Gredolina, would you do me a favor," Arcady asked, releasing her hand from the gryphon.
Gredolina replied, "Anything my dear child."
"Can you take this family back to Yugithia for me?" Arcady continued.
"I could, but what about you?" Queen Gredolina returned.
Arcady gazes down to her feet and answered, "I-I have to stay here a little longer to find clues about that person, your highness."
"My apologies for reminding you about it, dear; I will personally bring them to Yugithia myself." The queen sighed; then something shocked the gryphon and she whispered loudly, "Then we better hurry, a group of men with magic weapons are coming this way. I have a very negative feeling about those men."
They agreed and got on the white gryphon and went into a cave nearby. Inside the cave, Gredolina roars and a colorful portal opened and she went in. After, the portal closes. Arcady then ran outside and hid in some bushes. The slave hunters then appear. This time, there were more than 20 men there.
"I thought I saw something here a while ago. Oh well, let go gentlemen." One of them, seem to be the leader, scratched his head.
They were leaving when Arcady accidentally sneezes. The leader quickly turns around, noticing the sound.
"Shoot, what now; I can't move or they will noticed me. What to do, what to do," Arcady thought, gritting her teeth.
Suddenly, a hand covered her mouth; right when the leader of the slave hunters group opens the bushes in front of her.
"No one seems to be here. Check the other bushes around here, hurry," he called.
"What, how could he not see me?" Arcady thought.
She looks at her hand and saw nothing. Then something pulls her away from the bushes and down the trail, leading down the mountains. Once Arcady has lost sight of the slave hunters and the mountain, she finally stops to rest. She fell to her knees, panting. Arcady gazes up, looking at the thing that saved her. She was surprised to see who was there.
"Luko, what are you doing here? Didn't you left with your family?" surprised Arcady.
"I can't leave a girl like you here all alone. You don't even know where to start looking for that someone you need to look for." Luko replied, "Here I will show you where to begin."
"Well, how do you even know where to start?" she responded.
"Queen Gredolina told me about your mother. And I think I have heard about monsters roaming 14 other places beside this that have the connection to the demons and devils." Luko answered.
Arcady thought for a while. Then she agreed and stood up next to him, with a morning smile.
"Alright then," she begins, "Lead the way Luko."
He smiles at her and grabs her hand, pulling her along the large road leading to the next large kingdom.
"Next stop," he continued, "Zecartium!"
