They've spent a night at the tavern, and woken up early the next day. The Blank Forest is the most dangerous in the night, if Retsu is going to look for the ruby necklace, he can only search in the day and must stay put in the night. There are just too much creatures that will hunt under the cover of the night.
"You must be crazy to look for a necklace." Nieza is frowning ever since he heard of Retsu's purpose.
They are both wearing a cloak just out of habit, neither of them are interested in being stared at like some rare monster.
"The Ruby is filled with powerful Fire Magic, and I'm somehow very sensitive to Fire Elements, it would be easy for me to find it." Retsu explained.
"You're human, right?"
"What?" Retsu was taken by surprise, "Of course I'm human, why did you ask?"
"It rare," Nieza hesitated a little, "Humans are not seen with this ability much. Elves, Angels, or Fallen Angels from the west, or basically any inhuman race in the east, is most like to have this kind of ability."
"But there are humans who have them, don't they?" Retsu asked, "I remember seeing historic records of those humans."
Nieza paused for a moment, then looked straight into Retsu's eyes, "No matter what, do not ever tell anyone else about your ability."
Realizing how important this is, Retsu nodded solemnly, "I will remember this."
######
The Black Forest, like its name, is literally black. The trees, bushes, leaves, and even the ground is a pure black in colour. Even at the noon of a day it would still seem like dawn or dusk in the forest because very limited light would make through the black canopy and reach the ice cold ground.
Retsu was going to light a fire ball up in his hand, but was stopped by Nieza grabbing his hand.
"Any little light will attract the monsters, haven't you been in here before?"
"Twice, both times hunting for the pelt of those night leopards." Retsu admitted and give up on the fire ball idea.
"Looks like I'm more used to the darkness, I'll lead the way." Nieza brushed past Retsu, still holding his hand and lead him through this dark forest.
"How could you be more used to the darkness? You certainly do not look like it." Retsu asked, he is just simply amazed, since Nieza looks more like the Shing or Sen they've described in the East, which both represents the lightness.
Nieza did not respond to the comment, but Retsu think he saw his eyes flash in the dim light.
They walked in silence for a while. It feels weird to be lead by a teenager who looks only about sixteen, epically when Retsu is the older brother at home. To admit the truth, he is way more used to taking care of people instead of being taken care of.
But to also admit the truth, Nieza did it so naturally that he almost thought he is older than him.
"Did you feel that?" Nieza suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, Retsu, lost in thought, almost crushed right into him.
"Sorry, what was it?"
The hand griping his was suddenly tightened, as if not really pleased by him being distracted, "The Ruby, it's near."
Retsu closed his eyes and reached out his senses, as Nieza had said, a powerful source of Fire Magic is very near, but moving at the same time.
"Whatever is carrying it, has spotted us."
Sure as Nieza said, a few pair of glowing eyes lighted up in the dark of the forest.
"A pack of Demon Wolves, Fire type," Nieza said coolly, "Looks like the Ruby you're looking for is on their leader's neck."
"Ah, now that's a problem."
The pack of big wolves have apparently decided to have them as lunch, Retsu figured there is probably about twenty or so around this area. The good thing is, they're not that hard to defeat, as least they would be able to run if nothing else.
Retsu slowly pulled out his blood red sword, and stepped in front of Nieza, blocking him from the view of the wolves and slowly backing away.
The wolves are smart enough to realize that their lunch is going to run. They lowered their bodies and growled. As the leading wolf howled the attacking signal, three leaped at them.
Retsu raised his sword at the first wolf, but a flash of red was faster than him. Before he realized, the three wolves are already lying on the ground, not moving anymore.
The red lashed out again, warping itself around the leader wolf's neck. This time, Retsu saw what it is.
That was a long piece of pure red damask, with one end on the leader wolf's neck, and the other end in…
Nieza's hand.
"How, how did you do that?" Retsu was astonished, strangling a big wolf with a piece of damask is not easy as it might look.
"Not the problem here!" Nieza yanked at the damask, and the leading wolf was flung into a tree. He yanked again, the damask let go of the wolf and flew back into his hands as if it's alive. Retsu saw the ruby necklace lying in the midst of it.
"Let's get out of here fast." Nieza put the Ruby in Retsu's hand while pulling him into the forest. The wolves howled and give chase, but were silenced by Nieza's damask.
Retsu barely was able to stay on his feet when Nieza pulled him through the forest. He did not know how long they've ran for, but when Nieza finally stopped the already-dim-light in the forest was almost all gone, Retsu can hardly make out anything in the dark now.
"I'm sure we've ditched them now," Nieza said as he looked back at the way they've come, "We should rest here for the night. It's almost all dark, I can hear the animals out for hunting."
Retsu has no idea where he got that, since he cannot hear anything like it.
"You still have food with you right? Or else you'll just have to go hungry for the night."
"Yes, I do," Retsu dug through his bag, good thing it's still there, which is quite a miracle considering what they've done today. He sat down on the ground and pulled out some jerky, "Do you want any?"
"No, I'm not hungry. Besides, I don't eat meat." Nieza shook his head, sitting down beside him.
Vegetarian. Retsu made a mental note of bringing something that's not meat the next time.
He took care to put the ruby securely in his bag, "Nieza, now that my Quest is over, what about yours? What did you come here for?"
Nieza cast a glance at him, then turned away causally, but Retsu did not miss his hesitation.
"The Fallen Angel's feather, that's what I'm here for."
"Fallen Angel?!" Retsu was shocked, "I thought it's only a myth that they lived here."
"No, the center of this forest is where one of their clans is located," Nieza said calmly, "I've seen them."
Retsu paused for a second, he is not sure if he should be surprised of Nieza's ability might be way more than what people would expect from a sixteen year old boy. But he guesses Nieza has already given enough clues and hints to notify him.
The Fallen Angel is one of the powerful races that lived on this land, even a ten year old of their age can defeat most of humans. Although that is somewhat related to their bloody way of education for their young, the weak will never survive.
If Nieza is able to see one and still live until today, Retsu has to admit that he must be much more capable than him.
"It's about time," The forest is completely dark now, Retsu can only tell where Nieza is by the sound of his voice and movement, "I should get a move on if we want to leave the forest tomorrow."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Retsu buckled up his bag carefully, stood up and asked. Even though he thinks he would be more of a burden rather than aiding Nieza's side.
Retsu's legs were suddenly grabbed from underneath him, and his was lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Before he can react, he heard Nieza took a deep breath above his head, and all of a sudden they were flying through the air.
Well, not actually flying, Nieza is more like climbing up the trees by pushing off on the trunks with his toes, however he did that. Either way, Nieza was fast, they reached the canopy within a few second's time.
The moon light shone through the thinner leaves, casting a glow of silver on the pure black leaves, and Retsu can finally see Nieza's face now.
His hood from the cloak has fallen off, therefore showing his wondrous beauty, the beauty that almost doesn't belong to a boy. It's even more breath taking, seeing him under the moonlight. The glow softened the sharp and cold edges that should not be on a teenager's face, making him look more friendly but somehow more perfect and distant. Retsu would not have been surprised if he fell for him right here.
But he did not, Retsu only asked calmly, "What's the matter?"
"There are only two kinds of creatures that can fly in this forest, the Fallen Angel, and a kind of bird with the powers of thunder, named Rey," Nieza let him down on a thick tree branch, and explained, "But neither will hunt in this area, and the rest are all ground animals, they cannot climb this high. You'll be safer up in a tree until I come back."
"I can sleep in a tree if that sets you mind at ease, but when will you be back?"
"At dawn." Nieza stands to leave, the wind rustled through his clothes, and lifted his silk like, long black hair, bringing a hint of coolness on to Retsu's skin.
Retsu brush away the red bangs that covered his vision, and watched Nieza leaped from branch to branch, disappearing in the depth of the night.
Leaning back on the tree trunk, he looked up at the white moon that was just visible through a layer of black leaves.
I wish you luck, my first friend here.
