Souls of Light

Chapter 3: Unknown danger

The next morning came with the rooster crowing, and just as the other morning, Ankas wakes up with Miku by his side.

"WAAAAHHHHHH!" Ankas falls on the floor.

"Good morning!" Miku said to Ankas with a smile on her face.

"What are you doing in my room again?"

"I was scared by the dark!"

"Didn't we talk about this already?"

"But…I'm scared…" Miku said as she lowered her head.

"Uff… never mind, just tell me when you get to sleep here so I get another mattress to sleep in."

"Okay…"

Afterwards they get their breakfast and as Ankas don't need to go hunting today and doesn't have any business in the town he helps his uncle with the plantation. While he was digging holes he looks at the side and saw Miku having fun with the children of the village…

"Hey, Miku-Chan! Wanna play ball with us?" One of the kids asked.

"How do you play ball?" MIku asked confused.

"You just kick it to the person next to you, here! We'll show you!" The kid said.

They made a circle and started to kick the ball.

"Here Miku-chan, catch!" The kid kicks the ball to Miku.

When Miku prepare to kick the ball back she kick the air while the ball pass by her completely and she falls on the ground.

"Miku-chan! Are you okay?" All the kids shouted and ran to her aid.

"I'm fine! I just hurt my knee a little…" She said.

The ball goes to Ankas.

"Hey! Ankas-kun, kick it here!" One of the kids shouted.

"Okay! Here goes!" Ankas said.

He kicked the ball up and while she was in the air he kicked back to the kids. Miku got really impressed.

His uncle got close to him and whispered:

"Good job! Keep impressing her and you'll have her heart in no time!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Ankas answered back, angrily.

"Don't worry, I was just kidding! Ha ha ha…" Said his uncle.

Ankas turned back to the kids and saw Miku playing with them, and it looks like that she has been well received by the rest of the people in the village, maybe it was her innocent nature, but Ankas still could not understand how could they simply accept someone that was so weird.

A couple of hours later, a woman attracted the attention of the village's people…

"Please! Someone help me!" The woman was shouting.

"What is going on?" Ankas said.

"I don't know, you better check it out, go on, I can take care of the plantation now." Melthor said.

Ankas followed the woman's screams for help, he finally found her, with some other young man from the village.

"Ankas!" One of the men said.

"Arrugah! What happened?" Ankas asked.

"We are trying to calm her down to understand the situation, but the only thing she says is: Please help! I can't find him anywhere!" Arrugah said.

Ankas walked in front of the woman that was with her knees on the dirt, she looked at the ground and it wouldn't stop crying and shouting for help. Ankas kneeled down and grabbed her by the shoulders, he looked at her eyes and said:

"Please, calm down now, okay? We're trying to help you, but we can't until you calm down and tell us what's going on."

She than closed her eyes, lowered her head and took a deep breath.

"Now, tell me what's going on." Ankas said.

"My son, I was cocking and I didn't see the time when he got out, when I go looking from him my neighbor said that he entered the forest, I've gone with him and other people from the village to look for them but we didn't found him and I came running back here to ask for help, please, you gotta find him!" The woman starts to cry again.

Ankas gets up and look at Arrugah and the other youngsters.

"Get your bows and follow me!" He said.

The others ran back to their homes and prepared themselves, so did ankas.

When he got home Miku was helping Melthor making the dinner.

"What's going on?" Melthor asked.

"One of the village's kids is missing, me and the other hunters will get into the forest to look for him." Ankas said, while he opened a chest on the chicken were there was his bows and some wooden arrows he made.

"Why, there's no one looking for him?"

"There are, but they are not enough."

"Are you sure? It's almost night time, it's gonna be pretty dangerous."

"I know, that's why I'm getting my bow and arrows and my knife with me."

Ankas turned and opened the door, but before he could close it he's uncle said:

"Then take Miku with you as well."

"WHAAAAAT?" Ankas said.

"Why not? Didn't you just said that they need more people for the search?"

"Yeah… But you said that it's gonna be pretty dangerous! Didn't you?" Ankas said, trying to make his uncle to give up on the idea.

"Don't worry, you'll be with her the whole time, will you not?"

A minute of silence passed…

"Okay… Come on Miku, we need to hurry!"

"Yes!" Miku answered getting up from the chair.

As they traveled to the forest Ankas though:

"What the hell does my uncle have in his head?"

Miku kept herself always close to Ankas since she was always so much afraid of the dark. Once they got to the forest borders Miku looked at the forest and she saw how dark it was.

"Ankas… I'm scared!" Miku said while she hugged his arm.

Ankas got red and looked around, the other youngsters were letting out a small laugh, but that didn't really upset him up.

"It's fine, just stay close alright?" He asked her.

She answered by nodding her head up and down.

Ankas turned to the others and said:

"You guys all know that this forest gets really dangerous at this time, the creatures of the night get out to hunt and it's also difficult to see to since the forest trees won't let the moonlight get through, so watch out for wolves and bears, and also look were you are stepping! Everyone's ready?"

"Yes!" The youngsters answered.

After that they entered the forest. Some seconds later Ankas realized that Miku started to squeeze his arm more and more.

"I already said that it's alright!" Ankas said.

"No… It's not that…" Miku said while putting her hand on her head.

"What is it then?"

"My head… It hurts…!" Miku falls to the ground, she looked to be in an unimaginable pain.

"Miku! Hey Miku! Are you alright!" Ankas shouted, trying to help her.

"Careful Ankas… behind you!" Miku tried to say while in pain.

When Ankas turned around a strange creature jumped from the bushes, it had dark skin, it was big, the sounds it make appeared to be like a feline and a dense black smoke appeared to be getting out of its body.

"What the-!" Ankas said surprised.

He immediately pulled his bow back with an arrow on it and aimed at the creature while the creature tried to intimidate him showing his fangs and roaring at him.

"Ankas… Be careful… It's… dangerous…" Miku tries to warn Ankas, while she's still on the ground, with her head in pain.

"Don't worry Miku, I'll be careful… I just need to know what the hell is that thing."