Hello there dear readers! First, I'd like to say thank you to the guest who reviewed! I'm glad you like the story so far!

Sophie: We would also like to mention that you were our very first guest review! *smiles*

Anyway, for this chapter, I'm going to be going back to chapter 7. Chapter 8 was what happened around Raguna, when Ivan left.

Raguna: Yep, I'd like to know what happened.

Ivan: You'll know, but story you won't, unless our dear author allows my story version to tell yours.

Ivan, Raguna, stop getting ahead of yourselves.

Matt: Let them have their fun, Clara, or should I say CWB?

Clara is fine, since it's part of the username.

Ivan: Matt? Why are you here?

Matt: Decided to show up.

Raguna: By the way, story Ivan already suspects you exist.

Matt: Not sure how that was possible though.

Ivan: You'll know someday.

Sophie: Anyhow;

"Speaking"

/thoughts/

((Telepathy)) ((Telepathy))

Raguna: CWB doesn't own anything except the plot of this fanfic!


Chapter 9: You're Riddled!


Last chapter (from 7): After some time Raguna and Ivan said goodbye to each other and Ivan went to the capital. Raguna went to sit on the couch and hoped that Ivan wouldn't be too late. Whatever was happening at Ivan's home, it left Raguna with a nasty taste of dread.


(Ivan's POV)

I exited Kardia and waited for a transport carriage to get here. I looked over my phone and saw my cousins' name in the list.

/I wonder what's wrong back home./

I looked up at the sound of wheels and horses coming my way. The carriage got here faster than I thought it would.

"Hello there! Where would you be going today?" The rider said.

"Good day, sir. I'll be going to the capital today." I responded.

"Alright then, hop inside and I'll take you there."

I got inside the carriage and we started to leave Kardia. I was still worried about Raguna.

/I hope that Micah and Kyle will help him out./

++++(Another Scene: The capital)

We finally get to the capital and I give the rider his pay. I look around and see the people walking around, the trees swaying with the wind, and the skyscrapers that belong to the huge company owners. I make my way towards a skyscraper that is surrounded by some houses and mini warehouses.

Once I get there I press down on the intercom.

"Identify yourself." A female voice said on the other side.

"Ivan kōzoku, age 16." I said back to her.

"Oh! Welcome back!" I then heard the gate click open. I pushed it and went inside.

I kept walking inside the company and greeted everyone along the way. It sometimes gets tiring to do that. I finally reach the top floor, which is where my cousin should be at right now.

I knock on the door of the office room.

"Come in!" A person yells from the inside.

"Bunch of idiots won't leave me alone today." The person muttered under their breath, or at least that's the part that I heard!

"Well, if you don't want me here you could've just said so." I say with a smirk, it's to tempting to tease him when he's like that.

The persons head snapped up and their eyes widened. He got up from the chair, went around the desk, walked or speed walked to me, and drew me into a hug. A hug that was to tight for my muscles liking!

"Ivan, your back!" He said.

"Of course I am cousin, you called for my help after all. Now if you would stop the death hug, I would be grateful." I was punched lightly on my shoulder.

"That's for your cheek kiddo." I laughed at that line.

"In all seriousness though, what's wrong, have you been able to decipher the threat?" I asked my cousin.

"We were able to decipher it but, it's either in some code language or, it's a riddle."

"A riddle?" I inquired

"Yeah, here it is, read it." He handed me the paper that held the threat, it read:

Healers, tanks, monsters, merchant, thief, and one unknown. One is useful but can't protect itself, the others a brute, one is needed, the other uses any means. There are the ones against the others; the others die one after another. Starting by the needed, followed soon after by the useful, the brute goes next, without him their already dead. By any means the rest will stay alive, but low trust will be their downfall. The unknown will be feared, but depending on the others, the unkown will either be their hope or their demise.

War's coming, but not war, war, it will only affect the money here. The battles have started and your demise will soon follow!

I re-read the paper again, but I couldn't grasp it's meaning. The ending's a threat but the start…seemed more like a warning.

"I'm going to need time to decipher this, and while it is a threat, I get the feeling that's supposed to be more than that." I said.

"Yeah, I got that feeling as well, but the others are dead set on it being nothing more than a threat."

"Well, Gil, seems like we have a threat/mystery on our hands." I told him. Gil is a nickname, well ok, mispronunciation of my cousins' name. When I was little I always stopped at the "Gil" part 'cuz I could never fully mention "Gilbert".

++++(Another Scene: Bedroom)

I had talked with my cousin a bit more and then left to my room. *Sighs* I still can't wrap my head around this riddle…I have a feeling they worded it like that, just to make you feel lost while reading it!

TRING

That, was my cell phone. I take it out and see the message that popped on the screen. "Check in on Raguna", right, I could use the distraction. I clicked on the call button.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Raguna, it's Ivan."

"Oh, Ivan, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, I met up with my cousin, the problem was about a threat that was written to him."

"A threat!?"

"Yeah, they just recently deciphered it but…" I trailed of, wondering if I should tell him.

"But what?" He truly sounded curious, I decided to indulge him a bit.

"It's in some kind of riddle, I read it and it sounds like a threat but, part of me says that there's more to it than just that."

"Then you should listen to that part, instincts can go a long way, you know." The tone he said that in left me wondering if Raguna always went by instincts. "What did the riddle say, anyway?" I weighted my choices, I really wanted to tell him what was happening but, I also didn't want to get him involved in this mess. If I'm going to keep talking to him, he's going to end up getting involved sooner or later, the more he knows the better he can protect himself, right?

I told him what the riddle said, he then asked me to text it to him, so I did, even if it took me a while. There was silence on the other end of the line until,

"I think I know what it means, Ivan." That's impossible, that amount of time was enough for a read and a re-read of the riddle.


So, What do you guys think about the Riddle? Please try to at least guess what it could mean!

All of us: Please Review, favorite, and follow!

PS, sorry for any mistypes! I'm in a bit of a hurry!