Chapter 12

The shimmering sunlight peeked behind the shades of leaves, mina opened her eyes and saw the glimmering noon light underneath the shade of the tree where she was lying down, she moved an inch and winces, "Don't try to move girl, you're awake already?" xianghua's smiling face appeared above her.

"huh?.where are we?, where are the others? Mina mumbled

"You collapsed on the way you were running away from us" She said sounded a bit upset xianghua moved a bit distant from her and looked away "Why did you do that? Do you hate us?" she asked

"No.It's too complicated to say. But I don't hate you.. I'm sorry. it's just that."

"Mina, To be honest I envy you...but it's not that I'm insecure or something." Xianghua exclaimed

"I'm sorry you feel that way. " Mina remarked and notice a small tear trickled on xianghua's cheek ".. Oh. it's not don't cry.." She added

Xianghua smiled and wiped away the tear from her face "I just carried away" She giggled

Mina sighed " Sometimes.. I can't guess if you're happy or sad.and it's funny too!" Mina smiled at her as she sat up

"Yeah enough to make those guys .crazy.." And they laughed, xianghua paused and looed at her , she sighed

"what?"

"You have no Idea. how I envy you. You're pretty , funny and lively spirit inside!..no wonder Hwang's way too protective to you!"

"huh?.. well he's always like that Chai..even way back home.." Mina said shyly "No. what I mean is..." Xianghua sat close beside her and squeezed her hand "You have no idea, how he Cared so much about you. believe me I can tell"

Mina just smiled at her "It's nothing unusual." she said

"Oh. really..? The way he held you tight when we brought you to a doctor.." Xianghua embraces herself with exaggeration, showing how Hwang held Mina a few hours ago

".. Then he always squeezes your hand,.. Especially when he took you away from Maxi's arms.. as if taking back what's his..!!! he look so very worried, I never saw that side of him when you were unconscious" she winked at mina

"Yeah right..you know Maxi?" Mina asked

"He came to tag along with us.Good thing he was there.when he found you, Kilik was so worried about you too.. Very worried " Xianghua said in a low tone

"Hey. it's okay..were all friends aren't we?.. You like him do you?" she asked

"That monkey. hmph!

"Really.. Mina!!!"

Mina just laughed "Really I think so! By the way where are we?"

"The outskirts of Lacedaemon.. the hollowed hills leads to the Thubtan plains..I see You're awake , my lady" Maxi appeared behind the rustling trees with Kilik

"MmIna.! You alright!" Kilik rushed beside her and held her hand. Xianghua gets irritated and walks away.

Maxi looked over Xianghua's direction and notice her gesture, Maxi laughs

"What was that all about?" he exclaimed folding his arms above his chest "Kilik I'm fine.. I'm sorry I ran away." Mina said and pulled her hand away from Kilik

"You shouldn't pull a stupid thing like that.." Kilik said

"I agree. What are you running away from?." Maxi said

"Oh Mina. This is Maxi."Kilik introduces

". We've met already I know him" Mina exclaimed

"Since when was that?" Hwang 's voice interrupted as he appeared behind the trees

"Where were you?" Mina asked

"Hmph.. Goofing off probably." Kilik said as he went over the direction of a lowered tree branch and reclined beneath it's shade

"Watch You Tongue Kid! You don't know me! " Hwang gave him a warning glare, Maxi laughed and turned at Hwang

"Well we should be heading to the eastern direction already.. This land parts are not that much familiar to me.." Maxi said

"Like you know where should be going?"Kilik asked him.

", There's a cross border over the thubtan lands, the Pollux plains leads to Eastern Europe" Maxi insisted as the pack up for their departure.

"Now.I still can't walk that far.." Mina said as she sat up

"So, you should go home!. That wouldn't be hard for you!" Hwang exclaimed

"NO!".Hwang laughed at her, he knew Mina was so very persistent and sat beside her

"I know you'd say that hop on my back" he offered " ain't that sweet a piggy back ride. Com'n lets go" Xianghua teased, although Kilik get's irritated. He just leaves ahead of them

"Com'n!" Hwang said to her.

"Huh? You think You can carry me along with your things , are you insane?" she remarked

"Not insane as you are, giving me a headache! Com'n let's go!" Mina slid her body right on his back and clung her arms on his shoulders. He pulled out a belt and attached it around mina's waist to his both sides

"Hey What are you doing?"

"Attaching a support belt, You think I can carry your weight along the travel !" Hwang clipped the buckle at his side, as if he was carrying a backpack with him along with his pack and his sword at her side.

"Watch me!" hwang moved his hands behind him as he shifts the weight of his load, by pulling his hands upward holding underneath Mina's upper thighs! As he stands up

" .. Pervert!" Mina strangled him by the neck. Hwang almost fell off his balance

"Stop it. Or I can't control our balance!, you might bruise your other foot!" Hwang chuckled as Mina loosen up her arms. Mina jus remained silent after all there's nothing she can do , hwang just carried her on his back, Mina just rest her head on his broad shoulders, and didn't utter a word like a scolded child.

Maxi and Xianghua just laughed at them.

"You Know where we going? How come you know the details of the map" Xianghua asked

"Little lady, I'm a pirate.. I traveled the striking waves here and there, I've heard it from Cervantes. He has a map of his own, I encountered his ship when I sailed to china that which I met Mina." Maxi said

" I'm sorry about what happened earlier." maxi said as he turned to Hwang

"It's okay if it wasn't for we don't know where she is." Hwang said and glared over Mina's direction "So! Why look at me?." mina rolled her eyes away from their sight

"We're not probably Introduced have we? I'm Maxi , just a wanderer like you , I guess we're traveling in the same journey too" Maxi said

"Hwang sung kyung. "

"I see Mina's you're sister, that's why you ran away didn't you Mina?" Maxi said looking at mina direction.

Hwang looked at him questioningly "What makes you say that?"

*Oh. NO! I forgot I said my name is Mina sung Kyung! . damn't this is embarrassing * Mina realized it will be so embarrassing, especially what Hwang would think?.

"Well, You two both have the same name.Hwang and Mina Sung kyung.?'

Hwang's eyes widens and looks behind his shoulder, Mina turns her head to the opposite side hiding her face from the embarrassing statement, Hwang just heard.

"Mina, Hwang is your Brother??" Xianghua's eyes widens, with astonishment.. Kilik smiled when he heard it.

" I see!..I thought something was much more between you too.!" Kilik

Mina felt the fear of embarrassment, she can't even say a word, *OH. oh. Now I Really feel dumb! * she said in her thoughts as she loosen her hands. Her palms were sweating, hwang could sense hertimid silence by the embarrasement. He didn't answer Maxi. Mina felt Hwang squeezed her hands and pat her head, she didn't expect he do that, it made her shiver a bit and warm inside, even in an embarrassed state, she just closed her eyes and pretend she doze off resting her right cheek on his left shoulder, ignoring their conversation. Mina can't help but smile, as she close her eyes and loved every moment when she rests her head on Hwang's back as the walk during the high noon.

After a few hours. They were almost near the Thubthan plains, Maxi , Kilik and Xianghua were a head off them as Hwang paused catching his breath, as he sat on a stone, resting with his heavy load.

"Mina.Your Braids tickles my ear!.. Take them off!" he said Mina turned towards Hwang's Face looking over her, Mina smiled at him, It was too intense Mina felt an annoying sensation inside the pit of her stomach, cold and warm feelings distracts her, she was very attracted to the closeness staring into Hwang's attractive eyes that moment, unaware she just smiles and looks at him with admiration. He just smiled back and rubs the tip of his nose with hers.

"Don't look at me like that. You've just told them, you're my sister," He said and pinches her cheek, Mina blushed for a moment, but she has to be honest how she feels. Mina squeezed her arms around his shoulders tightly..! pressing her cheek against his face. Hwang sighed. Seems that it was already getting out of hand between them. So he looked away instead, Mina just combed his hair with her hand, still remained silent.

*What am I doing????!!! * Mina realized, she was already falling for him, for every time counts, when they're together,

*What's with me. I. Like him???? * Mina thought and she turns her head facing away from him. she felt Hwang held her hand and kissed it gently. She doesn't know what or does she need to react..

* What is that. a kiss??.. what is that about!!! *. Thoughts swim in her mind, as Hwang stood up to his knees, The unusual part he did, when he shifts her weight to a comfortable carry this time his hands slides up more proximally underneath her thighs, his hands were already on her buttocks.. She felt it , but she didn't react. As she felt he paused for a while, maybe waiting for her reaction, still his hands underneath her buttocks, then He continued to walk , even more she notice he didn't removed his hand until then he slowly slides it down as if he was taking advantage travelling his hands on her skin. Mina notice the obvious malicious move, She was supposed to yell or poke him on the head, but she didn't she even somehow liked it.

"What are you two taking back there. Hurry up!" Xianghua called and went to them. Mina felt a rustling sound behind the tall trees. "Hwang something is here."Mina said

"Xianghua get back!" hwang yelled to warn her to stop going over their direction. Suddenly a horde of reptile army appeared behind the trees, they were out numbered.

Xianghua screamed when a lizardman leaped before her and nabs her

"Xianghua!!!!!"Maxi , Hwang, Kilik and Mina shouted in Unison. Kilik chased the evading reptile, leaving the others surrounded.

"Damn't how can we take this savages! Only the two of us, and an injured damsel!" Maxi armed his nuchaku's as he played the swings with his wrists.

"How can I move easily. I'm holding you!" Hwang then realized while he pulled his blue thunder with one hand and his other hand supporting mina's weight, it was impossible!

" Just hold me.. I'll do my hand work here !" Mina took out her scarlet thunder from Hwang's carry pack.

"Hold on. Mina. This is risky!'' he said.

Against the flashing sunheat of the mid afternoon, while it's ground was deep in fallen leaves, rolled the thunder of the horde's battlecry sprang behind the trees to meet them. with brisling spine and fiery look blaze the intense as their enemies charged to attack., Mina was able hit her attacker from above them, brandishing the zanbatou in her stout hand, keeping her balance.

Hwang shifts his opposite direction as mina then avoided an arrow the almost hit from her side, but a lizard man struck first with a sideways lift the cause mina to fall of behind hwang. "AAAHHHCK!" Mina screamed but instinctively she dodges the reptiles blade.

"Mina!" hwang shouted as he flungs his blade towards his attackers, 2, 3 reptiles received strong slashing impacts from hwang's counter attacks plunging to the reptiles flesh, hwang made his way near mina, Maxi was pre occupied with his own enemies as well. Hwang can't reach Mina, Maxi then cleared his way as he threw smashes to some of mina's opponent's while she was on the ground, still even trying to defend her self even in sitting on the ground can't stand up helplessly.

"They are too many!" Maxi shouted. Hwang was able to took out a couple of his attackers and grabs Mina from the ground, as well as maxi killed the last reptile. The others retreats.

"Damn't. where did this freaks come from?!" Maxi exclaimed

"you stay here.!" hwang carried injured Mina and placed her o a safe distant spot as, he and Maxi took off and went over Kilik's direction to save Xianghua.

Kilik's Impulse was very quick enough as he was able to reach the speed of the evading pertile who tooked xianghua. He threw his kali yuga hitting the Lizard man from the air that released xianghua, as she falls from the mid air. Kilik was able to caught her hand as she almost fell from the deep canyon she almost dropping into. "Don't let go!" Kilik yelled at her, as he caught Xianghua by the hand.

Maxi and Hwang appeared , Maxi threw his nunchakus that caught the reptile tossing itself to the ground. It was then another lizard appeared hwang sprinted his way from behind and kicks the lizardman as he slashes his blue thunder piercing it into the reptile's body.

"Kilik I can't hold on!" Xianghua's hand slipped off, kilik dive down into the dropping depth of the canyon as he took the reach of Xianghua's arm, grabs it and he instinctively was able to caught a vine that slipped in his other hand.

The vine was taunt it was holding their weight as Kilik clutched xianghua's body

"Don't panic!" Kilik said to her, she was definitely scared. "Kilik. promise me you won't let go!" xianghua yelped

"I won't.. You just can't die here. Or I'll regret it!" Kilik said his voice was trembling with fear

"You mean it..? please say it again!"

"Huh?"

"Please! Kilik..hold me close and say it!" Xianghua pleaded, a confession of the near death experience hanging them on the stracthing vine that can't hold on..

"I.. I...I mean It!" Kilik looked at her. Just when the vine snapped off, hwang was able to caught the other end

"Gotcha. Maxi! I need a hand here!" Maxi assisted hwang, pulling up the weight of the two hanging, on the edge of the cliff.

Kilik clutched his hold on Xianghua as the two men pulled them up, at the surface, xianghua as trembling with fear that made her cry. Kilik felt pity on her and he hugged her. She was too shocked, so Kilik carried her in a bridal style as they head back to which where mina is.

"Xianghua!" Mina was happy to see her, although Xianghua was in a state of shock. Hwang pulled her up "You alright?.." he asked " I'm fine.. we'd better leave from here" Mina insisted as hwang carried her on his back.

"Lizardmen..which means.. where near the quickest way to the eastern border" Maxi was surprised when they saw the unexpected sight before them..

"look!" kilik pointed over the mountain before them " Where here in the Thubtan plains.. that mountain is.."

"Their lair?..." hwang said

*+*+*+*+*+*

A/N; This won't be a long series of chapters.. maybe I'll reach up to
15 chappies.. I don't want it too long like 20 plus.. I also have
plans for this Fanfic, a sequel maybe. But it's just an idea.

Currently witing the next chapter. For the mean time RR!

Firestarr