Chap 35 Case of the Basilisk and flying creature, Red's N.D.E

Raion- Jinn Bloodplus theme/ Everdream-Nightwish


Nuada

Ghost flowers are a rare breed. They are only found in scattered growths throughout the elflands. I wonder who planted them here. Liz had thankfully become quieter and was touching some big leaves. I don't understand why she suddenly had tears dripping down her face. Sherman was so tough, like a man most of the time. Even if she was concerned for Red, she never wept. Halfling said she was too happy.

Meanwhile I pored over the sketches she had made. I liked how she pictured the places we went together, the forest near the cinema and the Secret garden. She had named it herself. I prefer to keep the doorway there a secret. Laira thought I had conjured magic, it was nice to see it that way.

Liz asked, "Nuada you usually take a nap now right?" In her normal tone.

I felt relieved. "Yes. Come on." I stood up. She smiled faintly.

"Aw!" the Halfling moaned.

"Fine. You can stay here alone." I did feel drowsy, since she came I had accompanied her for a while.

"Please. Just a while more."

I turned to the firegirl. "You are troubled? What is it?"

"I love flowers. I felt so glad they can survive. We're going to work late. It will be about 3. So better get some rest." Mentally she flashed back to how I collapsed.

"Planning to. Bye." I started heading back to the gate. Laira raced to catch up and grabbed my sash. "How long did you want to stay? I can be alone."

She glared at me. "I came to see you. I'm your girlfriend. What about tomorrow?"

I stretched. The sun was such a red gold color. It took my breath away. I answered, "I don't know. Why don't you lie down as well? Stay over then join my sister or something."

The mission was quite brief. It finished around dawn. Accustomed to these hellish irregular hours, I think only non humans don't feel tired. The Halfling was snoring and very sound even when I patted her shoulder. I wanted to speak with her more. I could not stay awake anymore and drifted off, although the room felt stuffy.

I think I heard her say goodbye. I mumbled something.

The new letter! I unfolded it carefully.

Hello Nuada sempai, that's for important title!:

Thank you for your concern! We ate much. Unless we get sick, our appetites are healthy.

Good point, dragons and other mythical creatures have ultra long memories. I saw a pic of an elf with a dragon. You can tame them? Don't worry Nuada! You will gain back all your skills. I look forward to seeing more of your performances. When you're rested of course.

On the table are some supplements. Remember to take them. Mom bought them specially for you, said you're still weak. They are au naturele don't worry.

I like how cute you sound hiding behind Red. I suppose you don't remember. It's his way of affection calling you nicknames. I want to watch you fight. Is my handwriting getting bad? When I get excited, it does get worse. Please teach me some elven! I don't find that a waste of time. Please please please. Glad you enjoy Bond and Corrs. When I get more from my friends, can burn a copy for you too. Love being a pirate! Know why? I get them all free hahaha.

Oh I got to go to school. Will come back later. Hope we can talk a lot more. Be happy always. Tell me a story can?

Lots of love, Lyrachan

There was a big box of supplements, labeled For weak constitution. I hope it is sweet and does not smell too pungent. I opened one and studied the contents. Looked fine. I ought to pay them back.

As the modern terms go, the shit really hit the fan. In this case hit the city of people. We had to fight two huge creatures, a basilisk flying around and a serpent on the ground level. Archers were launching arrows to try bringing it down. "Nuada use your gun!" Red yelled. He was volleying shots which missed. I tried to get a clear shot. But the heavy rain made it difficult. I cursed. I hate long range fighting. He punched it on the shoulder.

Hellboy, Abraham, Krauss and myself were here. Liz was at another location on another case. Tinman was below shouting orders for the other agents to control the crowds. I was up on a tall building as near as possible to the monster in the air.

"Abraham, when can we send it back?" I asked, reloading the gun. The basilisk circled and dove, attempting to catch a victim.

"I don't know." Was his answer. At a crucial time like this, he could be so slow?

"You don't know? Hurry up!" I snapped. The bullets ripped into its thick hide but not make it crash. Hellboy cursed. He jumped onto its back when it returned. Typical style he began to pound its head with his fist. The rain was heavier.

"Help!" a woman shrieked. She was being clawed by the other creature a domisoon. Unseelie demon. I couldn't discern any weakness. Krauss' voice hurt my ears. "Nuada what's the creature's weak point? Do you copy? Many people are dying here."

I knew that! Damn it!

"I don't!" I responded then pulled out. Abraham Sapien said we could not let the monster eat her too. For the first time, he was panicking. I heard the roar overhead, and opened fire again. "What do we do? I can't bring the flying creature down!" And the demon was hanging onto it.

Abraham pressed buttons on the machine. "Guys I need to think. You got to defend the people! That's our only chance." I sneered. He was not helping! The basilisk had flown behind some buildings.

Krauss ordered him to get the portal open. "I will bring more firepower. Zhis is too much! Nuada save the mortals. Hellboy should take care of the flying zing!"

I didn't want to go down below. Where was the demon? "Can you handle it? Where in the four realms are you?"

No answer. I climbed down. The mortals screaming was grating. I would kill them together if they didn't stop. We were trying, far too outnumbered. A man pleaded with me to help them. His body was soaking wet. The human agents were distraught.

"What to do?" one of them asked me.

"Keep firing at its body. Got to have a weakness." I drew my spear in sword mode. The snake body and dorsal fin protruded from the side of its head was crawling to the bank. More imbeciles had not run. With this much interference I couldn't shout to distract it.. I extended my spear and jabbed the tail nearest to me. It turned its hideous face to me. I ran a short distance and smacked it. Its jaws crunched the pavement near where I stood minutes ago. The man lay dazed. Come on, come here! I ordered. It opened its mouth and lunged. I dodged the snap reversed my weapon then hit it in quick succession.

Not a scratch. I was tiring. At this rate, all the stamina I had would be useless. All these were depending on me. If I could get on its head, would it stop the massive brute? More agents were sent flying. My elf comrades had come in, shooting and helping the injured. Uriel nodded to me.

"Get them far away! Hurry!"

"Let us help you prince!" Jasper shouted. He had a large gun.

"All right. I will distract it. Don't stop!" I made sure the domisoon was looking at me. Then I ran in the opposite direction. The body dragged up pavement. I had to exert all my strength to keep ahead.

Abraham Sapien asked me what happened to Red. I told him. He said the portal would take some time to open. Great! A child was crying. It lay on the ground. I intended to run past it, offspring of the useless race. But I could not, so I picked it up and ran. No more sound, it was tired from crying. It looked like a boy.

Don't let the mother be dead. I rubbed the child's back and leaned on the wall for a while. The monster used its tail to smack some agents. Some did not get up. Hell was loosened. My mind was blank.

I scanned the crowd at the edge of the action. A pale woman was looking for something. This child? I held out the infant. "Is he yours?"

She cried and thanked me. Surprising. They usually recoiled from us.

"No problem. Hurry and go!" I urged her. Some spectators were frightened by my appearance. They cleared the way. Manning's team was using the flashing devices to finish their memories. The monster caught up. I landed on its head with a somersault, then lodged the Luin's tip in. The monster rocked vigorously to dislodge me. I stabbed in hard, leaning on the spear. Rain made everything slick. The enchanted tip would kill most things. Would it work? I hung on for dear life.

There was otherworldly light ahead. What? "The portal! It's working guys!" Sapien cried. Krauss became the gas and flowed into the domisoon. It moved in the direction of the light.

Nuada you can take out the spear. It's going to suck all zings in! he said in my head.

I could not, damn it! Unless I don't retrieve my spear. I have to try! Some blood sprayed. Then I fell off. Luin clanked beside me. My breath was knocked out of me. So fatigued, I didn't want to get up. I panted.

Brother get up! The basilisk is crashing where you are now! Quickly! Nuala screamed. Irolled to the side, sat against a broken pole. The domisoon crashed, breaking the concrete. It screeched. I covered my ears. Hellboy hopped out from the back. He was bloodied in many places, his coat almost ripped to nothing.

"You took your time demon," I said, standing up. Shit, was it my blood? No other types of fluid. And it was horrible! Oily as well. I cursed.

"I heard your worry fairyboy. Thank you. Knocked some sense out of it." The demon guffawed and used his boot to nudge the senseless thing.

I laughed. "Don't think of it that way."

"You look colorful elf. Injured?"

"Not really." My leg hurt a bit but I could still walk slowly, albeit with a limp.

"Come we should go up. The portal is open." A strong wind current sucking up random things had begun. Abraham Sapien held out a gloved hand to pull me up.

"Sure it will work Abe?" Hellboy asked him. Lightning curled upwards in a whirlwind or cyclone. The two giants were protesting as they got dragged into its centre.

"Yeah. The codes were difficult…." He explained everything. I would have a hard time washing off this filth.

"Great work guys! Nuada are you all right?" Fish had come behind me.

I nodded. Just now, I was harsh. He did not feel angry? He gazed at me, I didn't turn around but I could feel it. "I almost didn't recognize you. How are your wounds?"

"Not wounds. Other types of fluid. And you?" I felt compelled to show concern.

"Oh not at all." Fish was so happy.

"Good." The rain had lessened considerably. My stomach growled.

Red laughed loudly. "Yo worked up an appetite fairyboy! Me too."

I winced, now my knee throbbed. I had to lean against him for support.

On the previous mission, Hellboy had collapsed. I had to staunch his stomach wound till help arrived which was not for a long time. I disliked being helpless.

"I never said thanks properly elf. Like father used to tell me, you guys are magical." He mused. I was too hungry to think. Tea, sweet tea would help. Anything. someone handed me a spare uniform. It felt fresh to change. But my hair must be awful.

"What magic?"

"You tried out the healing rite thingie. And told me not to be scared. I thought you sounded like my father," the demon answered. He looked pensive. Ah, I had wanted to ask him about that memory. The demon was so terrified that he clung to my hand and begged me not to leave him. He called me father many many times. I assured him I would not.

He added, "Nuada you looked very pale after that. Why?"

"I used my spare mana to heal. I don't know the true healing art of drawing from the earth. Did anyone… die this mission?"

"Yea three." I nodded. It is so risky to be in this business unless you have no obligations or choice. Humans are not suitable.

*****

My sister smiled in relief. "Does not look too bad! Eugh you need a bath." She pinched her nose and almost wanted to run off. I sulked.

"I am starving. Hello I tried to save the humans, Nuala. How could you?"

She brushed my forehead. "Sorry. A bit more here. See if it washes off." Then we parted, I went to take a much needed warm bath. I ate supper, with hot herbal tea and honey cakes, sweets and bread. With my stomach sated, I wondered why Red insisted I was his father.

Afterwards, the healers paid me a visit. Lorien and Faren checked my injuries. I had a cut on my wrist which had stopped bleeding already, and a knee wound. "Is it less painful now?" Faren enquired looking up. I nodded. It had faded to a thin scar.

"Thank you. You are new here?"

"Yes your highness. I'm pleased to serve," he said, bowing.

"Get up. No need for bowing."

Uriel listened to my chest with the modern tube thing. "Take more of the antidote. With all these injuries, I'm worried any deep wounds will get infected."

"Don't worry. I am skilled in melee. I'm not too tired. Only if I collapse or can't breathe." I smiled to him. I am the patient but he's so tense! He cheered up that I had some more supplements courtesy of the children's mother.

Some of the dirt could not wash off, so I cut my hair. I decided to trim off the back till above my shoulders. It was hot now. Sasha the salonist remarked, "Your scar is… faded now."

"Is it good?" Hmm I seldom look at my reflection. With shorter hair I appeared more- elf like.

"Yes! I heard that life scars leave you when you're at your most happy. My husband was too."

"Oh. Interesting." I answered her other small talk questions. Luxury to be pampered like this!

****

"It is me." I stood outside their room.

The demon gaped. He would not move. I gestured. "Oh. It's you elf. I couldn't tell."

I laughed. Liz slept in her bed. I carried my favorite cat Missy. She was always grumpy, till I told him why. She had a nasty infection, and once it got treated she became very friendly. Missy is grateful to me. She curled about my neck when I took a seat.

"Whatzup fairy?"

"I want to know, why did you say I sounded like the professor? Our voices are different."

Red blinked and turned off the tv. A long pause. I sensed it hurt him to think in this direction. I asked gently, "Do you believe he is watching over you?"

He did not look at me. I waited. "Normally I can't hear anyone say his name. I feel damn sad Nuada. But you make it okay. I hope he is." It is feasible

I pondered over this tickling other cats flowing over to have a turn. The demon's golden eyes, so like my own, were sorrowful. Usually he covered his pain with sarcastic jibes and curses. "Elf it hurt like shit that day. When it gets bad I miss him. I want to escape from this place. No one likes me, all the people throw stuff at me. He would tell me- don't give up being good. And my father died at some monster's hands. Did you see that?"

"I did." I felt pain lance through my chest. The cruelty of the masked ninja mutilating the man's body made me really sad. I pitied him. But I did not say that. Being quiet was better….

Red sighed. "But I can't abandon Liz and the kids now. So yea."

"I understand."

"Nuada, I seriously thought dad came. When the blue light was in my eyes… dunno what you call it," he confided.

"Near death experience." I frowned. But demons don't get that… how can it be possible?

He walked to stand before me. "You look dreamy. What?" I frankly told him. "Me neither. Haha. So you got those?"

I scratched a black and white under her chin. She mewed. "I don't remember. Which ones are your favorite?" I listened to his introductions, Sooty, Magic, and more. More comfortable topics. He hated noisy loud music too, when Liz was angry she'd blast that and he'd hide under the bed.

"I agree. They are mad," I said in mirth. Safely out of the spirituality, or so I thought…

"Hey when my radio didn't work you got scared?"

I scoffed. "No. I do not fear."

Hellboy laughed, making a victory sign. "Sheez it's ok to admit fear. You looked worried. You're much older than me right? I'm 75."

"I am young. We live very long." He insisted he wanted me to disclose the number. I refused. He grumbled. Then he grinned.

"How ya handle the shit? So much wars. Your friends told me ya got lotsa shit."

Put like that, I wanted to laugh. So funny. I smiled. "All the shit I went through, made me angry with the mortals. I don't believe they can change, they push us all back. I refuse to fade." He looked impressed. (my friends would beg me not to go into that speech) "Red, I am glad we can speak openly. You and I, I said this before. Have much in common."

"I think I gonna cry you heartbreaker."

I winced. Then I shall hide from thy sight! Red crying?

******

I wanted to talk with my friends. I called their home. "Hi! It's Nuada. Free to talk now?"

She was a sunshine. "My love. Yea for 1 hour. Tired?"

"Not really. It was taxing. Hellboy said I sound like his father. When I helped him."

"Whoa! Your voice changed Nuada?"

"No he saw his spirit. I thought they don't have near death experience."

"Cool! Red is so kind… I can't wait to see you! Did you change your style? I feel a difference."

I chuckled. "Yes my hair. You shall see. I have one more scar too." I glanced at the box of supplements. "The herbs are quite delicious. Your mother does not mind buying them?"

"Nah. I want you to get completely well."

"I want to pay you back. Show me the receipt next time."

Laira

He really would not let me decline payment. It was thanks for his hospitality. Everytime Nuada would get us gifts and he had paid a lot for my hand cream. Red will change his destiny, I know he will! I like the demon lots, people should be friends with him. He's so kind. "And the cats. Have you seen them? They are in his room," Nuada continued.

My elf was tired, I could hear his tone. I think I should wrap this up. Taxing he said.

"You need to rest. Yes I saw the cats. But they ran away from me."

"Cats need personal space. Not all want to be carried. I'm fine, Halfling."

"Yea yea." I sniffled.

"Oh I don't mean it in a bad way. Why cry? Actually I do feel hurt but I don't cry."

I should wrap up now, his voice reflected his exhaustion. So I told him I had to go already. He said he wanted to speak some more but ok.

Nuada's hair was shorter. He looked drowsy when he came the next day. "You should have called us to pick you up. Come, sit down. Oh this is Gary."

Gary waved. Nuada looked wary. He smiled a frosty smile. I would be hurt if he smiled like that at me. To my surprise my friend left. He had wanted to stay….

I don't want him to stay long. How's my little elfin girl? The prince hugged me from the back.

Doing happy. Why is your hair short? He explained that the demons sprayed so much fluids and other types of blood too they could not wash off. I caressed the tips on my fingers, so fine and so soft. Like hay. If they age the gold turns whiter. I wonder if they have beards. I want him to look like that for eternity!