Chapter 9 - Young and old

The injured man was running as fast as he could, crying and screaming aloud, disappearing to the right. Bright blood wet his white armour, and the dark earth. He was followed by two warriors, who struggled to match his pace.

The sound of metal rubbing against metal was muffled by the trees, which hid the Bastard and another warrior next to him. 

The warriors' voices grew louder as they lifted the dead fish and carried it away. Talking and cursing about many things that Roi would have liked to know.

Thanks to that cacophony of sounds, no one heard the short, high-pitched scream in the forest. 

Roi found himself with his back glued to the trunk, with a small but rough hand on his mouth, unable to make any sound. 

<> Derlom clenched his teeth, muffling his voice. He was hugging the tree with shaking legs. A traumatized expression painted on his face. <<... DAMNED YOU>> He whispered between his teeth. 

In front of Roi stood an astonishing beauty of nature. She was looking at Derlom with her amber eyes that sparkled in the shadows of the forest. Her little, delicate nose led to her lips stretched into a wide smile, showing her white teeth and a leaf crushed between them. 

On her shoulder rested a voluminous braid made of messy brown hair, dirt, and a few leaves here and there. She was wearing the same shirt as Derlom, but for her it was quite large, and the same pants as Roi. 

She was laughing so much that she had to bend over. Slowly, the iron hand weakened and slid down. 

Roi watched as her arm fell towards her knee. She was as tall as Derlom and quite slender. He could see every single muscle on her forearm. 

<> She was passing her hand in front of her nose, laughing.

Roi was astonished. How something so sweet and fragile could be so strong? He looked down, and four dots on each side of his waist had changed colour. 

<> Derlom was interrupted with a swift hand in front of his mouth. 

<> She said, disappointed. 

Her amber eyes moved from Derlom to the Savior. Her short, golden earrings moved with them. 

<> She asked, frowning.

Roi lingered for a moment.

"Yes." That was what he wanted to say. But he was unsure. Already, many people called him 'Monster', and Xoloth was the god of death. Surely, it was a trick question.

But, she came closer like Derlom had, and still didn't hurt him, except for his poor waist and guts. Also, she seems to enjoy jokes. 

He looked at Derlom, who was still muted by her. They didn't seem like brother and sister, too different. 

Should he tell the truth and risk it? Or he should lie? 

She didn't seem to have any weapon or armour, just like Derlom. Maybe she's on the side of the good guys?

Roi finally decided to reply. He laughed briefly and said.

<>

She looked at him expressionless.

"I'm screwed."

<> She said sarcastically. Her smile returned.

<> She placed her hands on her hips. <>

"I hope that's all she knows."

Even though that sounded like a mockery, Roi didn't feel like that. He felt more concern than anything else.

<> He answered awkwardly. 

Derlom moved away her hand effortlessly. She turned to him as if she had forgotten he was there. 

<> She looked surprised.

<>Replied almost instantly Derlom.

<> He looked at them both. 

"A calm man, uh?"

<> Derlom curled his lips inwards.

<> She walked closer to Derlom and pierced his chest with her index. 

 <> Her tone deepened suddenly. 

Derlom didn't seem concerned by the threat. On the contrary, he laughed at her. 

<> He exhaled more air than usual, making her retreat. 

<> He concluded when she was already walking away from them. She raised his middle finger before disappearing behind a tree. 

Derlom laughed. Then, he turned to Roi, who was confused about their relationship. 

<>

***

"I can't believe I really accept that." He thought while Derlom was putting him down. 

They arrived at the temple's steps in no time. 

<> Despite what he said, Derlom cracked his back. 

He brought Roi in his arms like a wounded damsel. It was pretty embarrassing for a Savior.

Roi climbed the four steps. Then, turned around and saw Derlom still there, looking around. 

<> He calmly said. <> His voice was warm, just like Greth's.

With that, he scratched the back of his head and walked towards the wide and tall house in front of the temple, many meters away.

That house was a part of the tall walls that surrounded all that land. A huge tree was the most visible thing apart from the ruined houses.

What was out there? How many... things were beyond those walls that could tear apart your flesh so easily?

"I'm the Savior of these people. Sooner or later, I need to save them and Sun God from something. But from what?" 

He walked towards the open doors of the temple. Next to them, engraved on the stone, there was a large text. 

'Regulùr Gordàlish Elkérèst '

"I have no idea what that means." Roi thought as he walked just below it. 

(<<...The city where Humans and Gods used to walk side by side...>>)

He stopped and looked at the text. 

"Is this the house of Sun God? Does God need a house? Maybe 'Temple' means God's house?" 

That makes sense for Roi. The temple was in the middle of the land surrounded by the walls. There was another side he never saw, and now wasn't the time to do so. 

"So maybe that is what is written here. God's house. Which of these means 'God'?"

Driven by instinct, he touched the text, passing over part of the engraving. Sometimes his index went outside the engraving, following a non-existent pattern. That happened many times, especially when his eyes were left behind by the hand, which moved faster, and it had to guess where the rest of the engraving was. 

He hoped that the Sun God's soul inside him would react, just like it reacted with the statue. But, nothing.

"Little by little."

He entered in the temple. His steps echoed sacredly. The giant Statue welcomed him with its open arms. 

An old man was sitting on the yellowish stone near where he had woken up, with a book next to him. He adjusted his white hair before getting up, way more smoothly than Roi ever did. 

<>

<> Roi was caught off guard when he heard the old man's firm voice. He was expecting a weak, trembling voice. 

Ancient Dolor, with firm steps, placed himself in the middle of the main path, and behind the statue welcomed him. 

He was wearing the same clothes as Derlom and Calees; this time, they were all clean white. The leather shoes were as old as he was.

His face bore the marks of time. Wrinkles, huge black dots all over his bronze skin, his falling cheeks, and his huge nose and ears.

They were slightly open, then they opened wider and wider, showing two brown eyes pointed in horror at him. His skeletal hand grabbed his white pants tightly, and the other one grabbed his hair. 

Inside the temple, a scream echoed a million times.