BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 199's

They were both washed away and separated. When the twilight began to thicken then Jose found his uncle. Rolan stumbled across the forest barefoot. Her clothes were removed, she was now wearing only a white tunic and wet shorts. The man's lips turned blue and his body shivered in coldness. Jose ran over. In his hands was dry clothes and he was also holding a large black leather bag that seemed to fill one adult goat.

"You survived" said Rolan trembling. He was still banging on the side of his head, removing the remaining water from his ears. Talking is hard. Rigid jaw. White steam comes out of his lips every time he opens his mouth. "You survived. Is this you or am I seeing a demon?"

"Will the devil bring a change of clothes? Hell must be so fancy. I brought dry clothes, but no shoes. Just tie this shirt to make it a footwear." Jose knelt on the ground, taking out some clothes from inside the bag. He raised his face, looking at Rolan who was still frozen in place. "Uncle?"

"You're back to the North?"

"No. Why ask—oh, this bag? Just change it first, I'll tell you while Uncle's dressed."

Rolan nodded obediently. After all, he was really cold. The chill burned hotter than the flames, making him in pain everywhere. His palms hurt from walking barefoot and his body was bruised from several slips of moss and roots.

They are looking for a comfortable place to live. While collecting dry twigs scattered to make fire, Jose began, "I told you that I met an ancient entity when it sank here, right? Entities that ... resemble gods, I guess. From then on I thought maybe I'd have to jump into the river again to save myself." He finished stacking the twigs and lit the fire using a lighter. The air was warmer all around them. "And if that happens, I don't want to take a walk in the woods in soaked clothes. The Southerners are unlikely to be reliable because we both know there are many of them who are also members of the Scholomance sect. So I set up a bag with change of clothes and a ration as emergency supplies."

"And you didn't tell me or Marco about this?"

Jose just laughed. He rubbed his wet hair. "We're in the middle of the woods now. No strange fog had appeared since earlier, meaning Scholomance did not make any more golems. We can calm down."

Rolan sat on a dead tree trunk, next to Jose, starting to feel warm after wearing layers of dry clothes and a thick coat. His size is not much different from Jose, so he can wear his nephew's clothes. There was a lot he wanted to ask Jose, but one of the most important, “Is it safe to go back North?"

Jose shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't tried, so don't know. I've been wandering around the woods looking for Uncle."

"But .... he's dead, right? You shot him. I saw him fall."

"Where might it die?" Jose laughed blandly. He took out a package of bread from the bag and handed the piece to Rolan. They poked the bread on a branch and baked it so that it was tender. The fragrant scent of yeast floated around them. "He just fell in shock. The devil is still chasing when we run."

“So we're safe here?”

“Not really. For a while, he couldn't catch up to us. But I'm not sure this mountain can last long.” Jose looked around sadly. “People no longer believe in the old gods in Bjork so they lose their power.”

Rolan actually wanted to comment on the peculiarities of such a god's working system, but he kept his mouth shut because he felt it would be impudent to be cynical about the entity helping them.

The tension makes Rolan's teeth chatter. His eyes watched around fretfully, still feeling as if they were being watched. His mind was still overshadowed by the shape of the heads of goats and chickens that emerged from the scroll of black smoke. "How did you get in there?” whispers trembling. “Sir William said he locked Bjork within twenty meters, so no one should be able to get close."

"Maybe because of her necklace. Some workers reported that they could not find the Archive Center. So I tried to get there wearing a talisman and carrying a gun. The rifle was from Marsh, but only the stock was silver. We're having a hard time finding silver bullets, have to order special." Jose continued grimly, "And I left it in the North."

Rolan took a slow breath, inhaling the cold scent of the forest and the spores of the various ferns around them. "One of the most important, Jose," he said slowly, putting his hot bread on the leaves. Both of his hands were wrapped in gloves gripping his knees. "I saw you throw something in the sky that day. Shapes glistening. Please don't tell me that's ...," His eyes stared at Jose with compassion.

Jose noticed the twigs whimpering, unwilling to stare at Rolan. "I threw an Arabella talisman" he said.

Rolan groaning. "Idiot!" snapped it. His feet were shaking the ground. "That thing is Solomon's ring! The necklace is a magic intermediary! You know how in stories witches have magic wands, right? The necklace was a magic wand for Sir William! He's a solomonari in legend, and you gave him that weapon instead? Are you crazy?"

“That's my question, Uncle. Uncle walks alone without an escort. It's crazy, huh?”

“That's two different problems! How do I know he'll show up during the day and make the city freeze?! But you know that necklace is precious!”

"I have no choice.” The light of the bonfire reflected in Jose's black eyes, blazing there. "To be honest all I wanted to do was shoot, but the monster attacked Uncle."

"You can shoot the devil, not the necklace!"

"I'm not sure it'll work!" Jose looked sharp. "I panicked and that's the only way I thought!"

"Then?! Since when is Argent banned from panic?"

"Where do I know? What is Argent's motto?! Tranquility right?!"

"Courtesy and manners!" The bread that Jose baked burned. He pulled it from the branch and threw it away with all his might. The food disappeared in the bush. "I was panicking politely and with manners!" exasperated. "Happy?!”

The flames whipped, cutting them.

Both of them were silent to catch their breath. Rolan sank his head between his knees bent upward. His head was throbbing with pain from cold and stress. He had still thought they could retaliate using any spell or magic to fight back by using the talisman. Now the plan is clearly impossible.

“You are less cold for Argent size,” his sigh. “You should keep shooting, whatever the stakes. The necklace is much more valuable .. “

"I don't want to lose anyone anymore." Jose took out another loaf of fresh bread, thrusting it roughly into the wooden branch and began to bake. The sound of a wood crackling burning filled the silence between his sentences. "Higgins, Jack, Krip; I failed to save the people I should have been able to protect. I could've shot the demon, but what if it didn't stop him?" He turned his head, looking at Rolan with a defiant look. "If one head were to be shot, would the other head not attack? What if a new head appears? Who can guarantee that I can stop the demon with bullets while the humans who are its hosts are not dead? All I can do is distract Sir William. I don't have a choice."

Rolan rubbed his face, frowning. "And now he's got his necklace."

"The hollow," Jose timpal indifferently. He opened and clenched his fingers, like he still felt the talisman there. "My eyes are good. I shot right at the carving of the sigil that was there. The talisman is made of pure gold, without any mixture. That damn thing must be broken. I did want to try to destroy it a long time ago, all of you find out what will happen.”

“That's a stupid thought.” Rolan groaned again. "It could be a weapon for us. Anyway the necklace hit his girlfriend. Your actions might even make her even more angry."

"A cheap price for Uncle's life." Jose smiled, not looking regretful in the least.

At first Rolan was skeptical whether Jose was insinuating him. He pensively for a long time, then sighed in a surrender gesture. If his nephew was that sinister, he couldn't have survived by now. "If I were a girl, I would've fallen in love with you, Jose."

"Mmh, I'm not interested in incest."

"And luckily I'm not your aunt." Rolan patted Jose's shoulder briefly and ruffled the young man's hair fondly. "You're more useful than Sigil Gerald or Hans. Surprisingly, the picture was useless. It might only be useful if it's fixed." He sighed. "Thank you for saving me, really. Thank you." Thank you."

“No problem origin don't be frequent. I don't have any more necklaces to throw."

Rolan laughed softly. His entire body was still trembling with coldness mixed in horror. "How can you not be afraid, Jose?" whispered. His feet were still trembling and limp. It took a long time for Rolan to come to his senses from the intense shock that shook him after being stranded on the riverbank. When he was finally able to strengthen himself, the twilight had already tightened and the day had turned dark. He does not understand how Jose can keep thinking clearly and behave as if only facing market thugs. Rolan even almost felt ashamed of himself because of Jose's infectious composure. He should be reliable, not the other way around.

"I'm afraid," said Jose, his eyes peeked at the texture of the golden toast. "Even thinking about it still makes me cringe. But I saw even more horrible things when I drowned in that river, Uncle." His shoulders were shaking shivering. Jose closed his eyes, his forehead wrinkled like he was holding back pain. "The devil .. is nothing compared to everything I've seen."

Rolan wanted to ask what Jose had seen, but he did not have the heart. "At least now we know that a firearm won't kill him. Marco should know this. We need to get back to the North as soon as possible. If morning and night make no difference, we better go back now. The sooner the better."

Jose nodded. "Eat first," he said as he pulled out a canned sausage from inside the bag. "We can't do anything when we're hungry."

As soon as the sausage can was opened and Rolan smelled it, he realized that Jose was right. Stomach hungry.

"I want you to keep something in mind, Jose," Rolan suddenly remembered one important thing. He pulled a wet sausage from the can and chewed it.

"Yes?"

"If we're in a precarious state and I'm running slower than you, you better run away and leave me." Rolan looked seriously. A cold wind whispered between the trees, befell them with a boisterous sound like rain. "I'd rather be left out than pushed and pulled like a kitten" he said.

Jose chuckles.

***