Tales Of Darkness And Light
Chapter 11's

Rue walked up to Fedrick, Lara and Esthel who were in front of him. While following them, his mind floated back to the scene that had just happened a moment ago.

"Prince and princess should leave town immediately. This tunnel will connect you all to Mount Bold next to the city." Obviously Linden's handing over a stick of torch to Fedrick. "I pray that your journey will be smooth and soon reach the city of Cirrion."

Bowing his respects to Fedrick, Lara and Esthel, Linden leaves them all behind. As the mayor of Radiata, he couldn't possibly ignore this city—he would try to fight and defend the city until the end.

The secret passage indicated by Linden is an underground tunnel. Apple, Rue, Fedrick, Lara and Estehl walked down the tunnel in silence. The tunnel was very dark and the only source of light was the torch in Fedrick's hand.

"Apple, can you make a fireball to explain the way?" pinta Rue to the Apples who were beside her. He doesn't like the darkness in the tunnels.

Without saying anything, Apple opened his right palm making a magic circle and reciting a spell. A ball of fire appeared above his palm lighting the path, and maintaining the ball of fire continued, they continued on their way.

Fedrick and Lara did not comment when they saw Apple's magic. They had already seen the young man perform magic without circles and magic spells, as well as unknown magic, but, not for Esthel. The beautiful woman was very surprised.

Magic is not something that is easy to do. Magic requires circles and magic spells, besides, it also requires high concentration. Therefore, being able to maintain magic like Apple did was an incredible thing that only high-level magicians could do.

Esthel looked at Apple, and suddenly, something flashed through her head, "You—I saw you fighting earlier. You're very strong," he said slowly. "I beg you can you help Calix?"

All that was there, except for Apples were very surprised to hear Esthel's plea.

"Sister Esthel, it—" Sela Fedrick. But his words stopped once he saw Esthel's tears flowing down. Esthel was not a weak girl. Seeing those tears, he realized how worried and fearful the red-haired woman was now.

"I know," Esthel said again, wiping away her tears. "Calix told us to get out of this town. He said he'd be fine. However, my heart is not at all calm. I-i feel..."

Everyone is silent, nobody says anything.

"Please," Esthel pinta again as she stared at the hopeful Apple. "Can you go help him?"

The apple said nothing. Even though Esthel was crying and begging him, she still felt nothing. "I have no obligation to help you."

Apple's flat emotionless answer left Esthel stunned. Shame filled his heart, Apples was right, they had just met a moment ago, and the young man had no obligation to help Calix which meant that he had to put lives at risk.

Fedrick and Lara did not say anything, the cold nature of the Apples they already knew about. The silence filled the tunnel.

"Apple," Rue's soft voice sounded breaking the silence. Pulling on Apple's arm, his green eyes looked at the young man straight. "You can help Calix, right?"

"Why should I help him?" ask Apple. His two blood-red eyes stared at Rue dislikefully. Why would Rue want to help someone she just met? From Fedrick, Lara and now Calix and Esthel—he really doesn't like it.

"Eh!?" surprised and confused by Aple's question, Rue tried hard to think of his answer. "Because they're our friends."

Hearing Rue's reply, Apple said nothing. He really wanted to ask the stupid girl beside him, 'When have we been friends?'. They had just met, and their meeting could not be said either. Apples did not understand at all, how could Rue think they were friends?

"No." Answer Apple. She did not want herself and Rue to be in contact with anyone. The sooner they part, the better. "I won't repeat, I have no obligation to help them."

Both Fedrick, Lara and Esthel remained silent. Seeing the determined attitude of the Apples who did not want to give any help, they were unable to force it. However, Rue's words then shocked them. "Then let me go help Calix."

"Do you understand what you just said, you idiot?" apple's blood-red eyes glowed full of anger upon hearing Rue's remark. "You have absolutely no obligation to help them."

"I have an obligation, Apple," Rue looked back at Apple. There was no fear on his face as he stared at the angry face of the young man. "Sister Calix and Sister Esthel once saved me from the intrusion of bad people when I got lost in the city."

"Saved you?" ask the Apel kemingunga.

Rue nodded his head.

Apples went silent. He was quite surprised to hear what Rue said. He had absolutely no idea what had happened to Rue when the girl left the inn, and upon hearing Calix and Esthel had once saved Rue, a feeling of indebtedness arose in his heart

Sighing, Apple asked Rue. "Do you know what war really is?"

"Eh! Um, as Calix said the war was a battle to seize a territory. But, it has nothing to do with me going to help Calix." Rue replied hesitantly. However, his eyes looked straight at the eyes of Apple

Hearing Rue's reply, Apple was completely convinced that the girl had absolutely no idea what war was, and looking at Rue's eyes, she also knew, the girl would not change her decision to help. Living together for so many years, he was the one who knew the most how stubborn the stupid girl really was.

Silently for a moment, Apple could only sigh again while closing its eyes, "Alright, I'll help her," he said. Opening his eyes again, he stared intently at Rue. "But you won't come with me."

All were very surprised to hear of Apple's sudden decision, especially Fedrick and Lara. The two of them did not understand how the young man could change his decision just a few sentences away from Rue.

"Eh! Why can't I come? Didn't you promise me you wouldn't leave me?" rue protests panic.

"You're just gonna bother me, you idiot. You're coming with them to the city of Cirrions. Once the problems here are over, I'll meet you in that town." Reply Apple. He actually did not want to part with Rue. However, he did not want to put the girl in a dangerous battlefield at all.

Rue did not find a word to reply to the words of Apple. What the young man said was indeed true, he who could not do anything would only become a burden if he followed him.

"Give it to me." Fedrick's reply was quick. He knew, Apple didn't fully trust them, but the young man asked them to look after Rue—he could think there was progress in their relationship, right?

Lara did not reply to Apple. Silently silent, the girl threw away her face not caring. Not even at all will he take care of Rue who does not know anything about it.

"Thank you, thank you," a wide smile filled Esthel's face. "You don't have to worry about Rue. We'll definitely take care of him."

Apple turned her face back to look at Rue, and she felt a pair of hands hugging her tightly. "You must come quickly to see me, Apple." said Rue softly.

The apple extinguished the lighted fireball in his hand and returned Rue's embrace. Closing his eyes inhaling the distinctive smell of the girl in his arms, he nodded his head.

In fact, it was very hard for Apple and Rue to part here. Ever since they met up to this second, they had never been apart for long. There was a strange feeling in their hearts that this separation would take quite a long time to meet again.

"Take care of yourself and wait for me." Whisper the Apple slowly and release Rue. Staring at the beautiful face that was staring at her straight full of sadness, a smile that she very rarely showed filled her face. "I'll be quick."

Rue nodded his head in silence. In the darkness of the tunnel, he saw Apple turn its body and run away. In just one blink of an eye, the young man had disappeared into the darkness.

The apple that ran in the darkness returned to the mayor's mansion took out the white cloth he used to close his eyes from his pocket. Tying him tightly to hide his blood-red eyes, he headed for the battlefield fearlessly.

"That's the exit!" esthel's voice immediately resuscitated Rue from her daydream. Raising his head looking forward, he saw the end of this dark tunnel was a ladder that would connect them to the outside.

"Come on!" esthel said happily and began climbing the stairs followed by Rue, Lara and Fedrick.

By the time they made it out of the tunnel, the morning sun had risen. They found themselves in the middle of the Bold mountain which was not far from the city of Radiata.

"We must pass through this mountain and walk east to reach the city of Cirrion. We gotta hurry." Esthel quickly led the group.

Rue, Fedrick and Lara nodded their heads approving of what Esthel said. They walked as fast as they could to pass through Bold Mountain. They must reach Cirrion as soon as possible. No one knows what is happening in Radiata city right now, therefore, they should ask the city of Cirions for help to defend the city of Radiata as soon as possible.

"I didn't think the kingdom of Ormund would attack so soon." Esthel suddenly started a conversation. Confusion mixed with worry is heard clearly in suaranyam

"You're right, Esthel. Overall the kingdom of Ormund was not a kingdom capable of rivaling the other five kingdoms. I wouldn't say that if we were still his captives. But, the thing is now, we're not his prisoners at all." Agree with Fedrick and tell him what's on his mind.

"The "king of the kingdom of Ormund was not a reckless man. He is a calculating man. She will not take any action that will harm her." sidelines Lara who from earlier was silent expressionlessly.

Fedrick and Esthel who heard Lara's words thought for a moment. They feel that what they say is right. If King Ormund dared to attack the kingdom of Arthorn means King Ormund dared to end the peace that exists. King Ormund would have known that the other kingdoms would not have stayed silent if the Arthorn kingdom was attacked. What caused King Ormund to dare attack the kingdom of Arthorn? Fedrick, Lara and Esthel don't really know.

"Ehm..," Rue murmured softly at the talks of Fedrick, Lara and Esthel. His eyes looked at the confused three of them. "What are you talking about? I don't understand at all?"

Fedrick, Lara and Esthel turned their faces to look at Rue. They were no longer surprised by the question of the golden-haired girl, for this was not the first time.

"You don't need to know—it has nothing to do with you." Lara. He knew, there was no point in explaining to Rue, the girl would definitely not understand.

Rue did not reply to Lara's words, with a sullen face, he did not ask anymore. If it were explained so slowly a few times as Apple always did for him, he would definitely understand. Sighing, Rue started to miss the young man.

Mount Bold is a beautiful and peaceful mountain. The sound of birds chirping was heard all around them and some animals such as rabbits, squirrels, antelopes were seen living peacefully inside the mountain. However, strangely, upon seeing them, the beasts began to follow them.

"Is it just my feeling," staring around confusedly mixed in vigilance, Lara felt the strangeness that existed. "Why do I feel like all the animals we meet are following us?" ask Lara.

Fedrick and Esthel did not say a word. However, they knew what Lara said was true. The animals followed them.

"Fedrick, have you managed to master your beast-control magic?" ask Esthel to Fedrick. Just as Calix of the Arthron kingdom mastered a unique magic in which they could control shadows, the Crusader royal family also had one unique type of magic, namely magic to control animals.

Fedrick nodded his head. He sure as hell wasn't the one who caused the beasts in this forest to approach them, because he still hadn't mastered the magic, and so, too, had he, mastering the beast-control magic did not mean that he would attract all the beasts to follow him wherever he went.

Suddenly a small bird flew over to Rue. Rue laughed as the little bird perched on his left shoulder. With his right hand, he stroked the little bird's head slowly. As if following the little bird, all the animals that followed them approached Rue.

Fedrick, Lara and Esthel stopped walking as soon as they saw what happened. Stunned, they realize what makes all the animals follow them is Rue not Fedrick.

Some of the beasts that approached Rue moved around him as if inviting him to play with them. Rue who did not feel strange laughed at the actions of the animals.

Fedrick, Lara and Esthel stared unmovingly at Rue who was in front of them. Under the abundance of sunlight with the animals surrounding her, the golden-haired girl looked amazingly beautiful—as if not from this world.

"Fedrick, Lara," call Esthel slowly. Both of his eyes were still fixed on Rue. "Who exactly is Rue?"

Fedrick and Lara were similarly unable to answer Esthel's question. Not only was Apple enigmatic, Rue was also the same. Anyone who saw them would ask inwardly; who were they?

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