Tales Of Darkness And Light
Chapter 33

THE DUAR!

THE DUAR!

THE DUAR!

The loud sound of lightning echoing in the night sky within the forest made little Rue cry. His small body trembled with fear and coldness. Sitting alone in a cave, he closed his ears with both hands. The loud sound of lightning or darkness that was enveloping him now made him very desperate. "Apples, Apples, where are you?" he said while sobbing.

Suddenly Rue's ears caught the sound of someone walking into the cave. Raising his head looking towards the cave door, the lightning light made him able to see who that person was, that is, a black-haired boy his age. White cloth covered the boy's eyes, and the clothes he wore were wet from the rain.

Rue immediately stood up and ran over to the boy. Opening his arms wide, he tightly hugged the boy, "Apel!" call her slowly while sighing in relief.

"Take me off, fool," Apple ordered, the boy in his flat voice without emotion. "My body's wet."

Rue tightened his embrace, he didn't care that his clothes would get wet if he continued to hug Apples like that, "Apel, where are you going? I'm so scared. Don't leave me alone like this anymore." she said sobbing.

The apple could feel the body that was embracing it trembling. Sighing, he moved both of his hands to release himself from Rue's embrace with a soft "My body is wet. Let me dry myself out first."

The apple stared at the dry wood not far from it, suddenly a fire burned the dry wood and explained the cave.

Walking closer to the fire while gripping Rue's hand, Apple forced the little girl to sit down. "Sit down and warm yourself up."

Rue nodded his head and obeyed what Apple had ordered. Not moving one bit, her green eyes stared at the figure of Apple sitting next to her.

The apple took off her wet clothes and tried to dry them. Rue's eyes sitting beside him grew bigger in shock as he stared at the boy's back. On its back is a pair of wings that surround a magic circle, and in the magic circle there is a strange symbol—sign that is very similar to the mark on its back. However, most importantly, the mark on the back of the Apple was no stranger to him.

Trying to remember, Rue realized that the sign was very similar to the sign on his back—the sign he saw when his back shadow reflected in the lake water while bathing. The difference is, the mark on the back of Apple is black, while his is reddish, then the symbol in the middle of the magic circle belonging to Apple is reversed.

Out of curiosity, Rue approached Apple and raised her hand to touch the boy's back. The apple that noticed the hand on its back immediately turned its face to look at Rue.

"Is this an apple?" ask Rue slowly. Her green eyes were fixed on the mark on the back of the Apple.

Apple did not answer that question.

"Apples?" call Rue. Slowly, he raised his hand and took off the white cloth that covered the eyes of the Apple that was the color of the blood red.

Emotionless both in her face and in her eyes, Apple stared at Rue in silence.

"Apples?" call Rue again, confused by the silence of Apple.

"That's a birthmark..." Answer the Apple later.

"Birthmark?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"I also have that birthmark on my back, Apple," laughing happily, Rue raised both hands touching her own back. "The difference is only the color and shape of the symbol in the center of the circle."

Apple did not say anything, she just silently looked at Rue. However, all of a sudden, he raised both his hands and tightly hugged the tiny body of the little girl beside him.

"Apples?" call Rue surprised as well as confused by the sudden attitude of Apple.

Apple did not reply, she just continued to hug Rue and only let go after some time. Staring at Rue back, his face was without a flat expression.

Rue returned the gaze of Apple, nothing had changed on the boy's face. His face was as usual, flat with no expression, however, not for his blood red eyes—the eyes looked extremely; sad.

"What's an Apple? Why do you look so sad?" ask Rue slowly. He raised his hands again touching the face in front of him.

"I'm fine."

"really? Ka—hatchii!!" Reply Rue. However, his sentence was interrupted because he suddenly sneezed.

Looking at the sneezing Rue, Apple pulled the little girl to sit right in front of him. Looping both of her hands on Rue's waist, she raised her chin and placed it right above the little girl's head.

"A-apple!" call Rue with a flushed face and try to stand up.

"Don't move, Rue. " Order Apple and tighten her embrace on Rue's waist.

"Eh?"

"Don't move anymore."

"Well, yeah..." Reply Rue quietly and let the Apples embrace her. He was actually very surprised by what Apple did. However, the embrace that was there made him very comfortable. The feeling of safety, warmth and peace in the arms of the Apple filled him, he was no longer afraid of the sound of lightning or darkness. Shaking both hands, Rue held both of the Apple arms that hugged her waist.

"Sleep, Rue," whispered Apple quietly. "Not to be afraid, I'm by your side..."

Rue smiled hearing the whispers of Apples.

"Sleep, Rue..."

"Sleep..."

"Rue, wake!" loud shouting Lara shocked the sleeping Rue. Opening both of her eyelids, she suddenly felt her body sway left and right.

"What happened Lara?" rue asked frantically while looking at Lara who was standing in front of the cabin door of the ship where she was sleeping.

"Get out of this cabin, you idiot! The ship was caught in a storm. I'm afraid this ship won't be able to survive this storm." Clearly Lara while shouting loudly due to the deafening sound of lightning.

According to Lara's orders, Rue immediately ran out of the cabin of the ship following Lara. His green eyes were wide in shock as he arrived on the deck of the ship. High waves continue to hit the ship and make the balance of the ship tidk stable, coupled with strong winds blowing aggravate the situation. Not far from where he stood, he could clearly hear the cries of Mire, Vin, Van and the others trying to control the situation.

Rue raised his head staring at the dark sky full of lightning and the sound of lightning on it. For three days they sailed from the port city of Denethor, the weather was fine, there was absolutely no sign of a storm. How can there be a storm?

"Fold the sail, Vin!! Van, you control this ship!!" shouted Mire who was trying to lead and control the situation.

Hearing Mire's cry, Rue and Lara ran over to help them fold the ship's sail. However, the strong gusts of wind made it difficult for them to fold the sail of the ship. The ship continued to drift in the storm.

"Everything!! Hold on to something tight!!!" Shouted Mire suddenly as soon as he saw the high waves that were hurtling towards their ship.

All who heard Mire's cry immediately clung to the mast or objects beside them that could hold them off were thrown out of the waves of the ship. However, Rue who was standing at the end of the deck of the ship had absolutely no such chance. The high waves that hit the strong ship successfully threw his tiny body out of the ship.

"Riss!" lara and Mire shouted as soon as they saw what had happened. Running as fast as possible, the two of them headed towards the deck of the ship where Rue had just stood.

"Riss!" call them both with pale faces. Looking around, they were trying to find Rue's whereabouts.

"L-lara.. Mire.. T-please.." shouted Rue intermittently. The sound of his screams was not clearly heard because of the sea water that was continuously crashing at him. He tried hard to swim towards the ship, but everything was in vain, because the distance was getting farther away.

"Riss!" Call Lara and Mire again full of panic. Suddenly Mire's eyes found Rue trying to swim towards them, "That's it! He's in there!!" mire shouted happily while pointing at him. "Give me a strappy float! I'll help him!"

However, before Mire could do anything, the big waves back hit their ship and Rue. As he and Lara raised their heads gazing at the sea in front of them, Rue had disappeared from sight.

"No!! No!! Rue!"

"Apple! Apples! Help me!"

......................

"Rue..." Apple suddenly called out Rue's name and stood up.

Fedrick, Calix and Regis raised their heads staring at the puzzled Apple. They were still inside the horse-drawn carriage that drove towards the port city of Denethor.

"What's an Apple?" ask Fedrick.

Apple didn't answer Fedrick's question.

"Rue, Rue, Rue..." Call the Apples on. However, that normally very calm and flat voice sounded extremely worried right now.

Lifting both hands down her hair, Apple lowered her head down. An unpleasant feeling suddenly filled him—a feeling of worry, uneasiness and fear mixed into one. He had never felt this kind of feeling before, and he did not understand; why did Rue's smiling and laughing face continue to appear in his mind?

"What's an Apple?" calix was worried, and so were Fedrick and Regis. They never saw an apple like this. The young man was usually very calm, full of confidence, and expressionless. However, the Apples that were in front of them now seemed to be extremely agitated and frightened.

"What's up, Brother Apple?" regis asked while looking at Apple's face.

The apple did not hear the question directed at him. His mind now filled with Rue made him realize, something had happened to the girl. An overwhelming fear filled him, his body shaking violently. He did not dare to imagine it; what would happen to him if he never met Rue again?—What would he do if he lost Rue?

"Rue, Rue, Rue..."

......................

Lara and Mire, who were on board, continued to search for Rue. They continued to look at the raging sea in front of them, hoping to find Rue's figure.

"Rul!!"

"Rul!!"

Inside the dark sea, Rue began to lose her breath and strength. His legs and hands began to weaken, a painful coldness assaulted his entire body. He did not have the strength to resist the waves anymore, his two eyelids felt extremely heavy.

"Rue..."

"Rue..."

Among her thinning consciousness, Rue was convinced, she heard the voice of Apple calling her—the voice she missed so much.

"Apple.." call Rue slowly. The pain made her not want to fight anymore, closing her eyes, she gave herself to the darkness.

Rue's body, which had lost consciousness, sank deeper and deeper into the ocean floor. Increasingly deeper and deeper, a ray of light suddenly emerged from his body. Stop sinking, his entire body emitted a white light that grew increasingly stronger. The light filled the darkness of the sea until it gushed out to the surface.

Lara, Mire and the others were greatly shocked upon seeing the light that suddenly appeared from within the dark sea ahead. The light was so strong and bright that it dazzled the eyes. Raising their hands to protect their eyes from the light, they all knew this light was abnormal.

"What is this?!" mire shouted in surprise.

Lara did not answer Mire's question. But, he knew, this white light was very similar to the white light that appeared as Rue protected himself from the giant spider magic attack in the forbidden forest. He was sure, this light must have come from Rue.

The white light grew stronger and brighter so that Lara, Mire and the others could not do anything, and suddenly, they felt an extremely strong gust of wind from within the sea.

Holding on to something to keep themselves from being thrown off the ship, they all then realized something strange. Opening their eyes, they were both shocked and in disbelief. The blinding white light had disappeared, as well as the storm that had struck their ship. The sea was no longer raging like before, the sea that was in front of them was now very calm as if nothing had happened.

"What's going on?" mire said confusedly and looked at the sea with a face of disbelief.

"What light was that?" added Vin who stood not far from the two of them.

Lara doesn't care what Mire and Vin say. He dashed around the deck while staring at the calm sea to look for Rue. However, as far as his eyes looked at the figure of the girl was completely invisible.

"Rue!!!"

......................

"I can't believe it at all!! We really did it!!" Calix's laughter pleased when he saw the gate of Denethor Port City. They had managed to reach Denethor Port City in just three days, something that he thought was impossible, but it was not.

"That's right, Calix. I think we've managed to break the record." Fedrick added with a smile, as well as a Map.

"We must immediately search for a ship to the Kingdom of Catax." Apple suddenly interjected and walked into the city followed by Regis.

"Eh! How about we rest for a while Apple? Aren't you tired?" calix was surprised. They had traveled for three days without stopping. Although they passed through several villages and towns, they only stopped by to replace their exhausted horses and supply food.

"I don't care," replied Apple flatly and turned to Calix. "We're going to continue on the journey right now."

Fedrick, Calix and Peta were silent at Apple's reply. They did not dare to refute what Apple said, because, there was fear in their hearts when they saw the young man now. Apples look very different and strange, as if they emit a terrifying aura and imitate anyone who sees them.

Both Fedrick, Calix and Peta have no idea what's going on. On the second day of their trip to the port city of Denethor, Apples suddenly behaved strangely. The young man looked extremely agitated, worried and frightened. He kept calling out Rue's name and did not answer the questions of those asking what happened. After that incident, he changed, he looked very angry and could not be invited to compromise.

"You should go straight to the port. I'm gonna find this mayor. I'll ask him to lend Silphi." Calix said with a sigh of despair.

"Silphi?" ask the confused map.

"That's the name of the fastest ship that Arathorn's kingdom has." Fedrick is fast.

"O.o..." Mumbled the Map as soon as Fedrick's explanation. Staring at Fedrick and Calix, he could only feel that the one beside him was the Prince of a kingdom now, their friendly attitude and nature inevitably make him forget the difference in status between them.

"You wait for me at the port. I'll catch up with you there soon." Calix smiled. Running fast, he immediately entered the gate of Denethor City past Apples and Regis.

"We'd better do what Calix said." Fedrick said later.

The map nodded in agreement while the Apple did not say anything at all. He just kept quiet and walked into the city followed by Fedrick, Map and Regis.

......................

A beautiful nineteen-year-old girl was walking around enjoying the sea breeze. Black hair long curls fly played by the wind. His blue eyes were staring at the white sand below him.

"Daughter." Call someone from behind.

The girl stopped walking and looked back at the source of the voice. A woman walked up to him and saluted. "Daughter, you better get back to the palace soon."

"Can I enjoy this sea any minute, auntie?" reply the black haired girl stammered. Hopefully, she looked at the woman who had been her nanny's maid since childhood.

The woman sighed at the request of the daughter she had raised. "alright. But, just for a second."

The girl nodded her head quickly and walked away from the woman. Raising his head gazing around, suddenly his blue eyes caught the shadow of a woman being dragged by the waves of the sea. A sense of surprise filled his heart, and without realizing it, he had run into the sea to help the woman. He paid no heed to the frightened cries of the nanny maids behind who kept telling him to stop in the slightest.

......................