The Cursed Bloodline
Two Swords

Nee and Zou walk down a path that divides a dense forest. The scorching hot sun, as well as the roar of forest insects accompanied their steps. Nee walked ahead without saying a word, in contrast to Zou who kept complaining throughout the journey.

"Well! Why is the weather so hot! " murm Zou lazily. His hazel eyes almost closed perfectly, with lethargic steps he continued to follow where Nee went. While the sturdy-bodied man in front of him did not even heed Zou's complaints at all

" Hey! Uhee! Can we take a break?! We've been walking all day! And again-" suddenly Zou's speech stopped. His body was frozen perfectly with round eyes. Zou felt a 'strange' aura approaching them

" Wait! This feeling! " Nee who heard Zou's words stopped her steps. He also glanced at the chatty figure behind him

" What's up? Is there an enemy approaching?! " ask Nee. Zou shook his head quickly "No! Something even more terrifying than that! We have to run! "

Zou accelerated his pace, passing Nee just like that who was still astonished by the absurd behavior of the tomato boy. Nee could only let out a long sigh, this time what commotion Zou was going to make. The last time he trusted the boy, but the only thing the enemy considered was a wild boar victim of the evil Zou who joined. Nee decides to go back on his way regardless of Zou's words at all

Zou ran fast without even looking back, without him noticing the ice element magic spell chasing him. Freeze his body to the head

"Aish! I'm caught! " said Zou resignedly

" Where are you going to run! Zou! You're trying to avoid me! " cries blared Mirai broke the silence of the forest. Nee who was just aware of Mirai's presence began to flip over her body. A beautiful girl is seen from a distance. While shaking her waist with a sour face, Mirai began to approach Nee and Zou

" Yuki, what are you doing here?! "

Mirai glanced at Zou who was still in revolt "I came to help you find the 3rd Pillar stone shards. How, have you guys got a clue about the location of the stone? " ask Mirai while looking at Nee

Nee shakes his head, he himself still has not found the location of the Pillar stone

" According to the rhyme in the Book, it says 'Black and White and Light and Darkness' we have come to a place that may be related to that description.

Both White and Light said, we assumed it was a sacred place like a Temple or something like that. But it was all for nothing. I didn't get any leads" Nee explained the results of her trip to Mirai

" so. Well three is better than two. From now on I'll help you find the stone" Mirai said as she left, Nee following along with Mirai. While Zou was still entangled in Mirai magic, he could only shout without anyone caring about him

"Hey! Where are you going! Yuki! No, I mean, Mirai! Let go of me first! "

Mirai and Nee have gone a long way "Just wait until the ice melts, Zou! " said Mirai while waving her hand

" Damn it! Watch out for you Mirai! " Zou just squinted in annoyance

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

Mirai and Nee finally decided to rest on the clear river bank. The gurgling water, as well as the sunlight that penetrated into the sidelines of the trees made the atmosphere in the forest so calm. Zou who had just joined them could only lay down beside Mirai. He wanted to repay the girl, but stopped him from doing it because he was too lazy. It was also fortunate that Mirai coated her body with ice, in the middle of a scorching day at least that helped a little

Seeing Zou sleeping just like that, made Mirai surprised to be made. The long-haired girl simply shook her head, while taking out the food box from inside her bag

"We're resting here. I've prepared provisions for the three of us! " said Mirai briefly. Zou who heard the word 'defender' especially from Mirai's own mouth finally stopped the receding session and stood up while staring at the strange Mirai

" What did you say, stock? You brought us provisions?! " said Zou emphasizing the word in each of his questions. Strange according to him. The girl he knew was cold-hearted without the slightest feeling of sympathy suddenly showed her strange attention. The current attitude of Mirai no longer showed the attitude of a Yuki from the tengu

Mirai was silent for a moment, she stared fixedly at the dining box in front of her. Before the mission to infiltrate Sora, he was just a 'shell' without the slightest emotion. To him the fellows in Tengu were just someone working on a mission with him. Not more. But as time went on and Mirai understood what 'Friends' meant, she came to a realization. Mirai doesn't even know anything about her mission partner in Tengu. Zou and Nee how many times to protect her during the mission. Although they did not show it for real, Zou and Nee were friends who had always been by Mirai's side all this time

For that, Mirai wants to know the two colleagues more. Regarding who they really are or what difficult things they went through to be able to join Tengu

"Why? Can't you bring you lunch? I didn't make it myself, so you don't have to worry about the taste! " said Mirai with a pouting face. Actually, he was hiding an awkward feeling between Zou and Nee

" B-that's not what I meant. I think our relationship is just a mission partner. I even threatened to kill you first. So I thought-"

"Already! Forget the past! From now on we're friends, okay! " Mirai took a rolled egg from the lunchbox and stuffed it in Zou's mouth. The bright red-haired man did not refuse, nor did Zou chew his food greedily

Mirai's eyes are on Nee. The tall male is well-built, with creepy green irises. His fierce face with a stitching pattern around his mouth makes anyone shudder if they cross paths with the man. But Mirai can't see inside Nee. The man was so mysterious with a myriad of secrets that he hid. Mirai knew that among them Nee was the most loyal to Xio. He obeyed every word of the Leader without ever refuting it. Unlike the tomato boy who is now spending his lunch. Two people, like the heavens and the earth, are made in one container. I don't know what Xio was thinking while recruiting those two people

"Nee you don't want to?! " fresh Mirai. But the quiet man just stood on the side of the ravine, watching the little bird playing by the river. Nee didn't even return Mirai's offer

" Hey! Zou! Don't you wonder who Nee really is?! " that remark suddenly came out of Mirai's mouth. Her soul is turbulent, plus a super chatty fellow beside her. Emerge new ghibah team in Tengu organization

" why? Have we ever wondered about each other? It never is! So why are you so curious about Nee! " said Zou origin, Mirai only screeched bitterly

" Ck, it's not that! You're always with him, you must know a little of what he's hiding, right?! "

Zou thought for a moment, an idea flashed through his mind "There is! " cock Zou shindig

" What?! " Mirai started kepo. Zou also gestured for Mirai to come closer. Without remembering their history of hostility, Mirai and Zou in an instant become compact bounty friends

" I accidentally saw him when the battle was last. But, I'm sure Nee's figure has another form besides that creepy form! " whispered Zou pretending to be serious

" ck! Be quiet! " grunts Zou. Mirai nodded in understanding, the red-haired man let go of his embrace

" What do you mean?! " Mirai whispered softly again

" At that time, Nee was accidentally injured in her shoulder. I guess, the skin full of iron stitches is the original form. But I realized, the form we're seeing now is not his actual appearance.

I saw with my own eyes, his injured shoulder peeling off and showing human skin in general! "

Mirai and Zou knew, they always saw Nee dressed up covered. It is not like living beings in general. His body was made of something unnatural

" really? Oh, geez. I was fooled all along! " mirai said as she covered her mouth in disbelief. Zou nodded his head hard

" Wait! It was possible that he was a prince of a land disguised as a ugly figure?! " mirai said as she expressed her crazy idea. While in Sora, Hanna poisons Mirai's mind with romance novels and this is the result of her wild thoughts

Zou giggled amusedly, while elbowing Mirai hard. The success made Mirai stare at Zou

" If he's a prince! I may be the ruler of a country. And you are, the daughter of a country too! Ck, stop thinking the impossible! " said Zou while gulping a rough saliva. Mirai's sharp gaze never changed

" Right as well. What again?! " mirai said more excitedly

" You know, he's had-" Zou hasn't had time to continue saying. He felt the presence of Nee near him. Sure enough, the creepy-faced man was already standing in front of him and looked at the two strangely

"What are you two doing?! Nee flat. Sontak Mirai and Zou flutter. They are busy doing other things so that Nee does not suspect they are doing it

"T- there's nothing! " said Zou nervously. Nee's gaze was now on Mirai.

" Yuki! "

" Yes! " Mirai wavers when Nee calls her name. A faint sweat flooded her beautiful face. He wondered if Nee knew he was talking about it?

" Regarding the location of the 3rd pillar stone. I think, we should look for it with a different view than before! "

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

The three of them finally sat in a circle, with the White Book of Nue left open in the middle. Mirai, Zou and Nee exchanged glances

" So, what do you think of that rhyme! " said Mirai

Nee immediately put his finger on the rhyme line of the puzzle indicating the existence of the 3rd pillar

" 'There is only Black and White. Light and Darkness' that word really intrigued me. During this time, we have only interpreted one word at a time and searched for its meaning. What if we looked at the meaning of the word in a different sense? " say Nee

Mirai seemed to think for a moment. Eyes as beautiful as laverdernya flowers as if not to move from the book

" If that's what you mean. Black and white, what if the word denotes a unity? "

" Black and White will create unity in the form of mixed colors. It means something gray! "reply Zou who came to express his opinion

" Light and light eventually create a shadow" Mirai continued

The three of them were staring at each other. As if getting a different answer and a bright spot from the search they have been doing. Nee agreed, as if understanding what the two people in front of him were thinking

"Shadows, Gray is the symbol of balance. Both Yin and Yang have a black dot in the white area. And vice versa. Balance exists because two elements come together in harmony"

Mirai and Zou began to watch the book in front of them. Balance certainly does not point to a place or a human being in this world. They are too greedy and seem to master one side that approaches them

"That stone cannot be owned by man or be anywhere in the world. The power of the white stone is loyalty as well as knowledge of everything that happens in the magical world. That means, only a creature that is half of his blood is like us and the other half is covered with mystical souls" Nee said

Mirai was aghast, a smile etched on her beautiful face. Finally he found the answer to Nue's White Book riddle

"Only one can describe everything you said just now, that is.... "

" Yokai! (Siluman) "said the three of them compact.

...----------------...

Btw, there's someone who can guess who Nee and Zou are.... Sttt🙄🤗... Save the answers when they are all revealed

^^^Yuki Mirai 🐙^