A Cynical Shadow's Return

Chapter 3

     It has been five hours since Igneous lost consciousness. The boy laid in his father's room, resting on the soft, wool bed with Lotus laying beside him. Sitha walked inside of the room to check on him, while Reko waited outside with the utmost worry, but kept his composure despite his undying concern poking at him. When Sitha exited his room, she refrained from looking at him or speaking, but when she started to go to her room, Reko spoke.
        “What's the issue,” he asked, knowing that she already knew the answer. Sitha looked down at her doorknob and sighed.
        “You’re not going to like what I have to say, Reko--”
        “I don't care if I like it or not. Tell me what's wrong with my son.” Sitha turned to face him, and she could instantly see the aggressiveness in those dark blue eyes of his, which sent chills down her spine.
        “Fine...Igneous has fallen into some kind of deep sleep. Nothing we do will wake him up, and if he sleeps for too long, he'll...die. I can't estimate how long he has, but I do know someone that can probably wake him up.”
        “Where is this person?”
        “She lives somewhere in the mountains. If you hurry and bring her back in time, she could wake up Igneous.”
        “Do you have a name for this person?”
        “Leaonay.”
        “Well, I better get moving then. Tell Kinsa to get ready to head out while I grab my gear.”
        “Alright.” Sitha immediately went off to get Kinsa, and Reko sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
        “I'll save our son by any means necessary, Lavonna. I won't let anything stop me, not even a stupid demon. I won't let him down, neither will I let you down. I swear on my life.” Reko adjusted his headband and retrieved his swords and communicator from his room. After strapping his sword sheaths to his body, and the communicator to wrist, Reko was prepared to set out on this journey of his. The road ahead will be dangerous, especially for him, but as terrifying as it may be to any normal person, Reko could only grin at the various odds that were stacked against him. Like Agnus, Reko lives by the way of his spirit animal, and has been doing so ever since he was young boy. After many years of experience, the two of them have adopted certain ways from their spirit animals. For Reko, his fearlessness as alpha wolf, aggressiveness, and the fight for survival makes him look forward to what awaits for him rather than it scaring him. The spirit of the wolf shines from his eyes as he begins to leave his room, but stops at the door to take one last look at Igneous.
        “I'll be home before you know it, kiddo,” he says confidently. “Sleep well while I'm gone.”
     Standing a distance away from the large, wooden abode, Kinsa patiently waits for Reko to arrive. During his wait, he nervously looks down at the ground while scratching at his neck. The mission’s objective was no issue, but the circumstances behind it scared him the most. Much like how he had to infiltrate Zubelon's Palace with Igneous, but this was much different. With Zubelon, any would know of his presence, but with demons, they could kill without making a single sound. Rai saw the look on his brother's face, which was a face he hadn't seen ever since they witnessed their own parents’ death. Rai immediately understood the danger and the seriousness of the mission, but what could he say that would change anything?
        “It takes a lot to scare Kinsa,” Rai said to no one, “and I can really tell that he's scared, but why does he try to stay so calm about it? It's not like anyone's going to make fun of him for being afraid. Seeing him like this is really unbearable.” Rai then noticed the pun he had and then looked over at Agnus, who was eating from a basket of blueberries by a tree, with a wide grin, practically bursting out with laughter. Agnus heard Rai laughing, and then shot a glare at him.
        “What are you laughing at,” Agnus asked aloud.
        “Haha! Oh nothing. I just couldn't help but notice that you're eating your own kind.”
        “...What?”
        “I mean, those are BEARries you're eating, right?”
        “Yeah, these are berries, but--” When Agnus realized the joke that was behind Rai’s answer, he growled intensely. “Keep talking and I'll be eating you instead!” Rai burst out laughing again as both, Kinsa and Sitha, watched the two. Seeing this helped Kinsa take his mind off of the bad things for a moment, whereas Sitha was completely frustrated. She stood more close to Rai than Agnus.
        “I don't get it,” she said to herself, but Rai was able to hear her, while Agnus went back to eating, “is it a boy thing or what? I can't keep his attention for a solid five seconds, and yet the one that bothers him more than anyone can get his attention better than I can! Why don't I understand him!?”
        “Are you alright, Sitha,” Rai asked as he was walking over to her. Sitha glared at Rai then turned her back to him, not wanting to be bothered.
        “I'll be alright when you leave,” she answered aggressively. “Why don't you go bother Agnus? You seem to get his attention pretty well…”
        “Did my pun make you mad? Come on, it was actually great.”
        “Ugh! You don't get it! None of you do!”
        “Oh, you want to tell Agnus a joke?”
        “No, I want to be able to understand Agnus.”
        “Ha! That's the easiest thing in the world to do!”
        “...What?!”
        “Since the captain’s gonna be out for a while, there's no other Tasoolian that knows Agnus better than I do. I'll help you understand him, but let's go somewhere else before he gets done eating. Wouldn't want him to hear us, me especially, talking about him. Anyway, let's go!” Rai grabbed Sitha's hand, leading her back to the house, and at the same time they went inside, Reko came outside. He raised an eyebrow at the two, then shrugged and went on walking towards Kinsa. When Agnus saw Reko, he instantly dropped his berries and rushed over to him.
        “Reko, wait,” Agnus called out to Reko. Reko stopped in his advance, and took a look back at Agnus.
        “What is it Agnus,” Reko asked when Agnus reached him.
        “Why can't I come with you? I don't wanna be stuck here with Rai.”
        “Heh, it's nothing personal, buddy. I just need you to keep everyone safe. If I were to take you, Kinsa and Rai wouldn't be able to handle a demon on their own.”
        “I don’t know, Reko. I just can’t shake off this bad feeling I have about this.”
        “Agnus...”
        “I’m telling you, Reko. I have a bad feeling about this. Be careful out there, okay?”
        “Hm...Don’t you worry about a thing, big guy. I’ll make sure that we make it back home in one piece. No matter what happens, Agnus, you have to protect everyone here with your life. I’m counting on you.”
        “R-Roger that, Captain.” The look in Agnus’ eyes reminded Reko of when he first met Agnus. The day when Agnus became the only surviving Bear Tasoolian.