The Mage Paradox [BOOK THREE]

Chapter 3: Blood and Trouble

It's Harith, the cat leonin with grey cat ears and tail with spots on it. Not to mention his silver hair and hazel eyes.

When you lay your eyes on this feline, you will think: "Why is he so cute?" Well, that's what everyone thinks when they meet leonins like him. But this time, it's different.

Harith was tired of people gawking at him when they saw him for the first time, he didn't know why were they gawking at him until he laid his eyes on Nana.

Then he understood why.

The only person who didn't gawk at him were definitely demons.

Everyone looked at him that way, including Harley. Talk about awkward. And that's when they got jealous of each other. Harith was jealous of how Nana was spending so much time with that mage.

But one day, Harith, Nana, and Harley were walking in the Moonlit Forest, again. The trio heard an orange-haired leonin screaming while running towards them. Harith asked her what's wrong and she said that a small village nearby was under attack by demons from the Abyss.

Harith panicked and ran for the village, leaving Harley and Nana behind.

"Where are you going?" Harley yelled even though he knows where he's going. "We need to go help him," he said to Nana.

The Pink leonin raised an eyebrow. "Why, Isn't he, your rival?"

"Oh well, he can't have all the glory can he?"

Meanwhile, Harith was trying to protect the village from those demons who set fire to everything. He snapped his fingers to give a deadly blow to one of the demons but nothing happened.

Oh no, I used too much magic.

One of the demons knocked Harith and he fell to the ground. The leonin closed his eyes, braising himself for what happens next.

Is this how I die?

But the hit he expected never came. Harith opened his eyes and saw Harley, a corona of cards surrounding him.

"That was dangerous you blockhead!" he yelled.

And for once, Harith was glad to see the mage. He got up and both of them attacked the demons together. Once the demons retreated, both of them fell to the ground with a relieved sigh.

"That was awesome." Harith smiled.

"I could say the same." Harley grinned.

"Why did you help me?"

Harley shrugged. "It is  what friends do."

Harith shot him a look. "Are we friends?"

"We are now." the mage smiled at him.

That's when both of them became best friends because they realize they should be helping each other, not fighting each other.

⌛ 

"I can walk now, let go of me." Harley jerked out of Harith's grip.

"And we're here." the duo arrived at the gates of Nana's home, and front yard. The front yard looks eerie at night, which bothered Harley that someone will pop out and jumpscare them.

This is Azrya, not the Abyss. Harley scolded himself.

Harith swung the gate open and both of them went inside. 

"Wait-" Harith pointed at Harley's suit, which was wet with blood, and his hair as it was also wet with blood.

The mage frowned. "Damn it." he snapped his fingers. "And I'm too weak to cast a spell, now what?"

Harith thought for a moment. "How bout we go inside and tell-"

Harley took ahold of the leonin's shoulders. "TELL THEM ARE YOU-" he lowered his voice. "Tell them are you crazy? They will worry about me, again!"

"Then do you have a plan?"

Harley let go of his shoulders and put on his thinking face. A moment later, his eyes lit up. "Actually, I do."

⌛ 

Meanwhile, inside the treehouse, Nana was pacing back and forth, worry written on his face.

"Don't worry Nana, they must be fine," Lylia assured her.

"But what if they're not?" Nana shrieked.

"Harith knows his way around here, I'm sure both of them are okay."

What Lylia said calmed Nana down a little but not entirely. Just as Nana was about to panic again, the front door opened and Harith emerged, holding Harley's top hat. But Harley was nowhere to be seen.

Nana was relieved. "Harith, your okay!" then she realized something. "Where's Harley?"

All the color drained from Harith's face even though he knew that Nana will eventually ask that question. "Outside, admiring the...Moonberries."

"Oh, he better get in soon, it's almost dinner time." Nana turned away.

Harith sighed with relief and tiptoed quickly but quietly to the staircase-

"Wait a second..." Harith turned to see Nana eying him suspiciously. "It's just Moonberries, why would Harley admire them?"

Harith laughed a tad too hard. "Told you he's fascinated with all the things around Azrya."

Nana continued to eye him suspiciously then her gaze traveled to Harith's hands. "What is that on your hands?" she asked.

"What is-" he looked down at his hands and saw blood. It took everything inside him to not let the shock show on his face. "We were...eating...the BLOODBERRIES yes!" Harith forced a smile. "You know what they can do to your hands after you take one bite off them."

Nana didn't say anything but continued to look at him suspiciously. Harith took it as a cue to run up the stairs of the treehouse. Nana's eyes didn't leave the place where Harith stood a moment just now.

⌛ 

Harith ran to the room with the 'Do not disturb' sign, opened it, and slammed the door shut. He leaned against the door for a moment then he dropped to the floor in relief.

Harley popped his head out of the hat. "Is it okay now?"

Harith nodded. Harley emerged from the hat,  picked it up, and sat it on the table. "I'm taking a bath first, is it okay with you?"

The leonin rolled his eyes which said: "Why not?"

⌛ 

Harley was lying on the fluffy bed of Nana's treehouse and eating his dinner; porridge and honey all slushed together. But he found that a yummy combination.

Before he could stuff another scoop in his mouth, the door of the bedroom slammed open and a suspicious Nana emerged. Harley smiled awkwardly at her.

"Yes?"

Nana glared at him. "I thought Harith said your outside...?"

Harley froze, a lie was forming in his head, but there was no way he could lie to Nana who was glaring at him.