What is love?

Chapter 2

That encounter was a sign. Not a sign of danger that lies up ahead, but the sign of concern and fear for the feelings I then shall endure in the future. This was only the beginning of what lies ahead, and those wolves proved that. Although they are royal mercenaries, have killed plenty and seen death countless times, they have never been given the pleasure to have to ride alone, as well as go paths that were marked for safe travel. This is something new. They now have to face the challenges of the wild and the devil creatures that lie within.

As they ride for hours on end, they finally get to a point to a hill with a perfect view of their surroundings and they begin setting up camp to get some well-deserved rest.

As they put down their sheets, Luke comments with ease, but nervous, "I know that we do this for a living, and I know we'll be fine, but what if what we are going against is something out of our grasp?"

He concludes his concern and is answered by Dimitri, with a comforting voice, "I don't know what lies ahead of us, but honestly, as long as i'm with you all, I don't care what is thrown at us."

As he then yells aloud, "come whatever you are, we aren't afraid of you." Everyone then quickly looks around to make sure that nothing heard. As Dimitri laughs, they all turn and join him.

As they laugh and joke with one another while drinking some wine, they slowly begin to doze off. As they fall asleep, Dimitri stays up to keep watch, in-case of any emergencies that could come their way. As he lays there, he sees a little glimmer in the near distance, just next to some trees. Out of pure curiosity, he begins to walk towards the glimmer that then starts to move even further in the forest as he follows. Being hesitant and on edge, he drew his sword and entered the forest. As he followed the light, it got brighter slightly, as it kept going until he found himself at a hidden pond with a tree growing in the middle of it. There were big stones behind it as the water glowed a beautiful crystal blue. It was magical. As he got near it to fully take in its natural beauty, it began to glow brighter as though it reacted to him with happiness. He then got a sudden urge to walk in the magical pond to head towards the tree. As he drew closer, little flowers on the tree began to bloom and shine.

Although so mesmerized, he was still on guard. He heard of trees in forests that would harvest the life of a living human. He also has heard of a tree that would show him bits of the future. Not of visions, but of feelings. As he comes closer, he then slowly rubs the side of the tree and quickly begins to faint, collapsing in the water. As he falls in, he sees darkness, but not the kind that strikes fear, but the one of the unknown. He began to hear whispers and slowly felt an uncomfortable but not scary feeling. Just the feeling of being nervous, but happy. A feeling of fear, but excitement stirred in him. He began to think, what is this? Is this terror, is this heartbreak, or is this the true feeling of love? He quickly began to try and push that thought away, but he couldn't forget it. He grew up in a world where people always said, "I love you," yet always hurt the one they say they love. He hated it and didn't want such a thing in his life. He never was with a girl. He always ignored them, concerned that they would say they loved him and he would say it back, then they vanished. He never felt any special way for anyone and always thought he never would.

Before his mind could get rushing with thoughts, he was quickly awakened on the outer part of the pond completely dry, and saw an old man sitting next to him.

He quickly jumped up and drew his sword once more at the man, and in quick reaction, asked the man, "who are you? State your business immediately."

The man looks up at him and smiles and with a soft, rough voice says, "ah, he awakens. Please Sir, I mean no harm I can assure you," and without pause, Dimitri quickly yells at the man, "I said state your name and business, now."

The old man slowly gets up as Dimitri hesitates to his movements, and with a kind smile, begins again. "My name is Allistor Lucious Feliciano, but you can just call me Allistor. I have no business, but like to travel. What is your name if I may ask?"

With a bit of relief, Dimitri relaxes his stance and replies strictly but calmly, "my name is Dimitri," and slowly after the old man speaks with a surprised and still gentle face, "ah no last name I see, I bet you're from the royal mercenaries. Perhaps the Latvia Royal House?"

With surprise, Dimitri was shocked. But with a curious voice asked, "how did you know that? No-one speaks of Latvia nowadays."

The old man chuckles and walks closer to the pond and sits down. He turns around smiling and answers with a happy voice, as if he was fulfilled, "ah my boy, i've seen plenty of this world. I once used to serve in that house before that fall. It's already been 10 years since then. Oh how time flies," as he chuckles and continues, "what happened to your house was horrible, but not surprising. What is surprising though, is how a Latvia boy like you survived such awful accurinses."

Dimitri, realizing the man, was harmless. He sheaths his sword and walks towards the man. He sits down and begins with an alert, but relaxed voice, "I may seem like a lucky man, but it is a curse. What happened that day should have been the day of my last breath, but people who shared love or concern towards me sacrificed themselves for my life. I watched as they all died as I was able to run away."
The old man with a sad, but hopeful look then tells Dimitri with an understanding voice, "i'm sorry to hear that, and I know I'm some stranger, but my loyalty always lies with the Latvia House. I can see in your eyes you have a long journey ahead of you, so I will not hold you any longer. But what I will say, is to follow your heart and to not give up. I'm not sure what you saw under that tree, but follow it.

Understand it. If you do so, it will guide you and protect you from evil that was brought to this world to stop you."

The man stands up and starts to walk towards the forest and quickly turns around to add, "please be careful my boy. You are very important to this world as well as whatever you felt or heard in the water." He then smiles one last time and disappears without a trace.

Dimitri, with confusion, but comfort, then stands and looks at the tree one last time as he is puzzled as to what just happened. He then turns around and slowly walks back to camp through the darkness. As he finally arrived, his friends were all still sound asleep. He then sits down as he finishes guarding them overnight. As he sat there, all he could think of was who that man was, as well as what he was feeling in the water and why the old man wanted him to trust it so badly. As he sat there, he kept thinking. Was that love I felt, or was that fear? No, of course it couldn't be love. That is a feeling of lies and manipulation is all he thought.

As the hours passed on while he was walking in circles around their camp, he heard one of them start to wake up. As the sun was slightly arising over the trees in the direction of the ocean to the east, it painted a beautiful picture in the sky like the clouds and colors were dancing together in harmony. Edward started to awake to the beauty of the sky. As he started to gain control of his thoughts, he looked towards Dimitri and smiled. He stands up and walks to Dimitri and says he will make breakfast quickly so he can get some rest as they ride. Dimitri smiled and nods as he looks away and gazes upon the scene of pure nature.