Life and Death are Lovers on a Coffee Date

Chapter 28

[Sett]

"I'm going to sleep now, night night Sett." Shen's head disappeared off the door frame before waving goodbye as the doors closed shut, he seemed suspiciously happy, smiling, and giddy. Weird...

"Hey ma! I'm back." Rushing to see ma as I pulled her into a lock hug, lifting her off the floor while swaying her side to side as she was in a fit of laughter.

"Anythin' happened today? Ya seem awfully happy?"

"Nothing dear, dinner's ready." The plates and food were set, the smell of homemade curry and vegetables filled my nostrils, the best part is, it was ma who made it! Nothing could beat her cooking.

"A man helped me earlier just before sunset- "something happened to ma?

"What happened?" my mood shifted from north to south,

"Sett..." her tone was her single for me to calm down, as much meditation Shen had taught me, I regained my composure.

"A group of mean-looking group of men dragged me into this alley, losing all the groceries I bought, just when I thought I was done for, a foreigner came to my rescue, he was fast and gentle too." A man!? Ma couldn't be in love, could she? No, no, she couldn't... right? I whimpered at the thought of a father. "After that, we went back to the same spot where I was taken and all my groceries were soiled. He kept insisting on doing the groceries for me for the reason as to explore the market before finally giving in." She chuckled.

"Why do ya say he's a foreigner?" I asked, my mouth muffled with food.

"He's different Sett, his accent, his actions, and his clothing. He wears a mask. Before I could even compensate him, he left in a rush... Oh! He dropped a notepad too, I didn't want to pry it open, could you deliver it to the kind man?" she hands me a familiar pocketbook, isn't this Shen's? Opening the first page is a scribble of weird texts.

"oowoo, ma what's oowoo." I might be bad at reading but this is ancient.

"Silly dear, that's an expression of some sort, and don't open another stranger's notepads." She warned me to close the pad. Was that really an expression? It looks more like a cat to me.

The night settled and the cold winds strum against the windows. Kissing my ma's forehead goodnight, I went back to my room. As long as no father and danger met with ma, everything's good. Although I can't expose my identity to the public knowing ma and I are related, she'll be sure to be targeted if they knew. The least I can do is thank Shen... that is... yawn... zzzzzzzz.

Shen has finished his ritual. The pit was roaring in bloodlust stained with iron scent and sweat as usual, same ol' boring clash. Shen went back to his room for his own business, leaving me alone and bored. Lost in focus, I finally noticed the murmurs growing louder and louder as a lady in violet appeared in the middle of the stage, then suddenly, the crowd went silent, and the chilling air crept through the atmosphere as everyone covered their mouths, eyes tainted in a familiar fear. Taking a glance of their focus, the champions in the arena turned into carcasses as their bodies were purged brutally, their limbs separated one by one. A crocodile hybrid with a weird-looking axe is standing amongst the carcass. A chill went through my spine as her eyes met mine, she isn't normal, the ends of my hair stood in chills. The crowd stood in shock and anger for ruining the show attempting a riot as they booed the unexpected visitor.

"Hey lady! Get in line!" one in the audience shouted and all soon agreed and shouted with him. In a blink, the man's head was decapitated as it fell on the floor with a thud, the crowd was silent for a while before they were covered in a fountain of blood. The crowd went hysteric as some tried to attack her and some tried to leave in frantic, but the entrance with all sorts of crawlers and floating ghastly looking ghosts, taunting and inflicting fear on the audience. Our eyes did not break. She is challenging me, then as the boss, I challenge her to a duel. I must protect my place.