BLACK HALO

TRUTH

CHAPTER 8

~TRUTH~

“Cheers to defeating the monster that threatened to destroy our beloved kingdom, Dynaris, and cheers to the soldiers who died on the battlefield for the cause. We are drinking tonight to celebrate many, many more years of growth for Dynaris, and let's not forget the person who helped us achieve our victory,” Michael yelled with a large mug of beer in his right hand.

He turned to Aurelia and continued, “The shimmering, white knight, Aurelia! Without her, we all would be so dead right now.”

Aurelia just stared at him blankly as all the soldiers around the large table cheered loudly. Aurelia turned to the large selection of food on the table; she examined each one of them slowly, then reached for an apple.

“An apple? Seriously?” Michael said with surprise as Aurelia placed her right palm on the fruit.

“Yes, is anything the matter?” Aurelia asked.

“Not at all, just that there is a lot more on this table: chicken, beef, pork, rice, honey, booze, wheat, bread, and many more. Why go for a single fruit?” Michael replied.

“I can only eat natural food. Fruits, to be more specific, and I can only drink water. I can't ingest anything else,” Aurelia replied, then took a bite from the apple.

“Oh, alright. Strange but... cool,” Michael said, placing his feet on the table and moving his beer to his lips.

Aurelia stared at him for a moment, then asked, “How’s your wound?”

“Oh, it's fine. The poison was neutralized by a special antidote, and the wound was stitched up by a medical professional. It should heal in a couple of days. Afterward, I'll get back to hunting desert beasts,” Michael replied.

“Is that what you do?” Aurelia asked.

“Yes, I and my band of knights hunt down and tame wild desert beasts. We use these beasts for the protection of Dynaris's gates, and they also alert us when there are other dangerous animals approaching the kingdom. I have an idea; maybe you can come hunting with us on our next trip,” Michael suggested, taking his legs off the table and leaning forward.

Aurelia stared at him for a moment and replied, “Not at all; I won't be participating in any of your reckless games.”

“I'll take that as a maybe and let you sleep on it. Give me your answer whenever you're ready. I'd be really glad to have you on the field with me,” Michael said with a smile, staring into Aurelia's eyes.

His last words echoed in Aurelia's head, and she could suddenly see a blurry picture of a man smiling at her, saying the exact same words: I'd be really glad to have you on the field with me. The feeling the memory brought to her heart felt the same as before: warm, safe, and beautiful.

Aurelia didn't realize it when a soft smile grew on her face.

Michael's eyes widened as he saw it.

“Is that what I think it is? Did I actually succeed in making you smile?” He asked, leaning even closer to Aurelia to see it clearly.

The smile on Aurelia's face faded out again. She lifted a mug of beer that sat on the table and turned it over on his face, then got up and walked away. The other soldiers around the table burst into loud laughter, pointing their fingers at their captain.