Earth Master

Chapter 6 - the Separation

Sorry that it took longer than usual to upload the new chapter..  I am back on track ^^

Chapter 6 – the Separation

Aurora opened her eyes to a dark room enlightened by only one candle. She raised her head and the moment she did, she was struck with an unbearable headache. When it ceased a little, she looked around. She was in a small room that only had a futon and a small nightstand. Her bag was left on top of it and there was no sign of Moonshade.

She tried to remember what happened but the last memory she had was Moonshade’s weary eyes as they were sitting at the table and eating.

Remembering what Kumo had said earlier, “Went to arrange our stay, my ass.” she said angrily and attempted to get up from the futon but failed miserably. She fell on the floor because she had almost no feeling on her legs. Whatever it was that they had used on her still had some effect, but she forced herself to stand up. Picking up the candle, she walked out of the room.

Her eyes were searching for Moonshade with every step that she took. Her vision was blurry and the light from the candle was too weak. Like these were not enough, also her balance was still off, so it was a real challenge for her to go downstairs. When she reached downstairs, she recognized the diner. There was not any light source other than the candle she was carrying, therefore she assumed it was the middle of the night.

‘I musta been out for at least four hours.’ she thought.

As she stood there trying desperately to pick up Moonshade’s energy, the candle fire flickered. She hold the candle to her right, which was the direction the wind came from and noticed a silhouette. When she walked towards that direction, holding out the candle, she saw Kumo sitting alone at a table.

“What the hell did you do?!” she shouted with a sudden burst of anger. “Where is Moon?!”

She took a couple of steps towards him but then she saw an expression on Kumo’s face she has never seen before that made her stop. His snow-white eyebrows were crossed, his eyes were gazing into the pitch darkness of the night. Without looking at Aurora he said in a cold tone:

“You woke up early.”

“Where is Moon?!” she repeated her question.

Kumo did not answer this time either, but he stood up, approached her and slowly took the candle from her hands. Aurora was trying her best to control herself as he used that candle to light two of the torches hanging on the wall. The part of the diner saloon where they were standing had more light now and it was enough for them to see the other one clearly.

Aurora was getting angrier as she waited for an answer that was clearly not coming any time soon. Right now Kumo was her only source to Moonshade's whereabouts. Aurora was never the type of a person who would do something on a whim or without calculation. Since she could not pick up Moonshade's energy no matter how hard she concentrates, she thought storming Kumo would only hurt her chances of finding Moonshade, if there was any.

“What have you done with him?” she asked this time with a calmer voice.

“If it puts your mind at ease, he is alive.” Kumo answered, coldly. He was far from his general fatherly self, he was distant.

“What do you mean alive?” she questioned. “What kind of an answer is that? Tell me where he is.” Although she was relieved to hear he was alive, because not feeling Moonshade's presence anywhere near was causing her to panic.

“First, sit down.” ordered Kumo, sitting down, and he pointed a chair opposite to him.

Aurora raised her eyebrows to show him just how unreasonable he was being at the time.

“The last time I shared a table with you, you poisoned me and apparently kidnapped my brother!” she exclaimed.

“Very well.” said Kumo, “Stand there if you like.”

“Tell me where he is!” Aurora cried out loud and Kumo felt the ground shaking under his feet.

“He is on his way to the Head city with my men as a prisoner.”

The word 'prisoner' sent shivers down her spine. Aurora was now regretting her decision of going to the Head city, even more so dragging Moonshade along. She did not expect them to be exposed so soon, without even making it to the Head city.

The image of the demon captive earlier from their journey would not leave Aurora's mind. She kept picturing Moonshade in the same way, tied, unconscious, blood all over his face. Tears were forcing their ways to come out, as she was trying to stand strong. This was the first time they fell apart and in such a way.

‘They couldn’t be too far.’ she thought and hoping to catch up with them before dawn, she went for the door. Right when she was going to reach the door, Kumo appeared in front of her. His angry face was even scarier than before.

“Where do you think you are going, young lady?” he asked.

“Move!” she said, “I’m gonna stop them before they reach the city.”

Kumo did not seem like he was going to move, he was blocking the door.

“I find it a bit suspicious that you are not asking why he is a prisoner.” he said.

“How very perceptive of you.” Aurora was smirking. “That’s the man who walked side by side with a demon for hours, without even suspecting anything. It took you a double murder to even suspect and two drugged soup to be sure.”

“So you did know he was a demon.” said Kumo. “But why would you lie like that?”

Aurora was confused by his question. Because she assumed that Kumo had found out that she was a demon once he examined her when she was unconscious. But if he really knew that she was a demon, then this question would not make sense. She knew it for a fact that, it was impossible to hide their demon energy when they were unconscious. That was the very reason Kumo sent his two men to pay the owner of the diner to put a powerful sedative in their meal.

Kumo knew instantly that Moonshade was a demon once he got under the influence of the drug. However what happened with Aurora was that Kumo made the same mistake the doctor did when he first examined Aurora years ago. He could not sense her demon energy because it was masked by her master energy. So just like the doctor, he thought the girl was a weak master.

‘So, he doesn’t know.’ she thought and said:

“If you still need me to tell you after you drugged me, you simply don’t deserve to know. Now move or I’m gonna force my way through.”

Kumo would not move before he found out what reason this girl could have to lie about being related to a demon.

“Alright then.” said Aurora and took a step back. “ ‘Stand there if you like.’ ”

Suddenly the door was banged open from outside causing a loud sound, hitting Kumo’s head. When he regained his balance, he saw a big tiger standing where the door was once, and four more silhouettes behind it, that also looked like tigers. Kumo glanced at Aurora who went to grab one of the torches from the wall.

With the light coming from the torch in her hand, Kumo could now see the five tigers clearly, hissing at him. He was too terrified to move.

“I’m off.” said Aurora and she walked past the tigers, which did not seem to be interested in her. She untied Peony, climbed on her and went galloping away into the night, leaving the most amazed Kumo alone with the tigers…

*end of Chapter 6