Crustel

Chapter 10

 After the ceremony, I needed rest. I stayed with mom. "We can't go to our castle yet. We need time to take back our kingdom. So, we have to stay here in this forest." I nodded but still, I was thinking about Erica. I wanted to meet her. She was my best friend. If she was my enemy she might have not talked to me. I was puzzled. I was thinking deeply till I didn't realize mom and Ethan were calling me.

 I turned around. Mom waved from a tent. I ran towards her. Ethan was with her. He was helping mom to make the tent. It was not similar to my room in the castle but all I knew was, everything will be worth it. I closed my eyes. I fell asleep. Every sweet memory with Erica flashed in my dream. I played with her. I still remember vividly how I met her in the human world. When I was thirteen, mom gifted me an amulet. I was running around my house wearing the amulet. Mom was giggling. I even ran towards the backyard. To my surprise, a girl with blue eyes was standing in front of me. She was holding a stick, later I knew it was her wand. She said that she was in her training but accidentally mounted a different spell which made her come to the human world, especially in the backyard of my house. At that moment, I liked the way she talked. Erica introduced herself and we talked so long. 

  Mom asked me who was I talking with and I just said partial truth. I said she accidentally came to our backyard. Mom bought it. Every day we played. I even showed her my laptop and my smartphone. She was amazed to see technology growth in the human world. She always tells me about Crustel. She was the one who brought me back. If she didn't talk to me about Crustel I wouldn't know about it. She is my best friend no matter what. I couldn't sleep. I was crawling. I sat quietly. Mom was asleep. I peeked out of the tent. Ethan and Lama were sleeping together. I tiptoed and scrolled towards the Aura River. I saw my castle. I knew if I get caught, I would be punished or even worse, killed but I wanted to meet Erica. I sneaked in. Some soldiers were sleeping while leaning against the wall. They had sharp swords. Each one had two swords. I tiptoed towards my room (before the Lanshiren attack). I saw a girl sleeping peacefully where I lost my peace and sneaking into my own castle. 

 I called out her name calmly. "Erica! Wake up!" She turned but didn't open her eyes. I called again but I could barely hear my own voice. Erica opened her eyes slowly while yawning. She saw me. She didn't react then slept. I was still standing still there. She suddenly woke up fast and ran towards me. "Cora!" She whispered. Then she went a step back. "How did you come here? I told you that you should not come back in four days. How did you sneak in? There are almost a thousand soldiers inside the castle." she was asking so many questions. I cut her, "Erica, calm down. Do you know who I am when the first day you met me?" She turned back. I could feel the guilt inside her. "Cora, I didn't mean to kill your dad, grandfather and your grandmother. I am not a heartless brick." My hands were shaking. Tears rolled down my cheeks. "You owe me! You're a Lanshiren, and you're being nice to me? Why did you become my best friend? Why are you doing this? This betrayal!" I ended up whispering everything so that no one else listens to our conversation; so that they don't know about us; a Lanshiren and a Crustelician were best friends once upon a time.

  She was speechless. She turned back to me but didn't have the courage to face my eyes. "Cora, I am your best friend before being a Lanshiren. I was forced. I...I am the daughter of the leader of tranquets and a Lanshiren. Everyone thought I was something different. They knew I had similar power as you but  I can only transform into human form, mermaid form and tranquet form. They expected more. They were disappointed with my limited power. They were jealous of your power but I admired it. I always wanted to be your friend but my parents controlled everything. They trained me for war since I was six years old." Erica cried. She couldn't accept the fact we were enemies too. 

 I was thinking about my second chance. "If I pass the test it means, I need to kill Erica's father. It will become revenge-seeking but if I fail, Crustel will be in danger. I can't leave Crustel for my friendship but at the same time I couldn't leave this friendship," I was murmuring to myself. Fortunately, Erica didn't hear it. She was overwhelmed. I saw shiny yellow and orange rays through the windows. To my dismay, the sun rose. I must get back to the forest. "Erica, I can't break our friendship and I promise I won't," I said and turned into a cat. I went by the hallway and walked like a cat till I couldn't see the castle anymore. I transformed into my human form. I ran towards the forest. It was the first day of my training session with mom and Lama after so many years. Fortunately, I was on time. Lama was preparing equipment for my training. "Good morning, Lama. What's about today's lesson?" I asked him curiously. Lama smirked. " Good morning Cora. Go to the tent and wear your armour. Today will be about war!" I froze right there. I never knew my first-day lesson would be related to war. I thought I had more time for that but after thinking wisely, when I take the gem of the Leader of the tranquets, definitely, there will be a war and I should be ready to face it.

 I went to the tent and got ready for my war practice. My armour was made of steel but I remembered the attack. The Lanshirens will use aventurine again. I need to find a way to fight back against the aventurine attack. I have never felt hopeless. Now that feeling rose slowly.