Legend of the Holy Sentinels: Night Hunters

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - the PREDICAMENT

"Oh, you're awake! Great! Grab your breakfast and eat this berry. This'll help you quickly recover."

"Ow, ow, ow! What happened, Master?"

Lime found herself in the clearing under a tall tree on the bright morning the day after her attempt of pushing her body to its limit. She discovered all her extremities bound in white bandages as a rosy pink smear peeks on the edges round her left knee suggesting she has sustained quite an injury. She didn't felt any open wounds but she feels as if ten giants took their turns to slap her body sore.

She stood up and tried her best to stretch her body as she was invigorated by the weird fruity smell of the marinated roasting fish crackling on the bonfire. Karus is eating his apparent third serving of the foot-and-a-half fish close to the fire almost ten paces far from her.

"Well, you did injure yourself doing your laps and fell on the ground unconscious but you're fine now."

"Wh-what?! I did finish my laps? Right, Master!?"

Karus smiled looking at her eager eyes and nodded. This brought a fiery passion within her as she started to crawl near him and grabbed her share of the huge fish on a stick. Karus just chuckled continuing his meal.

Although she just reached a hundred and twenty seven laps last night before falling unconscious, her true grit to still push on inspired him. So even though she did not really finish her promised task of three hundred, he wouldn't mind lying to her to give her some satisfaction on her efforts. After all she did manage to drag her body for a lap and a half unconscious and bleeding.

"This is good!" she gaily exclaimed, "Really good! Master! What'd you put in here?"

Karus snickered as he asked surprised, "Are you teasing me or something?"

"No! Really! It's the best fish I've had so far. And believe me, I've tasted quite plenty back in the East."

"Tell that to Kayzar and Yosh," he whispered grinning.

"Who?"

"I - uh - nothing," he cringed inside feeling awkward forgetting about his disguise so he quickly changed the topic, "I-it's just - uh - the usual herbs and spices. You know? We're praised for our great spices here. That's just the basic mix. It's nothing compared to a kitchen full of exotic ingredients."

"Yes, like in the Palace. Chef Mort makes the perfect meals! The explosion of flavors really invites you to take a bite out of every single dish served even if you're full."

"Mort," he silently laughed, "he's nothing compared to the great Chefs Kudos and Madj, which I warn you, makes the most addictive Red Meat Stew, Fruit Drinks, Grilled White Meat..."

"Oh Dear Lord!" she stood up almost instantly feeling tensed and disturbed.

"What is it?" Karus followed as she immediately ran to get her things.

"I got to get back at the Palace, Master. My father would be furious if he finds out that I'm not in my quarters, which I think will be soon since it's a four hour trek from here to there."

"No you're not. In your condition, trekking isn't an option. Not only that you won't get to reach your four hour bar, you won't reach the Palace in time for dinner. And besides, I've been here for years and it's nowhere near a four hour walk. Trust me. You'll be much better if I scour for your tall beast horse. It's around here somewhere right?"

"You don't know my father. He will be so devastated he'll summon a search party and will scour every inch of the city and that would be really, really embarrassing."