If I Could Live Again

CHAPTER 16

The rustling of the leaves were the only sound that dominated the entire forest. Tension filled the air as the last mercenary was on guard against the beast. His eyes solely focused on what was infront of him

Elin gathered a blob of water at the tip of her index finger as she kept on watching the motionless man. She fixed her aim locking her eyes on the man’s hand. Elin released an incredibly high pressure water bullet hitting the mercernary’s hand piercing through his flesh and bone.

“Bullseye!”, Elin grinned while watching him release his sword he firmly held as he felt the searing pain while blood trickled down his wounded hand.

The beast attacked impulsively when the mercenary slightly flinched. Its claws burrowed through the flesh tearing him apart. The man that was on high alert before seemed to be like a lifeless doll lying on the ground. The monster dragged the cold body with its sharp teeth biting the man’s head. Its silhouette began to fade as it walk deeper into the forest with trails of blood it left behind.

Elin went back to the wagon and hauled the bound man out. She pressed her left knee against his chest putting all her weight unto him.

“Who. Hired. You?”, Elin’s face was near his as she stared straightly at the coachman’s eyes instilling fear little by little. Elin’s aura increased its pressure throttling the poor man. He grimaced as he was beginning to be out of breath as the temperature began to drop even more.

“Hmmm. Are you not going to say anything? How useless can you get?”, She placed her fingers near his eyes. Elin slowly gouged his eye out and the coachman screamed in pain. She squashed the eyeball as she was getting frustrated waiting for an answer from him.

Shhhhhhhhh

“Are you that excited to let the beasts know their snack is lying here?”, Elin placed her finger in the coachman’s lips to silence him. Blood flowed down his cheeks as if he was crying red tears.

“Now. WHO. HIRED. YOU?”, Elin repeated the question.

The source that supplied the products of the illegal dealings was more cautious than she expected. She has been tracking him down for a long time now but his very presence often disappear like a mist. Nero couldn’t even locate him after he disappeared losing all their trails of him. They couldn’t understand how such individual was able to outsmart them and what kind of magic the being was using that even Nero was having a hard time searching him.

“It seems that you do not need your eyes. Hmm? If you still want to see, then tell me right this instant!”, she whispered in his ears while placing her fingers near the man’s eyes.

The man still refused to utter a word for he was more afraid of what will happen to him if he ever say even one word. Veins pop out on Elin’s forehead. Her impatience grew tenfold by the fact that they couldn’t get any information from him.

Elin took a knife and was ready to stab the neck of the useless coachmen. She raised her hand and targeted the large vessel but was stopped by a strong grip.

“What do you think you’re doing?”, a familiar man was standing behind her trying to hold her forearms tightly.

“Who are YOU to stop ME from what I’m doing?”, Elin immediately stood up as she saw the man she met at Aurora’s hut. She acted like the scout concealing her true identity.

Leo gazed at the coachman still lying on the ground with bleeding eyes. His gaze went back to Elin trying to sort out the situation.

“Stop pretending, Elin”, Leo passed by her approaching the man groaning in grief. 

“And who is this person called Elin?”, She pierced her lips trying to keep her cool.

Sigh.

“You can’t fool me, Elin. I know, even though you have a different face right now”, Leo brushed his hair backward. He approached the coachman and stared at him feeling peeved.

“No one knows the existence of drop earrings except for those who went and see Aurora. She’s the only one who can make this. Aurora provides the earring if she sees you’re worthy enough to receive it. You’re the only one I recently encountered. See the drop earring I have? Can you see its constantly changing hues? Those who were granted permission to wear them are the only ones who can see the kaleidoscope. Others see such earring as something dull and simple. Besides, only a select few knows where Aurora is. No matter how much you try to locate her, you can’t. I’m even surprised you arrived there without any difficulty”, Leo took his knife out and threw it lazily piercing the neck of the coachman perfectly.

Elin was dumbfounded by such information. She didn’t know that other wearer can see her mask. However, she was still thankful that such information was given to her.

“If you’re just going to kill him, why did you stop me from doing it?”, Elin saw what he did and scowled at him.

“I provided an information that no person outside must know. It’s natural for me to eliminate them or else Aurora will be in danger”, Leo looked at Elin straight in the eyes. His stare was intense like a warm light that illuminates the cold, dark night. Not an ounce of hostility was emanating. Instead, it was bizarrely comforting.

“Tell me. Are you an ENEMY or an ALLY?”, Leo uttered.