CHAPTER 9
Early morning, they are preparing to leave and travel deep within the Eastern forest.
Being able to return to her home, Little White is in a happy mood.
But the good mood is soon dampened by Big Black’s words.
A while ago, one of the Black Ravens returned from scouting. The black raven informed the Big Black about what lies ahead as he has instructed.
“Little White, don’t do the surveys from now on. My servants told me about the monsters ahead are stronger than we ever faced before”
She is in the middle of preparing the tools she needs to scout the path when she heard him. It was out of concern that Little White would not endanger her life while on duty.
She felt sad because her usefulness has become less than before. The Devil paused for a moment and continued.
“And no hunting for a while”
Little White froze after she heard him and soon tears flow unrestraint from her eyes. Big Black has seen her tears, but his face remains unchanged.
“Let’s go” He might not know the Little White’s feelings at this moment and ignored the tears as he began walking and leaving the unmoving girl.
But he soon paused when he felt no movement of Little White and turned back.
“Little White!” he called her again with a slightly loud tone voice. But Little White remains unmoving.
“No!” She finally replies with a defiant tone.
After receiving the reply, the Devil then turns back and reproach her.
“What’s wrong?” He arrived in front of the elf who had noticed his presence, she suddenly lowers her head and became nervous as if she did something bad.
“Let’s stay here. I also don’t want to go anymore. I don’t want to leave this place!”
Big Black raised an eyebrow and not knowing what is wrong, she usually follows whatever he tells her to do without question.
He felt a swirling emotion within the girl as they communicate telepathically and finally knew why she suddenly turned that way.
Little White is aware of Big Black activities during the past couple of days and she felt a premonition of being not needed anymore.
She may be act base on her emotion and ignorance all the time, but she is a very intelligent girl if she is given enough time and experience for growth. It is also the reason why she survived for so long in the current environment she’s in.
She watches and feels how Big Black is getting stronger each day. Her intuition tells her that they will be split apart someday in the future.
She is also aware of the Devil’s objectives and the uses of monsters because she was ordered to capture them and witness its transformation.
That’s is why she felt threatened that her position would be taken away from her soon so she worked harder these past few days so Big Black would not set her aside like a replaceable tool.
Little White thinks her premonition came true after he forbids her from doing the usual activity. That is why she illogically believes that by not going beyond this territory would make the things go back to normal, and she would be relevant again.
“I know what you are thinking, and it is not what you think. Come now, staying here would not do us any good”
Big White spoke with seriousness. There was a dozen of times they have crossed path with adventurers. Fortunately, with Big White’s intervention, they manage to avoid being detected.
“No! I don’t want to” she voiced her refusal as the voice came with intense insecurity and fear.
Big Black stared at the weeping Elf for a minute and finally became impatient as he could no longer wait because their next stop would take many hours to travel.
“You leave me no choice but to do this”
Big Black doesn’t want to waste any more time because their journey would belong. Big Black had no choice to use physical means.
“Ah!”
Little White exclaims and becomes more afraid as she sees Big Black moved towards her. She crouches down with her head lowers and ready to receive any kind of punishment because she believes she would get hit this time.
She suddenly felt both hands of Big Black on her waist as she is being raised high. Meanwhile, she closed her eyes, afraid to see Big Black’s current expression.
Thou, the pain didn’t come for a long-time, but she felt she was sitting on something warm. She slowly opens her eyes and was surprised that she is currently sitting on Big Black shoulders as she remains frozen in shock.
“Let’s go” Big Black finally moves and carrying Little White on his right shoulder while his left shoulder is carrying a stitched leather bag.
“Big Black” She can only call out his name because she doesn’t know what to do or say at this moment. Only big tears fall out her eyes as she makes the sound of whimper like an injured animal.
“Stop crying alright… once I get a full grasp of the situation ahead, I’ll give your job back”
Big Black is still learning the topic of the relation between people and along with emotion that is currently cultivating with Little White. He can only do what he thinks is right and consider the feelings of his little companion so he would not earn a negative feeling from her.
After hearing him, Little White stops crying, but there was still a bit of lingering insecurity left in her. She still wants more reassuring words but hesitates to say it so to not step his borderline. But she soon mustered her courage and speak telepathically.
“Do you mean it?” Little White asks nervously.
“Yes” Big Black spoke with a confident tone.
“You’re not going to abandon me?” She still has doubts as she is afraid in the future.
“I have big plans for you in the future” Big Black patiently said while walking deep in the Eastern Forest.
“Really? Big Black has big plans for me!” Little White suddenly became excited upon hearing him.
“Yes, but you must get stronger before I execute my plan, alright?” Big Black coaxes her to motivate herself. Soon after she seems to have forgotten the negative thoughts she had before.
“I’ll do my best” Little White reply with enthusiasm.
“maybe someday, you will be the one deciding to leave me or not”
Big Black is hinting something. It is understandable that beings like him would face many kinds of challenges in the future and that the people who accompanied him would feel a lot of pressure just to stay by his side.
Little White understand him. Hearing his honest opinion has made Little White understand a little of what’s coming and the danger they would face in the future.
“Don’t worry, Little White promise to get stronger so Big Black will not be lonely”
She hugs his head as she presses her entire body to cover it and saying reassuring words.
“hmm”
Big Black reply by nodding his head slightly as he continues to walk silently.
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Many hours have passed, and the surroundings become dense with vegetation that no roads could be seen. The grounds are covered with tall grass and the large trees cover the sky that only patches of light could only get in.
Big Black who is 3 meters tall, had no problem seeing the surroundings but the tall grasses growth has reached the height of up to his chest so he could hardly see objects like rocks and the ground below his feet.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Who knows what creatures lurk beneath the tall grasses that could potentially stalk them right at this moment.
Meanwhile, Little White is dozing off while hugging Big Blacks head on the side.
Suddenly…
“Ah! If I don’t hunt, then what are we going to eat from now on?”
Little White suddenly wakes up and remembers their food from now on. It was probably her habit during this time of the day that she is doing her usual job to hunt and prepare their food that made her awaken from her current state.
“Don’t worry. I let the Black Leopard handle the hunting from now on”
Big Black has contacted one of the beast kings to do the hunt for them. He chooses the Primordial Black Leopard who is within the vicinity and because it is much closer than the rest.
“You mean the one who I encounter during my hunting”
“Yes, that one”
Little White asks in confirmation and Big Black confirmed. After the food case settles, they traveled for more than an hour and the tall grass is seemingly endless.
Big Black did not show any hint of impatience because he knew the way they are taking is the right way. It is because of the advance party that Big Black commands to survey ahead their destination as they keep sending information and visual to Big Black even to this moment.
Little White, who has now completely awakened is busy looking out in the surroundings of any hint of movements from monsters as an extra precaution.
Unfortunately, so far, there is no monster yet to be seen. But she did smell something worth noting.
“Big Black! I smell river water in that direction!”
She feels excited at this moment, it's probably because of boredom and inconsiderate of her companion’s wellbeing to rest.
“I didn’t get information on a nearby river, are you sure?”
He was skeptical because he didn’t get any information regarding the body of water in the close surroundings.
“Maybe because it’s that direction”
Little White pointed at her right side which is not included in their suggested path.
“I’ll let them check first and if it’s true, we’ll stay for a night”
Big Black commands the avian scouts telepathically.
They waited a couple of minutes when a Dark Riven flew past them and heading to the pointed direction. Soon, he received a telepathic message to confirm her speculation and made a decision.
“hmm… they found the river, let's rest for a night there”
They began heading in that direction. The original plan was to travel at the already planned resting area ahead, but the dense vegetation had slowed their movement by half so Big Black decided to rethink their plans and find a way to travel smoothly.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the river. Little White heard a splashing of the water nearby and with her suggestion, they headed there.
When they arrived, they were greeted by a short yet 100 meters wide waterfall. The pothole where the water if continuously falling is relatively shallow and not yet gouge out of time. It looks like it’s has been newly created.
They could see signs the upper part used to be leveled from below, but probably a powerful earthquake elevated the half of the area and transforming the geography it was today.
“Beautiful”
Little White admired everything nature has created. It might be because she is from the Elven race who known to be the children of the forest.
“Prepare the tent. I believe it’s going to rain soon”
Meanwhile, Big Black doesn’t care about the beauty of the waterfall as his attention is at the gloomy sky.
“Okay”
She follows his commands and opens the stitched leather bag. She opens it, but only small items could be seen and all of it is owned by her. The majority is stitch leather from the monsters they previously hunted and eaten.
And Including the leather bag itself, she is making a makeshift tent. A couple of minutes later she expertly made a triangular tent made of wooden stick from the surroundings, the stitched leather, and a fiber rope to bind the tent together.
As he finished her job, she is going towards Big Black who is currently in the meditative state. She did not want to disturb him that is her base on the interpretation of not disturbing because she is currently lying in the middle of Big Black cross-legged position.
“Grrr”
The peaceful mood soon ended with the arrival of a large black leopard. It was the leopard that was transformed by the black bead that Little White made it swallow.
He was carrying a whole carcass of a boar in his mouth as he is approaching slowly towards their direction. His black eyes came with intelligence but his growling behavior towards Little White is beastly. It might remember Little White because she is the reason, he turned this way but it is impossible because the Dark Spirit possessor had wiped out the beast's entire memory.
Or maybe it was the Dark Spirit the one who disliking Little White.
Little White looked lazily at the monster. She knew why the reason the Black Leopard dislike her. And not only this monster but all Big Black’s servants didn’t like her.
During the past couple of days, Little White is obstructing the servants who are currying favor towards Big Black. She too has a huge dislike towards the servant because intuition told her that they could not be trusted.
But she knew Big Black is relying on them because he is currently lacking power and both discussing secret plans in the future if something bad will happen.
“Put it down, I will do the rest”
Little White got up and walking towards the Black Leopard. She is unaffected by the threatening eyes of the monster. The Monster drops down the carcass and made a long stare towards her before leaving.
She picks up the carcass and begins processing the meat in the river and starts a bone fire for roasting. A couple of minutes later, the good smell spread the surroundings and made Big Black awoke.
“Little White, don’t cause unnecessary trouble in the future”
After awakening, the first thing he did was to remind Little White of something.
“I know”
She pouted. She knew he was aware of things happening around even without seeing. But she felt wronged because she thinks she is innocent.
“It’s going to rain at any minute, let eat in the tent”
They brought their food inside the tent and start eating. The rain is starting to pour down from the sky.
As they finished eating, the rains continued for hours already as it keeps getting stronger.
“It’s probably a bad time to camp near the river”
Big Black check and put his head outside and see the river water getting closer to their location.
“What do we do?”
Little White didn’t show anything sign of nervousness as she knew they can relocate at any time. But having her clothes wet would be a hustle because she only got one set of clothes.
“I have already contacted my servants on the ground to check any caves nearby for shelter”
He did not waste time and ready to move at any moment. Meanwhile, a big dark-eyed brown ape is running looking from left to right as if searching for something. He suddenly stops as he spotted a large cave that is enough to fit two of him simultaneously.
“Let’s go, they have found a cave nearby”
“My stuff”
They are about to get out of the tent as Little White became sad.
“I’ll help you make your tools later”
He reassured her while carrying Little White in his arms as he runs fast and leaving their items behind as they don’t have time to pack their things because the river water is about to sweep their area.
They arrived after a few minutes outside the large cave and cautiously going inside. The entrance is dark and they didn’t have any kind of material to make a light. Fortunately, Big Black can see clearer and Little White with her enhance five senses that were polished throughout the years in the forest somehow has no trouble seeing.
“We’ll go deeper”
“Alright”
He asks for consent as they go deeper into the dark tunnel. The tunnel seems to be longer than they anticipated as they already walking for more than thirty minutes.
“Look!”
Little White noticed a dim blue light right far from them. As they got closer, the sources could finally be distinguished. It came from the rock that is glowing dimly embedded in the tunnel wall. There was only one at first but upon arriving closer, the tunnel is surrounded by the glowing blue rocks.
Little White is curious at the glowing rocks and attempts to touch it.
“Stop, it could be dangerous”
She was stopped by Big Black as he grabs her hand that was getting closer to a glowing rock.
“Alright”
She complies but still has a desire to touch it if it were not Big Black who speaks. The tunnel is dimly lit and they could now see their way as they go deeper.
“I believe there’s a huge area to rest at the end of this tunnel”
They could not stop and rest in the middle of the tunnel because even though it's relatively big but it is not the desired spot for Big Black to meditate. They can only go deeper and pray the end of the tunnel has the right condition for the two to stay for the night.
“Big Black, I’m cold”
As they go deeper the colder it gets. They could tell the tunnel path is going underground. There is also a thin sheet of ice in the tunnel walls and droplets of water stops dropping as they transformed into an ice stalactite.
Moreover, Little White is drenched with rainwater beforehand and as the surroundings grew colder her wet clothes are slowly freezing.
“I’ll make you warm”
Big Black carry her with her large arms. It is enough to cover most of her body. She soon felt her body is warming by the heat produced by him. They continue going deeper after Little White’s cold body is settled.
They soon arrived at the end of the tunnel and greeted by the huge underground space where rocks in the walls dimly lighted the surroundings.
“We’ve arrived”
Little White was sleepy by the warm and cold but fight her sleepiness as she got up.
“Beautiful glowing rocks”
She looks up and appreciates the thousands of glowing rocks at the ceiling like stars from the night sky.
“Bear with no food this time, the servants informed me the condition outside is getting worse and unable to procure food”
The rain is getting worse outside and after the rain, powerful gusts of winds start to blow on the forest that is enough to make a tall tree sways and leaves being taken out.
“Alright, I’ll just sleep”
She did not show discontent with not eating as she has been used not eating for days before. All she could do is to sleep to conserve energy. She then walks at Big Black who is already meditating as she lay her body on Big Black’s cross-legged position.
“Goodnight”
“Hmm”
Little White fall asleep quickly as the warm heat from Big Black’s body made her asleep.
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He did his usual meditation to delve deeper to understand the chaos core which is his heart. Aside from Dark Spirit powers and the dark beads, the only thing that can only be called his is the blue energy that can transform creatures into a similar kind to him.
He did not want to waste time because he did not trust the dark spirit that is within him. During their travels, the Dark Spirits whispers to his ears a myriad of things. He may be unaffected, but as time goes by, he began to understand that they are not entirely loyal to him. They have their personality and agenda.
He also dislikes the fact that he can’t just ignore them entirely because he and they are bound together and might cause turmoil inside of him.
Sometimes he and Little White secretly discussing scenarios should the Dark Spirit rebelled. It might not come true, but there is a small chance they find out a way to overtake control of his body in the future.
The only thing he could do now is to work harder to find out his potential because chaos abilities are not included after his creation, he must search and learn them to be used.
He sometimes becomes impatient after meditating for too long because no progress to be seen so far.
Luckily, he can remain calm on the surface and not showing signs of weakness towards the Dark Spirit because they might use it to their advantage.
At the moment he was a bit depressed. It is because he is powerless in the face of natural phenomenon, making him drench with rain and run to seek shelter. His abilities are unique and fall in the category of curse magic.
During their travel as they often spot adventurer groups, he observed magicians cast elemental magic that can produce a similar but smaller version of natural phenomenon. Unfortunately, he can’t recreate that kind of magic as he is not the same existences as the people living in the continent, including the Devils that were used as a reference to create his body.
He desired power, at least the power that can be useful in their current predicament.
As he focuses on meditating, he didn’t realize the energy of the glowing rocks is visible being suck by him as the trails of blue energy in every direction is going towards him.