“Where do we go? Do you know where the thieves might be?” asked the redheaded fennec.

  “Probably behind Sevla. There are abandoned houses, a real paradise for these types.” He growled. “Sister Emerald once told me that they often run away there, it's strange that military hasn't ambushed them there yet.”

   “Probably they don’t want to rouse a bad reaction. The only way to get there is through the village, and probably their gang has spies there.”

  “Someday I will kill them all with my own hands. All of them, every single one of them.” He said seriously.

  “Now you're scaring me...” Kasei responded. „But... where's Mateo?”

   “Ha, I'm thinking about it myself too. You must have noticed that he's been ignoring us lately.” He answered coldly. Then they entered the village.

   “Yes, I noticed... but why is that?”

   “I think the reason is his brother. Ian and Peter were given permission to treat Hemasitus only two months ago. They had been treating only colds and such stuff before. Mateo didn't like the fact that Ian meddled in something as risky as treating a deadly blood disease. And when Ian and Peter had to take the life of their first patient, they couldn’t take it. I think you remember, when Peter didn't want to leave the room for two days. You weren't home then, because you went to town, but that's when Mateo came and started screaming that it was too much, and he wouldn't let Ian work with Peter again. Peter heard it all, unfortunately. Ian, however, protested and is still with Peter in the clinic treating others.”

  “So Mateo distanced himself from us because he's worried about his brother?”

   “I think so, he probably thinks that Peter dragged him into a dangerous game. It's a fact, that this disease is dangerous, but... I have to support Peter in his struggle to cure it. And so should Mateo. Mateo was like our personal defender... Maybe I just got used to it?” He laughed. “But that's enough.”

   They walked through the village. They were only a few minutes away from finding out whether they would meet the thieves or not. Kasei noticed that some young man was following them.

   “Hey, Edward...” she whispered in his ear.

   “I know,” He said quietly. They left the village, and found themselves in an empty area, from a distance they could see a few destroyed old houses. A few shrubs were growing around them, and it was from behind them that the people that Ed was looking for emerged. There were three of them, and each of them had an animal standing next to them. As Ed guessed, they were their weapons.

   “Well, who do we have here? Edward.” One of them said mockingly.

   “Well, who do we have here? The sissy.” Edward answered with a smile.

   “I understand you’ve missed us? That's even better, we didn't have to look for you again.”

   “I’ve indeed missed you. I missed hitting your face, so be nice and satisfy my deep desire.”

   “We will, in the name of Ra.” Their pets have turned into weapons. Kasei did the same, and landed in Ed’s hands. “The three of us, versus you alone. Who will win?”

   “Let's find out.” He marched in their direction, crossing one of their weapons with his own. The two next to him tried to attack him, but he quickly avoided them and then hit one in the neck - he had lost consciousness after being hit by a spear handle. Two more were left, but it wasn't that easy. Edward reacted in the last moment, blocking a sword blade by hand. Blood flowed from the cut wound. Ed had difficulty holding his weapon, but he wasn’t going to give up. He had to fight, to revenge Peter.

~

   Peter was in the clinic. He treated his wounds a few minutes ago, so he was just sitting in the corner. He was looking at the wall, waiting for Ian, worrying about Ed. He couldn't stop his tears. What happened in the morning was too overwhelming for him to bear. He clenched his hands together and wept quietly. There was a bandage on his right wrist, just like on his left shoulder.

   “It was all my fault... It was all my fault...” he spoke quietly to himself. He cried when suddenly he heard someone's footsteps. He felt shame, he couldn't believe that someone was about to see him like this.

   “Why are you crying? Are you sad?” Peter opened his eyes widely to the words he heard. He looked and saw a little brunette with beautiful amber eyes.

   “Yvon...” he said with amazement. “Are you able to walk?”

   „A little... your medication helped... I won't come near you, but I heard you cry.”

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   „It's amazing, you're really strong...” he said, and then he cast a defensive spell on himself. “Come here, now you can.”

   The girl came closer. She was looking at him.

   “Did someone hurt you?”   “Yes... You see, I have a bit of a problem with bullies... They keep coming to me. But my brother protects me from them... Now he's gone to fight them for me again...”

   “My older brother also protects me.” She answered. “And I'll get better for him.”

   “Yes... You will certainly do it...” he said pathetically, and then the girl grabbed his hands. Peter smiled. In general, he forgot about the possibility that he might become infected. He was so enchanted by the fact that he could help someone, so that the person could stand still and comr to him. But he did not notice how the little raccoon had just slipped into the clinic. He was too focused on Yvon.

   ‘You'll be all right Prash... you just have to find blood... right, yes...’ he thought nervously, and quietly squeezed himself under one of the cabinets, and looked at Peter and Yvon. He decided to rest there, and at the same time wait for them to leave, so that he could freely look for what he came. Still, he was terrified to death by possibility that they would find him.

   “Why do you treat people like me?” she asked.

   “Because... I want to. My mother died of this disease, so I want to fight it. How did you get sick?”

  “I tried to protect my father. Some people came to our house and started screaming that we were unfaithful. And they threw something red at us, and when my mom saw that I had got dirty with it, she fell to the ground and she wasn't moving anymore. And soon afterwards I woke up here.” “The Believers of the Light...” he whispered. “I'm very sorry... I'm really sorry for you... that's how my mother got sick. She was attacked by them. That's why they attacked me too.”

   “Why are they doing this?”

   “They think that only their religion is true. They are... full of hatred. Do you believe in anything?”

   “Yes, in the cosmos.”

   “But... the cosmos exists, you don't have to believe in it.”

   “No, I believe that the cosmos is a god, and that I will meet my mother after death, in a different world.”

   “Reincarnation? I frankly don't doubt it myself.”

   The girl then smiled. Peter, embarrassed, scratched the back of his head.

  “What is your brother like?” she asked.

   “He... is brave. He likes philosophy and I often hear him do monologues on various subjects... He takes care of me...”

   “Oh, my brother is very kind. As often he has to go somewhere far away, he comes back with different things for me and the rest of the siblings. And I wonder if he will visit me...”

   “I am sure he will visit you” he said. Then a dignified woman with emerald eyes, black hair and golden armor came inside. Yvon escaped to the sick room, so as not to create a threat to her. Prash’s heart almost stopped when she stopped nearby. He calmed down when he realized she couldn't see him under the cupboard.

   “Is Edward here? We have a serious problem.” Emerald Sand said.

  “Edward... went to fight the thieves...” he answered with shame.

   “Peter... They attacked you again?” she came closer and started looking at his injuries. The golden–haired sighed.

   “Yes...” he answered quietly. “I don't want to talk about it... Oh, what's the problem, sister?”

   “Strange magic was detected all over the village, so I was sent here. I don't have any good news. The taboo was broken.”

  “Taboo...?” Peter was awfully scared. He lowered his head. “Now what happened this morning... makes sense to me...”

   “Excuse me?” Emerald asked surprised.

   “Sister... I know what it might be...” he whispered, still with his head down. The sun was setting slowly. “But I don't want to talk about it right away, please... Not here...”

   “Am I to understand that I should call for reinforcements?”

   “Yes... Because it won't be an easy opponent...”

   Emerald helped him to stand up, and they slowly left. Prash jumped out of the cabinet, then climbed up and opened it. Fate wanted him to find what he wanted to find. He changed into his human form, took a jar and covered it with a cloth that was lying next to him. He jumped out of the window and then ran away as quickly as he could. He was happy that he had managed to complete his mission.