Chapter 10 – Dreams, Danger and Deception
---Naulo’s POV---
Where am I?
When I opened my eyes what greeted me was thick steel bars in a very clean but gloomy room.
Huh? I thought I was gathering firewood for mother.
“You don’t have a ‘mother’,” a cold voice sounded out through the room. I quickly looked around, “W-who’s there?!”
The room is getting cold and distorting. I felt nauseous so I quickly covered my mouth with my hands and closed my eyes. The scenery changed. I feel trapped. I can’t move.
“It seems it was a success.” a voice of a man sounded out.
“Really, now?” a bored voice of a young man sounded out.
“Yes, Doctor. Surprisingly, by using the solution of concentrated XH304 and the ‘leftovers’ of the others we were able to merge two of the parts together. However, a side effect would most probably be the pain, which would occur throughout life.”
“Hmmm…” I cannot see anything but I can feel the young man’s eyes observing me inch by inch. It felt like I was placed into a box filled with insects. “Throw him into box44.”
“Yes sir.”
Pain. It’s painful. This is a dream, why am I feeling so much pain? It’s as if I had been thrown in a pot of boiling oil and eaten alive inside and out. I can’t even voice out my pain. I can’t see. What happened? What is this familiar feeling of pain?
“Ahh, a new one.”
---End POV---
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Emy was sitting nearby the bed where Naulo was recuperating with her hands clenched tightly. A while later the door opened and Auo came in, it seems that the villagers had returned.
“Naulo came back?” Auo asked Emy before he came into the small bedroom and saw Naulo.
Auo became pale as he saw the state Naulo was in, “H-how is he?” His voice trembled.
Emy looked up at Auo with misty eyes, “He’s recovering right now. H-he’ll be okay but I don’t know when he’d wake up.”
Auo walked up to Emy and hugged her tightly, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect him. I’m so sorry Emy.” He whispered.
*BANG*
The door to the house was slammed opened and Cario thundered in carrying a slightly smaller body, “Emy! Come and heal Xaro!”
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Emy and Auo were shocked at the loud intrusion but then Emy approached Xaro. She now noticed that Xaro seemed to be in extreme pain from a rare poison. Emy was not that worried though because she held the cure to all poisons within her and quickly healed Xaro in the small bedroom. Auo went outside the room with Cario to wait.
“It seems that the dangers aren’t over.” Cario said solemnly. He had an acute sense so he can somewhat predict the future. It’s not something he can see but more of a feeling. This time he feels that the danger is coming and it is a danger that he can almost touch.
Auo was silent for a while before he nodded.
“Auo…if I happen to die. I really hope that you can protect little Xaro for me if possible. I’ve already taught him almost everything I could. I really hope that he can survive the coming dangers.”
Auo looked at Cario with sadness but didn’t say anything.
---A little while ago---
**Clang clang**
The collision between Cario’s sword and the Leader wolf sounded aloud in the battlefield. After a few hundred blows there seem to be no advantage seen for either side.
‘Why are you protecting that mutt?!’ the Leader asked obviously annoyed but not losing his mind in anger.
“We aren’t protecting it. We are just protecting our village.” Cario replied with a smirk.
The Leader’s eyes narrowed, “By protecting that mutt you are putting yourselves in danger. That thing will bring death to everything near it. It is an abomination. Something that isn’t meant to be born into this world.”
This time Cario’s eyes narrowed as he was trying to comprehend what this wolf was saying. However, soon the wolf seem to have gotten a message and looked at Cario, ‘It seems I’ll have to end our fight short, strong red one. I hope we can fight again, though these forest are no longer safe.”
**AUOOOOO**
All the wolves’ ears perked at the orders and retreated extremely fast. Cario and the other didn’t seem to want to chase and therefore decided to continue following the black wolf’s trail before. After realizing Naulo was taken back from the trails they decided to head back to the village.
---A few years later---
It was Naulo’s 10th birthday. Ever since the outing of Naulo the village became more quiet.
“I must say Naulo, you are becoming more and more beautiful!” Xaro said truthfully as Mili and Mila got annoyed.
“Say Xaro…it can’t be that you are gay right?” Mila was gritting her teeth.
“Ehh? There’s no way I am?” Xaro said as he looked at Mila with a mischievous smile, “I am only saying the truth. Don’t worry though Mila, you have your own charms.”
Mila blushes and turned away with a “humph” forgetting her earlier thoughts.
Naulo, Xaro, Mili and Mila were all gathered at Naulo’s home to celebrate his tenth birthday.
“Xaro, please never open your mouth.” A heavenly clear voice that didn’t seem to belong to this world sounded out.
“If I did that, Naulo, then how would I be eating your birthday dinner?” Xaro laughed freely.
Xaro was looked at with a pair of annoyed eyes. Naulo didn’t say anything and went to sit down at his seat as his mother told him. Naulo grew up beautifully with extremely slender built with beautiful skin and silky hair much to the dismay of the girls and women at the village. Even his face grew delicate giving him a cute yet beautiful type of look. Naulo wasn’t all that tall though at only 150cm.
These past few years all the children put all efforts in training after their close call with death. Naulo did try to join in on the training but sadly his strength was even weaker than the girls. Therefore, Naulo focused on increasing his poor stamina instead. Now even though he still is weak his agility and flexibility surpasses the other three, however, he can’t beat them because his attacks didn’t do much damage.
Naulo was able to speak after the trip to the forest as well. However, he wasn’t able to remember why he entered the forest in the first place. Today was his 10th birthday and everyone in the village recommended the children to have a meal together.
Emy was in the kitchen and told Naulo he didn’t have to help her prepare the meal today with her like he usually does because it’s his birthday.
“Mili! Mila! Come and bring the dinner out! I need to head out for a bit so you guys enjoy the dinner!” Emy’s voice sounded out from in the kitchen as she quickly wore her coat and left the house before anyone can reply.
“Ehh?” Everyone left looked at each other curiously.
That’s weird. They all thought but Mili and Mila still went into the kitchen to bring out all the delicious looking dishes with smiles.
Naulo was still looking at the door where his mother left suspiciously. After the foods were all brought out, the other three consumed them with gusto.
“Naulo, are you not gonna eat? It’s your birthday dinner after all. You better hurry before I finish it up! HAHA!” Xaro said cheerfully.
Naulo had a feeling that he shouldn’t eat this meal, but he wasn’t able to put his finger on what it is. His mother prepared this meal for his birthday after all so he should at least eat a bit.
A bit won’t hurt. Naulo thought as he started to eat a little.
**wheew**
A relieved sigh sounded out from outside. Emy was watching from far away with Auo to see the children eating the food.
---Naulo’s POV---
After eating the food mother made for us, I started to feel a bit drowsy. Even though I usually feel drowsy in the mornings and after meals this kind of drowsy was different. It was a force kind of drowsiness.
I looked at the other three and they seem to have already fallen asleep.
Not right!
My instinct warned me. I stood up hastily but the drowsiness made me unable to keep my mind working straight. I started heading towards the door but my steps were wavering. I fell down before I reached the door feeling my body and mind slowly shutting down. The door opened and I saw mother with father looking at me with sad faces.
“W-why?” I asked with my last consciousness.
Why did my parents drug me?