Birth (2)

When I opened the door, I saw a basket made of straw with 3 eggs in it. They were red, black and blue in color. The eggs looked covered with scales.

Eggs? Why would my father hide something like that in a sealed room? And why three of them?

Anyway, I can't just leave them here now that I've broken down the door. Is that why I came back in the first place?

Take it, lad," the voice sounded familiar. It was the voice of the creature from my "vision." Are they dragon eggs? If so, what should I do with them? I didn't even know that dragons were real until recently, and how do you keep such eggs?

"You will find out soon enough what your destiny holds for you, my boy."

I need a bag or something to carry these eggs... I don't think normal people would understand anything about this... even I don't really understand what's going on.

I looked around to see if there was anything I could use as a bag to carry the eggs.

Wasn't there an old backpack upstairs in a house? I mean, it's got holes in it, but it should definitely do for now.

I pulled the door shut behind me and went back up the stairs to get the backpack.

When I came back, however, I was surprisingly met by someone.

An old man with a long braid, gray hair and a gray cloth robe was waiting outside the door.

My boy. Musashi. Do you have any idea what you discovered?"

"Ehm... some weird egg-like objects from my father?" I asked, still not sure what I saw there. My gut tells me they're eggs, but they looked more like big rocks. And that's exactly how the texture felt from their surface before. Stony and dusty.

"You really don't know. The future will show if you are ready, my boy." The old man faded away as if his body was not real.

He disappeared in a thin mist... but not of shadows as I already know it from Sia but rather of smoke... or clouds? At least it looked like that.

I went back into the room. The stones were fortunately still there. Now quickly pack up and go to Rione. I hope she is well... wait a minute... Am I worried about a girl right now? EHEM... I mean, of course, it wouldn't be good if something happened to Rione... After all, I could be exposed too.

I first took the red stone or egg in my hand... it really didn't feel like there was life in this object... but the structure and the look resemble an egg... well special I don't feel anyway.

So I picked up the next... Black egg in my hand. This time I felt a slight tingling in my blood when I touched the egg. It feels indescribably strange.

A kind of electricity but not like Denki or my magic but much more.... Adrenaline? My heart starts pounding and my feeling gets stronger. Is there perhaps life in this "egg" after all?

I also put it carefully in the backpack, with the other egg and turned my attention to the blue one. It felt completely different than the other two. It felt more like it was moving and changing... it wasn't normal stone scales but much more soft shiny scales.... This egg could also be harboring some sort of life.

Now that I have them all, it's off to Sia and to Rione. It's taken me way too long already.

***

***

I walked with Rione away from the place for some time now, when we finally arrived at an old hut. The night is getting colder and colder and we need a place to sleep.

Is the question if someone is still alive there? I think it would be best to knock first and ask if we can stay.

Looks like Rione is too exhausted to talk to anyone in general right now.... How easily those two give up. Annoying.

So I gathered my courage and knocked gently on the wooden door.

No one responded.

A hut in the middle of a field where no one lives? Doesn't seem so safe. Why do I even worry about such things? I couldn't lose anyway, because I don't know the ending of "Mr. Voidwalker" yet.

I open the door and go into the hut with Rione. No candle is burning... no lamp is on... it's dead quiet.

I take a look around while Rione rests a bit.

I went from room to room and still found nothing. It looks like there is no one here. But it doesn't look like an abandoned house either.

"Looks like I'll have to take over the night watch," I said when I saw Rione already asleep... with that... Egg? In hand.

sighs What would those two even manage without me?

I sat down in front of the bed where Rione was sleeping and stood ready in case someone would show up after all....

…a storm was coming.

Thunder and rain covered the lands where the 3 of them were.

There was a knock at the door. I opened the door, but no one was there. Was it the rain or the wind?

I closed the door again and turned around when I suddenly saw a man with a sword standing in front of me. I intuitively summoned my shadows and got ready to fight.

"Who are you?" I asked this person.

And how did you enter without me being able to perceive you?

"Who am I?" said the hooded person, while in a split second he was standing with his sword at my throat.

He was so fast that I couldn't even see him move... yet I'm in a helpless situation.

I raised my hands and made it clear that he had won.

"I live here," the person mumbled as he pulled off his hood.

In front of me stood a red-haired man who was clearly taller than me. His expression screamed bloodlust as he pressed his sword harder against my throat.

What are you doing here in my house?

"We just escaped and the storm started. We checked to see if anyone was in the house, but you weren't there."

"Well, I am now. What were you fleeing from?"

"There was some kind of bird living in the mountains and this girl seems to have upset it," I replied.

"The Maerana griffin. You stole its offspring, I suppose," he said as he made his blade disappear.

"You can stay here. But don't get on my nerves," said the man.

"I wasn't going to."

The man went to the second floor of the house and stayed there for the night, while I continued to guard Rione.

"Why is he letting us stay here now? He could kill us without any problems or even feed us to the bird. Maerana Griffin? What kind of animal is this?" were the thoughts that went through my head during the night.

***

***

I walked all night because I could not find rest. I had no place to spend the night. Well, they will wait somewhere on the way I think it is not so difficult to find Sia. He always finds a way to me anyway.

To be honest I see Sia as a really good friend. He seems really distant and sometimes like an ass, but still he has a good heart. That's exactly why I entrust Rione to him.

-Musashi reached at sunrise, the point where the three of them separated.

No one is here? I guess I should wait, maybe they are still sleeping somewhere.

After a few hours I finally see silhouettes in the distance. Is it Rione and Sia? But... If I look closely, there are three of them, not two!

I got ready in case they are attackers and got ready to summon Denki.

I noticed that a silhouette disappeared.

"Musashi behind you!" said the voice inside me.

In a split second Denki appeared in my hand and I fought off a weapon from behind.

Who are you?" I asked the man while we were measuring our strength.

His blade does not feel normal... Denki is suffering!

I jumped back and waited to see what my opponent would do.

"Your sweet friends have already met me and I wanted to see what the third game has to offer! Your friend Sia must not have been able to react so quickly kudos."

He is so fast.

He popped up next to me again and I could only tell what he was going to do by Denki's reflexes.

I blocked his blade again, which was covered in strange runes.

He is incredibly strong and can weaken Denki's magic... what the hell is wrong with his blade.

"I'm only going to ask one more time. Who are you?!"

I said as I moved behind him in a flash and managed to hurt him with a cut on his shoulder. He backed away

"Not bad," the man replied. But not enough.

He stroked his blade and suddenly I felt such pressure. It was so intense that it brought me to my knees. He put his blade right against my neck and I was motionless.

I got ready to meet my parents again and surrendered to my fate. Father... I failed...

"Not yet today," the pressure eased and the blade disappeared.

"Why? You could have killed me and you didn't take the chance?"

"Because I'm not your enemy, you dog's body. My name is Tatsuya. Tatsuya Shikiyame."

He offered me his hand and helped me up. Denki intuitively disappeared because there was no murderousness.

At that moment, Sia and Rione also appeared. They were fine. The relief in my body made all my thoughts and muscles relax abruptly.

"You are fine," I said with a relieved smile on my lips.

"Did you really think I would break my promise? And besides, I still have to read my novels. Even though I have to admit that he's pretty fucking strong. It's been a long time since I've had such an opponent".

Sia pointed his finger at Tatsuya as he said that.

"He beat me handily, too," I replied.

Rione ran up to me and took me in her arms. She seemed relieved that I was doing as well as she was.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you," she said as cold tears ran down her face.

It's touching, but your journey is not over yet. We're still not safe here," Tatsuya said as he led the way.

"To your home, I suppose?" he said to me.

"I think for now it would be the best yes."

Rione wiped away his tears, let go of me and we continued walking together with Tatsuya.

"And you are coming?" I asked him.

"To be honest, I already knew that you would come. Moreover, you need my help if you want to fight Eron."

When the name Eron was mentioned, my heart stopped. And fear rippled through my body.

"Eron?" asked Rione and Sia synchronously.

"It's not the time to talk about it, I suppose," I replied, ending the subject.

We went on our way with many questions to be answered. And as I see in Rione's arm... a total of 4 new companions.