Point-of-View: Inoka Fonseka
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"Oh, good, looks like you two are already ready," Remarked Neo, as he walked through and closed the portal behind him.
"Hey, guys," Greeted Liling with a smile.
"So, is this them? The girl who’s supposed to be stronger than a Category 0 and the guy who created a more advanced healing technique?" Inquired the third person to co through the portal, walking over and narrowing his eyes at us before we could respond.
He was kinda short, looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties, with a slender, agile build, and a pale complexion. He had dium-length spiky black hair, black eyes, and a chipped front tooth in his upper jaw.
He wore a dark gray t-shirt under an unzipped, sleeveless black jacket with the collar upturned and two white horizontal stripes across the bottom, black trousers with white stripes along the sides of legs and dark blue sneakers.
"Sorry about him, he’s a naturally suspicious and very confrontational person," Sighed Neo apologetically, as he pulled the guy back by with an exasperated look on his face, "Co on, play nice and introduce yourself."
"Hmph...I’m Kechik Lee, nice to et you or whatever," He grumbled in response.
"Hi, I’m Inoka Fonseka," I replied with a nod.
"Aurora Pretorius."
"Waste of breath, I’ve already forgotten," He shrugged condescendingly.
Wow, talk about petty...
"This guy’s annoying," Mumbled Aurora, her left eyebrow twitching slightly.
"Yeah, he seems kinda high maintenance," I whispered back.
"Hey, are you talking shit about ? I see you whispering!" He snapped with a frown.
"Can we take a vote on this? I feel like this guy’s gonna be a total pain in the ass to deal with," I remarked bluntly.
"Excuse ? Are you suggesting that I might get in the way of this mission? Well, are you?" He growled, approaching threateningly...though at his height, it wasn’t all that intimidating.
"Huh? I an...I thought that was obvious," I responded with a bemused look.
"Now, now, let’s all calm down and get along," Intervened Liling with a wry smile, before turning to and adding, "I know he’s a handful, but once the mission starts, he’ll get serious and behave, you’ll see."
"Yeah, I don’t know..."
"Co on, can’t you put up with it for ?" She requested with a smile.
That’s not playing fair, she’s clearly trying to persuade with cute expressions, and she’s doing it deliberately. Fine, whatever...
"Alright, I’ll do it for your glasses," I relented with a sigh.
"You’re always in character, aren’t you?" She responded with a wry smile.
"Grr, this is all really pissing off...," Muttered Kechik with an annoyed look on his face.
"Okay, so, if you guys are done bickering, can I drop you off already?" Spoke up Neo impatiently.
"Worst taxi ever," Quipped Aurora with a snicker.
"Hey, don’t call a taxi," He shot back dryly, before opening a portal and gesturing to it, "There, I’ve opened this by the village, they’ve already been inford that you’re coming. Liling, give a call when the mission’s complete. Do not contact for anything else. If you call for another other reason, I won’t co to portal you back."
"You know what, you’re pretty high maintenance yourself, man," I remarked as I headed for the portal.
"Pointing that out won’t make change my mind. Now, get going already," He replied with a sigh.
"Your attitude sucks," Stated Kechik, as he walked through the portal first.
"Coming from him, that’s rich," Muttered Neo in response.
"True, but he’s not wrong," Said Aurora, before heading into the portal.
"See you later," Waved Liling, as she followed suit.
"Hey, get a case of beer and put it in my room, ’kay? I’m starting to run low," I instructed him with a smirk, entering the portal.
"Hey, I’m not your personal errand b-...," He began to reply, before his voice cut off as I walked through the barrier, erging in a grassy area with a pleasant breeze blowing across.
"Ah, are you the super humans that are supposed to help us?" Ca a voice, as a middle-aged man approached us.
"Yes, we were sent here by Harmony," Responded Liling with a polite smile, "We’ve heard about the situation, but if you could provide us with more details, that would be really helpful."
"Of course. Right this way," He replied, gesturing to us to follow him, as he led us into the village.
We entered one of the houses and headed up a flight of stairs, before he showed us into a living room.
We sat down on the couches in the room, before he left to get us so drinks. There was a black cat in the room, which perked up as we entered with a wary look on its face, before glancing at Aurora and bounding towards her, hopping onto her lap.
"Man, I wish I could talk to cats too. Hey, maybe you could ask the cat if it knows what happened," I suggested.
"No, it’s not that simple. I can’t have complex conversations with cats, it’s too much for them to comprehend," She explained, as she gently petted the cat.
"You can talk to cats?" Responded Kechik with a skeptical look on his face.
"Yeah, I can either hold simple conversations, make requests, or forcibly command them. I don’t like using the third option unless it’s really necessary though," She answered, as the cat began purring.
"So, you’ve used the third option, then?" I asked her curiously.
"A couple of tis, yeah. Once, a pack of hungry lionesses tried to attack and my coalition of cheetahs, so I commanded the lionesses to go away, and they did."
That’s...pretty aweso.
"Anyway, gotta say, this is nice and pleasant place. It’s kinda hard to believe that sothing sinister happened here recently," I remarked, as a gentle breeze blew in through an open window.
"Actually...I’ve had a strange feeling since coming here. I don’t quite know how to put it into words, but...it’s like there’s a presence here, one that makes feel uncomfortable," Frowned Aurora with a slightly tense look on her face.
"Huh? Sure it’s not just your imagination or paranoia?" Responded Kechik dubiously, with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I’m sure, I can still feel it now...I’ve really never felt sothing like this before. It’s almost like...it’s trying to hide, but isn’t doing so very well," She grimaced, her hair standing up slightly.
"Well, that’s not at all suspicious or ominous. Think we should check it out?" I asked Liling.
"Hm...yeah, we probably should. We can’t afford to ignore or underestimate Aurora’s senses," Nodded Liling, before turning to Aurora, "Are you able to pinpoint where the presence is coming from?"
"Yeah, I should be able to...but focusing on it makes feel on edge and disconcerted, my senses are telling that this is sothing dangerous...I think," She responded uncertainly, her forehead creasing up.
We then heard footsteps approaching, and the old man from before walked in, with a tray in his hands. He then set the tray down and handed us each a cup.
Is this so kind of tea? Back ho, before I got disowned and stuff, I drank tea pretty much everyday, but after I was kicked out and started drinking alcohol, I didn’t really drink that many non-alcoholic beverages besides water and soft drinks.
I lifted the cup and took a sip...oh, that’s pretty nice. It’s got a fruity taste to it, with a subtle, pleasant sweetness to it. Aurora was practically gulping it down, a content look on her face.
"We appreciate your hospitality, sir. Now, I don’t an to be rude, but we should get down to business. The sooner we have all the details, the sooner we can resolve this issue," Remarked Liling objectively.
"Yes, of course. Actually, only one of us witnessed the attack five days ago, by the ti I and so others heard the commotion and ca to see what was happening, the assailants were already gone. I’ve asked the boy who witnessed it to co here and tell you everything that he saw, he should be here any minute now. But I ask that you don’t pressure him too much...he saw two of his close friends get killed, so he’s understandably shaken," Explained the old man with a sorrowful look on his face.
"Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. He wasn’t injured, was he?" Asked Liling in response, a sympathetic look on her face.
"He was, but nothing serious. He had deep scratch marks on his chest and right arm," Ca the reply.
Hm? Weird, sothing doesn’t add up here...if Werewolves are as powerful as Mike said they are, and they ca to this village to attack the people here, why retreat after just killing two people and sparing one with just a few injuries? Moreover, why retreat at all? Ordinary humans wouldn’t stand a chance against them, right?
Sothing definitely doesn’t add up, that’s for sure-...hm?
I noticed Aurora suddenly stiffen and tense up, as she set down her cup with a strange look in her eyes...her arms were trembling, not in fear, but as if she was restraining herself from springing into action.
"Ah, here he is, this is the boy who witnessed the attack," Remarked the old man, as a guy who looked like he was in his mid-teens walked in.
He had bandages around his right arm and more peeking out of his shirt around his chest. He gaze was slightly narrowed and kept darting about anxiously, his expression a bit grimaced and faint dark circles under his eyes.
"You...what are you...?" Growled Aurora, standing up with a wary look on her face.
"Er, is sothing wrong...?" Responded the old man in bewildernt.
"H-huh? What do you an?" Stuttered the boy, taking a step back.
"Aurora? What’s the matter?" Inquired Liling cautiously.
"The presence I ntioned...it’s coming from him. It’s...sothing sinister, it feels so vile," Aurora replied with a slight edge in her voice.
"Are we sure this isn’t paranoia?" Chid in Kechik.
"There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind...whatever this is, it doesn’t feel human."
"H-hey, what is this, y-you’re scaring , miss," The boy stumbled back fearfully...but there was sothing calculated and unnatural about his fear...
"You don’t fool ...I don’t know what you are, but I don’t like it. I’ll ask you one more ti...what the hell are you?" She inquired with a slight growl.
"Hell, huh? How ironically fitting. I must say...that was quite impressive. And here I thought that I’d concealed my presence quite well," Chuckled the boy, as a dark Aura began emanating from him, sending chills down my spine, "Greetings, humans, or should I say, ta-Humans. I am a Demon."
"Oh, no...," Frowned Liling, a look of dread on her face.
"Seriously?" Muttered Kechik in disbelief.
"I’m sure you have a lot of questions for , but first, I have a question of my own," Remarked the Demon, before glancing at Aurora and pointing at her as he t her gaze with a smirk, "It’s actually the sa question you asked ...just what the hell are you...?"
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