Chapter 12: Demon's Reign: Run -ins

Kriel held up the slip of paper- no, some mysterious material. Exquisite, furling designs covered the face of it, like a mysterious message encrypted. A five point star was inscribed in the middle, its sharp edges contrasting the furling design.

A gift.

From the messenger.

"You are Krielin Lux Lucis, daughter of Vefin Lux and Rachelle Lucis. I come with a delivery, a plea, and a quest." The messenger of the Council, gold-tinted and fair haired, with a wound robe of butter yellow handed the fugitive king a small slip of a paper like object.

"That is a seal, embedded with the leftover fragments of the Lady's power. It will weaken demons, daemons, or any evil," she explained, "and with that, as well as the Aureus Telem, you will defeat the One-Of-Nameless-Darkness."

"Aureus Telem? One-Of-Nameless-Darkness? Oh, messenger, what do you beseech me to do?" Kriel was wary, and confused. Wary because Council affected persons often met a bad end. But he could not refuse. Yet, Kriel did not know what the messenger was talking about.

"Will you do as told?" The golden lady brushed off his question like a fly.

"...I will.." For no other path is available, he thought sarcastically to himself.

Which led him back to this point.

Kriel had no clue what the Aureus Telem was or who this foe One-Of-Nameless-Darkness or whatever cliche name that could be given to the enemy was.

What was even worse that Harald and Sol decided they wanted to tag along.

Even as he was sitting, they were already playing a guessing game of figuring out the cryptic message.

"Maybe...it's some magical sword thing!"

"That's quite close. But I still think it's this invincible golden dog that breathes fire and water and can do really cool backflips!"

"Harald...I think you're off by a big margin."

"What? It can destroy a darkness thing with its shininess!"

"..Right. It's probably a weapon of some sort."

"I still think it's a dog. Or some magic bread that banishes darkness!"

"..."

Kriel wanted to bash Harald's head in. Instead, he got up and saddled Epona.

"We're going."

"Where?"

Sol sighed and smacked his face with his hand. "Nore. Hound."

"Oh, right."

"Looks like we have to head through Albist first for supplies and things." Harald was sketching out a rough path, hand occasionally jerking as the trotting horse jostled him.

"I don't think heading into a town is a good idea..we're being looked for, remember?"

"Yes, but Lo-, Kriel, your uncle gave us some garments." Sol piped up. "They're not much of a disguise, but I think it'll do for now."

"What do we have?"

"Uhmm..." Sol scratched his head. "Black shirt, some white jacket with this symbol...same with the pants. Harald managed to get his shawl..thing."

"It's not a shawl."

"Whatever it is. Anyway, we're covered, so I assume the other garments are for you."

"Mhmm...Harald, right or left?"

"Left!" A voice rang out.

"Thanks."

"Thanks for what?" The twin stuck up his head from behind the map, confused.

"Didn't you just say-" Epona can to a sudden stop and Kriel lurched forward. "Whoa girl, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong~"

"Wha-huh-did-did your horse just talk?" Sol exclaimed.

"We talked!" The trio looked down to see two small children, or rather, two children with weird crystals decorating the sides of their heads.

"I believe that they're elves..." Kriel said. "Quite. Moving on."

"Wait! We can't leave two kids in the forest! They could get lost."

"Harald, they're elves. They're perfectly capable of finding their way."

His friend, however, agreed. "Lo-Kriel, I think we should take them with us. They look so miserable...so...cute?"

"What." Kriel looked back to see the male elf making doe eyes at Sol and Harald. "Oh please, don't tell me that you're going to fall for that."

"I'm Reinor!"

"I can't believe we're bringing along more company. Especially elves." Kriel sighed as the female elf clung onto him. "This one is okay though, however we could have left that one behind."

"I'm Reinor! Not 'that one'" The male elf pouted, his crystal adornments sagging.

"Aw, lighten up Kriel."

"No, I will not 'lighten up'. How are we supposed to travel incognito with elves?"

Sol thought for a moment. "That's something to think about..."

"I'm sorry." The female elf finally whispered. "It's all our fault...we wandered too far away from our region and walking back was going to take days."

"Miri! Don't let her get to you!"

"Yeah! She's just a big- wait what."

"Harald, uh, I think you're getting gender confused along with the elf." Sol commented.

"The meanie is a she!"

"I am not a SHE."

Harald laughed. "Of course Kriel can't be a girl! If he was, he would be too flat!"

"Rifa." The twin was thrown off as a fireball blasted him off the horse.

The two beasts wheeled to a stop and watched as the twin tumbled head over heels and landed in a pond.

"Well." The charred face of Harald looked up at the king.

"Hmph." Kriel just shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. Well, her hands.

"This has been an eventful day..." trailed off Sol, as Kriel shot him a menacing look.

"I told you the meanie was a she!" Reinor exclaimed cheerfully.

Notes: WOOT, DONE WITH HARALD.

Now I gotta do Jarald.

Dear gosh, this chapter cracks me up.

Kriel is a girl. She'll explain things in the next chapter. YEAH. NOW I DUN HAVE TO FEEL IMMENSELY AWKWARD WHILE WRITING HE INSTEAD OF SHE!

I'll post a picture of Reinor.