Neo City: Underground

×-×Chapter.17×-×

(Haruto's POV)

I looked around, my whole body on high alert as me and Mina travelled through the woods.

All kinds of monsters made this place their home. It was one of the most dangerous places to be, and that's why I chose to come and stay in here until we're able to figure out a plan against the walls.

"Haru? Can we stop here? My legs hurt.." Mina said quietly from behind me. I turned and saw just how far she was behind me. I gave a small smile, looking around us and nodding slowly. "Yeah, this should be a good place, we'll camp here for the rest of our time."

Just as I had placed my stuff down, star screeched and landed on a branch above me, swooping down and landing on my stuff.

I smiled softly, giving her some scratches and taking the note from her, reading it over and letting out a gentle breath of relief. Thank God he's on our side...I thought, rolling it up and placing it in my bag for later kindling.

I looked up at Mina and smiled softly. "You have your weapons?" She nodded. I nodded back and started to set up my stuff. "Good, I have a feeling we're gonna need them while staying in here." I ruffled my hair harshly, already missing my brother. "I think...hm...I think when it's a week from the date, we'll head back home." I grabbed some parchment and wrote out a letter to Shotaro.

Shotaro,
It's me, Haru.

I miss you already, but I promise I'll be home as soon as I can.

I have decided that me and Mina will come back one week before the twentieth moon.

We will be safe, don't respond to this letter, for I don't know who could be watching. Be safe, and I love you.

Love,
Haruto

I strapped it to Star and let her take off, sighing quietly as I rubbed my face and started to set up my tent, not worrying about anything around me besides getting the camp set up and putting some things around the perimeter that will deter most of the monsters.

"Haruto?" I heard Mina whisper, making me look over at her.

She was setting up her things and not looking at me, making me a bit worried. "What's wrong Mina?" I asked softly.

She finally looked up at me and I saw her swallow thickly. "What happened back at the chapel?" I rose a brow confused. "What do you mean?" She started to mess with her hands. "I just...your eyes, they got really dark, they almost looked like they were turning blue, like a....like a dragon..." I frowned in confusion. "There's no way Mina, that's not possible. The only way that could happen, is if I had consumed dragon's blood, or if I was born half dragon, which," I gestured around myself, showing that I didn't have the obvious traits of someone dragon born. "Obviously isn't true."

Mina shook her head.

"I...remember when I was a little girl, father would tell the story of when king Nakamoto was in power." I sat down, her joining me as we got comfortable. "Dad said, that back in the day, when King Nakamoto's wife had gotten sick, a woman had appeared to aid her, but she wasn't a normal woman." Mina looked around, leaning a bit closer to me. "She was a witch, and a powerful one at that!"

I nodded slowly, not really knowing where this was heading.

She leaned back again and continued. "When the woman offered her help, she gave it to the king on one condition, that someone in his blood line would have a special power." She looked to the sky. "They would be strong, stronger than any guards in the entirety of Neo City, and they would be witty and fast, they would have a power that no one could comprehend." She smiled softly. "I remember saying when I was a little girl how I was gonna marry that chosen one, so that I would have a strong leader beside me." She let out a snort. "Nevermind about that since I'm a lesbian, but anyways." She turned to look at me. "I think you are the chosen one Haruto, there's no other explaination!"

I swallowed thickly.

"There's no way, I've never had powers! Yeah, I'm a bit stronger than everyone else, but that doesn't mean anything!" Mina bounced up. "Then let's find the witch! She'd be able to answer any of the questions we had!" I frowned slightly. "Mina, she could be dead now, it's been over a hundred years." I reminded her, but she was already packing up her things. "Doesn't matter, we atleast need to see if she still exists."

I reluctantly started to pack up my stuff, deciding to follow her anyways.

----×-×----

We had been travelling for a really long time now.

We had to stop every now and again to defend ourselves, and to rest a bit before we continued, following a little nursery rhyme her dad told her and her brother when they were kids.

Into the forest,
Past the trees,

Down the trails,
And past the falls,

In the clearing,
There lays she,

Strong and powerful,
Dark and strange,

The witch of the forests lands.

Mina stopped before we entered a clearing. "Are you ready Haruto?" I nodded slowly. "As ready as I'll ever be."

We stepped into the clearing to see a quaint little cottage with smoke rising from the chimney.

Mina let out a cheer and dragged me over, knocking on the door, us both waiting for someone to come and answer.

I had thought that witches were only in fairy tales, I knew that dragons used to exsist, but people had hunted them far and wide for their beautiful scales and powerful blood.

The door swung open, bringing my attention back to the cottage, a beautiful man standing there.

He had white-blonde hair and a beautiful smile on his face, his robes consisting of whites and silvers and pastel greens.

"Ah, children, I've been expecting you, come, come in quickly." He ushered us into the cottage.

It was beautiful.

He had a very good taste when it came to design, that was obvious from how well everything matched.

He sat us down in some chairs and turned away from us.

I could almost make out the shape of what looked like wings from under the pure white cape that he was wearing, and it confused me as he turned back around, handing us some tea.

"So, what are your questions little ones?"