Linked (On-Hold)

07: He Who Warns the Sleepy

07: He Who Warns the Sleepy

As soon as I locked eyes with Rui, my body automatically pushed itself up despite its weakened legs to run to him. I kept pushing the people who were blocking my way without even uttering a single word. I didn't look back, but I know that Mallari, Variano, Cahmir, and Faustin are behind me, apologizing on my behalf.

My eyes widened in horror upon seeing the lit torches held by the guards as they encircled each of his feet. The smell of gas burned my nose, making me hold my chest from the sensation. I ran faster to get to him.

The wind was blowing harsher, the people started chanting the words "fire"  and "burn" louder, continuously one after another, and four people shouted my name in an attempt to stop me. I didn't know how I knew it. I just know.

As if time has slowed down, I could see the guards slowly pouring the oil around him. And when they started running away, my legs completely betrayed my spirit. I watched several burning arrows slowly flying from the nearest towers, converging to the center, getting nearer and nearer towards him to pierce different parts of his body.

"RUI! FLY!"

I screamed. I found my voice despite the state I'm in.

I have no idea whether he still remembers me, but trying is the only choice left. I am ancient, but Rui is older than everyone here, myself included. There is no record stating that a tamer from a hundred-year-ago could still tame a Legend, or the link between a tamer and a Legend, if a tamer was gone for a hundred years, would be severed or would stay the same. I still tried.

I have no other way to free him.

Rui roared louder, spitting fire all over the air, burning the flags hanging across the threads connected to each post. He stomped his feet, cracking the ground beneath him. His large wings shot upwards and started flapping loudly. As his body gained momentum, he forced himself to get rid of the chains all at once, breaking all those things that bind him to the palace, then glanced at me with his red eyes reflecting the dancing fire, roared for the last time, and silently sailed towards the sky.

"What in the world did you do?!" Cahmir asked me through gritted teeth. Rui flew out of our sight, towards the eastern mountains. Everyone started whispering when no Legend came back, and some didn't even try to hide their disdain and hostile faces from me after what happened, including Cahmir.

"I freed him."

"You have freed a beast! A beast who killed thousands of people from Diere!" He hissed. I closed my eyes tightly to calm myself. Mother had always reminded me not to face fury with another rage.

"It wasn't their choice."

"It wasn't their choice?! It wasn't their choice?! You have no idea how many people suffered because of them! You have no idea for you and your tamer family fell asleep! You have no right to tell me that it wasn't their choice!" His chest rose and fell several times.

"It wasn't our choice." My voice cracked.

"Of course! It wasn't your choice like-" A hand on his shoulder stopped him from talking. Faustin shook his head when Cahmir turned his head to face him. He frustratingly wiped his face using the palm of his hand.

"You have been asleep for years, and you do not know what happened during those years. Just...just go back to sleep if you have nothing better to do." Cahmir shot me another glare before walking away.

I couldn't hide the pain he brought me. I looked around, and almost everyone was looking at me like I have committed a grave sin. It was then that I realized that they were blaming me... No. They were blaming my family why Diere suffered for years.

"I-" I wanted to apologize, but the tears in my eyes started pouring down. I bowed my head to not look at them, to not let them see the tears their looks and his words gave me.

"Take her!"

"Where are you taking her?!"

"Is this commanded by the king?"

"You are part of the lowest ranking royalty guard. Do not dare interfere."

I couldn't hear who was talking, or who was shouting. I could not even feel the hold of the guards on my arms as they dragged me to the palace, away from the people, down the stairs, unto the dungeon for criminals. I was sent to the cell with force, and with my current state, I was like a used rag thrown to the ground before locking the door.

I sat at the corner of the cell, away from the light. Gone were the tears, replaced by sadness and another round of pain. The people we served, the people who were once grateful for the protection we gave, now blamed us for things that were out of our hands.

I stayed there unmoving. I could hear the sounds of chains being dragged, the slow-moving footsteps, the coughing from nearby cells.

I have no idea how many hours have passed when I heard the shifting of the chains in the cell behind mine. It was getting louder, which means the person was walking nearer to the wall. The noise stopped, but my ear caught the sound of the breathing of the person on the opposite side of the wall where I rested my back.

"Heir of Gastino de Tame. I know you can hear me."

I couldn't help not to get shocked after hearing what he said using his baritone voice in a low voice. How ... How did he know that I can hear him?

"Who are you?"

"My name is not of importance. Nor is the reason why I know that you will be able to hear me despite the wall separating us."

We both fell silent. My body was already exhausted, but I knew that that was not the only purpose he had why he talked to me. I had to constantly open my eyes and my other senses to clearly hear whatever his next words were.

"Secrets were made to be kept, but know that it will never be always hidden. The people will continue to sleep and dream. Open your eyes, de Tame. Be vigilant. Be good at discovering what is true from what is not."

"Time is both an enemy and friend. You will have to choose your side soon, tamer."

I could not keep up with his words any longer. My mind couldn't process anything anymore. My vision suddenly darkened. My eyelids grew heavier, and my body fell asleep on the cold ground of this small cell after a long, second day of my awakening.

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