Harbinger Of Doom: The Attainer

45. The Dragon Flintstone

Mo and Lores ran towards a safe area. Mo at the moment couldn't think clearly. He grabbed Lores' wrist, his sheening eyes relaying fright. Lores stopped.

"Seven, it's too dangerous here. let's leave this place. I'll go to the palace immediately and request for reinforcement."

"Your highness, do not worry. I will protect you." Lores pacified with a calm smile. To think that someone who was recently showed bravery would be as timid as a snail made Lores wonder. The ever equanimous Prince of Nan has flaws? It was mindboggling. "Besides, we haven't seen the demon yet." He added.

Mo's face soured. "To hell with the demon." He strongly didn't want to know whosoever that demon was any longer. His look then turned concerned few breaths later.

"I'm also saying this for your safety."

"Then what about the other guards? Are we leaving them behind?"

Mo's face twisted in confusion. "They were hired to protect me, and they are performing their duties." Mo answered with belief. He let out a long sigh as he let go of Lores' wrist. The pressure in his voice lessened a little. "Seven, you think you are so righteous as saving everyone's life, huh?" A shred of anger could be traced in his voice.

Lores sighed. He would rather not cajole Mo.

"Your highness, please forgive me. I'm afraid I cannot go back with you." He scanned around the area. "It's safe here for now. You may wait here for us." He turned and left. The enemies would have killed everyone and escaped before the reinforcement arrived, so it wasn't a bright idea to Lores. The lives of the guards were still lives of humans to him. Leaving alone with the prince would be a selfish thing to do.

Mo looked on as the distance of Lores increased farther from him. He couldn't bear to wait there alone without a company. He paced after the other person, lest he went out of sight.

Lores stopped abruptly and looked back. Mo was walking behind him. When the latter saw Lores, he averted his gaze and locked his hands behind. Lores didn't say a word. He just thinned his lips and moved along.

The tiff they had earlier would subside on its own.

Lores suddenly heard what seemed to be the distant cries of people. He stopped and listened carefully. Mo, on noticing the pensive state of Lores, joined the clarification of the discovery. They both looked at each other with the same expression of attentiveness.

"There are people here." Lores confirmed. They nodded at each other and began to trace the source. They moved along the quiet houses and came to an expanse of farmland beside a particular wattle and daub house.

The mournful sounds grew louder.

They hastily made their way to the backyard of the wattle and daub house. There it was; a woodshed imprisoning many of the villagers became visible to the eyes.

When the peasants caught sight of Mo and Lores, they pleas for help intensified. They lively held the vertical wooden bars, seeing a ray of hope.

"What does the demon need this large number of people for?" Mo was outrightly mystified. He focused his gaze on Lores, as if expecting Lores to know the reason. Well, Lores actually knew. His schooling under Idrissa had come handy once again.

"The so-called demon is a vile mage who will make use of the essence of these people together with a forbidden formation and a relic to obtain the highest level of magical prowess. He is most likely planning to overthrow the incumbent dynasty."

"How did you know all these?" Mo was stunned. His knowledge of magery was shallow and so he thought the same of Lores due to the guard's absence in registering any supernatural act.