The Night Rider

Chapter 28

Noa's wooden house comes closer in seconds. The horses are grazing in the grass in front of the house, the red dragon makes his rounds above the dark forest. The scene seems peaceful but everyone else would understand that this is certainly not the case.

I pull the reins of my horse which slows him down. With a few steps we are standing in front of the wooden house not a moment later. I let myself slide off the horse and feel the grass between my toes. Years ago I didn't even know the word shoes. I always walked barefoot through the grass and over the stones. The feeling of connection with the earth, the feeling that you feel the energy sliding through your veins.

I hang the reins of the horse over his neck. I take the book from under the saddle and then I let go of the horse. In quiet steps the horse walks to the other two grazing horses. The forest lies quietly in this watery sun. The birds fly back and forth through the trees while singing, busy with their daily activities.

A small smile adorns my lips before I go to the small wooden house. My feet leave the clammy grass and take the wooden steps to the door. With the book still in my hand I open the wooden door with a soft crackling sound. I expect to see so much behind that door but what I see is not one of them.

With my eyes open I look at the scene in front of me. It feels as if my lungs are being pressed hard and I can barely gasp for breath. The first thing I see is Novak's in his red robe kneeling next to the couch. Then my gaze falls on Chea's blonde hairs that hang like wet cloths along her face.

Before I analyze the other people in the room, my gaze falls on a green pair of pants that I know too well. Those belts, pockets and knives are typical for Malia. The reason why I can't get my breathing to normal level is that the black-haired girl is lying on the couch, covered in blood. The red color and that Malia is here telling me that something has happened.

Everyone is kneeling down around the couch so no one seems to notice that I am standing in the doorway. I shuffle barefoot across the floor. I want to walk to the scene in silence but I don't even get the chance. I am grabbed by my arm and pulled into the first room. Perplexed I look at Noah's characteristic black eyes. He presses his index finger against my lips to silence me.

I nod as a sign that I have understood his command. He steps back one step and takes something out of his jacket pocket. He grabs my wrist and opens my hand. Slowly a cold object slips into my hand. I let my eyes glide over Rafiki's necklace lying in my hand. The black stone shines along the silver. I look at it in amazement, Rafiki never takes this necklace off.

So many questions about this situation glide through my head. His eyes glide to the book that hangs above the floor in my other hand. Again his hand goes to his coat pocket. This time there is no necklace coming out but a folded bill. He touches me with this one too. I grab the paper and want to open it but am stopped. 'Come,' he whispers.

He walks in front of me to the back door that apparently is connected to this bedroom. In silence we leave the house and my feet touch the grass again. Noa blows out his restrained breath and walks deeper into the woods in front of me. Without saying anything I walk behind the boy, waiting. Suddenly he turns around and looks at me penetratingly with his black eyes.

'I will be short. Malia arrived this morning with Rafiki just as you found her, without a necklace and covered in blood. I went back to the camp where she spent the night with Malia and found her necklace with that bill. It's addressed to you, no one else knows about it'. I look at the two items in my hand and feel an indefinable feeling creeping up on my body. 'Have you read it?', I ask him.

He nods with a frown on his face. I take a deep breath and fold open the bill. I expect to come across Rafiki's curly handwriting but instead another face deprives me of my breath. I close my eyes for a second and try to give it a place. I try to understand it.

With the well-known red liquid a sign has been made on the paper. The blood forms the Opper sign. Two half circles are drawn with their backs against each other. The horizontal line that goes through the circles characterizes the sign. It feels as if I have a death threat in my hands. One thing I know for sure about the red color, this is not Rafiki's blood. Her blood bears the same color as mine, deep black.

I look at Noa looking at me silently. 'Celeste please tell me what this means'. Noa is begging me. His eyes are in panic and full of confusion. I close the paper and look at him. I take a deep breath before I choose my words. 'Yin is the spirit of darkness and gives his strength to many beings. A Night Rider tends more to his side but also Chea, our Opper, carries his magic' I know this is far from enough explanation.

'The deeper Rafiki gets into Yin's magic, the more he will take over. In her weaker moments he takes over her soul and lets her act out of darkness. As if she's walking in her sleep, she does things she doesn't realize at that moment. This is not her blood and this is not a coincidence'

'You want to say that this message is from Yin. That Rafiki murdered someone last night and used his or her blood to write a message to us?'. Noa's hands glide through his hair. 'I don't know if it's directly to us. This sign is well known to everyone, it's more of a sign of life from him. A sign that he is getting stronger'.