4 NOW and PAST

4

NOW

~SOFIA~

I realized he wasn’t Rotip in disguise when he hit me with his fist. Then maybe someone else has taken the form of Garius, but let's see what he has to say because he can't be the dead Garius.

We are walking side by side now and he is following me to the underground cave where I live with Rotip. My plan is to tie him up and question him. I may have to use hot rod to torture him and pay him back for the painful blow he gave me.

“So… Have we met before?” he curiously throws his question. “Because I heard you calling my name earlier”

I want to reply but my eyes are on his wooden staff.

‘It is Rotip’s! He must have captured Rotip and hidden him somewhere. I do not think he killed him because he does not seem like the type to kill an old man. Even when he punched me, his reactions spoke a lot about his soft nature’

“Uh…Okay” I can hear him sighing slowly. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it now”

“Yes…we’ve met before. But you may not remember me because you are too old to keep a sharp memory” I say. “And I do not mean that in a disrespectful way”

“Right. I appreciate you helping me even though I have failed to recognize you. So your name must be?”

“Sofia”

“Wow what? No, I mean… I mean, there is this old woman I know. I… We are friends with her, and… her name is also Sofia” He stutters

“Ummm. Humans do use that name very often”

“And you are Human” He reminds me.

“You are human too. A very old and weak looking human to be precise” I catch the shocking reaction on his wrinkly face as if he has forgotten who he is again.

‘I hate seeing this dead wizard’s face! But why does everyone use him?’

Rotip use to undo his spells and turn to his normal appearance when we are together in the cave. But every time he needs to go outside the cave to continue with his secret mission, he will do the magic and disguise himself again.

~RIKAS~

Women are totally not in my agenda but I feel like making adjustments to include this one woman into my master plan. 

‘Okay so this woman is simply gorgeous in every unimaginable way. She is perfect and sweet and gentle and… Urrhhh…’

“You need to change your clothes,” She says, and I smile. Though I shall not say that Garius’ smile can be anything pleasant, I still smile.

‘She wants me to change clothes in her home.’ I chuckle at the thoughts.

“What?” She sends me a quick glance.

“Nothing” I mumble.

“Then… Why did you just chuckle? Is anything funny here? You are an old man, you shouldn’t act like that in front of a younger woman”

‘Okay, I get it. She feels irritated because I am an old, smelly and ugly looking wizard. But let's go to her home first so I can show her the real me.’

“Oh young woman, you have no idea. I just sneezed because I am too cold. You did not perceive my actions very well” I try to grumble like the old man I look like.

She ignores me and turns to the next corner while I follow her like I am attached to her butt as a tail.

Darkness has completely settled by now. White smoke billowed from the roofs of the mud homes far away ahead of us and I thought we were heading towards the mud houses but then, something hit me hard on the head and I see twinkling fairies flying around my visions before I lose balance and collapse to the ground.

~SOFIA~

‘You are too stupid and a talkative for some old wizard!’

I stick the wooden staff into my armpit and begin to drag his body down through the narrow alley. The awful smell of gutters are beginning to become more active, thanks to this heavy wind which only comes in the night.

Rough sounds are unavoidable at this point that I am dragging his body on the fragmented rocks tiling the tracks to the underground cave. Very soon, patrol will begin so I have no choice but to drag him very fast. Perhaps later on, I can apply some aloe vera to soothe his minor bruises. Or maybe he may not even bruise at all with the way he is draped in multitudes of thick, old, and smelly rags.

PAST

Lord Hemon gradually materialized into his shape as he fell off with gravity, right before Rikas appeared from the smoke. The Martian teenage boy twirled on air before his weight dropped him down and he splashed into the almost icy water