4 NOW

~RIKAS~

I have passed the alley which was very dark and full of decayed Human and Martian heads hanging on hundreds of spikes. Now, I am inside the wall and heading into the black fog. Hemon told me that the black fog is a warning that signifies the passing of the Brakoon and maybe, just maybe, I may be able to see what the Brakoon looks like.

It was so easy for me to bypass the guards at the first gate. Hemon told me they were the smartest ones but with the way everything turned out, I doubt if that wasn’t just another silly lie to make me extra careful in my mission.

I pause in my track and sniff around to see if I can detect the scent of any Martian or Human nearby but it seems like everyone has disappeared. Or maybe, Garius dirty rags have totally destroyed the cells inside my nose, so I cannot detect the scent.

A small thought is slowly crossing through my mind right before my eyes fall down to a stagnant water below my feet which is glinting like a shiny bronze surface, and suddenly, I almost freak out with terror when I see the reflection inside the water. 

‘My reflection!’

I had totally forgotten what I am supposed to look like until now. ‘Jeez!’ My skin is as wrinkly as the bark of a tree. My nose is looking so crooked, probably the reason why I couldn’t smell anything good but the stench of Garius’ dirty rags! I used to be so good looking to a point that the human girls in the caves would form a group to watch me training together with Hemon. But now, I must sacrifice my good looks and bear through these hardships to get the revenge I am after.

I almost jumped into the black fog ahead of me but Garius' weak legs remind me who I am as I lose balance and fall into the stagnant water. The wooden staff did not help at all. I think my tailbone has badly crashed into the hard surface while it sinks deeper into the cold water. My legs are passing through the paralysis stage now and the numb feeling is unravelling into an agonizing pain.

“Oouch!” I scream

“Pssttt! Hey! Hey! Garius!”

“Garius!!!” I can hear some strange whisperings coming from somewhere but I am not in the right senses to understand what they’re saying.

‘Fuck! The fog is gone!’

“Garius, look over here!!!”

For a few seconds, my brain boots to remind me who I am again.

‘Right! I am Garius! My name is Garius.’

I am motioning with my head around to see if I can find the caller, but I instantly feel something from nowhere, clinging onto my arm. My eyes spontaneously shift to the stranger in the cloak who has forcefully wrapped his hands around me, trying to pull me up. No time for me to think so I just mould my fist into a cannonball and fiercely punched him into his stomach.

His hood falls off his head while in motion as he splashes into the water only to reveal a woman’s face in agony “Holy Mother forgive me!” I can hear her silvery voice whispering almost audibly into my ears.

‘Ooops! Did I kill her?’

“Are you… Sorry, are you dying? I mean, did I hurt you badly?” I dragged my weak body closer to her figure, watching her face transforming into multiple colors with every stage of the pain she is passing through. She still glows like the moon even though the darkness is beginning to settle down on her face.

~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.