The dungeon (3)

The sun was about to rise. Most of the sky was still dark, with stars the only hint of some light in the sky and clouds, but there was a faint blueness that could be seen at the horizon from behind the clouds saying that the sun was about to rise. There was freshness in the air. The soothing quietness of morning and the sound leaves rustling due to the cold breeze, the cold gentle wind which was enough to remind someone that it was time to wake was present in the atmosphere.

Hikaru was sleeping on the bed. One of his hands was hanging from the bed, the pillow took the place of head and the head took the place of pillow. It was on top of his head, one leg crawled towards his body and another stretched out. He was too exhausted from all the traveling and from being awake till midnight that he was sleeping like a log. He rolled over and,

:Thudd:

“ouch!”

He falls from the bed.

He looks around with his half closed eyes, raises his hand and runs the back of head which hit the floor and says

‘What a great way to start a day”

It was a great morning for hikaru.

He changes his clothes and steps out of the house. Take a look at all the boys, some sleeping quietly while others mumbling in their sleep. A smile would blossom on Hikaru's face while seeing some of the boy's weird sleeping posture and their carefree behavior. Hikaru leaves for his morning run.

Hikaru went towards the coast, he loved the ocean view and the wind blowing near the sea. There were not many elf on the site, he would occasionally meet some old elf or some young ones.

After running some distance he found a park-like place,it was quite large. There were a few old couples sitting on the benches and some children walking with their parents.

Hikaru goes further in the park and he finds a familiar face, with a lady standing beside him and a small girl holding his hands. Hikaru walks towards them and calls out him,

“ Requs!!”

Requs turns around and gives a smile to hikaru.

“Good morning!” shouted Hikaru.

Hikaru closed the distance between them.

“Good morning. Are you on a walk here?”

“Yup. Did you also come for a walk?”

“Yeah, I always come here for a walk with my family,” says Requs while stepping aside so that Hikaru can see his wife and daughter.

“Let me introduce you to them. She is my wife Nema” She bowed. Hikaru also bowed in response.

“And she is my daughter Rene ” she was hiding behind Requs while clenching on his clothes.

‘ Hello’ said hikaru in his mind and “I want to tightly hug this cute creature” said hikaru in words.

‘Aree! Did i say that out loud’ thought hikaru.

Nema giggled and when she did neither Requs could hold his laugh.

“I don't think you could do that, while she still is not familiar with you sir.” said Nema.

“Haha.. I think I can't. By the way, you can speak to me informally, mam.”

“Okay then please do the same with me. I am almost the same age as you in comparison to human lifespan.”

“As you wish Nema”

“Oh i forget to tell you that i will come to take you and the students to the bath house”

“Oh! There is a bath house.”

“There is also a hot spring here”

“ I would love to go there”

“I will take you there some day.”

Rene suddenly pulled Requs' clothing. Requs looks at kelli, he bends and asks

“What happened? “

“Who is he?” asks Kelli with her innocent eyes.

“He is hikaru, a friend of mine. Don't be afraid of him.”

She still hesitates to talk to hikaru.

“ She is still afraid of me, Looks like the only child i could hug and pamper in my life is my sister but even she is grown up now, i miss those days”

“You have a sister?” Requs asked.

“Yes. She looked up to me and loved me, his brother the most until she became an adult. I don't know about now though, we don't get much time to talk nowadays even though we live in the same house.”

“Brother?” mumbled kelli.

“Don't worry, I think she still loves you.” said Requs

“Thanks, by the way, the food at the………….”

They kept talking and walking some more until the sun rose and then went their separate ways.

Hikaru reached the house.Some of the students were awake, staring at the sky with their half closed eyes and yawning, while some others were stretching and walking outside. Mahiru was outside, she was about to go check on girls. Hikaru calls out to her.

“Mahiru!”

“Yes?”

“Requs said that he will be coming to take us to the bath house so tell all the girls to be ready”

“Okay.”

Mahiru went and informed the girls and Hikaru informed the boys.

After some time all the students came out of their houses. Requs came and guided them to a bath house. The bath house was situated around the coast. They didn't need to pay for using it and the full bath house was reserved for them only. First all the boys and girls went to take a bath, then hikaru and Mahiru took turns to bathe.

After the bath they went back to the houses, put their stuff back and went for breakfast. This time Requs didn't guide them, Hikaru said he knew the way so he didn't have to.

Everyone ate their breakfast, then headed back to the house. Hikaru was waiting for other students who were living at their own houses to come, so that they could go to the dungeon. It was almost time but no one came. Requs was present there to guide them to the dungeon.

“You did tell them the right time, right?” Asked Mahiru

“I did. Don't doubt me”

‘I did right?......ya I did’ hikaru doubted himself for a second, he knew himself well.

Slowly some students started to appear.

“See! I told you”

After some minutes all the students were present. Hikaru gave them an earful for being late. A girls excuse was,

“Sir we get a little too attached to the home environment and our parents, after being away from them for a long time, the heart didn't want to separate for even a second now. No one wanted to leave the house, so it took some time for us to get here.”

A boy speaks from the back.

“Nah sir, I just overslept.”

Requs burst out in laughter. Hikaru was angry.

“You-”

“Now now let them slip this time Hikaru”

“Okay” Hikaru calmed himself down.

“Okay now let's go,” said Requs and guided them to the dungeon.

Requs was taking them to the dungeon through a forest, left right everywhere different types of plants. some small, some large. Even though they were going through the jungle there was a footpath there, trees covering the top from the sides that made it look like a way to some sacred place.

After walking some distance they reached a small open space where they saw a big tree making an arc while tilted to the left and two guards sitting underneath it.The tree leaves were crimson red and its stem and branches were pure black. Near the base of the tree its roots were spiralled and made an entrance in the ground. The guards stood up upon seeing us. When we reached where the guards were sitting Requs turned around and said,

“ This is where the dungeon's entry is and where our sacred tree lies.” While stretching and opening one of his hands towards the tree.