Chapter 10:
The Master and The Slave
Nesto doesn't want to go home instead he took a walk around the common area. His unbutton jacket flutter in the wind when a strong breeze brush against his body. The sound of a bell grab Nesto attention, he looks to his left and saw the temple of Yana. He looks up the temple and toward the highest peak of the temple tower, He saw a glimpse of the giant bell there.
He walks up the temple steps and arrives at the giant doorway which leads to the worshiping area. The first thing that grabs Nesto attention is the giant beautiful statue of Yana at the end of the room.
Someone once said that Yana is the first elf to walk upon this world. Her existence comes to be when she was born from an ancient world tree. She faces this world at the time where monsters roam this lands with no fear. The moment she dies, two elves born from her corpse which then they copulate and fill this land with elf race.
Nesto looks at the row of seating that faces the statue, there a quite few numbers of elves, praying to her right now. They are even a few humans who also worship Yana. Nesto looks at the beautiful statue, the bell on top of the tower rang again. He then turns to face the entrance to the spiral staircase that leads to the highest peak.
Nesto walks toward the staircase entrance and continues walking up the staircase until he reaches the highest level of the tower. Near him is the giant bell, which rang earlier, Nesto turns to look at the view of the city. He can't believe there are 100,000 elves living in this city, not account for the amount of human in it. He looks down at the street below, in which pack with elf and humans. Nesto notice in the distance he can see the abandoned gladiator ring in which he grew up in. Then his gaze went to the royal castle surrounding by an inner wall.
Nesto stands at the edge of the tower, he looks down below and thinks it would be so easy to end it now. He just needs to step over the edge and let the fall do the rest.
"I want to be with you, Eilna," Nesto mutters.
Nesto closes both of his eyes, his right feet pass over the edge. His heart starts beating loud, and when he was about to let himself fell to the street below. He felt a sharp stabbing pain in the back of his neck. The sudden pain causes Nesto to back away from the edge. He tries to reach the metal collar around his neck, but he felt none. He finally realized that he's not wearing any metal collar.
There is a look of defeat on his face, as he back away from the edge and walk down the spiral staircase. His head hung low as he exits the temple and into the street. He kept on walking down the street until he reaches the central plaza.
Nesto sat down on one of the benches in the plaza, a few elf glances at him. The passerby notices the man, disheveled cloth and the look of despair on his face causing them to avoid being near him. A mysterious elf wearing an old cloak that covers his entire body, head toward him and sat right next to him.
"It has been so long, how are you holding up, son?" The mysterious elf in the cloak ask.
"How did you find me?" Nesto asks without looking at the elf.
"I have a few eyes, there and there's," The elf said.
Nesto places a hand on his sweaty forehead, "I can't do it, I can't live like this," Nesto said.
"What do you mean, you can't live like this?" The elf asks.
"I can't live without someone ordering me, I need to be a slave again," Nesto said.
"Why do you want someone to order you around?" The elf asks.
"Because—I'm scared," Nesto said
"I'm scared that I'm going to make another terrible decision. I'm scared that I have to face the consequence of that decision," Nesto continues.
"When I was a slave, I don't have to think about the consequence. I only need to follow the orders. I need orders!" Nesto stressed while his fingers dig into his palm.
"Take a deep breath, Nesto," The elf said. Nesto inhales the fresh air, fillings his lungs and then release it.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" The elf asks. A small smile form on the elf lips as he watches the people moving around him.
Nesto gaze went to the people around the plaza. He looks at the group of elves kid that are playing tag at the plaza and then he saw an elf couple that is on a date.
"It is a beautiful day," Nesto answer.
"It's time like this, I wish Madeleine was here," The elf said.
"She would probably give me a good advice right about now," Nesto said.
"Her advice is probably about not giving up and keep on moving," The elf said and let out a small laugh.
"The most common advice she could give to people," The elf continues.
"But it works, why fix something that isn't broken," Nesto said.
"So do you want to give up?" the elf asks.
Nesto head lowers a bit, then he looks at his shoes, his closed hands open up, and a smile form on his face.
"I'm going to try again," Nesto said.
"Good, but if you were to give up again. You will always welcome to come home again," The elf said.
The elf pokes his right arm out of his cloak and shows Nesto his wrist. Out of nowhere, a flower tattoo with five petals appears on his wrist. One of the petals is dark black while the other four still glow a golden hue. Nesto pulls up his own right sleeve and the same tattoo appear on his right wrist.
"No matter how you see it. You are a part of my family," The elf said.
"Also, do come home sometimes, your brother and sister miss you a lot." The elf said as he hides his arm under his cloak.
"I will be sure to remember to come home sometimes," Nesto said.
"It's time for me to go. I got a lot of work to do back home," The elf said.
"Be careful," Nesto said.
"Ah, before I leave, here." The elf said, then he takes out a cupcake from under of his cloak.
"You are still making these?" Nesto said, and he takes the cupcake off the elf's hand.
"Yeah, but I still couldn't get the recipe right," The elf said while he gets up from the bench.
Nesto took a bite out of the cupcake, "Still not the same as Madeleine, but you are getting close."
"One ingredient that I still didn't get it right. I wish I had listened to her complaints about her cupcake more often," The elf said then he let out a sigh.
"Take care, Nesto," The elf said then he walks to the crowd of people.
"So do you, Sir," Nesto replied.
Nesto watches the elf left the plaza. Immediately he enters the crowds of people, he disappears into the midst of the crowd with no trace of him. Nesto finishes his cupcake and wipes the crumb off his pants. He stood up and start walking toward his house.
While he was walking down the street, and heading toward the City gate. "Nesto," A voice sound like Eilna called out to him.
Nesto snaps his head toward the source of the voice. Then he saw someone in the dark alley, a short person that is standing stiffly with a cloak over his body while staring directly toward him. That person was shorter than Nesto about a height of a small adult. He kept on staring at that person when suddenly that person body drops limply onto the ground.
Confusion filled Nesto mind, he then rushes toward that person. He then drops to his knees beside the cloaked person. Pulling back the hood with his hand and reveals an unconscious young elf girl with an infected cut running over her left eyes. Her ginger long hair falls out onto his arms after Nesto pulls back the hood.
Nesto notices the constant sweat on her face, he then wedges his hands under the girl back and lifts her up. Her body was hot to the touch, Nesto needs to bring her to someone who can help her.
'Yinlar' name came to his mind, Nesto carries the elf girl with him towards the warehouse. Hoping that Yinlar can help her.
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