Chapter 2:

Kyshanne: Identity case

Heartless


The three wandered as they looked for a place to stay. “Hey, I still don’t know your name”, “I’m Pablo,” she turned and smiled as bright as the sun and said, “You’ll be my trusted friend from now on!” He also asked their names. “I’m Xadulo. I migrated from the west’s Narra village”, “Narra? But that village was destroyed years ago”, “I destroyed it”, ‘I should’ve expected that’, he thought with a sour face. “And the other?”, she once again suddenly appeared. “I’m Carnelia”, “Out of the red stone?”, “Out of the red stone, carnelian.” They walked as they chat. “Don’t you have other accompanies?”, “None!” they learned about each other on the road until they found a village.

They stayed there for months, living with people. When times it was needed, Pablo was able to witness Xadulo’s great power, and the doubt left him. Carnelia had about the same amount of power from Xadulo, means if Carnelia’s borrowed vessel and power comes back to Xadulo, she’d be twice as strong. He was so amazed that he changed his view on the two. There was never a moment Pablo was ever bored. He thought he’d never leave the team. By time, they got closer. “Xadulo, can you pass this to the mother of last night’s dinner? We might as well give his belongings back,” he said as he handed the things to the long-white-haired girl behind him. “I’m Carnelia”, “Wha?!” It was not the first time, however. There was a lot of times it was hard for him. It was as if they’re twins. But he couldn’t say it because he sees how Xadulo loves how they look so alike. “I can’t burst the bubble. But if won’t, whoever will?”

Almost a year had past since they met, and they noticed the people had reduced drastically due to the sudden disappearance of citizens. “The stock’s running out. Should we leave?” asks Pablo. “Maybe after they’re all gone?”, “…sure.” Suddenly, an unfamiliar girl appeared in the village. It caught Pablo’s attention, so he followed her. A while after, she noticed him, and screamed. It startled Pablo, and didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, Carnelia appeared on air, behind her, grabbed her neck, and strangled her until she fainted. “Carnelia…” she tossed the girl to Pablo carelessly. “My mistress ordered me to protect her trusted friend. If this girl turns to be the one who’ll expose us, she is a threat,” Pablo was confused. “Wait, why’d you suspect her?”, “There is a demon in her chest.”

“…And so, here she is,” Pablo explained to Xadulo why he brought a sleeping girl. “She does seem little older than me”, “She’s maybe at my age,” said Pablo. They tied her into a chair to seal her before she awakens. “So, how’d Carnelia knew?”, “A demon knows a fellow demon,” she said. It structed Pablo. He almost forgot she was a demon.

The girl groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Xadulo walked to her and lift her head by grabbing her hair. With her usually bright smile, she said, “Good morning, necromancer.” The girl was shocked. “Got a good night sleep? What were you planning here? Wanna steal our stock? Wreck the village, ambush, set on fire? Do ya, huh?!” her tone slowly went from cute to frightening, as she moved the girl’s head back and forth. The girl changed her frightened stare to cold. “How unusual to know who I am this quickly,” she said so relaxed. Xadulo let go of her hair and went back to her old tone. “Finally showing your true colors, huh”, “How could you know me that easily? I even efforted hiding,” the girl smiled as she asked. “I can read people”, “That’s an unusual talent!” Xadulo glared at her saying that was not what she wanted to hear. “Alright, I won’t attack the town,” she gave up. “But still, to choose a poor populated village to ambush… maybe you have small power?” it hit the girl. “And to scream to moment you noticed someone’s tailing you, maybe you’re trying to show people you’re weak so that they’ll be soft on you?” the girl got pissed and jump to Xadulo with the chair still stuck onto her. Xadulo countered it by kicking one of the legs of the chair. As she fell, Xadulo leaned her to the ground and strangled her with her arm as a knife was pointed at her stomach. Xadulo laughed devilishly. “You think you could go against me?!” the girl’s pain was heard all over. “Go on, cry! Cry as loud as you can! Ask for help, hell, even scream!” she was wheezing, out of breath. Xadulo was so joyed over it that the knife went through her skin slightly. “Guh!”, “Cry! Cry for your life, shithead!” she didn’t struggle, instead, she said, “M-my name… is Kyshanne…” Xadulo let go of her arm and knife and sat up. “You’re interesting!” ‘She changed into bright mode’ Pablo thought. “You’ll be my trusted friend from now on!” she was suddenly friendly. Pablo just sighed smiling. Xadulo stood and said, “Untie her, please, Pablo and Carnelia,” Carnelia appeared and started to untie her as Kyshanne got confused. “Darn, this girl. Anyone can kill her if she’s not this powerful,” Pablo said to himself as he walks to help Carnelia.