Lox moved towards the dark green trees. It was still dark and he had no intention of returning to the inn. He continued walking, letting the sorrow fill him. How could he be so stupid? She has someone she loves but it's not me. I shouldnt have tried to get her for my own. Lox felt angry, angry at himself, everyone and everything. He hated himself now. Anger kept flooding him, flowing through his veins and coursed through his heart, poisoning him. He picked up some stones and threw them with all his might, hoping it could siphon his anger away with every throw. One of the stones had hit something, something alive.
Lox thought he heard someone in the darkness surrounding him. "Hello?" he asked, feeling dumb. Eventually, someone came stumbling towards him. It was still to dark to see the stranger's face.
"What are you doing here, Lox?" came a girl's voice.
Lox didnt reply. That voice sounded familiar.
"You okay there, Lox?" she asked when he didnt reply. "Oh! This is really ridiculous!" she laughed haughtily. "Why are we talking in darkness?" She lit a match and lighted a lantern to cast some light around them. It was Rachel Aria Summers.
"Rachel!" Lox exclaimed.
"Well, what did you expect? A ghost?" she laughed again. "It's been a while Lox. I just felt the need to come back here again." She led the way to the lake. "Isnt that weird?" she asked him.
"Hm..." Was all Lox replied.
"What were you doing there, Lox?"
"What? There?"
"Yes."
"I was taking a walk."
Rachel studied him for a moment. "Throwing stones?"
"For fun."
"Right.... I want you to meet a friend of mine." She shifted her gaze towards the lake. The usually calm water were disturbed by ripples.
"Whats that?" Lox asked, unsure.
"You'll see."
A silver otter was waddling towards them. He walked towards them after drying himself. He stood up shakily and peered into Lox's eyes.
"Meet Fron. He's an otter and my travel buddy," said Rachel.
"Nice to meet you Fron. I'm Lox," he said as he looked down to stare at the otter. The silver fur looked unnatural. Lox stared at Rachel questioningly but she didnt find anything unusual. She seemed to be fussing a lot with her bag which he didnt notice earlier.
"I'm a messenger and I was told to send you this," Rachel said, handing him a brown envelope which was sealed with blue wax. He took it and opened the envelope slowly:
Dear Mr.Tren,
We are delighted to inform you that you are invited as an official guest at our castle located near Oliphya River. If you are unsure of the location, we have dutifully included the map in the envelope.There is an additional ticket for you to get here. The ticket is to be given to the attendant on the ship, The Blue Forest. There are two tickets, one of them allow you to get to Oliphya River and the other is your return ticket. We would sincerely hope that you will present yourself at our castle in which we are hosting the grand festival.
The grand festival is celebrated once every year. It would be really unfortunate if you couldnt come for this is a very good opportunity to explore and experience the different people and culture. There will be interesting activities which we hope you participate.
Should you need help or assistance, do send us a message through the messenger. Sorry for the inconvenience caused, if there are any.
Yours Sincerely,
Christina Povroti,
Secretary of the
Stauss Brothers.
"I'm Invited to a party," said Lox.
"Hm? You sure have nice friends."
"I dont know the Stauss Brothers. Who are they?"
"I'm not sure about them either. All i heard is that they're pretty rich."
"Have you met them before?"
"No."
Fron looked at both of them then at the tree behind Lox. Fron walked towards it and scratch at the tree. Lox look at the otter.
"He's always doing that. It means that we have to go. See you around, Lox," said Rachel.
"See you."
Both the otter and the girl we swallowed by the darkness, leaving Lox alone again.
Lox thought he heard someone in the darkness surrounding him. "Hello?" he asked, feeling dumb. Eventually, someone came stumbling towards him. It was still to dark to see the stranger's face.
"What are you doing here, Lox?" came a girl's voice.
Lox didnt reply. That voice sounded familiar.
"You okay there, Lox?" she asked when he didnt reply. "Oh! This is really ridiculous!" she laughed haughtily. "Why are we talking in darkness?" She lit a match and lighted a lantern to cast some light around them. It was Rachel Aria Summers.
"Rachel!" Lox exclaimed.
"Well, what did you expect? A ghost?" she laughed again. "It's been a while Lox. I just felt the need to come back here again." She led the way to the lake. "Isnt that weird?" she asked him.
"Hm..." Was all Lox replied.
"What were you doing there, Lox?"
"What? There?"
"Yes."
"I was taking a walk."
Rachel studied him for a moment. "Throwing stones?"
"For fun."
"Right.... I want you to meet a friend of mine." She shifted her gaze towards the lake. The usually calm water were disturbed by ripples.
"Whats that?" Lox asked, unsure.
"You'll see."
A silver otter was waddling towards them. He walked towards them after drying himself. He stood up shakily and peered into Lox's eyes.
"Meet Fron. He's an otter and my travel buddy," said Rachel.
"Nice to meet you Fron. I'm Lox," he said as he looked down to stare at the otter. The silver fur looked unnatural. Lox stared at Rachel questioningly but she didnt find anything unusual. She seemed to be fussing a lot with her bag which he didnt notice earlier.
"I'm a messenger and I was told to send you this," Rachel said, handing him a brown envelope which was sealed with blue wax. He took it and opened the envelope slowly:
Dear Mr.Tren,
We are delighted to inform you that you are invited as an official guest at our castle located near Oliphya River. If you are unsure of the location, we have dutifully included the map in the envelope.There is an additional ticket for you to get here. The ticket is to be given to the attendant on the ship, The Blue Forest. There are two tickets, one of them allow you to get to Oliphya River and the other is your return ticket. We would sincerely hope that you will present yourself at our castle in which we are hosting the grand festival.
The grand festival is celebrated once every year. It would be really unfortunate if you couldnt come for this is a very good opportunity to explore and experience the different people and culture. There will be interesting activities which we hope you participate.
Should you need help or assistance, do send us a message through the messenger. Sorry for the inconvenience caused, if there are any.
Yours Sincerely,
Christina Povroti,
Secretary of the
Stauss Brothers.
"I'm Invited to a party," said Lox.
"Hm? You sure have nice friends."
"I dont know the Stauss Brothers. Who are they?"
"I'm not sure about them either. All i heard is that they're pretty rich."
"Have you met them before?"
"No."
Fron looked at both of them then at the tree behind Lox. Fron walked towards it and scratch at the tree. Lox look at the otter.
"He's always doing that. It means that we have to go. See you around, Lox," said Rachel.
"See you."
Both the otter and the girl we swallowed by the darkness, leaving Lox alone again.
