Chapter 48 Chapter 48

Chapter 48 Chapter 48
The two simply laughed at his complaint. This was how the three of them were when they were together. There were no dull moments, even after a fight. They had grown up together, making them inseparable.

When he became king, a slight barrier had formed between him and Leora, but not with his brother. Leora treated him like a true king, which meant she saw herself as a true warrior of the king—and that was him.

That was why, when he managed to escape the many responsibilities that came with being a new king, he spoke to her—with Ryuk’s help, of course, since nothing had changed in the way she looked at his brother. But all of that was in the past, and he was happy he had smoothed things over—if they could even be called "ruffled"—early on.

"What am I going to tell Fiel?" Leora asked after a while.

"Tell him his girlfriend ran away with a ghoul," Ryuk answered.

"You're always such a joker." Leora’s expression suddenly turned serious. "What if that ghoul can't be trusted? Aurora will be in danger."

"Arnold?" Ryuk confirmed the name of the ghoul Leora was referring to.

"You know him, Ryuk?" Leora asked.

"He's not the only one who knows Arnold. We both know him," he answered.

"How come? I mean, how do you know that ghoul when I don't even know the man?!"

"We encountered him once." Ryuk gave him a quick wink.

"Where?"

"On Isla Muerte. About 200 years ago, I think, when I was on a solo mission. And because, as you said, this kingly brother of mine has a few loose screws, he followed me and helped me out," Ryuk began his tall tale. I wanted to laugh at the look on Leora’s face. Her eyes widened, her golden orbs shimmering; it looked like she might shift forms at any moment if she didn't like what Ryuk had to say.

"Just say it already! You're beating around the bush!"

"He's wanted for—"

"What?! Wanted? Why?!" Her eyes narrowed in anger. She let go of both of them, and they shared a secret nod. They were going to leave Leora behind before she could beat them up for their prank.

"He wiped out an entire village in Barrio Dapdap!"

"What the he—"

And voila! They vanished from where they were standing. Ryuk was already at Alabaskar, and he was inside the room of Aurora’s father.

He could only chuckle, knowing their friend was likely fuming with rage. He found Aurora’s father staring out the window.

"Don Rodrigo..." he greeted.

"Oh, it’s you, Yfraim. I didn't realize you were here." The man smiled sadly at him, so Yfraim approached.

"Is something wrong, my friend?" He looked at what the man was watching in the sky. Perhaps the moon itself, or a star.

"I just miss my daughter." The mortal sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of whatever was bothering him. "She didn't get to say goodbye to me before she left..."

"Maybe she just didn't want to see you sad when she departed. I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this mess. I know this is all new to you, and it will stay in your system because it's so far from your reality."

"Parents will do anything for their children. We find a way to do even the most impossible things just to see our children happy and safe. When Aurora came to us, she brought a different kind of joy to my wife and me. She gave us hope and made our lives better. When my wife died, I lost my strength, and if it weren't for my daughter, I would have followed her. So I will admit to you, Yfraim, that I am afraid of losing Aurora in this war. The most painful thing a parent can feel is burying their own child," the old mortal said to him, weeping. They knew his struggle, and they were the reason he was hurting now. "I want to be the one to go first, Yfraim, because I will die if I lose my daughter..."

He wanted to apologize to the old man for being caught in the middle of an immortal conflict where the child he raised was the key to their safety.

"We are here to protect Aurora, Don Rodrigo."

"How can that be, when my daughter is out there in danger while you are here surrounded by guards?" the man asked accusingly.

He felt ashamed because the man was right. What right did he have to say they were protecting Aurora when they didn't even know where she was? The mortal was even more correct in saying that Yfraim was safe on the mountain and comfortable while the girl was in peril—and she had even taken the time to worry about him.

"Forgive me for what I said. I was disrespectful..." He turned to Yfraim and bowed.

Yfraim held him by the shoulder. "You have nothing to apologize for; we are the ones who should be asking for your forgiveness."

"I don't know what is happening to my daughter right now, Yfraim, so I'm worr—"

"Rodrigo!!!" Yfraim screamed as blood dripped from the man's mouth due to an arrow piercing his body! "Leora!!!" he shouted with all his might as he saw the young woman in the distance.