chapter4

  Residing in a planet of the universe was ancient demons led by Laplace.  A young boy and a young girl were sitting high at the astral edge.

  “Lloigor, I’m bored.”

  “So am I, Zhar. Vorvadoss is too slow.” Lloigor bounced up with arms akimbo.  “Hey let’s play hide and seek.” 

  “Em?” Before the twin little brother Zhar understood what his sister Lloigor meant, she had already long gone.  Puffing out his cheeks, Zhar stamped his foot in anger.  “You crafty girl!”

  “Hehe. Catch me if you can.”

  “We’ll see!” Zhar flung his arms and stuck out a pair of green tentacles with pointy barbs at the far end.  The tentacles stretched in the air with great speed, successfully entangling Lloigor’s right arm.

  “Watch this!” Zhar pulled back his tentacles but all he got was a bloody broken right arm pulled off.

  “The arm doesn’t count.”

  “Hey how can you break your words!  I’m done with this.” Zhar sat on the ground and closed his eyes with arms crossed.

  “Sigh, alright alright.  I lose, okay?  Now it’s my turn.” 

  Zhar took action right after what Lloigor said.  He jumped into the mid-air to look over all the conditions on the ground, but apparently forgot one blind spot——under him.

  Two tentacles similar to Zhar’s broke through the ground suddenly to twine Zhar’s legs.  Jumping out from the soil, Lloigor pulled down hard to tear off his legs, which caused him to lose balance and crashed.

  “Hehe, now we’re even.” Lloigor looked down at Zhar, chuckling. But her tease had pissed him off.  “Damn...always makes me like a fool.  I hate you!  Hate you,” Zhar mumbled.

  Then he pushed himself up, trying to pounce on Lloigor, but got caught in the air.

  “Look how messed up you’re already.  How are you supposed to finish your mission?” Grabbing Zhar was a burly man named Vorvadoss.

  “Don’t blame us.  It’s all because you’re late!” Lloigor retorted harshly.

  “Laplace is sad.  How can I just leave him alone.  It took me some time to comfort him.”

  Earlier on, other ancient demons had been attacked by species called “Eldus”.  Although most barely came back in one piece, North was taken.  In order to get him back, Laplace had ordered Vorvadoss, Lloigor and Zhar to take action.

  Vorvadoss’s answer made Lloigor and Zhar put on a bizarre smile.  Forgetting the hunting game, the twins echoed each other.

  “No matter how hard you’re working, you can never replace North.  Am I right, Zhar?”

  “Correct! Vorvadoss will always be the second in Laplace’s eyes.”

  Lloigor and Zhar gave a wink to each other and teased, “hehehe!  Poor Vorvadoss, your dream will always be a dream.”

  Hearing what they said, Vorvadoss was not angry but smiled and hugged the twins gently.

  “Lloigor and Zhar are truly amazing. You can see my true self.”

  Vorvadoss kept praising and then activated his power to envelop them in glamorous light.  In a split second, their injuries were healed.

  However, Lloigor and Zhar were not pleased. Instead, a surge of nausea filled their chest.

  “Praise is the most rotten shackle in this world,” Lloigor shouted as she pushed Vorvadoss away.  “Trapped by the boring fixed concept!” Zhar did the same.

  “We hate it!” The twins spoke loudly.

  “Vorvadoss is the worst!  You know that we hate praise and gentleness so much, don’t you! And you did that on purpose! I’m so pissed!” Lloigor left after scorning Vorvadoss; and Zhar also grimaced in disgust towards him.

  Vorvadoss could not help but remain smiling to set off alone to the destination——the planet designated by Laplace. In order to save North, they must find the base of the Eldus. The fastest way was to draw them out, and let the Eldus lead them to their nest.

  Laplace had analyzed several, highly possible planets. The demons split into teams to set up baits. Vorvadoss, Lloigor and Zhar were one of the teams.

  As planned, they took in the vitality of the planet, while waiting patiently.

  “Hey, the prey is hooked.” Vorvadoss looked at the flashing red light in the sky with a smile.  “Stay sharp,” he talked to Lloigor and Zhar.

  Before Lloigor and Zhar replied, raging flames were cast over their tentacles, which were burnt to ashes instantly.

  “You got away last time. And it’s not gonna happen today!” A cocky voice spoke in the black smoke, and soon a firm yet exquisite figure full of vitality was revealed——Ishtar the warrior of the Eldus.  

  She casted a spell to create a sword of Mana and slashed at the twins, but the hit was on the metal part of the tentacles. Ishtar then buffed her strength with the spell; red lights were charged over her limbs.  Clash! The metal part was cut off.

  “Oh my! Scary scary! This woman is bloody strong!”

  “I’m sure she is not a men-magnet, hehehe!”

  “You two brats!” Furious, Ishtar sprinted towards Lloigor and Zhar, but got herself into a trap.  A bunch of tentacles broke through the ground to tie her tight.

  “Useless trick!” Ishtar circulated Mana to emanate crimson lights over her body——

  Boom! An explosion occurred to blow up the tentacles as well as the ground.

  “Em...where are the brats?” Ishtar looked around but could not find the twins.  “Tut!  They fled again.” 

  Fully concentrating on Lloigor and Zhar, Ishtar was unaware of a palm-size embryo attached to her back.

  “Things happened just as Laplace predicted.” The embryo——another form of Vorvadoss pondered in the mixed moods of despair and happiness.