XXX - A New Journey - Part II

                                    

                                          
Marko
                          
October 16, in the year of 8845, Reminis Calendar (RC) 
                          
Five days had passed, and Elli remained a Sleeping Beauty, one of the fairy tale characters she used to admire. Marko didn’t know anything about the fairy tales told in the human world, not until Halford told him. He realised he had missed Elli, so much.
                          
Rooney had sent message to his pygmy friends and they travelled five hundred miles to the Gate of Hell. An ice coffin was crafted and it was laid next to the standing coffin of Elli’s parents. Vadiraj placed her body in the coffin to preserve her life force, until they could think of a way to revive her. He paced there day and night, drinking only some animal blood to sustain himself. Though he had become thinner, Halford, Roxy and Cindy were glad that he seemed to change to a good person. Well, a good Vampist, at least. Marko wasn’t happy about this. He found himself getting jealous over Vadiraj.
                          
Vadiraj was the only one that could go into the Void, how and why, Marko didn’t know. He wished he was the one. He should be Elli’s guardian. Pacing around the coffin, he kissed Elli’s white lips. No response. Sighing, he recollected his mood.
                          
There were too many promises to fulfil. Together, Marko and Halford went to visit the blind witch. As promised, they waited the Blue Portal to open up, before bringing Samsonian to visit some human doctor to cure her vision. Marko had to concoct a potion that would transform him into Halford, in order to make him look legit when he withdrawn money out of Halford’s saving account. Samsonian’s eyes healed just in time, when the portal opened up again. But before they returned to Reminis, they spent the remaining of Halford's saving in buying tonnes of grenades, guns, and bullets.
                          
Lukas couldn't tag along as the wound on his calf had become chronic. The venom of Netto’s saliva had spread to his entire lower torso, and the only way to keep Lukas alive was to amputate his legs. Vadiraj felt extremely sorry for Lukas but the latter didn’t blame him. Hatred is the most poisonous venom, both the Vampist and the Black-Born had come to realise.
                          
A few days later when Lukas' wounds had closed up, Marko placed another visit to Dr. Woodpecker’s clinic, together with Maxim, Freda, and Sam. The Golden-Born, who had never been into the woodland before, squealed with delight as he met the doctor. He asked too many questions that it took them fifteen minutes to calm him down. The Black-Born and the Golden-Born then combined synergy, and they created the most awesome hairstyle for the doctor.
                          
An hour had passed when the group could finally sit down and have some… tea. They relayed the entire incident they encountered in the Underworld to Dr. Woodpecker. The doctor expressed his condolence for the deaths of Vortex and Darrell. It urged Maxim to bring it to deliver eulogy before their empty tombs. The tombs were built in the Cupid Lake and the date was set. They continued their chat.
                          
“They are closing in,” Maxim said with creased forehead. “Is our surveillance system manifested?”
                          
Freda nodded. “We’ve placed one thousand and one crystal balls at every nook and cranny of Reminis. Two are planted by the edge of the Blue Portal, too. Lukas and some Ordimalia have been studying the crystal balls day and night. So far, there’s no any peculiar movement.”
                          
Maxim frowned deeper. “Good thing the Toadmanders and the Blue Dragons are shifting back. The East Sea is the gate to Kalkaris and I can’t afford to lose those rare species.”  
                          
Drawing out a map, Maxim prepared to relay to them the strategies of fending the demons when suddenly, a white owl whooshed past the tree and perched on Maxim’s shoulder. It stretched out its right foot, and Maxim removed the letter. His eyes scanned through the letter; his face darkened. When he lifted his head, he said, “The leader of the Toadmander sent words. Illidad will be here in five days.”