BXBX NOVEL Chapter 748 Keng's Feelings
Lee Seng's mind returned to him. The fire was a bit too warm but crackled as he opened his eyes to see the sun was starting to rise. He managed to pull his arm out and unzip himself. He sat up and pulled his other arm out from beneath the sleeping bag, only to notice the parchment paper was in his hand. He looked around and noticed the majority were still sleeping.
Lee Seng straightened out the wrinkles on the parchment and watched as red ink appeared on the paper.
Some unruly visitors have settled in the ruined city you are headed to. Secure one of these unruly visitors – alive or not – and attach this parchment onto them. It will bring them to me. Only then, will you know the exact location of the precious Cup. Failure to comply will result in death… Maybe I'll start with your friends first.
Lee Seng crumpled the paper and stuffed it into his pocket. He let out a sigh and stood up. He looked around the camp. Everyone was asleep except for Ritsuka and Calis. He scanned his surroundings and couldn't find them.
'Did they walk off for a moment?' Lee Seng asked himself. He let out a yawn and pulled his mask off, rubbing his eyes and face. He made his way out of the sleeping area and into the woods. He walked quite a way out until he couldn't easily see the others sleeping. Lee Seng did his business and let out another yawn before returning to camp.
"Where'd Lee Seng go?" Calis asked. Ritsuka looked over and noticed Lee Seng wasn't in his sleeping bag. Keng smacked his lips as he peacefully slept next to the empty bag.
"Probably to take a leak." Ritsuka guessed.
"We shouldn't have both gone at the same time." Calis sighed. He looked around, hoping to catch Lee Seng. His eyes lit up as he came to a stop. "Over there." Calis pointed.
"He came back." Ritsuka brushed it off. "Don't be a stickler like the rest of them, Cal." Lee Seng noticed the two and walked over to them.
"Mornin' sunshine. Sleep okay?" Ritsuka asked. Lee Seng rolled his eyes.
"I guess." Lee Seng shrugged.
"Got a long day ahead of us." Calis rolled his neck. "You ready for it?"
"I swear if you guys don't let me do anything today, I'm going to bury myself alive." Lee Seng commented. Ritsuka smiled. Lee Seng was certainly in a 'good mood.'
"So," Ritsuka moved to stand off to the side of both Calis and Lee Seng. "Y'know you talk in your sleep?" He looked at Lee Seng who gave him a blank face. Lee Seng shook his head at Ritsuka, looking at Calis.
"It's true. We heard you talking in your sleep. You sounded angry." Calis added.
"You have a nightmare?" Ritsuka asked Lee Seng. Lee Seng's right hand moved into his pocket and felt the parchment. He played with it just enough for Ritsuka and Calis to hear it.
"More like a warning." Lee Seng pulled the parchment off and uncrumpled it. The red ink scrawled itself on the paper as he showed Calis and Ritsuka. "Lord Cain found me last night."
"What?" Calis and Ritsuka both spoke in unison. They read the note and looked up at Lee Seng. "I don't see anything."
"Of course, he'd do that to me…" Lee Seng whispered under his breath. He lifted the parchment and waved it as he spoke. "I don't have the best reputation in Limbo… I guess it's becoming a thing wherever I go, but Lord Cain visited me in my dreams last night. He said that the Deimons have somehow infiltrated Limbo, too. He wants me to do him an owed favor before we can find the cup."
"And what's that?" Calis asked. Lee Seng stuffed the parchment into his pocket and folded his arms together.
"We gotta secure a Deimon and send it to the god of Limbo with the parchment paper. Only then can we look for the Cup." The two stood there quietly for a while. They absorbed the information as the quiet noises of their sleeping companions filled the space.
"Alright… We have to get a Deimon… I'm not sure how we're going to do that. The last time that happened—" Ritsuka began when Calis covered his mouth. Calis's eyes widened for a second. Ritsuka seemed to catch onto some unsaid conversation and nodded. Lee Seng looked at them curious as to what happened with the Deimon encounter.
"Catching a Deimon." Calis sighed. "I think this is a conversation we'll have to have with the rest of the group, right?" Calis looked at Ritsuka and then at Lee Seng.
'They're acting very weird.' Lee Seng thought. He nodded his head.
One by one, the group slowly woke up. Lee Seng watched the black and white sky slowly turn a bright white as the red sun filled the sky. Limbo was odd in its colors, but it was still breathtaking to see. Black, white, gray and red. The four colors that enveloped this world and its inhabitants. Lee Seng's mind wandered, unknowingly blocking out the voice that called out to him from below.
"He's off in his own world, again." Ritsuka sighed. He turned to see Keng wandering over. "Keng, get him. We gotta talk about something." Ritsuka pointed up at Lee Seng.
"Okay." Keng yawned. He pulled his mask off and rubbed his eyes before setting the mask back on. He looked up and noticed Lee Seng was staring towards the sun. Keng lifted off the ground, rising to Lee Seng's sitting height. The energy peeled Lee Seng away from the sun. He noticed Keng was there and greeted him.
"Morning." Lee Seng smiled.
"Morning. Did ya sleep okay?" Keng asked. Lee Seng swung his leg off the thick branch and dangled his legs so Keng could sit. Keng took a seat next to Lee Seng and watched the blood red sun.
"I guess I slept okay." Lee Seng nodded. He looked over at Keng. "Everyone else up?"
"They're running off to use the bathroom and wash up. Have you washed up yet?"
"No." Lee Seng shook his head. Keng lifted his hand and a ball of water appeared. "Woah! Is that because of those daggers you mentioned before?"
"I'm surprised you remember that far back." Keng nodded. Lee Seng pulled his mask off and set it on his lap. He scooped some water and patted his face, scrubbing the eye boogers off.
"Years might've gone by, but that's all I remember. It feels like yesterday to me. It's years for the rest of you guys." Lee Seng somberly replied. He wiped his hands and looked at the sun as Keng took the opportunity to wash his face. Lee Seng wiped his face with his arms and put the mask back on. "Do you wish you could just… disappear back into the Soul world for a while?"
"At first, I really wished I could disappear." Keng answered. "I always wanted to know how you were doing. If you were really dying or if you were just sleeping. I wanted to know, but I couldn't bring myself to… I secluded myself for a long time. Snuck in to see you because I had already made the impression, I didn't want to see you…" Keng turned his head and tapped his heart. "It started to hurt here more the longer I went without you. It felt like it was going to break into a million pieces even though it already broke… When Fae and River were introduced to me after a year of living in Revit, you somehow convinced me to train them. To be a leader."
"I convinced you? How?" Lee Seng raised his eyebrows. Keng nodded and looked away with a smile plastered on his face.
"Yeah. You came in a dream… Oh yeah, I dreamed! I also had nightmares, too, but… I'd like to think you knew how hard I was trying to hold myself together. Hold them all together." Keng glanced behind them. Lee Seng looked back and noticed the group was already starting another fire.
"What did I tell you?" Lee Seng asked.
"I didn't want to do anything and Ritsuka had taken the initiative to ask Lily's parents for help. They left me alone most of the time. Ritsuka would try to get me to go places, but I refused. One day Lily showed up and forced me outside… Heh, that small girl grew as big as her brothers. She pulled me out and forced me to go eat. I met Fae and River and Lily explained to me how she found them during her travels. She brought them back because Uncle, her dad, told her we were here via mail.
"Well, she introduced me, and I felt like seeing you for some reason. I dunno what it was, but I went to see you and… You were… sleeping. Everyone told me to talk to you like you were listening, so I did. I think I even cried that night. I felt so bad and when I went to sleep, you showed up. We were under that large tree near the cliff. You and I were sitting on the tree like this, and you looked at me and asked about my day. I told you I met Lily and two new Saviors and you were excited. You noticed I wasn't thrilled and turned and asked, 'Why aren't you thrilled?' I told you it was because you weren't here with me, and you punched me. Nearly knocked me off the tree and scolded me. 'I will always be by your side! No matter what happens I will always be by your side! You think a Vessel would stay still? No! I'm not just a Vessel! I'm a person! A person who's willing to share my life with you! A person who accepted you into my heart! A person who was healed by you!'"
Keng wiped his tears and sniffled. He looked at Lee Seng and then turned away. Lee Seng watched him with the most caring eyes.
"I know… I got scolded by you and you urged me to open my heart to others. 'Spend time learning and loving others like I want to… One day I'll come back and welcome you with open arms.' You hugged me and I woke up… I felt like all the pain I was holding in was gone…."