Bottle of Stories (85)

It was evening, Yaesso Cu came back without Avie. Everyone is resting after an hour-long walk. Some are eating on the sidewalk while some are sleeping in the area where they most feel comfortable.

He looked for Rey, but he only found Annie and Jayson so he approached them.

"Why is everyone sleeping? It is still early at 7," asked Annie to Jayson.

"We sleep early so we can wake up before sunrise. It is in our culture," explained Cu.

"You came back. I thought you are going to get Avie," said Jayson.

"Something... happened. I realized that I was wrong, so I decided to trust Skar. He said this to me:"

"Leivo blackmailed me. None of this was my fault. He told me that I should reveal that my parents killed people or else he will make everyone suffer. I'm not acquainted with my parents anymore but it does not mean I will destroy their reputation for a kid who is also cursed to carry out his parent's wishes for revenge. If I say anything, my parents might end me instead.

"It is an issue between his righteous parents and my corrupted parents and we are the ones who bear the burden of their actions. I will protect the people of this island if Leivo wishes to hurt them. I beg you Cu, trust me. I am not like my parents. That is why I left them long ago."

"Avie was mad at me for putting my life in danger so I was not able to bring her here. I just run away from that group without them noticing."

"Wait I do not understand. So the legend was not true? Skar said it was their parents' conflict so it probably started a few years ago not longer than 100 years," Annie explained before she was interrupted by their acting leader.

"So you went to their group, without telling me," OP said in disappointment. "Look at them, they lost their classmate. I thought you are keeping an eye on them. What happened?"

"Rey, did he got taken by Leivo's people?" Cu cannot believe that one kid got caught because of his actions. "I'm sorry Jayson, Annie, it was my fault."

"That kid stalled the cursed so we can escape." OP continued to scold Cu in a cold and harsh tone.

"It's okay Cu, Rey said he will come back. After all, he is immune to that kind of curse," said Annie.

Jayson bumped Annie's shoulder to signal that she is talking too much. In realization, Annie covered her mouth.

"What is he planning?" OP asked.

Jayson put his palm on his face. "Explain by yourself. I am not going to help you because you brought this to yourself." He left Annie and just observed her in a distance.

"Hey, help me." If Rey was only here, he would love to accept her offer.

"Explain or you will put everyone in danger."

"OP, you are scaring her. Can we just talk about this in a more private place?"

They went inside a hut where OP can still observe his group outside.

"We have a cursed bottle, with us, and we thought that Leivo, is the only one who can open it," Annie stuttered. "Once he was freed, he can open a portal, that will help Rey escape from Leivo."

"What if he did not help your friend and left him instead?" asked OP.

"The person cursed inside the bottle is a guardian," said Jayson.

"What!" Cu exclaimed. "Guardian of what? Knowledge? Soul?"

"Space," answered Jayson.

"I want to meet him! From what the legends say, Guardian of Space came here and told about the other guardians. He also helped people to improve technology."

Cu seems to like legends they thought.

"Do not get sidetrack, we do not know if that story is true," said OP.

"But Leivo was real, that means guardians are real too," said Cu.

"We met the guardian of dreams before," said Annie.

Cu's face brightened. "Really? Does he look like a flying giant snake that does not spit fire but instead controls tree branches?"

Annie was confused. "He's a human."

OP looked away. "See, it is fake."

"Hmmmm. I still believe you Annie, Jayson! Do not mind this party pooper." Cu pointed OP who was sitting beside him.

OP pushed away Cu's hands. "I want your real intention because the lives of the people are in my hands. Why would he want to go to Leivo himself just to release a guardian and escape? If what's inside the bottle is a guardian, why not ask to stop Leivo."

"That's what the legend of guardians comes in to play. You see guardians are keepers of balance. They cannot do things alone without affecting the balance. So if you want something, they will only guide you. Unless you gave them something that brings equilibrium to your wish."

"Having a deal with guardians can bring more suffering to the one who wished than the guardian itself," added Jayson who recalled his dreams.

"Exactly. However, having a guardian on our side is already an advantage. Maybe that's why Rey insisted on meeting Leivo." OP did not raise any rebuttal. Thanks to Cu's explanation, OP's suspicions were erased.

"I'm sorry, I thought your friend is an enemy's accomplice. If you have any plans you should tell me so I can use some help. I feel guilty that I let a kid face all that danger."

"He's the only one who can do it. I believe he will come back with the guardian safely."

"Umm, OP I forgot to tell you something important. When I was finding our group, I noticed that there are no cursed people. Maybe, we should proceed to walk towards the pier now that they are not active at night?"

"Why haven't you said that earlier? Whatever, I will tell everyone." OP exited the hut and went to announce a new plan.

~~~*List of Chapters*~~~