19 'Country Roads take me home... to the place..., I belong... FRAYLULè!

"Cough!" "Cough!" "Cough!" I wake up coughing and desperately gasping for air, it felt like a hand was squeezing my lungs...

As soon as I gained back my breath, I abruptly open my eyes to see if there is any danger... there was a blonde teenager with these deep red eyes staring at me while sitting on a chair while hugging his legs.

I spread out my sword force and instantly know where I am situated... in the middle of a snow forest with very tall trees that are situated evrywhere... it's freezing.

"Who are you and why are you here?" This stranger questions me.

"Well what do we have here Okini? 'L'? heh heh heh, 'cough!'" I reply with a small smile while getting up to retrieve Masamune which the individual holds with his right hand up high in front of me.

"'L?' It doesn't matter anyway, you're injuries are pretty bad especially that face of yours, your cheekbone is broken, you have a very deep claw injury which will take a while to heal, also multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung. I'm surprised you can actually laugh freely." He says to me while furrowing his brows and scratching his face.

"Shit happens." I reply, shrugging my shoulders.

'...' He looks at me weirdly.

"Would you mind passing over my sword boy?" I ask, simultaneously tilting my head left and lifting my right hand just below my chest.

"First you answer my questions then I will pass back your weapon... and I am no boy you are the boy." he says while swinging around my sword a little bit with an expressionless face... I've got to admit... those eyes look... freaking awesome.

"...I guess I am... a boy" I look at myself all over sarcastically remembering that I am still a young boy.

'Shift.'

Masamune instantly appears on my back and I get ready to use my sword intent on him with my eyes, I stare at him.

"Was that really necessary? All I wanted was for you to answer my questions."

"I will gladly answer your questions once you tell me why I am here and why you are here." I say while walking away to lean against a tree a couple of metres away.

Mean while many thoughts are surfacing in this unknown red eyed man. 'Is he keeping a distance from me, since he thinks I am a threat? No... somehow he got his weapon on his back instantly without even doing anything? Does this sword have a will of it's own? No... that's not it... it could be... no, he did it, maybe it's just a certain skill or maybe he is in the 'Conquering Blade stage...?' Impossible. I need to know if he was a part of it, I need to know now before it's too late...'

"Ok. I will answer your questions first then you are to answer mine, is this agreed?"

"Agreed."

'Great, once this little kid answers my questions, I'll decide what to do... but that sword is mine.' The boy has a sharp glint in his eyes.

"First question, why am I here?" I say while biting my nails.

"I saved you from drowning, if I had not come you would of died." He replies to me while standing up from his chair and also walking to lean against a tree while cracking his knuckles...

"Thanks for that." I say staring at him.

"I saved your life, but it seems you are not sincere or grateful... why is that...?" He says to me while scrunching his face a little bit.

"Name's Oliver and it seems you were not sincere in your deeds too." I say while smiling.

"... Anyway I was just passing by, anyone would of helped." The boy replies while lifting both his hands up.

'I bet they would of... and he's using more body language while talking compared to before... trying to gain my trust so that I answer his questions? Hidden motive maybe? No...' I come to a sudden realization and I look up at him... his face, neck, hands, fingers, hair, arms, legs... his eyes...

'He's going to kill me. I need to act fast, but with this condition I'm in... I'm not sure If I'll survive... if I use sword intent I will surely fall unconscious again... only a couple of moves it is then'. I continue my questions, trying to stay calm.

"Second question, who are you and why are you in the snowy mountains?" '...Coincidence?... I don't think so.'

"I am Vlatti Van Richez and I am here because I am searching... for something."

"Alright, now your questions, I'm on the clock so please be fast." I calmy say while I eat a snack that just appeared in my hand.

"As you wish, why are you here, who are you, what is that weapon, how old are you and do you know what occurred to Verutomo?"

"...I came here for a pet" I say while numbering them off with my fingers.

'A pet... in the snowy mountains? Ridiculous.'

"My name is Oliver and I am 10 years old currently... my weapon... is no mere weapon it is my partner in arms. Her name is Masamune."

"..."

"... And, I have no clue as to what happened in Verutomo." Richez walks towards me.

'Liar'

"Are you sure, I will not ask again." 'He dares to not speak then I will make him speak even if he is still a child...'

"Are you threatning me?" I say while I stand up straight.

"Oliver calm down, my bad, let me rephrase that, since you have come to this part of the snowy mountains then surely you have traversed past Verutomo to come here, do you at all remember anything unusual that you saw or heard on your way through Verutomo?"

"I'm sorry Vlatti Van Richez, I did not travel through Verutomo... since I'm actually wanted by a group of bandits that frequent that kingdom and I did not want to die. I'm sorry, I know nothing... did something bad happen there... I've got a little cousin that lives there, please tell me if something bad has happened..." I acted like a sad child and truly did not know of what he spoke of.

'This Oliver surely knows the happenings of Verutomo... or maybe not... my instincts tell me that he knows something but... it can't be he's just a small child who travels the snowy mountains... no simple person travels the snowy mountains though, so what is it? I can't just put my finger on it...'Richez looks up at stares at me trying to figure something out...

'He is just a child so I won't torture him for the little to no information he has but it's most probably not anything major that can conclude my investigation... lets wrap this up....'

"Oliver, that's a shame than, one last question I've got for you." Richez says with a faked disappointed expression.

"Sure, I would gladly answer the questions of my saviour…." I propel myself off with my shoulder against the tree then secretly get ready for a fight... he's finally making a move.

"Thankyou for your time Oliver, I'll be taking my leave than."

"No problem."

"Cool, see ya late..."

"BOOM!"

He makes his move which produced a blast of sound...

'He's fast.'

Vlatti Van Richez appears in front of me with a fist of blue flames aiming for my face.

I dodge by tilting my head then I kick his leg and gain my distance. He is clearly angry an he strikes even harder and faster... he goes for the kick, but it's a feint, Richez jumps and goes for a punch on the top of my skull.

I duck and spin while unsheating Masamune and swiflty cut off his legs... it was a after image he appears behind me and kicks me in the back, making Masamune fly into a tree and me fly against a tree slamming my shoulder against it. "Cough!" I cough out blood and start to feel the immense pain I am in reinvigorate iteslf...

'The only reason I'm alive is because I'm in the Origin Endocrine stage... lucky I put in extra effort...'

The red eyed bitch walks calmy towards me with a smirk on his face. 'His fist is surrounded by blue flames... wonder if they'll burn me...?'

I still lay on the ground in severe pain staring at his eyes.

He crouches down next to me and speaks, "I will ask you again you dumb child, what happened at Verutomo I know you were there, with power like yours there's no way you would simply take a detour around some lowly bandits, You. Are. A. Liar!."

"Hmph." I spit blood onto his face. "You think I give a shit, I want no trouble from this world yet, I'm just a young boy." I say while smiling... blood drippling down...

He points his palm at me, blue flames start to kindle on his palms and he yells, "Than DIE!"

He obviously is agitated and proceeds to finish me off... but I was ready. I stare at the spot between his brows just before his flames erupt... a mini hole appears there...

Vlatti Van Richez looks at me with dumbfounded eyes, he slumps down on top of me with blood running from his forehead...

Before I fall unconscious... I desperately keep my eyes open, holding onto a string of light...

'Shift...'

'Fraylulè... Tara... just take me home...'

Masamune appears and I swiftly cut open Richez's stomach before my eyes fall... blood pours all over me...