20 Delay 2

Sarah staring at Neel who was half opening his eyes. He looked listless and dead. He couldn't move the way he wanted and he looked like a dog who got hit and run accident. She felt sorry about it.

Observing for him the entire night, she found out that a demon could show his weak side too. She noticed that the fire was going dimmer along with the temperature turned lower when midnight came. She felt shivered once again and unconsciously reached to the wolf side. She carefully touched him and his temperature was normal. Feeling relieved, she used her chanced quickly to wrap herself and buried her body to his thick soft fur. She slept like a log until morning.

When she woke up, she could see the wolf was still unmoving. She knew he wasn't dead because she could still feel his warm heat. She looked at the entrance cave and the blizzard wasn't showing to stop.

Was she going to stuck here for the entire day and for continuous five days straight? No! She would be dead before that. Holding her stomach, she felt hungry. Glancing at the wolf hopefully he would wake up soon, she desperately shaking his head around. "Neel... Neel..." She called. But, no response from him. She pouted and bit her lips.

...

...

In his dream, he watched a woman held his hands and told him to stay strong. She was Neel's human mother who he saw when he was still an infant. He couldn't remember well how her face looks like, but she had this beautiful red hair which he couldn't help to admire. He heard his mother saying, "Remember there is human blood within you. So, don't ever hurt human just like other demons."

"What if I forget about the promise?"

"There'll be someone who will remind you when the time comes." She said as she went outside heading to the light door with his father. Leaving him, a pup, sitting rigidly looking at them in a dark room.

The memory changed and he was in a classical study room. He opened his eyes and he could see his friend sitting across of him. With his fancy brown clothes, brown hair, and red lips. Neel was wondering if he was a female or male? This memory or dream was something he had experienced before. The memory of two years ago, before he came here to this land.

As the man adjusted his glasses, Neel heard him saying, "Don't forget to drink my special tea, I made it myself. I swear it will be good." Crossing his legs, the man was waiting expectantly.

Neel watched profoundly how his friend gave him the tea. Neel knew that he wanted him to experience this disgusting tea. He felt annoyed and wanted to smack this friend's face so much, yet he knew he was genuine with his offer. "Give me a reason why I need to drink it?" Neel stated as he smirked.

"If I said, It's for your own good? Come on, how many times we've been together? You should get used to my experiment tea."

"Well, not this time."

"Tsk, you're not fun." He stood up and went to the window sill. Neel followed his move and he noticed that his friend was staring at the moon. His friend continued, "How many more days are you going to stay in that human form?"

"One day. Tomorrow, I'll be back in my wolf form." Neel answered. He heard him humming and then chuckled.

He said, "It's really hard, huh, searching for that soul stone of yours. If you want new eyes, I'll be happy to welcome you." Neel heard him and glanced to the side. The desk and the shelf full of human and animal body parts, in which contained in small jars. Blue eyes, red eyes, lips, ears, heads, etc. Of course, it was all dead.

Neel's friend liked to experiment, but what he liked the most was to experiment human or animal dead body. He didn't take it by chance or random, he was selective for his samples. For instance, a human body fitting for his requirements needed to be orphan or abandoned and war victims. There were others requirementsn also, but this two were the main factors for passinh his evaluation before he began working on it.

Neel silently judging him. A question which he never asked after living together with him. He once tried to ask him about his hobby, but then he noticed his mood changed to worst. After that event, he never asked his reason again and just let him be. Back on the situation, he turned down his recommendation, "No, thanks. Besides, I have still my full power in that stone."

He turned around and lean on the window, he told him, "That's why you will never going anywhere, you stupid wolf. And, I was wondering, why are you acting so obedient lately? What happened to you? What? You're going to stop killing humans?"

Squinted his eyes from his words, he got slightly irritated when his friend called him 'stupid' again. He retorted, "I don't kill them, they attack me first, I was just trying to defend myself. I've never interested to kill a human. Plus, don't call me 'stupid'."

'I've been calling you with that name all this time, how can I change it?' He thought. Curving his lips up, he continued saying, "But, you still kill them, you stupid head. I get it how those soldiers coming right on you. But, that 'woman' and her family though, why must you kill them? Just because they saw your face? She was even nice to you. How could you kill her? Well, not that I care though."

Looking at him with empty eyes, he unconsciously gritted his teeth, Neel explained, "They are not 'nice' as you said. They were once the people I thought was a family after my mother... hah... I mean there's always something more behind those masks. I was pretty innocent back then, so I thought I could trust them. But, no, I shouldn't have..."

"Just because of that reason, you killed all of the people, men, women, and children who saw your face? How about me? Why didn't you kill me?"

Neel's face turned darkened, he told him, "First of all, I didn't kill children. Second, I didn't kill them not only because of that reason. There's... There's a lot of issues which I can't elaborate. It is my matter, so please do just like I did to you in the past. Don't ask further. Third, I'm planning not to associate with a human again, just like you told me, I should focus on my goals."

"Hmm... I was just saying that in impulse, oh well, but I get it how we both have a secret that we don't want to tell, because it's for our sake friendship, hahaha. Right... If someday there's a person that you trust more than me, I should make him or her my senior."

"I should say the same for you."

They laughed together for a while. Neel brushed his teary eyes because he laughed too much. He continued with his playful tone, "I'm not finished you know." Coughing, he continued, "Lastly, you are different. Why? Umm... Did you remember when you found out my face for the first time? Not like all of the people who saw me, you're not fascinated. It was truly different and it surprised me. Men, women, and children were all hovering around, but you..." A burst of laughed came out from his mouth, "Instead, you splash me with your disgusting tea and told me to wash my ugly face, you even give me a cold shoulder when I first come to your house."

He shrugged and said, "Because, I'm more handsome than you stupid. Why should I compare and fascinate to the man who is much uglier than me?" He brushed his brown hair to the back and showed Neel his iconic teeth smile.

"Don't be too contagious, your narcissism is already at the highest level. People may puke when hearing that." Neel dissed him.

"Well, right now, you're the only person here. You're not vomiting, right? Tsk, tsk, you should watch the situation first, you stupid wolf. Anyway, what I want to confirm to you is the land that I've been research lately. It's called Land of Ozar. I found out that there are a lot of strong energy and even the black creature you've been looking for is plenty there. Perhaps, there'll be your soul stone there as well. What do you think?"

Frowning, Neel was in thought, when he answered with a serious tone. "I'm not sure. But, it's worth to try searching for it... after continuously failed for almost a decade, I don't see a problem going to that place. Where's that land?"

"I know that you'll be interested. You should thank me, for what I've had been going through just to help you. So, yeah, the location is in the east if it's startinh from this small land. Unfortunately, the boat to go there is only come once in two years and you don't have any choice to wait for two years, buddy. As I'm the best man ever, it's better to make a preparation like studying the land's information before going there. Because the place isn't like in this small land. It's completely different. The people who live in that land is much more diverse and complicated. You'll know it when you're going there." He explained as he smiled at him.

The image changed and the time skip happened. Two years later, on the day before Neel departure. Neel was in human form wearing a white cloak. Because it was a human ship, so he needed to disguise himself. His friend said to him, "Good luck. You'll probably arrive at the Gerald Kingdom in three weeks. Make sure to focus on your purpose. You don't want to get distracted like the previous years, right?"

Neel smiled mockingly, he hugged him and said with his deep voice, "I think my years mostly wasted it being together with you. Thank you for everything, I guess?"

His friend laughed, letting go of his hug, he pushed Neel lightly and told him, "Okay, don't get touchy now. Now, go, your ship is waiting. Bye, stupid wolf." Leaning on the door, he waved his right hand to Neel.

"Are you sure you don't want to send me off? It may be the last time we're going to see each other."

"Well, that's how you said it when I suggested you to go this land and that land last time, but you always come back with no result, remember? So, It's still uncertain whether this one will be the right one and if this will be the last time we're going to see each other again too. But, if you really succeed in finishing your goals. Beforeyou go back to the demon realm, can you try to visit me later?"

"Isn't that obvious?" He walked away as he gave his friend a slight nod. After he was quite far from him, he shouted to his friend. "Bye, Warren!"

"Bye, stupid wolf. Later, when you come back, you better decide what is going to be your name! Don't let me call you 'stupid wolf' every time!" He shouted to Neel who was already far away from him. Warren thought he didn't hear his message, but in fact, he did hear it.

A 'name' was something bizarre to him. He forgot what was his parents called him when he was small. He couldn't remember well, due to how fast his parents passed away and how he suddenly became a wolf king at such a young age. Since then, people always call him Wolf King XII and almost half of his life had been played by his uncle under control. Along the time, he lost his original name and he accepted as a 'Wolf King XII'. Neel muttered, "I may reconsider having it later."

Walking to the dock platform, he went inside the ship. As the ship started sailing, he saw something tiny red color far from his position. He couldn't perceive it well, but he knew it was from Warren's house. Did he experimenting again? He thought and chose to ignore it.

...

Later did he know that troop of soldiers suddenly barged inside Warren's house. Smashing and burning all of his discovery and experiments. Warren could only be pushed out forcefully as he watched his house burned.

One of the commanders with the bulky figure and blonde hair, straight coming to Warren's side. He told Warren who was in bad condition after getting beaten up by the soldiers. "Where's that demon wolf? Where's that demon wrecker?! We got a report from the nearest village that you've been hiding this demon from a couple of years now. How dare you as the most trusted doctor in the country, betray us like this?!"

His red and blue wounds laughing mockingly at the commander, he spat to his face and swore, "He's not here anymore. If you want revenge after he killed all of your armies, then just fu*k off!"

"What crap are you talking about? Are you going to defy his highness's order? This demon is the key for our army! He's a wanted demon we've searching for years. If we lose him, do you know how lost it will be?!" He punched Warren's face. He told him, "You're so disappointed. All this time, we never check on you, because you're the most outstanding man I know, Warren. Even his highness believe on you."

Laughing ironically, he replayed his cringe words in his mind. Hah! Shut the bullsh*t! Like hell, he wanted to believe that. "Haha.... haha... Like I care about that stupid prince blabbering. The reason I never told him because of some greedy people is targeting him, like you, and that stupid prince. Good thing, that wolf's gone now!"

"Where's he now?"

"Why should I tell you, stupid?"

Feeling agony, he called his men, "Men! Take him to his highness!" He ordered with a stern voice, he continued, "Whether you're going to die or not. I'm not going to help you again like last time. It's such shame that I once thought you a friend." His men pressed Warren down on the hard ground, his both arms were tied up tightly, leaving him grunted.

His perspiration was coming out of from his skin, forming beads which kept falling through his forehead. He could taste blood and sweats mixing up. His glasses broke and fell. He was being shoved to the carriage, Warren forcefully stopped his steps. He looked at the commander and preach him, "Listen well, Black Iron, the time you chose me rather than Elvis was the biggest mistake you've ever done. Plus, it was the start of our broken friendship between us."

His heart slightly hurt, the childhood friend he had once played wit lh became this vicious person toward him. Ungrateful bastard! Did he think he had any choice? Black Iron responded to his remark, "So, you want to die like that maggot? It has been twenty years. Why don't you forget about him already?"

Furiously, Warren yelled, "He's my brother you son of bi*ch!! You know how much he wanted to stay alive! You should just listen to him and left me die!! Did you know how much he admired you as his senior brother?!!"

Black Iron stayed quiet and didn't say anything. He walked in front of him. Touching his chin and tilted it up, he answered him with whispered, "It was all in the past. If you don't know what was the real situation, just shut up." Letting go of his fingers. He commanded his men, "Continue!"

Warren cursed out, "You selfish son of bi*ch!!! I hope you'll suffer from that idiot prince!!" Black Iron ignored Warren screamed and told his other subordinates to find clues where the wolf went to.

Meanwhile, in the sea, Neel couldn't sleep as he kept staring at the ocean. The direction, once again, was on Warren's house. He didn't know why but he got a bad omen.

When he tried to sleep, he imagined Warren's house burning and being taken by some soldiers. They whipped him and abused him hardly in the carriage. The image became blurry and it looked like he could hear Warren calling his name over and over again or not?

"Warren... Warren... Warren!!!" Neel screamed loudly. His heart became suffocated, raged invaded him and he wanted to save him. But, as if some wall between them, not letting him act the way he wanted.

...

...

He opened his eyes shockingly and the first thing he saw wasn't the blue sky and the ocean. But, it was a dim place with a slight light coming out from the outside. It was cold, but he didn't feel that cold due to his thick fur. Gasping hard, he quickly moved his pupil around scanning the place then fell to a certain woman near him who was listlessly mumbling, "Neel... Neel... "