Samsara: A Spring Love

Chapter 6

Nico kept pacing back and forth. It's been minutes since Llenard entered the Sogal Cave. Llenard and him flew all the way to the cave. Llenard said there is a surprise waiting for him. A loud buzzing sound and wings flapping can be heard inside. Nico halted, his heart was beating rather fast.

He clenched his jaw while waiting. When it felt like eternity, Llenard suddenly went out of the cave, followed by a mysterious large figure behind him.

"No way!" Nico's jaw dropped while Llenard smiled from ear to ear. Llenard gently pulled the thread attached on the dragonfly's neck.

"How?" Nico stuttered and pointed the dragonfly. "How did you manage to tame one of those!?" Nico said, his eyes widened in a complete surprise. Llenard smiled and rubbed the dragonfly's abdomen.

"Want to touch Bel?" Llenard asked. Nico incredulously looked at him.

"You are horrible at giving names!" Nico said. Llenard laughed heartily. Nico admire the beautiful gigantic iridescent blue-green dragonfly in front of him. He was in deep awe. He wanted to ran his fingers on those strong wings.

Llenard was already behind him. He slowly pushed Nico to Bel and Nico couldn't help but glare at him. Llenard grinned.

"Extend your hand and slowly touch him until he submit to you," Llenard said. Nico looked at Bel again and did what Llenard told him to do. He slowly extended his hand and to his surprise, Bel bowed down his head. Nico touched and ran his fingers on Bel's wings.

"Amazing! This is awesome!" Nico beamed. He was honestly enjoying touching Bel. The grassy feeling on the dragonfly's skin soothed him. Llenard smiled and also put his hand on Bel.

"When did you tame him?" Nico asked and sat on the ground. Llenard sat beside him and watched Bel eat.

"When I was out for a stroll on Kobolds territory. I found Bel, he was really about to attack me but stopped." Llenard chuckled while remembering seeing Bel for the first time.

"You are amazing," Nico said while his eyes sparkled. Llenard laughed and ruffled Nico's hair.

"I know right. I'm awesome!" Llenard boasted which made Nico frowned. "I'm kidding, alright?" he added seeing Nico's creased forehead.

"Want to go and ride him?" Llenard asked. Nico hastily shook his head. He is okay with touching Bel but to fly on his back? There's no way he would do that.

"Come on, Nico. Trust me, will you?" Llenard said. He stood up and extended his hand to Nico, urging him to hold it. Nico looked at Bel and back to Llenard. He's gonna regret it. He took his hand. Llenard pulled the thread and they sat on Bel's back.

"Ready?" Llenard asked. Nico shook his head, he will never be ready. Llenard chuckled and with a whistle, they flew, zooming across the vast sky of the Moor. Nico closed his eyes and gripped Llenard's shirt tightly.

"Hey! Open your eyes and prepare to be amazed," Llenard said. Nico slowly opened his eyes. He looked around with awe. They flew past the high trees. It's quite a magnificent sight and couldn't keep himself from running his hands through the fluffy clouds. Llenard's eyes squinted. He found the fairies at the valley with their tamed dragonflies. Llenard whistled and Bel went to them.

"What are you guys doing?" Llenard asked. The fairies ignored him and continued collecting the pot money. The fairies and pixies do not mixed with each other because they will always end up fighting and bickering. Llenard went down from Bel's back.

"What are they doing?" he asked the fairy beside him. He looked at Llenard and crossed his arms.

"What are you doing here, pixie? You are invading our territory," he said with a hard voice. Llenard smirked. It's still part of the moor but it was divided for other creatures to live in peace. The fairies, kobolds, sprites and the pixies.

"Just sightseeing. Watching your ugly faces muttering around," Llenard said with a smile. The fairy grabbed his shirt, eyes blazing in anger. Nico step down and worriedly looked at them. He wanted to pull Llenard away.

"Want to bet on that pixie?" The fairy said. Just want Llenard wanted, after all, pixies loves extreme adventure.

"Sure. What's the game all about?" Llenard asked. The fairy released him and glanced at his friends. The other fairies nodded their heads.

"We will have a race to see who had a stronger dragonfly," he said. Llenard looked at Nico who was holding Bel's thread and smiled.

"Sure, I'm in," Llenard said. Nico looked at him like he was gone crazy. Nico wanted to smacked his head until it cracked open but he can't. It is a horrible crime. But why did Llenard agreed?

"Place your bet then." The collecting fairy took the coins from Llenard's hand. Llenard went back to Nico while scratching the back of his head.

"Why did you do that!? Are you out of your mind?" Nico angrily said. Llenard put them in a real danger. They were outnumbered and if anything goes wrong they will surely lose to them.

"Didn't I tell you to trust me?" Llenard said. "Get on," he added.

"What? Are you crazy?" Nico said. "Do you want to win?" Nico added which made Llenard nod his head.

"Then leave me here. Bel's speed will increase if you are the only one on his back," Nico suggested. Llenard looked around, all fairies are looking intensely at them especially to Nico. Llenard's face darkened.

"No, Bel will win with us on his back. Now get on," Llenard seriously said, gone was the smile on his face and was replaced by a darkened look. He won't let those bastards get close to Nico while he was out there racing. Nico heaved a sigh and followed him.

"Hold on my waist Nico, do you want to fall?" Llenard asked. Nico awkwardly put his hands on Llenard's waist.

"That's not right," Llenard said and ruffled the curls on his hair. "Like this," he added and held Nico's arms. He wrapped it tightly around his waist.

"Hey pixie, are you ready to lose?" One of the fairies shouted and laughed. Llenard didn't bother answering him. He focused his mind on the game and the place. The fairy explained the rules and the road which they should go. Lucky for him, he easily memorized the Moor's land structure. It was easy for him. The whistle blow and all of them started flying. Llenard whistled. He clasped the thread tightly.

It was only a few minutes that passed and one fairy blocked his way and tried kicking them off of Bel's back. Nico gasped when the kick landed on his side. Nico hissed but fought back, he kicked him back with the same intensity which sent him falling off his dragonfly.

"Nice kick, Nico," Llenard said. They entered to the second stage and they're on the third place out of the five participant and one of them is already down. The two other fairy started squeezing them, Llenard whistled and Bel descended causing the two to bumped on each other.

Now the third stage commenced and it only them and the other fairy leading in front. Bel started flying slowly, exhaustion hit him. Nico worriedly looked at him. The distance between them and the other fairy had expanded.

"Come on Bel, you can do it!" Llenard said and rubbed Bel's head.

"I told you! I should have remained there," Nico said, the guilt was eating him slowly. He badly wanted Llenard to win.

"And what? Let those bastards ogle you as I race!? No way!" Llenard burst out. Nico was taken aback for a bit. He never talked again when they entered the last and final lap.

"Okay Bel, there's a small tunnel up ahead. It's a short cut," he whispered as if Bel could totally understand him. "We will win this. I promise you," he said and turned his head to Nico with a smile that shows his pearly white teeth.

Llenard whistled once again and Bel entered the tunnel that they passed by. Bel speed up, wing flapping so hard. Llenard can see the lights.

"Almost there Bel, almost there," he said and patted Bel's head. And to Nico's surprised, when they left the tunnel they were already ahead against the fairy. He got a shock expression plastered on his face, he couldn't believe that a mere pixie defeated him.

Bel landed on the ground, exhausted. Llenard quickly got down cheered as he emerged victorious from the race but before he could talk to Nico he was greeted by a punch. Nico shouted, he tried helping Llenard but he was also attack.