Memories: My Kingdom

Chapter 12: Crocotle

Leui also looked at the dead trees around and poked its trunk. A hole was made on the trunk that looked charred. “Earlier, our eyes were affected by the Seven-Colored Glowing Leaves and saw Mhir lying on the ground, looking safe. But, the reality is…” he said and his eyes narrowed as he looked at the pile of black grasses where he saw Mhir sleeping earlier.

Mhir followed Leui’s eyes and she almost shrieked. Under the pile of dead grasses are bones! “Leui!” she cried, her voice sounded grieving. She almost died.

“Something purposefully sent you here.” Leui told Mhir. Then, he turned to Tinum. “Do you know if there are other elves living near here, or a beast?” he asked.

Before Tinum could answer, Mhir spoke. “The elves are extinct and hiding in their tree houses.” She said, “They won’t dare go out. As for a beast – “ she said and thought.

Tinum looked at Mhir before he turned to Leui. “Black-Scaled Crocotle.” He answered. Leui and Mhir looked at him. “They live in corroding swamps.” He said.

Mhir’s eyes widened as she finally recalled what her father said. Leui’s expression worsened. He had read in the plaza’s library during his day off about the crocotles. They are a hybrid of crocodile and turtle. Their body and limbs are of crocodile’s while there is a turtle shell on their back. They looked formidable. Their scale color varies in their habitat. As for the black-scaled ones Tinum mentioned…

Leui looked around and, white the help of some fireflies floating around, they could see the other side of the swamp. There were leather skins and hard shells. “How can they live in this swamp?” he asked Tinum.

“Their thick skin and hard shell provides them defense from the corrosion.” Tinum answered. “They eat the animals around the swamp. Sometimes, they…” he said and glanced at Mhir.

Mhir shivered and she rubbed her arms as she retreated behind Leui. “It carried me here to eat me…” she said, her face pale.

Tinum nodded and looked back to the Corroding Swamp. “This swamp’s water has the ability to harm its surrounding, thus it was called the Corroding Swamp.” He said as he picked a leaf hanging on a branch near him. Tinum pinched the leaf and the leaf crumbled and fell off his fingers.

Mhir looked surprised. “The elves should have the healing ability…” she muttered.

Tinu turned to her. “Just shows that even an elf can’t heal something the Corroding Swamp killed.” He said, his face expressionless as he wiped his fingers on his cloak. “I’ll be taking my leave now.” He told them and turned to walk away.

Leui’s eyes widened and he reached for Tinum’s cloak. However, Tinum already expected this move thus he reached his cloak first for Leui not to grab it. He underestimated Leui’s intelligence and shamelessness.

Leui expected Tinum to pull his cloak. Thus, he reached for Tinum’s hand and held it tight. Tinum’s eyes widened while Mhir’s eyes were blank as she looked at the two. She felt her heart was tired.

…

With an expressionless face, Tinum spoke as they walked through the trees. “The Crocotle can abstain from eating for a month after it ate a human – or a dwarf, or an elf.” He said as he turned to Leui, who smiled, and Mhir, who paled. “The bigger the something it eats, the longer it abstains from eating. However, now that its food escaped…” he said and stopped as he looked at Mhir.

Mhir felt a shiver and she hid on Leui’s armpit. “No! I don’t want to be eaten!” she said as she closed her eyes tight.

“That is why we are now escaping, right?” Tinum tiredly said. He looked at his wrist that was tied to Leui’s wrist. He had enough of these two. He turned to touch a tree and the tree uprooted its roots. Then, it walked behind Leui and Mhir, blocking the path behind them. Tinum used the tree to erase their traces so that the crocotle won’t find them. Now that he has a scent of Leui and Mhir on his body, he will also be implicated. He had no choice but to follow the two and escape as far as he could, then leave the pair of human and dwarf after he is sure the crocotle can’t follow them anymore.

“Ungh – “ Leui suddenly cried and held his head. Then, his figure staggered.

“Leui?” Mhir called and reached Leui. She made him lean on the tree. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice worried.

Tinum walked towards him and knelt in front of him with one knee. But, he just stared at him and didn’t touch him. “He’s a human.” He told Mhir as he looked at the pale face but flushed cheeks of Leui.

“I know that.” Mhir said as she frowned. She worriedly looked at Leui who was resting on the tree.

Tinum looked at Mhir, feeling speechless. “He’s exhausted.” He said. “Humans easily get exhausted compared to the other races. They are weak.” He explained.

Mhir finally understood. She guiltily looked at Leui and held Leui’s hand when she saw Leui was panting. “What is happening to him?” she asked and bit her lip. She never understood humans. Deep in her heart, she disregarded the fact that Leui is a human.

“This must be the ‘fever’ the humans experiencing.” Tinum said as he snapped a branch and patted it on Leui’s open palm. A thread of spiritual energy passed from the branch and onto Leui’s palm. Then, Leui’s palm absorbed the spiritual energy, making the healthy branch dried up while Leui’s complexion became rosy. He also stopped sweating.

Leui’s hazy brain became clear after he felt a cool sensation entered his body and spread to his limbs. He raised his head and met Tinum’s deep green eyes. “You…” he said when he saw Tinum carelessly threw the branch and stood. He knew what Tinum did. Tinum used the plant’s spiritual energy to feed him.

Tinum’s indifferent face prevented Leui from speaking. “The crocotle is hungry. It must be on its way, so we should move faster.” He said, his voice cold. Then, he turned and walked away.

Leui watched as Tinum left. Mhir fell silent, her feelings complicated. Then, she helped Leui stand. They quickly followed Tinum. “I’m sorry.” Mhir said after a while as they walked behind Tinum.

“For what?” Leui asked.

Mhir lowered her head. “Forgetting you’re a human.” She answered. “I’m so useless.” She sighed.

Leui smiled and patted her head. “It’s alright.” He said and looked at Tinum ahead of them. “I sometimes forget you’re a dwarf, too.” He told her. Mhir raised her head and looked at him. He chuckled. “So, there’s no need for an apology between us.” He said.

Mhir’s eyes watered and she lowered her head. “You’re too kind.” She told him.

Leui just smiled. “Also – “ he said. “ – you followed me because you’re worried for me, right?” he looked at Mhir who was silently crying. “So, you are not useless.” He told her.

Mhir sniffed and held Leui’s arm tight. Leui’s jaw tightened and he clenched his teeth, holding himself back not to cry out in pain when he felt his arm almost torn off of his body.

Tinum turned back and saw Leui wincing in pain. As I have thought, different races can't coexist. He thought and walked away.