Chapter 8

After some few days staying at their little house, the two were preparing for a small festival done once every year in the village. After all it was mid August and the people needed to rest and enjoy themselves.

Zane and Daliah kept on visiting them and they were the ones who had brought it up. It is specific to say Daliah was actually the one that had brought it up. The four had gotten close. As the girls had an addition of a cheery Daliah and well reserved gentleman, Zane.

"Hello ladies!" Daliah greeted when he was still a few meters away from them. Zane followed behind him, he no longer coughed or anything. He was healthy in a way, a little healthier from the first day they met him. Sitting on the steps the two waited for the girls to do their own things.

The festival was starting in the evening and it was about past four, they had plenty of time to get ready.

Alyssa and Adanna had washed up and changed in one of the cloaks they had received from the villagehead's wife. Combing their hair, Alyssa tied it at the back for a short change. The little pony reached at her shoulders slightly touching the cream coat.

Adanna let her hair loose as she scrutinised the cloak in front of her thinking of an idea to make it look fashionable. She couldn't walk around with a cloth sweeping the ground. She was too sexy to wear something like it.

She decided to leave it behind as they exited the room greeting their friends. On the way to the center of the village, Zane kept looking at Alyssa as he kept quiet as if he had something eating his mind. Everyone had sensed that he wasn't his usual self.

Reaching the crowd, the little group looked around to see torches which lit up the whole street as most of the villagers wore masks and a little far from where they were standing, a stand with roasted meat attracted the two girls who ran torwards it as Zane paid for their treat. He chose a piece and handed it over to Alyssa who murmured a thank you as she started feasting on it. He smiled and bought another one for his other two friends.

Looking around through the lively night, the important part of the festival had finally come. Everyone at that moment got onto their knees as they looked at the dark forest behind them. The masks they worn made them look as if they were some cult. They bowed some crying, some praying and some bowing quietly with some kind of respect and some with fear.

"Oh Lord Gidark!" A man roared as he bowed like the others. Alyssa looked beside her to see Zane also staring at her. His yellow eyes glowing with the light from the torches. "Aren't you also going to bow like the others?" She asked as Daliah shivered as if he was waiting for some outburst or something, he just acted weird.

"Hmmm.." He looked in front of the forest and shook his head as he turned and went to stand a little far from the crowd.

Alyssa took that as a no and didn't follow as she saw it better to leave him alone. She remained with the others as they continued to watch the people do their own things.

Watching the three from the tree, Zane sighed and looked around and spotted a thin slimy snake that was sliding on the grass to where he was standing. He cast a glare at it. As if it had been burnt by his piercing gaze it turned and went away. Eager to run with its life.

"Zane come!" He heard his best friend call as he walked torwards them as they were leaving the crowd. "Who is Lord Gidark?" The two girls asked curious to understand what was really happening in the village.

Daliah was fast to divert their topic as he started on with his blurbs. "Why is he weird today..." Alyssa asked the other two as she pointed at Zane who looked down clenching tight his hand as if he wanted to make it bleed.

"Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Adanna laughed as Daliah joined in. "Guys this isn't funny," she complained as she went to his side. Walking quietly as she didn't want to irritate him.

"I'm sorry." She was surprised to hear him apologise as he raised his head and showing a slight smile. She wondered why he never once showed a full smile infront of her.

Nonetheless, seeing him smile made her worries go away as she urged him to walk with everyone or he would be left behind. Catching up with Adanna and Daliah, the four returned home.

Sitting on their usual spot they started yet a another round of playing some funny games, like asking questions and doing some arm wrestling. When doing the arm wrestling, Zane had found an excuse to make the two play against each other. Telling them that they might accidentally break their delicate hands.

The two had protested but they knew what he said made some kind of sense. Giving up they watched as the two wrestled. Alyssa was rooting for Zane whilst Adanna was on Daliah's side. The two men fought with everything only for Daliah to win as he pushed his friend's hand down to the little stone.

Trying to comfort him, Alyssa wrestled with Adanna and won as she celebrated and declared that they had a draw.

"So Zane what's bothering you?" Daliah asked after they had left the girls as they were on their way home. He knew asking his stubborn friend was wasting his time.

"Nothing," he deadpanned as he watched him continue to press on on the matter. "Come on man l have known you for all your life spit it out."

He quietened when he was glared by him as he made unordable sounds. Daliah was left behind as he muttered, "something is really wrong with him."