Enigmas

The young boy, approximately the age of eleven was helping an elderly man that seemed unstable. His hand was trembling as it held onto his cane to support him, however, he was on the verge of collapsing. Alas, the young boy wasn't strong enough to carry his grandfather, and he could only support him by holding his other hand.

Recognising the elderly man, Mino leaped down from his horse, approaching the elderly man hurriedly.

"Captain Mino, please help my grandpa, he...he insisted on accompanying me out today." The young boy implored, his eyes tearing up.

Mino just continued smiling, carrying the elderly man onto his back. "I'll carry him home, Omar, try not to bring your grandfather outside again. It's not safe."

"Yes, thank you, thank you Captain Mino!"

Hilia noted how some of the women in the crowd swooned at Mino's kind-hearted actions, and she was tempted to roll her eyes.

It looks like the whole kingdom is captivated by this perfect captain Mino. He defends the kingdom, he's kind and he's handsome.

Hilia thought, gazing at Mino who was still carrying the elderly man.

But there's something about his smile that is rather...unnerving. The longer you look at it, the more uneasy you'll become.

"Take the priestess and the swordsman to the guest room, I will bring Omar's grandfather back home." Mino said before proceeding ahead, Omar trailing behind him.

"Yes, sir." The soldiers saluted, immediately following his orders as one of the soldier pulled the horse Hilia was riding on along, since Hilia didn't know how to ride a horse.

Omar and Mino walked past Hilia and she felt an odd vibe rolling off the young boy. Bemused, her irises changed as she inspected the Omar's lifeforce carefully, her eyes widening in shock when she realised his life force.

It was an ominous black.

"Remember, my dear grandchild. The life force of a person can tell you many things about their condition, even a condition that the greatest physicians or doctors are unable to detect."

"What things, grandmother?"

"The colour of someone's life force, the shape of someone's life force...you have to remember what it all means."

Hilia gasped, reacting quickly as she muttered a chant, summoning her staff out of nowhere. It startled the soldiers and the crowd, and Yoan noticed her actions, becoming apprehensive. He noted her gaze on the young boy, jumping down from the horse hastily, rushing towards Omar.

He discovered Omar holding a syringe in his hand, raising it towards Mino who was still walking ahead, with the elderly man on his back, unaware. Meanwhile, Hilia held onto her staff, closing her eyes, murmuring another chant as she pointed her staff towards Omar. The crowd and the soldiers grew perplexed by their actions, none of them seeing the syringe in Omar's hand, who was aiming it at Mino's arm.

"Calmisif." Hilia whispered out an unknown word and a ball of spiritual energy gathered at the tip of the staff, however, instead of its usual white, it was cerulean.

The cerulean ball of energy shot towards Omar and Hilia's enchanting irises glowed brighter. The ball burst upon contact, surrounding Omar like a layer of protective shield and Omar collapsed to the ground without warning, his eyes closed. The syringe from his hand dropped to the ground and Yoan arrived right on time, picking up the syringe.

The crowd watched on in horror and Hilia retracted her staff, putting it away. Glancing at the unconscious boy, she heaved a sigh of relief when his life force wasn't an ominous black anymore. Her irises went back to normal and she looked at Yoan, who was staring curiously at the syringe in his hand.

"Om-Omar!" His grandfather gasped out as Mino spun around, with the smile still on his face, observing the situation with an unreadable look in his eyes. Mino placed Omar's grandfather on the ground, who scrambled to his grandson, weeping over him.

"Outrageous!"

"They attacked the young child!"

"Witch! She's a witch, I tell ya!"

"They deserve to rot in jail!"

"That's right, arrest them, arrest them!"

Within moments, the crowd roared in anger, demanding Yoan and Hilia to be arrested. The soldiers in the vicinity were flabbergasted, all of them turning to Mino who remained smiling throughout the entire time.