Chương 14: Forbidden contract

Before A gust of wind entered the Grim Flower Wilds viciously sent shivers to the little creatures and took the yellowed leaves to the other side of the wilds before they even hit the ground.

Orchid leaned closer to Simon and whispered in his ears. "She died a long time ago." Simon's pupils dilated after he heard her speak, he raised his head to see if she was lying but she only nodded her head in confirmation.

Simon took a few steps away from the tree they were behind and glanced at her then at Francis who was playing and looking at his feet, he sighed in disappointment and was about to say something but he stopped himself. Orchid scrunched her dark eyebrows as she took a closer look at him.

"I know what I told you won't help you in any way but I do have some other information regarding her that might be helpful but I will only tell you when you get me out of here."

Simon spared her a glance and nodded slowly in agreement before walking to their previous spot. Orchid ambled right behind him lost in her own thoughts but she cast them away, for now, she had to get out of here as soon as possible.

Both of them returned to their original spot in their own paces. Francis rolled his eyes on their arrival and blurted. "Took you some time! Especially you "Lady" It's my first time seeing people take over five minutes to cover a distance of..uhh I mean this much little distance." Francis was ignored by both of them, only Orchid frowned at him for a second then looked away.

"As I said previously you have to sign a blood contract with me. After you do that I will be your servant and free from this forest and you the shorter boy will hear what you want and both of you will be able to summon me when you are in danger even if you are in a different country I can come and save you by calling my name." Orchid continued as she watched the youngster's eyes carefully.

"This pact is forbidden to sign as it was made by a dark mage's hands. And If any of the sides break any condition in the contract both parties will have to gravely pay for it, although I don't know what will happen exactly it could easily lead to your death...so do you agree and wish to sign the pact of "Der Wächter"?"

"Sure," Simon answered her immediately without giving it a second thought. Francis hesitated to agree, he pondered for a while as two pairs of eyes watched him closely.

Francis was about to give his answer but Orchid interrupted him and added.

"I have one personal condition which is not in the contract."

"What is it?" Simon asked her as he brushed his messy hair to the back.

"After I tell you what you want we shall part ways. I am taking this risk to be able to be free not to be under someone else. What I want to say is that don't call me so let's act as if nothing happened." Orchid replied in a cold hurried manner since she wanted things to speed up and get out of here.

"Okay, but what do I get out of this? You crossed down the only thing you would be helpful in." Francis questioned her.

"You tell me what do you want."

"I want...what I want is..what is it?"

Orchid waited for a response but she was running out of patience and time.

"You don't know what do you want? Very well once you find it tell me, I will see if I can be of any help that time."

Francis pondered on what he wanted but to his surprise, nothing came to his head, he had no specific goals or any of that sort. He wandered his eyes around the area and saw the patience running out of their eyes, Orchid smiled gently when he glanced at her but he knew she was getting impatient by the look of her eyes.

Francis felt a little ashamed, he was the one who asked for something in return but he himself didn't know what he wanted until she asked. Francis wanted to be free and now he is so what could be that he wanted.

Soon Francis gave up and sighed before taking a step towards her. "Deal."

Orchid smiled and gestured both of them to move closer to her. They got closer and waited for her to bring out the contract. She placed her right hand on Francis and left on Simon's shoulders then forced them to sit on the ground with an impact of maybe a chimera? Both of them were startled by her sudden action and strength but decided to remain silent even if they felt like their butt split or crack.

She then released her grip on their shoulders and placed both of their hand on hers as she started mumbling words that the boys never heard or even know that humans can produce sounds as she did.

She stopped mumbling and stopped them before they can even say anything. "Focus. close your eyes and clear your mind, try to focus on your surroundings and don't remove your hand or open your eyes unless I tell you.

"All that to bring out a contract?" Simon's butt really hurt him so he was kind of annoyed and wanted to stand as soon as possible.

"Yeah, my butt hurts by sitting thanks to someone." Francis agreed with Simon while scratching his head and looking at her.

Orchid sent them cold glares as she signaled Francis to put his hand on her palm. Francis yawned and returned his hand to hers and closed his eyes along with Simon. She resumed her mumbling and after a while, golden tendrils appeared on top of their hands, Simon and Francis felt its presence and wanted to open their eyes so bad but they knew very well that if they did it will be anything but good.

An hour passed by and the sun was slowly preparing for its slumber and the birds were returning to their nests but the trio remained still from the last hour and a half. Simon sagged down his back and almost yawned, he was so bored that he thought he would just sleep until she is done, he wasn't the type who likes to do these mental workouts or whatever hinted to meditation.

Then several other thoughts generated in his mind. "That baby face is probably sleeping so why I cant? It will not affect the procedure right? But I don't want to be killed by that woman..she has a sword and she killed that thing in a slash and then that strength of a chimera also transportation, speed, and uhh whatever I don't want to be the one to end up dead before even noticing..."

Orchid had a frown on her face as she squeezed Simon's hand which sent him a jolt he was about to scream but Orchid closed his mouth with her other hand.

"Open your eyes." She also opened her eyes after informing them but to her prediction, Simon's eyes were wide open with a frown. She ignored his glare and glanced at Francis who had a relaxed and peaceful expression. "You didn't I tell you to keep your mind clear as water, it took so much time because you kept your mind somewhere else."

Simon murmured under his breath. "Whatever. Water is not always clear."

Black matter circled around the trio and moved in a momentum slimier to breathing; up and down. Orchid saw that and sighed in relief before she left his left hand and captured his right hand then crushed it together.

"Ahhhaahhaaaaah!!!" Simon's scream echoed in the entire forest scaring the tiny animals.

"What was that for?!" Simon pulled his hand away from hers and glowered at her in anger and confusion.

"A punishment and treatment. I am not very good at healing or any of that stuff so I tend to be rough." Orchid smirked slyly.

"Are you two forgetting something?" Francis pointed at the "breathing" black matter. Orchid smacked Simon's head before replying back. "No, I am not. You need all your fingers and entire palm for the pact and this little idiot had broken fingers so I had to fix them before continuing the process."

Simon gritted his teeth and was about to swear at her but he caught something else in the corner of his eyes, he darted his eyes in amusement around the circling breathing dark matter while closing and opening his hands since they were completely numb.

Orchid straightened her back and conjured a blank yellowish paper out of her hand. Their jaws dropped when they saw a piece of paper coming out of her hand. She looked at them then took a knife out of the blue or...green? "Red hair give me your right and long hair give me your left." They both did as they were told and extended their hands towards her as she placed the contract on the ground.

She cut through their palm and dark red blood immediately burst out of the gashes which sent them a sharp tingling pain. She spread the blood all over their palm and fingers by moving it around then placed both hands on the paper which stained in an instant. She repeated the same procedure except that she had to cut both hands, thick green blood dripped from her hands then was smeared on the contract paper.

Unknown brownish red characters and symbols appeared on the contract that was now black in color. Orchid exchanged glances with the boys and nodded. "Repeat behind me."

"I agree with all conditions of all members."

"I agree with Der Wächter's pact conditions."

"Let the souls Interlink!"

Three voices repeated the same sentences three times under the milk-white crescent moon crowded with rouge pink clouds in the Yale mixed navy blue sky, the lush green-leaved trees completed the beautiful picture until a vibration shook the forest's counterfeit ground when the trio finished the pact of "Der Wächter". The dark breathing matter fell flat to the forest ground then suddenly shot towards the three of them at full force and entered them through their...nostrils which chocked them.

They got up and took a breath, Simon looked at his hand and noticed the gash was sealing itself by the little strings of the dark matter until it left a vertical reddish-brown scar. Orchid retrieved the pact that was now glowing with bright red characters and symbols, she raised her hands and showed them the scars before telling them about it.

"This is the proof of our contract, my soul is interlinked to yours and yours as well. Now I can finally be free~ And you two are free to leave the forest." Orchid closed her eyes and took a deep breath before standing up.

"Now let me fulfill my promise." Orchid looked at Simon who instantly got up. Francis huffed at them and laid on the ground while mumbling under his breath. "They left me out once again."

Simon pulled her behind another tree again then waited for her to talk. She looked around then bent her knees so she can reach his ear level to be more audible.

"Angelica Hansen surely is dead but I know where her son is."