Beyond the darkness

 

Milo knew of him. After all, he was a legend. Precisely, with war. He was so good at it that people referred to him as WAR.

By some, he was the best of the best in the martial arts world. Yet, he offered plenty to help out when a game plan was needed in the kingdoms. War was perhaps caught between two worlds. Or maybe it was reality. Milo didn't really want to think about.

Milo stood at attention. He couldn't believe War was actually here. Just how did he do it?

First, he was a  horse and now...

It was as if Milo was awakened. He didn't know if it meant trouble or what. He hid ChaCha behind him. Here they were in wet clothes. He'd been fortunate to find her when he did in the cold dark sea. He felt responsible for her somehow. And now, they might as well be in the clutches of a viper.

But War went to the child. Shook her awake.

"I liked you better when you didn't have such a mouth on you," he told her. He grinned then as if he could make it so that she'd be a toddler soon.

Milo said nothing. He knew who was in command now. Obviously, War was the one in control. Not Corrin who only gasped as if she were in agony about now. Her bones were old and she winced as if she were about to go cold. 

War pressed his thumb on her forehead and she was instantly asleep. He looked at Milo and ChaCha as if they were in his protection too. Perhaps.

Milo couldn't think of a thing to say. He thought it best to keep quiet. As he recalled, War was a master of disguises, evidently. 

"Come with me," War said as he threw Corrin across his back and lead the way over boulders past the shoreline. "There's a cave I know of. I think it best to take shelter." He looked back to make sure they were following.

Milo carried ChaCha on his back. He quickened his step, unsure what War might do to them.

"I've learned plenty there. No one knows of it nor even cares." He went on to say. "But if you're diligent, you might learn something."

Of course, the cave was total darkness, but War lit a torch with a snap of the finger. Naturally, he knew the hidden path where no one would dare go behind the daggered ceiling that came closer to the head than one would anticipate.

All the while, Corrin slept soundly. It was there in the secret room where the drawings on the wall might be an ancient art, but Milo was sure War knew better.

"Remember, education is key," War looked at him. "You two have a lot to learn."