Irege Ch. 4

"I ain't got time to deal with brats like ya so get!" cried out the obese farmer, who was also regretfully my father, as I gathered my luggage and strolled out the open doors of our broken down barn.

"Well, I ain't got time to deal with an old man like yourself either!" I retorted with proud raised of my middle finger. His face brighten red in anger as I chuckled to myself, amused that I managed to outwit my old man.

"I'm telling ya the city ain't a place for stupid, lazy good for nothings! Ya be crawling back home with ya tail between ya legs!"

"How about I come back home with a fine, cursive lady and slap ya second chin with a roll of hundred-dollar bills instead?!"

Our energetic bickering usually lasted for minutes on end, but I had no time to pay my old man. My focus was to walk all the way to the airport and never look back on this farm.

As he continued to spout nonetheless from his babbling mouth, I ignored and treaded down the wide dirt road, carrying a luggage filled with clothing, hygiene, snacks, and a photo of my deceased mother.

The farm wasn't large, about seven or so acres. Dark clouds began covering most the sky, meaning it was fixing to rain and thunder soon. I wished I had brung an umbrella on my trip.

After awhile, the sound of my father's yelling disappeared and I slowed my pace into an amble walk. Estimating, it would take me two hours to reach town and thirty minutes to reach the airport. Had my pops not be a meathead about me leaving to college, I'd reach the darn place in a hour's time.

Well, best not make mountains out of mole holes. I began to think back how lucky I was to finally leave the farm.

With my high grades from the county school, a passing professor saw my excellent performance and offered me to go to college in South America. University of Chile, I believe it was called.

Course, my old man had to blow his top and embarrass me. I had enough of his overprotective attitude and decided to trail of to the university myself. Once he found out, well... the rest went into place.

I'm actually surprised that they would only someone like me, a country boy, to travel to South America via a private plane. Man, this school must really want me to attend there.

The sound of someone choking a chicken came ringing into my ears. Oh, do I know this horrid beat from anywhere.

I turned around to see my old man driving in my direction in the small black automobile that he refuses to get fixed. No matter how many times I repeated for him to fix the blasted thing, he never listens. The exhaust pipe chugged out black smoke and made that unbearable sound that would drive people in town nuts.

He stopped in front of me. "Get in." he simply said.

"Why?"

"Ya wanna walk in the rain?"

I didn't say anything else and stepped onto the car. This is the relationship him and I have. He never tells me he loves me or hugs me, only showing his affection by knocks on heads, swearing, and hard work. I understood my father was a hard-working man and I love him for that despite our many disagreements.

We sat there in the car without muttering a single word to each other. All I did was look at myself in the car window. My short black hair kept smooth and silk back, blue eyes that swept countless girls off their feet... okay, I'm lying about that but I can't deny to myself that I was damn good looker.

If only I wasn't wearing ordinary rug tag farming clothes, I'd be a stun gun. At least, that's what people up in the north say.

Throughout the entire drive through the town and onto the concrete of the airport, neither of us even bothered a glance or mumble a word of argument.

I stepped out of the car and strolled onto the parked, small private plane that was going to escort me. A bald, tall man dressed in a black suit stood next to the staircase holding a card that had my name on it.

As I climbed the steps and reached the top, I looked back to see my dad had already drove off, not even bothering to say goodbye to his only son. I felt like someone punched me in the gut, though I ignored that feeling and walked to my seat.

Somehow, the comfy seat made me drowsy as soon as I flopped down on it, not bothering to put away my luggage. We hadn't even taken flight yet I felt tired. I just wanted to sleep, forgetting about all my worries.

I closed my eyes, soon drifting off to sleep as the plane started.

"W-What?"

A loud beeping sound woke up from my slumber. I opened my eyes to see a bright red light repeatedly flashing throughout the interior of the plane. Suddenly, I heard lightning strike and the plane jolted, nearly knocking me off of my seat.

Soon after, the entire plane began to shift sideways in clockwise motion.

"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted in horror and sprung up from my seat, dashing towards the cockpit to see the condition of the pilot.

As soon as I entered, another lightning strike flashed, sending a jolt throughout the plane. The force knocked me forward, my head colliding against the door of the cockpit.

My vision began to blur as I lost consciousness. The last thing I heard was hearing the roaring sound of the plane diving from the sky.

My eyes shot open as I caught my breath. I felt something had stopped my breathing and I had to catch my breath.

I was expecting to see the gates of Heaven, the bowls of Hell, or the red scenery of the descending plane. I saw none expect what seemed to be the interior wooden ceiling of a house.

I felt a rough textures of a sheet cover over my body and softness of a pillow on the back of my head. The smell of cow manure and hard labor filled the air. It was something I've been used to, but oddly this smell had a more ancient scent to it that even made me want to hurl.

As I sat up, I noticed someone sitting in a wooden by the wall. It was a beautiful, young woman, much to my surprise. She had smooth brown skin like coco, long raven hair that reached to her back and two small bangs rested on her shoulder. Even if her entire body was covered by a black cloak, I can still tell had a cursive figure.

She seemed to be examining me with her Heterochromia blue and red eyes, as if glaring at me would force me to blurt out something she deserved. Perhaps "Marry me" or something of the like.

"Where is Zonoah?"

Well, that crushed my dreams instantly. First thing you say to a guy that woke up is where someone is and not bothering to ask on his condition, even though I feel like I just woke up from a hangover.

"Who?" I simply asked.

What I said must've angered her as her glare became piercing. I really felt like I did something I wasn't aware of. Perhaps I should approach her calmly so we don't get into a meaningless argument.

"Is there any reason as to why you presume I know this 'Zonoah' person? I don't recall hearing that name before much less meeting someone bearing that name."

The glare settled a bit yet still she kept her dagger at ready. It was a metaphor at first, but I then I saw she really did have a dagger in hand, keeping it close to her cloak as if she could sheath it and unsheathed it in a millisecond.

"Then let me ask you a more refined question, boy." she said, standing up from her chair and towering over me. "Do you possess a marking of a dragon upon your skin?"

My eyes nearly bulged in surprise by what she said. My tattered red shirt had hid odd birth mark from sight, yet she knew it was there.

"What do you know about this mark?" I asked, not bothering to hid the fact.

"The one you claim you do not know of, Zonoah, bears the same mark on her body. It would seem you are in fact connected with her." she looked away from me with a look of disappointment on her face.

"Hey, what's with that look on your face? You act as if I'm responsible for something out of my control."

"Rather, I am bewildered that you of all beings were chosen to be the Irege of Zonoah."

"Irege? The heck is that?"

"Not to my surprise you are unaware of the term, boy. I shall explain as effectively as possible." she sat back down in chair then removed her cloak.

As I had predicted, she had killer body. Sure wasn't in the top category on breast size, but her curves nonetheless are amazing. She wore an all black attire that resembled something a male would wear in medieval times on his evening out, but that didn't lessen her womanly features.

...

"Um, pardon me, miss. What year is this?"

"Year? I am not familiar with that word, I'm afraid."

"Then how about calendar?"

"..."

"Phone? "

"..."

Sweet mother of ham on a skillet, I'm in the freaking past. That or either this woman is clueless to present day technology. No, even a country boy like me knew what a calendar was. She doesn't even know what that word even means.

Looking out the house I was in, I saw people in old fashion medieval clothing. No one looked happy or bored, just tried looks on their faces from hard labor. The sky also seemed tired as it wasn't clear blue and covered in dark clouds.

Question is, how in sam hill did I even get here?

"Has an illness struck you?"

As I was staring off into space, the woman placed her forehead against mine and gently placed her right hand on top of my left as she rested both of her knees on the bedside.

My shocked eyes stared into her calm, glimmering heterochormia ones. Our noses lightly brushed and our lips were only inch apart from each other.

My entire body was shaking out of this sudden event. Mostly out of the fact I've never been this close to a woman's face without one trying to headbutt me for a perverted act I've done.

I knew she was checking on my condition, but yet she was so close... and she smelled so nice...

Next thing I knew, I locked lips with hers. Now her eyes expanded in shock as she retreated her body back with a jolt.

"Y... You..." she stood there, dumbfounded as if I had done the unthinkable action upon her. Truly, it was my fault that I kissed her. My body moved on its own lustful accord to smooch this ebony beauty.

Cheeks brighten red as ember and eyes fierce, she grasped a sword resting near the end of the bed and brandished it, the sliver tip aimed at my throat.

"You wicked dastard!" she hollered, enraged. "I shall strike you down to Hell!"

I raised my hands in defense. "Wait, wait! I can explain!" I unthinkable blabbered. There wasn't much to explain other than the fact I assaulted her with a kiss when she was attempting to be considerate.

"Silence your tongue!" she barked. "My patience has been far too lax! Once you are injured, she shall return to my side and your foul presence shall no longer taint this world!"

"What?!"

Her patience had indeed reach the boiling point. No longer concerned with my well being, she lunged at me with a stab. I immediately ducked under the sheets, evading the blade by just a hair. I then kicked the sheets upward to cover them over her body.

She slashed at the sheets, nearly ripping a large section of them off. Afterwards, I leaped and grabbed hold of her by the waist with the sheets wrapped over her like a restrain jacket.

"Release me!" she demanded as she struggled within her cloth bond. My strength overpowered hers and I stood about an half an inch taller than her, giving me to avenge. However she was a fiery and kicked about, making it hard for me to keep her still.

"Can you please calm down for one second?!" I yelled as we flailed across the room, knocking into walls. Our battle then took place upon the floor and we squirmed about.

The squeaking opening of the door halted our movements as we stared at who walked in. A tall man with well developed muscles towered over us. He had tanned skin, no facial hair nor any resting on top of his head.

A black eyepatch covered his right eye, but his left revealed he had a strong, old beady black eye that looked like it was examining something. He wore rough, brown wool rags and thick black leather apron over it.

"I apologize for my interruption." he said with a deep, heavy tone as he turned around, preparing to close the door behind him.

"Hold on!" The woman and I shouted in perfect high unison, halting the man in his steps. Oddly, we both uttered the same word, but obviously had different intentions for the man's assistance in this scene.

After Aldred, the man's name, saved me from the angry babe named Flora, they allowed me to dress myself in red rags. Once done, I exited the room and immediately they demanded I follow them.

I didn't have much knowledge over medieval times aside minimal studying nor did I wish to get into another brawl with Flora, so I decided to obey.

We were now walking inside in a dense, wide forest straight out from a picture book one would see when they were like five or six.

I walked behind Aldred while Flora walked behind me. Probably cause she was taking whatever chance to keep an eye on me. I didn't even need to look back as I could feel her eyes throwing daggers into my back.

"I believe it is time for us to inform you on your kind, young one," the man said. "Should I tell him or will you, Flora?"

She let out a deep sigh as if it would've been the hardest job in the world to do. "I shall. Many years ago, Merlin conducted a experiment dubbed Irege. It was meant to empower knights with the ability to conjure magic with ease.

"However, his experiment failed and in result caused a time paradox with the two adjacent worlds. Hence forth, there are few how possess the ability of both a Yin and Yang. One counterpart wields Yin and the other Yang.

"Wait a sec." I stopped her, looking at her with a confused look. "What the hell is a Yin and Yang? Magic? Two worlds? You got a whole lot of explaining to do, honey."

She gave a annoyed glare, but Aldred spoke before she could speak. "There are two worlds adjacent to each other, First Earth and Second Earth. Your earth, First Earth, flows at along a separate timeline than ours nor does it contain as much as a strong magical presence.

"Yin and Yang are the two categories one are born with in utilizing in our earth. Yin can perform Fire, Earth, and Dark magic. Yang can perform Water, Wind, and Light magic. An Irege can perform both."

"Thanks for the easy, short explanation, man." I smugly smirked at Flora, who retorted with red puffed cheeks. "So I'm one of these Irege things, huh? That's pretty cool, I guess. So when do I get to go back home? Or do I stay here and fight some dark evil like some destined hero?"

"It is not a simple as you think, child." Aldred stared back at me with a deep glare. "An Irege contains a cursed life of misery. This world is in a great divide between Yin and Yangs. You and Flora are the bridges between both and as such, you will be easily targeted by dark forces.

"As we speak, there are ten goblins hiding within the forest who are ready to ambush us at any second."

Upon saying that, I felt a chill ran down my spine as ruffles in the bushes sounded. I glanced to my sides, noticing dark red eyes observing us within the darkness.

I couldn't make out there body structures, but I can tell these guys weren't friendly by minimal deep language they muttered to one another, carefully planning amongst themselves.

Neither Aldred or Flora seemed afraid or on edge. They simply strolled while my pace was more timid. I faced wild predators before, yet these goblins had a dark aura about them that made me weary.

"You can calm your bones, young one." Aldred said in his normal deep tone. "They won't attack unless Flora or my guard is down. Your magical output is far too weak to consider a threat to them."

That somehow made me feel inferior, yet safe at the same time.

"Allow me to intrigue you on a topic about Ireges, young one." Aldred said to me. "Ireges are connected with another being in both worlds. When one counterpart is injured to the point of near death, they switch worlds.

"Meaning, Flora's friend, Zonoah, is now lingering within your world and time period."

My eyes expanded in shock by what he said. I looked at him hoping he would tell me more, but he averted his gaze forward.

I turned to Flora and her gaze was still fixed upon me, glaring and calculating as if she was plotting my death within her mind.

I don't know who this Zonoah chick is, but somehow she dragged me into a hell of lot of shit.

"Sir Galahad." I turned around to face the knight calling me. "Lord Mordred would like a word with you, sir."

"Thank you." I said to him. With that, the knight left to the fields.

I stared back at the rubble of the destroyed castle. Lately, our base of operations took place in tents near the castle while younger knights picked through rubble in hope of finding evidence of the culprit.

From what, the prince had informed us, Zonoah was the cause of the flames. However, I refuse to believe she would cause such a tragedy. She possesses no signs magical power nor would she be able to cause such a wild outburst of magic even if she possessed high hidden potential.

Regardless of my thoughts, I entered the tent where Lord Mordred rests. Sitting in a throne that survived the fire sat the prince himself.

He don himself in a darker attire than before, a dark gold crown resting upon his head and wearing dark red royal clothing from head to toe. The right section of his face was clothed by a small black veil as the burn was too horrid for eyes to see.

Sitting before his throne was Peter Pipestone, a well known assassin he hired to scout for Zonoah. I presume he has returned empty handed as he has a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Welcome, Galahad." the prince addressed my arrival. "Mr. Pipestone was just informing me on what he discovered on his trip."

I turned to him as he gazed at me. "I found that little lass journeying with a dark skinned assassin. Sadly, they managed to slip away from my grasp, but I left a little departing present."

"Little lass?" I questioned. "Surely, you don't mean..."

"Zonoah is charged with high treason and several counts of murder, Sir Galahad." the prince spoke, downing my words in an instant. "You are to find her and bring her to me at once. If you do not, then my father's soul shall forever remain dormant.

"She must be brought back alive, so I may bring justice upon her for the crimes she committed. As a knight of the lions, it is your duty to capture Zonoah at all costs."

Without a second to spare, the prince gave his command. His heart only focused on death of Zonoah. Though my mind said otherwise, I obeyed his commanded and leave the tent.

Please, Zonoah. Tell me what you've done. Tell me you are not responsible for the deaths of the king and the many who died under the castle. I cannot imagine someone as sweet and gentle as you would carry such a burden upon your shoulders.

Please... let these thoughts die.