Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 463: Mistletoe (2)

Then, a force is released from Arial body and the pool of blood levitates, leaving the ground, clean and then the pool suddenly condensed itself to an orb of blood, a large red orb with the blood swirling and pulsating, rotating inside the orb until it was condensed into a small orb of blood, a globule of blood. 

This phenomenon happened in front of Ana eyes. 

Then, floating in the air, the globule of blood shot towards Arial heart with lightning speed, and its seeped inside Arial chest and Arial pale skin rejuvenated becoming more redder, his face become healthier, power emanated from him, and his long white hair flail wildly.

Then he opens his eyes. And as he opens his eyes, that restricting pressure and the cold immediately disappeared.

'All done.' He said and instead of being tired, he looked like he was refreshed.

'Done?' 

'Yes, you could clean their corpses now' Arial said as he sits in the corner of the cave and sitting in the cross legged position again. 

But this time that drop of temperature did not happen again.

After an hour Ana look at her knapsack. It is fill with meat. Serpent meat and glands of many poisonous insects. 

These poisonous liquids can be imbued into weapons. All of this is great harvest. But then she thinks of Arial power and her heart shrinked. 

What amazing power. What fearsome destructive power and what a cruel technique to use! That must be the realm of experts.

She nodded understanding the disparity of power. Thankfully she saved him on that day. Now, this expert owes her. 

And if there is one thing Ana knows about experts, is that they don't like owing anything to anyone.

One day, he might even help her. 

Even though, she did save him out of the kindness in her heart, she also acknowledge the fact, that by saving him, Ana got herself a powerful ally.

Then she made a fire in the center of the cave a she roasted the serpent meats and an aromatic smell wafted through the cave. 

The direwolf looked at the serpent meat hungrily. Then the direwolf come to Ana, and rub its head, showing its large eyes, begging to eat.

Ana smiles and pats its head. She takes a portion of the roasted serpent and give it to the direwolf. She needs to name this direwolf she mused. 

'Maybe tomorrow' she said.

Arial is still sitting cross legged.

Arial is trying to synthesis the blood he absorbed inside the cave into Heavenly Qi but all he got was Earthly Qi. 

It refreshes his energy pool but not by much. 

With his energy that is as boundless as the sea, the beast inside the cave does not even qualify to fill even a pool of Arial astounding internal energy consciousness. 

His spirit is weak right now after his battle with the lightning essence which is why he absorbs the blood in the cave to replenish his energy and spirit power. 

The Blood Heavenly Technique has always uses blood as the way to breakthrough and pills or even some ancient herbs.

Ana on the other hand is concentrating on her task of roasting the serpent meat. Sometimes, she throws small bites to her direwolf and the direwolf would joyfully gobbles it up.

From what she knows of beast meat, they improve strength and increases ones internal energy.

The serpent's meats of the Plains usually give enhanced strength in bed, and restore stamina and even help in the regenerations of wounds.

As she keeps tending to the fire, Arial opens his eyes. His nose immediately smells the aromatic aroma filling the cave.

With his senses at its peak, after his breakthrough in his divine technique, Arial couldn't help but gulped in hunger.

He realizes the serpent meat. Ana quickly realizes Arial tries to grab the meat and immediately Arial hand was hit by the makeshift fan of Ana.

'Wait a moment' Ana said frowning as she keep fanning the flame. Arial smiles and waited patiently after that.

A few minutes later it is done. Ana give half of it to Arial and other half for her and her pet. They began eating. In the middle of eating Ana then said

'Now, tell me the story.'

'What story?' Arial said puzzled as he is eating the serpent meat deliciously. 

It is very chewy but the energy he felt coursing his body after eating it is unlike anything he has ever eaten. 

No wonder, people said that Novus Gaia has many mysteries. 

Even though the meat is not appetizing, to say it is not beneficial to the body would be a slander.

'The mistletoe.' 

She said as she takes another bite of the chewy meat of the serpent. Beside her, the direwolf has already finished its dinner and looked longingly at the meat on Ana hand.

'I thought you weren't interested.'

'I said, wait until I get the fire going. Now, there is fire, we have eaten and now you can tell the story.'

'HAHAHA. Is that it? Alright, I tell you the story.' Arial remembered the story when he looked at the mistletoe. 

It is not some big secret, only something that amuses him, when he enters the cave.

'In Dostov-' Arial said, beginning his story

'Dostov?' She asked, her face shows that she never heard of Dostov before.

'It is one of the Kingdoms in my land.' Arial explained 

'Hmm' she nodded. Then Arial continues his story

'The Anglais people ancestors called Mistletoe, Allheal. The Anglais is one of the races in my lands.' He said as he explained it to Ana. 

Ana nodded in understanding, she was obviously paying attention to Arial stories.

'They were called The Kelts. The Kelts was the ancestors of the Anglais people. They believed Mistletoe possessed miraculous healing powers and held the soul of the host tree. It will protect them from evil spirits and mischievous fairies, from the Undead and from disaster'

'So you mean The Mistletoe was a sacred plant?' Ana asked. After all, she is not unfamiliar with Sacred Plants. 

Even in the Land of Shadows, there is a sacred plant in the border of the Desolate Lands.

'Yes. It was believed to have all sorts of miraculous qualities: the power of healing diseases, making poisons harmless, giving fertility to humans and animals, protecting from witchcraft, banning evil spirits, bringing good luck and great blessings. In fact, it was considered so sacred that even enemies who happened to meet beneath a Mistletoe in the forest would lay down their arms, exchange a friendly greeting, and keep a truce until the following day.' 

'But that doesn't warrant chuckles.' Ana said, remembering Arial chuckles when looking at the mistletoe. 

If anything, Arial should have showed a reverence to the plants but he laughs seeing the plants. 

There must be a story behind it.

'Oh, that.' And this time Arial smile lewdly thinking of the stories he read about the customs of the ancient Kelts. 

'In ancient times, the Kelts held a special ceremony five days after the new moon following the Winter Solstice, in which they cut the boughs of the Mistletoe from the sacred Oak tree with a golden sickle. It was important that branches did not touch the ground and become contaminated. Then the priests divided up the boughs into sprigs and distributed them among the people who believed the Mistletoe protected them from storms and evil spirits. And then, the main ceremony' and Arial stopped.

'Main ceremony? What is the main ceremony?'

'Remember what I said? The mistletoe is not only regarded as a plant that gives protection from evil spirit but also grants fertility. The Kelts believed this devotedly.'

'What are you trying to say?' Ana asked. 

Arial chuckles again and then he come closer to Ana, and Ana moved back a little, for there is a glint in Arial eyes.

'They would choose the virgins of girls and boys and they will engage in orgies for three days and three nights. When they are hungry they will eat the ox that is sacrifice to the Gods, and when they are tired and exhausted they will drink Ambrosia, a liquid made from pure mana. The Kelts was capable of such magic's. It is said in this orgies, their sweats merged, bodies strewn about in weird fashion and all in weird positions, some like horses, others like dogs, some like an inverted phoenixes, moaning of pleasure could be heard from dawn till night. They all drowned in ecstasy until the third dawn arrived. So, to invite someone with mistletoe hanging on the entrance of a place could be euphemism for I want to sleep with you tonight in my lands. In other words, an invitation for becoming one with each other'

Hearing this Ana blushed so red and she averts her gaze from Arial. And Arial laughed. 

'Now you know why I chuckles.' Ana remembered when she invites him to enter the cave and he was only chuckling.

'That is your land culture, not mine.' Ana said, her cheeks are still red with embarrassment. 

Moaning until dawn, bodies strewn about, and positions like animals, for a moment all this enters Ana minds and she blushes even more.

Arial just smiles.

'I know. Don't take it too severely. I only find it amusing. That's all.'

It takes a few minutes before Ana could look at Arial normally and chat again with him.

That night there is nothing much that happens. They were teasing each other, trading stories near the cave fire, and planning for their next move tomorrow.

They decided tomorrow they will enter the city of Ragran. 

The distance is not too far and Ana has an acquaintance thereor to be more accurate her sister has an acquaintance there that could help Ana set herself up there.

Arial wanted to come, to know more about the Land of Shadows. To find clues about Amara, and what is her objectives in making him coming here.

Then they both sleep at their respective place. 

Arial on the right corner of the cave, Ana on the left while the direwolf guarded the entrance of the cave. 

As the night goes deeper, Ana rolled around to the right until she hit Arial body. 

Feeling something that is comfortable, Ana snuggle up to Arial. Arial as he is now too tired, and didn't even notice this collision.

For a while, Arial is sweating gold. He is dreaming about something. He said something about seals.

They sleep that night, spooning. The direwolf look at them and howls to the moon like announcing to the world, when will he find its mate?

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