"Hey." Sassy stopped on her tracks when she heard Hailec's voice behind her. She slowly turned around with a creased on her forehead.
"What?" she asked.
"Why do you have that mark?" Hailec ask which confused Sassy.
"What are you talking about? What mark?" she asked as she completely face Hailec.
"The dragon."
"What dragon? Are you nuts?"
"I mean this---" he was about to touch the mark behind Sassy's shoulder when she suddenly took a step back away from him.
"Don't touch me! You pervert!" Hailec's eyes went wide when he heard how she addressed him.
"What did you say? Me? A pervert?" he asked in disbelief.
How dare this girl accused him of being a pervert?
"I was just about to--" his words were cut off when the girl gestured her hands in front of him in a dismissive way.
"Whatever! Just leave me and Fhyra alone. You creep!" Sassy said as she looked at him from head to toe and disapprovingly shook her head before turning around and continued walking.
He was left there speechless and with no choice but to stare at that glowing mark on her back.
He was about to turn around and leave when something caught his eyes.
Hailec was immediately alerted as he saw dark shadows surrounding the princess' home. He closed his eyes, trying to search for the energy of the personas of the Fantasians.
His eyes immediately flew open as he felt a dark force moving at a fast rate. His eyes darted on the girl oblivious to what's happening and was cheerfully walking towards the house.
Hailec's instincts kicked in when he saw the dark shadow aiming toward Sassy. He ran towards her and push her down the ground using his body, completely dodging the approaching invisible creature.
When he saw the shadow vanished in the air, he immediately shifted his eyes down the girl below him.
"Sassy?" he called out but didn't receive any response.
He held her wrist and he realized that the girl just fainted. He stared at her for a while, not knowing how to act.
His gaze landed back on her shoulder, he groaned, closed his eyes tightly, and carried the girl in his arms.
Let's find out more about you, Sassy.
Sassy and I are both staring in the empty space where the hologram-like thing used to show.
"Did you just replay what happened that day?" Sassy questioned to no one in particular.
She tilted her head towards her shoulder, trying to look for the mark she was supposed to have according to what we have seen earlier.
I heard Hailec heaved a heavy sigh when he saw how my friend acted. He approached Sassy and gave her the wooden mirror he grab from the shelf nearby.
"You look like an idiot trying to twist your head, use that instead," he said impatiently as he placed the mirror on Sassy's palm and went back to his seat.
"How long have you been keeping her?" Cool ask.
"Since the day after the Princess' birthday," Hailec answered.
"You were able to keep her here for so long? You haven't been caught?" I asked.
Aside from trainings, the Queen also arranged some lessons and classes for me. And I've learned about the rules of the Narte Fantasia during one of my classes. And one of those is letting a mundane enter.
That's like one of the greatest sins in the whole Narte Fantasia.
"That's exactly why I didn't allow her to go out." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Won't it cause you trouble in the future?" I asked as I stared at my best friend who was very fascinated with her own mark.
"Fhyra, this is so cool! It's like I have an animated tattoo!" Sassy exclaimed enthusiastically.
"I'll just cross the bridge when I get there," Hailec answered as we stared at Sassy's overjoyed expression as she stares at her back using the mirror that Hailec had lent her.
I was beginning to see Hailec in a new light.
It seems like he wasn't as bad as we thought.
"How about we bring her to the palace? She's a guardian as well. I don't think the Queen and the Royalties would mind." Cool suggested.
I saw how Hailec's face changed into an expression I can't name when he heard Cool's suggestion.
"No, the mundane stays here. It's safer for her, here." He immediately retorted.
"But—" Cool was about to protest when Hailec glared at him.
"No buts Glacia, she stays here, that's final." He said with authority, took a short glance at Sassy who was startled on how the discussion escalated, before he stormed out of the room, leaving the three of us baffled.
It took us another minute before we were able to get over it. Cool excused himself to give me and Sassy time and privacy.
'I'll be waiting outside.'
'Alright.'
I was left in the room with Sassy. She was staring at me with her hands supporting her face lazily.
"Sassy..." I called out, trying to test the waters.
"Hmmm?" she responded.
"Won't you ask anything?"
"I was actually waiting for you to tell me yourself." She answered before heaving a deep sigh. She sat properly lifted her face a bit to look at me and meet me eye to eye.
Her expression is very different from her usual bright face. She looks so serious now.
"To be honest, I am scared. No, I am terrified. I don't know where I am. I am staying with a guy we took as a creep before and I suddenly have this animated tattoo on my back. This is something beyond my level of comprehension, Fhyra." Sassy said seriously.
I was just staring at her while listening to her every word. I'm sure she's very confuse. That's understandable, I mean, I almost lost my mind when I found out about my real identity.
"I didn't know how to start or where to start asking. So now, you tell me about it." Sassy continued after a long while of silence.
I stared at her a little longer before I took a deep breath and readied myself for this storytelling.
"We are currently in Narte Fantasia, this is where my parents truly came from. I just found out that I was not actually born as a pyrokinetic, instead I inherited this ability from my mom." I started, her eyes suddenly went wide.
Oh, and just like that, she's back to her old self. I groaned inside after seeing the sudden shift in her facial expression.
"You mean, Tita Blare can control fire too? That's awesome!" she said bewildered.
I gave her a warning gaze which made her stop from fangirling over my mom.
"Yes, mom is a Flamia, that's how they address people here who have the ability to control fire. My father, on the other hand, is a Glacia, he can control water." I was about to continue when I saw her staring at me with her mouth hanging.
"Tito Ice have powers too? Gosh, Fhyra! You have super awesome parents!"
"Sassy..." I called in a warning tone.
"Sorry. You can continue." she said while her hands gestured me to continue.
"My mom is the Princess next in line in the throne of the Kingdom of Flamis, and my dad is also supposed to be the next ruler of the Kingdom of Glaciers. However, Flamias and Glacias are like sworn enemies. The love they had is forbidden, that's why when mom got pregnant, with me, they ran away and we hid in the mundane world. Your world."
"You knew about this before?" she asked which I immediately shook my head as an immediate response.
"No, I just learned about it after I woke up after Cool took me on the night of my birthday. My parents hid me in my room and asked me to wait for him to come." I saw how her serious face changed into a curious one.
"Cool? You didn't just meet him here?" she asked her brows creasing in confusion.
"No. He was the one who brought me here." I answered honestly.
"What? Why? Is he like you? Can he control fire too?" she inquired.
"No, he's a Glacia like my dad."
And suddenly a teasing smile broke into her lips.
"I know what you're thinking about but it's nothing like that at all." I immediately defended when I saw the teasing smile on her face.But her smile just widened even more after I said that."What was I thinking anyway?" She asked, still in a teasing tone.
"Are you sure you're gonna be fine here?" I asked her worriedly."Of course, and besides that perverted creep is a jerk but he's nice. Well, kinda." Sassy said grimacing with her last sentence.I chuckled at her words and gently patted her head.
I woke up feeling an overwhelming pain all over my body. I felt like I was beaten so badly.A groan escaped my lips when I tried to get out of the bed."You're awake." I turned my head towards the door of my room and saw that Blaze just entered the room.
es"I went to Glaciers to check for Cool and wasn't there," Hailec said, a week after Cool disappeared."I know that. I just wanted to be sure.""So what's your plan now?" He asked while looking at me reading a book in the library."It's either I look for him or he shows up," I answered nonchalantly."You're not worried about him?" He was confused with the disinterest I was showing.I snap my fingers and small flames formed a message in the table between us.'Someone's outside.'His head turned towards the closed door of the library before it returned to face me."He left me here, alone. He promised me that he wouldn't, that he would stay beside me all the time. But he left. Without a word." I said using a pained voice but with a smirk plastered on my face."But you asked me to look for him?" he asked with a taunting smile."That was a foolish move. I just realized how stupid I was believing his promises." I replied.And then we stopped talking, we were just waiting for someone to make
I didn't know how to react.Seeing him show up at this very moment I wanted to run towards him and complain to him how much I feel wronged and how much I was hurting.I was just standing there staring at him staring back at me.He gave me a weak smile when I felt Blaze's presence approaching.My forehead creased when I saw Cool walk away.'Don't worry. I'm just around you. All the time.'I figured that he was hiding from Blaze or probably from the whole Flamis. I didn't know his reason but I somehow trust him. No, I completely trust him. I know he has a good reason why he's into hiding."Princess—""Didn't I told you to stay away from me?" I said without sparing him a glance and just continued walking."But I just want to explain my side." He reasoned out, frustrated with how uninterested I am to hear his story."Are you done?" I inquired a few moments later."You just really don't care about me, do you?" he asked in a bitter tone.I turned around to face him this time, my left brow ri
"Sassy this is Ignis, Ignis this is Sassy. The friend I was talking about." I introduced them to each other after arriving in Hailec's place."Hi! It's nice to meet you Ignis!" Sassy greeted cheerfully."Hi, it's nice meeting you too, Señorita," Ignis responded shyly."Woah there! I'm no royalty, okay? Sassy is fine." Sassy corrected."Okay, Sassy," Ignis said still a little awkward with Sassy's enthusiasm."I've prepared your rooms," Hailec said after appearing all of the sudden."Kimean!" Sassy called out as he followed Hailec inside the house."I thought his name was Hailec?" I asked Ignis after realizing that Sassy was talking about the baylan."Only a few one's knew that the real name of the Punong Baylan is Kimean Hailec Ledesma. And very few are given the privilege to call him with that name. I think your friend holds a special spot in his life now." She said and gestured me to follow the two first."Sassy," Hailec's warning tone welcomed us, as we enter his living room."But I
"Before your arrival here in Narte Fantasia, Blaze already had a hunch that there's a mole within the Royalties and he was right. The moment you came, the suspected mole acted more suspicious." Cool stabilized my position on his lap and he rounded his arms around the small of my back to my waist before he continued."Remember Duchness Ardor?" He asked and looked at me questioningly.I tried to recall who he was referring to but nothing came into mind, so I just shook my head to tell him that I don't."Remember the lady who suggested to send me back to the glaciers? You burned her clothes." He said and it was with his last sentence that I remember the middle-aged lady who screamed like a banshee after having her dress set on fire."Oh, yeah. I remember. Wait. Don't tell me she was the mole?" I inquired in which he responded with a nod."Yeah. She is.""Wow! The darkess did a great job sending an idiot as a mole." I said both a little disappointed and amused."After being taken by the Gu
"Wow!" I heard Sassy gasped as soon as we step foot on the opening of the Kabisera."Don't go too far away from us." Hailec reminded her."Yes, sir," Sassy answered together with a playful salute."Ignis, are you okay? Are you comfortable?" I asked her when I realized how quiet she is."Yeah. Don't worry. I just missed walking around here." She answered with a smile."Why? You haven't been here for a while?" I asked, my forehead creasing from curiosity."As soon as I entered the palace, it was too hard to go outside. It was a rule made by the queen since she found out that an insider helped Princess Blare escaped before." I wanted to feel pity for her, being unable to go to places she used to go to, but I knew that's the last thing she wanted right now."That's fine with me though. Don't worry." She said with a smile."I'll just look around for a while," she said and started to blend in with the crowd."Sassy!" we heard Hailec called out and immediately followed my friend who looks lik
I didn't how long it had been, but numerous bodies of fantasians from all tribes were scattered on the floor. Some were filled with blood but some were not. I even lost count as to how many darkess I had killed.This was indeed a bloody war.I stopped to stare at the battleground after finishing off another dark shadow from the darkess.My eyes immediately met Lord Dorchadas' green eyes."You really wanted to see this bloody war? Dear, you should've just surrendered, then all of this wouldn't be happening." He said with a calm smile on his face."If you didn't want to destroy Narte Fantasia, this won't be happening either," I answered boldly."You're a feisty one, huh. Just like your mother." My eyes widened when I heard him mentioned my mom."Oh? Nobody told you why I wanted to destroy your tribes?" He said as he crawled around me.I was following his every move while taking into consideration that Princess Umbra was just inches away from us."I wanted your mother. I always did. But s
We've been battling non-stop for straight three days and Lord Dorchadas haven't ceased in any of his attacks.We were all tired, deprived of sleep, and absolutely famished.But what we were so worried about was Hailec. He was the one who was replenishing our energies and personas again and again. And now, it's taking a toll on him."Just rest for a while, will you?!" Sassy scolded him when he insisted to help us again after fighting with another packs of wolves and Pillies."Sassy's right, Hailec. Rest for a while, we can still manage." Cool said as he started to heal the injured guardias.I wanted to help so bad since I had already mastered this healing technique, however, if I do that, Lord Dorchadas would realized that I had the ability of a glacia as well.And I can't afford that for now. That was my trumpcard so far. So all I can do is sit beside Hailec and try to let him absorb some of my energy.He was panting so hard, and bullets of sweats crowded his face. He was already tired
I was panting hard after I finished off another set of pillies sent by Lord Dorchadas.'How 'bout now? Do you think you're near enough?' I asked Cool.'I don't think so. We're in the middle of something that looks like a forest.' He answered which caused my shoulder to sagged in disappointment. I exasperatedly sighed and continued walking, mentally cursing the Darkess for this tiring situation we're in.Seriously? Just how far are we from each other?'Don't you think they had fooled you? Maybe they didn't bring you back here.''If that was the case we can't communicate like this.' I answered.I groaned loudly when I saw another set of pillies approaching but as they came closer I realized they were not common pillies like what I have been battling for hours now. These creatures were atleast three times bigger than the normal ones and they have sharper and longer teeth and claws."Son of a bitch. You've got to be kidding me." I muttered in a low breath as I stared at the five huge creat
"Take off the laso." Lord Dorchadas ordered to no one in particular while his eyes remained on me.Suddenly, two dark moving shadows came towards me from the darkness to remove the laso around my wrists and my feet. After finally being free, I stood up and gently massaged my wrist.I'll take care of this later.It looks like the darkess had no idea that I had a persona of a glacia too. Well, not like anyone knew about it, except Cool of course."I'm interested as to how you want to play this so-called game of yours, Princess," I smirked at his remark as I cockily tilted my head to the side to show him one of my confident smiles."You wanted to see my abilities? Right? Then, I'll show you.""How?" He asked, his green eyes slowly turning to slits once again because of curiosity."Take me back to my group," I said nonchalantly and I saw how surprise and wickedness danced along on his face."And why would I do that?" He asked, challenging me.I rested my back on the wall and crossed my arm
"Fhyra!" I heard Cool and the others shouted in panic.I thought it was just because I was using too much power but no.It wasn't.I realized that when I felt a black smoke engulfed me whole."No... No... No! Fhyra!"'Fhyra, fight back. Please.' My eyes flew open when I heard Cool's voice inside my mind.I tried to fight back but I can't move my whole body.I feel so drained.'I c-can't.' I answered.And I felt a gushing wind under my feet before darkness finally consumed my consciousness.I woke up in a very dark place. My hands and feet were all tied tightly.I felt so weak.I think this has something to do with me using too much of my ability earlier. Altough my persona was strong, it still have it's own limitations. And that was my first time emitting fire from my mouth and my body was on full blaze.Of course, it would drained me.I tried moving my hands behind but I immediately felt a stinging pain against my wrist."Shit! Please. Please, don't let it be a laso." I muttered under
"Please take care." Granny said for the nth time as she was sending us off."We will, Granny.""Please, return safe and sound." She said worriedly to everyone.Everyone nodded and gave their farewell bows and hugs to Granny and their families.We would be going out of the palace today. We made sure first that the defense of this place was strong enough to keep everyone safe before we decided to go.Granny faced Cool after exchanging goodbyes with the others."I know you would do this even without me asking but please. Please take care of my granddaughter and come back safely." She said as she sweeps off some hair strands away from Cool's face.I smiled with how intimate Granny and Cool is. I heard Granny was the one who raised him, that explains their familiarity and intimacy."Go on. We won't be delaying you anymore. Please keep safe and get back with our people safe and sound." Granny said as she waved her last goodbye.We turned our backs from the people and face the gigantic ice ga
"Princess," Blaze greeted as soon as he saw me approaching them in the large main function hall of the Glaciers, which now serves as the evacuation area of the citizens.I gave him a quick glance and a slight nod before I faced Cool who was with him.I wanted to just ignore him but it would be too rude since he did help us in rescuing the people of Glaciers from the attack of the Darkess."What's the status out there?" I asked Cool.We might have been able to successfully evacuate the citizens inside the palace, but the fantasians living outside was still under attack by the Darkess."I think we would have to go out there to help rescue the others. The guardias wouldn't be able to withstand them for so long." Cool said which I nodded."I'm coming with you." I proclaimed."Princess, it's too dangerous---" I gave Blaze a sharp gaze that caused him to stop talking.I returned my eyes back to Cool who was staring at me intently."The Count is right. It would be too dangerous for you." he a
Screams and shrieks are heard everywhere. Explosions and dark smokes can be seen at every corner of the palace.This is what I welcomed me when I opened the room of my door.Chaos.I suddenly saw Granny running towards my direction. She looks so problematic and worried at the same time."Fhyra! Hija! What are you doing here?! Where's Cool?!" She said while looking around vigilantly."What's happening?" I asked worriedly as I look at the once bright walls of Glaciers but was now filled with dark smoke."The Darkess attacked us. The guardias are delaying them while we evacuate the citizens." She answered and worriedly walked passed me to approach the lady she saw."Bugnaw! Hurry!" She said as she helped the lady.'Fhyra! Where the hell are you?!' I was suddenly alerted when I heard Cool's voice.'I'm outside my room. I'm with Granny. How 'bout you? Are you okay? How about Sassy? Ignis? And Hailec? Are you with them?' I asked him hurriedly while helping Granny guide the other fantasians t
"Dodge the attacks at all cost," Hailec said firmly."Don't let any part of the samad touch your skin." Cool added after they explain to us what it is and what it can do."Ready? Let's begin." Cool said and positioned himself in a combat stance. Hailec did the same as he face Sassy.They had already taught us the basics of close combat. We knew how to attack and when to defend.But today, they were asking us to just dodge.Do nothing, but dodge."Aww!" My concentration was lost when I heard Sassy screamed in pain and before I can get to properly look at her a searing pain was also felt on my upper shoulder."Don't lose focus." Cool said in a serious voice as he keeps the samad on his waist holster and tend to the wound on my shoulder.The white satin dress shirt I was wearing was now torn." We're just practicing do you really have to hurt us for real?" I accusingly asked them when I saw Hailec tending to Sassy's wound on her left waist as well."We didn't hurt you on purpose. We told