Zita stared to the distance, looking over the kingdoms whose people stretch out the horizon like a carpet on the floor.
The sun was just retiring, but its splendor could be seen as they grace the earth with their warm smile. She could see the people on the beach, blowing their regards and well wishes to the ship, which had started its course on the blue world.
It was hard to keep her mind from wandering, since she knew that Abigail was somewhere in that ship.
She had risked her life just to give her a better and more comfortable one.
Who could have thought that she, Zita, would one day be in a castle as mighty
Even though her voice was soft and motherly, Zita could sense every indignation on them. Zita asked as she tried to calm herself down, “What… What orders?”“The guards are to kill her on sight.” The Queen replied while looking at her with an unreadable expression. It was like a bomb that dropped to her head. Zita felt like she was about to pass out. “But that is inhuman! What if she is innocent?” She insisted. The Queen’s jewelries jingled from end to end as she shook her head. She has woven her blond hair into a beehive and the way she held her head. It was as i
Abigail jumped from where she had been sleeping, hugging herself to keep down the cold that had suddenly clothed her body. White lights flooded into the hallway, and she held out her hands to keep away the bright light as her gaze went to the door. Her eyes hurt despite the shadows her hands created.“Wakey-Wakey.” The voice of the woman standing on the leading stairs called. Abigail frowned when she saw the bucket in her hands. She must be in her early twenties or so, but the smile that plastered her young face made Abigail wish she could use the bucket and slam the air out of her pointed nose.&ldq
“What?” Abagail and the others exclaimed. It all happened fast, before she could even register what was happening, some white Vesslers came out from where they must have been hiding and strapped their hands on their back, tying it firmly.“Wait! This is so reckless! You are putting someone’s life in danger!” Abigail yelled, trying to make them see some sense. It seems not to work as she was ignored, and the Vesslers continued to tie her up and then quickly dragged her to the edge. “Please don&r
With the many hairs that covered her face, he couldn’t make out the features clearly. It did not matter anymore since he already jumped to save her. Ginika used one hand to keep them afloat as he tried to swim as much as he can. His other hand held the girl, but that in itself was difficult because the girl’s weight was like that of an elephant. For a girl her size, she weighed three times any average human being. He scanned his environment, hoping to find something that would help him in this diverse situation, but the ocean did not offer any. If for anything, the sun which should have broken out
A gentle sea wind blew into the room, but it seemed to concentrate where Vera and the girl was. Vera’s eyes had turned yellow, and her hands were stretched out on the face of the unconscious girl. Droplets of water came out from the girl’s body, suspending around Vera, like air bubbles. Ginika licked his lips, not knowing that he had been looking at the woman with a wide mouth. He had never seen any power like this before. Even though the Three Kingdoms have healers that are water mage, he had not seen any of them perform this type of art before. This was so unique and awesome.Ginika stared at Vera in fascination, and he was so focused on her that he did not notice his own ha
Her velvet cloths no longer wrapped her body and her dark hair, danced loosely with the gentle air of the sea.“It is not a massacre.” She shouted at someone outside, “It is a training for crying loud!” It was the first time Ginika saw her like this, angry. Someone was also yelling outside, but Ginika could not understand what he or she was saying.“Please do,” Vera said after the yelling voice stopped, “Cause the next time this happens, hell will rain its fire on whoever is responsible.”The hinge of the door shook when she finally stepped into the cabin and slamme
The procession was small now. The only people that were allowed into this part of the Pyre was the King’s most trusted men and family. The stones looked as if it could contain the entire people in the city, but as tradition forbade everyone from coming to see the King’s birth, so it also restricts them from coming in his death.The darkness cleared, and the stone lighted up with the light of many touches that hung on the wall.The men halt the procession, and Gilman, the King’s horn, walked up the stairs and stood over a pyre that had been built like a small canoe. He nodded to the four men, and they walked up to the stairs, placing the King’s body, into the Pyre.&l
Zita, as well as the Queen and Gilman, lifted their heads to the direction where the noise had emanated from. A dark shadow walked out from among the corner of the stones towards them. It held a small dagger on his hand, as identical to the ones that lined the black belt of his armor. “A gift and warning from the emperor,” Came the hoarse voice as he threw something on the floor. The object bounced on the floor like a ball and rolled towards them, sending some particle flying into the night.Zita frowned when she saw the strange features of the object. There was dry blood on the surface and dried flesh. It was clearly a severed head that was dried as if the blood was removed f
The calmness was alluring, and the serenity so great that she felt she could remain here forever. Nothing seems to exist. It was just as if she was just being born. There was no trouble, no worries, and certainly no death. But where am I?“My sweet child,” Someone said, and the girl could feel the hands that patted her forehead.Abigail opened her eyes, just in time to see the beautiful face of Queen Isabel, as she pulled away from her. The rich lemon fragrance covered Abigail’s nostrils lurking around the fresh morning air that was rushing into the room from the window at the far end.“Mother?” Abigail called. Even her own voice was new to her.“Rest, my child, you need it.” Isabel smiled weakly and stroked Abigail’s forehead.“What happened?” Abigail asked as she sat up from the bed. She was totally found. No part of her body ached from the training, and she was more at ease and…“By the heavens,” Abigail screamed when her fair skin. She stroked her head and laughed from the rich bl
Gen jumped on top of the watchman and ripped his throat out, feeling the sweet savor of the metallic taste that came rushing into her palate. She was careful not to bite off his head as that was a disgusting way to feed.She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and stood up. She was not satisfied, but she must try to be on mission. Maybe she will come back and finish him off when she was done.A ray of sun tubes in through the roof, and Gen laughed. It was still a wonder to her that she was walking in daylight. She had been in the dark for about 50 years, but now, walking under the light made her realize that there is more to life that the ugly face of darkness.The hands of the sun spreads through the whole earth, blessing everything that stood in the vast distance with its grace. From this place, she could see everywhere in Arkenta. Even the border of Landevia spread out and seemed to be touching the sky. She was supposed to monitor the Cavaliers from this Watchtower, but stand
Vera nodded to Gareth and walked out from among the shadows. She followed behind the cavalier, who was totally oblivious of her presence. The man was about to round the bend when she held his mouth from behind and traced the sharp end of her dagger around his neck. She held his mouth tightly as he convulses but released him when he finally became still.“That’s thirty-two,” Gareth whispered as he walked towards her.“You have been keeping counts?” Vera asked and wiped her dagger on the body of the fallen guard.“A total of sixty-six. You are a warlord mother,” “Which way?” “There,” Gareth pointed to another metal door. The torches flickered with the little wind that walked in the air, revealing the emptiness that lies on the other side of the door. It was day, and the sun was at its zenith. But its hands have failed to touch any side of the dungeon. Dar
“Emm…guys, I hate to break the reunion, but I think we are in trouble.” A girl that was twice as tall as any of them in the arena said. Behind her were two other girls whose eyes were wider than the lens of Victoria.“Olivia? We are friends now?” Dodo suddenly asked as she, Abigail, and Victoria turned to the other girls. The looks on their faces told Ginika to keep off. He wasn’t ready to meddle with women’s affairs.“Ginika!!!” Someone screamed. “Pa Bola?” Ginika’s brow elevated to his skull at the voice of the man who was running into the arena from one of the metal bars. Behind him was a strange-looking woman, in breeches and some yellow shawl hanging loosely on her shoulders.“You must get out of here, now,” The man said. The looks on his face were covered with so many expressions that Ginika could not place a hand on.“Bola,” Dodo called, turning away from the girl she had called Olivia. “You are alive.” “Yes, but there is no time, we must hurry, follow me.” Bola pointed to the
A sweet air bashed Abigail’s face when she finally walked out of the burning hallway. The metal bars shut behind her, leaving her and the other children at the mercies of the crowd and their frenzy. The walls of the arena were high, more than thirty feet away from the dust and sand.“Now what?” Dodo asked as she steady her hands on the pan. Her composure was laudable, and it made Abigail want to run into her arms. The girl was showing no sign of weakness or fright. It was as if she had anticipated all the event and knew what would happen.“How long can you last out here, Victoria.” The voice of Olivia came fluttering with the numerous screams of the crowd. The mockery in them was annoying. The girl was acting as though she had everything under control.The metal door at the other side of the arena opened, and some six boys came jogging out of it. They were also Vesslers who had come to transition. Unlike the girls that were given pans, the boys held the sword, spears, shield, and other
The voice of the metals continued to scream as the hammers of the blacksmith descended upon them. The screams only stopped to a hissing sound when the men imbued them into the water pan beside the metal table, and resumes their previous beating. Those clatter and noise from the anvil could cause the ear to bleed. It’s been hours since they came here, yet none of the three blacksmith had fashion any reasonable weapon. It was as if they were toiling in vain, or were they doing this as a hobby?Abigail wiped her brow for what seemed to be the tenth time that morning. If the sweat had anything to do with the heat of the furnace, then she would have taken solace in the metal door whose air was blocked by the girl’s that clustered on it.
“This is ridiculous.” Richard chuckled, “The funniest joke in the history of the empire.”“You are a coward Richard. And your strength Is in your tongue. The only thing you are good at is staring up strife among brethren.”“Is that what you think,” Richard flared and hurried up to Gabriel, but the other children where just in time to hold the two from ripping their throats apart.“Richard.” Ginika said, and all eyes turned to him. “I don’t care if you hate me
“You ruined our lives. I said it before, you are nothing but trouble,” Richard shouted.Ginika’s stomach tightened as he studied the other children who were staring at him like some kind of god. Betty had hidden them in the forest, the same forest which was becoming like home ever since he was kicked out from the brotherhood. It was easily to see through the expression that lurked in the face of the children. They looked haggard and frightened and five years starving.“You hear me?” Richard’s voice rung in his ears but he tried his best to ignore the boy. “You are nothing but evil. Nemesis will fall on yo
Bola wiped the tears from his own eyes, not able to hold them back any longer. Seeing the reunion between the mother and son made his chest ach. He just could not shut the doors of his emotions as his mind flashback into the past, in that night when his whole family was destroyed by the children of the night. His clan had been so weak to defend themselves. They had been so powerless.“Here,” Vera’s word brought his wandering thoughts back into his body. She had was holding a small book in her hands now, a book which she gave to Gareth.“It contains my memory.” Vera smiled and parted Gareth’s cheeks, leaving a smear of red trail on them.“Please don&