Chapter 22 Aftermath 

"The King is dead!" Someone yelled.

The fighting seemed to stop. Or more like it was over. I looked around us to see that most of the men were down. Some were dried up and shivering as Custard ate what seemed like smoke. The more Custard ate, the more energized felt. Is their essence actually giving me back my used up magic?

As I continued to wonder, I was suddenly engulfed in an embrace. "You're okay!" Ren cried. "I was so worried when Nora told us that you were facing a dangerous man and that Ace is hurt." As soon as the words left his mouth he paused from hugging me. "Wait, where is he?"

"It's PRINCE!" Ace grunted, still kicking the body of the dead king. With his good hand, he pointed the dagger at him. "You better keep that in mind if you want to live."

Ren gulped and nodded. Nate came next and he stood beside Ace. He grimaced at his current state. "You look...well...?" He said uncertainty.

"And you are LATE!" Ace snapped. "Where's my sister!?"

Nate raised his hands as if in surrender. "She's safe. She's with Prince Zeraph."

Ace's eye twitched. "She's what?!" He yelled. Then with his good arm he grabbed Nate's collar. "You let her hand out a boy, who's the same age as her?!"

"It's fine. They actually get along pretty great. Prince Zeraph can protect her." Ren said and I feel like I want to punch Ren for being so dense at times and saying the wrong words. It's like he can't read the atmosphere.

"What did you say?" There was venom in Ace's voice as he said it.

"Brother!" It was Prince Zeraph. He was running towards his older brother with Nora following right behind him. The young prince crouched down beside his brother.

"Zeraph?" Prince Meruem croaked and smiled weakly. "You're well. I'm glad."

Prince Zeraph was crying as he held his hands to his brother's wound. "I'll...heal you brother. Just you wait." He sniffed. Prince Zeraph drew water around him and directed it to his brother's gaping wound. It glowed into a bright light and where the wound previously was, is now a scar left by their father.

"Prince Meruem, Prince Zeraph." It was the same man who announced the death of the king. As soon as Prince Meruem was on his feet, the rest of the conscious soldiers of the Atla kingdom bent down on one knee.

"My father is dead." Prince Meruem confirmed. "I, as the crown prince, will serve as the king in acting until I am rightfully crowned."

"King Meruem!" The soldiers all said in unison.

Prince Meruem looked at his dead father in understanding. There was a brief look of sadness in his eyes before he looked up at the soldiers. "Arrest the remaining rogues. Bring the injured to the sea witch to get healed and...-" He looked down at the corpse of his father. "Carry my dead father back to the palace." He said sadly. "And from now on, we will no longer associate ourselves with the kingdom of Tereau."

Prince Zeraph came to Ace. "Prince, may I heal your wound? But I cannot heal your shoulder. I am not that strong yet." The young prince said sadly.

"I can help with that." Nate grinned and without Ace's permission, grabbed his shoulder and snapped it back into place. There was a sickening crunch as Nate lodged the bone back into its rightful place.

Ouch. That looks painful.

Ace glared at Nate and used both hands to grab his collar. "Thank you. Now I can strangle you freely with two hands."

"Excuse me." It was Prince Meruem. "I cannot thank you enough for freeing us from the reign of my father."

"He killed your dad." I pointed at Ace. I mean, someone has to take the blame. Ace frowned and slapped my hand away.

"And I should have been the one to do it, since it is my responsibility. He also took care of Roy, a difficult man to deal with." Then, the Prince's eyes met mine. "I guess I should call you Princess Rose and not Mississippi? I mean, that is your spirit, right?" He said and pointed behind Ren and I.

We both looked back and saw a grown Custard looking happy. His tongue lolled out and he was wagging his tail excitedly as if waiting for a praise. Ren and I screamed and jumped back in surprised. "Custard!" I said. "Don't scare us like that." At my words, Custard whimpered.

'Sorry, Master.' He said and his ears dropped down.

I kind of feel bad so I patted my familiar's head. "But you did a great job. Thank you." At that, Custard licked and nuzzled me with his snout affectionately.

"I want to formally introduce myself again. I am the acting king - Prince Meruem Bastian. This is my brother, Prince Zeraph Bastian." He introduced me.

"Prince Nathaniel Denver from the kingdom of Vertez. The land of Vampires."

"Prince Renvier Rutledge from the kingdom of Sanver."

"PRINCE Ace Feradin from the kingdom of Tordis." Then Ace carried Nora in his arms. "This is my sister, PRINCESS Nora Feradin." Then he fixed fix gaze at Prince Zeraph, who was looking at Nora. "She's off limits!" He snapped at the young prince.

"I'm Princess Rosalie Amber Stan." I said and gestured at my familiar. "And this is my familiar. Custard."

Prince Meruem nodded as he regarded Ace and I, who looked ready to collapse any minute now. "May I offer you refuge in our palace? I promise that you may leave when you want to. I will ask them to prepare rooms." Then his eyes darted at Ace's wounds. "We have healers in the palace as well. That or my brother can heal you."

Ace then gave the young prince a pointed look. "He may heal me, but it doesn't mean that he can go anywhere near my sister." Ace handed Nora to Nate. "You better not drop her or else." He threatened and returned his gaze back to Zeraph. "Hurry up and heal me!" He demanded.

Jeez. He can't even say please!

I felt sorry as I looked at the poor little prince making his way towards the menopausal elf. When the prince's eyes drifted to Nora, Ace snapped his fingers in front of hey. "Hey!" He yelled. "Eyes right here. Hurry up so we can leave this place!"

I felt Custard returning to his former self. Once he did, my knees felt like jelly and I collapsed. Ren caught me as my vision started to blur. I could hear their voices - calling me as they did so. But it was no use, I felt so tired and drained that my body couldn't move even if I willed it to. I was finally swallowed in darkness.

***

I dreamed of a man. No. A king. King Varon Lanis. I am not sure how I know. Maybe it was because we share the same color of our hair - or the fact that he was with a grown wolf. Nagga.

I saw the pair walking into a strange dark forest with only a bit of glittering lights to guide them. King Varon was holding a cup in his hands. The wooden chalice.

There was movement in the forest. A tree nymph suddenly emerged.

"Keep it safe." King Varon said. "It can potentially become a tool for the revival or the destruction of the kingdom." King Varon was speaking to it before handing the cup to the Nymph. The nymph bowed and suddenly vanished into the forest.

King Varon looked at his familiar. "Let's go, Nagga."

***

The dream shifted and suddenly there I saw dead bodies everywhere. Broken buildings and debris were all over the place. Fires continued to burn as it scorched up the rest of the colors of the land.

I saw how king Varon lunged at a man with dark shaggy hair, whom I assume is king Ferius. I saw Nagga in the background pinning the Chimera underneath him. The Tamer king gave his familiar a glance, a look of sadness flashed in them. The familiar looked at his partner too with the same gaze and whimpered. They knew what must be done. King Varon will die into sealing his own familiar and the chimera and Ferius.

People screamed in the background as the fighting continued. But all was drowned out when the king spoke to his familiar.

"...no other way." Were the last words that I heard from king Varon before the scene shifted.

***

This time I was watching the Nymph with the Chalice. She was walking in a dark path that suddenly blinded me. Then I saw her giving the chalice to a group of people. They look like villagers judging from the way that they were dressed. They were wearing animal skins to cover their bodies.

I watched as they took the chalice from the Nymph and bowed respectfully.

***

This time I saw the Nymphs gathering around what looks like a bird bath made out of gigantic leaves and vines. They were chanting something in a language that I do not understand. Images of the other kingdoms suddenly flashes in my mind. The images of the villagers seem like it was being erased from existence.

Suddenly, a nymph locked it's gaze into mine. It was the same nymph that originally held the chalice. "It's your turn to find us." It said.