YULLI was stretching on the battleground as he prepared for his first fight. And just as his team had expected, he’d face the lone warrior, Alfreda Herfst. Commander Alleki, along with Luan, sat in the distance. They were on standby in case something happened to the wolf shifter. They had seen how Alfreda fought her opponents, and despite Yulli being overconfident about winning, Alleki had some doubts.A magic user would always remain at an advantage compared to a shifter. Although Yulli was a strategist, they must not be complacent. Some participants were heavily injured, and worse, others died. This wasn’t a ‘friendly’ competition at all. The crowd was lively as usual. This was one of the most anticipated fights since it was the formal opening for the higher castes.“A pleasant morning, everyone! We’ll be going to start the first battle with a bang! The notorious Alfreda Herfst is here, and she’d fight with one of the fiercest warriors from Hala!” It was the female elf announcer w
GOVERNOR Lansear was focused on the two delegates fighting on the battleground. It was obvious that Alfreda was being too careful not to hurt her opponent. He had seen her fights before advancing, and the girl had picked her interest. Watching how the fight ended, he was sure Alfreda’s identity was not real. She was the missing Halan princess. With their happy reunion below them, he couldn’t be wrong. “I want the two of them in Colegio Maxica,” Lansear said to the headmaster beside him. Headmaster Prife has been in-charge of the School of Magic for a hundred years. He was old. He had long white hair and a short beard. He was famous in Axum for being the first water wielder that attained immortality because of his vast knowledge of magic. Aside from Lansear, who recently claimed the name of Immortal Governor due to his power. “That little witch and the shifter?” Headmaster Prife pretended to mishear the governor. “You heard me.” Lansear casually drank wine from the goblet while st
MALAIKA quickly followed the guard along with Yulli. She could feel the colder breeze as they entered a unique structure erected at the center of the main palace. They found themselves inside the sacred shrine made of ice crystals. She walked on the carpeted aisle when they reached a door with floating runes glowing in green. They went in, and the two were astounded to see Governor Lansear, wearing his white robe, staring gently at one emerald crystal resting inside a medium-sized water bubble. The crystal levitated in the air just above a white magic circle. “Governor…” Malaika arched her head down to acknowledge his presence. The governor motioned his hand, and the guard immediately stepped back and left. “It’s nice to see you here… Princess Malaika.” Lansear scrutinized her from head to foot. Malaika and Yulli exchanged glances. Since when did the governor knew about her real identity? Lansear chuckled as if he had read what was on her mind. “I called you here, despite this p
“YOU let a lowly shifter come inside our sacred shrine? I can’t believe it!” Professor Prife motioned his staff in bewilderment. He was enraged. “Why? Isn’t it an insolent act?” “Are you questioning my decision, Professor?” Lansear glared with a warning at the old elf. The professor glanced down and cleared his throat. “My apologies, Governor. But why did you do it?” his voice turned low. They were inside the receiving hall of the Capitol building waiting for General Rikrus Amakir. It had been a few days, and he wasn’t back in Baraf. This was their schedule to meet after his urgent business in Hala. “The Aqua festival will end soon. After what I observed inside the shrine, I became more interested in the Princess of Hala.” “What have you seen?” Lansear’s lips quirked up mysteriously. “That will be your task, Professor Prife. Be vigilant once she enters the School of Magic. I know this will create confusion among our students. But I want you to watch her closely in the final match
“MAGIC is not good for close combat. We have a high chance of winning if nothing goes off with our strategy.” Alleki reminded everyone before going out of the battle stadium. They all wore the black warrior uniform flaunting the embroidered insignia of Hala. Malaika chose her usual battle attire from Frode. But she didn’t have her cloak and mask. She wanted everyone to remember her face… as the Princess of Hala who could wield magic despite it being considered taboo. The governor did not object to her teaming up with the shapeshifters.The final match was called the exhibition battle. All the Halan delegates were required to participate since it was only a ‘friendly competition’ to conclude the Aqua Festival. Even those who were injured from the fight yesterday must join. Fortunately, their wounds had healed, but the mana hadn’t recovered to a hundred percent. The warriors modified the battle arrangement from what they had practiced before, with Malaika’s magic as an addition. Mala
XUHE had frozen the cape covering Reta’s body until it was fit enough to get back to her feet. And despite the embarrassment, Reta continued to mock Malaika and her team as if nothing had happened.“Careful, next time.” Xuhe flew at a safe distance, and Yulli shifted to his wolf form to follow the male elf.“Bold of you to assume you’d win against us!” Reta laughed hysterically. “We are the elite warriors of the army of Axum.”Malaika looked around, and it was a slow motion in her eyes. Despite her protection, it appeared ineffective.She first saw Kane, who was at a disadvantage because he could not shapeshift into his animal form. He tried to engage in close combat, but his opponent was the archer who kept a safe distance while firing hundreds of arrows nonstop. Kane only defended. But because of his huge build, he found it hard to engage in the same stealth as the archer. Until four of the ice arrows hit him, and he fell on the ground, bleeding. Then there was Luan, fighting side
MALAIKA lay unconscious, despite the Axumean healers tending to her in the battle area. She was brought back to the infirmary again. The governor had punished Stan for wielding forbidden magic, and he announced that the winner was the Halan warriors. And yet they could not celebrate their success, considering Malaika’s condition.The Princess of Hala may appear in her deep slumber, but something was happening in her subconscious. She was fighting a battle that no one knew.Malaika was in the darkness, alone. She didn’t know how she came to this place. The last time she remembered was fighting for the exhibition game, and the governor stopped her rampage.“Anybody here? Xoxo… where are you?” her voice echoed.But even the magical creature was nowhere to be found. “Hello!”Silence.She walked straight, despite her uncertainties. Until her feet had stepped on something… she heard a sound of a splash.Water!Malaika continued her slow pace into the water, but as she went on, the current w
MALAIKA bid her goodbye to the Halan delegates. She forced herself out of the infirmary since her health greatly improved after she awakened. Seti and Attisha embraced her tight. The two shifters cried and refused her to let go. At the same time, Yulli stood beside her in silence, observing his fellow warriors for their departure.“I will be all right here. Yulli is with me,” she assured the two.“We will wait in Hala.” Seti finally stepped back.“I promise to improve my healing magic so I can be useful to everyone when you’re back home.” Attisha was still sobbing.Darkis beside them cleared his throat. “I-I ask the commander if he’s willing to take me in. I will train to serve the Halan army. I’m so glad I’ve met you, Princess.”“Best of luck, Dark. You’ll enjoy the serene environment at home. Come on. They are waiting.” Malaika wiped her tears as Attisha loosened her hug. She’d surely miss them, specially Alleki. His return to Axum might be longer than expected with all these intern
PIERRE’S group would take off after meeting General Iljun and the trackers to really information they gathered. The deliberation did not take long. And when they were dismissed, Pierre talked with his father.Raev gazed at his son, cheering in silence. “Be careful son. Always remember everything I’ve told you. However, you and your squad’s life will be the top priority.”“Yes, Father. I will not go back until I find Lazir’s whereabouts.” Pierre was determined despite his father’s warning.“We will wait for your return, son.”“Please look after Seti while I’m away.” Pierre’s face softened. He didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his lioness since Seti’s team was already on the move. Pierre knew that this hunt would end in an expedition.Pierre’s squad left immediately on foot. The lynx twins were unusually quiet as they tracked Lazir’s scent. Kane was at the back and checking for a possible ambush. They rested after three hours of searching nonstop. Finally, they reached the cliff ne
CHIEF ZUYESH had an emergency council meeting because Lazir was nowhere to be found. The aerial army checked thoroughly around Hala, but there were no signs of the black wolf shifter. A whole squad of trackers was on the ground. Everyone was waiting to hear some good news, yet the search yielded an unfavorable result. It appeared that Lazir suddenly vanished out of thin air. “It’s unfortunate that our best warriors are still recuperating in the infirmary. They could easily track Lazir,” Raev said. He was seated on the first row facing Atekun, while Zuyesh was in the center. “Did you notice anything weird, Chief? Why would Lazir suddenly ask for a Hafukana and display his magic while everyone is watching? Then he is suddenly gone.” “That puzzled me, too. But I have a hunch as to why he did it.” Zuyesh looked calm. No one could notice that he was restless. “Lazir had been a member of this council for ten years, and we all know that his sharp mouth always put him in a tight spot. I won
THEY dropped by Niusa’s class, and the black elf seemed thrilled to see them. She hurriedly went out of her room to meet them in the hallway. “Whoa, I can’t believe you are here. Do you need help with schoolwork?”“Let’s talk in the garden. I don’t need many elf ears hearing about this crucial information.” Malaika strolled, and Niusa followed.As usual, they ignored the discriminating glances given to them. It was not Malaika’s concern at the moment.“Something wrong?” Niusa began to wonder because she wouldn’t talk until there were no elves nearby.“How well-versed are you in Tuara? How about Aigavan? I need your water healing ability and water purification magic,” Malaika said in a low voice.Niusa was confused. “My water healing magic is intermediate, but with Aigavan….” She hesitated, “I know only the basics of water purification. Why?”“Do you know other healers? I need them badly, Niusa. There’s a plague in the East, and Baraf turned a blind eye despite its plead for help. Time
YULLI spoke to ease Malaika’s worries. “There are a lot of things you need to know outside the wall barrier, Princess. I hope you’re ready once we set foot in Eastern Axum.”“Then tell me everything! I deserve it, don’t you think?” She clenched her jaw. “It’s been a while since I was taken away from Hala, and I don’t know how to get back without facing the consequences of breaking the sacred law. Hell is an understatement of what I’ve been through, Yulli. What other secrets are you hiding away from me?”Yulli gently shrugged. “Since you ask, the world is huge outside this island. However, the way life is a lot different. I heard that there is extreme drought, and water is a precious commodity. There is information that every water mage is captured so they could provide for the needs of the royalties.”“Are you certain?” Malaika seemed to doubt Yulli, only that the wolf shifter was serious.“I can’t be sure since the information came from my adoptive father. The chief and everyone in t
MALAIKA was too stunned to speak when she opened the door. She heard loud knocks earlier, and Xoxo gave her a signal that it was safe to check it out. They made a pact that they shouldn’t just open the door with random knocks knowing they were hated in this place. Dealing with another death threat would only bring more stress instead of focusing on their studies.“Oh, goddess! What happened?” Malaika gaped.Yulli carried an unconscious woman. It was almost daybreak, and the wolf shifter was worn out, trying to catch his breath.“She needed immediate medical care.” Yulli peeked inside. “Where is Xoxo? The healers I found along the way wouldn’t help us. I guess a traditional healer can’t aid her terrible condition.”“Get in! I have been practicing my mana control all night because I cannot sleep while waiting for you, Yulli. Our kind is being hunted in this elf territory!” Malaika assisted them inside the house.Xoxo was so engrossed in making a potion in the kitchen, but as soon as she
“WHERE is my horse?” Yulli came to them unbothered by the intimidation they were showing. He had no plan of getting into trouble, but it seemed inevitable, especially since he saw his horse a few meters away with a female tied in it.At a glance, Yulli could identify the female was not an elf. Her tangerine-colored dress matched the thick fur scarf covering her neck. She was muddy, especially her feet, which had one shoe on. These elves probably had fun chasing the poor lady. Based on her scent, she had a faint smell of being a shapeshifter. “This one is more valuable!” One of the elves shouted. Among these brigands, he had the biggest physique and blade scars on his cheeks. He might be the leader in the way he gave an order. Everyone laughed. “We can sell him at a high price! This night is indeed auspicious for hunting!” said another who could not contain his excitement.“Hey, Scarred Face! Give my horse back, and that lady or I will kill all of you without a trace,” Yulli turned
“D-DID I summon you?” Malaika finally got back to her senses and asked.The goddess shook her head. “I came out on my own. But because of my depleting spiritual energy. This is the form I can sustain for a short while.”“I am not dreaming this time, right?”The goddess smiled. “What do you think?”Malaika slowly motioned her hand and touched the translucent form of the goddess. Her hand went through, feeling like cold water had slipped into her skin. “You are real.”“I can take any form I want. But since we are one, we have to be in sync so that we both live without harming each other, even unintentionally. I will guide you with your mana control. You must quickly learn because if you fail, both of us will cease to exist, along with the people of this island.”“I understand. I am at your disposal, goddess. I will serve you until my last breath.”Malaika thought that mana control would be the easiest part of learning since she had already wielded powerful types of water magic. But now
WHEN Malaika and Yulli entered their special class, they were not spared from the discrimination as soon as they got inside. All eyes were set on them, sharing bothered expressions. But everyone immediately shrugged them off, which Malaika found amusing since no one had uttered a word, and they continued to their usual chats and ignored the two of them completely.Malaika made a quick mental count of how many students belonged to the class. There were approximately twenty, including her and Yulli.“Don’t mind them. We are here to learn,” Yulli said. They were seated on the last row, and no one wanted to be acquainted with being with them.“As if I’m bothered. I’m expecting the worse, and I’m starting to like this class.” Malaika silently winked to make Yulli feel at ease.Yulli gave him a nod of approval. “I’m glad to hear that from you, princess.”Malaika thought of the positive side of the indifferent treatment towards them. It could work to their advantage since she could fully con
THE crowd started murmuring again when the chieftain announced that the warrior delegates that gave honor to the tribe would face one of the heaviest sanctions due to negligence and insubordination.“Warriors, be ready!” Alleki faced the members of his squad.“Yes, commander!” Everyone said in chorus.When Alleki turned around, he started walking on the part of the battlefield that was not affected by the destruction from the chieftain’s attack earlier. It would take time to rehabilitate the damage since magic was forbidden, and they’d all resort to physical labor, which was mainly the cultivator’s job.Despite the commotion created because of Lazir’s use of forbidden magic, the warrior delegates were not exempted from the rough treatment. And although some of the spectators from the royal clan had already exited, many people still left to witness them receive their punishment.One of the elders came to them. He was Carius, the head of the council of justice. The man was a little youn