"You were so brave back there, Mikhail!" Susie said in a cheerful tone.
"I... was just angry. He was right though. I could easily have lost my head there. From what I've read of the books in my mother's collections... Rulers easily discard people they find have lost or does not hold any more value to them." Mikhail said with a sigh as he ruffled his hair in exasperation.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to you.You can count on me!" Susie said with a confident grin on her face, slapping her puffed out chest reassuringly.
Mikhail glanced at Susie's brightly lit eyes and his lips tugged into a small smile. It felt nice knowing someone was looking out for him in a land so foreign. At least in Archon Menoch he knew Xander.
Knows. Present tense... Nothing will happen to Xander...
"Well, would you like to look around first as this is the first time we're here in Lestria?" Mikhail a
Mikhail awoke to incessant shaking making him groan in protest. He then pulled his head groggily off the pillow in an attempt to trick the person shaking him that he was up before his head fell back onto the pillow."Get ready. We're heading out." the guide said as Mikhail wiped off the sleep crust on his tightly shut eyes."Nnngh... Mmkay." Mikhail groaned as he sat up in bed nearly falling over back to the comfort of the blankets."... Refresh yourself. I'll meet you in 10 at the stables." the guide said as they left the room leaving Mikhail on his own.Mikhail knew he shouldn't remain in bed as he would most likely go back to sleep. Hence, he forced himself to get up only for his hand to slip which in return made him fall out of bed."OW! Ughh... Uhh... At least... now I'm not that sleepy anymore..." Mikhail groaned as he stroked his forehead that met head first with the cold
The cascading rainfall drowned out the sound of heavy hooves crashing against the muddy ground. A horse can be seen galloping towards a secluded cave with a figure of a man clinging desperately to the reins.Upon closer look, the drenched dark green cloak which bore the emblem of Enoch, hugged the frame of the man which turned out to be Mikhail. He had a desperate look in his squinted eyes as he tried to make out his surroundings.Mikhail's vision had begun to grow hazy due to the heavy downpour. The shelter that the guide pointed towards before their group got split up was his last hope in making it out of the thunderstorm unscathed.Please let me make it... I can barely make heads or tail with this weather... The guide is nowhere in sight as well...Mikhail stirred his horse, nudging it north as he hoped it was the right direction. All of a sudden, the thunderstorm grew in intensity. The clap
Mikhail fluttered open his eyelids as he felt a cold drop of water sliding off his forehead, down to his chin. He swipes it off with his hands and finds his clothes still damp against his body.He sat himself up before pulling off his hood and shirt, wringing them dry of water as he searched for a place to hang them. The rain seemed to slow down, falling in a light drizzle as dim lighting came through the hole on the ceiling.As he was pondering on where to dry his clothes, there was another tremor which caught him by surprise. Mikhail gasped as he suddenly remembered what had transpired earlier.Is this a dream?! I'm still alive! I'd have thought the tiny snake was bringing me back as a meal....Just as Mikhail thought that, he was met face to face with a ginormous serpent. It's eyes shone an even brilliant gold while it's scales looked sturdy with a similar copper shine.
"Kyaaaa! A snake! What if it had hurt our son?! Kill it!" a woman shrieked as she grasped her child and swiftly moved to a safer distance, watching an older man combat the snake away from him."This creature! I bet it was the one that fed off of my lifestocks! Death certainly would be too lenient!" the older man growled as he hit the snake until it started bleeding."Calm down! Please! I'll handle it from here! This type of snake can spit poison. If you harm it further it will surely strike back!" a young man said as he held back the older man's arm, taking hold of the wooden branch in his hand."It would?! Goodness me! J-just get rid of that creature! What if my daughter got injured? My grandson even..." the older man said as he quickly reached out to his daughter to lead her away from the snake and the young man.The young man stood still, watching the old man and the woman leave before he dropped
"Where are we?!" a shrill voice screeched, dampened by the rain, yet piercing in close range."In a cave." a curt response was heard in the direction closest to the innermost section of the cave.As if a reflection of said owner's cold tone of voice, a crackle of thunder reverberated in the air as the clouds parted, making way as the sky lit up with thin streaks of lighting permeating through the parted veil."I can see that. What I mean is... why am I here with you?! Where is Mikhail?!" Susie exclaimed as she pointed her index finger at the guide and frowned with disappointment enlaced in her tone.The image of Susie shrieking before the scenery of thunder clapping and lightning streaks across the murky clouds was not exactly a pleasant sight. If you were to relate it closely to a scenario, it would be more akin to a killer finally finding their victim."It seems he
"You seem a little rough for the wear.... but overall still kicking. That in itself is a relief." the guide said as they helped Mikhail back up and headed towards the side of the cave wall."Thanks... so the loud sound was from you both?" Mikhail asked as he glanced towards the guide."Yes. We managed to make our way in here but the entrance we came in crumbled just as we managed to get through. A little later and we'd have gone to meet our maker.""Sounds rough... ugh..." Mikhail mustered before grimacing from the pain."Drink this. Its something to soothe the pain."Mikhail glanced at the flask handed towards him and took it without much hesitation. He gulped down the contents and handed the flask back to the guide as his face gradually grew flushed."This... hic... kind of burns my throat..." Mikhail said slowly as he tried to keep his vision focused.
The scorched path which stretched deeper into the cavern slowly began to descend in temperature as they came close to a lone isle, bearing a single tree with its roots enlaced with blooming flower beds. Mikhail was in awe, gaping at the sea of vivid red as the flower bed closely resembled the lava that they had spent the past hour or so avoiding falling into.The petals of said flowers were patterned as molten lava and its pistil was the colour of dark amber. It looked dangerous to touch directly, yet the urgency of the matter made Mikhail unconsciously move towards it, reaching out to touch it carelessly."Mikhail! What are you doing?! I told you not to let go of my hand!" Soleil exclaimed as she grabbed Mikhail and pulled him towards her, away from the flower."Wh-why? It's right there. We just need one, then we can leave." Mikhail asked as he turned towards the flower then back towards her."This
"The flower you seek... is not merely a flower. It is the essence of One's kind. Each flower symbolises the life of the Keeper." Rachneid said as he glanced to Mikhail."One cannot simply give it away for free. Especially since the fully bloomed one is of One's most precious memory... Quatrapatala is cruel to force me to give up my memories of 'her'." Rachneid said with a sad tone."I... didn't know..." Mikhail muttered as he noticed the hint of sadness it Rachnied's eyes.***Long, long ago, the Keeper was not one of our kind. They were devout followers of Quatrapatala, a direct descendent birth once every century."Haahh~ living in this cave is so boring. There's nothing but lava, lava, lava and minerals. Ugh. Why can't I ever go up unlike the other snakelets?" a girl said as she kicked at the dirt path."Hmm? What's this?" the girl said aloud as she picked
"Are you up?" Mikhail pries his eyes open groggily before he groans and rubs at them before turning towards the source of the voice."Whu--?" Mikhail blurts out a confused reply as he blinks his bleary eyes at William, waiting for them to focus but grew drowsy in the meantime."It's high time you get up. It's the second time in my life where I had to personally wake you up." William sighs as Mikhail's eyes slowly shut."Don't you dare fall asleep! We need to move out while it's still lights out. The terrain is more dangerous at night and we need to be able to pinpoint where to go from here." William frowns as he shakes Mikhail awake."F-five minutes more..." Mikhail tried to keep his eyes open but couldn't help it as the grogginess overwhelmed him.William released Mikhail's shoulders as he frowns, knitting his eyebrows in annoyance. Without thinking twice, he grabs the hides out of Mikhail's reach and tossed them to the other end of the tent, fold
"Hup! Easy!" William steadies his horse as he approached the deserted camp. The men behind him murmur in silence as he spares a glance at the messenger. He purses his lips and led them towards the stable before hopping off his horse. It's unlikely that the messenger is lying to me. But even if he is, I'd better keep a safe distance for myself from the group. "I'll look around. Remain vigilant!" William instructed as I kept a calm expression to ensure they don't think something was amiss. The messenger stated that there would be someone to greet me once I arrive. Yet, there is nary a soul nearby. Did something occur? William keeps a wary hand on the hilt of his blade as he surveyed the empty tents that were billowing with the frosty wind. Whatever footsteps that could have been used to track down where they could possibly have gone were covered in the cloak of white.
Venturing further up to the north was where the enemy camp was located. Arthur holds onto the contract, glancing at its content as he purses his lips and knits his brows.He looked over his shoulder, thinking about his sister and everyone back at the camp before frowning. However, as he turned to look forward, he shakes his head and sighs.Men clad in jet black armor with red lining greeted him with a few warning arrows before he climbed off his horse. Arthur slips a note he had written prior to leaving the camp between the stallion's caparison before sending it off by startling it into running away.He watched the men try to shoot it down or run after it but failed as the horse ran past them. A sigh of relief escapes his lips that he had brought along his beloved horse before a burly man approached him and covered his head with a bag."You do know who I am, right?" Arthur frowns as the man shoved hi
"I can't." Arthur pushes Soleil off his arm as he grabs the contract and leaves the tent.Soleil glances at the flap swaying back and forth from where Arthur had left as she flicks her tongue in silence. She then slithers over to Mikhail, her faintly golden scales reflecting the light of the oil lamp on the desk.Mikhail holds his head and grimaces before blinking his eyes, slowly making out Soleil's presence as he sits up straight. He stares at her for a moment before glancing at his hands that were tightly restrained by some thick ropes."Shall I get you out?" Soleil slithers up his arm as Mikhail shakes his head, unlike what she expected him to do."No. I need to show my sincerity and that I truly wish to help him.""Is that so? But would that require you to be restrained like so?" Soleil wraps herself around his neck, dangling loosely like a jewellery as Mikhail sighed to himself."Tigris showed me a memory of young Arthur. He woul
Back at Trevault or somewhere fairly close to Trevault, Mikhail kneels stiffly as Arthur paces around him. Even if he wanted to make an excuse, the way he was caught clearly puts him at a disadvantageous spot regardless.Mikhail shifts uncomfortably before straightening his back upon noticing Arthur's narrowed gaze. His legs had been growing number by the second and he could only feel pins and needles in his lower half."How did you escape?""I escaped? No... I..." Mikhail peeked at Arthur's face before the flap of the tent was raised and Juniper walked in eyeing Mikhail as she gave him a belittling gaze."Brother... so this is where he was..." Juniper sighed as she walked over towards Mikhail and kicks him onto his side.Mikhail gave her an astonished gasp before knitting his brows. It was totally uncalled for, for her to act in such a manner when she was the one who requested such an act to be carried out. He was simply carrying out her ord
After their discussion, Xander walks down the corridor with Lilith by his side. Not too far down from the room they just exited, he halts in his steps.Lilith paused as she turned to face him, curious eyes met muddled ones as she opens her mouth to say something but decides against it. She purses her lips, deducing the words she knew he was going to say before swallowing the lump in her throat."The nobles must be feeling rather impatient after this long. They must not be used to waiting, being the top of the social hierarchy... we should head over." Lilith eloquently puts her words into a chain to shackle Xander down, hoping that his Kingly duties would keep him from going back to Diane."... .... You're right. We should make haste..." Xander meets Lilith's gaze as he takes a step forward.Lilith releases the breath she had been holding as she heads over to his side. It wasn't like her to act in such a behaviour. However, upon seeing Diane up close, it w
The hands of the clock on the wall seemed to tick all too loudly as the only sound that accompanied it was the clinking of the teacup as it rested back onto its saucer. The uncomfortable silence and tension in the room made the air overly sufferable for the knights stationed to guard Xander.Lilith takes a sip from her teacup, her expression calm. It made it seem like she was unfazed by such a situation and had been in one countless times before. She glances over at the two people across from her before peeking at Xander from the corner of her eyes.If she had known better, it was obvious he was irritated and his bad mood was much worse than when he had to deal with the pesky nobles. Lilith shut her eyes and takes a deep breath before placing her teacup back onto its saucer as she decided to break the silence."To what do we owe this unfounded invasion?" Lilith directed her question at Diane but before Diane could say anything, the man beside her cut her off.
"Your Highness! I have an urgent report that beseeches your attention!" a messenger rushes before Lilith, lowering his head as he holds forward a scroll to prove of his task."Let me hear it." Lilith swivels around to face the man, turning away from the window as she sits herself down by her desk."There is a foreign enemy consisting of a large troop by our Eastern borders. Reports have claimed that their attire are not known to resemble any of the Agrestians, Trevaulties or Lestrian garments."Lilith straightens herself as she taps her fingers impatiently. She opens the lone jewellery box that rests atop her desk, the only object that didn't match her otherwise packed desk of paperwork.She stares at the innocent stone sitting in the box, void of any colour before shutting the box almost as quickly as she had opened it. She ponders something before shifting her gaze to the messenger who had been furtively glancing at her."I've received the
"... The... Gods?" Arthur glanced at Mikhail with a look of disbelief as Mikhail felt the hesitant smile on his face start to falter.Arthur then burst into laughter as he holds onto his stomach for dear life. Mikhail frowns in response, lowering his disappointed expression to his hands which he suddenly realised were cuffed."What?! You... you chained me up? Why?" Mikhail gasped and shifted his anxious eyes at Arthur who was busy wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes that were a by-product of Mikhail's words."Because of what you said. It could be anyone's guess that you were grasping at straws, begging us to save William. But for you to make a wild guess that we had hidden messengers... it would be implying we don't trust our own men." Arthur tugs on the chain, jerking Mikhail's attention towards him before donning a serious expression."I wasn't grasping at straws. I saw it myself.""That's impossible. We didn't find any communicati