I blinked as if it would undo what Rugien has just said. I gulped down another lump of saliva.
“W-what did you say?” I asked again dumbly.
“I don’t think I can go through that ceremony when my heart wants you, Xerra.” His eyes were like beseeching mine.
I looked at him with a weak smile on my lips. “You have to. You yourself said you need to buy time… for whatever it is. Do you think your father will just listen to what you have to say? He’s going to do everything, using his power, so that you’re not going to be with me who’s only a half-breed… who’s without real roots in this world. And because you’re from the royal family, it is important who and where your bride-to-be is from. Besides, you know that I want your father’s head for killing my mother. And he knows it!”
Rugien blinked. His brows were knitted tightly together. “You still think that he’s behind your mother’s death?”
I let out a deep breath and looked away from him. My eyes settled on the el
“Are you crazy or what?” I heard Rugien’s angry voice when I was back in my room. I didn’t know that he was already waiting for me there and was informed about that scene to boot. By whom, I could only guess. However, I didn’t say anything, merely taking off my scabbard with Ponpon in it. I placed it on the nightstand that was next to my small but comfortable bed. Then I took off my boots off to sit down in my bed with my back supported by pillows. I crossed my ankles without a word, still, and did not meet his eyes.He blew his face in exasperation and put his hands on his hips. “Why are you acting like this? Do you want to have justice for your mother’s death or do you want to die?”I still didn’t say anything. What was the point? He already knew the answer to those questions he hurled at me.“You’ve just accused him of murdering your mother, Xerra. How long do you think he’ll tolerate your acting like this, huh?” He paused, looking at me intently. “And ho
My eyes fell to the Creyer that the King didn’t go without. I presumed that his powers also came from that mysterious staff. It glittered despite its dark color. It was because of the diamonds, which were one of the components that the staff was made up of. Well, from what I heard of.“What’s this commotion about?” the King gently asked that it was almost impossible to hear.The two warriors let go of me. I shook my arms once and slightly bowed to him just like the others did. Then I looked at him straight in the eye. “I-I had to talk to you about something…”“We have nothing more to discuss, Xerra. Whether it is about your mother, your sister, or about yourself, there’s nothing left to talk about,” the King said with a low tone but it was filled with danger. Then he left with the palace healer who gave me a warning look before following the King.I followed them with my eyes as the warriors bowed to the King respectfully. I took a deep breath. I had t
I cursed in my mind. I immediately turned around to exit the room. However, the door was closed from the outside. How come I hadn’t noticed it? I cursed again. I quickly decided to levitate higher than usual and used the darkness to conceal myself. It was just in time when the three guards checked behind the curtain.They checked around but they hadn’t seen me. I used that time to sneak behind the King’s throne noiselessly. After a few moments of checking around the throne room, the three guards decided to stop searching and went back to their respective posts.My problem now was how to get out. I peered around me. At this moment, I couldn’t just use my telekinetic power to open the lock outside when I had no idea who could be there.I weighed my odds and solution of the current mayhem I was in. There was no doubt that I’d be punished for entering the palace hall when I wasn’t assigned here anymore and to be present here at this time was even more difficult
My jaw dropped from what I heard. His face became clearer to me now. I swallowed hard while I shook my head, still. He was truly that man that my mother loved back then, after she gave up waiting on my father who she also loved dearly. I looked at him again.“B-but you’re supposed to be dead!” I got confused. Wasn’t this Uzob, after all? If not, then what was this place? I looked around trying to understand how I got here.“It isn’t important right now, Xerra. You must get out of this place as soon as possible!” His voice was urgent.“B-but you know that my mother died, don’t you? And how did you know?” I wanted to confirm it to him.“Your mother died, yes. And it’s my fault.” His voice was regretful. Still, he was in agony. I think it wasn’t only because of the thing that bound his forehead, hands, and ankles but also of grief and guilt—it seemed.“What? But I thought—” I got even more confused.“She did everything she could to become The Queen o
“Xerra,” Ponpon urged me. So I did step out of Uzob.As soon as I was out of that prison, I hadn’t heard the groans and moans in pain of the prisoners. No more metallic smell. The General shut the door, and he looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. On the other hand, I felt like I just experienced an enhanced awareness of my powers. It was quite a weird and rush feeling that I hadn’t experienced before. Nevertheless, it was amazing! I felt like my blood was raging. I could sense my powers grow stronger.“How did you do that?” General Isoog asked gently, which wasn’t like him at all.I blinked and tried to follow what he just said. It was because I couldn’t seem to recover yet on what I just found out earlier about my sister’s father being alive and the reason of our mother’s death.“Oh! Well, I just randomly blackmailed him,” I answered with a shrug, not telling him the truth that I had the ability to probe a being whenever he was close
I clenched my teeth and closed the gate with a loud bang. Everyone stopped in their tracks upon hearing it and directly looked at me. However, I didn’t care. I just stared into a blank space with my fists in tight balls on either side of me.“Sorry for that. She didn’t mean it,” Kalith apologized for me instead. “Please, go on.”The parade continued on toward the palace hall. Others murmured, criticizing my behavior. Others were confused why acted that way. But I noticed that my sister did not even look back.‘Why? What’s with her? I don’t understand what’s going on here!’ I felt my eyes change, and by the look of Kalith’s face, it was positive. I did change. However, I transformed back to my normal Aryan self when I heard that familiar voice.“Aren’t you going to open the gate for the Grand Crown Prince?” It was Daraton who demanded in a tight voice.‘Great! He’s here! But then it wasn’t a happy occasion. This is definitely the most devastating
My throat constricted at the possibility that I was called in to get tortured emotionally. My breath was shallow and fast. I knew that he didn’t want me to be his son’s wife or consort or even lover. Perhaps he would make me see that I was indeed not born for his son and would do anything to make me realize that now—that Rugien and I weren’t meant to be together in this lifetime. But I still held on. I had no choice. I was an elite warrior, and this was the path that I chose even though it was originally for finding evidence that the King killed my mother and avenge her.A moment passed by. The master of ceremony, surprisingly, was one of the healers I saw in the lab. He stepped forward, where I stood earlier. His face was emotionless as he spoke.“Good evening, fellow Aryan beings. You are here today to witness the selection of the Grand Crown Princess to be wedded to the Grand Crown Prince Rugien, the one and only son of King Behkzur.” He paused. Everyone was qu
There were four female healers present in the room. Ulf was also there; however, it seemed that he was merely there to oversee the process. He was surprised though at first to see me but Domicos explained it to him. He nodded then and looked away.It was my turn to be examined. I went inside a cubicle that was almost as large as my room in the quarters. I created a barrier around myself so that the negative energy from the Aryan healer won’t contaminate me. She was taken aback for a moment for what I did. I just gave her a dry smile and didn’t explain myself. She took off my uniform using her powers and I was bared to her. Ponpon groaned when he landed on the floor face down but was ignored.The healer, named Caayyas, used some gadget that I’d never seen before. I probed into her mind as she was almost too close to me while the disc-like gadget scanned my naked body. I wanted to know what the King planned against me. But I almost gasped but I held it in. It
The celebration was held at the palace ground that very same night. Foods and drinks were served in a matter of less than thirty dots. It would last until midday. And before that was over, the prisoners of Uzob were all freed and joined this rare celebration. It must have been a very historic day for everyone in the Aryan world.But before that, Miryeob and my sister Shahrae, together with Kaiyahv, had a priceless reunion. It filled my heart with warmth and joy as they embraced each other. I smiled watching this happy moment for our family. I watched them with a smile on my face. They were talking animatedly like they really had a lot to talk about. Well, I thought that was true since it had been a long time since they had been separated from each other. Thinking that my sister’s father was already dead, there was indeed a lot to catch up. The whole evening would not suffice it, I’m sure.Rugien embraced me from behind, watching the scene that I was focused on. The King
“Free all the prisoners in Uzob. The only thing they did wrong was go against the impostor king. That means they’re all innocents,” Rugien said. He then informed them where Uzob was located.They nodded. They were about to go when Rugien halted them. “One other thing.” He glanced at me first before he continued. “Frith’s body.”“We’re going to take care of it,” Bullox said. “Right now, he’s going to be washed clean by a couple of our fellow warriors before he’s going to be sent to his family. That’s the least we can do for him at the moment.”However, Rugien shook his head. “No. Frith can still be brought back to life. Will talk to Healer Ulf regarding this matter.”I snorted. “Huh? Are you saying that he still has the chance to be alive even after his life source is sucked by the Creyer?” I asked Rugien about that unbelievable suggestion.He turned to me and all eyes were on him now. “The old palace healer has found something in their research, Xerra.
It was then that Rugien and I grabbed it at the same time that it was taken away from Isoog like his strength diminished. Together, we thrust the staff through his chest and to his heart. Blinding light erupted from within and it seemed that he just melted into a mist, into nothingness, only to appear the real King.I knew it the moment his green eyes were settled on Rugien. The Grand Crown Prince could tell it, too, that it was his real father.“Father!” He embraced the older man.The two males looked happy with this reunion. Well, who wouldn’t? I looked at the staff that was now solely in my hand. I couldn’t feel its surging power now. But I didn’t care. All is well now. My eyes met Zelian’s who stepped closer to us. He bowed to the two royalties and so did the others, including the Furezos and the remaining elite warriors. It looked like there was less than half of their number that was still alive.“Zelian! It’s been a long time since I last saw you,” the
As the General told me his real name, he attacked me with a whip that he manifested. I barely realized that the name of his brother’s staff was Creyer, which was taken from his name after all. The impostor loved his brother dearly—it was crystal clear to see. It was quite admirable. I could understand since I had a precious sister that I loved so much.Anyway, it was good I was fast enough to dodge his attack. My poniard blocked it the second time, which was caught by it. In turn, I pulled it and slashed it. His hold was broken. I quickly bluffed a thrust but attempted to slash his leg. He was quick to dodge both times it was amazing. He was amazing. I gave him that. However, he just got motionless all of a sudden.I whipped around to look behind me to see who it was. Of course, it was Frith. He used his favorite weapon, the needle, which made the General paralyzed. I smiled, satisfied, at the unmoving Crey.I then paid attention to Rugien and the King who are stil
“Or you’re going to break my neck? Is that it?” I sarcastically told him but my hand was still tightly holding my weapon. I refused to be threatened by him despite of the current situation.Rugien suddenly made a more-than-a-superbeing move. He stood right in front of us in less than a split dot. His face was grim that I’d never seen before. His eyes burned with fire as he looked at the General of the Elite Aryan Army.“Ah, my son!” The King followed as well after a dot passed by.I looked at his Creyer. With this distance, I could probe into the King’s mind. However, it was blocked somehow. He looked at me with a mocking and evil grin. He shook his head unaffectedly.“I know your ability, Xerra. However, you cannot use it against me.” He paused. “Even you, Rugien. No matter how powerful you are.” He turned to the Grand Crown Prince.Rugien reached out to my mind, I realized. I let him probe into mine. Now he knew what I discovered. His face went grimme
The Furezos spread out quickly and with agility that I’d never witnessed before. I realized that they indeed worked hard to be able to defend themselves and to protect their land against the King, although it was unsuccessful until now. The King and General Isoog just got out from the flying capsules, which obviously warped from the palace to get here quietly and quickly.I ducked when a flying sword was aimed at my direction. I quickly ran to take cover behind a tree. The leipods or simply called as follow-the-enemy flying weapons were deployed all over us to automatically track and attack us. They were as big as an Aryan hand with a triangular shape and steel gray color. They flew without sound, hence perfect for surprise attacks as well. Once it sees and locks in on its target, it won’t stop until the target is terminated.“Execute all the rogue warriors and the rebels!” I heard the King’s command.I swallowed and looked at my poniard that was in my hand.
I thought it was me but Kaiyahv commanded her people who were about to attack me and Kalith. My troop, on the other hand, surrounded us even though we were literally outnumbered. But we had advantage of the technology of the Elite Aryan Army. If what we had would be used properly, combined with our own powers and skills, there was no way that we’d be defeated by the Furezos. The Elite Aryan Army was named as so.“I just need your head to be delivered to the King,” I said.“But you heard what Harrupero said! We didn’t and hadn’t raided the Nazian tribe!” Kaiyahv insisted.I decided to probe into her thoughts to know if she was telling us the truth, if she hadn’t ordered it so. But what I saw in her thoughts surprised me. I saw Miryeob’s younger version, saw her talk to my mother before she became a Queen, and grieved when she heard about her brother’s fake death as well as my mother’s.“What do you see in my mind, Xerra?” she demanded, haltingly as my hand was
I was really astonished upon hearing that. Their leader was a female Aryan being? Well, that was interesting. Indeed!Wait, was it her that I saw in the mind of the Furezo who got imprisoned in Uzob?I signaled Kalith to come to us. He did so in an instant, leaving Bullox and the others to gather the captives, while some injured elite warriors did their best to revitalize their energy. They still had to hear what order I would give them after this. Belatedly, I decided to call on Jegosh as well.“You deliver this message to the King. Tell him that I will meet the leader of the Furezos and I will negotiate for him,” I spoke with the playful Jegosh. I believed that something would happen if I were to send him, judging by his personality. “If I cannot get back to the palace, I’ll have Kalith deliver a message as soon as possible. For now, don’t make the King do anything against the Furezo tribe for an entire day.”Jegosh nodded although his forehead formed some
Other elite warriors who were not expecting it were caught by the smoke. They already coughed and groaned. Well, I could just imagine how they feel now, as I experienced it at the Banatan. I knew they felt like dying right now.I transformed into my Arcturian self, using my black aura to cleanse the smoke. As soon as the air was cleared out, my fellow elite warriors that were affected got back their strength and were healed. Then they used their clear helmets as well.They dashed toward the Black Forest where blazing arrows kept coming at us. It was like more than hundreds of them. However, the elite warriors easily managed to parry them now and those were rendered useless. I could now make out the people who were as black as the black trees of the Black Forest. No wonder why it was called Black Forest and why their hiding place couldn’t be found even after numerous raids that the King had made all these years. Thus, only the innocents were killed. That was indeed a pity