Daughter of the Naga

by Svetlana Ivanova

  Makara thrashed blindly against the raging storm. I looked at Sovannmacha and realized it was best for the royal mermaid to leave.

  "Please go, my lady," I said. "It's not safe for you to stay."

  After a nervous glance at the sea monster, Sovannmacha didn't seem to want to leave me.

  Another distance crashing sound reached my ears. I turned warily back at the ships.

  "Go, my lady!" I said again. "I will be alright."

  "Before I leave you, Nikita," Sovannmacha said in a sorrowful tone. "Will you promise to remember me?"

  "Yes, my dear queen," I said and went over to embrace her. "I will always remember you."

  With a tear rolling down her smooth pale cheeks, she nodded once and then kissed me on the forehead.

  "Take care of yourself," she said with a small smile before tearing herself from my grasp.

  Sovannmacha turned away and dove back into the sea again.

  In the midst of the raging chaos, my heart clenched with sorrow. I watched her golden tail flicking through the waves. When the mermaid queen disappeared, I realized this time, she would never come back.

  CHAPTER 46

  Tepi was the first to see me as I swam over to the ship.

  "Nikita!" Tepi cried as she staggered towards me. "Are you alright?"

  "I'm fine! I have the scales!" I said.

  She ordered two men to hoist me up. The sun seemed too far away beyond the gray cloud, and the monster's attack hadn't lessened since.

  Once I got onto the ship again, I showed her the scales. They gleamed brightly in my hand, but Tepi stared at them with both relief and a hint of fear.

  "I will ask everyone to retreat," she said in a hurried voice.

  Our ship was in a bad shape, but Issarak's was even worse. Makara had wiped out the entire masts of their ship and tore the canvas to shreds. I heard thunders growling overhead. Tusita must have conjured up a funnel of storm. She still seemed to have trouble landing any strike as she could barely stand still on the rocking ship.

  "Everyone, leave this place now!" Tepi cried above the noises. "We already got what we came for!"

  Atith along with the other soldiers fought boldly with their swords and bossed shields, slaying one monster after another.

  "Nikita, look out!" someone cried.

  Then a black sea lizard fell to the floor beside me. I jumped back, startled to see the creature dead, wheezing and disintegrating into a black mist. My head turned around, looking for whoever had just saved me. Vorac was clinging onto one of the masts with her golden bow. She fired arrow after arrow upon the merlions and lizards that were crawling on the deck.

  Before I could move again, a wave slammed our ship. Makara had advanced between us with his gigantic body.

  "He's trying to overturn the ship!" Tusita cried out from behind the wheel. "Everyone, hold tight!"

  We began to sway across the floor. Tepi tried to grab me, but I already lost my balance and slid over the deck. My body bumped into something hard along the way, but I had no time to feel the pain. My hand clenched tightly around the prize I gained, refused to let go.

  When everyone seemed to blur into the heat of battle, a merlion jumped over the railing and came at me. All I saw was a wide jaw snapping at my face. I let out a cry of shock and crawled away as fast as I could. The merlion slithered after me, knocking everything out of its path.

  "Nikita!" Tepi yelled, but my eyes only focused on the growling monster. The beastly thing lunged with its sharp teeth, but only to come back with chunk of floor boards. I had rolled out of the way just in time. Then I found myself in a corner with nowhere else to turn. The beast crawled towards me. At the same time, I remembered the scales in my hand and snapped out of my paralyzing fear. Opening my palm again, I randomly picked one of the glowing scales.

  The monster roared and opened its mouth, ready to devour me whole. The merlion lunged at me as I held my only choice of weapon with my eyes squeezed shut. I braced myself for a tearing attack, but nothing came. There was only a faint crackling sound.

  When I opened my eyes again, I found a huge chunk of ice in the shape of a raging monster where the merlion once was.

  The scale of ice had frozen it to the core.

  After my shock disappeared, I staggered dizzily onto my feet again. Then I gave a hard shove at the frozen creature. It slid overboard, breaking the railing before plunging back into the sea.

  I glanced at the scales in my hand then closed my fist in relief.

  The battle went on between men and monsters while the avatars on both sides tried to take down the biggest one.

  "Fire girl!" Ravi's voice echoed from her swaying ship for the first time. "Where in the Seventh Hell are you?"

  "What!" Morokot rose to her feet through a pile of broken wood. She was tangled from head to toes with seaweed.

  "Flame!" Ravi cried.

  "Flame what?" Morokot cried back.

  "I need your fire, silly!" she said. "Fire now!"

  Then Morokot's eyes lit up in realization. She began to shake her hands to summon the element again.

  "Hurry!" the wind god's daughter urged. "I'm losing my grip!"

  She was actually holding Makara in another raging whirlwind, caging the mother of monsters with the wind power. It caused droplets of water to sputter all over us like monsoon rain. Morokot closed her eyes as if to pray. Then we saw a red glow blasting out from her forehead, going down to her hands and feet.

  Her body soon was ablaze in frenzy fire. Every strand of her hair turned bright red, whipping about her shoulders. Morokot lashed out without delay. She thrust her hands forward, sending a stream of hissing red flames into the air.

  Ravi also threw her hands in another precise movement. A strong wisp of a gale curled up the fire, magnifying it into a massive firestorm. It circled like a fiery blanket around the ancient monster.

  Makara was trapped in that feral blaze, roaring, and recoiling.

  "Don't kill him!" Tepi yelled out a warning. "He’s the property of the sea god. Just scare him back into the cave!"

  Morokot and Ravi then slowly pushed the sea monster away from our ships. Once the creature reached the cave’s mouth, the firestorm died down and disappeared as the two avatar girls loosened their power at last. The giant creature coughed out a cloud of dark smoke and then folded back the peacock tail again. Makara then crawled back into the cave in defeat. Other remaining sea creatures also slipped back into the water afterward.

  The avatars on both ships cheered in victory.

  ~*~

  At the end of the battle, we tended to the wounded soldiers. They all suffered from the stress of the fight, but no one was seriously injured. A few broken bones and busted heads, but no casualty.

  We collected the remaining oars and got ready to leave the island. My eyes were stung red by salt water all day long and my hands ached from clutching the scales too tightly during the chaos. But at least, our quest was over.

  "How about the scale you promised me?" Issarak called out to our ship. "Present it to us now for we did most of the fighting."

  "Excuse me?" Morokot snapped back. "Have you forgotten who just saved your behind earlier?"

  He glared back.

  "Don't worry, I have two," I told Issarak. "After all, you have stood by us through the thick of the battle. You can choose one."

  I held both scales in my hand to let him decide. Issarak pondered for a moment and then turned to his ever-silent friend, Ravi.

  "The blue one," she said with no hesitation.

  "Alright then." I nodded. "But I have witnessed its strange power and must warn you of the danger."

  She simply nodded back.

  "Do not worry. Throw it to me."

  I wasn't sure how she could handle the scale without the magical pearl. Yet I threw the blue one across the water. She held out her hand, and the scale got caught midair like a fluttering butterfly locked in a jar. She motioned her hand swiftly and it flew right into a golden box in
Issarak's hands. The box they owned must be celestial for nothing harmed them.

  "She's a wonder," Atith breathed in awe beside me.

  "We should have thought of that," Vorac said, eyeing their box.

  Then a soldier on their ship rushed over and whispered something into his leader's ear. Issarak's eyes bugged out in surprise.

  "What did you just say?" he screamed.

  The soldier mumbled again, "Our ship is sinking, my lord."

  "What? No, she can't sink!" Issarak cried and then started pacing like a wild tiger on their torn up deck. They talked about a repair that would take at least two days, but this island was no place for such work. Tepi and I looked at each other. She motioned to the others for a quick discussion.

  "We can't let them die here," Tepi said, which I also agreed. Even we weren't always on good term, we still didn't want them to leave their bones on this dreadful island.

  "Of course, we can!" Tusita said, causing Tepi to shoot her a look.

  "Our ship is broken, but not severely," she said. "We must help them on board, Tusita. Without their ally, we would be deep in the world below by now."

  Since everyone was still buoyant with hopes of swift victory, we finally agreed. We returned to the front deck again.

  "Issarak! You can leave your ship here and board ours if you wish to come home," Tepi offered.

  "No!" he snapped back. "I don't need your pity!"

  "Suit yourself, stubborn fool," Tusita said. "You can swim your way back in the sea."

  Issarak bared his teeth in frustration but he knew he could not refuse our help.

  "Alright, fine!" he growled. "We will leave with you, but take no pleasure in hosting me."

  We rolled our eyes.

  After the avatars and their crew crossed over the wooden bridge onto our ship, Tusita then steered her away from the island of monsters. Issarak stood and watched his ship sinking slowly before his eyes, and I felt somewhat sorry for him.

  Dusk came at last and relieved us from the heat of the sun. We were all limping and exhausted. As we crammed inside our small cabin, Issarak guarded his golden box possessively. There was one problem as time passed. I couldn't keep the red scale all day and all night. My hand began to ache, so we asked to share Issarak's celestial box.

  He refused until we threatened to toss him into the water.

  "And I will blast your bones to ash before we do that," Tusita added.

  The war god's son at last unwillingly agreed.

  Ravi was sitting on a wooden bench by the window, watching the seagulls flying across the night sky.

  Once in a while, she would wave her hand to command the wind. It obeyed her and speed us faster towards the shore. Atith couldn't stop staring dreamily at the quiet girl. His eyes were filled with gleaming admiration. I wondered if the love god had already claimed another victim.

  The ship continued sailing through the rhythm of waves. Two days and a night later, one of the soldiers cried out.

  "Land!"

  We had arrived. On the white beach, people were waiting for us. Those who had seen us first began to sound their horns. The crew readied the ship to dock.

  We had succeeded in our quest and my hope began to surge through me again. I prepared myself to present our prize to the King and Queens.

  The three royals came out of the shade of their pavilion with other ministers. Numerous red and gold sunshades followed them to our ship.

  Everyone else greeted us when we stepped onto the white shore. The Guru came over, walking with his heavy weight on the beach. He looked overjoyed seeing us alive and sound, and even together.

  My heart was filled with a bursting delight at the golden sight of my beloved princess. The sunlight feasted on the curve of her neck as she walked with her parents towards us. Her brown eyes lit with excitement once she found me.

  Issarak with the golden box in hands spurted ahead of everyone. He was eager to have the attention first.

  We bowed at the monarchs when we reached them. My mother looked relieved and happy to see me again.

  Then Issarak stepped forward and opened the lid of his golden box, showing the prizes we had fought so hard for.

  The second Queen spoke to the proud-looking avatar.

  "I am pleased with your achievement, young one," she said. "Now it seems you and your avatar team are foremost in this quest.”

  "No, Your Majesty, it's not just him alone," Tusita spoke up. "We had joined hearts and fought against the fierce sea monster together. But it was Nikita, who had brought us the scales. She retrieved them with bravery and wits."

  "Your Majesties," Issarak said. "My side had stood firm in the midst of Makara's wrath. There was nothing they could have done if it wasn't for me!"

  "Respected children of the Meru gods," the Guru said in a stern voice. "Behave yourselves in their glory and let us speak nothing but the truth."

  Then he turned to Tepi.

  "My dear, will you untangle our doubts and tell us the whole story from beginning to end?"

  Tepi bowed and began to narrate what happened in fair and fine details. The King and Queens listened and nodded. Issarak continued to glare at us with more disdain.

  "Blessed be, my holy children," Queen Indradevi said with an approving smile. "I now understood your great struggle and true courage. Finally, you realized the power of united strength."

  Then her gaze landed on me. There was an intense curiosity in her eyes. I began to feel nervous under her scrutiny.

  "You are far more daring beyond all our hopes," she said.

  A compliment from her was unexpected, and it warmed my heart.

  "You honor me too much with your kind words, Your Majesty," Issarak said with another bow. He thought the praise was meant for him alone.

  Tusita and Atith shot him a disgusted look from behind.

  I stole an amused glance at Amarisa, who smiled back at me. I turned to my mother. She looked like she couldn't be any prouder.

  "Your Majesty," Issarak said again. "It's time I should humbly request your wise judgment of our quest."

  "Present us the scales you obtained then," the King spoke to him.

  Issarak brought the box forward. He still looked somewhat dissatisfied for he had lost half of the glory. Ravi motioned with her hand to lift the scale of ice from the box. People gasped at the sight of it.

  "A magnificent gift indeed!" someone breathed.

  Then my friends looked at me again as if it was a cue that I should be the one to present ours too.

  I reluctantly stepped forward then reached my hand out to pick the red one. But the moment I touched the glowing scale, the heat burned through me like a venomous snakebite on my flesh.

  I cried in pain. Blood drained from my face. I realized my mistake like a flash of lightning. I was now standing on land and no longer at sea. The pearl's magic would not protect me.

  The red scale burst into hot raging flames, engulfing my hand within seconds.

  I tried to pull myself back, but the power of the fish scale was fatal. I was knocked to the ground, rolling in agony. The searing pain shot through the entirety of my being, making me writhe. I screamed and held out my scorched hand to see the raw flesh cracked and bled fresh blood.

  "Nikita! Nikita!"

  My friends came over to me. I was still screaming for no other pain could compare to this burning. It was pounding on my flesh like the sting of ten thousand bees.

  In my feverish vision, two women rushed over to my sides. I heard the King ordered the soldiers to prepare the emergency boats back to the city.

  Amarisa's voice trembled in my ears. My mother held me against her chest. I lost senses of everything and grabbed for the older Queen.

  "Mother! Mother, help me! It hurts!" I cried, tears flowing from my eyes as I kept holding onto the frightened Queen. She held me back with her own tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Amarisa called my name in broken sobs as my mother wiped my sweat beaten hair from my face.
>
  In the midst of it all, the biting pain grew even more unbearable. I gasped for air. The people around me began to blur. There were chaotic footsteps rushing back and forth.

  "Nikita, my dear daughter, stay with me," my mother tried to comfort me.

  "Where are the twins when we need them?" Vorac's voice cried out from a distance.

  "She won't recover even under the hand of the twins," Morokot spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "This burn is deathly and more damaging."

  My brain started numbing the pain. Amarisa whispered the bits of broken soothing words to keep me awake. I saw Queen Indradevi looked at us with a deep frown. Her face showed concerns of my injury but also a surprise at our closeness. She was too wise not to contemplate what was hidden behind the scene.

  God forbid she knew of our secret!

  But I was in too much pain, I couldn’t think anymore. Then my body was lifted from the ground. My eyes closed as my mind began to drift.

  "We must bring her to Rajyasri temple immediately," my mother's voice drifted faintly to my ears. "She needs the divine healing from the Naga Spirit."

  CHAPTER 47

  I felt paralyzed under a thin silk cover, but I was still conscious of my surrounding. Amarisa's tearful whispers of my name and pleading words rang softly in my ears. Through my half-closed eyes, I saw her as if through the water, the way a fish would see the sun.

  Her face was as luminescent as a pale silver moon. Her tears fell in a steady flow, but I could not wipe them. Everything seemed to move around me. I could see a blurry series of palace women standing in lines. Each held lit candles and glowing lanterns along a stone causeway.

  They took me on a canopied litter, going past a small lotus pond then the main water moat of a lone island temple. At the middle of the island, the golden peak of a circular building rose high into the starless sky.

  It was the same site Amarisa had introduced to me during our second outing. Rajyasri was an island temple of miraculous healing.

  At night, the water that surrounded it looked like an ocean of black ink. I could dimly see two figures of Naga serpents with their heads and tails entwined. Their eyes glared fiercely at whoever wished to enter the temple.