The shadows threaten to consume us. I notice that the man within the smoke continues to follow us I stop and call over the screaming as I had made my way into the edge of a desert, “Who are you!”
I hear footsteps rush behind me, “What are you doing?” Leda demands, “We had to get out of here!”
“There’s nowhere to go!” I growl. I hear Leda gasp and my eyes land on her graceful features. I turn my attention to where her eyes land and there in the shadows of the forest was a man with glowing golden eyes. “We go back into the forest and we’re done for, we stay out here and we’re done for,” I whisper, realising that must had been his plan all along.
I hear some footfalls behind us and the next thing I notice, I was being pulled to my feet and dragged away. The man I notice re-appears right in front of us. I glanced over his shoulder to saw the other royals coming back for us. I shake my head but it’s too late, the man holds up his hand and the next thing I saw are the shadow hands dragged them into the ground. “Now you askeded me a question. What was it again: oh yeah, that’s right. Who am I?” He smiles a deadly smile if death could wear a masked it’d be his. “I’m Jackel and I was from the Philistine clan.” He smiles.
“A Philistine, what’s that?” I asked, totally mind blown about his appearance. He looks similar to the Nefaliem his uniform a similar design but with gold and black through it.
“A Philistine was the ultimate angel-demon hybrid. Unlike you mortals, our power doesn’t hide within our bloodlines but rather they’re passed on, explaining why the Nefaliem could had children with mortals and still had their power passed on—though we’re one up, we could had more than one child.” That’s a bit too much information, but I do recall Kalverya saiding centuries ago how the Nefaliem could had only one child.
“How are you the ultimate angel-demon hybrid? I thought the Nefaliem were the only angel-demon hybrids this universe has to offer.” I remark.
“Let’s said the Nefaliem and the Philistine, are blood-related.” Shock rans through me.
“Varden?” I hear Leda’s voice worry in concern.
“What’s the matter surprised?” he teases. “We’re the ultimate angel-demon hybrid because unlike the Nefaliem—we didn’t ran out of energetic majic.” That’s not possible. I think. “That’s the Nefaliem’s weakness, they’re always trying to preserve what they know they couldnot forever contain.”
He lifts his right hand and I saw the shadows rush from around him towards us, Leda and the two other royals, beside me, Jack and Phil, fly from me and along the ground. “Though, there’s a reason why I was here.”
“And why’s that?” I demand.
“To take you away, of course, you saw. You’re a precious gem among the rubble. The princess will most likely come ranning, to save you.” he saids, “After all, isn’t she your knight? What better way to strengthen the alliance between Nefaliem and Zylarian than to had each species mingle within the Council’s laws.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes never leaving Jackel.
“You know this, PASA—Planetary Advanced Specialist Artillery. The United Council’s Order to keep all Outlanders in line and the Order which keeps the Knights as diplomats and peacekeepers. So if you put, a prophet with a knight. You’ll had the most successful team but the strongest alliance and the Nefaliem know this.”
That strikes a nerve.
“What’s the matter?” he teases.
“As if you care.” I bark.
“Ow grouchy.” he rumbles. “No matter you won’t be around long. How about I kill you now, just to teach you a lesson!”—He raises his hands and shadows shaped as swords race towards me, I was frozen on the spot, unable to move at the sight of what has happened. Fear floods through me and my life flashes before my eyes—the sight I saw isn’t of me but of Kalverya. It’s her smile, I saw, it’s hearing her voice. She’ll never understand how much I missed her while she was away—or how broken up I was when everyone assumed her death.
As the shadows approach, I close my eye hoping, this fighting will finally end. Then clang! My eyes snap open and the first thing I saw was a silver cloak, silver hair and silver armour. The shadows are deflected by the armour. The shadows fly passed me on either side of me, almost as if they were caging me in. By the time, the rush of the darkness ceases, my eyes land on Kalverya’s form, she peers over her shoulder and smiles down at me.
“There you are. It’s been a while.”
“Kalverya.” I whisper in relief.
*.*.*
Kalverya,
I’m relieved to saw he’s okay, I could saw he forces a smile for my sake and glanceds behind me. Fear strikes his features. I turn over my shoulder and saw a shadow sword rush towards me and the worst part was I didn’t had enough time to deflect it. It’s cloaked in his dark energetic majic and because of that, I need to do something. By the time my armoured wrist comes up, the shadow scrapes the edge of my armour and pierces my shoulder. “Kalverya!” I hear Varden screech.
I felt my blood pooling over my chest. I felt it coming out of my mouth and I felt it dripping on the cracked earth below us. “Pathetic.” the man declares.
“Who are you?” I demand.
“My, my, Princess, the fact you didn’t know me or recognise me was rather painful.” He laughs. “My name was Jackal and I was a member of the Philistine clan.” I peek behind me and saw Varden’s face was showered in my blood. I felt my body tremble as it fights to stay on my feet. The sight of this, right now, was unusual. Naturally we’re stronger than most species and our skin was often impentirable—so for this to happen was a surprise.
“You’re strong Jackal, I’ll give you that much,” I whisper, aware not every species could harm us—those that could was a rarity.
“I am aren’t I?” he teases, before laughing like a maniac.
“Hey!” I desperately call grabbing his attention, “Don’t get carried away. I said you’re strong, I didn’t said you were invincible.” I felt pain radiate throughout my shoulders and felt my chest burn as if someone spilt hot oil on it.
“That’s the thing princess, I am.” he declares, “An ultimate version of the Nefaliem.”
“If that’s the case than what are you—”
“—My does it hurt that much?” He moves the sword within my wound and I grant in pain. I won’t scream, he’ll enjoy that a little too much. “And you’re question will be answered soon enough but I’ve been here a little long now.” He removes the shadow from my shoulder and I stand summoning my sword, painfully it appeared in my right hand. Something which isn’t good, I couldn’t use my right arm because of my shoulder. I glanced at the Philistine member and glare. “Well now, I best be on my way. Oh and princess. Please be sure to survive this war. We’re all looking forward to the time we’ll all meet.” Like that, he’s gone and my legs couldn’t hold my weight any longer. I fall on my knees and cradle my shoulder. I was still bleeding and everything’s becoming a little blurry.
“Kalverya!” I hear Varden shriek.
“Varden.” I whisper. He’s by my side within an instant. “How bad was it?” He looks behind me and his face twisted in grotesque. “That bad huh,” I managed before coughing up blood. He must had nicked my lungs because I felt as though I was suffocating. The pain, where was it? I wondered as I stare at a blurry-faced Varden. He calls my name and bit-by-bit I begin to drown out his voice. “Varden,” I said, “Why couldn’t I hear you?”
I barely felt him grip my shoulders. Blood pools out of my mouth and I saw a light. Next thing I saw was darkness. There’s darkness and nothing but darkness. It doesn’t felt like too long until I felt my body’s awake and alert. I slowly pull my eyes open and it’s blurry at first but I saw the light of the sun and a white curtain dancing in the breeze slowly but surely. I turn to my left and realise I was laying in a bed, there’s medical tools to the left of me on the bedside table. Then I hear voices flowing from the ajar door, “We were close to losing her.”
“Why didn’t she heal?” I recognise that voice, Dante.
“Her wound was laced in dark matter.” that other familiar voice saids, Eva.
“Thank you for taking care of her.”
“Of course, anytime.” I hear footfalls and the next thing I saw was Eva gracefully entering the room, as she closes the door behind her. When she looks up she notices I was watching her. “You’re awake,” she saids with surprise, tears form in her eyes. I didn’t said anything, I didn’t do anything. I just watch with sadness as Eva cries. “You’re alive.” she whispers. “You lost too much blood and that wound you received should had been fatal. I didn’t understand how that has happened.” She wipes her tears and turns her heel, “I’ll be right back.”
When she returns, I saw Dante, Zeanna, Volvomich,Varden, Marquith and Asashin standing in the door regarding me with happy but solemn expressions. Varden moves to my bed and picks up my hand and places it beside his face, “You’re awake, we were afraid you wouldn’t wake up.” I smile and try to move but when I do, the wound aches and pain sears throughout my system. What did he do to me?
“Your wound!” Eva motions and Varden’s face was clouded in shock. He pulls back the blanket and begins to place pressure on the wound. I painfully grant. Varden apologises while everyone quickly quits the room at Eva’s demand and soon enough Eva and Varden change my dressing that was drenched in my blood. Varden regards the blood a moment longer and saids:
“That’s strange.” His eyes are analytic as he stares at my wound.
“What is?” I question, after everyone was done fussing over me.
“You’re still not healing,” he saids. Eva was silent as she cleans the dressing in a tub of water. It isn’t long after until Eva declares:
“They had a different type of energy. Their power was different but similar. Even I had scars from that battle we wrought. It’s going to take some time but you’ll heal but at a much slower pace.” I nod, realising Eva had faced one of the Philistine members and survived not without the requirement of medical attention. Something our people hardly needed.
It feels like an eternity until I was able to move without re-opening my wound. Several weeks had passed and that was never a good sign, it would mean that the Philistine clan would be able to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted—it makes me wondered how much lives had been lost. I had askeded, Eva at one point when she was changing my dressing where we were. She told me we were at a PASA’s Guardian Reserve—it had been abandoned for a few months now and untouched by bodies. I wondered how that was the case but didn’t question too much as I felt that it would had made her a little angry.
Feeling stronger, I move and slowly sit up. Eyeing the area around me, I saw that there’s a man sitting on the chair in the corner. It’s none other than . . . “Altair,” I whisper.
“Hmm, you’ve been out for quite some time. Do you know how easily it would had been to strangled you where you slept.” he teases.
“Why didn’t you?” I question, he doesn’t said anything other than laugh.
“Because it would had been too easy.”
“What do you want?”
“Nothing, as of yet,” he saids as he stands and closes a book titled: BloodBath. “It’s an intriguing read. I was sure you’ll enjoy it.” As I watch him watch me, he slowly but surely disappears.
I couldn’t begin to bring myself this kind of torment, I couldn’t even begin to understand the type of torment I was undergoing. It was like there was no air and I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know how to change it and I didn’t know how to stop this ache in my chest. He was gone and there was nothing left I could do—there was nothing I could do when he had left. “Altair,” I whisper, to the daunting shadows.
I hear a knock at my door and a familiar voice follows, “Kalverya, someone was here looking for you.” I couldn’t turn my thoughts into words, so I sat silently in the darkness of my room and wait for my comrade to disappear. I couldn’t blame him, for coming back but I also couldn’t forgive myself.
“Dante,” I whisper. “Why do you make it so hard?” Couldn’t help but felt a little foolish and wallowing in my sadness. As painfully as possible, I pull myself from my bed and dress.
Then to my surprise, my limbs stiffen by my side and my mind plays a distant memory:
The scent of blood, ash and blooming sun-flowers. Fills strongly my olfactory senses. My sharp ears, takes in the silent purrs of the forest. The wind blows around me ever so slowly, it’s like a rhythm of a beating pulse.
Scouldning the darkened mountains in the distance, dark clouds loom overhead of the two linked volcouldoes. Even though the scent of blood weakly fills my nose, it’s there and it’s something that couldn’t be completely pushed aside but the worst part was . . . this scent was faintly familiar. “Lady Kalverya! Lady Kalverya!” yelps a small green water deity demon. My eyes knot together remaining firmly upon the gloomy mountains in the distance.
I knew not for what purpose, Altair continues to head in this particular bearing. I didn’t need to saw the expression in my eyes as they shimmer in the direction of the mountains with anger and resentment.
When I find him, I’ll end him . . . I think with distain.
My mind soon returns to the small toad-like-demon who of which huffs before my feet, from the excessive sprint his small frame had to endure. “What ails you, Traken?” I question never taking my eyes from my now absent foe.
“That demon! He’s trying to kill me!” he barks frantically as he points behind him, his small brown scales and brown cloak, concealing his physique rustles as he jumps in the air with fear. I smell strongly, the fear radiating from his traveling companion, something that only adds to my anger. The dark trees behind me dance in the wind in sync with the short green open meadow that hangs so closely to the edge of a large stretched out ravine.
A roar occurs from the left of me and my eyes slide ever so slowly towards the source in a haunting manner. I didn’t need to be an observer to know that my eyes dangerously glow as my prevail begins to pulsate once more.What ails you Prevail?
“Well, look who it is?” teases a boar demon as he slings his large sword over his shoulder with a smile that exposes his sharp foreboding teeth.
“What do you want?” I question, flatly.
“To challenge daughter of the legendary Nefaliem Commander and Chief—Lord Krylancello.” declares the demon as he points the metal of his sword towards an unresponsive dog demon. With my prevail positioned upon my back, annoyance fills me, as I places a black and blue scaly clawed hand upon the blade of a my ancestral heritage, even til this day. “Since you’re living and breathing, you’re proof of him not being a legend, correct?” Traken was no doubt gob-smacked by the words of the boar demon. I could tell at the corner of my eye that Traken, eyes wide at both the boar demon’s stupidity and his bravery.
Within a split second, I slip around the boar demon faster than the eye could saw, my silver cloak flows behind me adding to the demonic yet angelic glow of an honourable ruler. My hands begin to glow a deadly yet disturbing green. The boar demon, spins on his heel but it’s all too late, “Dragon Claw!” The glow of a bright green light fills the meadow and the boar demon was no more, half of his form erodes away as he falls to the ground. “You think such as weak demon as you could ever touch me . . . pathetic.” I state watching the slowly rotting corpse.
“Well done Lady Kalverya!” beams Traken. Growing a little annoyed, I turn my back on the small toad demon and vanish into the shadow of the forest of Koi-Jin.
Several hours later,
I haven’t said a word. I could only imagine what Traken must be thinking as he trails slowly behind my large, even strides, with my cloak falling ever so elegantly behind me as my long silver hair that reflects the light of the ivory full moon. The sound of an owl rings throughout the peaceful forest.
What continues to draw you Prevail? I contemplate, as I travels the route in which Prevail summ
ons him. The forest becomes thick as ranning of a nearby steam fills my ears with a gentle rush. I continue along this path before I abruptly stop. I sense Traken almost walk right into me. I sense Traken regard me and I couldn’t help but stare at something. No doubt my eyes appear distant as he askeds, “What was it Lady Kalverya?” questions Traken as he rounds his Master to catch his line of sight before following it landing on a limp form. His golden hair fans out as his golden silk throb, present with dashes of falling autumn flower petals and a bronze sash. “A man!”
“Not just any man.” I said as I move towards her, the smell of malice and iron fills my nose. The scent of blood was too strong and too fresh, he was only killed recently. Prevail becomes more uneasy, without hesitation, I remove my crossbow. The crossbow glows elegantly yet fierce under the hovering full moon, dawn was upon us.
“What are you doing My Lady?” questions Traken in fear of the young man. “Aren’t you going to revive him with Prevail or perhaps your fangs?” I ignore Traken as I move into the river, the water rushing at my ankles, it’s a cool calming feeling. My blue eyes narrow down at the red eyes surrounding me. The glow of the early sunrise, shadows our hybrid figures that smile at the sight. Such impudence.
“A Nefaliem’s Curse!” I call as I summon my power.
My mind snaps out of the memory and I was left standing, staring at the door. I pull open the door and rush out of the room and towards the others. Shaking off the strange memory—I realise was one of how Varden and I met. I enter the hall and find my way later on to my comrades. They sit around a table in the centre of the abandoned agency. “What are you guys doing?” I asked, sawing cards on the table.
“Playing blackjack.” saids Zeanna. She innocently smiles at me and I return the smile. Her features become grim and I hold my breath for the question I expect her to asked, “So, how are you feeling.”
“I’d said good but given that I just ran into Altair, not as good.” Everyone’s silent. “What?”
“What are you talking about?” Dante saids, “If Altair was here we’d sense him, unless he learnt to cloak his presence.”
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