CHAPTER 26

SOLLEL DIDN'T KNOW how to answer Grath. What would be the best course of action to take? Lie or tell him the truth? As Sollel weighed the pros and cons of her options, she heard Grath spoke again with his head lowered.

"My apologies for asking such personal question, Your Highness." Grath didn't want to offend the queen he swore to serve. "Us demi-humans are not a long-lived race like elves and others, but we lived longer than humans, and their knowledge and beliefs are different from ours. We demi-humans knew the truth the humans tried to hide. We also know that the only beings blessed by the deities in Azitera are the queens of Yther, so when Her Highness said that she was blessed by a deity, I assumed. Based by Her Highness's power, I was too excited and hastily asked. Please forgive me for my insolence, Your Highness."

Sollel couldn't help smiling in the midst of the tension. "Grath, no need to be so formal with me. I'm just a queen with no people and land. Nothing impressive."

Grath promptly moved to kneel on one knee, his head still lowered. "I will be impudent and ask if I could be one of your people, like Lady Cira."

Sollel blinked and looked at Cira. My...people. "Grath, being my people is hard. It'll get you killed."

"The moment I pledge my loyalty to Her Highness in Belrac, my life has been yours, Your Highness."

Sollel smiled at Grath's earnest voice. "I told you, don't be so formal with me."

Grath looked up and looked at the queen in front of him. Her highness did not confirm nor deny his question earlier, but Grath did not need confirmation. He knew the queen in front of him was none other than Queen Sollel, the Mistress of Flame, one of the few beings in Azitera blessed by deities.

Grath was in overawe and just stared at the queen in reverence. He only removed his eyes from the queen when he remembered something. "Your Highness, I took a few vials from the noble's hill. It seemed very important to them, but what got me really curious is that the content of the vial felt familiar somehow."

Sollel frowned. "Familiar?"

Grath nodded and took out the vial he had been hiding in his pocket. He wrapped it one by one with a cloth to make sure that it won't break. "The content of these vials," Grath said, handing the vials to Sollel. "It felt like the forest I lived in before we were captured to be slaves. I can never forget the feeling of my home, the warmth of the forest surrounding my tribe."

Sollel took the vial from Grath. She already had an idea what the content of this vial after listening to Grath, but she was pushing the idea away. She didn't want to imagine the pain and suffering Gatria had gone through all these years.

But the truth was now right in front of her.

As Sollel opened the vial, an earthy, flowery, crisp, and fresh fragrance wafted around her. The scent was soft and calming, like nature in the morning—fresh and untainted. It felt so warm and beautiful, but a lone tear filled with sorrow fell from Sollel's eyes.

The content of the vial was no fragrance. It was Gatria's blood.

That's why it felt familiar when I was in Castetava market. It was Gatria's blood. They're harvesting Gatria's blood like how the empire harvested mine!

A tear after another fell from Sollel's eyes as she gripped the vials in her hand. "Why...why...after caring and nurturing them, why would they betray us like this?" Sollel's voice trembled as tears of sorrow and rage fell from her eyes. "Gatria...why would they do this to Gatria?"

Grath's lips parted in shock, hearing the soft whisper of the queen. He didn't need a detailed explanation to understand the queen's trembling and sorrowful voice and words. That's why the content of the vial felt like our forest back home. Our forest might've been blessed too.

"Grath." Sollel's voice had return calm.

Grath straightened his body. "Yes, Your Highness?"

"If you want to be my people, you have to train your essence and flame. I need strong soldiers."

Grath's eyes widened in gratitude and astonishment. "Yes, My Queen!" Grath bowed his head at Sollel. "I have no idea how, but I will do my best to train my essence." Grath was a demi-human who couldn't wield any elemental essence. Demi-humans were known for their brute strength and not the essence, so to suddenly train his essence, it would be very hard on Grath.

"I'll help you," said Sollel. "You will train with Zassia."

Grath nodded, excited at the thought that he could be of use to his queen. "I will do my best." Then his eyes fell on Lady Zassia who was sleeping on the ground. "Does...Lady Zassia know about you, Your Highness?"

Sollel shook her head. "It's better that way. We will part ways in Ager. I don't want to drag her into my battle." Sollel handed the vials back to Grath. "Keep this. Using the content of the vial, we can make a forest even here in the barren land. It could heal and revitalize the dead soil. It might come in handy."

Grath accepted the vials. "Is this what the nobles are using in the noble's hill?"

"I believe so, yes."

Grath took a deep breath. "Your Highness, after what happened in the noble's hill, we should assume that the news already reached the kingdom. We have to be very careful. They might set a trap for you."

"I think so too." Sollel sighed and took a deep breath. "Don't worry about it. I'll think of something, while you—until the sun rises—meditate and feel your essence. It'll be hard on you since you have no idea what it is, so I will lend a hand."

Sollel raised her finger wrapped in flame and pointed it at Grath's chest. Feeling Grath's flame essence, Sollel tugged it, and Grath jumped in surprise when he felt a hot sensation on his chest.

"I draw out your flame essence," said Sollel. "Feel it and study it before it slumbers in your soul again. Right now, you're like an infant with an adult flame essence. You have to know and understand how to draw out your essence without my help. That's your first task. Once you can draw out your flame essence on your own, I will teach you some basic flame attacks that suits your fighting style."

Grath nodded. "Then I will excuse myself, My Queen. Thank you so much!"

When Grath left, Sollel took a deep breath and looked at Cira. Her fever had gone down, calming Sollel down, but she knew that was not enough for Cira to recover.

We have to reach Sarnau without delay.

♕♕♕

MORNING CAME AND SOLLEL'S group was back crossing the barren land to reach Sarnau. To hasten their travel, instead of using the makeshift bed, Grath carried Cira, who was wrapped with covers in his arms, and they ran instead of walking.

Hakken was in front, behind him was Grath carrying Cira, and then Zassia and Sollel was on the rear to make sure that Zassia would keep up and wouldn't be left behind.

They continued traversing the barren lands with that pace, and after two days, they finally saw Sarnau on the horizon. Unlike Castetava, they could see some vegetation in Sarnau.

Seeing Sarnau, the group started running fast to reach the town. Meanwhile, Sollel was thinking how to pass the gate since she didn't have any identification. Hakken couldn't possibly use the same lie again, right?

Just when Sollel was worried, they all saw a man on top of the town's gate, waving his hands and arms at them.

Sollel narrowed her eyes on the man at the top of the gate. "Xe...ke?"

Sollel's guess was proven right when a dagger flew in their direction, and in a blink of an eye, Xeke appeared in front of them, his eyes on Cira.

"Come on. I already asked the healer in town to heal Cira." No explanation was needed with Xeke; he just guided them toward Sarnau's gate.

Fortunately, the soldiers in Sarnau bought Hakken's lie again about him and Sollel eloping, desperately hiding from their family that they traversed the barren land and run away to prove their love to each other.

When they entered Sarnau, Xeke took Cira from Grath's arms and carried Cira toward the healer's house. Everyone was not surprised that Xeke found a healer and that Xeke arrived in Sarnau before them. What surprised them was the healer Xeke found.

It was a female elf, and when she saw Cira and her condition, she gasped in alarm and immediately let Xeke lay Cira's body on the bed.

"We'll go look for an inn," said Hakken to Sollel after making sure that Cira was in good hands. "I'll come back later after I find a new war blade."

Sollel nodded and faced Zassia and Grath. "Go with Hakken. Have a good rest, freshen up, and then start your training again."

Zassia and Grath nodded and followed Hakken out of the house, while Sollel stayed with Cira, together with Xeke.

Watching the female elf heal Cira with her essence, Xeke and Sollel calmed down, and their worry lessened. And while waiting, Xeke sat on the chair beside Sollel.

"You knew, didn't you?" Xeke asked Sollel while looking at Cira. "That she's not just a normal elf?"

Sollel wanted to act ignorant, but Xeke sounded earnest, so she answered him honestly. "Yes."

"What give it away?"

"Her speed and combat ability," Sollel answered. It was not hard to see through Cira.

Xeke nodded. "She told me she was an elven warrior until she was kicked out."

"I thought so." Sollel looked at Cira. "She tried to hide it from me though."

"And that's okay with you?"

Sollel shrugged. "I'm on a journey, and I only got this far because of Cira's help. It's not big of a deal for me."

Xeke felt relieved. "That's good to hear. Lady Cira will be very happy to hear that."

Sollel glanced at Xeke. After traveling with Xeke and seeing how his dagger worked, Sollel was sure that he was a descendant of Sappher. But even though he was one, Sollel was not worried, especially seeing how he treated Cira. Descendants of Sapphers were warriors, and they took pride in fighting head-to-head. They do not like underhanded tactics.

Descendants of Sappher...a hazy memory of a man entered Sollel's mind. The man she fought with when Sappher declared war on Yther. Sollel couldn't remember his face fully now, but he was one odd warrior. She remembered him asking her if he could marry her after he won the battle. I can't remember my response to that man anymore. But he was an extraordinary warrior. She nearly lost to him if her memory served her right.

Sollel took a deep breath and asked Xeke the question she had after seeing Cira's injuries. "Who did this to her?"

Xeke's face immediately darkened. "It was the man wearing a black full plate armor. After I reached Sarnau, I asked around. I found out that that man is the renowned general of the Kingdom of Treterra."

Sollel pressed her lips together. "Is he strong?"

Xeke nodded. "Honestly, I'm no match for him. Maybe Hakken would stand a chance, but with his weak war blades, I doubt if he could last a minute against that guy."

"A sorcerer?"

Xeke shook his head. "I'm pretty sure he's a warrior with a hardcore weapon—a war hammer that has an ability to pull someone close to maximize his war hammer colossal attack. That thing was so big, it could crush anyone. If not for my dagger, I would've been squashed to death."

No wonder Cira was badly injured. "Treterra's general, huh?"

Xeke sighed and leaned on his seat. "I just hope we don't see him again. After what he did to Lady Cira..." I don't think I can forgive him even if he's a descendant of Sappher. "We have to be ready if we want to enter the city of Ager safely."

Sollel nodded.

"By the way, Lady El." Xeke turned his head to look at the red-cloaked woman beside him. "I have a question."

Sollel nodded and waited for Xeke's question.

"Your hunter, where did you hire him? He's good."

That put a smile on Sollel's lips. "In Ashmire. We wanted a guide to the city of Ager because Cira sucked at direction."

Xeke frowned. "And he...accepted the job?"

Sollel nodded. "For one hundred gold coins."

Xeke's lips parted in shock. "Holy...that's too much!"

"Indeed, but after seeing his performance in battle, I think it was a fair payment."

Xeke closed his parted lips. "I guess...I mean, he's good."

Sollel felt proud hearing Hakken being praised. He was indeed an amazing warrior; he deserved the praise and recognition. And it put Sollel in a good mood.

"By the way, do you still want your dagger to be blessed by flame?" Sollel asked since she was in a good mood. "I can bless it."

Xeke's dagger appeared in front of him out of thin air, a smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, but I think my dagger is better this way. If you blessed it with flame, it'll be a flaming dagger, and I wouldn't be able to support Lady Cira in the air anymore. It might burn her, so I have to decline."

Xeke's answer stunned Sollel. It was not only his words, but also the expression on his face. "Okay. I understand."

Xeke and Sollel's conversation was interrupted when they heard Zassia's voice from outside the house.

"Teacher? Teacher?"

Sollel excused herself and went out of the house to meet Zassia.

"What is it?" Sollel asked, seeing the worry on Zassia's face.

Zassia hurriedly handed Sollel a bird made from paper.

"I think...we have a problem, Teacher."



CECELIB | C.C.