CHAPTER 35

THE REMAINING members of the Wraith ran without stopping to check if they were being followed or not. They ran for their lives until they could no longer feel anything other than their labored breathing and the insects around the forest.

"Stop!" Dandrev shouted at Oxar and Onyll. "Let's help Lura first!"

"No! We have to leave this forest immediately!" Oxar snapped at Dandrev.

Onyll agreed with Oxar and glared at Dandrev. "And how do you suggest we help Lura, huh?! She's our healer! We can't help her! What we need to do is run away from that monster as far as we could!"

"Even our strongest attacker, Radus, was burned to ashes." Oxar's voice trembled as he paced back and forth anxiously. "I couldn't even put out her flame!"

"I used my strongest attack, and I couldn't penetrate her defense!" Onyll shivered when he remembered what had happened back in the clearing. "If that was really the real Mistress of Flame, it would be foolish for us to even hunt her again. She'll burn us all alive!"

Dandrev gritted his teeth. "Tell that to His Majesty! He's waiting for our report!"

Oxar contorted in disgust. "The emperor clearly knew who that woman is but didn't tell us! Screw him!" Oxar let out a snort. "Capture her? Yeah, right! That's the Mistress of Flame!"

Dandrev listened to Oxar and Onyll, and he couldn't say anything. He, too, knew how dangerous that woman was. Her flame was nothing he had seen before. It was too fierce!

"But isn't she supposed to be dead?" Dandrev asked in a low voice. "She's a myth amongst sorcerers..."

Onyll snorted. "Dead or alive, I don't care. I am not going back to that monster."

All of a sudden, something clicked inside Dandrev's brain. "That man we were chasing...we met him in the city, right?"

Oxar and Onyll looked at Dandrev.

"What are you thinking, Dandrev?" Oxar asked upon hearing Dandrev's tone.

Dandrev swallowed as he explained what came to his mind just now. "How often do you meet someone you're hunting without effort whatsoever in the street? He's on a wanted list. Shouldn't he be hiding?"

Oxar and Onyll became silent as their brain worked double.

They were in the city of Ager, and the talk of the town was the escapee from the empire and her companions. According to the empire's spy, the escapee was in the city, so the Wraiths waited, but they didn't see the woman they were looking for. And then the man—one of the escapee companions, according to the imperial spy—passed before them on the street.

They chased the man and didn't stop even when he left the city gate and entered the forest to escape.

They all thought he was running away to escape...

Oxar's lips parted when he understood what Dandrev meant. "Are you saying...we were lured to that clearing?"

Dandrev nodded. "After the woman got Radus's flame essence, she didn't give chase like we thought. The target was Radus and his flame essence."

Onyll dropped on his ass and sat on the ground, feeling weak and drained. "But why?"

"I don't know," Dandrev answered. "All I know is that we were lured there by that man. It was a setup. Maybe, maybe..." Dandrev guessed, throwing anything worthy to consider, "she needs flame essence or something. You heard her, right? She said 'I blessed your ancestor with myflame' and she wanted it back. For what reason? I don't know."

Onyll had to grip his hands to stop them from trembling. "If that was so, then she must want it back for a reason."

"Like what?" Oxar demanded. He couldn't control his voice from raising because the fear still lingered inside him.

"Whatever reason she has, every strong flame sorcerer and sorceress are in danger," said Onyll with gritted teeth. "We have to warn the emperor and everyone!"

Oxar was against that idea. "If we returned to the emperor like this, he'll execute us without mercy."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Dandrev asked.

Dandrev was hoping for an answer from Oxar and Onyll when the two answered in unison, "I don't know."

♕♕♕

CIRA DREW OUT her essence from her body and enveloped them around the injured Xeke. In an instant, Xeke felt better and stopped coughing blood.

"Are you okay?" Cira asked Xeke as she helped him get up.

Xeke looked at the inn's roof where the general and the former general were fighting fiercely. "Sorry. I'm not much of a help."

Cira guided Xeke away from the fighting. "We did our best, and anyway, your skill is more on agility and stealth. You can't win against brute force. We have to go and meet Her Highness."

But before they could step forward, a war hammer traveled toward them with a speed of lightning. Luckily, before it even hit them, a transparent shield appeared, blocking the war hammer.

"Go. I'll take care of him," said Zassia's grandfather. "Take care of my granddaughter!"

Cira and Xeke both nodded and left hurriedly. The general kept attacking them to stop their escape, but the defense of Zassia's grandfather was indomitable, making them feel safe and secure as they get away.

And then the moonrite stone inside Cira's satchel started glowing, the light seeping out from her satchel. Her heart hammered inside her chest as they tried to escape. She was thinking of Her Highness; she was praying hard that Her Highness was away from the city like planned.

Her highness said she wanted to draw someone out. Who? Cira didn't know. The queen didn't tell her. Even when she asked, the queen was silent.

Meanwhile, Xeke, who was behind Cira, hissed when he saw the glow from Cira's satchel. He immediately understood what was happening and cursed to himself.

The sorcerers?! I thought that darn asshole who dragged me into this mess already took care of them?!

Xeke clicked his tongue and continued protecting Cira, not that she needed protection while running away. She could protect herself just fine, shooting the soldiers with precision without no problem.

Xeke sighed. Why am I even worried?

Xeke used his dagger to teleport himself to Grath who was still surrounded by soldiers. "Let's go." Then Xeke teleported back to Cira.

From meters away, Xeke heard a loud roar from Grath, and fire exploded in his direction. After a few minutes, Grath was able to follow after Cira and Xeke.

Soldiers were running after Cira, Xeke, and Grath, but that didn't slow them down. With Cira's bow and arrow, Xeke's dagger, and Grath's flame, bulldozing their way out was no problem.

Xeke looked back as they ran out of the city's gate and clenched his jaw when he saw the flame sorcerers advancing and their fireballs chasing them. Unconsciously, he formed a staircase with his dagger; he only realized it when he saw Cira using his daggers to soar into the air.

Xeke clicked his tongue and used his remaining daggers to go back and launched a stealth attack against the sorcerers. Using his dagger's ability to appear and disappear, Xeke took out three flame sorcerers before he was noticed and was attacked by a fire beam.

Xeke was ready to dodge the attack aimed at him by disappearing when he felt a strong wind current throwing him out of the gate. Worry consumed him, his eyes darting from one place to another. He only calmed down when he saw Cira being thrown by a strong wind current as well, together with Grath.

That's when Xeke understood that it must be Zassia's grandfather who threw them to safety. He must've seen the sorcerers.

Be safe, old man, Xeke thought before he let the wind carry him to safety, but he remained alert until the very moment their feet landed on the forest's ground. And after a wind howled around them, as if it were saying goodbye, it became quiet. Only their breathing was heard.

"Let's go." Cira didn't want to waste any time. She had to make sure Her Highness was safe.

Cira jumped from tree to tree to travel toward the clearing where Her Highness would be, Xeke used his daggers to teleport, while Grath was on the ground, running until he saw the direction Cira was taking.

"I think you're in the wrong direction, Lady Cira," Grath howled, and Cira nearly fell from the tree if not for Xeke who teleported to her side to balance her body.

Pouting and embarrassed, Cira told Grath, "You lead the way."

Grath nodded and used his nose to pick up the burnt smell in the air. He believed that wherever the burnt smell was coming from, that's where Her Highness would be.

As Grath took the lead, Cira followed, and she became irritated hearing a chuckle from behind her. She knew who and why he was laughing.

"Go, die," Cira muttered.

Xeke chuckled. "And you looked so confident while jumping from tree to tree." Xeke snickered. "I don't think I can forget your adorable face earlier, Cira. I should thank Grath."

Cira grumbled but didn't say anything and just continued jumping and sliding from tree to tree, but when she continued hearing Xeke chuckle and snicker from time to time, she snapped and turned around with her bow and arrow and aimed it at the bastard behind her.

"Hey—"

Cira shot Xeke.

Seeing Xeke's panicked face, Cira smirked and shot him again. "Keep laughing."

Xeke had to hold his laughter as he dodged the arrows coming his way upon seeing the hard-ass, independent elf in front of him fluster.

"Hmp!" Cira glared at Xeke before she turned around and continued following Grath.

♕♕♕

IN THE CLEARING, Sollel just silently watched Hakken and Warlord Hakkeran fight with the intent to kill each other. The killing intent was palpable that Sollel was in awe as she watched. She knew Hakken was good at fighting, but to see him fighting Warlord Hakkeran equally, without being pushed to the corner, she was impressed.

"Go, Hakken!" Sollel cheered Hakken on with a smile and a fist in the air. "Beat him up."

Sollel didn't know if she was just imagining it, but she saw the warlord glance at her in disbelief before he became even fiercer. His face darkened, slashing his war blades at Hakken mercilessly, pushing Hakken to the corner until the two entered the forest, still clashing swords.

Sollel didn't follow and just waited who'd come out from the forest. Seeing Hakken earlier, I thought my bait didn't work, but seeing them fight...hmm.

Without the two fighting in front of her, Sollel's attention went to Zassia who was still kneeling on the ground and crying her heart out. Her eyes had become swollen from crying so much.

"Silly girl." Sollel walked to Zassia and sat on the ground, in front of her, and tilted her head to peek on Zassia's tear-streaked face. "Stop crying, Zassia."

"Yes, Teacher," Zassia automatically answered before she even realized it, and a few seconds later, she was bowing her head apologetically at Sollel, her forehead hitting the ground as she did, her voice trembling as she said, "I'm so sorry for calling you teacher. I am not worthy! Forgive my impudence! I'm so sorry, Your Highness! I'm so sorry."

Sollel smiled in amusement, and if Zassia would've seen that, she wouldn't have been so nervous. "What's wrong with calling me teacher? I am teaching you after all."

"I'm not worthy to call Her Highness teacher—"

"It's for me to decide whether you're worthy of my tutelage, Zassia," Sollel cut off Zassia's rambling. "Though your worth as a person should be decided by you and not by me or by someone else."

Zassia froze.

"Now," Sollel said as she took a deep breath, "raise your head and look at me."

Slowly and nervously, Zassia finally raised her head and looked at Sollel. And when she laid her eyes on the queen, she started crying again.

"Zassia, nothing has changed. I'm still me, your teacher."

Zassia shook her head. "No. You are our goddess, the one we worshipped!"

Sollel sighed. "Zassia, don't put me on the pedestal. A weak being like I don't deserve it—"

"Please don't say that!" Zassia pleaded, her voice filled with pain. "Our queen was not weak, even now. For us, for my whole village, you have always been strong and mighty. We—I worship you not because of your strength but because of your kind heart. I know that we, humans, have betrayed you, and I know that I can never compensate whatever the humans did to you, but please give me a chance to serve you. I promise I won't be a hindrance. I will work hard. I will devote myself! I will die for you—"

"You don't have to do that, Zassia."

Zassia's shoulders fell. "B-But...I-I'll do anything—"

"You don't have to do anything." Sollel's hand reached for Zassia's face to dry her cheeks. "You're my student, Zassia. All you need to do is listen to me and study. That's it. If you really want to help me, then be strong. Now call me teacher and not highness."

Zassia's tears doubled as she sobbed. "T-teacher..."

Sollel smiled and continued drying Zassia's damped cheeks. "After what happened, I hate humans, but you're an exemption to that, so I beg of you, don't make me regret it, Zassia, okay?"

Zassia nodded sternly because she knew what it meant to earn the queen's trust. But hearing the queen say that she hated human broke Zassia's heart. Of all of Yther's queens, Queen Sollel was the fiercest, but she had the softest heart. She was the first queen who chose and decided to bless the humans, a weak race, with her flame so they'd be able to protect themselves. She was the queen who worked side by side with humans, nurturing them and educating them. It was said that of all the queens of Yther, it was Queen Sollel who adored humans the most.

And to be betrayed by them... Zassia's heart was breaking as she sobbed endlessly.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Zassia kept muttering endlessly.

Sollel took a deep breath and fixed Zassia's messy hair. "Stop apologizing, fix yourself, and pull yourself together. We still have lots of enemies, Zassia. We have to keep our guard up."

Hearing that, Zassia forced her tears to stop and pulled herself together. She would never be a burden to her queen. Queen Sollel said she was her student, but to Zassia, she was but a mere servant. Why would a weak sorceress like her be a student of the Mistress of Flame? A sorcerer like me who ran away and left her whole village to die is not worthy of such honor.

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness?"

It was Cira and Grath, running to Sollel. Cira was relieved and happy, while Grath was in awe upon seeing the queen he served without her cloak on. She looked so ethereal with her bloodred hair and eyes and her elegant and graceful gait.

His feet slowed down from walking until it stopped midway, just staring at the queen with wide eyes as Lady Cira conversed with her.

One of the Queens of Yther. The Mistress of Flame.

Grath felt the hair on his body raised as he fell on his knees and kneeled on the ground—kneeled at the kind and merciful queen of Yther, the Mistress of Flame. "Your Highness..."

"I'm okay, Cira—" Sollel's words halted when she saw Grath kneeling and solemnly bowing at her, while Xeke, who was behind Grath, upon seeing her without a cloak for the first time, had his eyes wide open in shock.

Sollel smiled inwardly. We're only missing one person, and we'll be complete... Sollel then glanced at the forest where Hakken and Hakkeran entered and continued fighting.

Just as Sollel was pondering who would come out of the forest and enter the clearing again, she saw Hakken clutching his side, slightly limping and bleeding.

Instead of getting worried, Sollel smiled. My bait works after all.



CECELIB | C.C.