CHAPTER 5

GATRIA, TREVEN and their new two travel companions stayed a whole week in Ashmire waiting for Grath. And in those days that passed, there was never a day that Gatria didn't challenge Drago into a duel which Drago always declined, much to Gatria's annoyance.

Meanwhile, Treven was off seducing his half-demon everyday who seemed so innocent in a lot of things which always made Treven head throbbed. Though Gatria thinks that Treven had a long way to go when it comes to Zarek, who didn't appear to understand Treven's advances. Zarek was raised in the demon kingdom and because he was a halfling, he was hidden by his parents from the whole demon race, so Zarek was not on par with Treven when it comes to flirtation and advances.

Finally, after so many days of waiting, Grath arrived looking tired that they decided to stay one more day in Ashmire to let Grath rest. Grath apparently ran from Adral to Ashmire. He could've taken an equine, but Grath was not used to riding that instead of helping speed up his travel, it might slow him down.

Though passing an uneventful day was not a waste of time for the reason that while they're waiting for Grath, Gatria had been roaming around outside Ashmire, ascertaining the condition of the nature around town. Spending her whole day with nature was something Gatria enjoys, so it was hardly a chore. It was part of her responsibility that she loves the most.

Despite the delay, the time finally came to leave Ashmire. Everyone stocked up food and other things they might need in their travel. Grath was stunned to meet their new companion—Drago, a full-blooded dragon and Zarek, a descendant of Sappher— but feeling their new companion's gait and the aura they exude, Grath had a feeling that he was inferior to these people. Thought it did not discourage him, it was the opposite. He was used to traveling with powerful individuals and always used his experience to learn and enhance his battle skills.

"First stop is the town of Belrac," Treven informed everyone as they leave Ashmire. "Belrac is the town bordering Infernal empire, Thurene kingdom and the kingdom of Treterra. According to the information I gathered around Ashmire, after the destruction of the city of Faberion, the kingdom of Thurene had been acting up. We should be careful. Thur— the capital of Thurene is home to mercenaries and bandits, the reason why the empire couldn't annex them, so be on guard at all times. After Belrac, we will pass the barren land, then Castetava, Sarnau and then finally, Ager, the capital of Treterra. Knowing her," Treven glanced at Gatria who's kneeling on the ground and touching the soil, "our pace will be slow since we're travelling on foot. So, if anyone couldn't take it, feel free to leave us behind."

In all honesty, Treven didn't want to be left behind, but he had to warn their new travel companions to avoid the blame being thrown around.

"I'm okay with it." Said Drago even though he knew he should hurry and find the information he needed. He had no time to spare, but here he was.

"Same with me." Zarek nodded. "I came from the Demon kingdom and I know little of human towns."

Treven let out a relieved sighed before looking at Gatria. "Still not done?"

"No. I'm done. I'm just making sure this plain valley that stretched towards the great forest of Tazman is safe from creepers and crawlers." Gatria stood up, fixed the cloak that was wrapped around her, and went to walk beside Treven.

"The forest surrounding Belrac has a name?" Grath, who was on the front, asked in surprise.

Gatria nodded as she leaned down to run her hands over the grass. "Yes. It has. But I guess it had been forgotten or it just didn't matter to humans."

"The great forest of Tazman is not that great anymore, you know." Treven informed Gatria. "Half of it had become a barren land."

"So I heard," Gatria's lips thinned. She heard it from Sollel and apparently, it was her resentment that caused it.

Gatria wanted to fix the barren land as soon as possible. She was angry at humans and their kingdoms, but she didn't want nature to suffer because of her anger. She wanted to right her wrong. She could have her revenge without destroying the nature that she holds dear.

Gatria's thought halted when she felt a presence walking beside her.

It was Drago.

"Will you be okay traveling on foot?" She asked Drago. "You're used to flying, right?"

Drago rubbed his nape. "I'll be fine, sword goddess."

"I highly doubt that."

He glanced at her, his golden eyes glistening. "Are you worried about me?"

Gatria looked at her front. "I still haven't defeated you. Until then, you're not allowed to die or disappear."

Drago couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips. "The more I don't want to have a rematch with you. I feel that if we dueled again and I lost, you'll lose your interest in me. But then again, I just have to win for your interest to remain."

Gatria scoffed. "I will never be defeated twice by the same person."

"If you say so." Drago playfully mocked Gatria.

Gatria didn't like it so she punched Drago's arm. She didn't hold her strength back and that punch could send someone flying to their death, but Drago only slightly budge. That was it. Nothing.

And then Gatria remembered how strong Drago was when they fought. "Are all dragons strong? I mean, do they have your strength?"

"Hmm..." Drago put his hand over his chin as if thinking. "We all have formidable strength, but I think I'm stronger than anyone."

"Even against the Dragon King?" Gatria was not buying it. "I heard that the Dragon King is beyond formidable."

Drago had an amused smile. "Don't believe it. He's weak."

Gatria was not buying it, but she didn't comment and just picked up her pace. She went pass Grath, and took off running on the plains valley.

To feel the breeze against her face as she ran, to smell the scent of grass and to see nature surrounding her, a smile appeared on Gatria's lips. This was heaven. The best feeling the world.

Unbeknownst to Gatria, a dragon was watching her. With his golden eyes that could see from miles away, he watched her ran and smile and enjoy the plains valley.

She was a sight to behold and he was captivated.

Always had been.

If only—Drago stopped his own thought as he withdraw his gaze and continued walking, not sparing a glance at the Mistress of Nature again as they crossed the plains valley, not even once.

♕♕♕

KAR WOKE UP with no recollection of what happened. Beside him was his father's trusted aide and a healer from the kingdom. With dry lips and throat, he tried to speak. "W-where a—am I?"

"At the palace's healing chamber," It was his father's aide who answered, Jirc. After his father passed away, it was Jirc who took care of him.

"W-what happened?" Kar tried to push himself to sit, but his body was too heavy to move. "W-what happened to me? What's h-happening?"

Jirc narrowed his eyes on Kar. "Do you remember anything?"

Kar tried to dive deep into his memory, but he couldn't remember anything. "I d-don't... I don't know. I don't r-remember, Jirc."

Jirc heaved a deep sigh. "Due to mental shock, it seems you cannot remember what happened on the battlefield."

"B—battlefield?"

"Yes. The battlefield where you meet that evil queen and she tried to kill you. But the kingdom's soldier did everything they could, even sacrificing their life to save yours. The kingdom sent ten thousand soldiers, but only a hundred returned. That's how wicked and evil the Mistress of Nature is. She's a monster that should be killed."

Mistress... of Nature? What— w-who's that? Why did that sound so familiar?

"Argh!" Kar clutched his ear and head when he heard a loud ringing in his head that nearly knocked him out when severe pain followed. "My head...!"

Kar shouted and thrashed in pain and Jirc immediately chanted an arcane ritual while pressing his palm against Kar's forehead. And as he uttered the last syllable on his chant, Kar slowly calmed down, his eyes closed and his face became solemn once again.

Jirc sighed as he looked at the warlord his master was so proud of.

Kar was an embodiment of strength back when Sappher was still prominent. His strength was unparalleled. He was the most celebrated warlord of Sappher even after their defeat by the hands of Yther Queens, but now, looking at the warlord lying on the bed. He had become nothing, but a pile of disappointment. There was not even a shadow of the warlord he once was. Nothing. Useless.

If not for his master dotting on his only son, Jirc would have already killed the pile of garbage in front of him. After what he had done, Kar didn't deserve even an ounce of his respect.

Jirc sat on the chair near the bed and waited for Warlord Kar to awaken.

—An hour later. Kar woke up with a blank eyes and face.

Jirc smiled. "What a suitable face for a pile of disappointment like you."

No response from Kar and Jirc didn't bother. He knew why there was no reply. He understood the situation since he was the one who made it so.

"Get up and do your job, General Kar." Said Jirc as he stood up. "Pick up your hammer, slay that wench queen and make your father proud."

Kar didn't say a word. He just lifelessly got up, picked up his war hammer and left the healing chamber.

With a blank expression, his mind was the opposite. It was not blank. It had one person inside it. The person he's going to kill— Mistress of Nature, Gatria.

♕♕♕

XEKE AND CIRA still hadn't left Adral. They were both busy in the library, going through every important documents that were saved and brought by the Harpies to Adral right from the empire's library and the king's chamber before the Infernal empire's destruction.

"We've been doing this for weeks, but we still haven't found what we need to move forward with our investigation." Xeke grumbled as he picked up another bounded document. "I think the documents I've read was enough for ten lifetimes and more."

"Just keep reading." Cira's eyes remained on the document she was reading. Not even sparing a glance at the warlord who had been helping her since she decided to read every document stolen from the empire. "Somehow, somewhere in these documents, I'm sure they had a record about where they got the moonrite stone. I'm sure of it. There had to be. So keep reading until there's no document left."

Xeke silently looked at the stacked documents that could be compared to a small mountain, then sighed. "Can I at least get a kiss for my patience?"

"No. You can't." Cira's tone had no room for reconsideration that made Xeke slouch and quiet.

Xeke had been grumbling since the moment they started skimming through these documents, but he never once left her alone. Sensing that Xeke had become unusually quiet, Cira allowed herself to take a peek at Xeke.

And what she saw was endearing that it brought a smile to her lips.

Xeke was sulking, but still helping her out earnestly.

Hmm... maybe a kiss won't be too bad If we found something here, Cira thought before returning her attention to the document in her hand.

Silence fell on the Adral castle's library where Cira and Xeke were. All could be heard were the soft rustling of document pages from time to time. Though that was not the only silent room in the castle even though the whole Adral was under massive renovation with the Dwarves and Druids at the front line.

It was Gabin's workroom.

Ever since the lord of Adral and the Yther queens left, Gabin had been busy and buried with tons of work that he was shocked that he could still get a four-hour sleep to be honest. There were so many things to do, so many proposal for the betterment of Adral to approve and of course, the proper allocation of funds needed for the town's reconstruction and for the queen's temples.

The fund was not a problem. He and his lordship had been storing the needed funds for so many lifetimes and they also looted the empire's treasury before it was destroyed.

The empire's main profit came from the indestructible weapons and those weapons they sell had the Mistress of Flame's blood in it— which means the profit technically belonged to the queen.

With tons of work, it was normal for him to feel an immense stress, but no, his stress didn't come from his work.

It came from a small woman who always had a bright and innocent smile for him.

A knock on the door stopped his thoughts, and when it opened, all Gabin could do was sigh and pray to the deities for his sanity to remain and not abandon him. He needed that.

"Good noon, Commander..." Zassia came into view carrying a tray with food in it. "Please have a meal."

"Zassia," Gabin looked at the bright and innocent woman in front of his table, "I told you, you don't have to bring me food every time I'm late for my meal. I don't want to bother you—"

"It's okay. I want to do it." She smiled and it was so bright, Gabin squinted his eyes. "I'm here to help protect Adral, but there's no threat at the moment, so I'm going to help you as much as I can. I know how much work you have to do so this is my way of cheering you on, commander."

A soft sigh escaped Gabin's lips. "Okay. Do whatever you want."

"Then..." Zassia's eyes sparkled as she looked at Gabin, hopeful, with her hands clasp over her chin as if adorably begging, "then... May I help you with your work? I was a scholar in the empire before this all happened. I'm confident with my knowledge and ability. I can help you with anything."

It's me who's not confident with my sanity and self-control, Gabin mused and force a smile. "It's okay. No need to help me. This amount of work is nothing to me. Just focus your attention on the town's defense and your training."

"Oh," Zassia was a little disappointed that she couldn't help the commander, but she does need to train her flame more so when her teacher came back, she could show her teacher her flame and the new things she could do that would make her teacher proud. "Okay, then, see you at dinner, commander! I will go back to my training! Have a rest if you're tired. Bye!"

After giving him another bright smile, Zassia left, much to Gabin's delight. Finally, he could return back to his work in peace— which was a lie.

As if he could work in peace with that bright and innocent woman around! He would rather face a hoard of demons than to face that bright, innocent smile. Yes, demons are easy. You just have to kill them. But that woman... Gabin let out a deep long sighed and calmly return to his work. As he should. 

CECELIB | C.C.