A person who has a fine mind and knows it, can beat millions who don't.

LoG, 3

The journey was reasonably monotonous, at least as far as Nalina was concerned. Every day began in the same way. The Viewstone would flash yellow. Nalina, the lackey, The Vigils and their War Dogs would get up from the ground. Then the entourage would eat together in a complete silence. That made Nalina depressed.

I love talking! Laughter! Human voices. I've been trying to encourage everyone to open up for the conversation I don't know how many times already. I surrender.

Her sojourners were disinterested in speaking with her.

I'm just another mission for them to be successfully completed.

Nalina was on the verge of asking them for their names and for the names of their dogs. What are they dreaming about? Who are the people they love?

Yet she was afraid not to overstep the boundaries of decency. They should come to me if they want to do so. Who am I to violate their privacy and the course of their thoughts? If they aren't in a mood to talk ... We won't talk.

The old fat lackey was huffing and puffing continually. He ate twice as much as everyone else. After a meal, he would hastily jump back to his seat and whip the snake.

He doesn't seem to be too sociable, Nalina thought, disappointed. Despite that, the lackey was very interesting to her.

He is trying so hard to keep his dignity as an employee in The Leader's service! And the buttons on his uniform always stretch to the limit of explosion after an abundant meal! She didn't dare to laugh out loud lest she offended someone.

Nalina tried hard to ignore nobody was in the mood for chatting. She read and scribbled a lot. Sometimes she would look for herbs in the areas close to the carriage whenever the lackey called for a break. Nalina began spending more and more time with Grogmog. She fed him personally. Nalina was sorry for the snake since no one allowed it to fly. After several of her visits, she could swear Grogmog seemed glad whenever he saw her again.

Everything was more bearable during The Dark. The red glow of the campfire forced the small crowd to huddle together in search of some light. There would be a murmur of The Vigils' voices and joyful squeals of The War Dogs who sniffed each other with mirthful recognition. Everyone seemed glad that the resting time would soon be upon them.

One Vigil–Nalina wasn't sure who he was–had a tiny wooden harmonica. He would leisurely move it over his lips, as if feasting on a delicious musical meal, always sending a different melancholic melody to The Dark. As she listened, the most diverse feelings would surge within Nalina. Each note would overflow her consciousness with numerous images.

Nalina eventually dared to approach him one Dark and stutter: "The music you make. It brings back so many memories." her voice trembled.

The Vigil barely looked up. He simply nodded as a sign of acknowledgement.

Nalina kept on talking. It was as if the melody breached a dam. Words flew unstoppably from her like water. "From the time when I was a child, from my ... old life. Some other life I used to live. A different me. You know I ..."

"You weren't always a princess," The Vigil ended her sentence dryly, staring at the flames.

"Yes. It's funny but ... Those days. They'll never return," Nalina added firmly as if assuring herself of that fact. Trying to make herself accept that.

"No." his voice was hoarse. "No, they won't."

Nalina thought he looked unbelievably sad for the moment.

I wonder why that is.

"Well," her shoulders trembled. "I think," her voice shook next, "I think I'm going to turn in." Nalina abandoned the campfire circle with that excuse. Her eyes were welling with tears.

Then The Light came and the magic of that conversation they shared disappeared as if it had never been there. Only the monotony remained.

For some time, truth be told, Nalina also found an interest in the landscape. It shifted from the dense golden forest of Lug, through a savannah covered in stunted plants, to the steppe that indicated the approach of a scorching desert of The Barrens.

On the Fifth Light, when the group entered The Barrens, there was nothing more to see. No matter how much Nalina was leaning out of the carriage, it seemed as if the same landscape was being repeated over and over. Or worse, that Grogmog wasn't moving, and the carriage was standing in one place.

Whenever Nalina would peer out the window, she would see the same contour of a grey Mountain.

The same sandstone.

The same ashen rocks.

"I'm booored." Nalina sighed loudly and curled herself up on the bench in an unladylike way. "My tushy hurts from the constant up-and-down slapping movement on this leather seat! I'm hungry!"

Still, Nalina knew The Vigils scheduled the Third Meal for the blue Viewstone, not earlier.

I shouldn't interrupt the rhythm of the trip. Not if I want us to arrive on time.

She dared to open the little window and cry out to the lackey: "Sir! Sir, please!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," she could hear the desperate voice of the coachman.

He was whipping the snake in frenzy, eager to advance, trying to pay attention to Nalina as well.

"How much more till the end of our journey? Not over two Lights, is it?"

"That's it, Your Majesty," the lackey shouted back through the thundering of the wheels. The slippery snake's body was making a "swoosh-swoosh" sound as it was sliding through the sand, leaving a damp trail.

"We just entered the territory of The City of Begi. This desert will soon be replaced by somewhat more ... Pleasant areas. Here, we are already on the edge of a small forest. Take a look." The tone in his voice told her that the scenery was as boring to him as it was to her.

It seemed funny to Nalina. "Oh, thank The Mind," she called out to the lackey, laughing. "I thought I was the only one who couldn't withstand these landscapes anymore!"

"Yes, ma'am," the coachman added somewhat more intimately. "It's all so monotonous. You'll see now when we make a bit more of a progress, things will become very inter..."

He fell silent halfway through the sentence.

Oh, how inconsiderate of me. Maybe he wanted to concentrate on the ride. I shouldn't have pulled him away from his reins in an inconvenient moment. She peeked through the window to apologise to him. As soon as she did so, Nalina brought her hand to her mouth. She forced herself to bite into it in order not to cry out.

The coachman's body had fallen to the side, unmoving.

One round pebble was trapped in his temple.

His stunned bulgy eyes were staring straight ahead, surprised by an uninvited guest, Death.

He ... Somebody ... shot him from the sling ... But ... Who? This ... What's going on? Nalina's thoughts galloped through her brain as a herd of wild horses thrown into a panic.

Nalina gripped the notebook, the bottle of water and paper. She crammed them into her bosom. If someone has attacked the coachman, and he is dead now ... Oh my Mind, I can't even think about it ... But ... There is no one left controlling the carriage!

Moments later, Nalina's prediction came true. The carriage swayed menacingly. The snake hobbled, sensing freedom, now not being forced by a whip.

Nalina went for the door, panicking. She jumped out of the vehicle on the move, scraping her knee in the process. She stood up somehow as her head spun. As if through the fog, she saw a redhead Vigil woman running towards her. Nalina felt relief. She straightened up, dashing toward her rescuer.

Then, just behind her, another Vigil appeared, riding on a huge yellow dog. It was the man who had played the wooden harmonica. Seconds before the female Vigil could reach Nalina, he cut off her head with a swipe of his short stone sword.

Her mouth remained open and distorted in an unnatural smile.

"No! Why? Why would you kill her! Why did you do that?" Nalina cried out.

"Your Majesty ..." the man was breathless. "I ... I saved your life ... She would have killed you ... This is an ambush ... Your brother ... The betrayal ... Run ... They want to murder you ..."

"Borna? But ..." Nalina still understood nothing.

The horror was a horned beast that was now shoving its face into her chest.

"There is no time ... They ... Are. Coming ..." a tiny pebble penetrated his head as well. The male Vigil fell next to his War Dog who yowled in grief and lay down on the ground beside him.

I didn't even ask him for his name. It's incredible how such a petty thing can momentarily end a human life.

Then Nalina snapped out of that thought and raised the Vigil body as a shield. "I need to try to mount his War Dog." she said out loud, bracing herself.

"Well, there is a first time for everything," Nalina sighed and jumped onto a big animal clumsily. The yellow hound obeyed her, which she found incredible.

The War Dogs rarely allow anyone who isn't their Vigil to ride them. I suppose this is ... an extraordinary situation, Nalina thought.

Survive ... Survive ... I ... I want to live, she chanted in her head. The rocks whistled around her.

Nalina gripped the dog's body with her thighs, directing it toward the carriage.

I need to free Grogmog. He ... He must not remain entangled like that.

She shouted from the distance until her voice cracked. "Grogmooooooooog!"

I hope he hears me.

Luckily, the carriage was turning around. The snake was gliding towards her. "Oh, that's right, good ... Good boy," Nalina whispered, her lips dry. "Come ... Come over here."

She leapt off The War Dog. Her eager trembling fingers unclasped the reins that held the serpent bound to the vehicle. Grogmog, finally free, flew upwards and Nalina smiled with relief.

"Go!" She cried out victoriously. "Run away! Fly, Grogmog, fly!" For some reason, Grogmog still circled around her, screeching like a bird.

Grogmog had never done this before. Why is he doing it now?

Nalina turned to pull the sand-coloured War Dog into the shelter, and then she saw it was too late. The hound was lying on its side, the gleam in its eyes disappeared. Tears flew down her face. Yet it was one of the rare situations in which Nalina knew she couldn't allow herself to drown in sadness. She had to move and think, not to give way to the wave of emotions.

Nalina hastily crouched under the carriage, watching the four Vigils as they approached her on their War Dogs.

They must have killed The War Dog.

With each passing second, they were getting closer and closer. The Vigil faces clearly marked their murderous intentions.

Some ... Some of them were actually loyal to me. They must already be dead. And ... And others are ... Coming to kill me. Oh, I can't believe my brother ordered something like this.

Her head hurt.

On the other hand, he always did wish for war ... Why is this stupid snake not leaving my side?

Grogmog was flying straight towards the four riders. Nalina's mouth opened as she stared at the magnificent scene.

The collision between the four bodies on War Dogs with a huge transparent winged snake made all The Vigils fall off of their animals at once.

Grogmog slammed one hound with his gigantic tail, immediately breaking his spine. The snake then chewed the other mutt in his jaws and spat a pile of dead meat into the sand. The third and fourth War Dog sank their teeth into Grogmog's body. He took off, screeching and wiggling in the air. Grogmog was trying to get rid of them, but unsuccessfully.

"Shoot him!" a bulky Vigil issued a command, cursing. "Fucking snake! Who would have said he would stand by her side? I swear I thought he would escape!"

Nalina could see that two of The Vigils had spears. The other two carried slingshots. The girl clawed at her face, fearing for Grogmog. She couldn't believe the snake had remained on the battlefield for her. Nalina realized she had become dear to him.

I wasn't aware Grogmog had developed such a degree of loyalty that he was determined to fight for me. Nalina felt the warmth around her heart.

Stones whooshed towards the snake. After a few moments, Grogmog stopped waving his now hurt wings and began falling to the ground.

Two War Dogs that held him tight opened their jaws in fear. They smashed into the sandy terrain from a great height, dying instantly.

Grogmog somehow landed on the canopy of a nearby leafless tree. Now the transparent snake was clumsily trying to descend from there. Sadly, once on the ground, the spears of the Vigils greeted him. They jabbed at him ruthlessly.

"Noooo!" Nalina cried out in exasperation, touching a mark on her inner elbow. An accompanying familiar tingled along Nalina's entire body, piercing her neck and back. Her muscle mass re-distributed, and she felt indestructible ... and ... fearless.

Damn them all! They'll pay for what they did. Grogmog ... He can't die ... I won't let them kill him! Anilan ran headfirst towards one Vigil with so much force that he literally rushed through him. He tore the man's body in two halves, disintegrating his flesh.

The other three Vigils screamed, shocked by this new phenomenon. They were turning around, looking for the princess. But she was nowhere to be found.

"Who the fuck is this? Where is she? Where? She couldn't have disappeared just like that! Come on, form a circle, towards the carriage! Towards the ca-,"

A robust, muscular hand interrupted both The Vigil's speech and the swinging of his sling as it pulled his arm out of his shoulder.

The man sat down on the ground beneath the tree, howling. He was staring at the hole made by a two-metre-tall giant. The water was mercilessly flowing out of it, every drop getting him closer to the end of his life.

The heavy body of a snake dropped to his shoulders from the canopy. It squeezed his neck until it eventually separated TheVigil's head from his torso. Grogmog dragged himself along towards Anilan. The serpent was weakened but resolved to aid his new ally with the remaining two enemies.

He needed no help anymore.

Anilan was performing the dance of death, punching their bodies here and there, penetrating their flesh, creating multiple orifices. He was like a River Storm that wrecked fragile shells of boats. But these boats were not made of wood. They were soft, pliable meat, skin and bone, which Anilan could easily break and crush, shattering it all without the slightest effort.

Anilan felt like a creator who was now destroying everything in front of him in anger, dissatisfied with what he had made. When he finally finished, Anilan fell to his knees in a crumpled dress. Within him, raged the mixture of fury, fear and helplessness.

Anilan touched the elbow Etching, making an unusual reverent bow before his nature he could not control.

Nalina returned to her own body.

Ouch. I can feel every bruise I received as Anilan. Now I definitely hope those girls packed a couple of shirts and pants. Oh, bravo. I slaughtered a dozen people, and I'm worried about whether I packed enough clothes.

She looked around and noticed Grogmog slowly slithering towards her. He finally reached Nalina and put his head in her lap. "Oh ... Thank you ... My dear, smart ... Thank you very much ... You saved my life and ... I ... Grogmog! You ... You ... Have you shrunk?" she said, astonished and breathless. "What ... What's happening to you?"

Under her gentle fingers, she could appreciate a multitude of holes. "You're hurt? What can I do? How can I help you?" Nalina yelled in fright.

The snake pushed his head towards the flask she was carrying around her waist.

"The barrel ... The barrel in which they held you," Nalina stood up and looked at the direction of the carriage. "It's smashed!" Nalina screamed. "You think you can ... you can get in here?" Her nervous fingers somehow opened the flask, and Nalina showed him a small hole.

The drops of water from Grogmog's body began to enter the wooden bottle. After some time, the water filled the container, and most of the enormous snake stayed outside, no longer moving.

"Oh, no. Not you too," Nalina whispered, utterly broken. She knelt to the ground, defeated.

The theatrical, arrogant clapping broke the silence.

Nalina jumped back to her feet unceremoniously, wondering where she found strength for such a thing. She was ready to face a new potential threat.

"Way-to-go gir-lie. It was a damn good fight. By the looks of it, The Second Water War has already started."

Nalina heard a scoffing voice behind her back that seemed to belong to some playful boy. Nonsense. It can't be a child, she shook her head, still unable to turn around. Nalina listened to silent steps that drew closer and closer. She was ready for another jump even if it were her last. Yet, when she tried, Nalina didn't find the energy resume her destructive form, although she desperately attempted to do so.

I didn't ... I didn't see him. Well, that's the one I missed to kill, looks like it. Is he one of my brother's men? Maybe ... Maybe he hid and waited for me to return to this form so he could overcome me easily? And Grogmog is ... He's gone.

Nalina suppressed her tears before the thought the snake was no more. She clung to the wooden flask, conscious that that's where Grogmog's last drops were.

I can't move. I can't do anything. I am at his mercy. Nalina, panicked, felt like a hunted animal.

The last thing she expected was a soft, soothing hand to drop on her shoulder. Warmth swept through her entire body.

"I'm usually not the one for wars and battles. I'm more inclined to constructive thinking and fast earnings. Based on what you showed here, if The Mountain ever needed to join The Second Water War, I don't believe it would be good for us to be enemies."His voice became softer as Nalina did not respond to his jokes. It eventually turned into a worried whisper.

"Are you all right, honey?"

Did he just call me ...

Nalina didn't have time to get angry about being addressed this way. She felt a sudden weakness. Everything that happened to her flew in front of her eyes. Her head spun.

The last thing Nalina saw were narrow, caring grey pupils.