CHAPTER 23
"ARE YOU mad?" Sollel asked Hakken as they entered the room Sollel rented. Sollel didn't feel uncomfortable at all. She was already used to traveling with Hakken that sleeping on the same bed was not really big of a deal to her. "Is it maddening to you that I don't care about humans?"
Hakken closed the door and stayed close to it. "Yes, my lady."
Sollel smiled softly and sat on the edge of the bed. "If the humans you love and care so much betrayed you, caged you, used you, and took everything you hold dear away from you...would you still care for them? Would you still give them a chance?"
Hakken became silent.
Sollel sighed. "Hakken, I'm not stopping you from treasuring humans. It's your right. You can love them as much as you want. I will respect that. That said, I expect the same respect when it comes to my hate toward humans. Do not tell me what to feel because you don't know my pain."
Hakken clenched his fist.
"To me, humans are my enemies," Sollel added coldly. "And showing compassion to my enemies is cruelty to myself."
Hakken closed his eyes, and when he opened them, it was void of emotion. "I'm sorry for asking you to give them a chance."
Sollel nodded. "It's okay as long as you understand. And I'm sorry too for lashing out on you. We're still a long way to Ager. I want to travel in peace."
Hakken finally took a step toward the bed and stopped in front of Sollel. "My lady?"
"Yes?"
"I want to sleep on the floor."
Sollel couldn't help chuckling at how serious Hakken sounded. "You don't want to share the bed with me?"
Hakken looked away, hiding his flustered face. "I want to treat you right, my lady."
Sollel actually expected that already, so she was not surprised. Surprisingly, as flirtatious as Hakken was, he never once crossed the line, always showing respect when needed. Maybe that's why she was comfortable with him because she knew Hakken would never take advantage of her.
Or is it because I can burn him to crisp if he tries? Sollel chuckled at that thought and handed a pillow and a cover to Hakken. "Here. You should rest. I know you're tired."
"And you, my lady?"
Sollel shrugged and teased Hakken, "Maybe I'll take a bath and then watch you sleep?" Seeing Hakken froze made Sollel laugh a little. "Hakken, for a flirtatious man, you are very prude."
Hakken busied himself taking his blade off on his back and spreading the cover on the floor as he muttered under his breath, "I'm only like this to you, my lady."
Sollel laughed a little and went inside the bathroom, leaving Hakken alone. And seeing his lady leave, Hakken let out a relieved breath as he lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling of the inn.
Enveloped with silence, Hakken remembered his lady's words.
If the humans you love and care so much betrayed you, caged you, used you, and took everything you hold dear away from you...would you still care for them? Would you still give them a chance?
Hakken pressed his lips together when he remembered what his answer was earlier when his lady asked him that. If they took my lady away and hurt her...I would probably kill them all.
A wry smile appeared on Hakken's lips. How hypocritical of me saying not all humans were bad and now thinking of annihilating them for a single person... Hakken wanted to laugh at himself. What idiocy am I spouting? What happened to my original goal?
Hakken looked at his war blade and sighed. His other war blade his lady borrowed when they were fighting those scorpions and lizards on the barren land melted in an instant after she imbued it with her flame, so now he only had one war blade. He planned to buy a replacement in Ager or Sarnau if he got a chance.
But her flame was too powerful that it melted my blade in an instant.
Hakken took a deep breath and closed his eyes before forcing himself to rest. Unfortunately, he was too tired that he immediately fell asleep. When he woke up, he saw his lady sleeping on the bed, her back on him. She had no cloak or hood on, her bloodred hair dazzling Hakken that he didn't realize his hand reaching out to touch it.
Soft. It was Hakken's first thought when his fingertips brushed against his lady's bloodred hair. Then he slowly wrapped a strand of his lady's hair around his forefinger before bringing the tip of her hair over his lips to kiss and feel it.
Hakken's expression softened as he whispered to himself, "My lady...it's been so long."
Hakken immediately pulled his hands away when he felt his lady stir on the bed, and he returned to his makeshift bed on the floor, watching his lady wake up, stretch her body, and comb her long, wavy bloodred hair that reached her buttocks. And then his lady tied it into a bun before putting her cloak and hood on.
Seeing his lady with her cloak on, Hakken decided to stop pretending to be asleep. He was about to get up when an anxious knock echoed on the door, and they heard Zassia's panicking voice.
"Teacher! Teacher! We have a problem!"
Sollel quickly opened the door while Hakken swiftly got up. Confusion filled Zassia's face when she saw her teacher and Hakken in one room, but she didn't ask nor pry because she had more important things to tell them.
"What is it?" Sollel asked Zassia.
Zassia took a deep breath and spoke with worry. "Grath...Grath is missing!"
Sollel's eyes widened. "What?"
Zassia was breathing heavily. "We were supposed to meet at the inn where Lady Cira was staying, but he never showed. I already looked everywhere for him. I think the people in the market knew where he is since he visited the market to buy food for our travel to Sarnau, but they won't tell me anything!"
Sollel's expression darkened. "Bring me to the market." If Grath did go there, she might be able to sense him since Grath was directly blessed by her. When one would accept Sollel's direct blessing and it became part of their essence, that essence would act like a beacon to Sollel, though it only worked for someone she directly blessed, like Grath and Zassia.
Zassia, Sollel, and Hakken left the inn in a hurry and ran toward the market. It was already night; some stalls were already closed, and some were about to close. Before they reached the center of the Market, Sollel immediately felt the lingering essence of Grath.
It felt like a robust heat but still very familiar since the core came from her.
Sollel stopped beside a closed stall and looked around. Grath's essence was stronger here than anywhere in the market. It means he might have used his powers here to fight someone. Sollel crouched down to touch the ground, and as she imbued the ground with her essence, it came across something familiar that Sollel immediately pulled back her essence.
I can't be mistaken! It's Gatria! Is she here? Sollel's heart thundered as she looked at the ground where she felt Gatria's essence. It was miniscule, but Sollel was sure of it. This was Gatria!
But the ground where she felt Gatria's essence had been dug out, like something was taken from it. What is it?
"What are you doing? Are you one of those crazy guards too?"
Sollel stilled when she heard a voice of a boy. She turned to face him and saw a ten-year-old boy carrying a small piece of bread.
"What crazy guards?" Hakken asked, hoping they could get a useful information.
The boy took a bite at the piece of bread he was carrying. "The crazy guards who dug the soil there," the boy said, pointing the ground where Sollel felt Gatria's essence, "and took it with them to the noble's hill."
"Why did they do that?" Zassia asked.
The boy shrugged. "Beats me. A vial slipped out from the wagon because that crazy strong demi-human kicked it. The vial broke, and whatever was inside soaked the ground. The crazy guards dug the soil and took it with them—"
"What happened to the demi-human?" Sollel asked, not waiting for the boy's full story. She could track Grath's essence, but it might take time.
"They took the demi-human with them."
"Where?"
The boy pointed the hill where nobles live. "There. I bet that demi-human is already dead by now. He killed one of the crazy soldiers."
Sollel's jaw tightened and walked hastily toward the hill, but Hakken blocked her path.
"I will not let you go up there without a plan, my lady!" Hakken raised his voice, hoping Sollel would listen.
"What plan? I don't need it." Sollel was boiling with rage. It was not only Grath they took but also Gatria. "I'll just burn them all."
Hakken didn't waver and remained standing in front of Sollel, blocking her way. "We need a plan—"
"I don't want to lose someone close to me again!" Sollel shouted at Hakken in rage and desperation as a tear fell from her eyes. "I...I already lost them all. I don't want to...lose another one."
Hakken gritted his teeth. "I know you're strong, but facing an unknown number of enemies and soldiers, you'll get hurt. Information is important if you want to win a war."
"Stop fighting, you two." Xeke's appeared out of thin air. "We need to move."
Cira appeared after Xeke; she was jumping from roof to roof. "Xeke and I already scouted the noble's hill. They got three hundred soldiers, one hundred mercenaries, and ten sorcerers under the noble's command."
Xeke nodded. "The whole hill is heavily fortified. We can't storm in easily to save Grath, but I think it'll be okay. Quantity doesn't matter. We have two flame sorceresses, an elf, me, and a hunter. I think we'll be just fine. But after saving Grath, we can't stick around. We need to leave immediately."
"But our food..." Zassia interjected.
"Don't worry," Cira grinned and tapped her satchel. "Already taken care of."
"Let's go." Time was of the essence, and Sollel didn't want to lose even just a second of it. Grath...Gatria...
Sollel, Hakken, Zassia, Cira, and Xeke ran toward the noble's hill. Sollel and Hakken was in front. Zassia and Cira were in the center, and Xeke was on the rear. The five climbed the hill, and except for Zassia who was breathing hard, everyone was still in a perfect condition after arriving at the top.
"Who are you?! Commoners are not allowed here!" the guard from the gate shouted in disdain seeing the five people in front of the gate of the noble's hill. "Scram!"
"Zassia," Sollel called Zassia's name in a commanding voice.
Zassia nodded, immediately understanding her teacher's tone. Zassia then raised her staff, the red stone glowed, and fireballs appeared behind her, waiting for her command.
"What do you think you're doing?!" the guard screamed in anger, like he was looking down on them.
Zassia pressed her lips together and whispered, "Attack." One single word and the three fireballs behind Zassia shot down the guards.
Zeke threw his dagger upward and appeared on top of the gate, his daggers floating in the air, aiding Cira to float and stay in the air while her bow and arrow glistened under the moonlight.
Xeke grimaced seeing the army and the mercenaries mobilizing after the loud explosion Zassia caused in the gate, the army protecting the interior while the mercenaries protecting the exterior, trapping their group in the middle.
Quantity was not a problem for strong individuals, but sometimes quantity could overwhelm even the strongest one.
Xeke teleported in front of Hakken and Sollel. "You two handle the army. We'll handle the mercenaries, and we'll try to help afterwards. Grath is being held in the center of their square park. You won't miss it." Then Xeke looked at Zassia. "Keep making fireballs, Lady Zassia, and make them explosive."
Everyone nodded at Xeke, but before Sollel left, she messed Zassia's hair and said, "Be careful. If you can't hold out, pray to Queen Sollel. She'll save you."
Zassia smiled brightly. "Yes, teacher."
Sollel faced Hakken, and after looking at each other, the two entered the noble's hill.
The armies inside immediately swarmed around Sollel and Hakken, but Cira—who could see the whole area with her bow and arrow ready—was not worried. In her mind, Queen Sollel could easily wipe out this noble hill and make it a barren land if she wanted to.
But Cira's confidence slowly disappeared when she saw the soldier attacking in a great number, and Queen Sollel dropped weakly on the ground.
The confidence in Cira's eyes was quickly replaced by worry and fear. There was only one thing in this world that could weaken the Mistress of Flame in an instant.
A moonrite stone!
CECELIB | C.C.