CHAPTER 55
SOLLEL WAS in the center of the raft, not moving an inch, as three balls of flame floated around her. Yes, she was more than ready to attack, but after an hour navigating the marshland, nothing was happening. Thought that didn't bring down Sollel's guard one bit. She believed that something was in the water, and she had to be prepared.
"My lady, are you okay?" Hakken asked, seeing how stiff Sollel was.
Sollel was looking around, checking the marshland's surface. "I'm okay. I just hate this kind of body of water."
Hakken couldn't help smiling, amused. "So, the Mistress of Flame has fears too."
Sollel glared at Hakken, "I don't like things that I can't burn and can escape my flame." Then she turned to Grath, "can we hurry up, Grath? I don't want to spend a night in this marshland."
Everyone could see that the queen hated the marshland, so Grath started rowing fast. Unfortunately, the vibration their raft made in the water as they move fast was awakening the inhabitant of the marshland.
Suddenly, Sollel's felt the raft shook, as if something bumped into it.
"What's that?" Sollel asked as she hurriedly got up and looked at the water.
Zassia who looked calm glanced at Sollel. "We just bumped into some vegetation, teacher."
"No." Sollel shook her head. "That is not vegetation."
Sollel was more than ready to make it rain fire on the marshland when Hakken covered her eyes that were looking up in the sky, summoning her ball of flame. "My lady, you are not doing that. That kind of massive attack will attract the Kingdom's people and monsters alike. And it will also destroy our raft."
Sollel blows a loud breath and carefully pushed Hakken's hand over her eyes away. "What do you want me to do? Something is in the water."
"There's always something in the water, my lady."
Sollel blows a loud breath. "That is not helping at all!"
Hakken smiled and kissed his lady's temple. "We'll be fine, don't worry about—"
Before Hakken could finish his words, they felt a strong force slammed on their raft from under the marshland.
"I told you!" Sollel hissed and bolts of flame immediately appeared on Sollel's palm and fingertips, and Sollel shaped it into a whip. But of course, she also readied her ball of flames behind the clouds. For safety purposes.
The three were just as worried as Sollel, but they couldn't help feeling amused seeing the queen so worked up. It was their first time to see the queen like that. She had always been strong and an epitome of indestructible with her flame, so to see the queen panicking was a new sight to behold for all of them.
However, even though their queen was amusing, they all readied their weapons to fight.
Grath readied his claws. Zassia readied her staff. And Hakken had his new war blades in an instant since his old once were melted by Sollel when they were running from those pesky devouring bugs.
Sollel immediately blessed Hakken's war blades with her normal flame and they all looked at the water quietly, waiting for another attack. No one spoke. No one moved as they waited.
But they were not as ready as they thought there were when the monster living in the marshland finally showed up. It was huge! Four loud gasps were heard and Hakken's rapid orders were heard.
"Grath! Let's row this raft fast! Zassia, distract that fish! My lady! Attack it with your flame!"
With everyone getting orders from Hakken, they were in sync except for Sollel who was looking at the very long and very big slimy black fish.
"What is that?"
"A young bloodsucking fish, teacher." Zassia happily provided the answer and Sollel shivered in disgust.
"Young? That's young?" Sollel felt a little queasy seeing the fish slithering towards their direction as Zassia tries to distract it with her flame so Grath, and Hakken could row the raft fast and reached the other side of the marshland.
"Yes, teacher." Zassia nodded and summoned a flame ball over the bloodsucking fish and dropped it, hitting the slithering fish's head, but still no effect. "The adult is double its size."
"Disgusting..." was all Sollel said before she imbued flame on her enchanted hand chain, and it morphed into a flaming bow.
And with her flaming bow and arrow, Sollel aimed and shoot rapidly. Hitting its body and head that was peeking out of the water. Sollel didn't stop shooting, but even at her rapid speed, it was not doing damage to the beast.
It was maddening Sollel because she knew why her attacks were not doing any damage. The beast is in the water and the water was a natural repellant of flame.
"That's it!" Sollel shouted with gritted teeth. "You are pissing me off!"
Sollel withdraw her flame from her hand chain, and she grabbed one of Hakken's war blade strapped on his back, and without warning, she jumped so high from the raft and landed on the long fish's head. Before the fish could react, Sollel already buried Hakken's war blade at its head.
It should be the end of it seeing how the fish struggled to swim deeper into the marshland to escape, but Sollel was not finished with it.
"Hakken! Give me a rope!" Sollel shouted in anger and the stunned Hakken mindless took out a rope from his bag and just watch his lady in astonishment as she used the rope to tie the hilt of the war blade that was buried in the fish's head, then she jumped again, from the fish's head and pulled the fish into the air with her!
And in mid-air, the pitiful fish was rapidly and brutally kicked countless times and flung further into the air for more kicking and punching. From where the three were standing, on the raft, if they didn't know that it was the queen in the air, they'll think it was a mad woman rampaging. Sollel's physical attacks were leaving flame and burnt marks on the fish's body, burning its skin and inside.
When she was finally done and when she finally let the fish fell into the marshland with a big splash on impact, nearly knocking off the raft and the three balancing themselves not to fall into the water, Sollel calmly landed on the raft with a relieved big smile on her face while rubbing her hands off as if dusting away some dirt. "There. I'm calm now. Let's go?"
The three who were shocked at the spectacle they witnessed just nodded but didn't move.
Then Zassia turned to Hakken who still had his mouth open. "Lord Hakken, I suggest you don't anger Her Highness."
Hakken finally closed his gaping mouth and nodded. "Yes. Agreed."
While Grath was so impressed at what he just saw that he couldn't help voicing out how awed he was. "That was amazing, Your Highness! I didn't know Her Highness is good in melee attacks too!"
Sollel took a deep satisfied breath and went back sitting on the center of the raft. "I don't usually use my strength that comes with my flame, but there are times that I just want to hit and crush something so bad."
Grath nodded because he, too, was a close combat warrior. "I thought Her Highness only had strong flame. Please, forgive my lack of judgement, Your Highness!"
Sollel nonchalantly waved her hand at Grath. "Don't mind it. The deities who blessed us with the elemental essence also gave us physical strength. I just don't use it often because my flame is enough, but that fish," everyone glanced at the now dead fish floating on the marshland, "pissed me off so bad."
Everyone smiled wryly, then Hakken was hit by a realization.
"My lady, where's my war blade?"
That question made Sollel covered her mouth with her hands in surprise. "Oh. I think, um, it drowned?"
Hakken sighed heavily. "You melted my two war blades and now you drowned another one. Are you planning to make me weaponless?"
Sollel looked away with her lips slightly pouting. "Don't be angry. It's not like it's your arcane weapon."
Hakken sighed heavily again. "You are not allowed to use my war blades anymore, my lady."
Sollel immediately frowned at Hakken. "Why?"
"Because I'll be out of weapons once we arrived in the Hallowed Valley."
Sollel grumbled but didn't say anything and remained seated in the center of the raft as Hakken and Grath row it fast so they would reach the other side of the marshland quickly.
Unbeknownst to the four, no beast in the marshland would dare go near them after seeing their kind being brutally kicked, flung, and killed brutally and mercilessly. In short, Sollel scared them.
And because of the fear Sollel instilled on the monsters in the marshland, it was a smooth sailing ride to the other side. Unfortunately, when they reached the other side, Sollel still hated it because it was wet and muddle and Zassia 'shared' her knowledge again.
"Be careful with the holes and muds, If I remembered correctly, a very nasty small fish-like monster lives there. It's flesh eating and poisonous. If you have wounds, it might enter and eat you from the inside."
Sollel sighed as she looked at the holes scattered on the ground. Some of them were covered in mud and one might mistakenly step on it.
"I wish I can fly." Sollel grumbled and Hakken glanced at Sollel when he heard it.
He wanted to fly too, it was easier and faster, but there were some reasons why he couldn't. First, he was trying not to attract attention to himself. He was hiding being inconspicuous after all. Second, when one was flying over the Valley of Bones, they'll encounter a mist that could make one hallucinate. And if one crossed the Shivering Valley using flight, the cold will kill you. But the desolate valley... As far as Hakken knew, one can fly over the desolate valley, though only up to the end of the aquatic beasts' territory. Moving forward through flying was poisonous to anyone.
But now... It's just them. No one will know. Hakken thought. No one will find out. No one will see.
Taking a transparent bead from his bag, Hakken contemplated first if it was a good idea before he summons his partner that was inside the bead, resting. Hakken knew it was not a good nor a safe idea, but if it meant his lady's comfort, which was his priority, then he'll risk it.
Meanwhile, Zassia, who saw the bead that Hakken took out from his bag, her eyes widened, and she exclaimed. "Oh, my deities! Is that an enchanted animal bead?!"
Hakken slightly leaned away when Zassia suddenly exclaimed. "Y-yes."
"Holy... Deities! That item is so rare that only monarchs own them! Only the Druid King could make them, that's what makes it so expensive" Zassia gasped in amazement again while staring at the bead with twinkling eyes. "You are really a very important person, Lord Hakken! To own such rare item!"
This was the reason why Hakken didn't like taking it out, but for his lady. "It's, um, a gift."
Zassia didn't care, but Grath didn't buy Hakken's explanation remembering Hakken's story when they were crossing the Shivering Valley. And if Grath didn't believe Hakken, Sollel even more so.
Hakken cleared his throat, "my gryphon can only travel to the end of the aquatic beasts' territory. After that, we're walking."
Sollel who was silently watching Hakken raised her eyebrow. Is he finally being honest for once, or is this part of his plan too? Or maybe he just wants me to be comfortable and safe since I remember hearing him say to Hakkeran that my safety is 'their' priority? Sollel sighed. She didn't know anymore, and she didn't want to think. It might make her angry and unlike the fish she brutally beat up to death, she couldn't do that to Hakken.
"Nessus, come out!" Hakken bellowed and as those words left his mouth, the bead shined brightly and the three watching the bead closely saw a figure with wings flew out of the bead and into the sky!
The four on the ground simultaneously looked up and saw a gryphon circle around them before it flew down and landed in front of Sollel.
A big and mighty gryphon. Staring straight into Sollel's eyes as if measuring her worth and her strength.
Sollel's left eyebrow rose as she stared back at the gryphon and the lava-like liquid in her eyes swirled. The staring contest lasted for a full minute as if the two were having a staring war before the gryphon purred and went to lick Sollel's hand as if asking to be petted.
Hakken cleared his throat. "Nessus, come here."
But Nessus didn't even glance at Hakken, instead Nessus moved to surround Sollel with his large body and he was rubbing his feathers and beak on Sollel's arm so affectionately.
Sollel smiled at how clingy the gryphon was and caressed its head. "You like me more than your master, huh?"
The gryphon made a sound of agreement making Sollel laughed. And her laughter subsided when the gryphon gestured Sollel to ride him.
Missing the feel of the air on her face while flying freely, Sollel immediately rode the gryphon and they were up in the sky in no time, flying high above and free. It was the best feeling in the world. And the gryphon was more than happy to fly Sollel in the air.
If Sollel hadn't told the gryphon to land so they could continue their journey, Nessus wouldn't even bother going back to its master. The gryphon was even grumbling when Hakken, Grath, and Zassia sit on its back. If not for Sollel constantly petting it and caressing its feathers, Nessus would continue to grumble the whole way.
"Ahh... This is the best." Sollel strengthen her back and spread her arms as she feels the air. "I miss flying."
Hakken, who was on the rear smiled at that. His lady never complained in their whole travel. Even if they slept on the ground, on the dead soil, or with rotting smell, she didn't mind. Even when there was no place to sleep and they had to improvise, she never made a fuss. But when they entered the aquatic beasts' territory here in the desolate land, she kept on complaining and Hakken knew she was uncomfortable.
Yes, it was risky, but worth it. Hakken thought after seeing his lady enjoying herself.
"Oh, look, teacher!" Zassia pointed something on the ground, a slithering long fish. "That's the adult form of the one you beat up to death."
The hair on Sollel's body rose. "That's disgusting."
Zassia laughed. "Teacher, I just realized now, you really dislike aquatic beats."
"I abhor them," Sollel let out a loud breath. "I hate anything that has something to do with water— well, except of Aenwyn. She's annoying sometimes, but we get along." Sollel smiled at the memory. "We're always getting into trouble and Gatria would scold us always, while Astrid would punish us by making us kneel on the floor for a day! We always complain, like children, but the elders always sided Astrid, saying how unrestraint and impetuous we are.
Sollel's smile widened. "Ah, Astrid... She has always been strict and very decisive."
"She sounds like a strong queen, teacher."
Sollel nodded. "She is. In terms of sword skills, she was on par with Gatria, but she was faster. And me and Aenwyn, we're not that good, even if try. I mean, I tried wielding a sword, and somehow I learned, but I'm still not skilled compare to Gatria and Astrid."
"But Your Highness," it was Grath who interjected after listening to Sollel and Zassia spoke. "You are amazing with a sword. I only saw a fraction of it earlier and I'll say that you are good."
"It's just the basics, Grath," said Sollel before she proudly added, "you should see Gatria and Astrid's sword's skill. They're magnificent." Then Sollel looked down at the ground. "As for me, I only learn to wield a sword to control my flame as per the elders request because they say my fame was too destructive that it always made Azitera shook when I'm using my full strength."
"Eh...?" Zassia was shocked because in the stories, the queen and her sword always go together. And shaking Azitera just because the queen used her power was new to Zassia.
While Grath blinked at that information, dumbfounded that a being could shake Azitera.
But the most shock of the three was Hakken— the warrior who lost to the Mistress of Flame's sword's skill.
"How do you control your power through wielding a sword, teacher?" Zassia asked again. Curious and ready to learn new information.
"Through feeding my sword with my flame," Sollel answered. "But I lost the sword that was specially made for me after the humans sieged Yther." Sollel sighed, "Oh, well, I believed it's in good hands. And I think it's for the best that I lost it. I'm not planning to hold back. My power now is only half of what I used to have, once I'm fully recovered, I won't mind shaking Azitera to bring those humans to their knees. My revenge is just starting."
Zassia gulped, feeling the air around the queen, as if her anger was manifesting, so Zassia tried changing the topic. "Does Queen Aenwyn use sword too? I bet she's also powerful."
Zassia was relieved when the hot air around the queen disappeared, and her voice became lively again. "Aenwyn? No. She hates swords. Thought she uses chains as her physical weapon. And you don't want to be hit by her chains, it would feel like a large wave slammed at you. I would know because I used to get hit by her chains when I'm fighting her with my sword since I'm not allowed to use my full flame."
Zassia was always curious and had so many questions. "Have you ever fought with Queen Aenwyn with full power?"
"Yes, I did." Sollel grinned at the memory. "But no one was declared a winner because we nearly cause a calamity in Azitera, and Astrid punished us by kneeling on the floor for a month! It was tiring."
Hakken smiled at that story. He heard about it. It was one of the reasons why the Sappher decided to wage war against the Yther Queens, because the Sappher thinks that the queens were a danger to Azitera because of the 'calamity' they nearly caused.
"Ah, I miss them..." Sollel sighed with longing. "We were like sisters even though we were raised from different temples. We all became a Krahika of our respected temples at the same time before we became Krahika of Yther. We argue a lot, we don't get along sometimes, we have different opinions and decisions, but at the end of the day, we always protect each other's back. Gatria, Aenwyn, Astrid... I will see you soon and we will raze hell in Azitera and make them pay, together."
There was a promise in the queen's voice that made the three behind her felt the chill.
This was not a rescue mission, this was revenge at its finest.
CECELIB | C.C.