CHAPTER 1
THE SMELL of death, the reeking scent of blood soaking the soil and the corpses upon corpses of the empire's sorcerers and the kingdom's soldiers— it was a horrific sight to behold. And in the middle of that bloody slaughter was a woman with long brown wavy hair, holding a sword soaked in soldier's blood.
The Mistress of Nature and the sword Goddess— Gatria Valen Balsatra.
No mercy could be seen in her cold, calculating eyes. An air of malevolence in her gait. Only cruelty could be perceived from her graceful and beautiful face as she swiftly swung her sword made from her own essence and sprinted forward to attack once again.
Watching Gatria wield her sword was like watching a dancer on the stage. The only difference was Gatria was leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake.
The screams of pain and terror of the soldiers and sorceress resonated in the air, causing a frenzy to other soldiers who could feel the other soldier's torment through their shrieks and howls. Their bodies trembled. Regret consumed them as they watch their comrades perish by the sword of the Mistress of Nature.
The suffocating condense pressure that the Mistress of Nature was releasing around her was almost too much to bear that the soldiers were frozen in place and coughing blood.
The Mistress of Nature killed and slaughtered the kingdom's soldiers with her sword, and never once did she used nature as her weapon. She wielded her sword to quench her thirst for revenge and anger.
From the air, Sollel, the Mistress of Flame could see the slaughter on the ground as they defended the town of Adral. Even from a distance, seeing Gatria wielding her sword and cutting soldiers mercilessly, Sollel could feel Gatria resentment, it was too strong that the ground outside the town of Adral, where the battle was taking place, was becoming dead while being dyed with blood.
But it was not solely Gatria's fault, Sollel's flame was too fierce that the ground dried up from its overpowering heat and broke. Her gigantic flaming swords raining down from the sky and piercing the ground was enough to destroy the surroundings and burn the empire's sorcerers as if they were nothing but small bugs. And those who were lucky to escape with their lives intact was targeted by Cira's arrows and Xeke's dagger.
As an Elven warrior, Cira was used to battlefields. And with Xeke's dagger supporting her in the air, her bows had easily reached the enemy's back line.
"Cira," Xeke appeared beside her in mid-air, "I'm going to infiltrate the empire's back line."
Cira released her arrow and glanced at Xeke. "Then why are you still doing here?"
"Can't I have a good luck kiss?"
Cira pulled an arrow from her quiver and aimed her bow at Xeke. "Oh. You want this?"
Xeke smiled and disappeared. Cira thought Xeke had teleported to the enemy's back line when suddenly, he appeared in front of her and stole a kiss on her lips yet again.
Before Cira could react, Xeke disappeared.
Cira fumed as her cheeks reddened. "Xekeeeee...!"
Cira wanted to shoot her arrows at Xeke, but decided to do it later. She had enemies to shoot and a town to defend.
In the meanwhile, on top of the stone gate of the town of Adral, stood Zassia with her staff as she used her flame to block and attack the sorcerers that were trying to enter the town. Zassia gave her all and used everything she learned from her teacher. She wanted to be worthy of her teacher's tutelage.
Beside her was Commander Gabin and his shield, protecting Zassia from the sorcerers attacks, and below her was Grath, his sharp flaming claws were slashing sorcerers and sorceress left and right to prevent them from entering Adral and causing destruction. While Zassia's grandfather, Zio, was trying to help block the sorcerer's attack in the air.
"Just... Who is that woman...?!" A water sorcerer bellowed seeing Zassia on top of the stone gate producing fierce balls of flame and dagger-shaped flames from her firestone staff.
It was maddening that aside from the Mistress of Flame, they had to worry about a Flame Sorceress who's flame was fiercer and stronger than anyone!
"Do something about that woman on top of the gate!" A flame sorceress commanded.
Two water sorcerers obliged, but they couldn't get passed the descendant of Sappher protecting the woman on top of the stone gate.
"W-we shouldn't have come here!" A wind sorcerer shouted in terror.
"Retreat! Let's leave!" A water sorcerer bellowed as he tried to run from the fight, but was caught up by the Mistress of Flame's constant barrage of ball of flame in the size of a boulder.
Overlooking that chaos, standing on his wyvern, Vago, was Treven— with his arcane weapon, Soulshard, surrounding half of Adral. His soulshard was a shield that could deflect physical and elemental attack. It was known to be indestructible, but really, it had its limits. And the limit was three consecutive attacks from a being blessed by deities.
Treven's job was to block the sorcerers attacks in the air and also, to watch over everyone and wrapped his soulshard shield around them if needed.
Although his help was not required, really. It was a one-sided battle. Gatria was slaughtering the kingdom's soldiers mercilessly and Sollel was trampling and burning everyone in the empire's side. The elf princess, Cira and Warlord Xeke were annihilating the enemy's back line.
Treven didn't have to do anything and it seemed to him that Hakkeran realized that too after a while because Hakkeran had put down his flaming sword and just stayed at the Mistress of Flame's side.
The Mistress of Nature, the Mistress of Flame and their companions were enough to finish this one-sided battle that he have already withdrawn his soulshard and returned it into its crystal ball form.
But that bastard... Treven thought of Warlord Kar and roamed his eyes on the battlefield, looking for a familiar face that he loathed.
And there he was. Fighting against Gatria.
Treven clenched his fist as anger swelled inside him. Is it not enough that you betrayed her, you bastard?!
Enrage, Treven gave his order to Vago. "Vago, to Gatria— Now!"
Feeling his master's rage, Vago flew fast towards Gatria. When they reached her, Treven jumped down from Vago to the ground and as he landed, he immediately breaks the crystal ball in his hand and used its shard to make a shield around Gatria and himself.
"Go." Treven said to Gatria who slightly turned to him after he appeared behind her. "Have your revenge."
Gatria silently nodded. And with Treven's soulshard protection, she held her sword tightly, sprinted forward and slashed her sword against Kar.
Kar's war hammer blocked Gatria's slash and every hack and slash attack that followed, but Gatria's movement became even faster and fiercer. Her sword had become sharper that it was leaving cut marks on Kar's war hammer made of steel. Gatria was wielding her sword with no hesitation as she closed the gap between her and Kar without fear of being hit by the war hammer because she knew Treven was behind her and protecting her.
All of a sudden, Kar's war hammer emitted a powerful pressure pulling Gatria close.
A smirk made its way to Gatria's lips. She was waiting for it.
Gatria let the pressure pulled her close to Kar and when Kar raised his war hammer to smash it against her, with Treven's soulshard still around her to protect her, Gatria thrust her sword and buried it in Kar's chest.
But that wasn't enough.
Her anger hadn't been quenched.
All the pain she had been enduring. The betrayal that caused her kingdom and her people harm. The love that she had that now turned into hatred— all those emotions were poured on Gatria's sword, doubling her killing intent.
Gatria pulled out her sword from Kar's flesh and buried it again and again and again—until Gatria was bathing in Kar's blood— stabbing, hacking and slashing Kar, who had seized moving because of the poison on Gatria's sword that could paralyze anyone.
But even if there was no poison to paralyze him, the hatred that Kar could see in the woman's eyes were enough to rob his ability to move.
For some reason he couldn't comprehend. It hurts to see that hatred pointed at him.
No. It was not hatred. She loathed him. Even his death was not enough to appease her anger, he could tell. Even if she hacked him into pieces, it would never be enough.
Gatria... Kar thought as he stared at the woman stabbing, slashing and hacking him with so much hatred. There was no hesitation— she wanted to kill him and kill him she would.
Gatria only stopped when Kar fell to the ground.
Gatria looked down at Kar's bleeding and almost half-dead body. "I wish... that I had never met you."
Those words pierced Kar's consciousness.
And without an ounce of mercy and emotion in her eyes, Gatria stood beside Kar's tattered and bloody body, raised her sword to deliver the final blow, ready to bury it on Kar's chest, but the kingdom's soldiers interrupted Gatria.
They attacked her using their numbers so they could drag the general's body to safety. General Kar Drue's safety was more important than anyone, so the kingdom's soldiers decided to risk their lives to rescue and escape with the general.
"Go! Save the general!"
"Go! Take him to safety!"
"Soldiers! Retreat!"
"Sorcerers! Retreat! Go back!"
Treven walked towards Gatria and stood beside her as they watched everyone retreating. "Are you just going to let them escape?"
Gatria willed her swords in her hand to disappear and spoke coldly. "Let them. It's not like we're not going to see them again. We'll be visiting Treterra soon. Let them live for a couple of weeks and wallow on their fear. And," Gatria turned to Sollel in the air, "it's not like Sollel would just let them leave like that after they graciously visited us."
Before Treven could ask what Gatria meant, balls of flames rained down on the fleeing soldiers and sorcerers making Treven's mouth gape. He was not even sure if someone could escape that, if they did, then they were very lucky.
"It's been so long that I forgot how dangerous the Mistress of Flame is." Treven said as he looked up at the sky where Sollel was with her flaming wings.
"But you," Treven returned his gaze at Gatria, "why didn't you use your powers?"
"My sword is enough." Said Gatria who was roaming her eyes on the death she caused. "If I use nature against them, it'll just be overkill."
"I guess..." Treven let out a deep breath and was about to add something when he saw the Mistress of Flame wielding a flaming bow, aimed at the direction where the empire sorcerers and the kingdom's soldiers fled. "She's still... not done?"
"That's the Queen of destruction for you." Said Gatria before she started walking towards the town of Adral's gate.
Treven followed Gatria while he told Vago to return to his enchanted animal bead.
At the town's gate, Gatria and Treven met up Zassia, Gabin and Grath.
Instinctively, Gatria used her essence to heal Grath who had cuts and wounds for fighting off the sorcerers that wanted to enter through the gate.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Grath bowed his head at Gatria.
From the air, Sollel landed on the ground the same time her flaming wings disappeared on her back. Seconds later, Nessus, Hakkeran's gryphon landed beside Sollel and Hakkeran jump down from Nessus' back to stand beside his Queen Sollel. Then moments later, Xeke, Cira and Zio arrived at the stone gate.
Zio immediately went to praised his granddaughter. "Little Zaza, you were incredible! If your grandma saw you, she'll be very proud."
Zassia smiled. "Thank you, grandpa." Then she turned to Gabin, who was standing beside her. "Thank you as well, Commander Gabin. I could only release my flame without worry because you were there, protecting me."
Gabin glanced at Zassia and after staring at her for a little while, he finally replied, "it was my pleasure."
Zassia beamed at Commander Gabin and Gabin had to look away because Zassia's smile was too bright for him.
And to escape that bright smile, Gabin faced his lordship and slightly bowed his head. "Your Excellency, may I excuse myself? I will lead our warriors to dispose the bodies outside the town properly."
Hakkeran nodded. "Go ahead. We don't want them turning into undead."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Gabin bowed his head at his lordship before he went to gather the Adral warriors.
"What now?" Treven asked.
"We continue the celebration," Sollel answered and encircled her arms around Gatria. "We can all talk tomorrow, but tonight, we celebrate our victory."
Gatria nodded with a smile. "Agreed. Let's go back to the castle."
"Yes!" Sollel let go of Gatria before summoning her wings to fly. "Hakken! Come on! Let's go."
Gatria shook her head at that and rode Vago with Treven. Meanwhile, Hakkeran rode Nessus with Grath. Zassia was carried by her grandfather and Cira was traveling in the air with Xeke.
In no time, they arrived at the castle and they were greeted with cheers and a round of applause.
And as if nothing happened, the celebration continued and everyone had a good time.
♕♕♕
THE NEXT MORNING, Sollel woke up early and went to tour around Adral with Hakkeran. She visited the people of Ignis Village who survived the empire's attacks and they were crying in happiness when Zassia introduced the Mistress of Flame to them.
Sollel was stunned.
They were humans, but they revered the queens of Yther. They were like Zassia, offering their prayers and bowing their heads so enthusiastically. So different from the other humans Sollel hated which made Sollel wonder if there were other humans like them.
And as Hakkeran accompanied Sollel to roam around town, she saw different races working together and lending a helping hand. Just like when Yther Kingdom was prominent. The humans in Adral were not the same as the humans Sollel loathed. They were respectful to every race and they believed in the Queens of Yther.
"All the humans here in Adral are the Yther's Queens believer, my lady." Hakkeran said as he held Sollel's hand and intertwined them as they walked. "They were the ones who believed in the Yther's Queens. Their ancestors made sure to pass down the truth about the Yther's Queen to them before they were killed by the four kingdoms. In my three lifetimes that I'd been roaming around Azitera, I came to know that not all humans believed in the four kingdoms' lies. They just couldn't voice out their opinions, afraid that they might be targeted and killed."
Sollel became silent as she watched the human kids played with everyone without prejudice. Happiness was painted on their faces.
"My lady, I hope you don't take this the wrong way." Hakkeran said, seeing how his queen stopped walking and looked down. "I know how much you adored humans before the sieged and it pained you that they betrayed your trust and care. That's why I'm telling you this, because I want you to know that not every humans believed in the four kingdom's lies. I hope, even a little, this knowledge would lessen the pain in your heart."
Seeing Sollel silent, Hakkeran regretted a bit that he brought up the talk about humans knowing how much his queen hated them.
Hakkeran was about to speak when Sollel suddenly faced him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Thank you, Hakken..." Sollel whispered.
Hakkeran was relieved. "You're not mad at me?"
Sollel shook her head while still embracing Hakkeran. "How could I? You're on top of the list of people who would do anything to make me happy. I know my Hakken means no harm."
Hakkeran took a deep breath to settle his racing heart and embraced his krahika back. Not caring if they were in the middle of the town and people were looking and smiling at the them teasingly.
After Hakkeran and Sollel's display of affection in the middle of the town, the two continued touring around Adral, hand in hand and with a smile on their face.
When Hakkeran and Sollel went back to the castle, Gabin needed to speak to Hakkeran so Sollel excused herself and went to the castle's parlor where Gatria was.
"Where did you pick her up?" Gatria asked Sollel while her hazel eyes were on Naya who was enjoying the fresh air outside the terrace connected to the parlor while Cira was braiding Naya's long obsidian hair.
"A slave store," Sollel answered.
"She's not human." Gatria observed.
Sollel nodded. "She couldn't remember anything.
"And you believed her?" Gatria had become a jaded person after the betrayal she experienced. It was hard for her to believe in things and people again. "I'm not criticizing you, Sollel, it's just that you don't even know what she is. All we know is that she's not human or any other races we know."
"She's a child, Gatria." Sollel defended Naya "I know she's suspicious, but I can't just leave her be."
Gatria sighed at Sollel. "Children has always been your weakness."
Sollel smiled at that. "Because they are the future of Azitera." Slowly, her smile disappeared. "Gatria, I've been thinking."
"About what?"
"About humans." Sollel glanced at Zassia who joined Naya and Cira in the terrace. "I was angry and resentful after I escape my prison, that I only thought of killing them all. But after seeing the humans here in Adral, I realized that only a few humans knew the truth about us. It had been a long time for short-lived races like humans to remember us or to know anything about us. Their history was changed and they've been taught to view us as villains."
"After everything they did to us, you still have compassion left for them." It was not a question, but a statement from Gatria.
Sollel bravely looked at Gatria and met her gaze. "I'm not saying that we should forgive the royal families and the humans who exploited us and made other races miserable. I'm just saying that there are humans— like from Zassia's village and this town— who just wanted to live their life in peace. You should meet them, Gatria. Most of them didn't want to be part of the war."
Gatria became silent, but Sollel held her ground.
"Hakken told me that there were still humans who believed in us, Gatria. Can't we, at least, spare them?"
Gatria didn't reply to Sollel's question. Instead, she excused herself and coldly left the parlor.
Sollel heaved a deep sigh, but her somber mood instantly vanished with her companions went to sit with her on the upholstered couch now that Gatria left.
"Mamma!" Naya was hugging her waist.
"Greetings, Teacher." Zassia meekly sat beside her while Cira was behind the couch and asking if she could braid her hair.
Sollel smiled at everyone and let Cira braid her hair. Meanwhile, Gatria, who left the parlor, went to Treven's bedroom.
"Why the cold and long face?" Treven asked after closing the book he was reading.
"You couldn't believe what Sollel just asked me."
Treven raised his eyebrows at Gatria. "Let me guess... Spare the other humans?"
Gatria's eyes widened at Treven. "How did you know...?"
Treven shrugged. "I'm a spy, remember? I overheard her and Hakkeran talking about some humans who still believed in Yther's Queen and knowing the Mistress of Flame and her adoration towards humans, I'm willing to bet that that's what she asked of you."
Gatria's lips thinned.
Treven sighed and looked at Gatria. "We'll be traveling on foot to the Kingdom of Treterra and to the sky castle. Why don't you observe the humans before you gave your answer to Queen Sollel?"
Gatria sat on the edge of Treven's bed, beside Treven. "What if, by doing so, it'll only prove that my anger is justified?"
"Then don't spare them." Treven answered easily with a shrugged. "You're the Mistress of Nature, the overseer of Azitera. It was your responsibility to oversee before you bring your Judgement. Though when it comes to the Kingdom of Treterra, I have no mercy left for them."
"You and me both, Treven." Gatria agreed before she sighed softly and went to lean on Treven's shoulder. "I wished Astrid is here. She'll know exactly what to do."
"Isn't that the reason why we're going to sky castle?" Treven pinched Gatria's cheek. "For now, you're the one who's here. You decide what to do, I'll follow. As always."
Gatria smiled at that. "You know, Treven, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're in love with me."
Treven chuckled. "Please, you're not my type." Then Treven became earnest. "You're the first person who accepted me for who I am. My loyalty belongs to you, my queen."
"Hmp! As if." Gatria scoffed. "When that half-demon appear, I'll bet you'll change loyalty in no time."
Treven grinned. "How can I not be loyal to that handsome face?"
Gatria shook her head with a smile on her face. Her smile only disappeared when Treven brought up the name 'Kar'.
"I'm sure he's still alive," said Treven. "What are you going to do if you face him again, Gatria?"
"What else? Kill him, of course." Gatria answered without a sliver of hesitation.
"Can you really?"
"You think I can't?"
Treven remembered what happened last night's battle. Gatria was really going to kill Kar if the soldiers didn't interfere. There was no hesitation. Her killing intent was so palpable that even he felt it. "I think you can."
"Hmm." Gatria nodded and took a deep breath as her eyes darkened and sharpened. "If there was one person I can't spare, nor forgive— it's him."
Warlord Kar Drue Ymbert.
CECELIB | C.C.