After a minute of a thought, I hate to break it up to this naga with me.

We do not have all night planning a makeshift breakthrough against these rascals, and so I speak: “So, what now? Have you thought of anything for us to survive this onslaught?” thwarting Habaraef’s thought, while she is in deep thinking.

She doesn’t even notice me when I sound out to her. I admire this naga’s focus. Really. Saying the truth in my utmost genuine fashion. Whereas I am thinking in the back of my head: “Atta girl. No one can stop you!” with such adulation for her concentration. However to me, the proximity within our faces is an arm apart. I am not going to lie about this but this gives me a grimace to my spine and a queasy feeling to my skin. Apart from those, I feel it in my gut that it also gives me a frigid sensation when I am close to this scaly and slimy creature.

I like to intervene in her deep thinking, she might have lost her inner mind, inquiring: “Have you thought of any? Let me hear your genius…” albeit, I doubt this scaly creature has something on its mind - the very sole thing this slimy scale lizard is thinking about is her meal.

I am tired of waiting, actually. I exhale an air, sighing as I express my feelings out of disdain to this situation. I regret having to take up Captain Leonis’ orders. Another muscle. Indeed, a muscle yet her brain seems not to be working. I wish I had taken not his kind offer. Well, it was a trap. Both the mission… and this shite! Best way to die, eh? I am not conceding… I will discard this letdown scaly animal when she is done - I mean she is near to her end. I will find an episode when I could take Habaraef out of commission, fabricating akin to an accident. Due to the fact that in the moment when I needed her, this is where this piece of dung’s brain stops working. It’s aggravating. Seriously.

“Hey…” I tap her shoulder, still no response - holding her snout and staring at to where I don’t know, where the enemies might be?

This is the third time that I have been ignored. I feel disrespected. While we are at it dawdling and doing nothing, the otherside starts to hurling projectiles at us. The foes have made their move… ! Damn it! I pick some stone near us and since we are behind this huge pile of logs. I throw it blindly and who knows it will hit them. Five dead and eight more to go as this scaly naga claims, under the night sky where I can see not the three moons radiating up in the heavens. Well, those three moons are behind those thick clouds similar to what we are doing. Although, we are fortunate that these logs are not moving unlike the moons’ cover. I know that Habaraef is already suffering an injury. I am all well aware of that but I am not sorry. She did what I didn’t ask. But I am grateful - a pretense thanks, though.

“Lord Ash (Æ)...” and oh finally! The moment that I have been waiting for, and she has started to speak up after minutes of staying still and getting bombarded.

“Let me hear it.”

“Lord Æ, I think-...” she exhales, recuperating her words at the back of her forked tongue, “... I’m s-s-s-so sorry, Lord Æ. But I-I-I think that nature is trying to summon me.” and that is her response which makes me stunned.

Great. This is my reinforcement?!? How wonderful, indeed, it is! Too much time I have wasted. And now, I am babysitting this piece of crap who claims to be about to dung herself?!? Heavens from the above, please, give me strength. I look up in the skies and still no light illuminates from us below. The layers are there and they are moving at a slow pace while the enemies are moving concurrently throwing anything. Like in a pond, the waters are stable - we are sitting ducks right here, waiting to be hunted. One way or another, we are in need of some help here. Another night sentry, some magic, whatever… Damn it! I was asking for Death to appear before me and now, I am actually afraid of dying. Oh, for all these years and abruptly it hits on my mind whether I can see those poor souls that I had dealt with.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Lord Æ, let’s go…”

“Whence?”

“Just follow m-m–me…” then she yanks my wrist.

“What in the world of Geböþæđ are you dragging me into?” as I ask, I get livid, in a sense that we manage to shake off the pursuers.

And right before my eyes, this place seems to be erroneous. First of all, where are we? This place is new or rather unfamiliar - is it because it is nighttime? Second of all, is this scaly lizard really damn sure about this place? By the looks on her face, Habaraef herself really does know not this place much. What is this glancing around - to her left, to right, and the ones on our back? I notice Habaraef then points her finger while she is staring directly to it towards her left. I follow the direction this scaly creature claims to be pointing at. Sure, nothing is there if I can reassure myself. She grabs her blade on her back then throws it in the direction.

“Alright, what is of the problem here, if you want to fill me up, Habaraef?” as I am unsure about what Habaraef wants to prove at this point, I inquiry.

The scaly creature does respond not to my question once more - it is the fourth time. Thus, I ask for a second time, speaking: “We are fighting ghosts by now, huh? I am pretty much aware of myself if we are ghosts ourselves.” I know it is peculiar for me to prance around. I, for one, am a serious individual - I guess at this point I have accepted my fate.

“Habaraef, it has been a good run.” I speak.

Then suddenly, a cry from the distance where the naga’s blade had certainly reached a point. There is no way she hits that kind of a throw. As the volume of the scream from afar is getting more obvious than usual. I digress, the partner whom Captain Leonis employed - she has some pretty dreadful skills. Meanwhile, as I might assume, the enemies’ advance has halted. The moons. Three of the moons have started to illuminate below us. Talking about some damn luck. With the emergence of the three moons, I dash towards the uncertainty. This might be our chance, it is best to reap it.

“Habaraef, flank to the right…” I bark my order at her, whereas I am moving at a swift pace to the left. It is best for us to not squander this auspicious moment and… Of course, in case of the naga’s capabilities, not to jinx it up.

Habaraef now is on the move where she slithers quickly to where I want her to be. She lags eight seconds, reaction time-wise. However, I know she can move on easily because if I am not mistaken - there is a river bank in that area and it is alongside to where she is heading to. Or if not, she can just utilize her tails through the puddles along the path. I hear the cry is growing stronger and stronger. I might deduce if the poor soul is suffering or am I close to them, pertaining to the distance between them and I.

I stop, then I tilt my head to the right. The scream is still there wailing. I dash through the source. They are near. As well as I am running, I can see them in their defensive stance while the other one is assisting the wounded one. The scaly naga was right. There are eight distinct individuals: six of them are guarding and on alert, one is injured, and the other one is just barely able to walk. I press on in a discreet fashion yet at a fast pace. Then, there is a roar from the otherside and I know who might that be. When the three of the stooges turn around to respond to Habaraef's attack, I throw three stones hitting the guys simultaneously. Jackpots. Weapons disarmed. Heads concussed. Hands on their heads. I take my chances at the moment, slitting throats one-by-one and now they are drop dead. Five down earlier and eight down now.

After all said and done, Habaraef teases me, saying: “What were you saying?” in a rather patronizing tone.

I am about to say something rebut at Habaraef’s condescending attitude and the fireworks in the skies explode.

“Nothing… I guess it’s time.”