Loaye sat on the ground, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe, deep in thought. He kept muttering to himself. His face lighting up when he came with an idea, then he would frown, his shoulders slumping over as he deconstructed his own plan.
“The Daraa tribe has arrived for the celebration. I’ll speak to them, and they’ll get you passage out of the kingdom and through the red desert.” He finally settled on.
Ayah narrowed her eyes at him. “Weren’t they portrayed as barbarians who knew nothing except slaughter?”
Loaye fidgeted under her hard eyes. “Creative freedom,” he muttered. “They’re indeed warrior tribes, but their interest lies in commerce more than anything else.”
The red desert was one of the most notorious places on the continent. A place filled with monsters and other mysterious entities that regarded humans with utter contempt. Any tribe that occupies the red desert should, obviously, know their way around the sword. Otherwise, they wouldn’t survive.
Ayah groaned. “Was anything in your book right? What else did you lie about?”
“Hopefully you won’t need to find that out ‘cause you’ll be far away from here till the portal’s next opening.”
Ayah snorted. “Right. And why would I believe a word you’re saying now. What if this is another one of your creative liberties?”
“I’m trying to make things right,” Loaye lamented. “Someone like you wasn’t supposed to cross the portal, wasn’t supposed to arrive in this world. Not after all this time.” he sighed, running his hand over his face. “It’s like fate has already been decided and no one can stand in its course.”
“What do you mean someone like me? Loaye you better tell me what’s happening. I’ve had enough of your half-arsed answers.” She towered over his hunched form. “What do you mean someone like me?”
“An accursed,” he hissed. “Or that’s what everyone has come to call them these days. Their old name along with their true purpose has been lost in time. Now, they’re just tools for some to get a taste of an old forgotten power.”
He opened his mouth to say more, but the ruckus of hurried footsteps was getting closer and closer to their location. Loaye shot up to his feet, frantically looking at the direction the sound was coming from.
“You need to go for now. But don’t forget. Head to the market by dawn. I would send word to the tribe leader about you.” He leveled her with a worried stare, expression firm. “You need to leave this place.”
He turned and disappeared around the corner. Ayah could hear his voice as he commanded the guards to look for the intruder in some random direction he had pointed.
Ayah trudged back to the mansion arranged for the kingdom Temsia, her mind muddled and irked from her meeting with Loaye. All the information in his book shouldn’t be trusted, and should be dealt with like one would a poisonous viper.
A commotion at the back drew her attention, and she found herself unconsciously heading towards the clanging sounds and shouts. She stopped in front of the jousting warriors, some of them acknowledging her presence with a nod before going back to their training.
“I heard you went on a walk earlier,” Harith stopped next to her, his eyes still on his training army.
“You’re back? I thought you had a meeting.”
“There was assassination attempt. The meeting was postponed till further notice. But I guess you already knew about that.” He shot her a look.
“Was he apprehended?”
“Unfortunately, he had slipped through Nur’s incompetent guards.” He growled, his face twisting. “Or fortunately, for them.”
“You think the Nur kingdom was the one responsible?”
“Who else?” His lips twisted into a snarl. “The king promised the safety of the delegations. Thus, it’s hard for us to step in and take matters into our own hands. But if things keep up…”
He didn’t need to finish, Ayah already knew the general was itching to draw his sword and hunt down whoever dared to harm his nephew.
He swallowed down his anger, his hand loosening over the hilt of his sword. “Thanks are in order. Without your help, I dare not think about the outcome.” He turned to her fully. “Is there anything you wish for? I’ll do my utmost to fulfill it.”
Ayah waved him off. “No need to thank me, really. And no, I don’t want anything.”
No one could give her what she wanted…
Harith stared at her for a moment, then turned back to observe the training. Ayah turned to leave back to her room and sleep till the system woke her up for her next quest, or the mansion was on fire, Whichever first, when Harith’s words stopped her steps.
“Getting closer to him would do you more harm than good.”
Ayah blinked at him. Who was he talking about? Loaye? Did he see them together?
“The king,” he elaborated. “He might be a charmer, but there’s nothing honest about a man like him,” he said in a stern voice.
When did she and the protagonist get close? They didn’t even exchange a single word the whole meet and greet. Wasn’t he exaggerating a bit?
Ayah raised an eyebrow at him. Why was he speaking like her therapist? Yes, she appreciated beautiful sights. She was a human after all. And no, she wasn’t that shallow.
“Admiring a handsome face doesn’t mean I’ll fall under their spell.” She waved her fingers in a mimicry of spell casting, the kind she saw on Sunday morning anime.
“Really.” He shot her an unimpressed look.
“I mean, here you are. Does it look like I’m hanging over your every word? Of course not.”
Choked sounds echoed in the training area.
“Oh please. Stop being so dramatic.” Ayah rolled her eyes at Harith’s shocked face. Did he not know he was handsome? How can someone be so unaware of himself?
She found Shoaib with Jamila. The healer was admonishing him to take care of his health and postpone training till at least tomorrow.
“You okay?” she asked him. She could see all his wounds were already healed. But that wasn’t what Ayah was asking. It wasn’t everyday that a child gets attacked by sword wielding assassins. The day’s events must have left a scar on his psyche.
Shoaib nodded, a determined look on his face. “I’m fine. Next time I won’t lose,” he said.
Ayah sighed. Right. In this world, these kinds of things were normal.
“Ayah, talk some sense into him. He wouldn’t listen to me. He insists on training instead of resting.” She turned a reproaching look at the little prince. “I might have healed your wounds, but your body still needs to rest.”
Ayah understood Shoaib’s restlessness. As not yet the monarch of Temsia, he still had the right to participate in the tournament.
The monster tournament, an annual tournament where the best fighters of all kingdoms compete in eliminating the monsters plaguing the northern side of the forest of lost souls. Just a small patch of area closest to the kingdom of Nur. The kingdom had spent centuries trying to cleanse it, but all their effort was for naught. Everytime they killed a monster, two emerged. The area was already integrated into the border of Nur, so keeping it unutilized was a blow to the royal family−the family that had ridden the world of the dark lord.
In the end, a couple decades before the start of the book, Nur decided to appropriate it for the tournament. Whoever killed the highest number of monsters, was seen as the strongest amongst the seven kingdoms. Nur had yet to lose to this day.
Well, according to Loaye…
Ayah ruffled his hair. He sent her an affronted look, but said nothing. “Listen to Jamila.”
“But I’m fine!”
“Who’s the healer here?”
“I know, but…”
“No buts. Get some rest.”
He pouted. “Fine. but tomorrow I’ll start my training at first light.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
Jamila sighed. “Of course, your majesty.”
He turned to Ayah, a determined look on his face. “Ayah, I want to tha−”
“None of that.” Ayah ruffled his hair a little too hard, drawing an indignant yell from the kid. “I’m not a child!” he protested.
Ayah laughed. “Stop thanking me for every little thing.”
He huffed. “Fine, but I’m still grateful,” he grinned, and darted away from Ayah’s extended hand and out of the room. “See you tomorrow,” he called, his hurried footsteps thundering against the marble floor.
“This little…” Ayah huffed. She shook her head, a small smile pulling at her lips.
Jamila burst into peals of laughter. “Things haven’t been this lively for a long time, since his majesty learned his first steps.” Her eyes creaked in a wistful smile. “I hope these peaceful days will last…”
Ayah frowned.
Peaceful…?
…The assassin…
Right. She sighed. This stuff must be normal around here…
Stolen novel; please report.
Ayah had no intention of following Loaye’s instructions, but the panic and fear in his voice propelled her legs forward till she found herself at the market. It wasn’t that hard to find the place. All she had to do was follow the crowd as they swarmed through the streets towards the bazaar area. Bright colored Caftans and Jabadors swirled around Ayah’s eyes. Groups of people here and there gathered around storytellers and trick performers, The buzzing sounds of laughter and excitement almost drowning out the calls of food and drink stalls as they invited potential clients to get a taste of Nur’s famous cuisine.
It didn’t take long for her to find the Darra tribe with their long, flowing, wide-sleeved tunic. Their clothes were of different shades of blue, earning them the nickname of the blue tribe.
They were sitting in a circle, with tea and cakes in the middle. Kids were running around, laughing and playing.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
Ayah startled. An old woman in a bright blue Caftan smiled at her. She led her to the group who yielded her a cushion amongst them. She gratefully accepted the sweet beverage and nibbled on a piece of hard cake.
They asked her about her origin, not batting an eyelash when she told them Rabat. They must have thought it was one of the further cities they had yet to set foot into. They spoke about the harsh weather in the desert, the dangers that lurked around its mountains, the monsters that slithered under its soft sand. But also spoke of its numerous blessings, and the village they hailed from, a vast oasis with palm trees and red sand as the eyes could see.
These were the murderers described in Loaye’s book?
Ayah couldn’t help the anger that surged on their behalf. What else was the asshole lying about?
Their leader, an old man with more white hair than gray, regarded her with a knowing look. “Are you heading somewhere? Perhaps we could offer you some company on your way,” he said.
Ayah hesitated. She observed the peaceful atmosphere. The tea in her hand warmed her throat as she took another sip.
The fact was… she could see herself going with them. Throwing everything behind and just leaving.
But then…
“See you tomorrow.”
She straightened up. She looked at the tribe leader and smiled. “Thanks, but I need to stay here.”
The leader nodded.
She made her way back to the mansion, leisurely walking around the castle’s edges, ignoring the guards’s suspicious looks. Now that she had decided to stay, she needed to think of a plan of action. She couldn’t just mooch off the Temsian kingdom. She had long exceeded the guest’s three days rule.
Worst of all, she needed to deal with all the accursed thing.
[A new Quest is available. Would the player like to accept it now?]
Ayah groaned. “Not now.”
The screen flashed before her, bearing the same message.
“Why ask me if I don’t even have a choice?” she muttered. “What’s this quest?”
[Find the first emperor’s treasure.]
[Location : The secret underground tunnels.]
[Possible reward : Rare item.]
Ayah perked up. “There’s a reward this time?”
The message on the screen vanished then reappeared again, with the word ‘possible’ highlighted in red.
Ayah huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Fine. Do you know where these secret tunnels are, or should I just walk around till I stumble upon them in like a hundred years or so?”
The map appeared with a traced pathway.
“Much easier.” Ayah grinned.
The path led her to an old stone building skirting the edges of the castle walls. The heavy wooden door creaked with an ominous sound. Ayah had to stop and strain her ears, listening for any unfortunate guard who might have overheard her. When she was sure she was alone, she ventured inside, her hand tracing over the thick and cold walls, only the system’s dim bluish light illuminating her way. Her footsteps echoed on the rugged stone floor, each step stirring up small clouds of dust.
Rusted daggers and broken arrows rested on a wooden table. Swords rested on the wall, some missing hilts, others with damaged blades. The house must have served as a guard post at some point. Ayah glanced at the spiral staircase that led to the upper floor. According to the system, another path lay beneath the staircase. Ayah frowned. She found nothing unusual about them.
She traveled up and down the stairs, waiting for a hidden mechanism to reactivate and reveal the hidden passageway. But nothing. She felt like a fool when she repeated the process a couple times.
“It’s no use.” She sighed. “Is there any other path to your tunnel?” she asked the system.
The system showed a circling buffer, most likely looking for another path, but showed the same map with the same path.
Tired from her goose chase, Ayah sat on the stairs, resting her elbows behind her.
The stair shifted under her weight.
She scrambled to her feet and grasped at it. It shifted, but refused to budge more than a couple inches. Using her strength, Ayah pulled at it with all her force. The stair came off with a groan, revealing a narrow, descending tunnel. She let out a silent cheer. Finally her quest can begin.
The tunnel was stretching deep beneath the earth. The air within was cool and still, with a palpable heaviness that settled in the lungs. It was a mix of earthy dampness and the subtle, almost metallic scent of minerals that pervaded the space. While there was enough ventilation to breathe comfortably, the air was noticeably different from the fresh, open atmosphere of the outside world.
She ran her hand over the cold tunnel walls to help steer her way through the darkness. They were predominantly coarse, with the ruggedness of unpolished stone. But occasionally some smooth, worn patch, contrasted sharply with the surrounding roughness.
The silence was profound, broken only by ghostly whispers of air moving through unseen cavities in the earth, and her steady, rhythmic steps.
She marched ahead, trusting the outdated map of the system not to land her in more trouble than the item was worth.
Who was she kidding? That was almost certain.
She sighed, the sound echoing in the confined space.
A hidden passage branched off from the main path, narrow and barely noticeable, dusted with a fine, almost powdery residue. Ayah mourned her cloak before she squeezed her way into the passage, the heavy cloth of her cloak nearly catching against the rugged surface.
There was a room on the other side. A room vast enough to host half the camp.
Ayah squinted her eyes at the brightness that threatened to blind her. After a considerable time in the darkness with only the system’s dim light touching her fragile eyes, the numerous lanterns in the room seemed like torture. They were crafted from aged brass, their glass panes were beveled, each edge catching the light and refracting it into harsh golden hues.
At the center of the room stood a gilded cage the size of a small car. She stared at the strange sight before her. An egg-like object the size of an ostrich egg was being held hostage inside the cage.
She frowned. No matter how she looked at it, the difference in size was almost comical.
As soon as she touched the cage, the system’s ding sounded.
[New item : Dragon egg available. Would you like to collect it?]
Ayah blinked at the screen. Dragon egg?
Ayah knew dragons existed in this world, but she had thought one wasn’t since the first emperor’s death.
“Is this the emperor’s treasure?”
[Correct.]
Ayah narrowed her eyes at the screen. “How did you know it was here?”
The system didn’t respond.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What if I couldn't find it, would I still have gotten a penalty for failing?”
Nothing.
Ayah huffed. The system’s silence was louder than words.
“What a load of bullshit!”
[Would you like to collect it?]
“Yes,” she gritted under her teeth.
The egg vanished from the golden cage.
[The system thanks you for your cooperation.]
[The system is here to help the player get to her full potential.]
Ayah snorted. “Of course.”
She sighed. Another problem she needed to deal with. She couldn’t keep on depending on the system, not when it was so secretive. She needed to find a way around it.
Deciding to let the matter rest for the moment, she opened the inventory to check on her new acquisition.
“Can I raise it, or is it used as ingredients for something else?”
[Dragons are one of many creatures the player can form a familiar bond with.]
“How do I hatch it?”
[Player is advised to supply the Dragon egg with her mana to replenish it.]
She nodded. “Easy enough.”
[Dragon egg ]
[Type: Familiar]
[Difficulty: Unknown]
[Usage: Dragons are majestic creatures. Get the Dragon to create a bond with you to have access to its powers]
“You mean hatching it does not guarantee a bond with it?”
[Correct.]
“Won’t it recognize the one who feeds it magic as its parent?”
[Such incident has yet to be recorded.]
great…
“What happens if it refuses to bond?” Ayah dubiously eyed the egg.
[Dragons are wild creatures. Many instances where the dragon attacked its caretaker were recorded in history.]
“Attacked as in…?”
[Burned to death.]
[The system urges the player to appeal to the Dragon to avoid failing her task.]
Ayah groaned. You think?
Maybe she should just put it back. But then, where would she find something as amazing as a dragon?
She sighed, resigning herself to her doomed fate.
Ayah heard the sound of footsteps seconds before the figure entered the room.
In a split second, her hand extended in front of her, and her sword materialized in her grasp. She sped towards the entrance, ready to knock out the unfortunate guard to escape. The dull part of her blade was inches from the new arrival’s head when she stilled.
Loaye scrambled back, his eyes wide from shock.
Ayah clicked her tongue, a rush of relief washing over her tensed form. She vanished the sword from her hand and put her hand over her hip, ready for Loaye’s questions.
Yes, she had broken into the palace’s underground. No, she didn’t regret it.
“What are you doing here?” Loaye said with wide fearful eyes. “You shouldn’t be here. Why didn’t you go to the Daraa tribe? You’ve condemned the whole world with your carelessness. I told you to leave. Why didn’t you listen to me?” was what came out of his trembling mouth. He pulled at his hair, his limbs shaking.
Ayah shot him a concerned look. “If you had been truthful and told me exactly what was happening, I wouldn’t be here, believe me.”
Loaye shook his head. “It was for your own good.”
Ayah scowled. “I’m not a child.”
“No. but you’re the perfect sacrifice.” Loaye pressed his lips into a thin line.
“What do you mean by that?” Ayah narrowed her eyes at him.
“Nothing. We need to smuggle you out of here. He might have not noticed you yet. We still have a chance to stop this.”
“Who’s he? And what do you mean by sacrifice?”
He tugged her away. Ayah planted her feet on the ground, refusing to budge. She wouldn’t allow him to jerk her around. If he wanted her to comply with him, he better tell her everything.
All explanations took a backseat when muffled muttering resonated around the tunnel’s walls. Ayah, ignoring Loaye’s panicked shouts, darted around the corner and slithered the length of the tunnel trying to keep as quiet as possible. The system’s map indicated an even bigger ceremonial room not far ahead.
The room was made of hard stone. Dents on the ground spoke of hundreds of years of usage. Strange claw marks covered sections of the rough stone walls. An altar was at the center of the room. Hooded figures stood surrounding it. Standing directly over it was the protagonist. He spoke in hushed whispers, the others murmuring their assent, an empty goblet held in hand.
Ayah peered at the corner. Aayan’s face was visible under his half adorned cloak.
“You didn’t do him justice. He’s far more handsome than you portrayed him,” she muttered to Loaye.
The author looked more frantic. He tugged her back and lowered her head, putting his shaking finger over his mouth, shushing her.
Ayah raised an eyebrow at him and sidestepped his attempt to pull her back and peered again at the protagonist. A strangled whine sounded from the room and Ayah squinted her eyes against the lit torches to see better.
A writhing body bag was hefted and emptied into the altar. It was a young man, not much older than twenty, the side of his hair matted with what looked like dried blood, his wrists and feet tied to prevent movement. The young man looked at the hooded men around him, tears streaming down his face, his gagged mouth forming unintelligible pleas. Aayan, the protagonist of the novel, the hero of heroes, held his sword up, and brought it down.
Blood sprayed in the air, a few drops landing on Aayan’s face. And the man’s body slumped to the floor, lifeless.
With the sweetest of smiles, Aayan wiped his cheek and brought the blood stained finger to his lips, licking it clean.
Ayah stood there, rooted to the floor. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
[Warning : An enemy has appeared.]
The protagonist had…
The protagonist had…
[Warning : An enemy has appeared.]
[A new Quest is available : Escape the tunnels alive.]