32: According to the Prophecy

"Father! How did you—!" Haris hindered me. "What's the matter?!"

He sway his fingers, subsequently Haris covered me however we're both thrown outside the house. We clatter together with the woods. Father stabbed him on his back to his scar by a spear made of stone. I suddenly feel pale. What if he's not my father? I run after Haris but father slap me hard enough to push me away.

Haris nudged the spear hard to break it, he made another attack but my father moved backward. All of a sudden both of us were tossed high in the air. Just like Maruwie pulled us up, but I haven't seen her in a while. Haris got my arms and everything feels dizzy. We changed place. I saw a puppet look like us fail to the ground and explodes to smoke. That was our body's substitution.

We're 50 steps away from there.

"Hey guys! Are you alright?!" Davih called and waving at us.

"Stay away Davih! It's too dangerous here!" Haris commanded. He's gripping from pain and all I can do is to worry. Why? Why is my healing isn't working? Or should I say, I'm a slow healer!

"And who do you think I am?! Your child?!" Davih complained but more like promoting himself. Father is here after a second, he's aiming for Haris but Davih defend him. He totally deter my father's fist even the follow up wave! When he hold my father's arm I took the advantage to attack, punch his stomach, then up to his chin, I'm still expecting a strong impact but nothing.

In the end I just slapped him. Still not even an extra force. Something wrong happened to my gift! Davih made the final blow, he push father far just like Haris' smash.

"Princess Ashti, that was a nice fighting spirit!!" and he grin at me.

"No... It's..." I stammer.

"Oh, what's with your cheek?"

"Huh?" I touch it and it's rough.

"Your cheek is cemented... yah something like that."

"Rock is protecting her," Haris said in appease. He's eating a cookie.

"The three of you, stay out of this. Davih, protect them," a brave demand from Jexica. With her single snap, another creature was summoned. A man full of stitches on his skin, he wears eyeglass and holding a book.

"Rellze, you know what to do."

"Yes your highness," and his voice doesn't have an emotion. Jexica raid alone. Or maybe not totally alone. While running she summoned two gold armored knights on her sides.

"Are you okay buddy?" he's sleeping. "Oh! Come on don't sleep! This isn't the right time for it!" Davih keeps on shaking him.

"What do you mean? It's sleep time," then he yawns.

"Before you sleep, make sure the Princesses are safe." Such a gentle man!

"Enough with your sweet words, womanizer." Davih pout. "Come to think of it, how did you block the King's attack before?"

"Hmph why you're amazed?! I simply wanted to be like my father, a knight of this kingdom!"

"So you have the same gift as mine, however we're still endangered."

The ground shakes, and rises where the two are sparring. I saw Jexica flying with an angel carrying her. Behind her is father, she's unattended about that. She summoned a knight with a thick shield collide with his attack, yet she fall. A big and white fat cat caught her to make her landing leisure. She's too quick on summoning.

My father stood above one of the risen ground, raise his palm to the air and above it, a sphere stone is forming.

"Hey that's insane!" Davih reacted.

My father is strenuously trying to kill Haris. Is it the same with Mishuzyñel? He can't do this things specially I'm around. It only means that something wrong happened to my nation. The enemy had overpowered them all. Even my father. I think my dream is still better than this reality. Better than fighting giftless. It's been a long time since I last saw my father, and it's frustrating to see him like this. Now I'm in tears.

"Stop it Ashti. I don't want to see you crying."

"How? My father is under the enemy's power. And I can't do anything about it!"

"Oh Princess Ashti, please calm down."

"You know this Haris? The one who ambushed us before was him?"

"Yes." he's even doubtful to answer. "The two Princesses was cursed and became a statue that's why they can't leave them."

"Why didn't you told me?!"

"If I tell you that doesn't change anything!!"

"Is it because you think I'm weak enough to believe in your lies?!"

"I see no purpose though."

"I have the right to know because he's my father!"

"So what do you want?! Cant' you see all you can do is cry because right now you're powerless!! And do you think scolding me could be a big help?!"

"Oh guys... will you cut that...? The sphere..."

"And what is your point Haris?"

"You're a nuisance."

"Will you two stop it?!" Davih is losing his self in panic. And we keep our glare to each other. This gigantic sphere falling before us caused earthquake with its eruption by the wave I produced with one sway of my arm. Still, my eyes on Haris.

"Then I'll be it. He's still the same father I have."

"And that saves the day." His raging face turns to meek. He hug me.

"What are you—"

"Idiot. I mocked you in purpose," he smirk. "Beat me all you want later after solving this."

Jexica fell. Her life is on threat. Haris tap his cane twice, he pointed its bottom to my father and a magic released. It's like a mini falling star with the speed of lightning. It passes through Davih, before it reach the target, my father knew. His attempted blocking fail, it simply passes through his arms and merged in his body. Slowly he became smaller.

We run there to see what happened to him. All of us are looking down

"Haris what have you done?!" I scold.

"I was just trying to keep things tranquil."

"How cute!!"

"Let me handle this." Jexica summoned an angel with long hair.

"Your highness, a baby?" her voice echoes.

"Don't think that way. He's not my baby, he's a King."

"Oh Princess Ashti, you look like him!" and then he laugh.

Jexica commanded again, this Rellze sticks his finger tip to my baby father's forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"I received a message from King Russell just now. They have a plan, and I'm part of it. The enemy can use anyone with her gift of hypnotism. A mental gift. Rellze has it too, he can track the enemy through the victim's mind as long as the power is activated. And that only happens when he's near the seal, Haris. Every Kingdom prepared a large number of knights to ambush the Queen anytime. That is their best solution to stop this chaotic atrocity."

Davih whistles with his fingers. "Phew! We were bewildered when the King arrived here. They didn't informed us that the mission starts right away." A phoenix appeared from the sky and rested its motion on his arm. A fire messenger? Genuinely familiar.

"Done. The enemy hides in another dimension, built in Ethiopia castle, its foundation is the knight statue, the fifth one on the right side of the hallway, entrance," Rellze said.

"You heard him." Then the phoenix flew away rapidly.

"Are you saying this is a menace of war?" I heed.

"Yah, just like that," Haris answered. He can levitate with a large bubble he's leaning right now. Then he turned my father back to normal. As in, normal. However, the angel is still holding him and he's sucking is thumb, how embarrassing as a daughter! All the summoned creatures left.

"Father!!"

"Ashti?!" I hug him tight. I can't stop my tears so I let them go. He hug me back, I miss his embrace.

"It was such an inexplicable blessing to see you again my heiress." He wipe my tears. "You've gone so far. And you need to learn more. I'm sorry I can't take you home right now, but I can guarantee your safety with them." he look at Jexica.

"How's the plan?"

"Everything flows according to it your highness."

"Thank you. You made a big part here. Uhm... Haris?" He's playing with his cane. "Please take care of that cane, specially to my daughter." he simply nodded. "And as for you, you remind me of something funny." He's talking to Davih.

"Oh your highness! I'm flattered I was amusing!"

He's holding my cheeks with his big rough hands. "I miss you but I have to leave," and he kiss my forehead. "Hope we'll see again."

His image is blurring, until he totally fade away. That was fast, I only have a short time with him.

"Oh Princess Jexica, why are you crying too?"

"Well, it reminds me of my father too!"

"Oh yeah, I guess me too!"

"Will you two stop it?" Haris said.

"Haris, I'm not done with you!!" I smash him down and the ground cracks, the bubble burst.

"What?! What's going on with you?!" Davih reacted.

"Are you okay?" I suddenly felt guilty when Jexica worried.

"How cruel! Well that's so you." He levitate again.

"Looks like everything is settled. Excluding this mess. I told yah Princess Jexica, this isn't the right time to restore the Kingdom. Just wait until the war is over," Davih said. "Oh and I know a better place where we can sleep, since it's too early for sleeping, right?" he emphasized those words to Haris.

"I guess we can't stay here, nor rebuild this. Let's go there," she whistles and a giant dragon appeared through smoke.

"Alright! Let's go!!" he hike himself up to the dragon's back. Haris offered me a hand and I take it. We both levitate and fly up there. I bet Jexica is jealous, so I thank Haris.

"Crap! I forgot to warn the King," he said.

"Hmm?"

(King Xavier)

So she's hiding in Ethiopia. It's afternoon here and night there, I feel like I pass through time and space. I arrived in front of the castle door and I never expect to behold this slaughter. All the knights are killing each other. They have different Kingdoms, and Crysleigh is one of it. Queen Dominique's jurisdiction.

"Isn't it amazing to play with them, King Xavier." She's standing next to me but I didn't move.

"I'm starting to like your gift. I never know a godless being like you could do this godly fusses."

"I'm surprised with this plan of yours. I wonder why the whole nation obeys your orders even though you're just a King like others. Everyone respects you. And oh remembered, because you're the god of dominion. Why won't the real god end this? Just kill them all." I smirk.

"I'm not your servant."

"W-What?! It can't be! Impossible!!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I know one thing I should do."

I wield my sword to attack while she's unprotected, but I guess I assumed that. A fire risen from the ground deter me. But someone blocked my sword, Russell. An ice coming from the other side of the door hit me, I was thrown away to the battleground. And there where Corrihor attacked me. His bash is incredibly strong, I'm more on defense but he's better in sword fights than me.

He got my hand, my fake hand, he cut my wrist and I let go of my sword. I made my arms golem and grab his sword, I swing him around and throw him. There's no doubt, everyone of them here are under her control. Above me is an enormous iceberg falling to me. I raise a stonehenge to protect me yet, Queen Dominique is too creative.

She break the ice to small pieces like knife and fall continually like rain, a heavy and piercing rain. Its difficult to carry this weight. I found Corrihor approaching, shielding himself from this rain, I cover my skin again in stone still his sword break through and stab me. As he pull the sword I changed location away from that rain.

I underestimated him. I can't just hurt them the way they do to me, they're my high councils. My comrades. I kneel from the pain, and slowly I'm weakening. I guess I'm getting older. Multiple arrows shot me from behind, I never expect that the knights will attack me too! Five... six... seven arrows got me! There are more arrows that missed. I almost stumble when I felt the ground heating.

Another fire burns me that rises from the earth. My skin is still covered, but I can feel the heat. After that, Russell is behind me and Dominique in front, they stab me again. Her sword made of ice was broken. She's aiming to my heart. I push them all away from me by shock wave. Even the arrows behind me was removed. I lean on my arms leaning on the ground and cursed everyone here to became a stone statue.

"I bless this curse, no power on earth nor on high can change it, decapitate, or destroy a single person under this power."

"Why won't you save yourself for your last breath? You're such a coward King." She's in front of me, saved from my curse. And as I recall, she can hide in her own dimension. She kicked me and I finally fell on earth. The skies are dying too. The sound of killing turns to serenity. I regret nothing anyway, I saved them, got to see my daughter, and survived.

I guaranteed I'm such a clever King. But this plan is a big mistake, instead of moving forward, we took backwards. It rains, and I close my eyes.

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

He covered me with his umbrella.

"I never imagined this prophecy is insane," I said.

"But you made a big part too! It's awesome, I almost thought that you're dead!"

"How could a god like me be murdered easily. I protected my heart by stone, Dominique could have killed me if I didn't."

"Well I admit, she's skilled too! Good thing you didn't involved your younger sister here."

"Nah, I told her already about the prophecy."

"That healing necklace... the same with my wife's..."

"That's because our wives are siblings."

"Hahaha! But mine is better!"

"Mine... is best."

"How long will you lay there?" he laugh again. My strength is back to normal. I'm completely healed. The Queen is gone, I never got the chance to know her name. I float to rise myself. I'm gonna hide in shadows from now. I'm also looking forward to meet my sister-in-law.

"Thank you my friend! Or should I call you Mr. Holland."