[ YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM ]

Africh was scared to the bone, yet still he couldn't take his eyes off what was scaring him. He stood up and out of his seat as he pointed to whatever it was that he was seeing, taking steps backwards till he realized he was at the edge of the deck.

"You.. you know what that is?" Africh asked as he saw Abesselom stepping out of his seat as well, but showed no signs of being afraid of what he saw.

It was Africh's first time of being on a ship, even though he had heard many things about the Sea and ships. The only time he went to the sea was when his mother had to see a friend from another village, and that was in a boat and his mother had used her magic to make their journey short.

He had not experienced what he was seeing and he doesn't remember anyone telling him about it. Yes, he knew the waves of the sea can be strong enough to even make a ship sink, but he had no idea what the thing in front of him was going to do to them.

Abesselom on the other hand stood in front of what he was seeing, and in a way, he looked as if he was communicating with someone in silence. A part of the waves approaching had lifted it self high and it looked about thirty feet toll from the sea level.

Abesselom stared blankly at the huge storm in front of him without blinking an eye, and it was as if he was waging a war against the storm. If anyone could see his face and how tight he clinged his jaws, they would see how hard he was trying to control his power from getting out of hand.

He kept staring at the approaching storm as he cling his first, ready to fight of what ever it was that may come his way. Not long the other people on the ship saw what was happening and panic as to what to do.

The captain of the ship, knowing he had a great personality onboard the ship, rushed to the upper deck to make sure he was safe. Mr Jack Macleon, the captain of the ship, had known Abesselom for years, but what he never knew was that Abesselom never needed anyone to watch out for him.

"Sir, am sorry but you have to get to your cabin now. The storm looks really strong and anything can happen. My men will do their best to save the ship at any cost, so I'll plead with you to get to safety with your guest." The man stood silent after talking, waiting for Abesselom to at least respond to him, but he seems to have not heard a word he said.

" Sir! Please get... " Jack tried to approach Abesselom as he spoke.

" Get off the deck now. It's not safe here, both of you go now." Abesselom said to the men behind him, turning his upper body slightly to them for the first time.

The captain left instantly and Africh decided to follow him. Just when he was about to descend the stairs, he turned to look at Abesselom and what he saw glued his feet to the wooden ground of the ship.

Abesselom's dark eyes had turned into black completely, with not even a single white spot in it. His eyes looked like a deep and very dark pit, and it felt strange and endless at the same time. His shoulder length hair was growing longer and it looked darker than it was, and his little exposed body looked white as snow.

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Meanwhile, Azura kept tossing on the bed in the cabin as she speaks. She looked as if she was having a bad dream and the cold sweat on her body was an evidence.

Lora tried all she could to wake her up, but Azura won't wake no matter what Lora did. It was as if something or someone was stopping her from waking up. Azura looked all sweaty as if she was fighting a battle to get out of her sleep, but to no avail.

"Please, stop. You can't take him." Azura murmured.

"Your majesty please, you have to wake up now, your daughter needs you." Lora said worriedly, almost crying.

She had peeped through the glass windows and noticed what was going on, and she knew the only way for the queen, herself and any other person on the ship to be safe was for the queen to wake up.

"Your majesty please wake up." Lora said as she kept shaking Azura to wake her up but nothing.

"Please don't take him, not him." Azura murmured in her sleep, sweating heavily. "Take me instead, please." She said and this time, Lora got really scared.

"Your majesty please you have to wake up. It's the princess birthday tomorrow and we have to go now." Lora lifted Azura's upper body to wake her up as she spoke, but Azura fell back to the bed immediately Lora let go of her.

Lora started panicking and all she could think of was why the masked man hasn't gotten back to the cabin with Africh yet. She stood and went back to the widow to check and to her dismay, the storm was increasing by seconds

"No, no, please no" She heard her queen murmuring and she knew she had to do what she can to wake her, even if it means getting punishes by the queen, that would be later and the queen would be safe.

She picked the bow of water she had used earlier and smashed the water on the queen's face, and in seconds, Azura sat up on the bed alert. She looked around as if she was looking for something or someone, and when Lora noticed she was awake but disoriented, she rushed to her.

"Your majesty, are you okay? Do you want something?" Lora asked politely, trying to hide her fear from the queen.

" Where is he?" Azura asked strictly.

Even without a name, Lora knew who Azura was asking about, but she didn't know as to either to tell her the truth or not, she couldn't afford to lie to her queen either. She bowed her head as she thought of what to do.

If she tells the queen the masked man was on the ship with Africh, Azura might get angry and confront him. That would be waisting time and also risk Azura's life on the ship, but they can't also disappear and leave Africh behind.

"Where is he Lora? And how did you get here? How did you find me?" Azura asked commandingly, giving Lora no room to think or lie.

"Your majesty, he's out with Africh, but we have to leave this ship now. There's a huge storm ahead and I don't think the ship will survive it." Lora tried to persuade Azura.

" No! I have to see him." Azura said as she got out of bed and made her way out of the cabin, forgetting she was drenched.

" Your majesty, please you don't look good." Lora couldn't do anything but run after Azura because of what she was wearing, but being a mear human didn't help.

" Your majesty, you are here? Hail the queen." One of the men on the ship said as he saw Azura.

He placed a fist on his left chest and went on one knee to greet Azura, but got no response from her. His actions got the attention of the other men who were trying all they could to save the ship, and all of them got on their knee to greet their queen, but Azura ignored them and rush to the upper deck in a hurry.

Lora came running after the queen and only when the men saw her, did they realized the mistake they've done. It was not safe on the ship, especially on the upper deck, for someone to be walking around, but they just watched the queen go up. Moreover, that part of the ship was restricted for everyone.

The head of the team working at that part of the ship rushed to Lora and stopped her from going any further, convincing her he'll be the one to bring the queen back. Lora had no option then to go back to the cabin and wait for her queen.

"She can protect herself and maybe everyone." Lora tried to convince herself but she was actually scared.

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On the upper deck, Abesselom kept standing in front of the storm, with his body giving out a light fire-like vapor. The closer the storm got to the ship, the brighter the fire around him became. His body begin to get hotter and he knew in no time, his other side may take control of his body.

The ship started shaking, swaying from side to side, making movement on the ship difficult and even standing was not easy. Just then Abesselom felt a familiar scent failed his nurses, he turned around only to see Azura on the deck standing right beside Africh.

Instantly, he forced his appearance to that of the masked man, but without his mask and with the calm face and eyes of Enoch. Leaving the length of his hair to the shoulder. The sky begin to get dark and tender strike after several lightening.

Azura decided to run to him. She had a lot to tell him and she can't wait any longer, but even before she could make a move, Abesselom appeared in front of her and covered her with his outer cluck.

Africh was still in a daze and didn't even realize Azura was standing next to him. "Let me come with you." Azura said to Abesselom, drawing Africh's attention to her.

"No' it's not safe. How did you know?" It was evident Abesselom was scared of something for the first time. He looked at Azura with calm eyes as he spoke, but the fear in his eyes were not missed by Azura.

"I saw the gods of light, darkness and fire in my dream, and now I remember many things. I also know who you really are, so you don't have to hide behind that face anymore." Azura said with a light smile.

" I also know that thing is here to take you away, and it'll kill you if you don't go with it. Am going with you if you have to go, but if you want me to be here then you don't have to go either." She continue talking when Abesselom didn't say anything.

For a while, Abesselom thought Azura would wake up still angry with him, and she might not want to see him again after seeing him kill someone. He was ready to sacrifice himself for her to leave, since he can't wish for anything good, but he got the best instead.

" Take care of her, I need to save us all." He said to Africh and turn to leave but stopped when he felt Azura still holding on to him by the hand.

" What if something bad happens?" Azura asked worriedly, still holding Abesselom's hand.

" Am the only person he can possess on this earth. He kills me, he kills himself. He can only punish me but I will survive it." Abesselom said confidently.