CHAPTER 10

S A K U M I ⁠✿

I'm panting like I was loosing air and wipe the sweat forming on my forehead. My heart was rapidly beating, felt like it's about to explode in a minute.

"Surrender now"

"No!" I aligned my sword on my nose, preparing myself on any assault.

"Sami!"

He wants me to stop, give up. "I said no! And it's final, if you want to kill then do it!"

That word made him chuckles and he tossed a nut and it hit my forehead "Your a feisty one why can't you just be a lady and just learn the ladies way, this is a man's job this is no games to play sakumi"

"And what if I win!"

I must win. I must win. I muttered under my breath. And strike luckily and blocked his blade and he jumped back. I saw an opening in Endemion's defense and I lunged forward, attempting to counter with a thrust attack on my own. But he seemed to be one step ahead, gracefully evading my attack and launching a powerful kick towards my midsections. I managed to twist my body and almost avoid it, but the edge of his boot grazed my side,  leaving a stinging sensation and minor cut.

I winched and jumped away. Placing my hand on my cut and felt a warm sticky liquid on my skin and felt the cut,  I raised my hand saw my blood. It was nothing like those blood like those florishia. One of my mom's friend once pricked her fingers on the needle and I saw a transparent blood came out of her fingers.

But mine, its crimson red, different and beautiful, fiery and I was awed watching it on my palm. Dropping to the grass.

I heard a sound coming and my body moved on its own, avoiding the blade slashing a crisscross way on the air, my eyes were mesmerized by my own blood. It's beautiful. I saw Lord Endemion close the distance in the blink of an eye and was ready to swing the blade right at me, with a quick step back, I avoided his strike and countered with a rapid series in slashes, each one coming from a different angle. I deflected some of my own blade and managed to Dodge a few, but three managed to grazed my arms, shoulder and cheeks, drawing blood again and I almost fell on my knees, my body is trembling and I tried my hardest and stood up.

"Focus Sami!!" He shouted and I snapped out of my thought and saw him worrying. I forgot that I was hit many times.

Sweat poured down my brow, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Brushing the fatique to the sided. I drew upon my inner reserves of strength. I couldn't take it much longer. I was better than before, but it was impossible for me to go on with the same stamina before.

His expression hardened, and he met my onslaught with equal ferocity. Our sword clashed repeatedly,creating a symphony of steel as sparks flew with each collisions.

With one final burst of energy, I executed a rather crude maneuver, jumping backwards and creating distance between us.

Instead of trying to match his speed I focused on exploitinh his predictable pattern. As he charged again, I sidestepped and swung my sword in an arc, aiming for his exposed flank, he managed to blocked my strike and kick me, the force send my body helplessly dragged to the ground. The impact was just enough and I reach my limits and can't even lift myself.

A thick stream of blood started to flow and stained my clothes.

A shadow blocked the light and I raised my head, watching him looking at me while lying on the ground and still draw my sword but it's too weak to hold it and my hand fell. But aside from attacking he lifted me up and saw his face marked of uneasiness and anxious.

"Did I won?" I said and his breath ceased.

"Yes.... yes you won"

"You lier...." I chuckles and he flick my forehead, his face scowled, burning in anger

"Stubborn!! Stay here don't disturb your cut it'll get worst, I'll be here in a moment " he said and rushed away. I stretch my back and lay comfortably on the bark of the tree and winched when I accidentally disturbed it.

After a minute he came back. He rip his clothes. Cleaning my wound. He moved fast and gently, he dipped the cold water on my bruises and rubbed away the blood

Coming from my cut.

He's so gentle like he can't even kill a fly. His hand was light. Even for a man who worked his life training his hand was betraying his manly features. He works like a healers, flawlessly work fast from years of practice.

My body ached and sore all over. And he scooped me on his arms and lifted me up to the horse. He buried my head on his chest. Legs wrapping on his torso, it was awkward but I don't want to disobey him.  I never felt better after he nurse me, it was satisfying and I even forgot that I was injured.

We rode back to the castle and parked the horse in the stable. He still didn't want me to walked, he carried me in a bridal style.

"My goodness what happen!" I heard the people around him gasping in worries and  I looked around and the maid flooded the hall  and it was embarrassing.

"Good lord!?" I saw an old man with a white lab coat and we entered a room, it was bland and only the color was the curtain and he slowly put me down on the bed and I winched a bit and closed my eyes as I felt the pain starting to hunt me.

"Please take care of her" I heard him, there's an uneasiness on his tone and he sat down by the window and the old man came to me and close the curtain right beside the bed and he gently unwrapped the cloth on my cut.

The overwhelming scent of his cologne a hint of citrus mixed with pine, but not unpleasant, tinkled my nose and that made me sneeze.

"Bless you"

A yellowish coloured swirled around his finger and made me jaw drop to witness such magic for the first time in my life. He cupped his hand around my arms and did the same to my minor cut, in just a blink of an eye, I saw how the blood and cut heal completely leaving no traces of scars.

"Ahmp.. my lord it's done" I heard the healer called him but my attention remained on myself, I saw he spring open the curtain and my eyes still awed in such sight. I look around and couldn't even believe it.

The bed sank as he sat down on the edge of the bed and I raised my face and pull the sleeve up to my arms "It's gone!!!" I shouted with surprise and it's was just uncanny and magical "how did he do that?"

"... Uh" he side eye the healer to explain but the old man shrugged "You'll know one day" he said and pat my head

"My blood looks amazing it's red!" I was excited and that moment stop when I saw the old man snickering at me "What? Did I say something funny?"

"W--well" the old man tried to explain but he seemed troubled when their eyes met. He has a second thought but he rather not to spit it out.

"Doc, she's a Fluerishia" he said and the old man was puzzled and went to his desk and open one of his record files and wrote something on it. "let's go for a walk" he assisted me and right before we left I want to kiss the old man on the cheeks an appreciation and thanking him for what he did but Lord Endemion yanked me out of the room.

"You can't just kiss someone like that!"

"I want to thank him, tsaka tingnan mo oh ang galing wala ni Isang sugat na natira. How can you people do that!" I couldn't help but to shouted in astonishment.

"Next time just say thank you, you know a kiss is be given to the ones you love, you can't just kiss a stranger like that it's weird and uncomfortable..stop that attitude leave those back home not here"

"Oh, sorry for the kiss though " I puff my cheeks in embarrassment

"It's fine but don't do that again specially on a stranger" he walked me by the hall and stop right the door, second to the last and a maid came with a bow with her short, chest nut coloured hair gently curling outward and pair of pouty lips,she exceeded a charming allure that was hard to ignore.  She opened the door for me, lowering her gazed to us.

"Take a bath first, I'll wait here" he calmly said and stand by the glass window, putting both of his hands on his pocket.

The maid closed the door behind me and open the wardrobe. Revealing a beautiful fabrics on my eyes. "The bathroom is right there my lady" her voice was cute and she pointed the door between the two wardrobes.

As I entered the room the feeling was amazing, the mist swirling around the room and I saw a pool nearby and I removed my clothes, revealing my body and I dip my toes on the water and was surprised to feel it's warm touch on my toe. I soaked myself in the water and the door creaked open and saw her with carrying a bottle of shampoo and soap.

"Let me washed your back"

It was embarrassing and I sank myself, aligning the water on my neck to hide my naked body. "It's fine I can do it on my own"

She giggled and I find it cute. I never been flattered with her beauty "Your a lady of the manor, I should assisted you for everything around here, the lord of the house assigned me to looked out for you, wag kana mahiya"

My face turn red while she's putting a shampoo on my hair while I crossed my arms on my chest to cover my breast.

"You have a beautiful body my lady" My face exploded in embarrassment.. as we're done she gave a dress and it's was beautiful.

"Lolita dress my lady will suits you, there are many types of dresses in this manor but these one matches your beautiful features and calm innocent nature.

Her words send me flying, it's too much compliment!!

Your beautiful than me actually, why can't you see that. I wish I can say it to her face. She beautiful I mean it. If I was a man I wanna court her forever. But no, I'm a woman, sayang.

I was star struck by her beauty as I layed my eyes on her, will it be a sin to love the same gender? Because I literally fell for the sight.

I think the goddess put me on a wrong body.

"There, I told you it suits you" I snapped out of my thought, watching my reflection on the mirror and I was flabbergasted. I lean forward to see my face clearly is this me?

"What magic is this?" I was stunned, staring on my reflection and she giggled

"Your just beautiful my lady.." she stop when I touch both of her shoulder and her eyes widen by surprise "Can I court you?"

As those words slips on my mouth she fell on the floor.

2 minutes later....

I watch her sent to the clinic, maybe it was too early to say my feelings for her. Maybe next time

"What did you do?"

"I wanted to court her" I said it without hesitation and there's a dedication and urges on my tone and that made him froze

"..." I saw him turn to stone. It just struck him, his expression tells me that I had no chance of loving that woman

"Maybe next time with flower I guess or gift and I will take it slowly so she won't faint again"

"..." He was dead silent and after a while he stared at me and pulled me up by my collar and we left the hall.

The pathway clicked under his shoes and he put me down as we both wandered into the garden. And stop as I saw many bugs like i saw that day. Though they somehow looked like the pixies back home but this over here are small and adorable.

"Never seen a butterfly before? poor kid" I heard him talked and I didn't look at him

"Butterfly?"

"Yeah?" He said it with a wrinkles on his forehead, he look at me in a suspicious way

"I never seen one back home, although there are similarities like this but they are enormously big!" I said with spreading my arms, interpretating how big massive it was. "We called them pixies"

"Pixies?"

"Why you haven't seen one?" I said and he scowled at me

"I have" that was a short replied from him

"Nga pala what's her name?"

"Her? You mean the maid?" He raised his left brow and I nodded in excitement "Heather rose"

"Oh it's beautiful" I was drowning in ecstasy and it was like heaven calling my soul

"I'm smitten"

"..." 

He turn pale white and the air whistles and brush him away from me like his just like a delicate leaves carried away by the breeze.

Butterflies fluttered over the large, coloured flower in spiral, spinning in duos as they landed unpon blooms together. I let out a smile as I watched their brown wings blow in the light breeze. The green leaves rustle as bird jumped between the shrubbery. The flowers stretched over the acres of the field; framing large grass ovals that had been moved in an aesthetic pattern. The neat garden provide a sense of calmness.

"Did his power got through your brain? Kase bigla kalang nahulog sa kauri mo"

"Nah, I think the Goddess just happen to put me on a wrong body"

"....."

I never thought that flower are this small. And I poked on sunflower and it doesn't move or flinched. "Amph hello?" I asked the flower and it didn't responded and I poked it stem and it didn't even flinch

"That's a flower not florishia" I head him in a bored tone.

I leaned on him with my expression carrying a bunch of questions that weighing on my face "What the difference?"

"Your people born and blessed by the Deities of harvest. You talked, moved just like us. This flowers here are alive but not a lot like you florishia" he explain and after that we went inside and gave the bow to one of the butler.

We ascended the stairs and turn left. The large chandelier overheard glimmered against the wall and sent thousands of light across the paintings in their glass dome.

I went to the library alone and saw many people inside arranging the new arrived one.

I glanced over the titles and touch the cover, feeling their texture through my fingers. The room filled with books way up to the tower.

I found a perfect spot near the window to study, I asked permission first before taking the book in my desk. I took twenty books and I open the first one that had titled the Stonecore.

The cover is a bit captivating and it looks like it has been read many times, it's old yet it gives a nice vintage vibes.

As I flipped the paper, it crisp sound was satisfying in the ears. I saw the image of a fox. It has eight tails and crimson eyes, white fur and look majestic in any angle. It says that this was the stonecore of the spring the dieties who balance the season as it ended.

It walked around the world, spreading life to it's wake and as she past the cold ground, because of the winter a flower puff out and the grass will spread and the snowy ground will disappeared, into a green valley, flowers, leaves, trees will comes to live and animals started to woke up from hybernation.

It's eyes is like a sun itself, melting the ice whenever her eyes laid on. "So this is the Deity of Spring. She's so beautiful. I continued to read it and the next chapter is another Stonescore of Summer, "A Deity of Summer, Slythor the named it says, crawling and its scale was like a walking lava, she's like a monster that ascended from the volcano. She looks scary yet unique. She's a closest friend of the summer, spring majestically watch her from a distance. It says that this two always tagged along but when the time they turn into the core and given the power to set the balance of nature and they forgot their past with each other, now only spring watch him crawling away from her and the winter is following from behind.

From the next pages I saw a lion, it's mane was beautiful and had the same color of the Autumn season, the season that will ended the green nature, the colors will filled the world. He was sitting in pride watching hthe world in his wake. He was narcissist in nature, walking around the field of dried leaves on his paw. His partner was the breeze and falls, his two companion that would help him clean the place until the winter come to visit.

I awed while reading the origins of the seasons Stonecore.

On the other hand, winter, A winter old soaring around the world, ice and cold stretched across the world, crystalized and water frozes. She loves skating around the glassy floor spreading snow in her wake.

She sing a symphonic lullabies and the animals started to sleep. Of what so called hybernation.

As I turn the pages. I saw a black shadow ascending the ground. And created death in it's path. There was none but sorror and emptiness around it.

He was indeed part of the existence of seasons, theres was no gender revealed but it say it can be anyone and can turn itself into aan or woman. And killed everything it touches. Like how the delicate flower withered and die as it's finger touches it's petals.

In the next chapter there was a woman carrying a baby, followed by the shadow behind her carrying torches and fork. She's crying like was chased by those shadows. Or should I say people chasing after her.

What did she do wrong?

I was interested yet the next pages were gone, nothing was left but only the image of her been chased away. My curiosity drives me to know about her. The librarian seemed didn't know the answer because the pages were ripped the moment it was delivered on the manor.

Maybe he knows.