26: Sweet Dreams

Those mobs, they are a group of men, young and old, throwing cannons and stones to the defensive knights. They are nothing compare to this skilled knights, they're giants with metallic weapons. The knights in front are formed for defense, and behind them are the archer ready to fire.

They're only aiming for the mobs' cannons. Their arrow head is on fire, it explodes when it hits the target. They successfully lessened the enemy's strength or more like, they're just playing with kids. The mobs cannot break through the defense and they keep on throwing stone. One of the knights, the one who approached Queen Elizabeth before, came in front to talk with them.

"Who is your leader?" he ask with his chin up, he's riding a horse to get everyone's attention. One of the mobs came, an old man holding his ax.

"I want to hear your side and you heed ours'."

"This is our territory! We don't allow anyone to have privilege in this land!"

"I see. This is only a tentative camp. We have no intention on besieging one's territory. We are the knights from Greenland Kingdom, Quede nation. We're sent here to evacuate all the people in this nation and bring them to our nation for safety. This nation is corrupted and we're here to help. If you come with us, you'll be taken care of," he said politely.

Those mobs are starting to doubt and hold their attack.

"He's well disciplined, right?" said the Queen standing beside me. "He is my attendant, Zandro. I leave things to him when I'm unavailable. He's close to a stage of being a King, but he loves being a general. Oh by the way, I have good news for you."

"What is it?"

"Your mother is pregnant," then she smile at me. I was delighted too! I remembered when they made a promise that they'll give me a sibling, so they kept it. I suddenly miss them. And when I did, grin turned to frown. Queen Elizabeth came to her blacksmith to repair her sword. The mobs left and everything is at peace.

The rest of the day, we tour around the camp, they have a spot for laundry, a seashore where the two little princesses and fishy prince plays, they have an outdoor kitchen and what's more amazing is those chores are for woman but knights does it too. We ate our lunch with them and enjoy our company until sunset.

At night, Haris invited me to go somewhere, at the top of the cliff. We're going farther from the camp, we're walking above the pile of stones. He hold my wrist and raise it, when he let go I keep it on the air, he tap my back palm and caught a stone that fell from my palm. He's too lazy to kneel down and pick a stone and he basically use magic for that.

He's tossing it up and down from his hand while chatting

"Those mods are miners." He bump the rock to his forehead and break it to two. I see gold inside. "Every year this rocks became golds. It is one of their hidden treasures so they keep this spot on guard. They use these golds for transport and craft to make money. This is necessary for their wealth. "

"And this place is?" He look up, thinking about the answer.

"Hmmm, nothing. It's nameless."

"Then lets give it a name! How about...'Haris'... or 'Stones with golds; hidden treasures of the world' or...'Mobs guards'..."

"Whatever."

"Hmm, right lets name it 'Whatever'," he sigh. I'm slowly adopting his philosophic attitude.

"Fine, Whatever," he said and agreed. We keep on chatting until we hiked the top of the cliff since the camp was on the bottom beside the seashore. And I almost forgot that we didn't plead for permission to leave the camp. Here on top, it's a wide grassland land with a river that leisurely flows.

Grasses are somehow tall, it reaches my knees. We came beside the river, the moon reflects and it's so tranquil.

"It's so peaceful here," I said while feeling the soft breath of the nature. Haris stamps his feet on the surface of the river. Bit by bit, fireflies underwater are appearing and floating like a tiny sky lantern. They keep in rising from the river until they filled the whole area. Like I'm in the middle of the stars. It's more relaxing.

I noticed a black butterfly on the other side of the river. It's alone and mixed with the fireflies. In a blink of an eye, it vanished. Why would be a single butterfly be on this place? Haris put a flower crown on my head. A childish act, he got those flowers planted beside the river. I'm too busy staring at the tiny lights without recognizing him.

"One of my childhood hobbies, flower crown making." I laugh at him. It only means that he miss his childhood, and I miss it too. I instantly step on his feet but he dodged it.

"Bingo," I utter. He smirk. He does the same and I just dodge it too. We didn't wait for alternative turn, we just keep on trampling and avoiding, later on he got me and I almost lose balance. He grab my arms so I won't fall and with a closer view I saw his smile. I wish he should smile all the time, he's severely attractive with that. I'm sure that's enough to make a girl fall in love with him despite of his hostile attitude.

He blew a bubble gum, I don't think I've done that during my childhood. I pop it and it spread almost to his whole face. He's lucky that he took it out easily. And for his retaliation, he's taking the gum closer to my face and I keep on twitching away. And practically we're having fun here. Little by little we're creating bonds to each other, which is better unlike our first interaction.

And for a moment, we saw an asteroid falling exactly to the camp site. We ran closer to the edge of the cliff, I'm bewildered of what we should do! And Haris used Elaiyh, his tattoo on the palm to stop it and it worked. But on the other hand, Haris is having a hard time controlling the asteroid. Now that it stopped, what now?

Something stubbed me from behind to my left shoulder, an arrow? I pull it off and it was a crystal. Mishuzyñel's? I hope my hunch is false! Haris pull me to his front and another attack of crystals from behind. This time too many piercing crystals was fired on us. Haris covered me, a body shield again from the ambush.

As I look closely, these isn't crystals, it's ice. From who? But the fact that these doesn't came from Mishu is a convenience.

"Ashti... I can't hold it... someone is controlling this asteroid," he informed. His right arm is raised to control the asteroid with Elaiyh. I lift it for support, also, I hope my touch can help. However, scenarios here changed, the asteroid is coming this way, right where we are. Haris cease his attempt to control it.

Asteroid. It's a stone. Stones protect me. Stone is a gift I inherited from my father. With my desire to help, I want those to be fully part of my command. I don't mind if it goes this way, I know I'll be safe. I don't close my eyes, I face reality whether failure or not. An enormous wall rose up just in front of us and converged the asteroid.

The shock wave is predictable but unavoidable. Certainly this wall will collapse but thanks to it, we're both, all safe. It's too hazy when the wall fell, like we're in front of the volcano mouth. I heard a clap from behind and I was terrified and burst to anger when I saw him, the King, King Nemesis.

It's too annoying seeing his smirking smile and encounter his haughty gesture.

"So you've finally awakened some of your gifts. Keep it going girl..." he wink at me and afterwards he attack us with ice just like how Mishu attacked us with crystals. Haris pulled me and jump from the cliff, we have no choice though. If we didn't jump we're stuck inside the ice. So consequently we fell on a smoky ground. But no.

We fell somewhere else. A place where I smell the human gores. A spot where Haris' mother died, in the middle of the wilderness. And right this time, we're seeing the past, how his mother died. I know this is hallucination! But I was paralyzed with this scene again, even Haris. He saw his child-self ran away while she's dying.

His fingers are trembling. We have to escape here! I force my body to move and slap Haris' cheek, not just that, I punch his stomach and finally gave his attention to me.

"Haris, this isn't true! We have to elude this imagination! And the only way is to die right?" he look at me then took off his mask.

"I see, then you die first," he said. I look at his malignant violet eyes, after all this time at last, I saw his face. He's...

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

I lost my life with just one look, I'm traveling with a fragile person. I felt the extreme pain from my chest and spew blood, extreme tremor and blacking of my vision. That's how I died. It's morning. Right now, he's walking with me carried by his arms.

"H-Haris?!" He stop walking and me looking with wide eyes.

"You okay now?"

"What happened?!"

"You lose consciousness while looking at the fireflies." I pause. I know he's raising an eyebrow behind that masquerade while reading my confused expression. He put me down and I started babbling.

"Wait a minute! You mean there's no asteroid that fell to the camp and changed direction to our spot?! How about the King, King Nemesis was there and attacked us using ice but we jump down the hill and fell at the spot where your mother... and we were under hallucination that moment right and you remove that mask to kill me and escape-"

"Wait... so that's what you remember while you're asleep?" he said I fainted while watching the fireflies, does the black butterfly has to do something about this? Did I fainted when it vanished? All those explosions are the real hallucination? A bad dream I guess. But if this is the peaceful reality then all those are better of being an illusions.

"Let's go." He held my hand as we walk. My heart beats fast with this, I kinda feel protected with these hands. And his face...was that also a part of hallucination? I feel light, something's missing. The chain.

"Haris! The chain!"

"Chain?"

"Yes the chain that binds us together!"

"Idiot. There's no such chain that binds us."

What?! I let go from his hold, taking a few steps away.

"Ashti, I wonder if that sleep made you lose your mind." He's not Haris. This is another hallucination, how could that King play inside my mind like this! I heard heavy treads of horses coming this way. A small group of army, and my mother? I can easily recognize her because she's always wearing white dress.

And I certified, it's my mother. Haris bow his head to greet her and she skipped the greeting to hug me tight. I miss this feeling and can't pull back my tears of joy. I hug her back.

"I'm glad you're alright," she said. I nod. She held my cheeks and wipe my tears. I miss her so bad. Her hand luster, giving me strength from my past tribulations. "Don't worry, I'm here," then kissed my forehead. Queen Elizabeth arrived to greet my mother.

"Everything's settled. Ready to go," she said. My friends, the mobs and the Queen's troops are ready to leave. The tents are packed. Haris will use his teleportation to leave here easily. That will sure harm himself but my mother is here to heal him anytime. He asked us to close our eyes then he stamp the cane, after hearing that we're here at the entrance portal of my Kingdom.

Its been a while since I last saw my home at this view. Haris almost fainted, my mother and I caught him to heal. I was startled that my palm shines like my mother's.

"Haris..." I want to apologize for acting rude before but I shouldn't, because they're all fake. He noticed my pause from speaking so he pat my head.

"Don't pressure yourself too much." He's weak but still smiling at me. I found it cute but I shouldn't. Because they're all fake. Queen Elizabeth's army left including the miners and we came inside the kingdom together with my mother and my friends. I ride a horse and made a great parade to cross the town, everyone is merry for seeing me alive.

Inside the castle, I was given a special treatment including my friends. I turn my head around and round looking at every corner of the castle I miss. I'm finally home. I have to be happy but I shouldn't, this are all fake. I have to resist this sweet lie and escape from the King's advantage. I stole my mother's knife and stub myself.

They panic. And I keep them away from me by pointing them the knife. I kneel down, losing too much blood and feeling pale. I drop the knife unintentionally and fainted, again.