The Dragon’s Realm (The Main Hideout)
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Nyka stumbled into this section of the cave, the sword she had in her hand, dragging against the cage floor and laced with dried-up blood, just as her clothes were stained with the red liquid in too many places than she could count. Her wild curly red hair had managed to slip out of the tight hold she had put it in during the battle. Her fangs extended over her lips, her claws long and sharp. Each breath she took was heavy and filled with rage.
There had been an attack in one of their hideouts today, if not for the help that she had received, they would have lost more people than they did.
More than they would even be able to count.
It was like an ambush.
The White King must be finding them more than just a mere inconvenience now. He was paying them more attention than he usually would.
If only the people hadn't slacked off in their training due to the false saviour’s brief yet mighty negative impact, they wouldn't have lost anyone.
Alright, maybe two or three but not twelve! Not this!
She had lost some of her best warriors in that ambush!
That only made her mad at the “Heir” once again, it didn't help that she was still grieving her Gamama. She was here to rip this place apart and find out anything she could find about them. The attack of the White King was more precise than usual, maybe they had caught him and his useless female and now they were feeding the White King with information so they could stay alive!
Honourless creatures!
Nyka searched everywhere in the cave - every corner, every hole, but she found nothing.
She was about to give up when suddenly she noticed something.
Light.
There was a soft glow of light, emitting out of the hole in the cave wall, sipping through the different stones that had been piled upon it to hide it away.
A curious smile played on her lips as she wiped the stones away and brought out the black sack that had whatever it was that was glowing in it.
She brought it out.
It was a gem.
She had heard her father say some things about it while explaining the death of her Gamama to her.
This one certainly belonged to the “Heir” and now it was in her possession, glowing gently red and blue.
Then the light went off and it was filled with complete darkness.
Nyka frowned.
What was that?
But she heard footsteps and she quickly hid the gem back in the hole.
“Nyka? Nyka!” Her father rushed into the cave section and pulled her into an embrace. “I thought you didn't return. I could have sworn you were right behind me.” His voice was trembling with restrained tears and he tried to calm down after now confirming that his daughter was alive.
Her hands went around him as she gulped down the guilt she felt for leaving him like that before they did the head count and confirmation to calculate how many of them had returned alive.
“I’m sorry, Father,” she said and stayed in his embrace while her mind went over to the gem that was in a corner as different thoughts took over her.
Was it possible for the gem to know a different master? Why had the lights gone out? How could she connect herself to the gem and exploit its powers to give them the victory they deserved?
What consequences would this have?
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Gaya’s Garden. (The Sea).
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It had happened too fast.
One second she was looking at Alaris on the boat and the next, he was gone, with no evidence of where they had gone on the surface of the water.
Belladonna did not hesitate to jump into the sea.
She was confronted with the image of the creature that had pulled Alaris into the water with her. Long black hair that moved in the direction of the gentle waves, a scaled face and mouth filled with tiny, numerous and razor-looking teeth. She had webbed fingers that held Alaris to her like a prey she had no intention of letting go and long claws too, but the most stunning feature about her was her tail.
A long fish-like gray tail.
Siren.
She was a Siren!
Belladonna had read about creatures like this but never had she thought that they existed.
A venomous hiss sprung out of her mouth like a wild creature and she turned away and swam downwards, deeper into the depths of the river— no, sea.
Belladonna charged after them and that was when she was hit by a cruel reminder that she wasn't great at swimming.
Immediately she felt like she was running out of air but that wasn't all, she was losing sight of the siren. She stretched out of hand, as if to grab her despite the distance between them.
This wasn't something she could fight and a thought filled her mind.
A trade! She had to make a trade.
But the siren was swimming too fast for then suddenly she stopped, and that was when Belladonna realized there were more than one siren.
It seemed like there was something in front of them, like a wall made out of water.
No. It wasn't a wall!
It was a tornado.
A slowly growing one.
Suddenly, they all turned to her with a venomous hiss like she was to blame for everything, then they charged at her.