Chapter 12 - Into the Deepest Forest
1085 Words
Morpheus looked around the place after tending the other students to stay in their quarters, ordering around to let them stay put and remain silent. He already knows what happened to the city and the academy is planning to lock down the whole place any minute now in order to prevent the others from getting in. The two ogres earlier who attacked the city were finally captured and killed.
He was looking for someone when he was the first one to notice the arrival of Jethro and Persis in an empty hall. He noticed Persis from her right elbow to her hand there is no more skin, only raw and weeping flesh in various shades of pink and red. The same can be said of her knee and other parts of her clothes were ripped.
He stammered but remained defiant to ask. “What happened?”
“The serpent-dragon attacked her.”
*
Inside Persis’ quarter, Morpheus decided to tend her wounds and other injuries she had instead of bringing her to the hospital. Jethro left to get some information and help for Sekhmet.
“There's no room in the hospital right now. So much damage had been caused from the ogres’ attack, mostly students.” Morpheus prepared some bowl of water with herbs.
He studied medicine with magic spells to ease such pain in the patient. Tending Persis was easy since she didn't suffer any broken bones in her body.
Persis was silent. Listening to his dreamy masculine voice. Then, the pain throbs in her guts, it's deep and warm, but not in a nice way. It feels like someone has their hand in there and is squeezing her organs either gently or as hand as she can.
She heated up the moment Morpheus touched her skin on her naked leg where the bruises are. She was hoping that the guy wouldn't feel her trembling to his touch.
“Be careful,” she said, holding her breath before a warm towel touched the leg, gripping the armchair she’s sitting on.
Morpheus didn’t look up to her, and his hands were holding it light, not to hurt her more than her bruises, “You look like a warrior princess but you flinched in such a small wound,” he mocked, moving the towel in a careful caressing way.
“Who told you I’m a warrior princess?” she sounds pissed off, crossing her arms and looking away.
“And I thought you were fighting with the ogres,”
Persis turns her sideways and meets his oceanic blue eyes. “I am not. We just saved someone then this one ogre got a grip on my leg and threw us away to the forest. And there I meet the serpent-dragon,”
“How did you escape?”
“Jethro did save me,”
“And where is Sekhmet?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “Can you heal me in an instant using magic?” she asked with sounds pleading. It hurt her to think that she left Sekhmet in the forest. What if Sekhmet is looking for her? Or she might be injured or encountered by another serpent-dragon? What if-
A stinging pain shut through her body, making her eyes wide. “Ouch! That hurt!”
Morpheus’ brows drew together, his gaze back to her leg, holding it in one hand and the other one with the towel, “I can’t do that in a short time.” He knew the moment she answered his question, Sekhmet was nowhere to be found and that’s a big problem.
“Is there anyone who could do that here? Anyone like the wizards or healers to heal me.”
“No, I am already a healer. And besides, what do you know about the forest? Is far too dangerous than the ogres itself.”
Persis felt a sudden discouragement. How could anyone say that like there’s nothing wrong and Sekhmet was still there? She can’t imagine what could possibly happen to her right now.
“So, tell me, what do you know about the serpent-dragon?” she asked Morpheus who rose, carrying the bowl of water herb and lay it to the side table.
He paused for a moment, turning his back to face her and before giving her a more serious look on his face. Persis always finds him an intimidating yet gorgeous creature. She can’t deny the great authoritarian air around him and she felt trembled with it.
“Serpent-dragons are mostly shapeshifters and only hide themselves in one particular place in the forest. But they don’t act like rational creatures if you are planning to talk to them. You only killing yourself.” he crossed his arms. “And you almost died if your cousin didn’t come.”
Persis looked away.
“How did Jethro find you there?”
She lifted her face and met his gaze. “I didn’t ask.”
*
“So, you mean, the glass of Alzinder could only break by joining the elements of fire and wind?” Sekhmet wondered. And the person she could think of was Persis and herself. The combination of their elemental powers could be that strong to break the hard glass.
“Yes.”
“But how? We didn’t feel any of it when that glass breaks.” She frowned, remembering the incident in the botany class. She did hear the glass cracks but not before it broke out into shards. It was all quiet.
“It doesn’t need to be used in a very strong way to break it. They could touch it and break it together.”
“I don’t get it. Who would do such a thing?”
“You have an elemental of fire, right? And your friend?”
“Persis. Yes.”
“You mentioned feathery wings, so she’s from the wind kingdom with elemental of wind,”
“You don’t say we did it,”
“Nope. and I don't think you did that. You wouldn’t ask me if you already know about the glass. And besides,” he took the glass with the ruby stone floating inside and show it to her, “Even the ice with fire could break it,”
“With ice?” And Ryuujin is the one she could think of. A powerful one.
“That’s what I knew when someone tried it when my grandfather made it before.”
“Fire and Ice. Fire and wind. Who would that be?”
“That’s totally difficult to say, with too many students and professors in your academy, you’re going to find them one by one with those elemental powers and ask. How many did you have elemental power?”
“A few. But I don’t know about the others.”
“Are you feeling alright now?”
“Sort of,”
“Come, I’ll show the way to the Moon Meadow,” he grabbed one of his dark cloaks on the wall. His cloak has the decoration of gold and leaves on the back of it and she can’t tell what symbol.
She blinked. “Moon meadow? Where’s that?”
“To the village of elves and faeries, we can ask them about your friend or she might be there,” he stood walking towards the main door.
“O-Okay,”
*
- Writer
