The Kingdom To Kill For

Chapter 11 - Meeting the Source

The mid-noon sunlight poured through the cracks in the blind and awaited entrance into Sekhmet's eyes. She hesitantly rubbed her eyes, thoughts of the visions in sleep come and go in waves, clinging on to the very last memory of the incident but with little success. She grunted as she eased herself up into a sitting position.

"Hey, don't get up, yet," The man helped her to lie down back to the bed.

She felt a dull pain but undoubtedly numbed by the adrenaline pumping through her veins, and sweat dripped down her forehead. Several voices echoed through her head, the screaming, the ogres attacking the city, and them who were thrown away up into the sky before she blackout.

 "Where am I?" She asked languidly and glanced around the room. The whole place was surrounded by wooden sunscreen structures and a large balcony on one side of the room.

The man was sitting up on the side chair beside the foot of the bed. He had this metallic sheen of his bronzed eyes that studies her and short messy chestnut hair. Sekhmet could only guess his age between late twenties by studying his well-formed physique and gorgeous face.

"You're in the safe place, my lady," he said, "I've found you in the woods, which you are lucky not to encounter the serpent,"

“The serpent?” she wondered, “have you noticed someone else? With feathery white wings?”

“No, but only you,” he stood up, walking towards the other side of the table. “You hungry?” he looked over his shoulder. Sekhmet studied him. He wore a refined shirt and with a light cotton belt, which is held together by a simple knot. The cloth belt is mostly decorative and a sign of wealth. His pants are simple and a comfortable fit, reaching down to his leather boots. 

Somehow Sekhmet suspected him, not just an ordinary person.

“No, thank you,” she sighed, and tried to get up once again. “I need to find my friend,” The pain flared once more but she strained to keep sitting up as she waited for the pain to subside. “She might encountered the serpent you are talking about,”

“Oh no, it’s not just an ordinary serpent around that place,” he turned and face her, “It’s Gruke, the Forest Lord and he is the notorious serpent-dragon living in this forest,”

“How can you keep living here when there is a serpent-dragon in this forest? Aren’t you afraid anytime the creature will attack you?”

“Nope,” he leaned over his lower rear to the table and crossed his arms, “I am not afraid of my brother,”

*

A string of curses unraveled from its dark violet long forked tongue, like yarn unfurling, as the creature advanced. Persis tried to dodge a swing from it's massive claws, but it struck her side, crushing her back to the trunk and she tumbled into the dirt. Her hands wrapped tightly around her waist and squeezed, much like her insides seemed to be doing to themselves. Wave after wave of cramps was all she felt and all she could think of. All she could do is feel.

“Damn it,” she hissed, staring at the coming creature headed towards her with an angry growl. That gave her a big choice. She didn’t mind using all of her wind up to the dragon but it will galled her up so much energy. And she did try once, almost making her paralyze for days. But it does not matter for now. 

She took a deep breath and gathered all her strength only to burst an enormous white wave of sharp fragments, hitting the large creature’s body and face. The sharp fragments met flesh, soft and pudgy, and made a satisfying squish as the tip of the blades sank deep enough to make the creature scream. The strong powerful wind howled, rotating around her. She raised her palms, pushing the fragments in a wind force deeper to its creature’s flesh.

The agonizing stabbing pain would never stop shooting through their body. Wave after wave kept coming. And it can’t move to its ground. Thick black liquid spewed out of its coughing, choking mouth. 

Persis has no intention to stop herself from attacking and she needs to finish this before she collapses. Looking at the antagonizing searing pain on its creature’s face, she knew it was close to its end.

In just a matter of her final blow, a huge explosion suddenly occurred. Breaking away all her strength and the gust of wind scattered through the trees, breaking its branches and leaves around them.

To her huge surprise, she trembles. The serpent-dragon - stone-like, steel yellow eyes embedded in an otherwise unbroken sheath scales, it watched. She’s in her limits of her power this time and no use to bring the serpent-dragon down.

Persis saw the creature prepare to lunge, she looked upward into the trees and sky and she shut her eyes. 

When no blow or searing pain came, she peaked her eyes open.

The gale howled came out of nowhere with the violence and raw power of an angry God. The trees rattled and the wind gusted down the creature bringing it's iciness to the forest. The branches creaked under the strain and Persis could only describe it as like being trapped in a lion's roar and the creature flew across the other side, hitting the broken trees opposing her. 

When the wind and dust cleared, she saw Jethro standing in front of her, shoulders squared to the no-longer serpent-dragon but a humanoid form, weapon ready.

Tension radiated from Jethro’s muscles, “You okay, Persis?” he asked, voice as tight as their shoulders.

“Yeah,” the single word was short and tight, full of pain, but she didn't mind that at all. Her cousin is here to save her. “Is he dead?”

“No, he’s unconscious. For now. And we need to get out of here,” he faced his cousin, helping her to stand. “Be careful,”

Persis didn’t take a glance to look at the creature who just turned into a human form. And she has no intention of killing it anymore. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. But she paused.

“I still need to find Sekhmet,”

“Sekhmet?”

“We were thrown out from the ogre, and I have no idea where to find her,”

“There’s no time,”

Persis met Jethro’s gaze with confusion, and said, “What are you talking about?” she didn’t like anything about what Jethro just said and she wanted not to hear it, but,

“The gate of the city and the academy is closing in any minute now, and I’m lucky to find you in time, Persis,”

“What? No! I can’t leave Sekhmet here. Alone.”

Jethro grabbed her wrist, pulling her to his side as he spread his wings. Persis cannot struggle enough to get away from his grips. Her strength is slowly draining away from releasing such energy.

“We will come back for her when it’s over. For now, I have to save you.” 

Persis wanted to complain further but it’s no use. Jethro is already airborne and like a torpedo, he speeds up to the sky with her, leaving the forest and the unconscious form lying over the broken trees.

*

“Can you show me the way to your brother? I might meet Persis there,” Sekhmet managed to walk around the place. She sometimes knew that this house was built over on the large oak tree and it was cozy. It has been built with brown bricks and has oak wooden decorations. Tall, wide windows allow enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a mostly symmetric way.

They reached at the small rectangle dining table which was across from the well-equipped kitchen.

The man paused for a moment before giving Sekhmet a bowl of hot noodle soup with scallions and garnished with eggs and a slice of wheat bread, then meeting her gaze with seriousness in his bronze eyes. “I doubt if that Persis of yours would live in the place where my brother lives,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck.

“What do you mean? Your brother can’t be that--” The rich aroma of the dish wafted down and beckoned her. She wasn’t aware that she was empty until her mouth watered the moment she spotted the food. “Thank you,”

The man nodded, acknowledging her thanks. 

“Dangerous? Believe me, we’re not that close to seeing him that easy and though we’re brothers, it doesn't mean we are family.”

Sekhmet’s forehead creased. He brought her a glass of water before joining her to sit on one of the wooden chairs opposite to her. “Sorry to say this, but I can’t let you go there. I can’t even face my brother,”

“Why not? You’re a dragon, too, right?”

“You seem not surprised to meet one.”

Sekhmet paused. It was uncommon for the academy to have such a dragon kind that can take shapeshift into a humanoid form. They were almost less in number nowadays.

“I’ve met someone before.” 

“I see,” he said, “but I might know someone who can help you to search for this person you are looking for.”

“Thanks,” then she noticed something on the other side of the table that was placed right on the corner. It was a clear crystal glass that was shaped like a bell with a gleaming red stone inside. “What’s that?” she asked.

“It’s a ruby stone.”

“No, the glass.” She was sure enough that it looks similar to the glass that covers the monster plant that attacked them.

“It’s the glass of Alzinder,” somehow the man was amused to her interest instead of the stone, “how did you know that?”

“Can you take me to the source?” she ignored what he asked and she had enough to know where to look for it.

“If you wanted to know the source is in the city, of course, but this is a hidden place with little access to the buyers” he explained.

“And the one who made it?”

“You are looking at him,” he gave her a smile that she almost choked on while chewing her food.