King

CHAPTER XXIX

I watched as she turned from a normal-looking human to a skeleton. Her hair grew long and it reached the ground. The spirits flocked around her as centipedes came crawling around her bones. As they enter her eye sockets her eyeballs filled the hollow and I couldn’t help but feel disgusted seeing her that way.

“So, you’re a dead ruler,” I whispered while looking at her with horror and disgust.

She laughed and it echoed in the whole place. The birds flew when they heard her laughter and the canines howled as the laughter echoes.

“Honey, I was a human when this kingdom was overthrown,” She said and giggled. “I’m not like you who could live in this world for millions of years,” She added and she told her story I could hear the hatred she was feeling.

“Did you sell your soul?” I asked because there was nothing else I could think of.

She laughed and I hated the sound of it. “No, I am more powerful than that,” She said and walked towards me.

She was about to touch my chin but I slashed her hand away with the Juru Jakal. “Don’t touch me,” I said.

“How mean,” She said and stopped. “What happened to you?” I asked while looking at her.

“Are you sure you want to know?” She asked and I nodded.

I wanted to hear her story.

“I was swallowed by my greed for this kingdom.” She answered and I could see the obsession she had just by looking at her face.

“I was sent by my kingdom to visit yours. I was supposed to check how the exchange of goods was doing but when I arrived here I was mesmerized by this kingdom. Your kingdom is so pure. The air was calming and the plants were beautifully flourishing. The people were living in perfect harmony. It was like heaven on earth.” She said and took a deep breath. “I was so happy to have been brought in this kingdom. So, I decided to deceive my people. I was even able to deceive my king into creating a war between my kingdom and theirs. I used the wreck the Great War created to make my kingdom turn against yours.”

“How dare you,” I said and clenched my jaw.

“I was a greedy woman. I loved the lavish treatment you would give your visitors. Your people’s nature is to serve others. So, I thought that they deserved a ruler like me, someone who had an iron fist. A ruler who wouldn’t bow to others but would be served by her people.” She said and laughed.

I clenched my hands into a fist and charged towards her.

I pointed my Juru Jakal at her and stabbed her right in the chest.

“Awe, the little princess is mad,” She said and pulled the sword away.

“Juru Jakal, return,” I commanded when I was away from her.

“Why would you return your sword to where it came from while battling me? Are you that cocky?” She asked and she grew.

She was starting to grow like a giant so I turned to the crowd to tell them to leave but just as I did, I saw Danilo and Josefina guiding the others to safety.

Al and Zyn were helping the Sarangay (Half-human, half-bull) and tikbalangs (half human and half horse) in guiding the people. The engkantos (spirits and fairies), dwendes (magical dwarfs) and other magical beings were at the back and the manananggals (Philippine vampires) were in front to defend if ever something happens. The humans were in the middle so they wouldn’t be attacked.

“Thank you,” I said when I saw what was happening.

“Now, I don’t have to worry about anything,” I said and looked towards Felicia. “Let’s finish this,” I said and maid it rain with purified arrows.

“Do you think this will kill me?” She asked in mockery and I shook my head.

“Now really, but it can kill your spirits,” I said and she looked around only to see that half of her army of spirits was gone.

She smashed the ground and I was thrown into the air. I was about to make a platform when a Bakunawa caught me.

“Thank you,” I whispered and patted its head.

“It’s nothing, your highness,” It replied and I smiled.

“Bring me close to her,” I said and called for a Kris (A wavy sword of Moro in the Philippines).

“As you wish, your highness,” The Bakunawa said.

The Kris appeared in my hand and I started to chant a purification spell. I transferred the purification in the sword and searched for her sword.

“We’re near, your highness,” The Bakunawa said so I stood up.

“Can you make it rain?” I asked and the Bakunawa nodded.

The sky became dark and the storm was visibly brewing in the sky.

“I want you to hide in the clouds and drop me when I tell you to, okay?” I instructed.

“Understood, your highness,” He said and charged towards the clouds.

It was dark and the winds were strong. I covered my eyes and squinted as I search for the sword.

“Are you alright, your highness?” The bakunawa asked and I patted his head. “I’m fine. Also, you can call me Isabel,” I answered.

“If that’s what you prefer, Isabel,” It said and flew around.

I could see her throwing a tantrum when she couldn’t find me.

“Isabel, come out, I want to play with you,” She said and threw a boulder blindly.

“I bet you’re here,” She said and reached for the sky.

The Bakunawa was quick to dodge so we were hit.

“Hang on tight, Isabel,” It said as it continually dodged Felicia’s hands.

“Gotcha,” She said when she was able to hit us.

We were separated and when I looked at the Bakunawa it was unconscious.

Shit.

I released a platform for both of us. I watched as it slowly landed on the ground but I didn’t notice Felicia’s hand. She was able to swap me like a fly and I was thrown across the sky.

I activated my teleportation powers and teleported on her shoulder. “That won’t kill me,” I whispered in her ear but even though I was already covered in my blood.

I looked around her body to search for the sword but to no avail.

I looked around and saw that the furthest spirit was holding the sword.

“Get off me you pest,” Felicia said and hit her shoulder.

I teleported towards her head and charged towards the spirit that was holding the sword.

I was about to reach it when she was able to flick me in a different direction.

The height difference was making things difficult.

I could feel myself being thrown in the air when I hit something. I turned around and realized that it was her finger’s bone.

“Caught you,” She said and brought me closer to her face.

I was resting on her bone and was waiting for her to do something.

“How do you want to die?” She asked as she motioned to squish me with her forefinger bone.

I let her have the satisfaction of seeing her think that she was about to kill me.

I waited for her finger to be at least a few feet away from me before I attempted something I’ve never done before.

I counted until ten and teleported to where the spirit was. I threw my Kris while aiming at the sword hoping it’ll hit. I also created purified lances and pointed it towards the spirit.

“You b***h!” I heard Felicia yell as she evaporated.

I created purified swords that surrounded her and motioned it to hit her all at once.

I was falling in the air as I did all of those. I have no extra mana to waste in creating a platform for myself.

“I won’t let you go,” She said as she slowly evaporated.

I created another batch of purified swords and hit her with it all at once to speed up her permanent death. But as soon as the second batch hit her she was able to flick me with her finger.

I felt my body hit the castle walls before I fell on the ground.

I looked in front of me and saw that she was already gone.

The sky also cleared up and that’s when I saw the Bakunawa flying above me.

“Isabel, wait here and I’ll call for Lady Josefina,” It said and I nodded.

“Thank you,” I whispered and watched it fly to where the others were headed.

I tried to squeeze out the mana I have left to heal myself but when I did I started to feel dizzy.

“f**k! Get a grip,” I told myself before all I saw was darkness.