Fairy Hunter (chance): Chapter 14

The carriage instantly halt in front of the castle. Leo shout some ancient words, a squeaking sound can be heard when the magnificent big gate opens. Leo usher the trio into the garden. Ash eyes glister alongside the bushes, the bushes change color according the stars that rotates around them. Three different ords landed on the trio's hand. The orbs colors are according to their symbols. Leo turn around, his eyes turns big, he is visibily shaking in fear. 'The ritual...', is all he manages to say before sprinting into the castle.

Anxious about Leo's response the trio follow his steps a few minutes after. They push open the gigantic door. Their gaze meet a beautiful hall. The wall are made of gold,the windows are transparent crystal. Jewellery hang around shining in different colors. What's odd, there no one guarding this place. They lingers around the main hall desperately searching for entrance of any sort. They grunt in frustration, the hall is closed, there's nothing more than walls and window. No door to anywhere.

Ash notices the pink gem that was embroided under Aries symbol burn deep shade of pink. Their search meet a halt when a swirling staircase form beneath the gem appear. They could hear high heels running down the stairs. Finally, the person comes into view. Ari has the most serene face they had ever seen. She has a curvaceous body and beautiful white wavy hair behind her. She's wearing a pink strapless dress in the shape of heart kluzt, surprisingly she is wearing a magneta color stilletoes, her crown is nothing more than symbols on her fore head.

'Are you the one Leo has been talking about?', her voice is sweet and caring, they are mesmerized by her voice it took them a few minutes to fully download her question. 'Yes,' Ash step forward, he hands Ari the orange orb. He has the chills when he holds it. Ari gives him a simple smile before refusing the orb. 'They have chosen all three of you as their new owner. Albeit, I'm still wondering where this little guy came from. I never seen him before', Ari poke the orb a few times.

'You aren't the one who is suppose to rule this kingdom are you?', Ash shot her a look. Ari sigh, 'You are her substitute aren't you', the blue orb jump up and down proving her statement true.

'We should discuss this over after lunch', she said, sadness is present in her voice as if she is recalling a nightmare. The trios gives each other a warily look, have they made the wrong gestures?. Ari leads them to one of the windows. Ari touch it and colors start to shot out. The colors chalked the transparent window creating a mosiac picture of a dining hall. 'Come', she gesture them to follow. Without much hesitation they follows Ari steps, the window glows in red and blue. It opens up a passage, a red carpet roll underneath their steps. The hall is decorated with knights in shining armor. After crossing the window slash door, a white light rose behind them. They jolt to their feet turning around only to see a brick wall. The window have disappears into a brick wall.

Ari chuckle, its always amuse her to see outsiders shocked like that. 'Come my dears, they have waited long enough'. Ash scracth his head, 'they?', he question. 'What are you talking about Ari-san?', he grunt in pain. The pink orb slam his gut. 'What was that for!', he choked out.

'Have some respect will you! She's a royalty! Mind your manners Ash', the owner bellows. Ash curse under his breath, his hand silently patting the sore spot on his stomach. 'That's okay, I don't really mind it', Ari state not wanting a fight too broke out. She couldn't handle fighting mages in her current condition.
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Max takes a deep breath, they barely survive with minor injuries. Mirai slump next to him, his eyes and right leg are bandaged. They only got a few hour before the next wave start commencing their operation. Max punch the ground several times. He is furious, they have wasted energy for nothing. 'Calm down man, we didn't know', Mirai comfort. His voice is low and weak, if it weren't for the darkness Max would have shown his weak side.

'I fail', he meakly state, Mirai pat his back. Max has gone through so much, so much its breaking his souls apart. Mirai looks at his hopeless friend, he can do nothing of any means to help him.

'How am I going to tell them', he sobbed. Max didn't care anymore, after what he have witnesses, being raw right now is his only option.

'Its okay', Max jerk his head. Mirai's voice sounds far, really far. Under the moon light Max feel his face, pale and lifeless. 'Mirai...', he choked out. The girl watch from afar, her feet slowly made way towards the boy. Leaves cracks in agony, she carries a thousand burden in her heart. My fault! It's all my fault! Tears that she swears not to shed slowly made way down her cheek. The piercing pain on her arm fades away. There's nothing more painful than seeing Max sitting alone, being tortured by his own mind.

He sit at the edge of a cliff facing the vast ocean, they got some Intel about the next wave. All of them are worried, their magic isn't recovering fast. The girl sigh, she tries her hardest to wipe away the tears. Nevertheless, her effort are fruitless. The sounds of waves crashing into the beach is the only thing consoling her. She knows he needs someone. She knows he need support. She knows he needs her. Ever so slowly, she made way towards him. She absurbly stood next to him, she turn to the side. Mirai gives her a smile, he needs her to be strong, for him and for Max.

She takes a deep breath, before any words could escape her mouth Max hushed her with a question. 'Illusia, will it matter if we save this world or not? We'll die in the end anyways'.

Illusia stood frozen, his voice sounds so corrupted so broken, it made her cry harder. 'If you ask me, it will be better if we fight until we die', she say slowly before taking a seat next to him. She couldn't tell Max's emotion right at the moment, his eyes are severely damaged. Surrounded by darkness, all she could hear is Max uneven breathing. Subconsciously, she pull Max by the shoulder. His face landed on the joints of her neck and shoulder.

'Its okay Max. It's okay to cry', following her orders, Max let himself cry in anguish. 'He's gone Illusia! He's gone!', Illusia hold him tighter, her heart is aching along with him. Illusia look up, even though her vision is cloudy she could see Mirai smiling gratefully to her. Illusia slam her eyes shut,'Max... Don't give up hope. We need to continue where he left off. He wouldn't be in peace until we finish what have been started. Even though all our body and powers are stripped from us, even though our happiness are robbed, I beg of you, don't let them rob your hope. You need to be strong, there are others waiting for you Max. Don't make them sad,' on her last sentence an image of Myra flash before his eyes.

Illusia sigh slowly, Max has calm down and probably sleeping in her arms, she take a glance at Mirai. His face shine brighter than any moon as he mouthed 'thank you' before disappearing into thin air. Illusia finally manage to blink away a tear. She need to continue fighting, so there will be hope. Even if she needs to die, at least she dies knowing that she left some hope for her friends to live.

'Thank you Mirai. For giving me hope that there will be tomorrow for me', she stop and glance over to Max 'and for him'. That is her last words before she drift off to sleep hand in hand with Max.
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Myra jerk her head around, sweat violently pours down. Her breath becomes ragged, she is shaking so hard she couldn't properly hold her weapon. Nature met a halt, the leaves rustles violently as they made contact with her shield. Myra let out a furious shiver before replying 'I sense him. He's in danger', she sobs. Nature flinch, she quickly move her feet to aid Myra.

They couldn't have a breakdown. Not now of all time. Nature engulfed her in a reassuring hug, she whisper some encouraging words into her ears. Underneath her hug, she could feel the emerald color pearl burning her skin. She push Myra lightly away, Myra eyes are darken, her pupils have dissolve into nothingness. 'Help me', those words comes out as a whisper. Nature shook the girl harshly, somehow her aura is fading.

'What a rip off, and here I thought she would be hard to paralyzed', a girl cooed. From behind the bushes a girl in a maid uniform step out. Several wolves surround her. They follows her every command. 'You...', the word sounded like a vile poison in Nature's mouth. Myra head loll to her neck as she brings the girl closer. Nature put her shield in front both of them. The maid girl chuckle menacingly, she play with a dark purple gem in her hand.

Nature gasps, she recognize the pearl anywhere. 'What have you done!', she half scream. Nature push her shield deeper into the ground, a green almost invisible light pours out, Nature release the light for help. The girl click her tongue, 'No, we can't have that now can we', one stomp of her feet the light breaks into pieces. Nature mouth hang opens.

'Ha-ha, that old hag, it was such a hassle to get this. Good thing my wolves tear her from limb to limb', her wolves roars into the dead night. They approach silently with murderous aura. 'Hey old fart, remember this name in the after life. It's Luna', thousands of wolves starts to pounce on the dou. Nature shake uncontroably, not because of fear but anger. 'Nature's Shield!', many of the wolves are sent boucing back. Nature undo her shield.

She pound the ground 'Nature's wrath!', vines peirce the wolves. Blood spills through out the plain. Nature's turns to her shield, she hesitantly pull a string behind the shield.

She was almost done pulling the string until a flash back comes to her mind. Nature giggles loudly when the grass tickles her soft plump legs. Her frock flutter every way incircling her. Dandelions spreads their seeds making the scenery more breath taking. Behind her a woman in about her twenties step forward. Nature twirls, the woman stiffle a laugh at the sight.

'Mommy! Look at this dandelions playing around me', her plump cheeks redden as she giggles uncontrollably. The woman smile, she pat her thighs signalling Nature to sit. Oblivious the little girl bounce to her lap, her mother carass her sweet plump body in caution.

'Nature.. One day you will be a guardian just like me. When that time comes, I will hand you this shield. Behind it is a string, a string I don't want you to pull. Can you promise me that?', oblivious to what her mother spreaks off Nature twindle her pinkie.

'Pwomise mommy'. Her mother laugh, Nature never thought that was her last remaining memory of her dear mother.

Luna watch in amusement, the dark pearl is sinking its claw deep into her prey's heart. Lune bit her lip, torturing her prey's mind isn't enough to satisfy her thirst. She eyes the unconscious girl behind Nature. Her eyes flick in total evil. 'Rise', her lips curl into a menacing smirk. Ohh! She just began playing.

Nature bicker with her inner self, at first she was certain but now! Her heart seems to be afraid for what is about to come. The consequences of her pulling the string. Nature hunch down in pain, there's a stining pain shot through her back. She slowly turn around, fist clenched ready to punch the person to death. Nature staggers to her feet, Myra eyes are covered by her bangs. Her steps are unsteady.

Nature took a step back, something is wrong. Myra lift her face, her eyes is now visible to Nature. Her eyes turns wide, she had never seen a sight so terrifying before. 'Ara...ara.. It looks like you got your self in a pinch there', Luna twirl her lock, the stupid smug won't wash off her face. Infuriated Nature draw her shield ready to cut Luna in half.

Luna 'tsk' she wiggle her index finger. 'Now..now.. If you kill me. That little pet of yours will die too', Luna raise a weird shape crystal, inside Myra subconscious floats around. Nature bit her lip, the situation worsen when Luna calls another packs of wolves. Luna tap her chin giddily, her fun are just beginning she have more in stock. But she need to deal with the pesky guardians first. Isaac will be cross if she fail. Being a smart person she is she really want to pass up the chance. Isaac can be very menacing this few months.

'Who will you choose? Your life or hers?', Luna cooed, she jingle the crystal in her hand. Nature thought becomes more and more disordered. The pressure is too much, was is she suppose to do. Behind her Myra crack her whip ready to attack meanwhile blood thirst wolves surrounds her.  Was there truly no more hope for her to survive?.
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Zashara perch on top of a hooded man. He's pacimg back and forth, his foot tap inpatiently. The person he wish to see is yet to come. Slowly the door to his room creak open. A slender figure with brown spiky hair step in, his face seems sweaty. 'Ahh', was all he could say before placing himself in front of the master. The hooded man sit cross legged on his throne.

The master scowl were worse than the Butler expected. 'My master I-I'm...', the words couldn't come out. He didn't have the heart to spill the beans, not yet. Hearing the master laugh was something odd. He didn't anticipate that to happen, slowly he raise his head. 'Good job my boy', the master face beams with joy. The Butler becomes more perplexed, he isn't aware of anything he does to amuse the master, nothing that he knows.

'Good job luring them to that conclusion', the master words knock air right put of his lungs. It took almost all of his energy to keep his heart rate at a normal speed. He swallow the lump in his throat, a forced glory smile spread across his face.

'If you don't mind master. Tell me what exactly did I do?'. The master laugh, the Butler takes a step back. The uneasiness in the air start to take tolls to his heart. The black bird perched at the throne seems to be enjoying his nervousness. The Butler could swear, the bird is behind all the scheming of Fairy Killer. After regain his composure the mater tap his throne. A trap door to his right opens, a relic in the shape of a dragon pendant arose from the hole.

The Butler could hardly breath, this is an omen! Master have his hand on such dangerous thing!!!

'Surprise?', the relic disappear and reappear in the master hand.

'H-How did you get that?!!', his sentence cones out in stutters he even forget the honorific. Master lick his lip, blood drop out from the corner of his mouth. 'I could feel their blood, I could hear their cries', he bellows like a mad man. The throne starts to darken, stench of blood filling the air.

'Master ca-', he was stopped when the razor sharp claws of the black bird scratch his cheek, revealing a new set of flesh underneath it.Frantically the butler covers his wounds with his hand. The situation worsen as the master curse spreads across the room. 'They are falling for a trap they never imagine', not wanting to hear further, the Butler storm out of the room. His breath becomes ragged, the pain on his cheeks doubled by the  minute. He keep on running until he met a clearing. Slowly, he pull open his façade, his Butler suit transforming into something more light but useful in battles.

His dark brown locks shimmers underneath the moon light. He curse himself for being a total scaredy cat. But he does wonder, why didn't his friends realize it yet. Isn't it too obvious of who he is? The boy keep sprinting down the winding path of thorns foliage. He ignores the scratches he gains, like a lightning on a thuder strike he needs to be quick.

He needs to see her at all cost. This is bad, the Master means business. A gust of fear batters agaisnt his skin and heart. If reusseracting the dragon and The Princess Gathering aren't their true intentions then what is? He spare a glance at the crooked castle, it look so dark and dim. No light had ever wash into their door step for eons now. His pace quicken as the pains disturbs his field of vision.

'Are you sure letting him off the hook is a good judgement?', his bird friend squak. The master turn around, Zashara place itself on top of his throne. 'That little rat will disrupt their strategiest thoughts. At a condition so dire like this. The most calmest people wins', his voice crackle.

'Its nice to see sober up Rain', the master hoods falls off. His eight eye are fully red with a tint of blackness in the center. Zashara smirk, he's glad the boy didn't realize the darkness that's consuming his soul.