Half Heart Hero: Rise of Sifa [Book 2]

Fang Clan

Namaari was waiting for her. She held a cloth wrapped bundle in her hands. For a moment, the two stared at each other.

"I see you got my gift," Raya began.

"I never thought I'd see this again," Namaari said, looking at the pendant.

"Well, uh... I tried to take good care of it," Raya said. Namaari looked up at Raya. "You're not the only dragon nerd here."

Namaari laughed. She looked at the cloth in her hands. Immediately, Raya could see the gleam of the blue shard. Without taking her eyes from Raya, Namaari placed the gem piece on a rock between them and backed away. At that moment, Sisu emerged from the woods, her eyes on Namaari. Namaari gasped and quickly bowed to her, then stood, looking a little shy. Sisu and Raya stared at the small gem. It was the last piece for the gem to be fixed. They have finally done it.

"The final piece," Sisu said to Raya.

"Time to bring everyone back," Raya said and smiled.

Then she started to open her satchel, where the rest of the gem shards sat, but she stopped when she heard a threatening sound. She looked up and her heart seemed to snap. Namaari held a raised crossbow. Her finger was on the trigger.

"Sisu and the gem pieces are coming with me," Namaari said.

Behind them, Tong emerged from the forest. Boun, Noi and the animals were right behind him.

"Sisu!" Boun yelled.

"Stay back!" Namaari warned.

Tong bared his teeth. "It was foolish to trust someone from Fang!"

"Don't come any closer!" Namaari warned again.

"Namaari, it doesn't have to be like this," Raya pleaded. Tears glisten in Namaari's eyes. But she didn't lower her weapon. "I don't have any other choice."

"Hey. I got this," Sisu said softly. Raya paused, then slowly took her hand off her sword. Sisu, starting to glow, took a few steps toward Namaari. Namaari now pointed her crossbow at Sisu. "I know you don't wanna hurt anybody."

"What are you doing?" Namaari asked.

"You just want a better world. Like we all do."

Namaari hesitated. She lowered her crossbow an inch. "Sisu..."

"I trust you, Namaari."

But Raya still wasn't sure. She kept an eye on Namaari's trigger. Suddenly, it seemed to move. Raya didn't waste a moment. She pulled out her sword and rushed at Namaari. But as she struck the crossbow, the trigger released. With a sound as quiet as the breeze, the arrow flew through the air and sank into Sisu's heart.

Sisu froze for a moment. She looked at the arrow that struck her chest. She felt blood leaking through. Her body stopped moving and the light faded away. Sisu felt like cold ice in her heart and her vision started to fade.

For one long terrible moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Raya, Namaari and the others watched, frozen in horror, as Sisu tipped backward and plunged into the canal. Namaari, horrified at this, threw down her crossbow, grabbed her gem piece and took off. Raya ran toward the water. She could see the faint outline of Sisu below the surface.

"SISU!" Raya screamed. "No..."

Tong, Boun, Noi and the animals all came to her side, but she hardly noticed. She was overcome with rage. Abruptly, the water in the canal began to roil and sink, as it was rapidly draining away. 

"What's... happening?" Boun said worriedly, his eyes were wide with fear.

"I don't know. It appears that with the last dragon gone, so too goes the water," Tong replied. "Now there is nothing to stop the Druun. Nothing."