Conflicted

Directions

  "You've got to be kidding me!" I walked in circles in the middle of the dense forest whilst clutching the map in my fist. "I let you lead for 10 min! 10 min and you manage to get us lost!"

Vick looked at me sheepishly and went back to fiddling with the compass. I let out a cry of frustration and flopped onto the ground next to the newly built fireplace.

"Come on, it can't be that bad, we still have enough food and water rations!" she giggled nervously,

"No, you don't get it! I have to get to the Palace in..." I re-checked my wajan. "2 days and 23 hours."

Vick raised an eyebrow at me but didn't say anything. I sighed and gently took the compass from her. The Palace was somewhere in the Northeast of my village, Northwest from the train station. I paced back and forth whilst staring intently at the compass, as if that piece of scrap metal was about to come alive any moment and magically lead the way to the Palace.

"Quick question, Hel, why'd you gotta get to the Palace so urgently?"

"Ah!"

Vick suddenly came from behind which nearly gave me a heart attack. The compass fell out of my hand and hit a sharp piece of rock on the ground. I hurriedly picked up the compass, and felt a rush of relief as the needle turned to the North-South position.

"Vick! You made me drop the compass! What if it had broken?" I snapped irritably at her.

Vick merely rolled her eyes and repeated her question. I paid no heed to her and started picking up my pace again. Vick stuck beside me like an annoying fruit fly, repeating her question multiple times every time I paused for a moment or slowed down. I clenched and unclenched my fists in frustration as I neared a clearing. Vick rambled on about how I should tell her as there might be a chance that we may acquire similar jobs hence the fact that I should answer her question.

"Vick! Not now," I nearly shouted at her before softening my voice "Please, I need to concentrate."

Vick nodded her head at me apologetically and pointed at the direction which was full of thick bushes and trees.

"To get to the Palace we have to pass by that area."

I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Trust me. I know the way from here."

There's nothing to lose I guess, I was absolutely lost and desperate. I let out a sound of disgust as I tried to get through the bushes that were blocking the way. Some of them were covered in animal feces. Vick just walked through them as if she was right at home. Amazing. I really hope that this path would lead us somewhere, I definitely do not want to go through those bushes again if we were to reach another dead end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The King's throne was just there to display the Kingdom's wealth, not for one to sit on. The King definitely did not want to sit on 10'000 year old gold. A single scratch from a studded ring or his crown would cause the throne to slowly melt away into nothingness. Hence the Almighty King of the Empire of Ursula, sat on a dingy cushioned chair beside the glowing boast of a throne. Yet this seat also gave the King a view of his Empire. Every single thing that was happening was within his view, all in a moving map that showed everything that was happening in 3D, almost as if it was a hologram. The map was one of the few reasons why the Empire of Ursula was considered the empire with the least crimes in the world. The people knew that the King was always watching.

The King watched Vick bring Helena through the thick mulberry bushes laced with the feces of Qerens to keep away wild creatures. They definitely would not enter the Palace smelling of fresh flowers. This was a long and complicated plan that the King had thought up. But its success could guarantee an eternal rule for him. Imagine that, eternal power all in the palm of his hands. A dream come true for many power-hungry rulers, someone just like him.

The King smirked as he saw the guards letting the bridge down, allowing Helena and Vick to cross the deadly moat. He wondered if putting so many Enderdiles in the poison laced water was a good idea. They were not as discrete as he hoped they would be. 

~Glossary~

Wajan; Something similar to a watch in the reality realm

Qerens; creatures that suffocate in light and thrive in the dark, its scent is what most wild animals are most fearful of as it is toxic to their lung

Enderdiles; Wild crocodile-like creatures with 10 eyes and can be trained to teleport short distances. Mainly found in bodies of water with high salt percentage. Immune to poison.

(Yes I took inspiration from Mojang about the Enderdiles)