Knight Series #4: Nickel Peri

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Village

MONTHS passed by but they didn't find the whereabouts of Zereah. They can't even stop Hades from searching for her. Zereah's location is nowhere to be found, no traces of her have been spotted outside of the dormitory. The guards even helped them by searching every inch of each kingdom.

Sa sobrang lawak ng kaharian ng Agartha ay maaaring abutin sila ng ilang dekada bago pa nila mahanap ang kaibigan.

"Send the troop ice in the south village. There's a report that a witch is causing trouble in the market" Nickel instructed.

As the current general of the knights and knight of the future queen of Agartha, one of his responsibilities is to provide security and safety for the kingdom.

"Continue the surveillance outside the castle walls--"

"Knight Nickel, her royal highness is requesting your presence in the garden" a knight interrupts.

He sighed and dismissed the soldiers.

Nang makarating siya sa hardin ay natigilan siya ng hindi niya makita ang prinsesa. Wala sa sariling napatingin siya sa taas ng puno ng mapansin ang mga dahon na nag laglagan. At naroroon ang prinsesa, nasa taas ng puno habang naka baliktad ang pagkaka upo nito.

Kumunot ang noo niya "What are you doing there, Lady Alyciean?" as his head tilted.

The princess is hanging upside down in the tree, and her legs are wrapped around the branch while swaying back and forth.

"Nandyan kana pala," ani ng prinsesa.

He just sighed on the way how the princess got down from the tree. She just let go her legs and tumbled down with grace, doing mesmerizing acrobats.

"Get ready. We're going to the market" she clasped her hands together, with a grin on her face.

Kumunot naman ang noo niya sa kakaibang ngiti na ibinigay ng prinsesa. Sa ilang taon na niya itong binabantayan ay malakas na ang kutob niya na may kakaiba itong naiisip.

"I'll ready the carriage"

"No," she disapproves "we'll use horses"

He pressed his lips together at her royal highness's decision. It would be dangerous for her if they would travel without cover but knowing her girl boss attitude, she definitely can take care of herself.

"Does His Royal Highness know about your plan today?"

Nawala ang mga ngiti nito sa labi nang banggitin niya ang prinsipe.

She glared at him "Wag na wag mong ipapaalam ito sa kaniya"

After that she returned to her usual jolly aura and left the garden. Napabuntong hininga na lamang siya sa kakaibang ugali ng prinsesa. Sumunod siyang umalis ng hardin at inihanda ang mga kabayong gagamitin nila.

IVORY swiftly moved her head to the side to dodge the attack of the witch. Her eyes sharpened, redirecting her hands to control the vines, wrapping it up against the witch's leg. She raised her hands making the vines raised as well that makes the witch drop upside down.

Before the witch creates another spell, she quickly wraps vines in the witch's hand and seals it with a seal off spell.

She took a deep breath "Alam mo naman na illegal ang ginagawa mong pagtitinda ng potions dito"

The witch glared at her and kept wiggling her body, trying to escape. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She's about to speak when two knights approach her.

"Knight Ivory," an Agartian knight approaches her "we're here to capture the witch"

Kumunot naman ang noo niya.

"And who are you to take custody of this witch? I'm the one who caught her--" hindi na niya natapos ang sinasabi niya ng makita ang prinsesa, kasama nito si Nickel.

She composed herself and gave respect to the princess.

"Your royal highness"

Lady Alyceian waves at her "Don't worry about them taking the witch. I have a mission for the both of you" pertaining to her and Nickel.

May halong pagtataka niyang tiningnan ang prinsesa pero hindi na siya umangal at sumunod na lamang dito. She rides her own guardian, an akhal-teke horse. It's one of the rarest, finest and beautiful breeds of horse that can be found in the human world. It has metallic-like shine to its fur, giving this breed the appearance of golden and bronze statues almost.

They arrived in an abandoned village. The houses are already ruined, there are marks of it being burned down, probably a fire broke out. No. There's an attack that ruined the whole village.

"I'm pretty sure that y'all remember this village. I want it to be renovated and developed as a shelter for those people that are living in those dark alleys of the market–"

"You went into the dark alleys? Without company?" Nickel cut the princess off.

Natutop naman ang labi nito at pasimpleng nag iwas ng tingin. Kahit kailan talaga ay hindi marunong mag tago ng kasinungalingan ang prinsesa.

"I'm pretty sure that her royal highness can take care of herself," she suggested while side-eyeing Nickel "saka hindi naman malayo ito sa kalapit na nayon"

Lady Alyciean clap then winked at her "Be like Ivy, supporting independent woman"

Nickel raised his hands "I surrender" he sighed

"Anyways, gusto ko lang ibalik ito sa dati para may maayos silang matitirhan at para maisaayos na din ang lugar na 'yun" ani ng prinsesa

The village used to be lively, since it was located in the center village and the differences of the element users are being equal and have diversity. Before they went to the Season Academy, she used this path on her way into the water kingdom but it was destroyed during an attack by a group of men that works for Lady Alyciean's uncle a couple years ago.

Pinapaliwanag ng prinsesa sa kung anong gusto niyang ipaayos kay Nickel habang siya naman ay naglibot sa mga kabahayan. Nagsisitubuan na din ang mga halaman, maging sa loob ng mga nasirang bahay ay mayroon na ding mga baging at damo ang nagsisi sulputan.

Napatigil siya sa isang malaking bahay dahil sa kakaibang itsura nito. Ang gitnang bahagi ng bahay ay halos nasira na pero natira naman ang likurang bahagi nito. Halata din sa magka bilang bahagi ng bahay ang bakas ng sunog pero hindi gaano napuruhan gaya ng nasa gitnang bahagi. Pero ang nakakuha ng atensyon niya ay ang kakaibang fountain sa gitna nito habang ang nasa paligid nito ay puro malalagong damo na tumubo sa buong kabahayan.

"Nandito ka pala"

Hindi na niya kailangang lumingon at Kilala na naman niya kung kanino ang boses na yun.

"This house belonged to a well known witch hunter back then. I used to see her on that balcony," she said while pointing at the left side of the house." She used to wave at me every time I passed here. She also have a husband but he died during the attacked that wrecked this whole village, he's also nice to me, giving me different kinds of potions"

Nickel was just beside her, listening to her story.

"Do you know where she is?" He asked

She shrugged "No one knows. She disappeared in the middle of the night"

Without them knowing, there's a person that was watching them intently from a far.

"What are you doing here, Knight Ivory?"