Sacred ✔

Chapter Three

Senshi and I planned to travel to the Mystic Cave near the Sanulesanan Ocean; the ocean of beauty and death, as the fairytales say. As a child I would always believe in the fairytales but since the death of m parents and the loss of my brother I realised that not everything has a happy ending. 

With only three Sacred Treasures it won't do anything but with the fourth, peace will finally come. I'm sixteen right now so that leaves two years to find it. This whole things sounds too easy. 

'Okay! Where's my list?' I sighed in relief, 'Found it!'

I looked down at the paper with rushed scribbles of what I needed on my journey: money, food, clothing, medicine, weapons, armour, necklace, sword, carving, Senshi, myself, water, maps, compass, horses... 

I finished packing the bags to be strapped to the horses. 

'Senshi, get out of dream land and get ready to move out!' 

'I'm up! I'm up!' 

A few minutes later I mounted my glossy black horse and started off on a trot with a map freshly memorised in my head. Senshi most likely knew his way through the entire nation. 

'Okay! Lets ride!' I giggled, I sped towards the gates. 

'Slow down princess! we wont be able to open the gate fast enough.' a guard shouted over my horses gallop. 

'Best hurry up then!' I called back, they hurried to open the gate. 'Thank you! See you all soon.' 

My horse and I sprinted into the treeline; Senshi only a while back. I wanted to get past the forest within a few hours... without stopping. This area is commonly used by hunters and I dont want Senshi or I to get hurt. So why not just charge on through whilst keeping a careful eye? 

I zoned out for a split second.. but with careful hearing I identified the creek of a wooden bow and a arrow suddenly racing through the air. 

I react to the arrow by drawing my sword from its belt and swinging it in multiple circles, the stick chopped in half. A man appeared from the bushes and shot another arrow, just before I came to a halt on my horse. A big mistake of his was missing.

I moved my horse next to him and looked down at him. The young males face went from contort in confusion to being beet red. 

'What are you getting all red for?' I demanded. 

'N-no reason' he shrugged grumpily. 

'What's your name?' I questioned.

'Ite I'm an archer from the northern village' he replied. 

'Why were you shooting at me?'

'I thought you were some sort of beast' he blushed, tilting his head downwards. 

I took the bow and an arrow from his case. 

'Your posture and technique wasn't strong enough. Whilst drawing back the string make sure to take a deep breath in, giving you enough time to pause and aim, once you're ready let go of the string and it should be more accurate' I demonstrate with confidence. A bird lays upon the ground a few feet away. 

'Now go. Before my associate sees you and your arrows.' I whispered. 

'Princess!' Senshi shouted, catching up to the stationary Jidai. He noticed Ite's presence. He readied his hands, moving them in swirling motions to create a bullet made of water. 

I turned around and jumped in front of Ite, 'Wait!'. 

Senshi released the bullet when my stance faltered; I had no clue what element I wielded, so all my actions would be unconscious and an act of self defence. 

My arms shot out, mouth open, voice screaming high pitched and a shield in the shape of beating wings formed around both me. From the force and power of the movement - Senshi fell backwards off his horse, the bullet stopped spinning and drilling. Soon becoming a puddle on the floor. 

I gazed around me. Ite was laying in pain against a rock and I struggled to breathe as I had inflicted pain on someone unintentionally. Quickly mounting myself onto the saddle of my horse a few feet away, I rode to the end of the forest. 

Senshi's expression was amazed as he lay a way back on the floor, opposite Ite.

'I didnt think she would have that much power in her. I was especially not expecting her to wield wind as her element, as it is the most rare.'  Senshi breathed in awe. 

'Was that her first time using her powers?' Ite opposite him asked. Trying to get up but ended up groaning in pain and falling back down. He reached up to touch the back of his head; finding a gash, spilling blood everywhere. 'Guess I'm staying here for a while till I'm done wrapping myself up.'

'If the Princess saved you from me- over the mission... then there must be something about you that she is interested in', Senshi shrugged as he got up and stalked towards Ite. 

'Princess?' Ite questioned almost silently. 

Senshi picked up Ite with ease and placed him on the back of the saddle, followed by him mounting the horse himself. 

I set up camp for the night a few meters away from the treeline, it was a decent size. I had set up two tents and a fire. I suddenly felt a tapping sensation on the ball of my foot and heard rustling of leaves. 

Ite and Senshi appeared which then caused me to climb a tree quietly and listen in. 

'Where has she gone?' Ite asked after sliding of the horse. 

'Probably to fetch more wood' Senshi suggested, also getting off his horse. He began taking off the bags attached the the horse and placing them down. 

I didnt want to just conveniently reappear when they just got back. I spotted a river a few meters away and walked across branches of trees until I was close enough and climbed down. Spotting a few ripples in the calm water, I noticed a few fish and took that as a food opportunity. 

Meanwhile...

'So, is she really the princess? Why is she out here?' Ite broke the silence. 

'Yes, she's of royal blood. At the moment she is on a journey; a mission you could say. A mission to find something extremely valuable to this kingdom and its people.' Senshi looked down in deep thought. 'Everything is on her shoulders, I cannot interfere. I am only to protect her and that is all.'

By the time I returned, I was carrying 20 different types of fish. I set them down near the fire and looked up. Both men held surprised, worried and awkward expressions. 

'What?' I tilted my head to the side, smiling. Causing them to blush. 'You've both turned completely red!'

'Nothing, your highness' Ite lowered his eyes. 

My head shot over to senshi,'You told him! What if he was a bandit or an assassin?' I started blubbering 'or as a normal friend?'

It wasn't like me to cry in front of others. I felt like id be seen as weak or wanting attention. I bent down in a ball position. Unexpectedly I knew I could produce waved of power go through my body, I had done it before the incident earlier. 

I screamed in annoyance and jumped up into the sky, leaving a ring of floating dust in my original position. Ite was watching below with a worried expression. I controlled the wind at my feet carefully and managed to make myself speed up and I floated above the trees. I was a cheetah in the sky; dodging trees and moving at my ultimate speed.

I began to tire as more time passed and stopped at the sight of a cave. I dont light a fire just in case of giving away my position. As im unconscious I dont sense any other presence, but in the morning I woke to not having any idea of where I am. The feeling of rope tied around my wrists and ankles scared me slightly. 

people surrounded me, staring, judging and snickering. My body began to panic and a wave of powerful wind shot out - causing the rope to break.