Crustel

Chapter 42

      I opened the scroll. "Aaaah!" I heard someone's screeches. I immediately turned around. To my horror, the servants were attacking Lexter. "STOP!" I roared. "Your Highness," They bowed as they put down their weapons. "What are you guys doing?" I asked calmly. They were silent. I gave a deadly stare. Then, one of them stepped forward. "Your Highness, we saw this sling was about to attack you with that vase," She pointed at Lexter. He was awkwardly standing with a vase. I signalled with my eyes which meant "What's this?" He just smiled awkwardly. "You guys may continue your work. This is Lexter and DON'T ENTER THAT ROOM," I said as I pointed to the room where Lexter and Isa, well someone similar as Isa fought. The servants bowed and left. I turned to Lexter. "What were you doing with the vase?" I asked him with a serious tone. "I wanted to...uhmmm...It's just a Sling's thing. My body reacts like a sling's," He told as he was behaving like one. 

   So, I opened the scroll again. It was the map of Ardian that I saw before when I was with my friends. It seemed like it was another copy. I saw Hatakuna on it. "We're lucky enough to get this map," I said to Lexter. He was smiling. All of sudden, his smile faded. "We are not lucky enough," he said with a flat voice. I stared at him. "The Captain is not a great person. He's the cruellest person I've ever seen in my entire life. Do you remember that I called you Zoya?" He asked excitedly. I nodded. "Well, Zoya was once almost burnt alive because of a tiny mistake done by someone else. She was mistaken but we were lucky enough to prove it wasn't her mistake. Still, The Captain cut her tongue for not telling the truth and not proving by herself," he said as his voice was flat. I was speechless. "She saw me with hope. I wasn't able to do anything. My magic was controlled by him. When he's not near me, I was able to use my magic but when he's with me, I was just useless. I still remember her hazel eyes craved for help," He cried.

     All I could do was to give him hope. "I will save her! I promise," Lexter cut me, "No you can't. He might have killed my friends the moment he realized that I left the ship!" His voice was too flat. I looked into his eyes. I couldn't see his past as he was emotional and his eyes were in blue and silver. "That's useless right?" He knew I tried to see his past. I walked away. "Wait," He stopped me as he pressed my shoulder with his hairy hand. I stopped but didn't turn. I heard him, "Hatakuna is the purest place. If you promise something, you have to finish it right after getting there," He said. I didn't turn but nodded. "We're leaving now!" I said loudly with my thunderous voice as I clapped my hands twice. I heard whispers of the servants. I heard Giel and Gale. "Cora, we will come with you. We won't let you stay alone with him," They said worriedly. "It's dangerous out there. Stay within the castle walls!" I said as I kneed down. "No Way! We will come with you," They were stubborn with their decision. "No. You guys aren't coming with me," I didn't continue as I heard someone's voice. My amulet glowed in green. I closed my eyes. 

     There wasn't any vision about the future. So, I opened it. The moment I opened my eyes, to my surprise, dad was standing still and brave as he always did. "Dad?" I whispered. He was standing far in a corner. I got up and went near him. Suddenly, he walked away. "Dad!" I yelled. He walked through the hallway. I noticed that Lexter, Gale and Giel were following me. I followed my dad. He stopped by a fountain which was inside the castle. He turned towards me. I went near him. He smiled. He opened his arms wide enough for a hug. I ran and hug him. He still had the smell of the flower that I put on his body after the war. "Cora," His voice was deep. I hugged him. The smell of the flower was too strong. He was as huge as the day before he went to the war. Tall and huge. "Cora, this was where your mother and I spent our time. We always talk about our kingdoms here. Ardian, Ruadian and Crustel," he didn't continue. I saw tears in his eyes. It dropped on the ground but the ground was dry. (It is because it was a spirit's tears) I tried to wipe off his tears but he held my hands. "This was what your mother would do the moment she sees tears in my eyes. You're as brave as your mom," I cut him, "I want to be as brave as you, dad. I have seen mom broke down but never seen you. Not even once. You welcomed death like a great friend. All I saw the day you left us was a disappointment. You saw the traitor but failed to get her down, dad!" 

       He left my hands. He started fading slowly. "I saw her. I saw the traitor but I have something much more vital to tell you. You're different. You are too powerful. I am scared that your powers are too powerful for Crustel and at the same time, I am worried whether your powers aren't enough for Ardian. Save our kingdoms, sweetheart..." He disappeared. "Daddy!" I screamed. I remember the last time I screamed this way. It was when he was buried. Even General Maven Lorenzo fell on his knees and cried for hours. Mom was completely broken and I...I was too small to know about death. Death was something new for me. People told me that he won't come back. Even mom told the same. I believed till the moment I saw him. I saw him. My dad was strong and bold. To my surprise, I saw the flower on the ground. 'The Eternal Flower'. I took it from the spirit world. Well, I never knew I was that much powerful. No one knew! Even Lama didn't discover the power of entering the spirit world was in me. I brought that flower and put it inside dad's pocket after his body was brought to the castle.