Legend of the Holy Sentinels: Night Hunters

CHAPTER SEVEN - the SHRINE of BAKUNAWA

The misty cool breeze blew intermittently, bringing forth the cold salty ocean smell of the western shores as the sunlight started to engulf the horizon of Nagozul. The travelling group, heading northwest from the Palace, started to blush as soon as the dawn light touched their cheeks with the refreshing wind extinguishing the heat that the morning sun brings. They all travelled by foot - all six of them. They were led by the beautiful Grand Princess Prodea with her cohort of loyal followers following at the back - three handmaidens led by Zeba and two sword bearing Daomagarians who are known to be her loyal bodyguards. They tread without stopping and they continued to march on as quickly and as silently as possible. They wore hoods to conceal their eyes that would mystify any suspecting individuals they passed by on the roads, only privy to witness their silent serious mouths.

No one dared to bother them in their fast pace. People passing around the streets to the northwestern shores stopped and backed away to the side roads as the intimidating party was seen in plain sight. Anyone can immediately identify the Grand Princess of Nagozul, with her glamorous red silk gown together paired with her expensive hand-made gem-embroidered cloak.

It is a known fact that this princess exudes arrogance unlike any other known Nagozulian Royalty that ever lived. Anyone who disturbs their strides would be forcefully thrown to the sides by her huge Daomagarian guards without hesitation - and they knew this by experience remembering her latest victim who is a Daomagarian peddler new to the area. No one in their right mind would want to experience that kind of embarrassment so everyone committed this idea to memory, steering clear from their paths, staying on the side roads avoiding any chance of encounter as if fearing for a frightful stampede.

It took the ever swift party five hours to arrive at their destination - the Shrine of Bakunawa. The sun is now shining directly on top of them burning with its hot bright glow. From the road they were in, they can see the shrine that stands along the coastline to the sea known to commoners as the Docks of the Holy Lands - the only access point to the foreign lands.

A dome lay prominently at the base with a thousand-year old paint almost eaten away by time, revealing a charcoal cement finish with portions of revealing bricks on the sides. You can quickly asses its ancient heritage by just looking at its grayish foundations layered with moss and vines. It has a spire stretching through the center of the dome scaling hundreds of feet high. The topmost chamber of this spire is where the guardian Bakunawa is said to reside, ever so watchful of the sea. The field all around the shrine is filled with long sharp grass that stretched far as the eye can see. The road leading to the shrine is the only thing visible at the grounds. Huge debris of shattered moss-infested stone monuments lay waste indicating a destructive battle that happened generations ago - a history well forgotten by many.

The place is no longer maintained by the Nagozulian people - and no one even tried to attempt to do so. No one goes near the fields before the shrine fearing for the reclusive Guardian's curse upon its fields.

The party finally stopped at the fields directly in front of the gates to the grounds of the shrine. It is a well known fact that only a Prince or Princess of Nagozul are expected to take on a quest for their rite of passage to the other lands so commoners are not expected to show themselves at the lot, much so to enter the shrine and witness the fabled immortal Bakunawa.

"Zeba, tell the men to wait here for me," ordered Prodea as she removed her cloak revealing her angelic face to the sun. "Stand firm on this point and whatever you hear do not follow me." The three Amplifyers at her forehead began to glow that the light radiating from her red, green, and blue gems began to mix different hues creating an astonishing beam of colors.

"But your highness?" interrupted Zeba throwing her hood at the back to reveal her face to Prodea. Her long wavy black hair manages to follow the wind that is blowing from the sea. "Can you let me come with? I wanted to see Bakunawa too."