The Nymph, far different from how I last saw her, bolted towards me. Viex, Custard, and the princes moved out of the way as if sensing something that I couldn’t. I was looking at them all until the nymph held my face in between her hands and started pinching and playing with my cheeks. “It has been a while since I have visitors! How your skin is lovely but so stressed. I mean,” She pulled my head closer so she could examine my forehead. “Would you just look at this zit?”
I slapped my hands wildly in front of me to shoo her away as her offensive words reached through me. I moved back and covered my forehead. “Will you all just leave my George alone?!”
“George? Is that your name? But you’re a girl.”
“No. My name is Rose. George is the name of the zit on my forehead.”
The nymph gasped and moved closer to my forehead. “Nice to meet you, George! My name is Serena.” She introduced herself. I don’t know what’s weird, her talking to my pimple or that a nymph like her was talking. “New friends!” She squealed in excitement.
I looked at the princes to see that they were hiding behind Iroka along with my two familiars. I looked back at Serena and could not help but compare her appearance to the other Nymphs that we saw before. She was taller and her skin was a bit tanned. Her sea green hair, that was adorned with flowers, floated behind her as if an invisible wind was carrying it. Her dress was made of silk and adorned with more spring flowers that held it together to make a strap on one shoulder.
“I have other friends hiding at the back of Iroka. Maybe you want to meet them. Three males. One is a vampire, one is a wolf, and the other one is an elf. Be careful with the elf though. He does not bite but he will insult you.” I grinned as I just revealed where they were hiding like the good person that I am.
“More friends!?” She screamed and bounced on the tip of her toes. “Oh how exciting! I am coming for you, friends!” She wasted no time as she immediately ran towards Iroka. Now, it was the giant’s turn to run as when he saw the Nymph getting closer to him, revealing the three princes, who were all glaring at me.
“Oh how marvelous!” She gasped. “Are those real fangs? Can you change into a wolf real quick? Wow. Those ears are pointy but they look like regular ears. Were you trying to kill your powers, mister? Now that is just terrible! I can sense that it is an ancient gift! Oh wow. You three have very nice hair! Especially the red head. You remind me of Terrence.” She kept going on and on. And when she mentioned Nate’s father, the vampire prince flinched and made a move to get her to stop talking, but her mouth was going at the speed of light that Nate never got the chance to even bring up the question. “Oh it has been years! Millennia since I last interacted with people. Why do the three of you have the same type when it comes to girls? Do you guys have siblings? Do they look like you? I can sense that you are an Alpha, but as part of you is missing. Do you have a twin perhaps? Why are you rolling your eyes? Why are you all avoiding my gaze? You do prefer talking to Rose? Do you like her?”
“ENOUGH!” I can’t say I did not foresee this. I knew Ace would burst out with how Serena’s mouth was going. “Nymph, we came here for a reason. And the reason is for you to take us to a spring that can purify her.”
“You mean your girlfriend over there? Is that what you all still call her?” Serena asked while jerking a thumb in my direction. Ace narrowed his eyes dangerously and followed it with a low growl both from him and Ren. The Nymph gulp. “I guess I have said a taboo word. Alright then. The word g-i-r-l-f-r-i-e-n-d is now a taboo in this generation. I will make sure to remember that.” She says and made a mention check note in the air. Then she ran back towards me once again and stared into my eyes. “Right....” She says with a rub of her chin. “I can see that a powerful spirit has taken you. It is amazing that it hasn’t been able to control you whole. It is quite dangerous.”
“Viex said that he was helping to keep the spirit at bay.” I said and pointed at the fox, who was currently being chased by Custard as he wanted to play.
The nymph turned her head towards my two familiar and suddenly made a dive towards them as she scooped them up in her arms. “Oh my! What cuties! Viex, I am so happy to see you again! It wasn’t that long but I cannot believe you found a master that fast! It was faith I tell you. FAITH!” She screamed. Her lips were close to their ears that they both winced at the intensity in her voice.
‘Yes, lady! We heard you!’ Viex snarled.
‘Master, help!’ Custard winced at her suffocating embrace.
“Um...Excuse me, Serena?” I asked hesitantly and jumped back when she instantly turned in my direction with a huge smile on her face.
“Yes, Rose? You called?” And then she gasped and loosened her hold on my two familiars as she gripped her face in shock. “Someone called my name! Someone called my name! Yes? Yes? What do you need? Tell me. Don’t be shy!” She urged.
“Do you perhaps...know of a way to get the evil spirit out of me? Please?” As I said the last words, I was already bracing myself for the impact that was about to come. I was right to do it as Serena charged at me with blinding speed and grabbed my hands.
“Oh yes I can, my dear friend. I shall help you. The spring of purification shall do the trick. I shall take you there as a symbol of our friendship!” She declared in the air and started dragging me behind her. I almost fell down as I tried to keep with her.
I swear I do not know which was about to give in. My ears or my foot as she kept on talking on and on about the forest and the spirits living here. “Manta is a snake spirit. He may look intimidating but he is really nice. He offers apple! Hailo is a Falcon, she’s very grumpy but you can trust her when you want to find something.”
I almost tripped when she hopped over one huge log and ducked to avoid another. I looked back at the princes and saw that they were cautiously following us. Keeping a safe distance so that Serena would not bother them. Even my familiars are walking at the same pace as them.
Please. For the love of my ancestors. Make her stop talking!
“We’re here!” She declared. I looked back and saw a cave with a bit of water flowing out from the ground. “Inside is the spring of purification. The water you see here is coming from it. It is the dispelled miasma that is feeding to the trees that brings life to this forest. And don’t worry. The forest won’t turn evil just because of the water. In fact, trees and plants are the purest thing in the world that it can even lessen your stress just by inhaling the air from it.
I wanted to give her a scientific term for that air that she was talking about, but I decided to keep my mouth shut in case she gets interested. And then I would have to explain everything to her.
“Right this way lady and gentlemen!” She finally lets go of my hand as she motioned for us to follow her. “Be sure to watch your step because it is super slippering in here. Watch out for the rocks, snakes, and bugs!”
“S-snakes and b-bugs?” I stuttered and looked back in the other direction. “You know what? I don’t need the spring. Viex can keep an eye out for the evil spirit. I don’t need to go in there.” I boasted and started marching back.
“Where do you think you are going?!” Ace said and used my hair to pull me back.
“Why do you always have to pull my hair!? Are you that jealous of it!?” I gritted my teeth and raised a brow at him. Ace then grabbed my arm and started pushing me in the cave of spooky wonders.
“Get in there!” He yelled at me. Then, looking at the Nymph, he said, “Lead the way.”
“I don’t think you should be treating a girl like that for her to like you. I mean, that werewolf guy doesn’t seem happy about it as well.” She commented and earned the famous glare from the PRINCE, making her gulp. “On second thought, let’s go! Follow me, friends. And be sure to watch your step.”
“I can’t see a thing.” I grumbled. I started to have this strange idea in my head and started to look for my familiar. “Custard? Come here boy.” I called for him and as soon as he came to my side, I reached out and carried him.
‘Master?’
‘Let me borrow your vision for a second.’ I told him and closed my eyes to use Custard’s eyes to see inside the cave. Just as I thought. Custard’s vision is still clear even in the dark. I am such a genius! I should apply for a scholarship when I get back!
“What’s with the hold up?!” Ace demanded, making me turn back at him with closed eyes as I was using Custard’s eyes to see. But from Custard’s line of sight, I was looking at their chests.
Wow. Abs. ‘Custard! Look away. This is not that kind of story!’
I breathed out a sigh of relief when my familiar casted his gaze downward. “Don’t be impatient with me. It’s too dark in the cave!” I growled at Ace before turning back and walking on carefully.
‘Master? I do not think that this is safe. There are limitations with how you see things through my eyes. My perspective is still different from yours.’
‘I got this. Don’t you worry.’ I assured him as I took one step at a time. Since I was barefooted, I kept on biting my lips as I felt the moss on the rocks that I was stepping on. Ugh! I probably shouldn’t have thrown my shoes off.
Someone blocked my line of sight so I opened my eyes to see that Ren had taken the lead and grabbed my free hand. “You’re walking too slow. Come on.” He said and guided me through the dark cave. The deeper we venture into the cave, the wider it becomes and the lighter the area seems to get that I was able to walk on my own without Ren’s assistance. Just at the end of the cave, we found ourselves in a secluded space with the roof opening up to the sky. At the very back was a circular spring on top of a stone pedestal so fine and pristine that it seems to glitter as it catches the sunlight. The water was running through a large space in between the rocks just above it and I could see numerous spirit animals such as a donkey, a lion, a falcon, and a jaguar that are currently bathing in it.
“Here we are my friends!” Serena screamed in delight as she presented us the spring. “The most sacred water there is! Go on then and take a bath!” She told me as I eyes the lion and the jaguar that were both studying me as of the moment.
“Nope!” I said with a pop of the last letter and started heading back until I Ren and Ace suddenly moved in sync and grabbed each of my arms as if I was a prisoner. “Alright. What is going on here? Let me go guys. This isn't funny. Nate? Help me out.”
Nate was busy scratching Custard’s ear while carrying a sleeping Viex on his shoulder. He grinned. “Want me to take your clothes off, you mean?” He wiggled his brows. As the words left his mouth, Custard and Viex suddenly made a move and covered his eyes with their little paws. Nate was screaming as their tiny claws pricked his eyelids.
‘Sorry, master Nate. You may not see the master.’
‘Impudent, vampire. How dare you say those words to the princess!’
Serves him right.
“Wait wait wait! No! Let’s talk about this!” I planted my foot on the ground but to no avail as the two princes dragged me to the spring. “Guys? You see what I see, don’t you?” I said in a pleading tone as I looked at the two carnivores, who were still looking at me.
“It’s for your own good, Rose.”
“If anything happens, it wasn’t nice meeting you.”
“Damn it, guys!” I yelled when they both carried me up the stairs and were now standing at the edge of the water. “You can’t do this!”
“That is the evil spirit talking, Rose.” Ren says.
“The only evil deed that is happening right now is that you two-” I did not get to finish my sentence because I was suddenly thrown into the water. My face hit the water first while I was screaming that when I resurfaced to glare at them, I was spitting water out of my mouth. Ren covered his mouth while Ace had a satisfied look on his face.
“It’s cold!” I screamed and started making my way back towards the shore. I have just reached the edge and was about to haul myself back up when Ace tried to nudge me away with his foot.
“Shoo. Go back in the pool. I don’t have money to throw to a peasant like you at the moment.” He said and continued to push me back with his foot. Unfortunately for him, I grabbed his foot as soon as I fell back into the water. “IF I AM GOING DOWN I AM TAKING YOU WITH ME!” I let out a war cry as soon as we both fell into the spring.
Serena laughed. “You guys are fun. Your team is great. Have I mentioned that you guys are funny?”
***In The Kingdom of Tereau***
King Ferius knocked down one of the statues in his castle in frustration before facing the impudent knight before him. “How can you not find that one single girl?!”
“My king, it is no ordinary place. It is difficult for us to search for the girl in such a short amount of time.” Replied the knight.
“Then don’t come back until you have found her!! If I see you and your men return empty-handed, I will cut your tongue and make you swallow it! Find me the girl!”
“Yes, my king.” The knight was beyond terrified but he still kept his face as expressionless as possible. It wasn’t their fault that they were in an uncharted territory. Beings like them do not belong to that world in the first place.
King Ferius watched as soon as the door closed behind the knight. Foolish servants! All of them useless! He knows that the tamer princess is still in the spirit realm, so before she gets back, he must find ‘her’ one way or another.
His cursed arm hummed and he gently touched it. “Soon, Galia. You will soon be free.”