‘Help. A-’ It was the last words that I heard from my dream before I woke up. I blinked slowly and felt myself floating. I carefully looked from side to side and realized that I was still in the water. I winced as I forced my body to move but to no avail
That’s right. The last thing that I remembered after pulling PRINCE Ace to the water was feeling a burning pain to my chest. Every part of my body was burning despite being in the water. Steams of black smoke coiled from my body as I felt the foreign spirit being burn out of my body. It was like I was being steamed alive that my consciousness decided to shut itself.
I was floating on my back when a panther suddenly appeared in my line of vision and was looking down at me. Before I would have screamed, but now I simply reached out and scratched the back of his ear. Somehow, just by touching him, I knew his name. “Javi, you are cute and all but your breath stinks.” I commented.
‘Girl, you have been in the spring for far too long. Your skin would turn into a prune. Malduk has been out of your body for a few hours now.’
“Five more minutes.” I groaned. I couldn’t bring myself to move after all. My body felt numb.
Javi sighed and started pulling my hair to draw me closer to the shore. ‘Forgive me but this is for your own good.’
“That feels nice.” I laughed like I was out of mind. Actually, my mind was also numb and I did not care what was happening. Just the thought of being dragged by a cougar was funny. Period.
I finally stood up with a pout to see Custard and Viex waiting for me with a change of clothing. Since it literally took me hours to get out, both of them fell asleep on what was supposed to be my clothing.
How adorable. Just looking at Viex and Custard huddled together made me not want to wake them up. Of course that wasn’t just an excuse for me to stay in the water for a little longer. I swear!
Javi gently nudged the two to wake them up. Viex, the serious one of the two of them, immediately got up while Custard just rolled over and exposed his belly. His tongue lolling to the side as he slept peacefully.
And that is why he is my spirit animal.
‘Princess, are you done?’ Viex asked while sniffing the air. ‘It seems that Malduk is finally out of your system.’ He tried grabbing the change of clothes that was prepared for me, but Custard was sleeping on it. ‘
‘Wake up, wolf. Our master is awake.’ He said.
Custard merely whimpered and turned to his side. ‘Five more minutes.’ He whimpered.
Viex gritted his teeth in annoyance. ‘YOU HAVE BEEN ASLEEP FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG AND YET YOU STILL SLEEP?! THE TOTEM HAS GIVEN YOU HIS BLESSING AND THIS IS HOW YOU USE IT!?’ Viex suddenly pulled the fabric, making Custard roll until he fell into the water.
‘GAH!’ Custard yelped and immediately swam to the surface. ‘It’s cold!’ He shivered and glanced at Viex. ‘Why would you do that?’
‘You were sleeping on our master’s clothing! And you better not go anywhere near it or you might soak it.’
Custard glanced back at me. His expression was too pitiful as he shivered in the water. ‘Master, he’s mean. Why would you make a contract with him?’
Javi and I exchanged glances before I straightened myself as my feet touched the bottom of the water. I reached out to grab Custard as I pulled myself to dry land. My old clothes hung on my body loosely and I suddenly felt cold. Javi immediately threw a towel over my shoulder before running to the side and shaking the water off of his fur.
‘Here are your clothes, master.’ Viex said and handed me a blue silk dress.
“Where did this come from?” I asked as I studied the material.
‘From Serena.’
Now, how would a Nymph gain possession of such a dress? I temporarily pushed the thoughts aside as I started to get changed. No one was currently in the cave, but it still felt weird changing clothes like this. Once I was done, I attempted to stand up and walk, but my legs shook. They were still numb.
‘Master.’ Custard hoped in front of me and attempted to morph, but failed.
‘Wolf, you have just recovered. Don’t push yourself.’ Javi says. ‘I’ll lend her my assistance.’
“You’re not doing this because you want to form a contract with me, are you?” I asked suspiciously.
Javi laughed. ‘With your current magic limit, I doubt that you could. I simply want to help a descendant of King Varon.’ He lowered and moved his head until it was under my arm. ‘Lean on to me, girl.’ He said. I followed his instructions and pushed myself towards him until I was standing.
‘I’ll go get the princes! Viex, watch over master for a while.’ Custard says and hastily ran down the set of stoned stairs and headed for the cave’s exit.
‘He’s a loyal one. Both of them.’ Javi says when Viex suddenly hopped on my shoulder.
“I know. It is a miracle that I actually met them.” I said as my head tilted to the side from the weight. Javi and I carefully moved our way down the stairs and once we reached the end Custard finally came back.
The princes appeared from the cave finally - unfortunately - wearing a shirt and black trousers. I stifled a laugh at their sight. “Why are you guys wearing uniform clothes? Are you going to do an opening dance number somewhere? Create a boyband or something?”
“There you go again spouting words that are foreign to us.” Nate says. “At least we now know that you are alright.”
“Where’s Serena?” I asked as Ren came to assist me as he took me from Javi. Thankfully though because my back was hurting me since he was smaller.
“You called?” Ren and I screamed when Serena suddenly appeared behind us. I was too surprised that my body suddenly reacted on it’s own and was finally functioning normally again.
“Where did you…” I asked as Ren and I both moved our heads to find out where the hell this nymph came from and how she suddenly manifested.
“I heard you calling for me, my friend, so I appeared. Do you need something?” She suddenly moved to my side and studied my face and body. “You seem to be fine. The spirit completely left your body. It’s amazing how you can stand right now. What will happen if I lightly push you?”
“Don’t even.” I moved my hands in front of me to block her as I moved back. “Thank you.” I breathed. “Thank you for helping us, Serena. But I think it is about time that we return back to the palace. Or...figure out how to return there. We have to keep this chalice-” I paused and touched my sides.
Uh oh.
“Where’s the chalice again?” I stiffened when I heard Ace speaking behind me. I robotically moved my head until I was looking up at him.
“It’s...a secret?” My voice failed me as it squeaked under his immense gaze.
“Don’t tell me that you lost it.”
“Deal. I won’t tell you.”
“A chalice? You mean this chalice?” All our heads turned to Serena. Or what she was now holding in her hands. It was the chalice. “I picked it up while you were bathing. After all, it is a sacred relic that I entrusted the villagers. But if they entrust it to you then I guess it belongs to you now.” She spoke the words too fast and bounced on her feet.
“Great. Can you give it back?” Ace snapped at her.
“Of course! But I need the princess to do something for me first.” She twirled and laughed until she was in front of me again. “Oh, and the chalice is useless unless I, the receiver of king Varon’s blessings, transfer the right to you! Oh I always wanted to try it. I have been waiting to try it!” With every word, her voice Rose that I was covering my ears as soon as she finished.
“What do I have to do then?”
“Come with me!” She suddenly pulled my arm and started running towards one of the walls of the cave. This nymph is either blind or crazy because at this rate, we are going to run to the cave wall. I closed my eyes as I waited for the impact to come.”What are you doing? Princess, you are bound to trip if you won’t see where you’re going. You’re an odd princess.”
I started to open my eyes and found myself staring at Serena. I blinked and looked back, but all I see is a wall. I looked at Serena again, then back to the wall in wonder. I got up and started heading for the wall. I raised a finger and gently touched it. It bounced like a ripple of water.
“Oh. That’s right. This is ancient-” I closed my eyes and dipped my face into the wall so that I wasn’t able to hear the rest of her words. When I opened my eyes, I found myself face to face with a PRINCE that I screamed and pulled my head back until I was staring at a wall again.
“What happened?” Serena asked somewhere behind me.
“I saw something ugly back there.” I shook my head and faced the wall again. “I better not see what I think I just saw a few seconds ago.” I muttered and pressed my head to the magical wall once again. When I looked, no one was there. The place has been deserted.
I yelped as someone pulled the back of my dress and brought me back to the other side of the cave. “Stop fooling around with the magical doorway!” Ace yelled at me.
I immediately looked away and muttered. “Not like you weren’t looking at the magical doorway earlier.”
“What is this place?” Ren finally asked that I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. The scenery in front of me looked familiar, and it took me a while to figure out that I saw this in one of my visions.
This is where I saw the Nymphs chanting some sort of spell. It still had the same fountain in the middle where the rays of the sun casted its morning glow. The floor was made out of damp rock and moss that I find of wish that I have something to wear for shoes.
“This is the most spiritual place that you can find in this world! My sisters and I used to cast spells and blessings here. “And this will be the same place where you will break the spell that kept my friend here for years!” She sang and twirled in delight.
The princes and I looked at one another. The same question appeared on all of our faces. “What friend?” It was Nate who asked.
Serena stopped dancing in order to give him a wide smile. “Oh you will love him. In fact, it would be the first time that you will meet him, but you already know that person.” I might be imagining things, but although it looked like she was talking to all of us, I could see that her eyes focused on Nate as she said this.
She turned back and hurriedly ran for the grassy curtains at the very far end of the room. “The spirits already introduced him to you, but allow me to tell you his name as well.” She says before pulling the curtains back and revealing a statue of a man. Even though his hair and eyes were of the color of stone, we still recognized him.
“Everybody, especially Prince Nathaniel, this is Prince Terrence!”