"Fire!" King Carlos commanded.
A giant flaming boulder then got shot by a catapult to the forest. But instead of it hitting right to the target, the boulder bounce back at the catapult and smash it to bits.
Flaming boulders are everywhere and their are broken catapults from beneath. Everytime a boulder enter the forest it bounce back to them, the spirits are protecting their forest and they are not to be underestimated.
"Your majesty, we're out of catapults and boulders." A soldier informed.
"Magic won't penetrate the barrier and boulders will only bounce back." King Carlos mumbled to himself as he hold his chin to think of another way.
"This is not good..." King Stephen said the obvious.
"Father!" Evy suddenly exclaimed as she run towards them.
"What is it?" King Stephen immediately asked.
"The forest's life force... It's fading." Evy whispered as she intensely stared at the forest.
"What do you mean?" Eve asked.
"It means they are dying." Fernando answered.
Then right then and there the ash of corruption reach the entrance of the forest and turned it black as coal. The wind blew harsh and carried along the ashes of the withering trees.
"What is happening?" Stevan whispered but none of them could explain the phenomenon that set before their eyes.
They couldn't do anything, and just watch the forest crumble to black dust and dissapear along the winds breeze.
Everything is now just a plain land of snow. The forest that once stand is now gone of existence.
Yuvera Forest is no more but a memory of the past.
No one made a word, only their silent breath lingered at the air. No one can explain what happened so no one can make a word.
As the silence go on for hours, two figures then appeared at the mist of snow.
"Evan..." King Stephen breath recognizing the figure of his own son.
Getting closer more figures appeared most of them are the shadows of females.
The wind hush once more and the mist cleared.
"Brother!" Evy then run to Evan and embrace him with tears.
"I thought I lost you." She cried.
"Oh Evy." Evan gently smiled and patted her back to comfort her.
The soldiers then move and approach them along with the Kings.
"Welcome back, son." King Stephen couldn't explain the glee that he felt seeing his son that a tear escape is wrinkled eyes.
"It's great to have you back, Evan, I apologize for the commotion." King Carlos stated.
"No worries." Evan shrug it off. "By the way these are the women that the Forest Goddess kept for years."
Carlos then turned his gaze to the group of young woman who have their eyes wondered the horizon and landscape that they have never seen again for years.
"The humors was true after all." Carlos stated to himself.
"Yes, your majesty." Diana curtsy. "The Goddess of the Yuver Forest, Yuvera, held girls who wondered into her forest imprisoned for years in exchange of wealth and youth."
"We just have broke to freedom, your majesty, we have no place to go, we asked for your help." One of the women approach then curtsy to his majesty with anxiety.
"Of course." Carlos smiled. "I will find you all a home in my Kingdom."
Her eyes lightened and she immediately bowed, "Thank you for your kindness, your majesty."
"Thank you, your majesty."
"Thank you very much."
"You are a blessing to have."
"Thank you, your majesty."
All the woman bowed with smiles of glee and gratitude that they have started a new life of freedom.
"A Forest Goddess must be powerful how did you manage to defeat her?" Eve asked to Evan.
Evan's eyes then dimmed as he recalled the memory of decievement that he just witness.
Their was silence in the atmosphere as Evan refuse to say the answer. Diana notice Evan's distress, and she decided to answer it for him.
"Your highness, Lady Mayari successfully vanquish the Goddess of Yuver Forest." She answered after she curtsy.
All eyes then turned to Mayari who is on the distance, staring at the wind where the dark ashes blew away.
"How?" Stevan followed another answer to Diana.
Diana opened her mouth to answer but Mayari talked before her voice speak.
"Her foolishness is her downfall, that's how." She looked at them with cold eyes.
Everyone froze for no reason, her eyes is all it take to stun an army, and another silence played the time like seconds.
Mayari scanned her eyes to each soul that stand above the snow and notice someone missing.
"Where's Ms. Helen?" She asked directly, breaking the silence that she cause.
"She's alright, Mayari, she's currently in the castle resting." Carlos answered.
With no further reaction she understood and just nodded.
"Lady Mayari," A beautiful woman then approach her.
She took a sharp hair stick from her hair and place it on her palm. "Please accept my gratitude, you help me escape the forest, thank you very much."
Mayari walk near her and was about to accept her gift when the woman suddenly grip the ornament and stabbed it to Mayari's heart.
The woman mustered all of her strength and pinned her to the ground as she push the sharp hair stick deeper to Mayari's chest.
"Because of you I would age..." She shakily stutter, "I lost everything because of you."
"Mayari!" Evan and the soldiers was about to run to her.
"Stop!" Mayari commanded and they then halted from their tracks.
"But-" Evan tried to reason but was cut short.
"Stay right there, your highness." Mayari calmly said. "I can handle this."
She then averted her pupils to the woman on top of her, and stare right through her tearing eyes of anger and malice with her own soulless irises.
The woman suddenly saw death to her eyes that made her cower in fear and lose her grip.
Mayari then punch her pretty face with heavy force that sent the woman away with a bleeding nose.
She screech in agony rolling back and forth to the snow, clutching her injured face with clench teeth.
Mayari stood up and swiftly pulled the ornament from her chest. She breath a second and darted the sharp hair stick to the snow.
It pass to the woman's cheek before hitting the ground, leaving a shallow cut but deep enough to let out crimson drops.
The woman froze in fear after seeing Mayari towered over her as a powerful being. Her irises are shaking and she inhaled a heavy breath.
"Is that your gratitude?" Mayari asked coldly.
The woman stayed silent and gulp.
"If you want revenge do it when you know you could win." Mayari advice then left.
There are always sides in this world of issues and argues, there are sides belong to the enemy and the side belong to the allies but Mayari have no side she just want to do what she needs to do.
Everything she laid eyes depends on what her point of view. To her, you could be worthless or an item of value that needs to be use. You must be either one of it or you'll be the target that she needs to reap from life.
She's numb but is it her fault? I will be waiting for your answers. Just remember she's not someone who shows mercy to her prey.
Helen woke up from the burning light that blinded her eyes. The window was open and the sun's ray went through the clear glass as dawn came into view.
She felt better being in bed for days. But her anxiety for Mayari and Evan still wouldn't go away 'till she knows they are safe.
She sat up and watch the sunrise through her open window, hoping that they are alright... then she breath a sigh.
The door suddenly opened, guessing it is only Dr. Milan she didn't bother to turn her head and continued to stare at the rising sun of another morning.
"Good you're awake."
"How are you feeling, aunt Helen?"
Familiar voices suddenly darted to her ears that immediately snap her head to a turn.
Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Evan and Mayari standing at her door. Evan holds a warm smile while Mayari still wear her famous mask of indifference.
They approach her, and she then throw her hands to both of them for a sweet embrace.
A tear escape her eye as she spoke her words in a trembling tone. "Thank goodness both of you are safe."
Evan patted her in the back to comfort her while Mayari just stayed silent.
Everything went smooth for the rest, Helen successfully healed, the Myrim Dragon Aria have finally came to her senses and revert back to her proper behavior. Then they returned back to Enchantia.
It was night time, the moon is full and shine high above the sky along with the stars. Everything was silent besides the crickets singing nature's lullaby.
It is a perfect time to sleep for a beautiful dream but I know two men who have their plans for the night.
"Here we go!" Stevan exclaimed as Nino place four bottles of liquor and two glasses in the table.
"Why are we drinking again tonight?" Evan asked as he sat on the sofa
"Nothing," Stevan answered, "just wanna be drunk tonight, and I don't feel like drinking alone so I drag you."
He then pour the citrus liquid in Evan's glass and next to his.
"Why didn't you drag Eve, she's a heavy drinker after all." Evan chuckled as he took his glass and drink the content with ease.
"I tried, she refused." Then Stevan was next to drink his glass.
The time went on and one bottle was emptied.
"Nino," Stevan called out.
"Here, your highness." Nino respond.
"Come and join us." Stevan offered.
"I would rather be in standby, your highness." He declined.
"You drink, Nino, join us." Stevan persuade but Nino shook his head.
"Come on, Nino, join us as a friend not a servant." Evan also persuade him with a smile.
Nino stared at him for a second then gave a light laugh. "If you insist." He smiled back, "I'll go get some more first."
"Hurry and let's get this drinking on fire!" Stevan exclaimed once more.
The hours pass by like how the second bottle of liquor got emptied, then the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth and finally the last one.
This time they weren't able to hold their self. With reddish cheeks and feeble bodies, yeah, they are truly drunk.
"I win... all of you are knock out..." Stevan drunkenly replied.
Nino was on the floor sleeping with his saliva dripping out of his mouth while still holding a bottle of unfinished liquor.
Evan is hardly unconscious resting his head at the table while demanding a rematch.
"No way!... no rematch..." Stevan refused, as he wave an empty bottle in the air and accidentally throw it to the floor.
It shattered with a loud cry.
"Oops..." That's all he could react. "Guess my hand slip." He shrug with a chuckle.
"What's going on here?!" Eve came with knitted brows and frowned lips.
"Oh, hi sis, care for a drink." Evan insist with a lazy smile.
Eve sigh, "You all are drunk aren't you?" She asked the obvious.
"No we aren't." Stevan replied as he hiccup.
"Great..." Eve slap her own face.
She then approach them with fury, "Stevan, bring Evan back to his room." She ordered.
"What?!" Stevan exclaimed, "who are you to order me like that, I'm your big brother your my-"
"No more buts or any coconuts, as your little sis I asked a favor to bring our eldest back to his room and as a big brother Stevan you will do me that favor."
"But I'm drunk, why don't you do it?" He whined.
"You said you aren't drunk just a minute ago, and his obviously heavy, I couldn't carry him even if I try." She immediately replied.
"What about Nino? His personal servant."
"His knock out." She glance to her side to see the sleeping Nino.
"What about my serv-"
"Your servant is in his day off, remember, so you have no choices."
"What a pain..." Stevan whined.
"Don't worry about me, I could still walk." Evan tried to stand but ended up tripping by his own feet then fall to the floor.
"I'm fine!" He said then he trip again.
He stood up and trip once more, then again and again and again.
Eve then glared at Stevan.
With no ways to escape his fate he escorted Evan back to his room.
"Gosh you're heavy, big bro." He whined as he supported Evan's stand by carrying his arm around his neck.
Finally he have reach Evan's bedroom door, Stevan tried to open it but it was lock.
"Oh Lord... have mercy." He whined once more.
He sat Evan's unconscious body to the floor and search his pockets for a key that he successfully found.
He inserted it to the knob and opened the door.
"Come on, broth-" he looked to his side to see Evan gone.
He scanned his eyes side to side and front to back but found nothing.
He carelessly shrug his shoulder and walk to his own bedroom just opposite to Evan's.
"He must have went to the kitchen for some water." He mumbled to himself as an excuse then shut the door behind him.
You can't blame him, his drunk after all. Liquor can drive a person in a careless manner even for a prince.
Yuvera is drench with blood, it streamed all over her wounded body like red wine forming a pool of rose beneath her bloody feet.
She cried with bleeding tears and screech in agony as a knife shot her neck like a bullet.
She then turned her shaking eyes to Mayari in fury and hatred.
Mayari didn't react or show any fear, instead she stared back with her own soulless eyes.
There was a silence between them... then Yuvera screamed louder than before.
"You did this to me... you brat!" With her last words her head fell off and splash to the bloody pool.
Mayari woke up as she heard a knock on her door. Her dream was a nightmare but she didn't mind.
"Who is it?" She asked while pulling herself out of bed.
There is no answer.
She stood in front of the door and asked again, "Who is it?"
But there is still no answer.
She glance at a nearby clock and it is already midnight. Her instinct act up strange that she summoned an icy knife in her hand just in case.
Knocks came once again and she immediately grabbed the knob and open the door.
Evan then fell to her arms by his unsteady stand, with the stench of alcohol covering his entire scent it didn't take Mayari half a second to know his drunk.
Knowing it was only the idiotic prince she vanished the knife from her fingertips back to thin air.
"What is it?" She asked coldly.
"Just wanna see you." He replied with a hiccup.
"You're drunk." She stated, "you should go back and get some rest."
Mayari tried to push him away but he hold on to her like glue.
"Let go." She ordered.
He shook his head as a reply.
There was a moment of silence before Evan decided to talk.
"Your eyes are cold as ice..." He stated, "your expressions are also cold and emotionless... but why do I always find a hint of warmness around you, Mayari?"
"I don't know what you are talking about?"
"You won't smile... But I have always find you beautiful in my eyes." Evan confess. "I fell Inlove with you..."
"Why, Mayari? Why?" His voice slowly turned into whispers.
Not knowing what to react, Mayari just stayed silent and listen.
Evan then raise his head and stared right through her brown eyes. The moonlight from the window stroke her irises and gave it a hint of diamond bliss that made it shine through the evening.
Her pallid night gown made her fair with the moon's glow. She's always a goddess to his eyes not a star nor a blinding light... But a moon of silver glimpse.
Everything felt like in slow motion as Evan grabbed her hand and catch her back.
He then leaned over and press his lips to hers as he closed his eyes.
Mayari's irises widened in surprise and then the night went on with a perfect flow of love and first kiss, as the moon continued to smile with it's moonlight.