The metallic door of the King's chamber slowly opened inward as Randall went in quietly, he saw within the dimly aqua lit crystal on the table near it, a seated half shadowed woman, crossed leg on a chair in iconic blue royal dress fashioned with pearls and jewelries of different sizes, having a mystifying yet darker blue eyes than Wren's that evenly glowed in the dark.
Randall only stood, fixated at the woman.
The overflowed aura coming from her were so immensely formidable that it was only labeled to equal the King of the Humanes himself.
She is none other than; 'The Queen of the Deep.' Or 'The Queen of the Water Nymphs.'
"How is Beth?" She firstly asked unmoved.
"… She's fine," Randall walked around as he hand picked two glassed beakers on his small book shelf then took a filled bottle of wine, "actually she's in pain knowing Wren was taken by the Immortals."
"Taken? Your choice of word there sounds like she was absolutely captured not the other way round." Her dimples appeared.
Randall gave her one of the glassed beaker in his hand and filled it with wine ignoring her words.
"Oh, Beth. Her attitude never changes." She took a sip.
Randall poured himself a drink, went back to his small book shelf, picked and opened up the book in his hand, scanned through a few lines in the book, leaned on the wall while taking sips then looked at the Queen of the deep.
"… So why did you come here unnoticed?"
"Well," she stood up, admiring and touching the antiques in Randall's chamber with sips along the way noticed the cape of Randall folded on the mysterious stone. "I will make the report short. We finally caught the culprits behind the creations of the Creepers and sadly the originators are all from the Forest Nymphs."
"And…" Randall replied, his eyes still glued on the book.
"As of now the prince of the Forest Nymphs is missing."
He raised his head to the Queen of the deep.
"… Dryad is missing … What about –"
"Trust me, asking the regressor all about his whereabouts is what came to mind too," She walked back to the chair and sat down with a sigh. "But you know. She talks less when ever we questioned the future, where are the SEER when we needed them."
"Hmmm." Randall continued his reading.
"… By the way a fair choice of cup." The Queen of the deep raised her glassed beaker, took a sip then placed it on the table, glanced at Randall. "I had the meeting with Granny Chan, the King of the Forest Nymphs, Alpha Obae and surprisingly the Central Fleet support of the Inhumanes few weeks ago."
"… About?"
"Well, you of all beings should know it is what you wanted all along, the harmonizing of the world for greater good but this time around it will be an institute where all are welcome to train and to be educated for what to come."
"Hmmm, that's a great idea. About the culprits by chance does it involve Dryad's uncle—"
"No and yes, he, himself caught and imprisoned the culprits when they tried assassinating him in his room along the way they kidnapped Dryad, unfortunately it came to be the lady who he trusted most and some loyalist of him now being tortured on the whereabouts of the prince."
"…" Randall didn't say a thing but went back to his reading.
"The primary reason why I came here is to have your utmost support in handling the things that will change the world in the establishment of the first institution which we all agreed it'll be at the very heart of the Beast Kingdom and I made claims that nobody is suited for this well esteem position than you, as The first Principal. What do you say, are you in?"
She knew if Randall were to be elected as the Principal many will cooperate with understanding as the benevolent King he was, known to all around the continents.
"… I will think about it." His eyes slightly down casted.
"… The earlier the better King Randall. Even the Inhumanes' Emperor agreed to it."
"…"
So, Randall's chamber became a space of little sounds, both sipping their wine until the slamming of the glassed beaker against the table was heard from the Queen of the deep.
"Ah~ thanks for the warmth, I will be off." She gave a honest smile, disappeared in a burst along with her soft voice saying.
"Randall, I'm so sorry."
Randall closed the book he was reading, deeply exhaled showing a little or no expression on his face as he stared blankly to the dimly aqua lit crystal making one to wonder what exactly is the King of the Humanes thinking.
Node, tightly tied with heavy sand bags around his wrists and ankles was suddenly seen thrown many distance as he smashed through few large tree's roots shattering them, sloshed in and out of the stream then cratered into a rock as water flows over him from the edge of the cliff above.
He grunted with a wet black eye, his now loosened long dripping wet hair drained down over his face as he was swallowed up by the waterfall.
On the other side, half of Peirce's face was swollen while sparring against Sniffia both having the same amount of heavy sand bags tightly tied on their wrists and ankles too. All of these were to restrict their every move and increased their impacts when sparring each other.
Node suddenly opened his eyes surprisingly he went unconscious for a moment there from Sniffia's strong hit.
He distinctly perceived, felt something emerging. The increased killing intent rising not from Peirce's but from Sniffia's body amidst where they were was suffocating.
Is she angry that we haven't given up yet or did she got stronger all of a sudden…?
Sniffia dodged Peirce's swung fist lowering her whole body with her fingers firmly clenched into the ground just like the stance of a wolf waiting to strike at any given opportunity.
Peirce strongly went for a low kick.
Sniffia was about grabbing onto his leg.
Peirce stopped half way sidestepped as he leaned backwards.
Sigh, Sniffia exhaled still on her wolf stance and in shades of tan colored short tights on her as many little brown clovers whizzed around with the wind, "nothing else changes except your slightly buffed up muscles and that super-Inhumane reflexes ability of yours. That's all." Sniffia stood groaning, removed her slightly wet blond hair from her sweating face staring at him with her venomous little orange eyes.
"Oh Yeah! That's how we roll!" Node yelled as he strongly removed himself out of the cratered rock strained, swooshing through the stream towards Peirce and Sniffia. "We are still far from giving up yet, isn't that right Peirce?!"
"Yeah… I think…" Peirce nodded, panting with his guard up, profusely sweating all over however his eyes never left Sniffia's side.
Node flexed his back and joints, feeling a little relived as the crackling sounds of his bones echoed.
Ugh! why does it feels like a journey of a day or two back to the village takes several months to reach. Node looked around searching for Lazarus. We have been sparring and hunting monsters for four weeks straight just to survive in this forest as you've told us to. Where the heck are you?!
It was all dark and an extremely cold night at the Giants' domain, it's so weird to the teenagers considering how extremely hot it was in the day. The only time they ever rested was whenever they ate or bathed.
Node's eyes went to Sniffia, her presence alone was overshadowing however he kept his cool as always.
Compare to Peirce and I. Look at her body. She'd have been kicking asses from the moment she grew her first tooth. Wow, her advanced abdominal muscles is so cool not to talk about her… let's not think that far…
Peirce side-glanced at Node as he was lost in his thoughts while walking to him.
"Chai. Sorry, Node. Your left eye is a little bit… swollen."
"Nah, forget about mine." Node shook his head. "I look much more better than you ironically you alone dodged most of her moves at least hundreds of her punches yet your face looks like that… tsk, poor you."
"Huh? Did my face changed…?" Peirce asked while touching his swollen face. "Ouch!" He cowered.
"Told ya."
"Bubbles?" Sniffia called out. The two boys' eyes immediately went to Sniffia in fear.
Peirce and Node blinked, suddenly on their toes both knowing during the four weeks of sparring, anytime Sniffia'd called out the name, 'bubbles' she was really pissed off and going full power on whoever she grabbed first… and it was always Peirce. Yeah, recently it was observed by Node, witting Peirce was the cause of the strict sparring.
"You can't dodge most of my punches forever, remember we are in this together the heavy things around your ankles and wrists are also on me." She took a step forward, smacking her fists together. "Peirce, show me the strength you previously used at the city of the bounty hunters or how Node told me how you easily defeated those creepers back at the desert. The sad truth is that, you will also need that to fight someone like me one day and to protect yourself from things that will cause harm to your well-being."
"I-I can't… I won't" Peirce leaned backwards. "Not to you… Sniffia. I can't even control it yet."
"Control?" She sniggered. "Show it to me! Picture me as that fool, Frankenstein ready to take your dear life. Until now none of you lazy bones have at least given me a decent hit though, that I'm truly disappointed. Show it to me!" She smirked with a slight titled head. "Or. Are you looking tired, boys~ disappointing, the great endurance of the Inhumanes are amount to only this."
Peirce swallowed.
"We—We…" He looked at Node. "We just need to hit her once, right?"
Node nodded with a smirk, shoved his long dripping wet hair all to the back of his head.
"--What are you boys waiting for, come get some! We will rest for a day only if you hit me so hard!"
Sniffia invaded between them with a punch.
Peirce and Node both jetted off from the mighty impact that shook a large portion of the forest as Sniffia's fist created a hole on the ground along splitting cracks.
Peirce blinked as he landed on the other side.
"A-alright you ask for it. This move is what Node and I have been training each other in our leisure time."
Peirce with Node and Sniffia in between stood gallantly few distance from each other.
Suddenly both Peirce and Node arms glowed brightly as green and purple glows fused together in the darkness as it immediately illuminated the whole place where they were.
Sniffia smirked as her little yellow eyes sparkles within the darkness.
"At least you boys~ look much more serious than ever."
Node advanced first at Sniffia with a punch.
She caught it swung him over to the ground but he countered by turning himself then slipped from her grip landing on his feet, before long Sniffia threw a punch which Peirce kicked it off as he went in hiding while eliminating his glow then back initiating his green glow.
These strange movements but planned skills continued to occur between the two boys as Peirce only comes forward whenever Sniffia was about giving an unavoidable hits to Node.
Node then charged in with a fist as Sniffia quickly punched through also, both fists strongly smacked against each together creating shock waves that spread across them slightly pushing them back and tearing the sacks on Node's hand as sand slowly sipped out from the sack.
Peirce was seen on one of the large tree's root above them as only his eyes glowed then he jumped at Sniffia below now with glowing green arms.
"Great I was waiting for this moment." Sniffia looked up with a smirk evaded Peirce like a predator.
Peirce swallowed, to Sniffia amazement Peirce avoided her while in the air reaching to the nearest tree's root which Sniffia angrily followed his trails, "oh no, you don't. You ain't going anywhere."
Sniffia about grabbing the back of Peirce's head, Node manageably held onto her leg from the ground stopping her as she was dragged back. Peirce then jumped back at her lightly grabbed onto Sniffia's shoulders then stopped.
Node blinked confused as Sniffia was too.
"Why ain't you doing anything?" Node uttered.
Sniffia got hold of Peirce's fingers on her shoulders twisting them back to the point Peirce grunted in pain.
"Sadly. You're not ready yet." She pointed out.
Sniffia twist kicked the face of Node holding her leg as he let go then swung Peirce to him.
Node skipped out of the way then charged at her however Sniffia was extremely faster, suddenly got around Node, elbowed the back of Node's neck paralyzing him at the spot, leaned towards Peirce who was about standing up with a kick aiming to his side but it was a feint.
Unknowingly Peirce moved to the side as Sniffia rushed knowing he will move to that direction, grabbed his sweating, slipping face slamming him hard back to the ground.
"Running away?" She pinned him deeper to the cratered ground.
As dust submerged Sniffia's whole body was on top of Peirce's body, their eyes staring directly at each other without a voice heard only the breathy noise of inhaling and exhaling enveloped the scenery.
Sniffia face slowly and steadily move towards Peirce's face as her eyes rolled to his lips.
Meanwhile Node strained grunting while holding the back of his neck on turning his head spotted the two in such position.
"T-time, time out!" Node exclaimed. "We surrendered we can never ever win against you anyway!" He was now standing. "Ouch… my neck I can't move my neck! Somebody, anybody heal me!"
"You. Surrendered?!" Sniffia fumed, staring at Node suddenly sand was thrown at her by Node which he earlier collected from the heavy leaking sand bags tied on his wrist, while distracted by it, Peirce countered Sniffia before she could move reversed the position pinning her to the ground then had his fist gently placed on her forehead.
She blinked staring at the green glowing fist and the glowing eyes of Peirce having only felt a light breeze that smoothly blew across her face.
"We won, Sniffia… we gave you a decent hit." Peirce maintained.
"You… you call this a decent hit by placing your fist on me without ever using your strength at all?!"
Peirce smiled. "It's just a spar, Sniffia. No hard feelings."
Node walked up to them, removing his hand from his neck.
"Yeah. We won. You know Sniffia you look kinda scary whenever you're in your sparring mode."
Sniffia didn't answer with a poker face.
"Nice, I'm starving what are we eating for dinner tonight?!" Peirce joyed as he stood up stretching his hand to Sniffia, Sniffia smiled, received his hand as she was helped to stand. "Oh, my bubbles. Does that means we will now rest for a whole day?! I'm so hungry I could eat a whole whale!"
Sniffia and Node burst into laugh along with Peirce.
Unexpectedly, strange winged shadowed scaly figures landed around them in many numbers.
"What do you mean by rest?!" One of them hollered.