Kita hung onto Aife's hand while spying on Se since he didn't look like an unharmful companion. Aife walked through the dark woods and pondered about Se's invitation, which didn't sound credible. She would never risk Kita's life. That's why she took with her the special poison - Room. Whenever the being consumed this liquid, they emerged into the cozy room in nowhere. Only the highest-ranked witches and wizards possessed this technique. And Aife still wasn't as recognized as she deserved to be.
Well, she preferred that way anyway.
"Aife?"
"Yes, Kita?"
Aife bent her head to gaze at the younger. Her heart stopped beating when her eyes scanned his cheerful ones full of innocence and enthusiasm.
"Why do you carry those toys with you?" Kita asked and pointed his finger to Aife's belt.
Se had more important matters to puzzle over, but the boy's inquire piqued even his curiosity.
The witch warrior really had dangling many weird-looking small objects on her belt. One of them was a plain teddy bear with crosses on its' eyes. Another one was a snake wrapped around a man. There was a horse figure with an eagle on its' back eating a human.
The serpent trailed his eyes from her clothing to her bright red eyes.
"They just decorate my clothing, so I don't look too terrifying," she explained and widened her eyes to emphasize her words.
Kita chuckled and responded, "You aren't scary, Aife. You are cool."
Se sighed at their dialogue and shook his head in disbelief. Did this child even know that she wasn't entirely a human? Biologically he meant since her powers already screamed about her mystic origins.
"Soon will darken. We better find the shelter," said Aife.
"We can settle here," responded Se.
"I don't trust you."
The serpent sighed but obeyed her wish.
Soon the trotting sound closed in, and Aife smiled down at Kita, who was grinning at her as well. Aife knew Kita was educated in politics, economics, history, and geography like every crown prince, but he had no clue how to survive.
"Kita, can you hear the sound of horses?"
"Yep."
"That means we arrived in the town."
"Oh."
"In most cases, though. Sometimes gallop sounds aren't the best thing to follow you."
"How?" Asked the boy with a puzzled expression before his eyes lit up, "Oh! It may be your history teacher stalking you! Pft… That shit's hard."
Se couldn't help but snort at Kita's remark, but when Aife faced him with her lips in a thin line and emotionless eyes, he had to look away—still holding a laugh tho.
"It may, Kita, but in most cases, your enemy is the one stalking you. For instance, the clinking portends king's royal guards."
"Oh, you meant that…."
"He is gonna die in a month," barked Se.
"After you, my dear friend," responded Aife with a fake, annoying smile plastered across her face.
Se huffed, irritated, and flashed her 'You seriously didn't' face.
"I'm immortal, witch."
"That's the point," said Aife and grinned like a thrilled child.
"Aife!"
Aife's gaze followed Kita's finger and through the opening between the trees. There she discerned a spacious circle surrounded by golden brick buildings with beautiful streets, exotic flowers on each side, and small cafes with stained glass. Saphire elephants and orange foxes danced across the blue glass.
The golden carriages with pink curtains were rushing through the cobbled roads. The disorganized noise of people gossiping, murmuring, horse galloping, sweet ballad, and cooking filled their ears.
"Aife! What is this place?"
Royal ornaments and carvings spread across the wealthy-looking mansions.
"Ling Ren, Kita."
"Can we eat now?"
Aife sighed and nodded before glancing at the snake that was bored with the sight in front of him. 'It looks like he really did come from that way,' concluded Aife.
"Okay, let's go."
***
A female after a female was moaning and cursing the man in hydra chains before them.
"Next!" The bonk rang in their ears as they groaned in frustration.
The man in the center of the darkness had only his trousers on. His towering, brawny and vigorous body was on display for the women to eye-assault him.
"Honey, you must choose one of the girls as your mate, or else you'll die out of hunger."
The man snickered after responding, "Suck my dick, bitch."
He had his head bent so no more yelps and groans could escape the audience.
"Look at this sexy beast! Beaten to death and still dares to run his mouth like that." The woman in a short slutty dress stumbling at the higher tier snapped back at him. She ogled his god-like physique without shame.
"Faum, please behave and choose the freaking woman already!"
The man, as she referred to Faum, had short, unique orange hair. His drenched locks messily draped on his forehead. The woman fantasized about snaking her arms around Faum's broad shoulders, and his hips settled between her legs. Mh… How delightful would that have been if he wasn't that deadly?
Swiftly, Faum flashed her the glare full of promise that she would regret being sassy with the Riot Dragon. The green emeralds were boring into her dirty soul.
The woman slumped onto the floor and braced herself with her weak arms.
It was like the whole arena was engulfed in green color. The air became thick and challenging to inhale as the place started to spin before darkness consumed her being.
"I need the strongest," he growled with a burning gaze. If stares could kill, he would crumble the whole fucking world.
The green eyes could kill.
***
Aife was sitting at the table and scanning the tavern while Kita gobbled the meat pie. He wasn't used to boorish behavior, but the wise man once said, 'A hungry stomach makes a short prayer.'
"Eat, or you'll end up in hydra chains just like my lord," advised Se to the comrade.
"I bet your lord was dumb."
She answered and shoved a handful of meat into her mouth. 'Maybe I'll manipulate the snake into giving away more information about 'the dark lord'.'
"Smart move, woman, but nothing is gonna slip past my fangs." Snarked Se at her and returned to his place across her and Kita.
"Mh… At least, I must distinguish your lord from the rest."
"Oh, you will."
Aife could sense a wicked smirk in Se's voice.
"He is gorgeous." He added.
"Such useful knowledge." Mocked the boy with a full mouth.
"Could break the stone." Added Aife never raising her head from her meal.
"Hm-mh." Hummed Kita in approval and continued with the task of licking the plate clean.
Se rolled his eyes at their cynicism and averted his gaze from them. As the giant reptile thought irritation would subdue because he was no longer paying attention to these two, three armed women entered the tavern. Suddenly, Se took a sharp intake of breath and immediately gazed down at Aife, who was also gawking at him while putting on her hood.
'Smart girl.' Se thought to himself and bent down to her eye-level.
"They are the ones who caught my lord."
"You're implying that they have an army. "
"And a strong sorceress."
Aife sighed and put her arms on the table as she slid her dish away.
"We aren't getting away without a fight."
"What do you mean, witch?"
"Okay, let me explain but take in everything I tell you quickly."
Se nodded, and Aife went on:
"They are armed because they need to seize someone hm...stronger. You? Nah, why would they let you escape if they wanted to kill you? After all, they captured your lord, and your abduction would have happened before you escaped. They just didn't take you as a danger."
Se crooked his neck with narrow eyes.
"Thus, my existence and aim were disclosed to them."
Se gave her a few jerks of his head even though he had another idea why they were hunting on the witch. It looked like Faum made clear with them that he needed the strongest mate and for some unknown reason, the women decided to grant him that wish by searching for the famous Witch Warrior.
"Aife, they are coming this way," Kita whispered to her with a worried expression.
"Under the table, Kita."
Now Aife had to protect the golden boy from the women and the Se, the human-eating serpent.
Kita acted as if he dropped something and crawled under the table. Se smirked and also slid where the kid was. Kita's eyes went wide as he so carnivore closing distance between them.
Before the snake could advance further in his direction, he detected the women's legs climbing up the stairs, which caused Se to stop in his tracks. 'What?'
Before he could register the picture before him, he was shoved back from under the table and into the wall. The sharp pain surged through his body as he cried out.
Se opened his eyes just to be met with a tall red-haired man.
'Aife?' he couldn't form the sentence since he was injured in the tail and felt itchy soreness.
The man pulled out the dagger from his skin and sighed with contempt as he slid it in his belt.
"Dumb reptile," he snarked at him and crouched down to bring the boy out of his hideout.
"Aife?" Kita instantly recognized his friend and stared at her in pure awe.
Aife was a brainy young person, and nobody could deceive her as her eyes were a lie detector, her brain the judge, and her hands the butchers of the perjurer.
Aife waved her hand at the snake that looked closely at it and spotted the black ring with golden ornaments on her ring finger.
He frowned at her on which she explained unamused, "Gender shifter."
Se raised his head as realization hit him and his eyes lit up. Soon distaste filled his malice being as the corners of his mouth turned downwards.
Aife outsmarted him by making him believe that she misunderstood the circumstances.
She turned into a handsome and reliable man, by the way.
"Not bad," Se grumbled.
Aife only tilted her head and flashed him a smile satiated with disdain. Kita was just… third-wheeling and not liking it. He pursed his lips and stared at the wall. 'Adults, they say.'
"I don't know how but he is after you and for some reason, his abductors are serving his desire."
Aife let out a breathy chuckle as she looked down. 'That means I have to escape him immediately after he grants my wish or else… I'm his doll. Ew…'