Hello: long time ayy
Teleportation was a curse Etim dare not wish his enemies. The feeling of his guts twisting into strange shapes, his body morphing to form whatever shape could pass through the portal was worse than death. Immediately they landed, he started throwing up.
He had expected Tabibah to curse at him for being weak and useless, but she had, instead, helped him hold his hair, and rinse his mouth, praising him for not passing out at his first teleportation and whispering small compliments into his heart.
Etim thought Sao was a fool to dump Tabibah. She was so perfect in mortal form.
Unlike what he was used to, Witch vale had a rather blue sky which was unusual, even their sun was silver and not golden. It did not burn too, releasing faint warmth that was rather soothing.
No wonder Tabibah is so pale, there is no way she would have a sunburn in this type of weather.
Compared to the bright weather, the architects were rather mundane and gothic looking when compared to Canine Kingdom which reeked of luxury. Tabitha felt nervous at the thought of Etim being disappointed by her territory. The mate bond wanted nothing but to make Etim happy with where they were supposed to spend the rest of their lives in.
Etim felt the sand with his boots and bent down to take some. He sniffed it, then rubbed it between his fingers to feel the texture.
You are rarely this quiet, why? Is witch vale too dark for your princely heart? Or perhaps, too poor instead?
Hmmm?
Erin raised his head up, tilting it to the left, slightly confused by the questions Tabibah asked. Tabibah kept her usual blank face on and it looked like a sarcastic query but if Caasi was here, he would have called her bluff for how her index finger kept twitching violently.
Was he disappointed? Witch vale was a far cry from Canine kingdom. From what he had told her, he was used to castles and luxuries, not thatched huts scattered randomly. If he dare complain, I would kill him. Tabibah's insecurities were ruining her.
Etim looked at her, his usual boot licking smile on his face, and said honestly. "The sun doesn't burn my skin, it is a little too quiet, the little huts don't seem to give any space for privacy…"
His words might be innocently phrased but Tabibah only grasped the hidden innuendo causing her lips to go dry. She gave him a long, hard stare, mentally sighing in victory as he flushed red from her gaze.
"Trust me, they are very soundproof, no matter how loud you scream, even the person standing outside won't be able to hear you."
Etim's flush turned darker. Why did she have to say that out loud with that sensual gaze in her eyes? Am I reading too much into it? He felt like he said something wrong.
M"Yo-your sand is not infected! "
Sorry?
"I told you before that plants don't grow well as it does during your era, because the sand was infected... But yours isn't and I was a little curious…"
His eyes lit up, little stars forming in the emerald mass, as he rubbed the sand in his hand a little too hard, "Bibah!! You are stepping on a gold mine!"
Tabibah was starting to suspect he was a dragon, not an elf. He was so hungry for money. Now that she thinks of it, he didn't possess elf noble qualities nor Canines and Elementalists' honourable ways. It made her happy.
You are being ridiculous.
Etim unwillingly stood up when Tabibah left him and trailed behind her. They walked for some time, passing through a tiny path, between two mountains, when they came out, the sky was no longer blue but obsidian with a silver moon hanging on the sky. This surprised Etim.
It was daytime just now.
Etim blinked rapidly, a little lost. "where are we? "
The witches' mass graves.
At her words, strange winds howled and white mist came from nowhere covering them.
"Gra-Gra-grave?"
Etim hid behind Tabibah making sure to hold the hem of her dress tightly. His plans were foiled as Tabibah raised her hands and her dress melted away, leaving her in her witch protective cover.
"Wh-wha-what are you doing? "
She ignored him and raised her hands. When she brought it down, all the torches he didn't know existed lit up and he yelped in surprise sticking close to her.
She looked at him, eyes glazing with faint mist, her tone was gentle as she whispered in his heart:
Are you perhaps... Frightened?
Etim: "Pffft!!" He stood up straight and covered his lips as he laughed like that was the funniest joke he had ever heard. His eyes were covered with mirth.
"Me? Scared? Why would I be scared, I'm a fifty years old MAN and not a baby!!" His voice was a little too loud and as soon as he said that hundreds of bats flew out from nowhere.
"Ahhhhhhh!! Tabibah save me!!!! "
Tabibah couldn't resist laughing. It didn't sound cute or elegant, like Mia's. It sounded wicked, like the way evil people would cackle, but he couldn't think of anything more befitting.
This was her, Tabibah, she was not cute nor acted shy but powerful and wicked. His pupils dilated and he felt his hands become sweaty.
Her eyes squinted into two crescent moons as she laughed, all her cold edges seem to melt away. Because he was that close to her, he could see her two front teeth that kind of resembled a bunny's. His heart kept pounding wildly. Is this how I die? From cuteness overload?
Why are you so foolish?
Okay, not so cute.
He pursed his lips and glared at her. "I only screamed because I didn't want the bats to mess with my hair. My hair is very… Uhm… delicate. Yes delicate."
She shook her head. Even his lies are dumb. He was dumber than Elba when he was a child. At the thought of Elba, her joy melted away.
"You look really pretty when you laugh! " Etim told her.
Ohh, so I look ugly when I don't?
The coldness in her tone was evident but Etim choose to ignore it.
"You look ethereal when you don't, like a goddess, cold but attainable, dangerously powerful... Sexy. "
Tabibah rolled her eyes.
Your ability to suck up to people really surprises me.
"It is my hidden survival talent," he replied confidently.
Fascinating.
Her eyes changed into a violet colour and she raised her hands to the sky. The pale silver moon shone brightly on her, casting a serene halo on her. Etim was struck dumb and could not speak.
Eti sun ti pe
Oti di ose ti e ma jide
Ma sun mo
Her voice was loud and the sheer power of it caused thunder to rumble in the sky.
Etim shifted close to her for safety. This spell must be really important since she was speaking and not casually flicking her hands.
At each word, her voice grew louder and louder until it filled the entire mountain.
E jide
E jide
E jide
E jide
Etim almost passed out when a skeletal hand came out from the ground. That was the first.
Hundreds of skeletons came out and fell into kneeling positions. Etim could only witness what seemed like it should be part of a scary story told at midnight with a pale face.
Purple lightning struck across the dark sky; intensifying the horror he felt.
Ago ti de tema jade
Ma sun mo
Ma jide ni sin
Jide
Flesh began to grow on the body of the skeletons at a slow speed. Tabibah felt the lean arms that wrapped around her become tighter with each passing second.
Are you trying to break my bone?
Etim shook his head muttering a small "sorry!" but he didn't leave her alone, holding onto her like she was the pillar of his existence.
As if it couldn't get worse, a lone skeleton opened its mouth, letting out a monotone voice that sounded like long claws scratching on a wall spoke. He was different from other skeletons and looked more like a zombie with colourless skin and red eyes.
"Caasi Wrath greets Chief Tabibah, it has been too long."
Etim blinked in surprise as Tabibah smiled brightly, eyes filled with happiness for the first time since he had met her, shoulders sagging in relief, she even spoke with her normal voice.
"Stand up Caasi, I've missed you."
Etim's eyes turn cold. Miss him? He looked at the poker face pale man with long inky hair and didn't see what was miss worthy in him.
The skeleton, zombie, whatever they were, people kept greeting one after the other but Tabibah only said "miss you" to the one named Caasi.
Etim felt jealous…And creeped out. Why wasn't Tabibah creeped out? Was this a normal witch thing, rising from the dead via skeleton mode? For the first time since his kidnappings, he genuinely prayed for his safety.