(Princess Ashti)
"Where are we going?"
"To Cardozen City! A place where I grow. That was also our secret promenade!" Davih answered my question.
"Really? Is it here? A floating city?" because right now we're flying above the skies.
"We need to see the stars. However it's a cloudy night so we have to go above the skies."
"I still don't get it."
"Oh here's a better explanation, can you see the twin star over there?" he pointed at north east. "If you can see the other twin behind that big twinkling star, it means that you have a kind heart. Therefore, you're welcome to the city."
"What are you talking about? There really is a star behind that, I can see it since childhood y'know...!"
"Then that settles everything!"
The dragon dive down just like what Maruwie did before. I don't scream, I'm not that surprise in this ride. What surprises me is a city, vast with shinning city lights. Before we came above the skies, I don't see a single light like this, only the luster of the moon to the sea.
"Only those people who can see that twin can see and come here!"
"Don't expect too much kindness from the people here," Haris said.
The dragon disappeared after we landed. My very first impression for this city is a peaceful and safe place. However, catching the citizen's look doesn't seem a welcome to me. We walk onward. Davih is the lead.
"Should we take a dorm?" Jexica suggested.
"Oh yap! You go look for a dorm while we stay and wait here." We're here in front of a bar.
"And why only me?!"
"Because you're a princess, they'll respect you. Well you know the haughtiness of the people here right?"
Prideful people? I thought no one can come here unless you have a kind heart?
"Alright. Don't do any vex and disgruntle things. You know what will happened to you."
He even saluted her before she leave.
"Why don't we just join her in searching for a dorm? And you said you lived here so where's your house?"
"Oh Princess Ashti, this bar is where I live! I don't think you want to spend the night here!"
"I have a bad feeling about this," Haris murmured. Davih sounds so excited. It's too obvious he's planning for something foolish. He took us inside the bar, it's full of geezers ranting and raving, for short, a boisterous facility. I'm afraid Davih adopted their gesture and demeanor. There 's still an empty spot and we took it, just the corner of the bar.
"Hey Haris, wanna take some gulp?"
"Go gulp yourself."
"Oh don't be so mean. You know, this is one of a kind celebration for victory or most likely for a competition!"
"What does wine taste like?"
"Delicious!!"
"Horrible..."
They said at the same time.
"Oh Princess, you're too young to take some beer." Then he pull Haris closer to him and whispers. It's too noisy, I wonder what they're talking about. A men's talk. After private chat, Davih ordered 10 ales.
"Hey are you a joke?! We don't have money to pay for that!!"
"Like I told you, I grow here. They now me, I served here so ales are free as long as I'm here with you." When the drinks was served, they cheers and started drinking. What kind of words Davih used to hypnotize Haris and make him drink along with him? Well, men will be men. So what am I here, a witness? I recur what Jexica said. And I predict they'll meet their demise.
"Hey stop that!! We're here to rest-"
"We're here to celebrate!!"
"Jexica warned you right?!"
"I know. That was just a sweet and false menace."
"Ugh! Haris-!" he already drunk two glasses of ales.
"Wow!! You're too conceited to presume as a starter!"
Haris wince, "Bitter," he said. And took another glass for the third round. I tried to stop them, and they should comply because I'm a princess! Perhaps they didn't even heed Jexica's exhort. Now I'm pissed off. And it increases when this heart-breaking scenery happened. A lad around 4-7 years old is being pummeled to death by a tall, balded masculine man.
Not even a single person tries to stop and help him. Everyone minds their own company. They're at the door way. Out casting that hungry vagrant boy. The man said its a thief, trash to the society.
"Haris...!" I need him to save that kid but they're too busy too on their feast. So I stood on my own.
"Hey!!" I caught everyone's attention. "Picking a fight with someone weaker than you?! You're such a coward!!"
"Oh? Princess Ashti... what's the matter?"
That man, he's coming closer to me with a glare. And I'll just have to wait to a shorter distance and punch him. He twitch to slap me but Haris stop his arm.
"Don't you dare hurt my woman." I was startled. Davih gave the man the final blow, he fell to the ground.
"Hey! That was suppose to be me!"
"Oh hahaha! Sorry! You're too slow!" Now they're drunk.
They play arm wrestling. And I just want to strike the napes of these two!
"Just how long do you plan on doing this?!" Davih lost and they even broke the table. Haris shouts and claps his hands for victory like a kid. The balded man is coming this way again when Haris use his cane against him. He became a pig. And he plays with the cane, I shrank. The fetter holds my waist, my skin feels rough and stitches~I became a doll!!
He's still playing with the cane. He is the most perilous intoxicated person I ever met! The bar changed to floral or nature-like garden, then to a haunted bar, then a bar full of spiders. I scream and still lucky they can't touch me! And because of his frisky moves I keep on swaying around. He can't hear my tiny voice neither.
And it's unfair to see Davih still the same. All the customers ran from here.
"We're not done yet!!" Davih exclaimed. Now they play sword fight, Haris use the fork and Davih pan. Crazy morons! Whose the idiot now?! They never stop playing even there's an explosion that collapsed the bar's wall. What a mess is this place now! There's a woman covered with silver and gold armor, her face and skin are silicon. A knight, no doubt this came from Jexica.
"Jexica!! Finally you came back!!" But I don't see her around. The knight wield its sword and with one sway of it the whole bar collapsed. She's too cruel! Involving the innocent shouldn't be part of her punishment. Or it's not Jexica's. The bricks buried us and we're saved when Haris removed it without sweat. For an instant, that knight is standing in front of us and grip Haris' throat.
That doesn't work on him, instead he kick the knight away and freed himself. That broke the breastplate. However, he clatter to the ground, sound asleep.
"Ugh Haris! You can't just sleep right now!!" I'm slapping his cheek, but with this kind of soft arm, it sounds like patting him. And here she goes again, she lift Haris and throw him including me to the backyard of the bar. Where did Davih go?! Specially Jexica! Laying here on the grass, I saw her slowly approaching then jerk forward with her sword again. Is Jexica trying to kill us?!
"Haris please wake up you drowsy hag!!" I scream again but this time I was saved. Another knight block her attack for me.
"Momo!" I heard a call. Below the knight protecting me appeared a cute baby knight that punches the woman knight away. And then they vanished in front of me. Another 2 knights clasp both of her hands but she's mighty! She pulled them going in front of her and they collide that scattered into metal pieces. They vanished too. And this time two giant fat monsters hold her arms.
A species like Green Panda. She can't loose. I found Jexica standing on her side at a 20 steps distance. There are two archers beside her holding their arrows, with her snap they fired it. The two fats descended and when the arrows reached the target, it exploded. And yet she's alive. With her quick move, she attack Jexica. Jexcia summoned a knight with only a shield to protect her. The woman knight raised her sword and cut the knight shielding Jexica into two and scattered.
This woman is strong. Jexica summoned an angel and take her in the air, she dodged the woman's attack. I have no idea she can jump high and caught up with Jexica, she first attacked the angel and thrust Jexica down. She summoned the white cat again to catch her. When the woman is coming down, Jexica stood up and summoned someone very familiar. Nello.
Another knight with a spear. The woman's sword landed on his shoulder. And it only itches him. Now I remembered, he's the one we met at Infinite Petals. The one who summoned the enormous dinosaur and talked to Haris' telepathy through hand contact. At first glance, I know he's strong. He grip the sword on his shoulder and break it. Then he kick her that threw her away. And that even broke her whole armor.
"Yoona, how dare you raid the Princess!" He stab her stomach while she's on the ground. "Thou shalt atone for thy transgressions." So Yoona is the name of that woman. But I still don't get what's going on with Jexica's disciples.
"Stop it," Jexica commanded. She touch Yoona's forehead with his finger tip and vanished. The fat cat sat beside us so we could rest on her. The softest and floppiest cat I touched, is it just my doll body?
"Ashti? Is that you?"
"Jexica it's me! Haris and Davih were drunk and he plays with his cane, and changed me to this." I frown.
"What a pain." She sigh and told Nello to stay here with us and she'll look for Davih.
"Wait, what happened? What is that Yoona?"
"She wasn't summoned by me. Summoned by someone else. And there's no doubt about it, from the thief King. Specially the target is Haris."
"I see. I'm sorry I can't stop them from drinking."
"I know, even I can't. I don't want to be a hindrance to their pleasures, but not like this..." she turn her head to the bar, ruined bar. "Haris can fix these all with his cane, just wait for him to awake. And you better sleep too, leave this to me," she added.
"How can I help?"
"You can't help me like that." She grin. I pout.
※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※
Such a deep dreamer! He's snoring scantily, hands beside his head, more like a sleeping baby. I'm shouting at his ear yet he didn't even budge! I push his cheek to and fro and he's still out of presence. I tread on his face then pinch his nose. And finally he open his eyes slowly, looking at me.
"Rise and shine, sluggish wizard!"
He grab me on one hand and raise me. "What's this...?" he utter.
"It's me!! Ashti!!"
"Mmm... idiot ah?"
"Fine whatever you call me! You still have to do something so come on!"
He rise up, touching his head. A headache.
"What happened here?" he's groping the white cat until he noticed it.
"Well that's simple. You got drank, mess around and even turned me to this!! For worst the enemy ambushed! Good thing Jexica was here for the rescue."
"Ashti... you look cute with that," and he giggle.
"I... I'll take that as a compliment!"
"Good morning Haris."
"Hmm? Nello? Why are you-"
"The Princess gave you a message... that she loves you."
"What?!" I shouted.
"I'm just kidding. She said you must repair the damages caused to the bar or else she'll punish you."
He stood up and I was hanged. I have no idea that a non-human being like this have a sense of humor. But that's not a hilarious joke.
"Hey! Don't just let me hang in here!" he put me on his pocket, like a baby kangaroo. "There... much better."
He's stretching his arms, or more like waiting for something to drop from his cloak. Until he even waver it.
"Ashti, my cane is missing."
"What on earth-!"