CHAPTER 8: THE BATH HOUSE
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There was once a great female warrior with witch's blood. She was known as a strong soldier in her time. Near the end of her life, she was hired by the royal family as a maid. Her secret job was to guard the king's mistresses, which she disliked but couldn't refuse the king's orders.
The queen, aware of the king's hidden mistresses, wanted to expose him. She allied with nobles from her side and ordered them to search for the mistresses. The warrior hid the mistresses in a dungeon and used magic to conceal them and the house. When the queen's guards and a royal magician searched the place, they couldn't find anything due to the warrior's powerful magic.
The warrior was taken to the kingdom for questioning. The king, scared of the queen's wrath, warned the warrior to stay silent or he would harm her family. The queen tortured the warrior, but she didn't reveal anything. The king then claimed the house was just a hunting lodge, and the queen released the warrior.
Upon returning to the dungeon, the warrior found the mistresses dead from starvation. She had been tortured and questioned for two months, during which there was no food or water in the dungeon. That night, the king secretly visited the house, demanding to know where his mistresses were. The warrior showed him their corpses and explained what happened, asking for forgiveness. Enraged, the king tried to attack her but failed due to his old age and her strength.
The king, overcome with grief, ordered the warrior to bury the bodies in the dungeon. They finished by sunrise, and the king left hastily. The warrior prayed for the souls of the dead mistresses. As she was leaving the dungeon, a mysterious force suddenly gripped her legs and began pulling her back. She struggled, feeling a powerful hunger and thirst overwhelming her, but the force was too strong. It dragged her deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the dungeon, where she was eventually swallowed by the shadows.
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Narra reached out and placed her trembling hand on the coffin's door. Her breaths came in short, panicked gasps as she tried to process the horrifying sight before her. Fear and confusion clouded her mind, making her feel as though she had been transported back in time, reliving a distant, haunting memory. As she struggled to regain her composure, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs.
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A few hours earlier, before Narra saw the scene when she touched the coffin, she had woken up in a dimly lit hallway of an unfamiliar house. The place was in disarray, with furniture overturned and belongings scattered everywhere, as if it had been ransacked.
Suddenly, the floor beneath her began to glow with a blinding light, causing her to shield her eyes. As the light dimmed, words appeared on the floor, spelling out a message:
"WELCOME NARRA BANI MOLAVE TO THE HOUSE OF THE KING'S MISTRESSES. THIS IS YOUR FIRST INHERITANCE FROM ASTRANTIA. FIND HER COFFIN AND RELEASE HER SHACKLES INSIDE. TO OPEN THE COFFIN, YOU MUST GET THE KEY FROM ASTRANTIA HERSELF. GOOD LUCK!"
Narra quickly scanned the chaotic room, her mind racing. Determined to complete the task, she rose to her feet and moved cautiously towards the window. Peering outside, she saw a dense forest under the cover of night.
Resolute, Narra turned and opened the door, stepping out into the unknown to find the woman who held the key to the mysterious coffin.
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Narra ventured into the dark, foggy forest, the atmosphere heavy with an eerie stillness. As she navigated through the dense woods, she searched for any clues about the mysterious woman and the key. Her path eventually led her to an old bathhouse, where the sound of flowing water caught her attention. Convinced that the woman might be inside, she cautiously entered.
Inside the bathhouse, Narra noticed dresses hanging from hooks and the faint sound of footsteps echoing. She brushed aside a curtain and descended a staircase, feeling the chill of the water as she stepped into it. Following the sound of the footsteps, she waded through the water until she reached the center of the bathhouse.
There, she saw a haunting figure—a woman covered in bruises, with empty eye sockets and only a mouth visible. The woman was dressed in a torn maid uniform, with armor peeking through. In her left hand, she held a helmet, which she placed on her head. As she did, a sword materialized in her right hand, and she charged at Narra.
Startled, Narra quickly activated her shield, but the woman's sword shattered it effortlessly. Desperate, Narra teleported away and dashed through the hallway, seeking a place to hide. As she ran through the waterlogged passage, she could hear the ominous sound of the sword being dragged along the ground. She attempted to create a portal back to her room at Molave's Residence, but her efforts failed.
The relentless woman soon caught up with Narra, grabbed her shoulder, and hurled her against a wall. The impact left Narra in immense pain, unable to anticipate or avoid the attack due to the woman's incredible speed. In desperation, Narra retrieved one of the spirit coins given to her by Nemesis. Clutching the coin tightly, she whispered, "Help me, Nemesis." The coin grew scorching hot, forcing her to throw it away. As it left her hand, a blinding light filled the hallway.
Out of the light emerged a spirit woman, her eyes covered by a blindfold and wielding a sword. The bruised woman immediately attacked the spirit, allowing Narra to escape. She ran down the hallway, turned a corner, and found refuge in a small room. Trembling and in pain, Narra tried to calm herself and devise a plan.
"It hurts so much," Narra muttered, wincing in agony. She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist, which was adorned with a tiger's eye stone. Remembering that it could summon a magical book, she whispered, "Book." The book materialized before her, and upon opening it, a message appeared:
"Good Day, Narra. Do you want to open the shop?" the message read.
Narra replied, "Yes."
The shop opened
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BOOK NOTIFICATION:
Item Name: Ribbon of the Star's Maiden
Description: This is the Ribbon of Mira Ceti, named after a celestial being who once lived as a woman. The ribbon was a gift to her beloved, designed to be worn around the waist for support and protection. It has the remarkable ability to ward off evil, curses, and negative energy, and is as strong as a diamond, offering physical protection as well.
Before Mira Ceti perished in her human form, she managed to bestow this extraordinary fabric upon her lover. She crafted it from the remnants of dying stars she had collected from the universe, infusing it with her immense powers. This enchanted ribbon not only protected her lover but also their child. After her death, Mira Ceti transformed into a constellation, her legacy shining in the night sky.
The Ribbon of Mira Ceti has several unique properties:
Weapon: It can be used to bind enemies, and due to its incredible durability, it is nearly impossible to cut. It also has the ability to cleanse negative energy from those it binds.
Clothing: The fabric can be fashioned into garments that provide ongoing protection against curses, negative energy, and evil forces.
Physical Form: A long white ribbon. Second form: Headband with stars design.
Creator: Mira Ceti
Rank: Unique
Price: 20 Tokens
Usage: 3 (if bought by tokerns, it can be used for three times)
Temporary Free Usage: 1
Tokens available: 200
Used: none
Would you like to purchase it?
Yes or No
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Narra purchased the Ribbon of the Star's Maiden from the mystical shop. She quickly took it and hurried upstairs, where she saw the Spirit Coin Lady and the Maid Warrior locked in a fierce battle at the center of the bathhouse.
As soon as the Maid Warrior noticed Narra on the upper floor, she swung her sword towards her. "Die!" she shouted. But the Spirit Coin Lady intervened just in time, blocking the attack with her own weapon.
"Narra, now!" the Spirit Coin Lady called out, her voice strained from the effort.
Seeing the opportunity, Narra hurled the enchanted ribbons at the Maid Warrior. The ribbons wrapped around the Maid Warrior, binding her tightly. They pulled her to the center of the hallway and anchored themselves to the pillars on the second floor.
"Hold her steady!" Narra commanded. "Find the key!"
The Spirit Coin Lady approached the struggling Maid Warrior, searching her for the key. Despite her efforts, she couldn't locate it.
Suddenly, the bathhouse began to tremble. Debris started falling from the ceiling, and the ribbons attached to the pillars caught fire. The flames quickly spread toward the center where the Maid Warrior was bound.
In a desperate, guttural tone, the Maid Warrior shouted something in a foreign language. Dark energy surged from her, wrapping around Narra's throat and choking her.
"You cannot stop me!" she hissed.
"Hang on, Narra!" the Spirit Coin Lady yelled, attempting to fend off the dark energy.
Just then, the ribbons emitted a warm, shining light, dispelling the fire and illuminating the Maid Warrior. She screamed in agony as the light engulfed her, trying to resist and free herself from the ribbons.
"No! This cannot be!" she cried out, struggling against the binding light.
The dark energy around Narra began to fade. The ribbons binding the Maid Warrior ignited in a blaze of multicolored flames, which spread throughout the bathhouse.
Narra felt the heat but realized she wasn't burning. Instead, the flames felt warm and comforting.
The entire bathhouse was soon consumed by the magical fire, turning everything to ashes. As the ribbons loosened, they revealed a stunningly beautiful woman with long black hair, dressed in a maid's uniform that was interwoven with ancient armor.
"You...you have freed me," the woman said, her voice now soft and grateful.
Narra, still catching her breath, nodded. "Who are you?"
"I am Astrantia," the woman replied, standing tall amidst the ruins.
"Thank you for breaking the curse that bound me."
Narra smiled weakly, the warmth of the flames still surrounding them like a protective shield.
"Let's find that key and finish this."