A deafening quietness, except for the water gushing out from the mouth of the Apollo Antiochus statue, engulfed the air. Lantern lights illuminated different corners of the castle, and the wind wafted the scent of the garden flowers. A maid walked along the verandah, turned, and then entered the castle.
The knights stood alert at the front of the gate, while others tried their hardest not to doze off.
A soft cold wind blew, wilting a leaf from the ground.
The leaf landed slowly, swaying back and forth. As it touched the ground, one of the knights cried out, pointing. "What's that creature!"
They all turned their heads up in unison, their armor clattering. The leader commanded. "All knights assemble! Don't let that thing pass! Defend the castle!"
With a clatter of armor and slash of steel, the knights assembled in strategic positions to take out the akuji.
The akuji flew above them, but as it was about to pass over the castle wall, a spear was thrown in front of it. It immediately halted and moved back, narrowly missing the projectile. The knights continued to pelt it with spears, driving the akuji to descend.
With force, it charged towards the knights, its claws scraping against their shields. The shields glinted with red light from the torch flames as the akuji's talons scratched them.
One knight exploited a gap and lunged for the akuji's wing with his sword, but the creature turned its head with frightening agility and ripped the knight's arm off. "Whuaaa!" The injured knight screamed in pain as he collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.
A sense of dread washed over the other knights as they took steps backwards.The akuji still had the knight's severed hand in its mouth. To further provoke the knights, it threw the hand towards them, and the soldiers took another step back in fear.The commander at their back shouted."What are you doing you fools?Defend the Castle with your lives!"
With faces full of doubt, the knights looked back at their commander, their bodies trembling. Sword hilts clanked against their armor, creating a discordant chorus of metallic rattles and scrapes.
Meanwhile, Apollo Antiochus stood in the corbel, his flowing crimson robe trimmed with ermine fur and sparkling gems accentuating the mysterious, dark night. Lost in thought, he enjoyed the fresh air until a soft, sweet voice from behind him broke the silence. "Good evening, Your Highness."
Antiochus didn't bother to look, replying calmly: "So you are the one who was causing the commotion." Slowly, he turned to face the intruder, but when his eyes met theirs, he jumped back, drawing his sword and pointing it at Marina.
"What are you?" Antiochus asked in shock.
"That's very rude of you, Your Highness," Marina replied with a piercing gaze and an eerie smile.
"You should leave while I'm still showing mercy," Antiochus retorted, his voice quivering.
"I want to talk," Marina responded, her expression unchanged.
"What business do I have with a creature like you?" Antiochus asked, his sword still trained on Marina, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Calling me a creature? I'll get back at you later, but for now, allow me to inform you that this castle belongs to me and my allies," Marina retorted, raising her voice slightly with a sinister smile. "You should leave without packing anything."
"You have a big mouth,I will show you who I am!" Antiochus roared, veins popping and eyes seething with rage. He planted his feet firmly, knees bent, and body leaning forward in a battle-ready stance. His eyes narrowed with resolute determination, lips drawn back in a vicious snarl. With a sudden burst of speed, he launched himself at Marina, sword flashing in the lantern light. When he reached her, he spun with force and speed, his sword slicing through the air toward her neck.
Marina, the epitome of calm, effortlessly sidestepped the strike, her smile widening. With an enigmatic glint in her eyes, she taunted. "Too slow."
Antiochus, increasingly desperate and frustrated, switched the momentum of his sword from right to left, but once more, Marina smoothly evaded the strike, bending to her left as the blade whistled harmlessly over her head.
With a furious growl, Antiochus jumped back, regrouped, then charged forward once again, sword aimed at Marina's abdomen. But in the blink of an eye, Marina leapt into the air, executed a graceful somersault, and landed behind him.
Antiochus turned, only to find Marina's piercing gaze and eerie smile. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek, and as his gaze followed the red line, he saw the thin scratch on his face. Before he could react, Marina licked the blood from her fingernail, savoring his wound.
"How dare you?" Antiochus spat, charging once more. He leapt into the air and brought his sword down in a powerful arc, aiming for Marina's head.
Marina reacted with a smooth crouch, the blade whistling harmlessly above her. Without hesitation, she drove a powerful kick into Antiochus's abdomen, sending him flying backwards dropping his sword and crashing into the wall.
Dazed and bleeding, Antiochus collapsed to the floor. Marina picked the sword then stepped toward him, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the silence. She bent down, sword in hand, and stared at the trembling Antiochus, a smile playing on her lips.
"I told you I'll get back at you for calling me a creature," she said, lifting the sword with a single hand. In one swift motion, she plunged the blade into the floor, nailing Antiochus's hand to the ground. He screamed in agony, the blood flowing profusely from the wound. Marina relished in his pain, savoring his agony.
Antiochus begged for mercy, but Marina was deaf to his pleas. She placed her foot on his impaled hand, and pressed down with all her weight. Antiochus's screams echoed through the room, as he desperately cried, "Wait! Let's talk..."
Marina loomed over Antiochus, her eyes cold and calculating. "I wanted to kill you, but on second thought, I think you'll be useful in controlling your fellow humans." She then let out a piercing whistle.
At the castle gates, the remaining knights fought valiantly against the Akuji, but the creature's strength was overwhelming. The commander ordered a young knight to attack, but the knight trembled in fear, frozen in place.
The Akuji roared, charging at the knight with lightning speed. But before it could strike, the creature halted mid-air, changing course and flying toward the castle, responding to Marina's whistle.
Antiochus watched, terror-stricken, as the creature landed beside Marina. "Are you full? I bet they were delicious," she said, a cruel smile playing on her lips. Antiochus attempted to escape, but his nailed palm kept him pinned to the ground.
Marina turned to Antiochus, her smile vanishing.
"You will do as I say or else become my pet's next meal," Marina threatened. "You will remain the ruler of this kingdom, but you will obey my orders, my rules."
"What? What am I supposed to do?" Antiochus stammered, fear evident in his voice.
"You're supposed to calm down," Marina replied coolly, "or I will end your life right here." She maintained silence for thirty seconds, staring down at Antiochus until he regained control of his movements.
"Not bad," she said, nodding her approval.
"Now, your next task is to seize the homes of the important people in your kingdom," Marina continued. "My allies need a place to stay. Use your soldiers to do this, and you will be spared. Do not attempt any trickery, because you are no match for us. You know this yourself."
Antiochus, still shaken, nodded vigorously in agreement. Marina bent down and, without mercy, ripped the sword from Antiochus' palm, tossing it at his feet. "Proceed with your duties, Your Highness."