Chapter 106: "The Tempest Within"
The journey to Stormway City was no walk in the park. It was grueling, especially with Ashley Duve fuming over Tessa's temporary takeover of her body.
That moment of rebellion saw the entire group revitalized—healed, well-fed, and ready to go. But Ashley wasn't pleased at all. Every time she thought about it, she felt a strong urge to crush something.
Ikehara noticed her clenched fists and the occasional muttering under her breath. He tried his best to calm her down, offering her comforting words. "Hey, what's going on with you– my beautiful queen? I believe whatever it is, it isn't the end of the world. We still have a long way to go. Let it go," he said with a smirk, as if enjoying the occasional shake of her breasts and her ass as a storm was brewing inside her.
Ashley shot him a look that could melt steel. "You're lucky I have a thing for you, and I have not decided to crush you right now, Ikehara," she said, gritting her teeth. Ikehara laughed nervously but didn't dare push his luck further. –she used to be so submissive–he thought as they marched on.
The journey was long and hard. The group trudged through valleys and forests, their feet aching from the relentless march. "We should get horses," someone suggested, but the logistics of finding enough horses for 45 people quickly killed the idea.
Then came the imps.
Out of nowhere, a swarm of short, green-skinned creatures appeared, surrounding the group like ants around spilled sugar. The imps, grinning with jagged teeth, looked ready for a fight. They looked more like ant bandits than anything else. Ashley's patience, already wearing thin, snapped.
Without a word, she unleashed an energy blast from the faint moonlight in the daylight sky, vaporizing the imps into a cloud of glitter that floated through the air like confetti at a wedding.
The Rhemonic warriors and Adrian stood frozen, their jaws practically on the ground. "Well, that was... sparkly," Nymff muttered, nudging Adrian, who was still too stunned to react.
"Remind me not to get on her bad side," Abdel whispered to Lhiza, who nodded fervently.
Meanwhile, Nymff walked up to Adrian, trying to break the awkward silence between them. "Hey..." she said, her voice soft but hopeful. Adrian glanced at her, his eyes still simmering with anger. He didn't say a word, just kept walking.
"Are you going to keep ignoring me?" Nymff asked, pouting slightly. "I said I'm sorry, okay? What do I need to do to make it up to you?"
Adrian's silence spoke volumes, but his eyes began to wander, tracing the contours of her form. Her chocolate skin would make a grown man lose sleep, her smile was to die for; she was so fine, such a beautiful face, her perky breasts restrained by her cloth covering made her even more sensual, more tempting.
sharp features, her curves—all of it momentarily distracted him from his anger. Nymff, noticing his gaze, blushed slightly and coughed. "Uh, hello? Still angry or... something else on your mind?"
Adrian snapped back to reality, his expression unreadable. He placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to blush even more, and nodded silently. They continued walking, now side by side, with Nymff whispering in his ear. Nyala, walking behind them, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What is going on with those two?" she muttered.
Twenty days passed like a blur. Tessa's consciousness continued to emerge sporadically, each time giving Adrian and Nyala crucial bits of information. She made sure the group rested, ate well, and kept their spirits high, all while keeping her true self hidden from Ikehara, who remained blissfully unaware that Tessa had temporarily taken over from Ashley's control over her body.
Each time Tessa took control, the journey seemed easier. Ikehara chalked it up to Ashley's strange mood swings, attributing their improved pace to her mysterious 'motivation.' But in reality, it was Tessa's efforts to keep them moving and well-fed that kept the group from collapsing from exhaustion.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the outskirts of Stormway City. The city gates loomed ahead, guarded by soldiers and patrols. As they approached, a huge, gruff sergeant marched toward them with heavy steps, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Who are you, and what do you want in our city?" the sergeant barked, his hand resting on his rifle.
Ikehara stepped forward, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "This is Ashley, Queen of Rhemon City. Let us through, and no one gets hurt. But if you waste our time or say something stupid... well, let's just say you'll be missing a few subordinates by the end of the day. So, what's it going to be?"
The sergeant, named Pee, eyed the group warily. They didn't look like the usual rabble he dealt with. They were clean, confident—even cheerful, for some reason. But standing in front of them, Ashley and Ikehara looked like they'd eaten spoiled food for breakfast. Their sour expressions were all the warning Pee needed.
After a long pause, the sergeant nodded and stepped aside, gesturing for his men to open the gates. "Good choice," Ikehara smirked as they passed through. Ashley remained silent, her eyes forward, but those following couldn't help but thank the gods for giving the sergeant the common sense to avoid provoking her further.
As they entered the bustling city, the air filled with the sounds of market vendors and street performers, the group's attention shifted to their next challenge: finding the temple.
"This is going to be fun," Adrian muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of the task ahead.
But amidst the tension, there was also an undercurrent of humor and camaraderie, especially after witnessing Ashley's glitter explosion back on the road. The Rhemonic warriors couldn't help but laugh, exchanging knowing glances. It was clear that despite the dangers they faced, they were in for quite the adventure.
The hunt for the flame of the sun god had begun.