Chapter 10

In the left portion of his chest, lies a blue dragon that was emitting fire from its mouth.

It looks much like a tattoo to me, except that, it was moving.

The mark on his chest is moving!

His tattoo fascinated me so much, I had to stop myself from touching it.

"What was that?!" I exclaimed when another set of marks appeared on his chest along with the dragon.

The mark shows two swords crossing against each other behind the blue glowing creature.

"This is the mark of prophecy, the dragon symbolizes the fated savior, and this two crossing swords behind it, symbolizes us, your guardians."

Symbolizes us?

"You mean there are other guardians aside from you?"

"I believe, yes. The prophecy says that you were blessed with four guardians, but I'm not sure if they were aware of it like I was," he said with a little hint of hesitation on his voice.

I remained silent for a while, trying to take it all in.

First, I was a princess and my parents both belong in the royalties.

Next is that there is a war coming, and I was their expected savior.

Cool here, who was just a silent classmate days ago turned out to be a guardian of mine and there can be more coming?!

"Then, why just now?" I asked with a snort.

But he didn't answer me, instead, he stood up, walked to me, helped me stand as well, and then pulled me somewhere.

We stood in front of a giant mirror.

And for the first time since I woke up, I finally saw myself again.

But I don't really look like a sixteen-year-old girl.

I looked more --- lady-like.

With my hair that used to be up in a high ponytail all the time, freely cascaded down my back and a little crown barrette was sitting on the left side of my head. My usual jeans and plain shirts were gone and were replaced with an asymmetric long dress that was hanged around my neck with a thin strap.

I looked...

"I looked different." I blurted out in almost a whisper but Cool, nevertheless, heard it.

"Yes, you do," he said with his hands still resting on my shoulders.

"You see, you're just sixteen in the mundane world. But in Narte Fantasia, you are already a full-grown woman." Cool explained and I felt his hand taking my hair that was covering my neck aside.

Full-grown woman. I thought my parents were just being sentimental way back before all of this happened, but it turned out that I was really already an adult here.

"And this," He gently tilted my head sideways and I immediately heard myself gasp upon seeing the blue moving dragon tattoo just below my left ear. 

"Since when did I have this? I've never seen this before!" I said panicking while caressing the blue mark.

"Of course you didn't. The first time this mark appeared was during your birth, and then it vanished and just reappeared after you became an adult." Cool patiently explained.

I stared at the mark lying below my left ear. The dragon was moving, as if it was swimming.

"Cool," I called out, not taking my gaze off my mark.

"Hmm?"

"I'm scared," I confessed and then I looked at him by the mirror, I saw him staring at me as well.

"No, I'm terrified." I corrected myself and as if on cue, my tears suddenly started pouring from my eyes,

Cool breath heavily, turned me around so I can face him.

I used both of my hands to cover up my face and my continuous sobs.

I broke down even more when I felt large arms embracing me.

"I know. Shhh. I know this is all new for you. But don't worry, I'm here. I got you." he said while he was drawing circles on my back.

Cool's body was cold. It was nowhere warm, but I felt warm being in his arms, and hearing his words assured me. Even his presence alone is already enough to comfort me, but hearing him say he got my back, brings my sanity back to its place.

"That was a sweep." Cool said as he saw me staring at a one-eyed creature.

Its body figure is like that of a small child, but what caught my attention is its horn that was very unicorn-like.

"What do they do?" I asked as I saw them walking in groups.

"They were the murandas' servants."

"Wow." I can't help but say, even the servants had their own servants?

That's... weird.

"They don't talk?" I inquired when we saw two of them silently passing each other.

"No. But I've heard they can do telepathy with their masters. I'm not sure." My head turned on him when he said that he wasn't sure.

"You're not sure?"

"Glaciers don't have them," he said after shrugging his shoulders.

We remained silent for a while and just watch the sweeps walked around doing errands for their masters.

"How did my parents knew you? They don't go to school often."

"They were the ones who enrolled me at school, Fhyra." My jaw fell in shock upon hearing his confession.

How long had they known each other, really?

"I used to follow you everywhere since you turned thirteen. But when your parents saw me, they told me that I would attract the attention of the unwanted. So they told me to just protect you at school, since they were always with you at home, anyway. They even bought me a house to stay in." My mouth was left hanging after his confession.

"How the? Wow! My parents do know how to keep their mouths shut!" I said with a sarcastic laugh. I can't help but feel a little twinge of pain in my heart because they kept me in the dark for how many years.

"Don't get mad at them. They had your best interest in mind." Cool defended.

"Yeah, sure," I said with a snort.

"Fhyra," he called out, scolding me

I rolled my eyes because of that.

He just sighed when he saw what I did.

"Princess Fhyra?" Cool and I turned around to look who called for me.

I saw a tall good looking man, his hair was brushed up neatly, his clothes of the same color as mine—blazing fire and a warm smile was plastered on his lips.

I glanced at Cool for a moment and he just bowed down a little to show courtesy.

"Who are you?" I asked the man ahead.

"I am Count Blaze Fantilaga, your highness." he courtly introduced.

"And?" I said, urging him to continue.

"And a guardian of yours, as well, Princess." He said with a warm smile plastered on his lips.

I, on the other hand, had my mouth hanging from shock.

I turned my head to look at Cool, but he was just silently watching the guy in front of us, who claims to be one of my guardians.