MALAIKA and her team had reached the Baraf safely. Everyone was wary of an ambush during their travel, knowing about the uprising. Thankfully, she regained her strength with the help of Attisha’s medicine. Everyone reminded her not to overdo her magic, especially since she could still not harness it properly.“You learned magic that easy? How did you know the proper incantation?” Seti had been bugging her about this matter. Malaika obliged to tell them the detailed story from the day Erevan had abducted her to pass the time. They were in an inn that Travion arranged for them.“Now that I remember it, I lost consciousness back in the cave, and when I woke up, Erevan was gone… and there was a sign of flooding. Could it be that I summoned the water unconsciously? Frode said I could even use water magic without chanting.” Malaika recalled what happened. It was the first time she met the cave dweller and perhaps triggered her magic, the reason she gifted Xoxo.Malaika shook her head. She h
YULLI was stretching on the battleground as he prepared for his first fight. And just as his team had expected, he’d face the lone warrior, Alfreda Herfst. Commander Alleki, along with Luan, sat in the distance. They were on standby in case something happened to the wolf shifter. They had seen how Alfreda fought her opponents, and despite Yulli being overconfident about winning, Alleki had some doubts.A magic user would always remain at an advantage compared to a shifter. Although Yulli was a strategist, they must not be complacent. Some participants were heavily injured, and worse, others died. This wasn’t a ‘friendly’ competition at all. The crowd was lively as usual. This was one of the most anticipated fights since it was the formal opening for the higher castes.“A pleasant morning, everyone! We’ll be going to start the first battle with a bang! The notorious Alfreda Herfst is here, and she’d fight with one of the fiercest warriors from Hala!” It was the female elf announcer w
GOVERNOR Lansear was focused on the two delegates fighting on the battleground. It was obvious that Alfreda was being too careful not to hurt her opponent. He had seen her fights before advancing, and the girl had picked her interest. Watching how the fight ended, he was sure Alfreda’s identity was not real. She was the missing Halan princess. With their happy reunion below them, he couldn’t be wrong. “I want the two of them in Colegio Maxica,” Lansear said to the headmaster beside him. Headmaster Prife has been in-charge of the School of Magic for a hundred years. He was old. He had long white hair and a short beard. He was famous in Axum for being the first water wielder that attained immortality because of his vast knowledge of magic. Aside from Lansear, who recently claimed the name of Immortal Governor due to his power. “That little witch and the shifter?” Headmaster Prife pretended to mishear the governor. “You heard me.” Lansear casually drank wine from the goblet while st
MALAIKA quickly followed the guard along with Yulli. She could feel the colder breeze as they entered a unique structure erected at the center of the main palace. They found themselves inside the sacred shrine made of ice crystals. She walked on the carpeted aisle when they reached a door with floating runes glowing in green. They went in, and the two were astounded to see Governor Lansear, wearing his white robe, staring gently at one emerald crystal resting inside a medium-sized water bubble. The crystal levitated in the air just above a white magic circle. “Governor…” Malaika arched her head down to acknowledge his presence. The governor motioned his hand, and the guard immediately stepped back and left. “It’s nice to see you here… Princess Malaika.” Lansear scrutinized her from head to foot. Malaika and Yulli exchanged glances. Since when did the governor knew about her real identity? Lansear chuckled as if he had read what was on her mind. “I called you here, despite this p
“YOU let a lowly shifter come inside our sacred shrine? I can’t believe it!” Professor Prife motioned his staff in bewilderment. He was enraged. “Why? Isn’t it an insolent act?” “Are you questioning my decision, Professor?” Lansear glared with a warning at the old elf. The professor glanced down and cleared his throat. “My apologies, Governor. But why did you do it?” his voice turned low. They were inside the receiving hall of the Capitol building waiting for General Rikrus Amakir. It had been a few days, and he wasn’t back in Baraf. This was their schedule to meet after his urgent business in Hala. “The Aqua festival will end soon. After what I observed inside the shrine, I became more interested in the Princess of Hala.” “What have you seen?” Lansear’s lips quirked up mysteriously. “That will be your task, Professor Prife. Be vigilant once she enters the School of Magic. I know this will create confusion among our students. But I want you to watch her closely in the final match
“MAGIC is not good for close combat. We have a high chance of winning if nothing goes off with our strategy.” Alleki reminded everyone before going out of the battle stadium. They all wore the black warrior uniform flaunting the embroidered insignia of Hala. Malaika chose her usual battle attire from Frode. But she didn’t have her cloak and mask. She wanted everyone to remember her face… as the Princess of Hala who could wield magic despite it being considered taboo. The governor did not object to her teaming up with the shapeshifters.The final match was called the exhibition battle. All the Halan delegates were required to participate since it was only a ‘friendly competition’ to conclude the Aqua Festival. Even those who were injured from the fight yesterday must join. Fortunately, their wounds had healed, but the mana hadn’t recovered to a hundred percent. The warriors modified the battle arrangement from what they had practiced before, with Malaika’s magic as an addition. Mala
XUHE had frozen the cape covering Reta’s body until it was fit enough to get back to her feet. And despite the embarrassment, Reta continued to mock Malaika and her team as if nothing had happened.“Careful, next time.” Xuhe flew at a safe distance, and Yulli shifted to his wolf form to follow the male elf.“Bold of you to assume you’d win against us!” Reta laughed hysterically. “We are the elite warriors of the army of Axum.”Malaika looked around, and it was a slow motion in her eyes. Despite her protection, it appeared ineffective.She first saw Kane, who was at a disadvantage because he could not shapeshift into his animal form. He tried to engage in close combat, but his opponent was the archer who kept a safe distance while firing hundreds of arrows nonstop. Kane only defended. But because of his huge build, he found it hard to engage in the same stealth as the archer. Until four of the ice arrows hit him, and he fell on the ground, bleeding. Then there was Luan, fighting side
MALAIKA lay unconscious, despite the Axumean healers tending to her in the battle area. She was brought back to the infirmary again. The governor had punished Stan for wielding forbidden magic, and he announced that the winner was the Halan warriors. And yet they could not celebrate their success, considering Malaika’s condition.The Princess of Hala may appear in her deep slumber, but something was happening in her subconscious. She was fighting a battle that no one knew.Malaika was in the darkness, alone. She didn’t know how she came to this place. The last time she remembered was fighting for the exhibition game, and the governor stopped her rampage.“Anybody here? Xoxo… where are you?” her voice echoed.But even the magical creature was nowhere to be found. “Hello!”Silence.She walked straight, despite her uncertainties. Until her feet had stepped on something… she heard a sound of a splash.Water!Malaika continued her slow pace into the water, but as she went on, the current w