Royal Princess of Blood

Fleta was walking around the forest, and she faintly heard the cries of a bird — a distressed cry at that. So she quickly moved to find it, getting help from her little friend, Pip the fox. The little creature was more proficient in tracking than she ever would be. It didn’t take long before they found the little bird.

She crouched before it and gently picked it up. It appeared to have hurt its right wing. It must have hit something while flying.

“You’re going to be alright, little one,” she whispered. Then, her hands radiated a green glow. Gradually, the bird became at ease. A moment later, it started moving the supposedly injured wing. The green glow faded away, and Fleta lifted a joyful smile. “Looks like you’re fine now.”

She raised the bird, and it started flapping its wings, as if testing them first before jumping and flying towards the sky. Fleta giggled as she watched it soar through the air, pleased that she had helped a creature that needed help.

After she was done, she walked around some more until she got a bit tired. She found a clearing and decided to take a brief rest. It was where she found a tiger lying alone by a tree. The tiger merely glanced at her, staying lying down on the ground.

“Hello there,” she tenderly said to the tiger, and she slowly approached. “Do you mind if I also rest here?”

The tiger remained silent and ‌relaxed, so that meant it was fine. She slowly lifted her hand and patted the tiger on the head. She smiled. She sat down beside it and took a rest. Enjoying the serene moment. Some time later, a wolf suddenly arrived. The tiger was bothered by it, letting out a low growl as a warning to get lost. But Fleta immediately calmed it down, rubbing it around the neck.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Pip the fox enthusiastically rushed to the wolf, crouching and jumping as if wanting to play. Fleta stood up and stepped forward, clicking her tongue to call the gray wolf. And it slowly approached her. Fleta kneeled down and started rubbing it around the head.

“Good boy.”

She picked up a stick and presented it to the wolf, waving it around. The wolf’s eyes followed it, and Fleta threw it. The wolf rushed towards the stick and picked it up, giving it back to Fleta, its tail wagging.

“Good boy.”

I’m not sure yet if it’s even a boy. Hehe…

She threw it again and returned to the tiger’s side. Pip followed and played around with the wolf as the latter retrieved the stick. As she caressed the tiger, she heard the sound of bushes being moved. She was expecting it to be another animal. However, what emerged from the forest were people whom she didn’t recognize. She raised her guard, but the animals around her didn’t respond the same, not what she was expecting.

“Who are you?!”

They could only be from beyond the island. The villagers definitely knew of their arrival already, but to think they would stumble upon her. Fleta was careful, they could be dangerous. Her eyes landed on the young woman in a man’s arms, and she looked strange, she appeared to be emanating light from her body. Fleta couldn’t comprehend it.

“She must be one of the inhabitants,” said the thin man. He had a weapon at his waist.

No, two of them had apparent weapons.

“We come in peace,” the bronze-haired man gently said to her.

Fleta had her fists raised, but she was not a fighter. This was more like her attempt to intimidate them. Despite it being futile. “W-Why have you come here? Are you lost?”

“We’ve come for your fountain. And we are in a hurry. If you don’t bring us there, then we’ll go ourselves.”

Fleta’s gaze turned into a stern glare. “How did you know about the fountain? Why are you here?”

It was then that Fleta noticed the wolf, the tiger, and even Pip, slowing walking close to them.

What are they doing?

“Straight to the point, then,” the bronze-haired man muttered. “We’ve brought the daughter of your goddess, and need the fountain to restore her.”

Fleta’s eyes widened. Not because of surprise, but because she was shocked by the absurdity of what she had heard. “Hah! Do you really think I’ll believe you?‌” It was an outrageous attempt at deception, trying to take advantage of her beliefs.

“Listen, we don’t want to fight your people if we have to, so we need you to believe and don’t get in our way. Perhaps even help us.”

“As if we’ll let outsiders near the fountain.” It was the thing they valued the most, the one they revered, the most sacred. There was no way of knowing what these people truly intend on doing to it. For all she knew, they might be a danger to it and the village.

Fleta noticed the three animals were staring up at the woman in the man’s arms, but kept their distance. It was then that the woman’s head turned, and Fleta saw her strange star-filled eyes. There was something strange in those eyes, pressure, power.

There’s no way. But… why is her hair white?

It was the same hair as the goddess, at least what she had learned. But that was all she could clearly tell. That woman’s entire body was glowing, so it was hard to compare with what she knew about the goddess.

Daughter…?

The woman seemed to be staring afar. “I sense it… It calls to me.”

Pip slowly stepped closer.

“Pip! Get away from them!” Fleta called.

But Pip ignored her, and suddenly his pair of tails started wagging, and he started jumping around.

What…?

“There’s no point talking here,” the tall, muscular man said. “Let’s keep going.”

They all agreed and started running.

“Wait! You can’t just go there!” Fleta chased after them, trying to stop them.

Before they got far, a group of armed villagers suddenly got in their way.

“Hold it right there! Where do you think you’re going?”

They suddenly emerged from the cover of the forest and pointed their spears and swords at them, completely surrounding the intruders. Fleta caught up behind them.

“Fleta, you alright?” one villager asked.

“Yes! I’m alright.”

The intruders placed a hand on the hilts of their weapons, but didn’t draw them out.

“We’re not gonna fight them?” the tall, big man asked.

“I’d prefer not. These are the goddess’s people,” the bronze-haired man said. “It’s best if we keep the peace. Besides, with their numbers, you two would be hard-pressed to survive. Hartwin, you talk to them.”

“What am I going to say?”

“The truth.”

“Right…” The thin man, who was apparently named Hartwin, stepped forward. “Please, we do not wish to fight. We only wish to save a friend.”

One of the villagers stepped forward. It was the captain of the village watch. He was a middle-aged man with short dark hair and a well-built body. He had his sword lowered as he faced the intruders.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I’m Hartwin, that’s Velar,” he pointed at the giant man. “That’s Taneva,” he pointed at the bronze-haired man. “And that’s Estelia, the one we want to save,” he pointed at the young woman.

While the conversation was happening, Pip walked up to Fleta’s legs. And Fleta glanced down with a curious look.

The captain shifted a curious stare at the young woman. “What’s wrong with her? How can she be saved?”

“We don’t have time, for demons are on our trail.”

Upon hearing that, murmurs spread ‌across the crowd. They were all confused and surprised.

Hartwin continued, “They are after her. She is the daughter of the goddess you worship.”

“Daughter…?” The watch captain was surprised to hear that. But it was obvious he didn’t believe it. “Do you know what you’re saying? The absurdity of it.”

“It’s the truth! And we need to bring her to the fountain.”

“The fountain?! The fountain is the most sacred thing in this land. What if you only seek the power it possesses? And claiming that she’s the daughter of our goddess, how dare you make up such a lie.”

“Do you not see the resemblance to the goddess on her? The unique white hair!”

“Anyone could easily dye their hair.”

Fleta looked down on Pip, he was rubbing his body against her legs. “Pip…” It was as if he was trying to say something.

Could she really be…?

Fleta wondered.

We wait for the day for the goddess to return… But it couldn’t be like this, could it?

It was not how they had imagined it to be. But what if it was the truth? The power in the woman’s eyes, the power radiating from her, was almost reminiscent of the feeling that could be felt near the fountain. Something quite divine and gracious.

Fleta stepped forward. “Do you speak the truth?”

Hartwin turned his gaze toward her. “... Yes.”

“Fleta, stay back.”

Fleta ignored the captain’s words and walked up to the woman. Her eyes were half closed, she seemed to be in pain. She was young, around the same age as her or a bit older. It was hard to think that this could be the goddess they were waiting for.

“Don’t get too close, or you’ll die,” the bronze-haired man, Taneva, warned.

It was then that she noticed that the power radiating from the woman, Estelia, was tearing his flesh.

“G-Goddess… Are… are you the goddess we are waiting for?” Fleta asked.

The young woman slowly turned her gaze, directed at her. “I am,” she said as more cracks broke apart on her face.

Fleta clenched her fists and turned towards the village guards. “Let them come in.”

The captain was confused. “What?”

“I feel… I feel the goddess from her.”

“Fleta—”

“You do not sense it? Have you closed your heart and minds to the grace of our goddess? When I first encountered them, the animals I was with seemed to revere her presence. Even Pip.” Fleta looked around. “Do you not notice the creatures of this island quiet down?”

Indeed, the place was silent. No chirping of birds, no sounds of insects.

No, looking at the branches, the birds perched on them and were staring this way. Even the tiger and the wolf from before were hiding in the shade of the trees, watching. And Fleta noticed them.

“So please, let them in and bring her to the fountain.”

The captain grimaced. “This is not something I alone can decide.” This was something that should be decided in the village and by the village. Even if he could, he still harbored doubt about who that girl was. He, and the village, needed to think about this. This was not something they could rush. Especially when it involved people they just met. There was no proof to what they claimed.

Suddenly, three black fogs flew above them, then one landed before the intruders. Emerging from the black fog was a little girl who seemed to be panicking.

“They’re here! The demons are here!”

***

Trigel recalled the map he had studied when he first navigated this island. Then he recalled the direction in which the target was moving. Roughly at least. It didn’t take long before they found the water at the edge of the land.

“Stay here,” he said to Ongrus, who waited at the edge of the water.

Trigel flew through the fog, flying above the water. Then the fog faded away, and he found it. An island full of living nature. A place that shouldn’t exist in his archipelago.

So this is the place.

He quickly returned to Ongrus. “Send the signal.”

“You found them, huh?”

“Oh, I found more than them.”

Ongrus raised his hand, and a massive pillar of fire rose into the air, scattering the fog. “DEMONS! TO ME!” His voice was so loud and deafening that it could be heard across the wide area, all the way even beyond the fog.

The demons heard his voice and saw a glimpse of the bright orange flame through the fog. Trigel flew up and waited for the first group of demons to arrive. “We will go ahead first. Ongrus, provide a path. You should be able to do it, it’s not far.”

“Parting the waters? Manageable.”

The imps that could fly carried imps to come along with them. Then they flew towards the island.