Chapter 2 - Unexpected Savior

Sharumez and Naian worked tirelessly on their projects for the day. They were completely unaware of what was happening because the noise hadn't reached the market yet.

They had been working for hours none stop and Sharumez reached his limit. Holding his throbbing head, he sat back and watched Naian work. Suddenly, a frightened woman burst into the workshop. They recognized her as one of their neighbors. Sharumez offered her a seat and Naian went to get her some water.

"I don't need water!" she blurted out, "A kremis is in our neighborhood as we speak. I just came to tell you this."

Sharumez paled, his eyes widened in fear, "Oh no, Akirexer!"

He and Naian dashed out of the shop and got onto their horses. They rode to their neighborhood like maniacs. By the time they got there, they found the kremis roaring.

It stood fierce in its gigantic stature. Its upper body was that of a man and its lower body from the waist down was of a snake. It smashed houses with its hands with only one hit. Its tail swept across the land, taking down wagons on the road. With its one eye that had a snake like cornea, it looked for people to kill.

People were scattered everywhere and there was no sign of Akirexer and Alainara. Sharumez and Naian desperately tried to ask the people who ran past them if they had seen them but no one bothered to answer.

Naian lost his patience and got off his horse. He grabbed one man and pinned him down. He was screaming hysterically, and Naian gave him a hot slap to calm him down. Naian snatched him off the ground and shook him.

"Have you seen my mother and Alainara?" Naian blurted out.

The man trembled in fear. He couldn't find his words so he just pointed. Sharumez and Naian followed his finger and they were instantly horrified. Naian let go of the man and he ran away screaming.

He and Sharumez dropped their jaws at the kremis. It roared thunderously and in its hand was Akirexer. She was screaming whilst Alainara was crying on the ground.

Sharumez charged at the kremis without thinking. Whilst still on his horse, he swooped Alainara off the ground and rode her to safety. Alainara cried into his chest. With sadness, Sharumez and Naian helplessly looked at Akirexer. There was no possible way for them to save her.

Akirexer saw Alainara safe in Sharumez's arms, she stopped screaming and felt at peace. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate... then she heard a bang.

She plummeted to the ground screaming, but Sharaina caught her in her arms before she hit the ground. The kremis furiously roared at the insult and attacked the two women.

Sharaina ran away fast with Akirexer over her shoulder. She dodged a punch from the kremis and made a sharp corner to safety. She hid Akirexer behind a house.

"Mama, stay here." Sharaina said and went back to face the kremis. Akirexer remained weeping alone with her hand on her heart.

Sharaina ran straight for the tail of the kremis, and grabbed hold of it. She took a deep breath and pulled it with all her might. Sharaina swung the kremis around and hit it on the ground. She went for its head while it was down and dived on it hard with her elbow.

The kremis roared in frustration, grabbed Sharaina and slammed her on the ground. . Sharaina stopped its punch and tossed it off. She launched up into the air and landed with a thud on the belly of the kremis. It vomited with the impact and blacked out.

Sharumez and Naian rushed to Sharaina's aid. They couldn't keep their jaws up at her sitting on top of the kremis gasping for air. Blood ran down her mouth. Her messy hair was covered in dirt. Sharumez observed the bruises on her arms.

"Papa, how is this possible?" Naian asked Sharumez.

Sharumez did not hear Naian's question. He had the look of fear plastered across his face. He slowly approached Sharaina. The kremis groaned and he halted fearfully.

"Sharaina... " he started to say, "Child, get down before this beast wakes up."

Sharaina staggered off the kremis and chuckled playfully. She stumbled backwards but clumsily maintained her balance. Staggering forward, she waved at Sharumez. Noting her drunkenness, Sharumez's face screwed up into a scowl.

He opened his mouth to scold her but military troops landed on dragons. They ran past Sharumez and Sharaina with their weapons drawn. Naian watched the warriors finish off the kremis whilst Sharumez completely ignored them. His stern eyes were fixed on Sharaina who was smiling widely with her eyes closed.

One of the warriors walked away from the kremis and approached Sharumez. He blocked his view of Sharaina and looked him right in the eye. Upon seeing this, Naian tensed. Sharumez gave him an assuring nod, and he calmed down a little. The warrior cleared his throat and Sharumez got ready to hear what he had to say.

"I apologize that we couldn't get here sooner." he respectfully said. "Listen, would you mind telling me who defeated the kremis?" he inquired.

"It was my daughter." Sharumez reluctantly pointed at Sharaina.

The warrior widened his eyes at her shocked. Sharaina gave him a playful wave and he turned away stunned. "Are you serious?" he asked Sharumez.

"Yes, she is the one who took it down." Sharumez assured the warrior before him.

"Interesting! You must be proud. She must come with us at once. My superiors would want to speak to her." the warrior babbled but he was taken aback when Sharumez put his hands together.

"Please pardon me but I cannot allow it. I instead want to take her home." Sharumez humbly declined.

The warrior could not insist any further due to the seriousness in Sharumez's eyes. "I understand." he said in defeat.

Upon hearing that, Sharumez grabbed Sharaina's hand and forcefully took her home. Naian quickly followed them and they were soon joined by Akirexer and Alainara. Sharaina whined all the way home in full view of the villagers.

Sharumez burst the front door open and threw Sharaina to the couch. Akirexer quickly ran to Sharaina, and protectively held her in her arms. She glared at Sharumez who was scowling.

"There you go again protecting her even when she has done something wrong!" Sharumez exploded.

"Can't you see that she is hurt?!" Akirexer angrily yelled back at him.

"Oh, I can see that perfectly well! I can also see that she is drunk out of her mind! I want her to tell me where she was for the past three days and three nights!" Sharumez screamed at the top of his lungs and that frightened Alainara.

"Papa please stop yelling." Alainara cried.

Alainara got down on her knees and hugged Sharumez's leg. Sharumez calmed down and the shame for scaring Alainara took over his anger. He knelt down on one knee and pulled Alainara up. He wiped her tears with both his thumbs and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Are you still angry, papa?" Alainara sobbed.

"Not at all, my child. Please, stop crying." he stood up, gave her head a rub and walked upstairs to his room.

"Mama, please don't be angry too." Alainara innocently pleaded.

"It's alright, honey." Akirexer assured Alainara. "Go to your room now." she told her.

Alainara smiled and ran up the stairs. Akirexer stared down at Sharaina who was dozing on her shoulder. From the look of things, she wasn't even aware of what had just happened. Akirexer sighed at that.

"Naian, please carry Sharaina to her room." she asked of Naian.

Naian obeyed Akirexer and gently carried Sharaina in his arms. By the time he was up the stairs, Sharaina was fast asleep. He went into her room and waited for Akirexer to pull the duvet aside. He then gently put Sharaina on the bed.

Akirexer went into the bathroom whilst Naian took Sharaina's shoes off her feet and covered her. Akirexer came back with a rag and dish of water. Naian excused himself, closing the door on his way out. Akirexer sat beside Sharaina and wiped the blood off her lips.

****

The next morning, Sharaina woke up to a headache. She caught sight of a jar of water on her headboard and drunk all the water in it. Sharaina moaned as she got out of bed and into her bathroom.

She took off her clothes and got into her shower. When she was done, she put on a dress. Sharaina tied her hair into a ponytail and went downstairs for breakfast.

She found Naian and Alainara eating at the table while Akirexer did the dishes. Sharaina tickled Akirexer's waist and Akirexer playfully missed her head with a wooden spoon. Sharaina laughed and picked a bun from Naian's plate. She then proceeded to sit right next to Alainara.

"I didn't expect you to be up early, Sharaina." Naian teasingly said to Sharaina. "How is your head?" he asked, concerned.

"A little better now that I have taken a shower." Sharaina took a big bite of Naian's bun.

Akirexer placed Sharaina's breakfast on the table.

"You really made papa angry yesterday you know." Naian voiced out his thoughts.

"When is papa never angry with me?" Sharaina sank her teeth into a muffin.

"That's not the point, Sharaina." Akirexer joined in, "Why do you insist on angering your father?"

"I am sorry, mama. I won't leave home without your consent again I promise." Sharaina pulled her ears to further emphasize her apology. "Where is papa anyway?" she looked around.

"He had to leave before dawn. He is assisting the villagers in rebuilding their homes. That kremis you beat up destroyed homes." Alainara spoke up.

Sharaina narrowed her brows confused, "I beat up a kremis?"

"Were you that drunk that you can't even remember that?" Naian asked Sharaina, with his brows up, puzzled.

Sharaina shrugged her shoulders, "I suppose I was." she said and Naian shook his head disapprovingly at her.

Sharaina finished her breakfast and went outside. She sat on the front porch and the memories of the previous day came flooding in. They exploded in her mind with a stinging headache.

She looked up at the sound of carriages. A short fat man with a mustache got out of the first carriage. He buckled his belt underneath his pot belly and helped a tall and slim woman out of the carriage. Her dark hair was tied in a bun. She fanned herself with her hand that was covered in a velvet glove.

Sharaina took notice that she wore an expense dress of the finest silk. The man was also dressed in elegant fabric. Sharaina suspected that the two were a couple. When she saw the man put his arm around the waist of the woman, her suspicions were confirmed.

Naian joined Sharaina looking at the mysterious rich couple. The couple held each other as they smiled at the mansion across the street. Naian and Sharaina assumed that they were the new owners of the mansion. It had been vacant for a whole year.

Naian and Sharaina watched three teenage looking girls come out of the second carriage. They all wore fancy dresses and dazzling jewelry. They giggled and ran into the mansion.

A young man who was around the same age as Naian stepped out of the third carriage. His long brunette hair graced his back. His shirt exposed his muscular and fit body. Sharaina and Naian watched him smile brightly at his parents. He felt their stares and turned to look at them.

He took one look at Naian but when his eyes met Sharaina's, they locked. They both froze and couldn't take their eyes off each other. It was like they were looking into each other's souls. After what felt like an eternity, he smiled warmly at Sharaina and turned away.

Naian shot a stunned look at Sharaina after the new neighbors had gone into the mansion.

"What was that all about? Do you know that man?" Naian asked Sharaina.

"No, I don't know him." Sharaina slowly answered and went back into the house.