CHAPTER 6

A few days after the whole incident, in the middle of the night, while everyone is asleep, a loud scream has woken the light beings in their slumber. It wasn't a normal kind of scream that you could hear anytime, Hwayatt notes, this scream is laced with fear and pain. It was that type of scream that would let even the audience feel a sense of anguish.

Everyone was outside when Hwayatt and Zai went out of their cabin. Some of the kids are awake and are crying, some adults are looking down while there, in the middle, is an elf with someone in her arms and it doesn't take a genius to know that the man in her arms is dead.

Hwayatt looks around and noticed that the elders are standing behind the crying elf and they are all bowing their heads as well as the others that has witnessed the whole ordeal. She wanted to ask what happened but Zai held her arm and shakes her head, telling her not to speak now and will ask about information later once everything has calmed down.

After what felt like hours, the grieving elf lifts her head and made an eye contact with Hwayatt, her lips quiver and for a second, she rises in her feet and someone came to help her walk towards Hwayatt. When they reach her place, the elf suddenly drops in her knees and cries before her and pleads, "Your highness, I will never ask anymore of you, on behalf of everyone, please, reclaim your throne, free those who are enslaved by the Nebulas and let us all go home with our families." Everyone's silent for a minute before someone went in front of her and joined the elf on his knees and shouted, "Reclaim your throne, your highness, please help us end this suffering!" and with aloud cry, everyone started shouting their agreement and feelings about going back home.

Hwayatt is speechless, she wanted to help, wants to claim the throne that is supposedly left by her parents for her, wants to stop the fear that everyone is feeling right now but she is powerless, she doubts her capabilities of being someone she never thought that she'll be facing in her mid-twenties. She doesn't know how to help, the elders have told her about the abilities that she should have but never actually know how to will it because she only used it once and that is out of desperation to survive. She wants to help, she really does, but she doesn't know how.

Everyone's shouting and pleading before her, kneeling and crying for their princess to end the on-going war, she wants to run away from there or maybe wake up in her and Zai's small apartment and forget that something like this has ever happened, but she knew that she's not dreaming, that this right here is a real thing and it's something that she can't just walk away from. A whole kingdom is depending on her, a lot of supernatural being is counting on her and have waited for her return to get their home back. But the pressure is getting on her head, she doesn't know if she can lead a war and walk out of it with victory. She doesn't want to be responsible for the possible deaths that a war would give them, they might lose too, that is also a possibility and she can't, she can't, she can't lead a war that can result to multiple death under her. What if instead of winning, it would be the end of every light beings' existence? She doesn't want to disappoint anyone, especially her parents even though she never met them.

Before she gets deeper in her head, Zai touches her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. Her eye glows in a vivid purple accompanied by its specks of gold.

"I see victory in the future." Zai says maintaining an eye contact with her. Everyone shouted more upon hearing her and she faces the crowd with a smile and waited for everyone to be quiet before speaking again, "A war is a war, one way or another, we'll lose someone important to us, someone might betray us in order for them to live but this is what I saw, you will have your kingdom back with Hwayatt as your queen, the prophecy was and is in the process of becoming true. Worry not, for once everything is over, the dark beings shall be a friend and together, light beings and dark beings alike will live together in peace." She says this with a smile and her eyes stopped glowing.

Everyone's quite in shock after hearing what Zai said, a few voices their displeasure of co-existing with the dark beings, some angry, but all of them quietened when Gobias begins to speak. "A seer." He starts and walks in front of her and Hwayatt. "And here we thought that there will be no more seer to live once the late king's brother ordered to kill every seer and the dark king left a few as his eyes for the future." Zai smiles at him, "I am indeed a seer, but I am someone who is not supposed to exist." She answers to everyone's confusion.

"We should continue talking in my cabin with the elders, I'm afraid we can't rest for the night because we need to discuss more about what our next step would be." Gobias says and tells everyone to go back to their respective cabins not after burying their fellow elf in the place where they decided to bury their comrades, a supposedly open meadow for the seers to play during the days but is now made as a cemetery.

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The elders who once insulted Zai was quiet at the back of the room once everyone's gathered at Gobias' cabin. Some of them has apologized for their rude behavior, some did not, but Zai didn't care about those, as long as Hwayatt is okay then that is all that mattered.

"I want to help but I don't know how." Hwayatt says after the long silence. "I know that you all expect me to lead a war against the Nebulas but I don't know how. I was just a normal human being a few weeks ago, I didn't even know that I'm a royalty and I know nothing about being a leader especially leading everyone at war, I can't even use my abilities at will and the last time I used them was when I and Zai is escaping the monster that attacked us back in the mortal world." She explains. "And I don't even know how to wield any weapon or even the basic self-defense." She added, feeling defeated at the realization that she really can't do anything for her people.

"Zai and I have discussed about that actually, your highness." Gobias says and when his words registers to her brain, she looked at Zai with confusion. Wondering since when did that happen because as far as she can remember, Zai only sticks to her side or stays in their cabin, never been seen talking to anyone or even interact with them not unless when they're together.

"We talked yesterday." Gobias explains when he noticed Hwayatt's questioning gaze. "She told me about the two of you being inexperienced when it comes to fighting so we are going to introduce you to the general tomorrow and he'll train you by then."

"Why not now?" Hwayatt asks, knowing that the mentioned general should be with them in the room now and wonders how she haven't met him yet despite living in Aelfrun for quite some time now.

"He was out of Aelfrun and will only return this morning, princess. So for now, I suggest that you and Zai should rest while we wait for the morning to come."

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When everyone's left and Gobias escorted the two friends back to their cabin, Hwayatt lies awake in her bed and after a lot of shuffling, she decided to go and annoy Zai.

"Are you awake?" she asks after opening the door to Zai's room and looks at her friend's funny position in bed. She doesn't know how to react seeing it since her friend's lying in her stomach while her huge wings look so heavy and makes her wonder if Zai is still breathing just fine with those huge ass wings while she's spread at the bed like a starfish.

"I'm not. This is my ghost talking." Zai mumbles while flapping one of her wings that Hwayatt understands as a gesture for leave. "I can't sleep." She says and instead of leaving, she walks further into the room and sat at the bed beside her friend's head and poked at her feathers. When no movements were made or any indication that her friend would wake up, she tugged at one of the feathers as if she's about to pluck one and that surely woke her friend up but not in a pleasing way because the next thing she knew, her back met the wall and she groans in pain while clutching her shoulders.

"What the heck are you doing?" Zai hisses, now sitting at the bed while her wings are up as if ready to attack.

"I was just trying to wake you up, no need to fling me." she whines. Zai snorts and flaps her wings once before crossing her legs and gets comfortable in her bed as she palms her cheeks and rests her elbow at her thigh while the other hand caresses the wing that Hwayatt almost plucked a feather from.

"My wings sometimes feels like they have a mind of their own so be careful around it and never try to get a feather because my instincts would immediately think of you as a threat." She explains.

"Wow, we've been here for not that long but you seem to already know a lot, especially your powers." She whispers, almost tasting the jealousy in her mouth. Zai sighs, understanding whatever is running inside her friend's mind. "Come here." She says, patting the space beside her. Hwayatt goes, careful not to touch a wing.

"I had a head start." She starts. "I've been having this weird dreams ever since we're at the other world and I keep seeing things these days too, Gobias said that I'm a seer and that only made my suspicions real and these headaches aren't exactly lovely since I keep seeing stuff that I'm not quite sure if its real or not." She added while starting to massage her temples as if there's another onslaught of her reoccurring headaches.

"I look like I have my powers already figured out but I don't. Mine just happens to be something that likes to rage in my head and chest and them being let out is one of my way to ease the pain. While you, yours seems to be a gentle one, it's like they're at peace and not trying to hurry in coming out that's why they don't hurt you. All you need is a little practice and we'll figure it out." She says in a gentle way that reminds Hwayatt of the time that she talked in the same way when she's feeling soft to her friends or just plainly drunk and is too tired to talk to anyone.

Hwayatt smiles at her and says her thanks as she removes Zai's hands at her temple and massages it. They adjusted their position until Zai's head is using her lap as a pillow and continues to massage her temple and occasionally plays her hair.

"Do you think whatever my power would be cool and is enough to protect everyone?" She asks, Zai hums. "it should be or else I'm gonna throw a fit at your parents for giving you a lame ability." Hwayatt chuckles. "And it should be cool enough to impress Rage and Ayanna." The mention of their friends makes her smile falter and stops her hands from playing Zai's hair and she lets out a sound of displeasure.

"I miss them." She whispers and looks at the moon that can be fully seen at the opened window. "I do too." Zai agrees. "But this is where we are now. Let's get stronger and once everything is over, let's find a way to go back and visit them." She added.

"Why can't we just go back and stay once everything is over?" Hwayatt wonders and looks down at her friend. "You're gonna be the queen, Hwayatt." Zai says and opens her eyes to look directly at her eyes. "Once we win this war, they're gonna crown you queen and I'll stay for you and try to find answers about my other dreams that's not related to this world." Zai tells her softly and she watches as her friend's eyes glow a second before returning back to its dull color.

She again looks at the moon and thought about it. Is she ready to be a queen? Not too long ago, she was just a normal human being trying to find a job and has been anticipating her friends' wedding, not too long ago, she was just a commoner and now she's a princess and will become a queen if they'll win this war.

She doesn't know how to be a leader, how to reign, but with Zai with her, she thinks that she can do it. They always find a way together, Ayanna might be no longer in the picture, might not be living near them as they all promised together but Zai's right, once everything is over, they'll find a way to go back.

That thought made her resolve stronger. They need to win for the light beings, they need to win to get the kingdom back, they need to win for her and Zai to go back for Ayanna and Rage.