chapter 12

The day was new and James was ready for the battle. He was informed by a knight that a war council had been decided. He entered the room to see the other three ladies waiting. He went and took over the empty seat. The princess seemed rather calm about his presence today. He looked at the food and the drinks on the table and consumed a few of them. They were awfully bad, but he ate them anyhow.

Stella: We know that the serpent is going to return it. We were not ready before as the information was such that it said the serpent would take some time to rehabilitate. Also, we did not have James with us.

James: How many times can you use thunder?

Natalie: As much as I want. I just have to prepare the spells.

James: Whose is this ship?

Ruby: This was arranged by the academy, not that you were given any information on it.

James: Can't we use the ship for the battle?

Stella: The ship's bottom has anti-magic aura which blocks the attack from the bottom. Yesterday Ruby got the switch to the cannons and forearms and she can control them now.

James: At least she is good for something.

Ruby: What did you mean?

Ruby had stood up from where she was seated and had her knife out. The others just looked at the ongoing act as if it was just regular thing. James did do nothing and just stared at the knife.

James: In the last battle, you did nothing.

Ruby put back her knife and calmed herself. She looked a little sad. She had herself under control, she was a full self.

Ruby: The Senviness are born with a curse that they cannot use magic. They just are able to pray to the God, and only the queen is gifted the power. The power of the people. Princess like me only have power to boost our companions and that was what I had been doing.

James looked at the fact serenely and laughed within his inner self. Whoever had built the Queendom had done a proper care to make sure the family never had any inner strife. They will need at least the support of one another for overthrowing the present ruler.

They were silent for a long time until Natalie spoke.

Natalie: What is your plan James?

James: The serpent is an intelligent being. It knows how to think, therefore it will surely know of our attack. The fact now is who is more intelligent here.

Natalie: We can use the fire magic you used before.

James: It was able to pull the water to eradicate the fire. The only way fire can kill that snake is if I am able to create a fire that cannot be removed by water.

Stella: We may not be powerful wizard like you, but we come from a wizarding family. I have a staff that can help me create the firebolt of the higher quality. Natalie has brought a spear of electrocution.

James: We have fire and electricity. What if we release a higher form of energy into the spine of the being using the spear?

Natalie: The spear is supposed to be used like a staff. Not like a weapon.

Ruby: Basically, we have no way of killing the beast.

James: Does the best regenerate from the existing particles in his body, that is size reduction, or by absorption, like from the water.

Stella: Sources indicate it absorbs from the water.

James: There is only one possible way. Ready all the troops with marksmen weapons. Cannons should fire even before the snake appears outside the water. We have to keep on attacking it until it begins to retreat and use the tornado to pull it into the air. We need explosions then.

Stella: I can take care of the explosions.

Ruby: Fine, how will we know when the monster appears.

Natalie: The wristband.

James: We need some method of communication during the battle. We also need to define our ranks. Who gives order to whom?

Ruby: I have the highest rank here.

James: I am better suited to be the commander of the expedition. I come from a military family.

Natalie: Just because we think you are powerful would not mean we are going to bow down to you.

James: Can you command everyone and keep everyone coordinated. Can you make sure to that sacrifices are made where they are supposed to be made?

The three ladies discussed somethings in secret and came up with their conclusion. He was given the commander's badge. From that he was able to communicate with everyone on the ship through telepathy. The Ladies were already able to communicate to each other. Arachne was a prominent family after all.

James spend the rest of the time learning the crew members name and how the systems worked. He was sitting in his room reading the book when he heard the voice inside his head. It's coming.

James looked at the wristband and saw that the serpent was approaching. James went to the top and looked openly into the sea. James turned the badge into command mode.

James: All the troops. Attention. To your stations.

The serpent was coming from the north east direction. Its speed was tremendous.

James: Move the ship to south direction. Full speed ahead. Cannons ready. Fire. Fire at north east. Fire at will.

There were many shots being heard. James went over to the mast to see the serpent approaching. Few of the cannons exploded after hitting it. The serpent showed no sign of having hit.

James: Marksmen. Shoot at sight.

The serpent vanished underwater. The ship had a big turbulence. The serpent appeared form the other side wherein was the two ladies. They did fire bigger shots this time. They were constantly attacking the snake while the only thing it managed to do was move in proximally.

Natalie: I am going to use the thunderstorm. James support me.

James: Backdown. Retreat. Do not use the thunderstorm. That is the direct order.

Natalie elevated into the air with her spear. Electricity rippled around her. There started appearing clouds and crew started cheering. The serpent rushed skywards and water rose along with it. The water cam crashing on to the deck, the electricity was released through the water. Many crew members got electrocuted.

Natalie came down as the energy was released. James rushed into Natalie predicting the next move of the serpent. The serpent dived into to hit the people on board. James was hit by the serpent. His body ached all over. The impact was powerful that the ship had started rocking.

James: I gave you an order not to use the thunderstorm. All personal. Fire the serpent. Cannons fire in the direction of the serpent. Move the ship away from the serpent. Ruby, increase the power of Stella. Stella use fire storm.

The sea serpent had been repelled slightly due to the bombardment. Stella release the fire spells to form a storm. The fire engulfed the serpent. The fire was not of the same aptitude as that of James. But it was still something. The serpent used water to stop the fire. The ship had moved considerable distance. James called in his power of water and held the serpent with the water. He then released lightning on the serpent. James felt weak. The will over the water reduced and the serpent was released. The serpent started moving away.

James jumped into the water. He formed a bubble of air and followed the serpent. He saw that part of the snake fell off. The snake became smaller but intact and swam into the depths of the sea.

James went up and got into the ship. He went to the room where the war council had been held. There he found the ladies waiting for him.

James: Did I not tell you Natalie to not use the thunderstorm. It was supposed to be used after the serpent was in the air.

Natalie: You did not say you could control water.

James: The orders were clear. Do not use it.

James was furious at the death of many of his soldiers. He looked at the three ladies as if nothing had happened. The vice-captain of the ship came and looked at the ladies.

She bowed and said.

Vice-captain: My lady. The crew members are worried for you not having followed the order of the commander.

Natalie used her spear and drove it to the chest of the vice-captain. The captain came rushing in and dropped to the knees of the lady begging for forgiveness.

Natalie: Remember James, you are nothing but a commoner. Just mincemeat for the likes of us.

Natalie furiously walked out of the room. James walked out the room furiously himself.

Four days had passed since the incident. James was called into the war council again. The previous times he had denied with his presence. James walked into the war council and looked into the existing members.

Natalie: Nice to see that you have decided to come to the meeting.

Ruby: The reports say twenty-three of our people had died.

James sat on the nonchalantly in the chair. He did not speak for some time.

Stella: We need a new plan since the old one failed.

James: I am still the commander. We will have a small change this time. I shall not be on the ship when the attack begins. I will leave the ship and approach it from its behind. I shall pull it and you shall push it. Once it is in the air, use everything. Use the thunderstorm only under such situation. All of you shall do the duty without receiving the command.

Natalie spoke in a manner of sexiness as though she was trying to seduce James.

Natalie: You don't have to be so worried about the deaths of the crew.

James: I am not worried about the deaths of the crew. Anything more.

Nobody said anything. James stood and left the room.

Seven days had passed since the incident. James was feeling really angry and repulsive towards the way the ladies had acted. He wanted nothing more than to kill each and every one of them. Then to destroy the Queendom that allowed such thinks to exist over and over again.

James was feeling put out from the world he thought he had existed in and thrown into a world of chaos. He was feeling suffocated in the new world. The new world never admitted the people. The powerful ruled the world and the ruler single handily had power than all the ruled put together. No rebellion was going to stop the tyranny.

There came a knock on the door. The door was opened to see Natalie on the other side. She entered the room and closed the door, putting a lock on it. She then went over and kissed James on the lips. James pushed Natalie away from him.

Natalie: Why? Am I not sexy enough for you?

James: I am already betrothed to the heiress of the Rookwood family.

Natalie: So, what? Doing bad things are not going to get you killed. Not being strong is. Always get what you want. That is what I do.

James: Is this really how the world works. The strong does whatever they want without caring for the morality of existence. The only thing that matter to the gods is the final existence of the world and its people.

Natalie: Yes.

James remembered all the cynicism he had in the past. He was a fool for having fallen in love. He had to be alive. He wanted to live his life. For the first time he felt the emotion of ant in his life. Rather than the logical assertion of doing the best things, he wanted to do the things that he liked. The things he was not allowed to do. He looked at the woman in front of him. He went a=over and caught the hair of the lady and kissed her. He then slightly pushed her onto the bed. She started slowly to remove her robes.

James looked at the lady undressing herself erotically in front of him. He laughed aloud sinisterly and backed himself against the wall.

James: I will take whatever I want my lady. But I will never sleep with a disgusting woman as you ever.

Natalie suddenly stood up and arranged her dress. She looked at him with contempt in her eyes. But James was also able to see the pain behind within her.

Natalie: Are you going to abandon me because of a small mistake?

James: No, your body is not sexy at all. Your face is standard but you do not know how to make the sexy moves at all.

Natalie began to slap the man in front of her. It was blocked by James.

Suddenly sirens began to heard through out the ship. The serpent had appeared. James left the room in hurry and jumped off board. This time the snake had approached unnoticed. James balanced himself on the waters and went farther away from the boat.

It was night; the serpent was barely visible. The serpent was attacked from either sides and the plan had worked thus far. The two wizards were doing properly their assigned jobs. A thunderstorm was produced and it was put down before it even began by the same method before. James approached the serpent from behind and lifted it with the water, arresting its movements.

Number of bombardments hit the snake. Its body began dissipating little by little. James remembered the fact that the serpent cannot regenerate with just water, but also needed the use of other matter such as food. The pull on the water weakened as the last time. Thee serpent was controlling the water. The serpent turned from the ship and faced him now.

The serpent dived him with him onto the waters. He had already readied the spell for breathing underwater. James pulled out the spear from his extradimensional space and hit the snake at its bone. He then pushed it till it hit the other end. He held on to the spear and released vast amounts of the lightning energy into the serpent. The serpent thrived from here to there and the spear along with James was thrown backwards. James put back the spear in the extradimensional space.

The serpent dived upwards and so did James. The ship was visible. James looked at the serpent in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to kill the beast in front of him. He pulled onto his core and even used the reservoir mana to create the firestorm. The fire-tornado had its base under the water and its ends reached towards the sky. The serpent was not able to escape the pull of the storm. The sky had turned the colour of red and the battle was visible from even afar.

The water rose again as had happened the previous time. James kept on providing the flames with mana. After some time, he stopped the flames. Seeing no serpent there he went climbed over to the ship again. He was looking at the sea when he noted slight movement. He jumped into the waters again and saw that the serpent's size had diminished, but along with the remains spread across the sea was a serpent of twenty meters long.

James knew that the head was one of the few things that was unable to be reproduced. The snake opened its mouth ad came forward to bit him. He opened the extradimensional space and transferred the snake's head alone. The body was there, without any of the signs of life. James sent back the head into the ocean from his extradimensional space.

James went out of the water, used the air as a balance and went on to the docks. There he saw many of them were waiting for him.

James: The sea serpent is dead.

Everyone cheered for the knight who had slain. Little was it known that it would change overnight, the fact of the slayer of the beast. James silently went to his room.

The time had gone by without none speaking much. The ship had been turned towards the coast. James had gotten on to the coast without speaking much to anyone. The time had passed by in a bliss and now that the monster had been killed none saw the need to talk the twin-star knight.

James went towards where the shop had existed and saw that it was not there. He waited for a few minutes and saw the three ladies leaving the coast with their retainers. James stood there for some more time and decided that he was going to go back to the academy by walking. He had walked a few hours when saw Erwin and a few of the comrades coming towards him. They bowed to him and James indicated them to stand erect.

Erwin: The Lady would like you to come to the house.

James: I have to report the incident to the academy.

Erwin: The lady said it wouldn't take much time.

James had gone along with his comrades. He had taken a horse from Erwin and was riding on it. He reached the mansion, got down from the horse and went to the parlour where he usually saw the Lady of the house. He did not know where the personal room of Selena was after all. Selena was sitting there alone, waiting for him. James bowed his head deeply and took the seat at the opposite table. Selena poured a cup of tea and gave it to the Knight in front of her. James accepted the cup and drank the tea graciously.

Selena: Heard you got a mission with Senviness, Arachne and Michane to hunt a rogue sea serpent.

James: It is true.

Selena: Is it dead?

James: Yes.

Selena: Why did you not take your troops with you. After all, for these kinds of events I would have provided you with extra soldier and even a battleship.

James: I was said to that the mission has to be done by ourselves without any external help.

Selena: You do know right that every time such a statement is being told but we are allowed to ignore it.

James: I did not.

Selena: You helped the Senviness. The ship was of the royal family and you went there to them and helped them. They might as well as twist is such that it says you were saved by them.

James: I don't know. They were pretty clear that they needed my help.

Selena looked into the face of James. They neither spoke to each other but enjoyed the food and drinks.

Selena: The annual queendom festival is coming. We will be required to attend it in the castle and show our faces to the queen.

James: I have to go to the academy and report that the serpent was slayed.

Selena: Why?

James: Because the mission was finished.

Selena: You do not need to report after a mission is finished. You just need to continue with your daily works. They will be notified themselves.

James: The rule books doesn't specify these things.

Selena: Sure. I have brought you a few dresses and fancy weapons. They are in your room and should be worn for the festival.

James: What about my comrades?

Selena: You can have a selected few with you. After all, you are a general.

James: Why am I being called a general.

Selena: The anointed blade of the military family holds the title of the general. You can simply command on the name of the twin star and any knight will have to follow your orders. You may not have an army now as it will be difficult to manage as such, but you are a general.

James: I am really tired. Let me go to my room for some rest.

Selena: Wait. Answer me a few questions. Why is it that you have not gone any further that kisses with Amelia?

James looked at Selena flustered by the new angle f questions. It did seem and women were able to talk anything they wanted without any thought to what they were speaking. Selena kept on looking James waiting for an answer.

James: What exactly do you mean?

Selena: To put the facts straight why haven't you had sex with her. Why haven't you seen her naked?

James: When I have sex with her, the only thing I will get will be cheap satisfaction. Same is the case if I see her naked. Every time I see her and kiss her, I feel elated. The blood in my veins strike faster, I am able to feel multitudinous things. As long as I know that there will be a day when I will be able to have sex with her, my mind will be filled with pleasure all the time thinking about it.

Selena: It seems you are in love. You may leave but remember, love is never good.

James looked at the statement Selena had said. Maybe love was never good but one thing he knew was he never was in love. Or was he. He anyway, went away from the room.