Chapter 8

This power makes me feel like a true devil. Just looking at the result of my newly acquired power gives me chills that run down my spine. It destroyed everything in its sight within a 10 miles radius, leaving nothing behind. Not even into dust. Everything… was gone. All that was left was a huge crater of emptiness.

I turned around and began to walk. I know where to go next. When I was a kid, my mother used to take me there. Its city was so bright at night and the views were fantastic, giving me excitement whenever I stare at it. The citizens there are kind and fun to hangout with.

I remember meeting with their king and queen. They were so nice to us and even offered my mother treasures to take home for our kingdom. But my mother kindly refused. I still don't get it though… Those treasures were worth a million gold. My mother was weird sometimes. I just can't fathom myself to explain it, but whenever there was an opportunity given to her, she would refuse it. Instead, she would create opportunities for others and give it away to them. I don't know what was going through her head, but whatever it was, she was winning against all odds. That's what I like about my mother though. She isn't just strong, she is smart as well. She never overthinks things, but she thinks like a magician.

After traveling for weeks, I have stumbled upon a familiar path where we used to travel to to reach the destination that I was going to. I walked down the path, the water slowly rising until it reached my knees. Then I begin to look for the gate. After a long search, I finally found it. The entrance to the place where fish people live… The Sea Canyon.

It brings back memories… A lot of happy yet painful memories. Just opening the gate hurts me and puts a tear into my eyes. But those memories don't last forever. Yeah… Those were memories.

My smile turned into frown as soon as I stepped inside the territory. What was used to be a beautiful city has turned into a battlefield and mess. Every building has been destroyed and the glass that protects human beings from the water pressure has cracks and holes around it. I don't need them though because of my dark magic. I can breathe well underwater and move normally as if I'm in the land.

I began to look around the ruined Sea Canyon. The underwater mountains looked like they had been cut in half by a sword. Just by looking at the cut, it was smooth. Same scenario also happened to the buildings. Every cut that had been made had smooth cuts on the edges. It was clean… Too clean and too smooth. But who would have done this?

I continued to look around in hopes of searching for answers and clues to what has happened to this great city. Where were the fish people? Where have they gone? Why is the city that was used to be bright and busy, but now is empty and dark? Too many questions piled up in my mind. I can't find any damn answers or clues no matter where I look!

However, in the middle of the city, there was a huge hole in the glass above it. I followed where the hole was, leading me to the castle where me and my mother along with our knights used to go whenever we were meeting with the king and queen of Sea Canyon. I entered inside the broken castle and every wall and floors were broken. I followed where the huge hole was, leading me to a new area that I have never been before.

I walked down the series of steps, leading me to the underground of the castle. I stopped. Right in front of me, a broken steel door was floating. The door was kicked off forcefully. The person's foot was left a crater and it was still visible. I slowly walked inside and a bright line coming from the hole flashed the middle of the room. In the middle of the room was a rectangular table. The table has ancient inscriptions written around it that I cannot read. However, in the middle of the table, was a keyhole. Is this a chest? I tried to open it, but to no avail. I searched the room for a key, but after searching for a long time I wasn't able to find one. So I decided to break it open. The chest opened, revealing absolutely nothing inside.

"It's gone." A hoarse voice spoke in the dark. I turned around, preparing myself in a fighting position. But when the light slowly lit the darkness, I saw an injured soldier, his back laying on the walls. The soldier has no legs nor arms. He was limbless.

"What happened to you?" I asked the injured soldier.

"I was… tortured." He replied. "Tortured for guarding the ancient item."

"Ancient item? So there was an ancient item inside this chest?" I asked.

The soldier nodded his head. "There used to be a very precious item inside that chest. I have been guarding it ever since the item was given to us by someone. However…" He stopped, trying to catch his breath. "That crazy monster came. It destroyed everything and killed everyone. That monster also killed our king and queen. Then, it went down here, torturing me. Then when it found the key to the chest, the item was stolen and it left." The soldier began to cry and tremble, recalling all the hunted memories of battle and torture. "Before it left, the next thing I know… The Sea Canyon has been destroyed."

The silent underground was filled with sobs. After a few minutes, the sobbing stopped. The soldier looked at me with its tired eyes. "You look familiar." He said.

I didn't answer. I don't like revealing myself to anyone, not even to those who are dead.

"So familiar…" The soldier whispered.

"What is this item that this thing stole?" I asked, changing the subject. Before he dies, I want to learn what this item was and why the monster came here for it.

"That item is a key." He replied. "One of the keys that unlocks the door between Physical and Spiritual Realm."

When I was a kid, my mother used to tell me a story before going to bed. It's about a human and a spirit falling in love with each other. The human fell in love with the spirit because of her light, while the spirit fell in love with the human because of his strength. The two met and made love to each other. They had four babies, and those babies grew up. However, the spirit was about to die from the hands of evil humans, but the man didn't leave her side in the end. In the end of the story, the two died holding each other until they became one spirit. Light and Strength is what my mother used to call the story. It is said that whoever obtains the spirit of Light and Strength will also have the power to control their children, who became Four Spirit Kings.

The fact that the monster stole the key could only mean one thing… It wants the spirit of Light and Strength, and to control the Four Spirit Kings.

"Do you know what the monster looks like?" I asked, hoping for answers.

"The monster was just small, yet fierce and strong. Its eyes were red and it had sharp fangs that bites flesh. That is all I saw before losing my consciousness from the torture." The soldier replied.

"Do you know where this monster left?" I asked again.

"I don't know where. However, my best guess is that it left to search for the three more keys."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Three more keys? There is more than one key to unlocking the door?"

The soldier nodded. "Yes. When the human and spirit became one spirit, they created four keys in order to keep their spirits safe from the wrong hands. Those four keys are around the world. No one has seen the three keys yet."

"How was the first key found?" I asked, curious.

"I don't know. The key was just given to us to keep it safe." The soldier replied. He was already running out of breath.

I took a deep breath. I looked up at the hole, where the light was coming from. At that moment, my heart was overtaken by greed. I want it… That power. But before that monster can obtain it, I will obtain it first and steal the key from the monster. With that, I can take the three of them at the same time. That is… Assuming they are together. But Alexis was left alone. Shit! I should've asked where they were before killing her.

I sighed and I looked at the dying soldier. His eyes were almost closing shut. Without hesitation, I began to speak. "I am Princess Ashe, the daughter of Queen Ashe of the kingdom Borne. I have come to avenge my mother's death."

Even with his eyes closed, I could still see the shock on his eyes hearing me. The soldier smiled. "I knew it.. You have grown, princess. Welcome back, sweet little pie."

Suddenly, his last words hit me. Memories of when I was a kid, everytime I'm in the castle, there was an elderly butler that would always call me that. My eyes were filled with tears upon knowing who this dying soldier was.

"Elder Jack…" I said. Elder Jack was the butler's name. I remembered asking him his name when I was a kid. He was super nice to me and to my mother, even to our knights whenever we come here. He would offer them tea and food so that they have energy to travel with us. Elder Jack was my favorite friend when I was little.

Elder Jack smiled weakly. "You remembered. Goodluck in your journey, princess." Then he died, leaving me alone.

The silent and dark chamber was filled with the echoes of my cry. I have lost another dear loved one of mine. After weeping, I buried Elder Jack's corpse. This was the only way to help him, by burying him nicely and peacefully. I hope you find yourself in a better place, Elder Jack.

Then I left the Sea Canyon, never returning to the place again.