The Fiery Sword

As if Vashti traveled out of her body to retrieve her old memories from Viscot, she came back to her senses only to realize what her classmate back then was talking about. Azah was on top of her, naked. She was hurting all over. A serpent’s wife. Azah…ahazzz….azah…serpent…ahazzzz…snake! Vashti screamed on top of her lungs, her lower half searing with pain as Azah seemingly forced himself on her.

“No! Stop this!” Loki… please my love… help me, tears were flooding from her eyes, she could no longer see nor appreciate the beauty that was Azah — the great Datu of Tribe Novo — ahazzz… the serpent… NOOOOOOO!

Vashti looked at her surroundings and saw nakedness and blood among nobles and commoners. They were doing despicable things with each other, some were drinking each other's blood, even eating each other's flesh while coupling with multiple people.

Vashti was crying, lost and confused, as she saw that she was surrounded by bloody and naked men and women. One even tried to feed her with what seemed to be an intestine. Another tried squeezing her swollen breast, but Azah growled at them, showing sharp teeth that Vashti didn’t notice the first time he kissed her. His nails looked like bird’s claws, dark with blood and pieces of human meat.

“The queen is mine!” He sounded like a beast from the underworld.

There's moaning, laughing, and screaming all over the courthouse. Yes, Vashti heard rumors about the tribe of Novo, but this is too much! She thought of Vathala and how they would be punished for such barbaric and inhumane acts.

"Ahhhhh!" Vashti screamed in horror and disgust when suddenly she saw blood. The naked bodies surrounding her were bleeding. They are now biting and chewing on each other. What is happening? This is not how she's raised nor how they were taught in Viscot. Then Azah was biting her ears as he whispered words she couldn't understand.

"Welcome to our tribe, my Dayang, my damned queen," and then Vashti felt that searing pain again because Azah was violating her body.

Azah moaned and growled like a beast, Vashti’s scent was driving him wild. Revealing his inner monster, hidden from everyone.

"You are beautiful for someone who came from the tribe of Seth," Azah whispered to her, yet Vashti was not flattered but disgusted.

"Your skin is so radiant, and soft - ohhh so smooth like that of a baby..." Azah rolled his eyes in pleasure. Vashti refused Azah’s kisses. His mouth was bloody, the smell of decay made Vashti vomit. Azah laughed upon seeing this, licking the vomit off of Vashti’s face.

"Don't fight me, my love," Datu Novo forced Vashti to look at him. Yes, Azah is good-looking, but now all Vashti could see is his soulless eyes. He is as dead as the spirit of death that is the culture of this tribe. All Vashti could see in Azah's eyes is hunger, insatiable hunger that sent shivers of terror down her spine.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed and screamed while sobbing uncontrollably. Vashti felt that her body was on fire. She could feel the naked people’s sweat near her, spreading droplets of drool all over her naked body. Azah's tongue is out, panting. He screamed with delight every time he made Vashti cry in pain.

"Vashti!!!" Finally, Datu Novo screamed her name.

Then the pain stopped. Relief washed over Vashti thinking the nightmare was over. Please no more, make this stop. I can’t do this. I can’t. Then Vashti watched in horror as Azah summoned Apo Nri, who was just watching at the corner. Azah is not done yet.

"No! Stop! Ahhhh!" Vashti found herself being turned over with her face now buried on the covered feathers. She tried to struggle but four of Azah’s councilmen were holding her limb by limb. Vashti gasped for as little air as she could, realizing that her true nightmare had just begun.

Feeling nauseated, the room seemed to be spinning faster and faster around her. She's seeing faces of sweating men and women who are naked and bleeding just like her. They were laughing and screaming in joy and even pain. Azah is laughing in her ears, pulling her hair to see her face. She is aching all over, tasting her tears and sweat all over her mouth.

Then Azah is heavier than ever. Vashti feels like she will choke and die. Loki! She wanted to scream the Rajah's name. Vashti is sobbing while Azah is making her bleed. Tears of pain, anger, and hopelessness run to Vashti's cheeks along with her sweat and snot. She feels like dying and somehow she is ready to accept her fate. Vathala, I can't anymore, forgive me and take me home...

That's when Vashti, as she's about to lose consciousness, saw walking feet on the floor amidst those naked bodies lying down. When she looked up, she saw burning swords swinging left and right, leaving dead burnt bodies on the ground.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed wanting to run towards the fire so she could die as well, but the screaming of those around her grew louder and more terrifying. Then she found herself breathing again. With people running and screaming around in fear for their lives, the men let go of her so she became free to sit down. That's when she saw two glowing men in white slashing the Novo people with their burning swords.

Then she saw Azah hurt and being taken away by his guards.

"Vashti!" Azah screamed trying to reach out for her. As she saw his other guards approach her, she took her robe and ran in the opposite direction. Away from her despicable husband.

Outside the court, she saw burning houses and deaths all around as rain of ashes and fire fell from the sky.

Yes, Vathala please take me. I don't want to live anymore! Vashti knelt to the ground and waited for the fire to consume her, thinking of how much she loves and misses Loki despite everything.

Then she's being dragged away.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Vashti screamed.

“My lady!” Rem was dragging her away from the burning houses. Naked people were screaming, coming out of the various burning houses. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air as the fires were flooding the whole Novo tribe.

“No! Just kill me! Kill me!” Vashti tried to go toward the fire but Rem was quick to stop her.

“Leave me be! I can’t do this!”

“My lady, this is me…Remus… my lady… I’m your loyal servant.” Noticing that Vashti was out of her mind, Rem slapped her. This helped because Vashti saw her servant.

“F..forgive me my lady, I had too…”

Vashti hugged her servant and wailed so loud, Rem was shaken to the core.

“Take me away…”. Vashti begged.