Chapter 37: TUNA?

Chapter 37: TUNA? The sun climbed higher in the sky, warming the blood-soaked ridge where the survivors stood amid the carnage. Elira collapsed against a boulder, her face contorted in pain as she clutched her wounded thigh. "Elira needs help," Captain Diana said, kneeling beside the injured warrior. Blood seeped through the makeshift bandage, staining the rocks beneath her. Lyra and Naia rushed to Elira’s side. Naia tore away the blood-soaked fabric, revealing a jagged wound that penetrated deep into the muscle. "It’s worse than I thought," Naia whispered, her hands trembling as she summoned what little energy remained in her depleted body. A thin stream of water materialized between her palms, glowing faintly as she directed it toward the wound. Lyra joined her sister’s efforts, adding her own dwindling power. The water shimmered weakly as it touched Elira’s torn flesh, the healing magic barely penetrating the surface. ’Why waste time on this tiny wound when my Eren is out there waiting?’ the kitchen servant thought, watching the princesses struggle with their healing attempt. Her eyes darted to the horizon, calculating how much further they could travel if they abandoned this pointless delay. ’Every moment spent here is another moment Eren slips further from my grasp.’ Elira groaned, her head falling back against the rock. "It’s not working," she gasped through gritted teeth. "We’re too exhausted," Lyra admitted, wiping sweat from her brow. The elemental combat had drained their reserves, leaving barely enough energy for even basic healing. The kitchen servant approached slowly, her face betraying nothing of her inner impatience. She knelt beside Elira, her movements precise and economical. Her eyes locked onto the wound with intense focus. While the others were distracted by Elira’s pain, the servant’s gaze never wavered from the injury. Moments later, without anyone noticing her involvement, the edges of Elira’s wound began to knit together. Muscle tissue reconnected, blood vessels sealed, and skin gradually closed over the injury until only a pink scar remained where the deadly gash had been. "It’s—it’s healing," Naia exclaimed, looking between her hands and the wound in confusion. "But how?" "Sometimes the body finds strength when needed most," the kitchen servant offered vaguely before rising to her feet. "We should continue if we hope to reach shelter by nightfall." Captain Diana helped Elira stand, testing her weight on the newly healed leg. "Whatever happened, I’m grateful," she said, studying the wound with a mixture of relief and suspicion. They gathered their remaining supplies and the horses that had survived the attack. The ridge offered a clear view of the path ahead—a winding trail that descended into a valley before climbing toward the distant border of Vylonia. As they made their way down the rocky slope, Naia urged her horse alongside Lyra’s. "Are you certain we’re going the right way?" she asked, her voice low enough that only her sister could hear. "Trust Captain Diana," Lyra replied, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "She’s never led us astray before." They continued in silence for several miles, the weight of their losses hanging heavy in the air. The forest gave way to rolling meadows dotted with wildflowers—a jarring contrast to the bloodshed they’d left behind. Captain Diana suddenly raised her hand, signaling a halt. "Silence," she commanded, tilting her head slightly. The group froze, hands instinctively moving to weapons. Diana closed her eyes, feeling the subtle shifts in air currents that others couldn’t perceive. After a long moment, she pointed southeast. "Vylonia lies that way," she announced. "We can reach the border by sunset if we maintain our pace." They pressed forward, weary bodies protesting with each mile. The sun climbed higher, beating down mercilessly as they traversed the open countryside. Near midday, Elira pulled her horse to an abrupt stop. "I don’t think I can go further," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. Though her wound had healed, the psychological wounds remained raw and bleeding. "How do we even know Eren will be in that kingdom?" she asked, frustration evident despite her respectful tone. "We don’t know until we check," Captain Diana replied evenly, her weathered face revealing nothing of her own doubts. Elira’s composure crumbled entirely. Tears streamed down her face as she slid from her saddle, collapsing to her knees in the tall grass. "All my life, I’ve never seen anything like that," she sobbed, her body shaking with grief. "Those creatures—the way they killed my sisters-in-arms—" Her words dissolved into broken sobs. "I’ve never even left the palace walls before this mission." Lyra dismounted, crossing to where Elira knelt in the grass. She placed a gentle hand on the warrior’s shoulder, feeling the tremors that ran through her body. "Everything is going to be alright," Lyra said softly, her royal facade cracking to reveal genuine compassion beneath. "The pain you’re feeling—the horror—I feel it too. But we honor our fallen by completing our mission." She knelt beside Elira, looking directly into her tear-stained face. "We cannot let their sacrifice be in vain." ’Not one force in this world or the next would stop me from finding Eren,’ the kitchen servant thought, her inner voice crude and dismissive as she watched the emotional display. ’These weaklings and their feelings will only slow us down.’ Captain Diana approached, her shadow falling across the kneeling figures. "There’s more at stake than you realize," she said quietly. "We journey to Vylonia not just for Princess Eren, but because they hold the most information about the prophecy." "Prophecy?" Naia echoed, her brow furrowing in confusion. Lyra looked up, her expression grave. "Eren might have seen it in her visions," she admitted. "It’s why I believe she fled to Vylonia—to learn the truth that’s been kept from us." They continued their journey in somber silence, each lost in private thoughts. Naia noticed that the kitchen servant had barely spoken since they’d left Moonlight Kingdom, not even during the battle with the forbidden elves. Guiding her horse alongside the servant’s, Naia offered a gentle smile. "I never properly thanked you for sharing information about Eren," she said. "If not for you, we might not have noticed her absence until it was too late." The kitchen servant kept her eyes forward, her expression unreadable. "I don’t believe I ever asked your name," Naia continued, undeterred by the woman’s silence. "Rose," she replied after a moment, her voice surprisingly gentle and soft, at odds with her reserved demeanor. "Well, Rose, I know how terrifying those elves were," Naia said earnestly. "From now on, I promise to protect you, no matter what." A flicker of something—perhaps amusement—crossed Rose’s features before her face resumed its placid mask. "You are most kind, Princess," she replied with perfect deference. As they crested a small hill, Captain Diana signaled another halt. Below them stretched a vast plain leading to a dense forest—the natural boundary that marked Vylonia’s border. "We’ll rest here briefly before crossing," Diana announced, scanning the horizon with practiced eyes. "Once we enter Vylonian territory, we must be vigilant. Their border guards are known for their brutality toward trespassers." They dismounted, grateful for the respite. Lyra unfolded a crude map, studying it intently as Diana pointed out potential routes through the forest. ** The throne room of Moonlight Kingdom resonated with Queen Elysia’s fury, the marble walls amplifying her rage as she paced before her ornate throne. The massive crystal chandelier above cast prismatic reflections across the polished floor, creating an otherworldly effect that matched the Queen’s supernatural displeasure. "Four days," Elysia hissed, her fingers curling into tight fists at her sides. "Four days of searching, and still no word of my daughters or Captain Diana." She whirled to face the royal messenger who stood at rigid attention, sweat beading on his forehead despite the throne room’s cool air. "What do you mean there’s no sign of them?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the cavernous hall like a blade. "Are you telling me that three princesses of the royal bloodline remain missing after four days of extensive searching?" The messenger swallowed hard. "We’ve deployed scouts to every village within our borders and beyond, Your Majesty. The secondary AMAZON squad has searched the eastern territories thoroughly, but there’s no trace of Princesses." "Then search harder!" Elysia roared, descending the dais in a sweep of royal blue silk. "Deploy every scout, every spy, every resource at our disposal. Find them, even if by force. I want them brought back to Moonlight Kingdom immediately!" The throne room fell silent save for the echo of her voice against the marble walls. The messenger bowed low before retreating hastily from the Queen’s wrath. "I knew Captain Diana would betray me one day," Elysia said without turning, addressing the silver-haired woman who stood quietly beside the throne. "Her loyalty to those girls always outweighed her duty to the crown." Sorrel’s amber eyes caught the afternoon light streaming through the high windows. "Mother, you know full well that Eren’s life is at stake," she said, voice calm but deliberate. "Why pretend otherwise? You’ve read the prophecy—if Naia and Lyra manage to find Eren, and Eren discovers how to perform TUNA, she’ll become something else entirely. A monster. Your two precious daughters are after Eren as we speak, and you stand here doing nothing." Elysia’s shoulders stiffened, tension radiating from every line of her body. "That is precisely why I must stop this—all of it. The prophecy must end before it begins." The air in the throne room seemed to grow heavier, charged with the weight of Elysia’s power and rage. The water in the ornamental fountains along the walls began to ripple and surge without any visible cause. Before Sorrel could respond, the massive throne room doors swung open. A palace guard entered, dragging a young female elf whose wrists were bound in heavy iron shackles. Her silver hair hung in tangled strands around her face, partially concealing the bruises that marred her delicate features. "My Queen," the guard announced, forcing the prisoner to her knees. "We have found the traitor who help Captain Diana with the princesses." Elysia approached slowly, her footsteps echoing across the vast chamber. The fountains surged higher as she passed them, responding to her proximity. She studied the captive with cold calculation. The elf kept her gaze fixed on the floor, but her posture remained defiant despite her bindings. "So," Elysia said, circling the kneeling figure, "you betrayed your queen for a commander’s smile." She stopped directly before the elf, using one finger to lift the prisoner’s chin. "Do you know the punishment for such treachery?" The elf’s eyes, silver as moonlight, met the Queen’s without flinching. "I did what was right," she replied, her voice clear despite her obvious pain. A cruel smile curved Elysia’s lips. "Throw her to the AQUALITH BIND," she commanded, turning away as the guard yanked the prisoner to her feet. "Let her contemplate her righteousness as the waters claim her breath." "Good of you, Mother," Sorrel said with a slight smile, her voice soft yet somehow filling the vast throne room. "Justice must be swift and absolute." The elf’s face paled, but she did not struggle as the guards dragged her from the throne room. Everyone in Moonlight Kingdom knew of the AQUALITH BIND—a magical prison deep beneath the palace where water slowly filled the chamber over the course of days, allowing the condemned ample time to contemplate their fate before drowning. As the doors closed behind them, Sorrel moved to stand beside her mother. "Do you truly believe this display of power will prevent what’s coming?" she asked softly. Elysia’s eyes hardened as she gazed out the window toward the distant horizon. "It must," she whispered, more to herself than to Sorrel. "Because the alternative is unthinkable." "This is why the prophecy exists in the first place," Sorrel murmured. "To end all prophecies."