Chapter 60: Maria Antoniette von Hexeis, II

The door to the gate opened, and the whiff of the market belonged to commoners flit inside. Making Ned and Toni stood in-between differences.

"I'll be going to Granny's cabin," Ned said - and left.

Alone, Toni walked by the market going back to their shelter. The beat of her heart counted her pace. Liking someone wasn't new to her. In fact, several people were eyeing her every time she and Mama Zoreena went to the market or in between the two villages; Moormont and Dragonshore.

Lady Zoreena's strange affairs led Toni to meet unfamiliar men. Men she despises and men that got her attention. But because of her overly reserved character. Toni wasn't able to talk to anyone she liked. Yet came in Ned into her life. Which made her question herself. Why Ned differed from the others? How could she control her magic when Ned was around her? What's this feeling? She felt like everything about her was attracted to Ned.

Moments of pondering led Toni to the end of the market, where she saw a familiar face. Naa'ri has been following her after they exited the gate. Confused, Toni wanted to know more about Naa'ri.

Introducing each other, Toni led to the conclusion that Naa'ri wasn't bad at all. The complete counterpart of her clansmen. Naa'ri wished to meet the Cat - Coco. Jumping off her arms, it surprised Toni when Coco went to Naa'ri with no doubts.

"We were Loved by the Beasts," Naa'ri commented on Toni's surprised face. "My family—no, my tribe were Tamers. And I'm one of the best there is. We were constrained by the fact that Bohrum is a small island, and as a Tamer, we borrowed most of our magic from beasts. So we need to explore, become a hunter, and Tame top-grade beasts."

"Why... are you... so fixated with Coco?" Toni asked, stammering in between.

"In my tribe, they considered mythical beasts special. Not everyone could lay a hand on a mythical beast. Actually," Naa'ri paused and played with her hands before she continued. "Your cat, no, Coco is the first mythical beasts I've seen. Unless you're a Tamer or have a keen eye, normal people will have a hard time discerning mythical beasts. Look around you, if people knew Coco is a mythical beast, they will surround you already—

She wasn't just a beauty, she's also intellectual. And aside from that. Toni drifted her eyes toward the pair Naa'ri was gifted with. Toni had the curves, the eyes, and the talent in magic. Yet, some part of her wished that she had the pair Naa'ri would carry for the rest of her womanhood. She's older than me, maybe a year. But how come she had? Toni lifted her arm across her opposite elbow. Guarding and surveyed what she had.

and they will take him to the black market, cut him open, and examine his core, while—"Naa'ri realized that Toni was completely tranced on her thoughts. She paused and snap a finger, surprising Toni.

Toni spent half of her youthful days at the orphanage, making her declined against other people. She even wondered if, for the rest of her life, she would have met someone and consider her a friend. But meeting Ned leads Toni to recognize people outside her comfort zone. Making her happy that she made another friend.

The day they were supposed to leave the island and make their own adventure, was also the day that faith would catch up with them.

Standing near the coast of the port, Toni's sensitivity to magic hit the top, when the dark sky turned to thunder and struck with lightning. Hair stood at her nape, Toni instinctively pulled the Kiki'Dorra at her waist when she picked-up a flesh cutting sound besides her. No... Toni widens her eyes, seeing the lifeless body of Jason. Sensing the hungry and ferocious attack of the ghoul, Toni focused her thoughts and blocked the incoming claw. Throwing her off balance with surprise.

Toni and Otto survived what faith threw at them by sticking together. With the wish of her father, Toni must protect him, as to how Otto protected her.

Toni would never leave the island if she knew that her brother was in grave danger. With the horde of ghouls rampaging the town. Toni and the rest joined up at the orphanage. Testing her patience, Toni learned that her brother wasn't at the orphanage but went ahead with the help of the Handlers.

With the help of Master Will and the Knight, they made it off the devastated orphanage and went back at the port where mercenary ships are waiting for the rest of the survivor.

With the carriage escaping away from the Devourer, Toni saw Ned stood, balanced himself inside the carriage and gripped its edges, looked behind his shoulder. "I must go."

"But... You'll be in danger... Ned, please, don't," Toni said with a trembling voice. Her eyes flashed red.

"Don't worry, we'll catch along," Ned said. Assuring a smile, Toni felt the smooth and warm hand of Ned touching her shoulder.

Ned then jumped off the carriage, making a last look at the Butterfly under the moonlight before he vanished by the edge of the forest.

A drop of rain descended and pecked a part of Toni's face. She cried.

"Don't worry, he will be fine," assured Granny Lola with a smile. "He's with his Master, and I know what Will could do."

The silent port was once again shrouded with the endless scream and screech of the mindless beasts when the group arrived. Two merchant ships distanced away from the coast, making sure that no ghouls would make it aboard.

The remaining survivors guarded the port, Toni saw several Handlers attentively pacing back and forth. Some towns guard tagged along with the Handlers, making them walked in two rather than alone. Man of decent age even helped to guard the port. They knew that not were aboard the ship. With time running, they must leave the island with no one left behind. But not all will agree.

"We should leave now!" cried a woman holding what appeared to be a stick. She outlined her dress with beads of crystals.

"The wealthy ones," muttered Granny. "They never changed, always thinking of their selves." Seeing Toni motioned her head to agree, Granny threw a smile.

"Leave them!" second the man with a baggage full of random things. "How much do you want for this ship to leave!"

"You lowlife! You should thank me for this ship is mine!" cried the man in a suit of crystal. Hiding his plump neck with a series of clothing tucked in together.

"Shut up! All of you!" ordered by one of the Handler. "As of this moment, with the order from the Royal Knight, Sir Edwin Tulor Godefroy. This ship, your ship! Belonged to the kingdom. We will sail when we say so!"

With that, the rest of the survivors agreed with no other choice.

"The ship... Handler sir... the ship with my brother... where is it?" asked Toni. Her eyes searched the horizon.

"They must have left first," replied by one the Handler. "Don't worry, we're all going to the same port, so you'll see your brother sooner, young miss."

"Don't touch me!"

Toni looked behind her shoulder when she heard a voice, appeared to be familiar.

"Grant your hurt, let me see that!" Naa'ri plead.

"No! It's nothing, it's just a scratch."

"How did you get in here?" asked Naa'ri.

"The Knight, his beast, carried me here. We were in the forest, when. They. Attacked me, they took Master, it's not ordinary, it's bigger. Eyes, their eyes, I can't. When I looked into their eyes. Master? Master, where Master!"

"The eyes of what?" Naa'ri asked apprehensively. "Master? Where's your Master? He's not here."

"Master, master, no, no!" cried Grant. Eyes roved up and down, or left and right.

With the kids, Granny and Mama settled inside the ship, the group took the time to rest. With only willing and armed men guarding the port. They were lucky that the horde hasn't returned yet. Almost two hours had passed and they decided that it was time for them to leave. But the Handler wouldn't leave without the Royal Knight's order. Eventually, they waited longer.

Yet moments passed, no Ned, Master Will, or the Knight approached the port. Even survivors were nowhere to be found.

"Look! It's almost three hours!" shouted the owner of one of the ships. His plump shoulder and arms pushed forward one of the Handler, holding him on his collar. Yet, the Handler seems to hold himself, cause he knew he was now inclined if the knight would ever arrive. "Leave the Knight or other survivor, it's been too long! Heck! We might die in here waiting for your Knight! We have kids inside!" added the plump man. Yet his eyes narrowed together with his lips that smirked lightly.

Worried, Toni gave Ned and the rest one shot. "Naa'ri," Toni stood away from a wooden box. Walked past the group and went to Naa'ri. Deep emotion took away her stammering. "Is there a way you can use your ability to see if Ned and his Master are on their way?"

"Yes, but I need a magical creature," replied Naa'ri carrying the exhausted Coco on her side. She stood, then walked out the ship. Seeing the gloomy sky, Naa'ri noticed a moving speck. She smiled and tilted her head toward Toni. "Looks like I find one."

Naa'ri muttered some words, raised one of her hands. Made a circle with her thumb and index finger that resembled a monocle. She closed one of her eyes, then sighted the speck above the sky inside her circled finger. Moving her hand like a painting on canvas, she centered the speck inside the circled fingers and cried. "Mutuor!"

"Any of my choosing, I could tap into the magical creature's senses and see, hear, feel what they perceive. As long as the grade is lower than my Core. I'll have no problem using them. Luckily, this Rook's grade is just E, or lower."

With the flying creature's senses, Naa'ri saw the island covered with ominous clouds, startled creature running amok on the island. She saw the ghouls overran the two villages. Swamps, mountains, trees, and houses came into view. And by using more of her Mana, she can force to control the movement of the Rook.

Gliding to its side, the Rook eyed the port where Toni and the group settled. Close to the town, Naa'ri saw a swirling dot. Closer, she inspected. She used the Rook's skill that enables it to magnify the distance of its view.

There Naa'ri saw the Mage crawling and bleeding. "It's..." she knitted her brows, making the two met in the middle. Wrinkles then formed at the side of her eyes. "It's, the Mage."

"How about Ned?" asked Toni.

"I didn't see them, wait. The mage, it appears, he's bleeding... No, wait... He's... His… is that?" Naa'ri tried to share what she saw. Her voice flattened, then trembled.

"What... was it... Naa'ri?" anxious, Toni gripped the edge of the wooden deck.

"It's a Gate, Toni! A Gate," covering her gaping mouth with her hand. Naa'ri went to daze and surprise. "Wait! The mage broke the barrier that was holding the Gate! Toni, he went inside the Gate. Makers tongue! Toni! We need to leave now!"

Ending her spell, Naa'ri leaned at the wall beside her. "Toni, we need to... We need to leave now they're coming! Hundreds, no! Thousands of beasts are coming!"

Ned... no... I can't... Toni walked back inside the ship, supporting herself with her hand brushing along the wall.

As Toni saw the crew running inside the ship, Toni knew something was amiss. "Grann,y what happened?"

"We're leaving now, but something went wrong inside the deck," Granny said blowing a cloud of smoke on her pipe while she leaned on the wall sorted together with the kids. "Hey! Young man! What's going on!"

"Nothing, just, just stay there granny," answered by one of the crew. He appeared to be flustered.

Toni then heard clamoring outside the ship. Someone cried others cried out of fear, while the rest remained unmoving, pretending to be well reserved. "Brace yourselves!" cried by one of the Handler. "Here they are!"

A roaring scream echoed in the distance, then dust formed a sky on the horizon. From the shriek alone, Toni knew what it was. This was what Naa'ri meant. The army of ghouls. Ne,d I'm sorry, we need to leave.

With the ship under distressed, the crew tried their best not to be flustered with the rampaging outside the ship. Nearly an hour has passed, and the ship remained ashore the port. The crew ran along here and there to fix the ship.

Outside, Toni did her best to support the Handlers. While the others, Xi and Naa'ri used their bow to attack from behind. While Grant was nowhere to be found. Swoosh after swoosh, ghouls fell on the ground. Even with the number of the Handler, hundreds of towns guard and volunteers, they weren't enough against the army of mindless beats. An increasing number of ghouls reached the port. Seconds passed, it added hundreds at the side of the mindless beasts.

"Retreat! Back at the ship!" bellowed the Handler. "We need to go now! Back at the—

his last word wasn't finished when an Alghoul sliced open his neck. Leaving it unattached into his body.

"Toni!" Cried Naa'ri. "Hey back inside now!"

Toni slashed her way back to the ship. Handlers, town guards, volunteers fell one after the other. Some ran crazed, others ran grazed.

With the stampede of both the attacking ghouls and the retreating humans. Toni was left alone in the dark. Making her lose her faith when she saw the army approaching.

Toni fell on the ground when one of the defending guards pushed her aside to save his own. With, the army of the dead roared towards Toni. She broke her limit and forced the remaining Mana inside her and cast her gift. Ice formed beneath her and totally encircling her. The ground then split when a pillar of ice spout randomly. Hitting, screwing, and impaling ghouls that tried to approach her.

But Toni knew she was at her limit. Exhausted, she kneels on the ground, releasing all her magic, dispersing the pillar of ice there were formed. She knelt, let go of her dagger, closed her eyes, and give the rest to faith.

"Toni!" Naa'ri and Xi cried! "No!"

A Series of scenes flashed inside Toni's thoughts. "Mama, papa, Otto, Ned, Z... I'm sorry... Good—"

Waves of energy embraced Toni, round and deep roar traveled the entire port followed by a piercing and sharp thunder crackling sound. Looking down, Toni saw the cobblestone cracked, a spiderweb of cracks formed. The surrounding fell to silent. She could hear, not even the screeching of the ghouls. Even Naa'ri and Xi's hopeless cry went to silence. Looking up, she saw someone in a full suit of armor. Covering his entire body. Holding a sword she was familiar with. Waves of energy steamed out the youthful man. Toni rubbed her eyes.

"Ned?"