The Witch Within The Blood Of Grashalo Arc Part One

 The Key Ring Combiners

"So you think that there are prophecies about me? Why so?" She asked.

"Well, let me start by saying what happened in the school of dragon lords, then there's the other events that have seemed to have shaken this world too. Like for example,  that witches,  warlocks,  evil strongholds and even demons are being killed and taken out. We don't know why or why now,  but there are a great number of pirates on the seas." He said.

Her jaw dropped as she had to process what he had just said.

But how? Who's killing all these demons and how? Never mind that who's killing to witches and warlocks!?

"I'm guessing that that's not all?" She said trying to keep her emotions under control.

"No, see we consulted the prophecy books of Phorap the Mad. We, as a rule, never took any of his words seriously but after all that has come to light, I wonder if we ought to break that rule. He prophesied about three individuals that would take down these strongholds, demons, witches and warlocks. He even spoke about a big secret about the gods that will tear them down!"

"What!"

"Sir, I don't think that we should be telling her these things. They are the words of a mad man after all!"

"Morgan, I think I should, after all we both know that there are wise words hidden in 'mad men'. He called the main three that were the heart of his prophecies he called, Demon Slayer, or Demoslae in his native tongue, the God Revealer or Kaveal, and Mulscol, the Multiverse Scholar." He said.

"Sir! We do not need to fill her head with such nonsense! We all know that Phorap was just a mad man that had no shred of sanity and-"

"Is known as the first Legend bar none, and do you not think that it seems strange that some of his prophecies have come to pass, yet we both remember that it was none other than the gods that gave him such a label." He said and his demeanour changed. "But playing devil's advocate, what would I know. Even though I am the youngest head of T.O.O.T.R.O.E and I am expected to know everything the truth is that I don't. But that is all I have, we'll debate this later alright. What we need to do is solve these riddles and get the answer of who Grasharlos' true parentage is." 

They nodded.

"Loc, read the first one." He said.

She nodded as she picked up the first book.

"Kingdoms fall, kingdoms rise, 

Kingdoms stay, kingdoms dies, 

Like the one of dark, dark lies, 

Where the palace still cries, 

For the blood fallen, 

And the child stolen."

Her eyes widened and she smiled.

"What is it?" Morgan asked.

"I know where this is! It's in the Desert Planes!"

"Where exactly?"

"It's the Zuve' palace, you know, the one that is in the shape of a pyramid!" She exclaimed. "In fact I've read all about them and no, it is not because of their connections to Grasharlo."

They looked at her skeptical as they nodded.

"Right, Morgan you read next."

She nodded.

"Bow's string is strong, 

Arrows target is wrong, 

Hand not for pampering or holding petals, 

But to handle different deaths and metals, 

And the Uncle that wants her dead, 

Becomes her closest family instead-"

"That's Bounty Hunter Bash!" Loc exclaimed as her eyes lit up even more. "So where do we go?"

Morgan gave her a scorning look.

"Shut up!"

" Morgan, Loc focus."

"Right, well we have to go to the place where Bounty Hunter Bash and her uncle, Chash-Chathass… Urgh! Loc, what is this word?"

"Cashathrophogh." She said instantly.

"Yeah, him became tied to each other." 

"That's Blood Bound Forest." Loc said.

"You read too many books." She remarked.

"Well I am a bibliophile!"

"Lenume` can you continue?" He asked

"Right."

"And Loc, try not to interrupt this time?"

 She nodded.

"People meet because of coincidence, 

Others by destinies' manipulative stance, 

Go to the place where they met, 

Where fate and time was set, 

Two girls of similar pasts of this kind, 

Is where the truth that you wish to find."

"Loc as you seem to be the expert, do you know where that riddle is telling us to go?" Morgan asked.

"Roqaur, that's Roqaur spelt with a q not a k." She said.

"So we're going to the Zuve' Pyramid Palace, Blood Bound Forest and Roqaur." Ringer revised. "Lenume`,  can you get us there as soon as possible?"

"With those crystals that you put in, sure no time." She said as they took off. They flew faster than Loc could have ever thought. That was when she entered into the sun Loc smiled. She had never been so happy to see and feel the light and heat of the sun. Even though it hurt her eyes, she was still glad of it. She just could not describe how much she missed the light and knowing that it was day. Rather than have to rely on her unreliable internal clock.

They then crossed borders after borders and within a flash she saw green, lakes and oceans and they soon flew over the Sand Planes and they soon came to the neighbour next door, the Desert Planes.  Locs' mouth gaped as her eyes rested on the ruins of a broken golden pyramid. The place where one of her heroes, Arielsa Zuve' was born and spent the first five years of her life. The place that was fundamental to her start and the last place she was seen before she disappeared. They landed in front of the gigantic open entrance. 

It was all to clear that none had lived here nor had anyone visited here since the kingdom fell. If she did not know any better she would have thought that this would make it easier.

They all collected their weapons and then walked to the door. She waited for Lenume` to open the door then they walked up to the entrance.

I can't believe it! I'm really here! The place where Princess Arielsa Zuve' was born!

This was also where she saw her parents murdered.

She then saw flashes of when her parents bodies, however, she knew that it was worse for her,  she saw them being butchered in front of her. She wondered if she, at the end of it all, was happy. If she ever got over that and was able to live a good and fulfilling life. She probably did not, but it was good to think that she did.

She then looked over to Ringer as she waited for him to give her her orders.

"Right,  Loc, I want you to take the lead. Trust your intuition, after all as you are a part of Grasharlo, you will know the way. Morgan, if something or one that tries to attack us, you know what to do. Both women nodded.

She then walked, her gut told her to go to the throne room where Princess Arielsas' parents were killed. She then walked into the entrance and then she thought about all those books that she had read and then walked to where the throne room was. She saw the silver ring combiner dead in the centre. She then walked up to it, knowing that something will try to stop them. She looked around cautiously as she did to see if there were any traps. When she was sure that there were none she continued. She then took it up into her hand and just as she started to walk away she heard Morgan shout.

" Loc look out!"

She looked up and then rolled out of the way she then rolled up and then presented them the key ring combiner. 

"Good work Loc!" Morgan remarked.

"I had a good teacher." She said as they made their way back to the air yot and they soon took off. Loc was secretly glad to get out of the sun. She took all the silver rings and then she slipped them on the combiner. It soon lit up and she soon was holding a silver key.

"That's one done one to go!" She said.

Morgan looked at her as she smiled sorrowfully.

"What? What is it?" She asked, concerned.

"You're so much like your mother." She said.

She looked down and she remembered that she was dead and the only family that she had left was this woman.

"We've arrived!" She called

Loc looked up and got to her feet.

"Time to get back to work!" She sighed.

She nodded as Morgan placed a hand on her head. Then she smiled as she put her hand down and they joined Ringer at the door.

"Same orders." He said as the door opened and they left the air yot. She smiled as she felt the cool air touch her face and they walked by the river. Loc felt an excited rush as they were about to visit yet another pivotal moment in another hero of hers. She just could not put into words just how excited she was, though she tried to hide it and keep her emotions under control. 

They soon came to an open section of the forest that looked similar to the hut that the fairy witch lived in if it was a hut that they were looking at instead of a small cottage made of white stones. It had a black thatched roof and a door painted red. She spotted that there was a garden to her left with growing crops and she saw that there were wild farm animals roaming around. This told her that the place was being lived in, but not in a great deal of years. 

She walked up to it but she immediately sensed that there was something wrong. She looked around then she saw it, a creature with crimson eyes and made of smoke. She saw that it was in a womans' figure and one that she could see that it looked like Princess Bash Drew!

"Look out!" Shouted Morgan as they looked at it.

She ducked as Ringer banged his rings together and then let a beam of light. This went right through it. The creature pulled out a shadow bow and pulled the shadow string back and then fired a shadow arrow at him. He punched the arrow and it vanished!

"Wait! Wait!" She said. "Look,  we're here for Grasharlos' gold ring combiner. Nothing else." 

The creature looked at her and nodded. She walked up to a small black lamb and then pulled it off. She then walked up to her and gave it. She looked at it as she felt like she would see that face again. She then walked away feeling a strong feeling of sorrow as she did. She started to feel tears as she understood why the person who lived here would make a shadow in that shape.

"What is it?" Morgan asked.

She shook her head.

"I can't say right now."

She then combined the rings and held the gold ring in her hand.