Princess Cari Land Cross Arc Part Nine

 Down The River

They had arrived at the next town without a hint of any interruptions. This gave the group a day of silence and rest. They had noticed that the atmosphere was cooler yet it was still hot but not as hot as the Sand or Desert Planes. They had noticed that there were a fair few clouds in the sky. They noticed that the buildings were all painted in all different kinds of colours. Yet there were some that had their painting chipping off their walls. 

They soon booked into an inn that was made of black timber and pale red walls and had a door that was painted orange. Yet while they were at the counter, The Chronicler bought a map. As Cari looked at the map and noticed just how detailed the map was. Her finger rested upon the place that they were, which was a place called Vyorkin which was in the kingdom of Alceatia. However, looking at it, she noticed that they could have taken a ship and they would have arrived here sooner. 

She was about to wonder why they did not, until she remembered that there were a great deal of pirates out there even more these days. If they had taken a ship then they would have encountered more pirates than on their other journeys. Then she looked at the map closer and spotted that there were sea serpent seas on that journey too. Which meant that they would have arrived far too late.

They soon were back in bed and Cari then overheard a conversation that was happening in the next room.

"What?"

"Yeah! Just had a dream about it!"

"The Sunburners?"

"Yeah! Their temple will fall or has fallen!"

"What? Just like that?"

"Yeah. Just had a dream about it last night! Yet there was a new star, one that came from those Cerberus sisters! Dunno what was up with that, but that was the reason that I pulled last night!"

"Are you sure you weren't drunk?"

"No! I've not been drunk for the last year!"

"But they're supposed to be immortal!"

"I know! But that's what I saw!"

"But how?"

"I don't know! But I know that it's going to be triggered by that girl."

"But which of the sisters was or will it be?"

"I don't know."

"And when will this happen?"

"Why do you think I'm telling you?"

"Oh!"

She soon heard a silence then one of them spoke in a strange type of voice.

"When the hybrid children

Lands on the planet Drake

The Sunburners will be

Betrayed and will fall

The princess will fight

For her half brothers sake

The broken woman will

Rise in destiny's call!"

This was followed by panting. Already knowing that there was nothing more to listen to she returned to her bed and went back to sleep. She saw that same star but it was in a different sky and surrounding a different planet. She saw dragons falling like flies. She then saw that; she,  Ryo along with other dragons facing the star but not looking at it. She then woke up feeling ill. She then ran to the balcony and vomited. She wiped her mouth and washed out the terrible taste. 

She then ran down and joined the others in the café and ordered her food.

"Are you alright, Car'?"

"Yeah, I will be."

"Anyway,  Cari, Ryo. Here."

She passed then took out two crimson books with a gold border and times pages. With the title written in gold. She gave them both one of these to them each.

The History 

Of 

Drake And Dragons

"Why are you giving us this?"

"Simple, I know that neither of us can come with you two." She said. "And that book will give you the reason why."

Cari nodded as she opened the book and read. As she finished the first page her food arrived. She memorised the page that she was on and took a break to eat her meal. Once they had finished her food they collected their things. They were about to leave when the innkeeper threw out a drunk.

"And I wanna hear none of it!"

"But that Phorap!" The drunk pleaded with a voice that matched the night before.

"Shove it!"

"I am awfully sorry about him." Said another man as he took his friend away from the inn.

Yet as they moved on they noticed that there was a group of men and women heading towards them. It was all too clear that it was them that they were going to. She was about to load her crossbow. The Observer noticed this and rolled his eyes as he placed a hand on her arrow.

"Pick your battleground." He said under his breath.

She moved and put it away.

"Where should we go?"

"Chronicler! Go on ahead, we will be taking a detour."

She hardly needed to look back and nodded. She raised her hand.

"Alright,  there are things that I would like to talk to the boy about. But get to the dock on time."

The four split into two groups. They walked down a narrow road. She looked back to see the gang was still there. They followed the two down a narrow staircase and a narrow ally.

"Now!"

She loaded her crossbow and aimed it at the nearest one.

"Wow! You mean you're still alive?"

"Yes." The Observer salt deadpan.

"Well looks like we should have asked for more money! After all, killing both of you is worth more than he was paying!"

"Who?"

"That stranger. He didn't give a name but he did give us this!" He said, showing them a diamond coin with the head of an old Queen. The Observer looked at the coin with wife and vulnerable eyes.

"What is this?" She asked, looking at the coin having the strange unnerving taste of nostalgia and deja vu. "And who is that Queen?"

The Observer looked down at her with that look in his eyes.

"Never mind. I think that we need to take them down as soon as we can." He said like someone who wanted to focus on anything but her and whatever was in his mind.

"Oh? Is that guilt? He did say that coin would have that kind of effect on you!"

The Observer got hold of himself and out of anger threw it at the first one. He then jumped up and threw more at the ones behind him. He then looked at her with concern in his eyes. She shrugged to tell him that she was alright. He smirked as he took hold of her and jumped over the gang. When they left the alley she turned to him.

"What was that all about?"

His eyes became darkened.

"I prefer not to say." He said as he returned to them and took all their money.

"Are you better?"

"Yes." He said as they went on their way.

They soon joined the other two at the docs.

"Did you leave any alive?"

"See for yourself." He said, tossing her the diamond coin.

She frowned out of confusion at first. Her eyes dropped to the coin and her eyes narrowed.

"That was her mother, my sister."

"Will you be alright?"

"I will have to be."

She nodded, still looking at him concerned.

"Anyway, come, we gave a boat to catch." He said with a dry tone to his voice.

She nodded as her eyes took a glance at Cari. She looked away, knowing that The Observer was not alright. However she could do nothing that she could do about it. Yet she did make a note to keep a close eye on him as she walked on.

They soon came to a large boat that was too small to be called a small ship. Out was painted crimson and white. Then her eyes dropped to the wide river that was so wide that there was a green line on the horizon. She could even see a small group of mermaids swimming in the distance. This gave her an ominous feeling as she spotted a strange pattern in the waves. This was not going to be a smooth journey.

So she got onto the boat,  knowing that she was going to be in for a fight. She looked at Ryo, giving him a warning look, hoping to not upset the other passengers. The others looked at the waves and understood what the look was all about. Yet their guard shot straight up once they noticed that the mermaids that were playing earlier were strangely silent and absent.

As they set off they drew their weapons and they had been striding not that long when Cari looked over the edge. Her eyes widened as she saw the titan green scales. As she did she felt strange and instinctively knew that it was part of the dragon kind but not a dragon. Her fear was confirmed when she saw the coral red eye with a jet black slit.

She looked over to Ryo and he too came to the same conclusion. They then looked over to the two immortals.

"Look under the boat!"

The Observer dived into the water. Cari raised her crossbow and as the thing raised its teeth appeared above the water she fired at the bin forcing it back beneath the waves. She looked down to watch The Observer. He drew out a small blade and swam down to the teeth and pulled the arrow out before it magically disappeared and appeared in Cari's quiver. Then the sea serpent rose his head above the waves right in front of the boat. The other passengers let out screams as they saw it.

"Chronicler! Calm them down!" Ryo shouted.

She nodded as she closed her eyes and all the other passengers were overwhelmed by a great drowsiness and their eyes closed. They were soon sound asleep. She then looked at the pilot of the boat with a commanding look in her eyes.

"Keep going." She ordered.

He nodded.

"Cari, help me get that thing out of the water!"

She closed her eyes and, instinctively, she willed the water surrounding the sea serpent to boil. She did what she could not to boil The Observer along with the sea serpent. She then felt her arm split, however she continued regardless of what pain was coming from it. She did all she could to continue to make the water boil and become hotter and hotter. It soon swam to the surface to escape the boiling water. She then gritted her teeth and loaded her crossbow and fired at it's bloody underbelly. Ryo then willed her arrow to be set alight. Then the arrow spread across the under belly. Yet they knew that this was not enough; however they both knew that they could not continue to fight.

Then The Observer rose from the water and slit his throat and landed graciously on the boat. As the thing fell back it revealed more long slashes and chunks cut out from it. His flesh healed from the stomach acid. He then raised his hand and summoned a ball of fire and threw it at the sea serpent and the flames were put out by the flames. As the passengers woke, Cari collapsed and her eyes closed.

While they were traveling all of the other passengers attended to their wounds. They soon arrived at the doc and Cari woke.