"Y-Your majesty!" Tricia came running in alarm. "I-I am glad you are safe. Something is not normal." She said in concern.

"What is going on, do you know Tricia?" I asked worriedly. Tricia shook her head in reply.

"I came out to get some water to drink and saw Sir William walking in a daze as well." Tricia said. "I tried to shake him awake but to no avail."

I was alarmed of what was happening. This is no ordinary sleep walking. Knowing that all the men in the group was walking in one direction, and with William and Regaleon nowhere to be found, I must do something.

My heart was beating faster every second while trying to find Regaleon in the vicinity. The poor lighting was not helping me, what little light that came from the moon was blocked by dark clouds from the sky. The fire in the fireplace started to dwindle down.

'This is not normal.' I thought to myself. The hair on my arms stood in attention, as if confirming my suspicions.

"Y-Your majesty… what are we going to do?" Tricia was also visibly shivering.

The temperature was starting to drop beyond normal. Summer has already begun and with our location, this place should not get this cold this time of the year.

"You probably need to stick close to me just in case, Tricia." I told her.

If my hunch is correct, this phenomenon that is happening now is not normal. There should be an external force doing this.

"First, I need to make fire." I said and Tricia nodded.

I took tree branches that were lying on the ground. I tear a piece of cloth from the bottom of my night wear and tied it at the tip of the tree branches and ignited it with my magic.

"There, now we have some torches to light up the way." I exclaimed and gave Tricia one of the torches.

"Wow, you really are amazing your majesty." Tricia looked at me in awe and I giggled with her reaction.

I only remembered that Tricia has not yet saw me using magic. She knew about my magic powers, but she has not yet seen me ever using it when we were together in Alvannia.

"First, let's see where the sound is coming from." I said. "It looks like that direction where the men are walking to is where the sound is originating."

"What sound?" Tricia looked at me curiously. It was as if she did not know what I was talking about.

"You mean, you can't hear the sound of a woman humming a song?" I asked un disbelief.

Tricia shook her head in reply. "I can't hear anything of the sort your majesty. Actually, it is eerily silent tonight. The silence is really frightening."

'So, I am the only one hearing this sound.' I thought to myself.

When I was deep in thought, I felt something fury brushed my leg. The sudden feeling surprised me and made me jump.

"Ahhh…" I shrieked lowly. When I looked down ready to pounce anything that looked like danger, I saw Snow sitting on the ground wagging her tail. I was relieved to see her.

"Don't shout." Snow said in annoyance. "Those creatures might hear you."

"T-t-t-t-t…the cat talked!" Tricia who has never heard Snow talk looked pale in fright. I held on to her just in case she was to faint with shock.

"Tricia, breath…" I told her. "It is Snow, you know her right. She is my familiar, hence she has special abilities that a normal cat does not have."

Tricia was breathing heavily but I can see that she was trying to calm herself. I also patted her back to help her.

"I need you to be conscious and alert, so do not faint in surprise okay." I tried to tell her. "There are many things that cannot be explained, and I bet what happening right now is one of them. We can be in danger."

Tricia inhaled and exhaled and started to calm down. "I understand your majesty. I am the only one conscious right now that can help you. Please, let me know what I can do." She showed a face of determination.

"That is good to hear." I replied and then looked at Snow. "Snow, tell me the details."

"The bad and omnimous vibe I was feeling a while ago turned into malicious intent fast." Snow said. "At first, I just thought it was something harmless, like ghost and spirts hunting the forest."

"G-ghost…?" Tricia gulped. But I can see that she was fighting her fear that is very admirable.

"Ghost exists?" I was also curious because I have never seen one before.

"In a sense, yes. But let us get back to topic." Snow said in annoyance that the topic was derailed. "The creature that is making this sound is something that I, myself have never encountered before. They are creatures that exists in the ancient times. If I am correct, there were writings about them in the ancient books that you have been reading back in Jennovia."

I was deep in thought about Snows words. If this creature exists in ancient times, then that was before the Almighty One had ventured into this continent and had founded the country. According to the ancient books I have read, before the Almighty One arrived from the land beyond the sea, this continent was home to creatures and monsters. This said beings outnumbered the humans that were living in this continent back then, and they were hunted as food by this said creatures. When the Almighty One arrived, he helped the humans get rid of the said monsters and turned the tide.

"Are you saying that an ancient creature survived unto this day and is causing this?" I asked in disbelief. "But the books said that the Almighty One annihilated these monsters that plagued the humans that lived here. That's why he was given the name 'Almighty One' after helping the humans get rid of these creatures."

The books have hailed the Almighty One as the hero that saved the humans in this continent. A long time has passed since the time of the Almighty One and there were no sightings of these said creatures, as far as I know.

But the southern woods were vast and the vegetations are thick. There were villages found inside these woods, but still they were small and as I know villagers never ventured outside the woods when night came.

'If Jack were here, I could have asked him of his Crimson Bandits have ventured these woods.' I thought.

The southern woods have not been explored fully, maybe only twenty percent of this vast place could be said that we humans have ventured and explored. It was possible that these ancient creatures had hidden in the depths of the woods, or there were hidden places that they could use as habitat while hiding form human sight.

"So, we are up against an ancient creature that we do not know of." I said in contemplation. "That means we need to tread carefully."

We are up against an unknown creature and currently I am in a tight spot in this situation. All the men were either gone or in a daze and walking to a specific direction. The only sane people left were me and Tricia. Snow was thankfully back after her frightened state a while ago, and then I remembered Tempest.

I looked up at the black sky. I cannot even see the stars because of the dark clouds hovering above us. I put my fingers on my lips and whistled.

*WHISLTE*

I remember Regaleon telling me that if I was in a difficult situation and he was not around, I can call Tempest by whistling and ask for help.

Not long, I heard the flapping of wings and saw a big bird swooping down from the sky. I stretched my out and not long, Tempest perched on it.

"You called, my lady." Tempest asked. "I can see that something eerie is happening around here. If just stayed and did not leave I should have known something was wrong. I am sorry."

"I too have done the same things and left after feeling the bad vibe earlier." Snow said. "I am also partly to blame. As your familiar, I should have been here and stayed. I apologize."

Our two familiars were feeling guilt for leaving when we needed them. I cannot blame them for what they have done. They were still animals that felt fear and can flee in instinct.

"I do not blame you two so do not worry. I am sure Regaleon will not blame you as well." I tell them to ease their guilt. "But I need the two of you now. We must find Regaleon and the others. I am afraid they are in danger."

We were the only ones that were left while the others have gone to the direction of the lake. I am sure that the origin of that sound can be found there. To rescue the others, I will need Tempest and Snow's help more than everything. I am confident with my magic abilities, but without knowing anything about my opponent, it was like marching into battle blind. Tricia does not have any fighting skills as well, so I can only rely in these two when a fight occurs.

"We are always here to help our masters." The two familiars said in unison.

Snow stepped back and white light flashed around her.

*SWISH*

Snow has now turned into her white tiger form. Tempest on the other hand took flight. Red light engulfed his body while flying upwards.

*SWISH*

Tempest has turned into his red phoenix form.

I looked at the direction of the lake with determination etched in my face.

"I will get my husband and the others back safely." I said full of determination.

edited by: nalyn

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