As they witnessed him growing more and more nervous, Maeve and Dinnah couldn’t help to smile. The elf turned to Maeve with a smirk. “He’s a handful. I hope you take care of him.”
“He will be all right, as soon as he is away and safe from all his admirers,” she sighed, “I don’t know if I can ever repay you Dinnah, your help has been a blessing.”
“My pleasure, darling. We had a lot of fun! I love living here, but it can be a little dull from time to time. I’ll be praying for your success.”
They hugged before turning to Regn, who carried the largest bag on his back. As they moved to his side, Maeve pointed out. “I’m surprised Astika is not here to see us go. I only met him a few times during our stay.”
Dinnah chuckled. “I believe he is still afraid of you, darling. You startled him, and that is not something that happens all the time.” She looked around. “Although now that I think about it, I haven’t seen him anywhere for a few days.”
Maeve secured the bag on her back. It wasn’t as heavy as the one Regn carried, but heavy nonetheless. This promised to be a long journey. She turned to say goodbye to the brides one last time when a strong gust of wind shook everything around them. Dust, fallen leaves, and skirts went flying as a gigantic hawk descended from the sky.
Squeezing her eyes to avoid the debris, Maeve took off her bag to shield it. Regn did the same, moving to cover her. Once the hawk perched on a small hill, Maeve dared to peek, only to discover an extremely anxious Astika riding the bird.
He slid down and headed towards them. “I’m so glad I caught you! Dinnah told me you would leave today, but we were so far I wasn’t sure we would make it in time.”
“What... what do you mean?” Maeve asked, dumbfounded.
The naga turned to the hawk with a dramatic flair. “Meet the wonderful Iluskull! My sweet feathery darling has been helping me patrol the Forest. We have been following the horde and warning the villages laying on its wake. I’m glad to inform you, our efforts have been crucial to avoiding needless death... ah—!”
When Maeve jumped to Astika’s arms, the naga froze and stared at her, panicked.
“Astika, thank you!” She smiled, barely holding back her enthusiasm. “You are incredible!”
Bashfully looking around, the snake man patted her back. “Oh, well... it’s the least I could do.” He cleared his throat. “We circled over the half-breed villages, mostly. Looks like everyone gathered at the... err... the... what was the name of your village again?”
Surrounded by giggling brides, Dinnah slipped into Astika’s embrace, kissing him loudly. “My brave, kind lover. You deserve a reward, I say.”
The naga gave her a scandalous smirk, pulling her closer. “I live to please, my love. But first...” He glanced at the hawk, his chest filling with pride. “Dearest Iluskull has agreed to carry you two and the sleeping potions back to your home. After all, I can’t allow my bride’s hard work to go to waste.”
Those were magnificent news, and the crowd cheered, loud sighs and praises rising from everywhere. Astika clearly enjoyed his new status as a hero, and his brides were eager to reward him. With remarkable swiftness, they tied the bags in Iluskull’s broad back. Maeve and Regn climbed in front of them, gripping the reins specially crafted for the hawk’s body. It seemed like Iluskull didn’t mind flying with company.
As soon as they were ready, the beautiful bird let out a deafening screech, spreading her vast wings and jumping with remarkable force towards the sky. Maeve’s heart hammered in her chest as the immaculate shell grew smaller in the distance, glowing under the rising sun, surrounded by the cheerful crowd.
Regn’s arms wrapped so tightly around her, she worried about his sanity. “Are you all right?” she screamed over the roaring wind.
“No!” The poor half-breed shielded his eyes from the frightening and awe-striking view, hiding behind her back. “I think I’m going to be sick!”
Hakken
Thinking back on how exactly his situation came to this, Hakken had no idea. After arriving and meeting with the matriarch, they had asked him to recount what they learned from the Warlock to every tribe leader and the elf commander.
Tyst and Kniv had explained the mountain half-breeds were hostages and victims. Still, the discovery of the goddess Pouri as the mastermind behind this attack, and most likely the war eleven years ago, was received with utter shock.
Hakken became the primary source of strategic knowledge for the warriors. The fact that one of the gods of creation stood right beside him, backing up his every word, caused quite an impression among the tribes. It had only taken half a day, but somehow, everyone knew his name and that he was going to lead their troops to fight the goddess.
“I am going to lead what?” Hakken blinked in confusion after hearing the news from Kniv.
“The tribe leaders requested you lead the warrior’s training and our forces when the time comes. We must engage this battle more delicately, and we need your knowledge and experience.”
“What experience?” he shouted. “Kniv, go tell them. I’m the least capable person to lead anything! I can hardly take care of myself!”
Kniv shook his head. “Trust me, I know... but they are all settled on having you in charge. And when I think about it, boy... maybe this is a splendid opportunity for you to—”
“No, no! This is the worst time for me to search for my calling in life! I know I have to do better, trust me. But there are lives at stake, and I proved I can’t—!” His breath caught in his throat, and he clenched his jaw, staring at Kniv’s worried gaze. What would his friend think of him when he learned about the death he caused?
Hakken stammered. “I-I can give you some advice,
