Foreboding Storm - Chapter 139

Princess Qamari watched everything unfold in stunned silence.

Who in the world were these people? They actually had the guts to confront and chase away the Dark Jinn?

She had never heard of the existence of such a group of people before. And even when she was doing her research, she hadn’t found any mention of them in the Building of Knowledge!

So, who were these people?

Paralyzed and unable to move, Princess Qamari lay bleeding on the ground as she looked at the black robes of the group and felt a sense of familiarity.

Had see met these people before?

At least the Dark Jinn hadn’t succeeded in killing her…

In the future, she needed to train even harder to quickly grow stronger.

Sight turning blurry from loss of blood, Princess Qamari sighed in relief and closed her eyes.

She was really tired.

“Tribe Leader Bai, you gathered us together with the claim of sighting the prophesied child. Where is the girl?”

“The Dark Jinn appeared after so many years. His target could only be her. Everyone, let’s search around. I’m sure she is here somewhere.”

Tribe Leader Bai was frantic, the ruins and destroyed landscape rising fear in her.

Were they too late?

No! They couldn’t be too late. They had to find the girl alive and well. Otherwise…

The consequences would be horrendous.

Filled with urgency, Bai Lan went past the leader of the Jinn Hunters and started a desperate search in the rubble.

“Sigh…Since Leader Bai claims she sighted the girl, then she must have sighted her. Everyone spread out and search! We must find the girl!”

“Yes, Leader Ku!”

The group of Jinn Hunters set aside their questions and confusions and set out to search for the unnamed ignore instead.

Soon a cacophony of noise sounded in the region as men and women in swirling black robes overturned the ruins and searched with great fervor.

Rocks and debris flew, just when Leader Ku was about to call quits and leave with his people, and after what felt like forever, an excited cry rang out from the other end of the barren field.

“I found her! I found her!”

“What!? She’s really here?”

“She’s found! The girl is found!”

And like a pack of curious newborns, the men swarmed over to the unconscious girl.

Tribe Leader Bai was tight with nervous tension, her heart pounding in her ears as she raced to meet the prophesized girl.

By the time she arrived, more than half of the Jinn Hunters had already gathered around, chatting and whispering in hushed tones.

“She’s the prophesied girl? She doesn’t look much different from us.”

“Yeah, she looks the same as us. And she’s covered in blood. How can we be certain that she’s the one the ancestors told us about?”

“Hmm! How do we know she’s the one?”

“Excuse me! Let me through! I need to see the girl! Make way!” Leader Bai waved through the Jinn Hunters and appeared before the long-sought prophesized girl.

Her face and head were cloaked, her body coved in blood. Leader Bai shook at the horrific state of the girl, her hands turning clammy as she stared.

“Bai Lan, is she the prophesized girl?” Leader Ku asked in confusion. The girl before him looked nothing like what he expected. Covered in blood and dirt, with her face veiled and a sword in hand, the figure before him looked like a street rat then the hope of the tribes.

But before he could open his mouth to make a snarky remark, Bai Lan got on her knees and gingerly gathered the battered girl.

“She is severely injured. We need to get her treated before her condition deteriorates any further.”

“Bai Lan, are you sure she’s the one!? Well, actually, forget about that. For now, let’s just concentrate on getting her treated. There’s a place nearby where we can take her.”

Then turning, he addressed his group of Jinn Hunters.

“Everyone, let’s move. We need to get to the nearest stronghold before the fall of the Dark Moon.”

“Yes, Leader!”

And the group of Jinn Hunters raced against time as the sun moved under the horizon.

*

Crown Prince Lail returned to the Bansi Village in great anxiety and nervous thrill. He leaped off Black Serpent and strode into the thinning crowd.

Night was about to descend, and natives of the Bansi Village felt anything but secure and safe under the shadow of the impending gloom. Once night time arrived, no one in the Bansi Village stayed outside.

“Hurry, hurry! Wrap up the shop!”

“Yes, the light is fading. We need to wrap up and clear this place before the descent of darkness.”

“I got too much stuff to carry today. To make it home on time, I’ll have to leave the rest of my stock here.”

With anxious expressions and hurried steps, the villagers closed their stalls and headed home.

Before the magical beasts and vile creatures made their appearance, they had to find shelter and secure their safety.

Crown Prince Lail frowned. It was only now that he realized the folly of his behavior.

When he separated from Laila, he had immediately raced to the Laining City to prepare for his departure back to the Mistland Academy. He wanted to master his new elemental energy and prepare for the Seven Academies competition.

If Laila was similarly going to attend the Seven Academies competition, then she would also race to the Laining City to prepare for departure. In that case, she was more likely to be found in the Laining City than the Bansi Village.

“In the heat of excitement, I lost my senses. Considering Laila’s assertiveness, she would’ve probably reached Laining City by now. If so, I only succeeded in wasting time and energy by rushing here without thought.”

His gaze lifted to the sky, and as if he could see her golden pupils in the awning darkness, a smile surfaced on his face.

“But I have yet to confirm if Laila is Qamari. What if the two turn out to be two different individuals?” He was anxious.

The two women he felt something for, if they turned out to be one and the same, then he couldn’t be any happier. But if they turned out to be different…

No, Laila and Qamari are one and the same. I feel it in my heart and my heart can’t be wrong!

His eyes turned thoughtful as he looked in the direction of the black shield.

“Since I’m already here, I might as well check out that place. It would be great if I find her, if not…”

Then he would just have to wait until the Seven Academies Competition to confirm his doubt.

Crown Prince Lail gathered his elemental energy to the bottom of his soles and flashed into the distance. Although he felt anxious and wanted to meet Laila right away, he knew that if she left already, there was nothing he could do.

If she already reached the Laining City, then she might already be on her way back to her academy.

A long while later, Crown Prince Lail appeared in the Bansi Village streets with a female in his arms. From her bloodied clothes and bloodless face, it was evident the girl had encountered a misfortune.

“Senior Brother, thank you for helping me. But I don’t think I’ve seen you in the academy before. May I know your name? I’ll be sure to properly thank you once I recover.” The girl’s voice sounded weak and fragile under the cover of the night. Her pale countenance and bright eyes were charming enough to stir any man’s heart.

But the man carrying the girl didn’t so much as look down to admire the beauty in his arms. His gruesome mask covered his expression, but anyone with a bit of a sixth sense could perceive he wasn’t in a good mood.

Crown Prince Lail hadn’t found the woman he was looking for. Instead, he encountered a student from the Mistland Academy surrounded by a pack of wild beasts. Taking the fact they were from the same academy into consideration, he went up and saved the injured apprentice.

But what he didn’t expect was the female gaining another injury on top of her old one, making it impossible for her to move. Left with no choice, he carried her back.

“There’s no need for you to thank you. We’re students from the same Academy and helping you didn’t take too much effort on my part.”

“But how will that do? Senior brother, I have no other way to express my gratitude. The least I can do is thank you sincerely.”

“I said there’s no need, so there’s no need.” Seeing a stall beside a deserted roadside shop, Crown Prince Lail carried the girl over and sat her on the bench.

“I can’t carry you all the way to Laining City. It isn’t appropriate. Here are some Healing and Blood Replenishing potions. Take them for three days and you’ll be good enough to travel on your own. Then, if you’ll excuse me.” Crown Prince Lail turned, leaving before the girl could respond.

The girl lowered her head, a strange expression on her face as she looked at the potions in her hands. Then, raising her head back up, she gazed at the man’s receding back.

“Brother Lail, is that you?” Su Rui’s eyes filled with tears and she crumbled into shuddering sobs.

“Brother Lail…”

If she hadn’t heard his voice up close, she would’ve never recognized him. The man she loved had come to save her. Even though her heart ached as she watched him leave, there was nothing she could do to stop him.

He belonged to another woman.

At this thought, another round of shuddering sobs rocked through her body, and Su Rui couldn’t tell if it was fate that he happened to be the one to save her or just a mere coincidence.

But whatever the case, she was glad he was the one to appear in her moment of despair.

“I couldn’t find Laila. It seems I’ll have to wait until the academy competitions to see her again.” Then, I’ll know if she is my wife, Princess Qamari.

Eyes brimming with a radiant light, Crown Prince Lail raced back to the Laining City. He still had to return to the academy and prepare for the meeting with his wife…

*

Bai Lan rushed into the shack house of the herbalist, her face flushed from exertion and anxiety.

“Healer, please. Come and see this patient. Come and see her…she lost too much blood.” She laid the unconscious girl on the bed and hurried to the old healer’s side, dragging her to the cot.

“What’s wrong with the patient? Did she fall from a high place, get injured by a magical beast, or got hurt in a confrontation?”

“Healer, she confronted a difficult enemy. But healer, I’m sure nothing will happen to her as long as you administer treatment. She didn’t come into this world to die before accomplishing her task. So, please help her.”

“I can’t profess to be omnipotent. But I’ll do my best in healing your friend. Please, step aside. I’ll check her condition.”

“But she’s…”

Right at this moment, Leader Ku entered the shack.

“Healer, please do your best to save her. No matter what happens, you must save her.” Walking over to Bai Lan, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

“Bai Lan, if you cling to the healer’s side like this, then how will she concentrate on your special girl. You want her to get better, don’t you?”

“Yes…”

“Then let’s not get in the healer’s way and allow her to do her job.”

Bai Lan’s shoulder’s sunk and she slowly nodded.

She understood the Jinn Hunter Leader’s meaning, but she felt too anxious to remain still and do nothing. The girl’s pale countenance and tightly pressed lips made her restless.

She turned and walked out of the tent.

The sky was dull, the sun long sunk into the horizons as fierce gales blew and slashing sounds of raising tides resonated.

These were the early signs of the Dark Moon’s ascent.

“Dad, I found her. I found her before the Dark Moon but….will she remain to fulfill her prophesized duty?”