The Wishing Game

Chapter 31

THIRTY-ONE

"H ow are you feeling? Are you all right?" I ask as we walk farther into the forest.

His features are tense as he sweeps his gaze across the lush foliage, his mind attuned to danger.

"Fine," he answers in a clipped tone.

"Are you sure? Your muscles are a bit tight," I murmur as I pat his straining biceps.

"This is the twenty-fourth time you have asked me in the last twenty minutes. That is more than once per minute, human," he adds drily, easily waltzing us around more of the incoming arrows.

We've been shot at countless times so far. Whenever we advance a little, more traps are triggered, shooting those venomous arrows at us.

Ze is in control, however, as he senses the motion and is able to dodge each one. Although I feel safe with him, I'm still a little worried.

"But your eyes are still purple," I mention in a small voice.

He gives me a side glance, his eyes glinting a deep purple. It's almost as if they have a life of their own, the color swirling from light to dark and back to light.

"I am fine ," he grunts, pulling me by the hand into his arms and twirling us around as a flurry of incoming arrows pass by us.

"If you say so..." I grumble.

He rolls his eyes.

We walk another hour or so before Ze suddenly stops, placing his finger against his lips and motioning for me to be quiet.

I give him a nod, watching as he orients himself around, his narrowed eyes taking in his surroundings. His ears perk up as he turns sharply to the right. Before I can ask what's going on, he grabs me in his arms, jumping up just as more arrows are dispatched toward our direction.

Yet this is different.

Whereas before the arrows had come from booby traps, now they're being handled by people. Three men come out from the rich foliage, all dressed in green camouflage suits and fitted with weapons from head to toe.

"Finally, they reveal themselves," Ze mutters, tightening his hold on me. "You will do what I tell you," he commands.

Since it's not the time to argue with him, I nod.

Jumping around the trees with me in his arms, he evades every incoming arrow while managing to confuse the men with his swift movements. When he's satisfied that they've lost track of him, he quietly lands a few meters away from the clearing, depositing me in a hidden spot in the bushes. The forest is teeming with rich trees and mid-sized bushes, making it the perfect spot to hide—but also to ambush someone.

"Do not come out until I tell you to," he whispers.

His gaze lingers a moment over my features before he disappears from my sight.

A sudden noise erupts from the clearing, and I move forward on my knees, pushing some of the foliage away to make a small hole through which I can see what's happening.

Ze is in the middle as the three men circle him, their bows and arrows raised to strike. My heart is in my throat as I watch helplessly, cursing myself for my weakness.

Until now, I'd made peace with my human condition, counting myself blessed for the fact that my teammates could help me advance in the competition. Somehow, I'd thought that the strength of my conviction was enough to get me ahead. But I never counted on the uselessness I'm feeling now.

I could be helping him. Instead, I'm just hiding in the bushes, only able to look on as Ze risks his life for a plant only I need. Cer and Thea, too, are taking unnecessary risks for me.

I bite my lip in frustration. If only I could be of more use to them...

Ze removes his sword from his scabbard, the stark white a contrast to the black of his clothes and the green of the forest. Holding it with one hand, he waves it around as he focuses his attention on one of the men. And when they least expect it, he strikes.

His movements are sharp and brisk. It's almost as if he's one with his sword as he reaches his opponent in two steps. Dodging an arrow from behind, he increases the momentum of the shot by using his sword to hit the arrow back to the sender. The pointy end hits one of the men in the leg. His knees buckle as he falls to the ground, his previously light countenance becoming a deep blue. In just a matter of seconds, he stops breathing.

A gasp escapes me just as I slap my hand over my mouth.

When Ze had said the venom was potent... This is on a level I've never seen before. It acts so fast that you're dead within seconds of being hit.

"Please be careful," I whisper, my heart in my throat.

One hit.

That's all it takes for him to die.

Just one hit.

Ze slowly lifts his head up, the wind blowing his hair to the side as his purple eyes connect with mine. As if he heard my words, his lips curl up in a self-assured smirk.

"Watch out," I yell before I can stop myself.

One of the other men is aiming at him, his fingers pulling on the string of the bow, ready to send the arrow flying.

Ze's lip twitches before he disappears, only to reappear like a flash of light in front of the man. He wields his sword confidently, and in one smooth movement, both man and bow are cut in half.

Red blood spills onto the ground, together with other bodily liquids that mix in the middle, pooling around the leftover bone and flesh.

I take a deep breath. He's got this . I nod to myself.

As he finally turns his attention to the last one standing, another two men appear from behind.

My eyes widen.

But if that wasn't enough, something else is coming.

It all starts with the noise.

The sound of branches cracking and leaves whooshing. Then there's the echo of the birds flying out in the distance, their habitats destroyed by something enormous. The ground, too, trembles with its approach. I barely balance myself on my hands as I'm thrust forward by the quaking of the forest.

The men don't seem surprised.

Ze's features are hard to read, but he must be expecting the worst as he assumes a rigid stance.

After a few moments, the beast that disturbed the forest finally appears, leaving behind a deep trail in its wake.

It slithers closer to the clearing, its big body breaking through the green fence before it finally makes its appearance.

It's blue.

That's the first thing I notice. A combination of dark and light blue, the former on its back while the latter is on its front. Sixty to seventy percent of its body is that of a serpent, the inside of its skin marred by reptilian rings that spread from its belly to its sprawling tail that stretches for meters in the back—so much so I cannot even see where it ends. The upper part of its body is humanoid, or as close as possible to the appearance of a humanoid bar the blue skin.

Its abdomen ripples with strength as it flexes its muscular arms. Its mouth opens on a loud screech, two sharp teeth glinting dangerously.

That is...that must be the naga with the deadly venom.

Oh God!

Ze could handle the arrows, but can he handle the raw source of the venom?

My body trembles as anxiety builds inside of me. Fear engulfs me as my fight or flight response is activated. The logical move would be to run—save myself. But how could I ever do that to Ze? How could I abandon him when he's fighting for me ?

The men align themselves to one side, forming a three-man formation, while the naga positions itself on the other side, trapping Ze between them.

"Ze..." I whisper, worried for him. He might be strong, but that venom... I don't even want to imagine what would happen to him if he got hit.

The naga releases a loud howl before it uses its tail to strike at Ze. He easily evades the blow, but I belatedly realize he wasn't the target in the first place.

A strangled cry is wrenched from me as the end of the tail wraps tightly around my midriff. The hold is bordering on painful as it restricts my breathing. Without warning, it yanks me out of the bushes and into the clearing, throwing me into the trunk of a tree. I yelp aloud as I fly through the air.

I squeeze my eyes shut as I expect the pain to ripple into my insides. An impact like that would surely break my bones...

But instead of excruciating pain, I'm met with softness, familiar hands gripping me firmly.

Slowly, I open my eyes and notice the trail Ze's feet left on the ground as he got dragged by the sheer momentum of the throw when he caught me. He used his body as a shield to ensure I didn't get hurt. But what about him?

"Are you okay?" I ask in an alarmed voice.

His cheek twitches, the purple in his eyes becoming a deeper, more pronounced shade.

"I am fine. They? They are not fine," he spits out.

Placing me carefully by his side, he scans me from head to toe to ensure I am not hurt before turning his attention back to his opponents. The change in his expression is immediate—just as it is frightening. His gaze on me is soft, concerned. But as he stares down the enemies, he transforms into the epitome of a deadly warrior.

His hand is on his sword, and just as I've seen him before, he trails two fingers from the top of the sword to the tip. The touch awakens some type of magic as the sword starts glowing a strange light—one that is similar to the new shade of his eyes.

"Stay back," he orders.

I don't get to reply as he vanishes from my side. No one gets to blink, and he's suddenly in front of the three men, their heads dropping to the ground before they can even think to engage their bows and arrows. Blood splashes onto the ground, the green leaves, and Ze's tense features. It splatters across his cheeks and forehead, dripping lower down his neck and onto his clothes.

His eyes flare, the color glowing.

"W-w-what a-a-re y-y-you?" the naga asks in a booming hiss.

Ze smirks.

"What do you think?"

Then he's gone again, appearing midair in front of the naga and wielding his sword, ready for attack. My lips quiver with optimism. If he so easily dispatched the others, this naga shouldn't be a problem, right?

But my smile quickly falls apart as the naga opens its mouth, the hiss becoming a shrilling cry that makes the entire forest tremble. It sweeps the grass and everything in its path away, advancing like a hurricane. Ze's thrust backward before he disappears again, unable to withstand the marauding wind.

I grasp onto the tree trunk with my arms, holding on to it so I'm not hurled away by the sheer force of the naga's roar.

"I have you," Ze murmurs in my ear as he appears behind me. He wraps his arm around my waist, keeping me in place.

Despite the power of the wind coming from the naga's mouth, Ze stands strong, his feet firmly planted on the ground.

My hair flies to the side, my ears ringing from the velocity of the air.

"Hold on to me," he whispers, his voice lulling me to safety.

I swallow hard, fisting my hands into the material of his shirt and holding on to him tightly.

"Can we win this?" I ask in a small voice.

"Do you doubt me?" he fires back, his voice amused.

"No, but?—"

"No buts. Do you see the rings on its stomach?" he inquires as he moves us out of the destructive path of the wind.

I nod.

"A naga's weakness is the eleventh ring."

"Oh," I murmur weakly.

"Do not worry about me, human. I will be fine. But you..." he trails off.

My lashes flutter in question as I lean back to study his features.

"Me?"

"You need to stay put. I can only focus if I know you are safe," he states firmly.

"Oh. Okay." I wet my lips. "I can do that."

The corners of his lips curl up.

"Good." He smirks as he flashes us again, this time depositing me behind a couple of trees out of the naga's sight.

"I shall be back soon." He winks. And with that, he's gone from my side, only to appear in front of the naga once more. The serpent is still blowing wind from its mouth, doing its best to aim for Ze. But it's in vain because nothing seems to rattle him.

Ze skillfully cuts through the wind with his sword, steadily gaining distance. The naga's mouth closes briefly—presumably to rest—and Ze takes advantage of it to appear right in front of its belly, slashing a long line through the light blue tissue.

I quickly count the rings, hoping he got the eleventh one. But just as blue blood pours out of the wound, the naga opens its mouth again, this time the sound becoming a screeching noise of pain mixed with anger. Ze is about to strike again when the naga coils its tail, lashing out. Ze flashes out, appearing at another side, only for the naga to aim for him again. It goes on for minutes on end, and I wonder why Ze won't just go for the kill.

It's only when I catch a small glimpse of his features as he's baiting the naga that I realize why he's taking his time.

He's enjoying this.

Just like the previous fight with the foxes or the demon confrontation, he's utterly in his element when he's fighting. He's drawing the fight out on purpose.

The next moment, he gets closer again, cutting through the snake's hide and drawing more of that eerie blue blood.

A smile plays at my lips as I watch him fight like that. He moves as if he were born on the battlefield. Now I realize why he's such a poor conversationalist. He only knows how to speak with his sword.

The naga becomes increasingly more enraged the more Ze evades all its attacks. It swipes its tail back and forth at Ze with increased strength. He jumps over it, under it, to the side, to the other side. His smile widens with each failed blow, a carefree expression painting his features—one I've never seen before. It's almost as if he's using the naga's tail as his personal jumping rope.

I can't believe I was ever worried for him when it seems he's not afraid of anything—not even deadly venom.

Dashing forward, the naga tries to use its wind power at the same time as its tail, but Ze's ability to move in the blink of an eye makes it impossible for the naga to catch him. One second he's in front of it, the next he's in the back, his sword raised high as he cuts half of the naga's tail.

A sharp shrill erupts in the air, and for a moment, I feel bad cheering at someone else's misery. But as Ze gives me a glance, red and blue blood soaking his face, his lips widen in a dashing smile. I find myself returning the smile, excitement building inside of me.

The naga crashes to the ground, rolling around in pain. Ze casually walks to its side, counting the rings with the tip of his sword before cutting another line straight through the naga's body. In just a few seconds, it stops moving, slumping to the ground.

I dash to Ze's side and throw myself in his arms.

"You did it," I exclaim, giggling.

"It was nothing," he mumbles grumpily, but he tightens his arms around me.

"You don't have to be modest," I say as I lean back to look at him.

He's a mess, his face stained with the combined blood of all his opponents.

Pursing my lips, I lift my hoodie, taking my undershirt out of my leggings and tearing a small strip of cloth from the hem. Lifting it up, I dab it around his face, doing my best to clean the residual blood.

Ze stares at me in wonder, utterly still, his purple eyes swirling like a beautiful galaxy.

"Are you always this messy when you fight?" I ask jokingly.

He blinks. Slowly, he shrugs.

"I believe so," he answers gruffly, averting his gaze.

Underneath all that blood and grime, his cheeks are still red, and no matter how much I try to scrub them, the redness won't come off.

"You are not disgusted by me?" he asks in a quiet voice, his eyes on me, unblinking.

"Why should I be?" I raise a brow. "You're a wonderful fighter, and you saved me." I smile, shrugging.

He stares at me.

One second. Two. I lose count of the seconds that pass as he stares at me, never once blinking. My hand stills on his cheek, and I return his regard, curious as to what got his interest.

Slowly—painfully slow—his lips tug up into a hesitant smile. One that is as precious as it is beautiful because it shows a vulnerability in his gaze that I haven't encountered before.

"You are a very odd human," he remarks in the same low, gravelly voice.

"Haven't we already established that?" I chuckle. "Just as you are a very odd...whatever you are," I shoot back, waiting for him to correct me.

"Warrior. I am just a warrior, Luce." He smiles sadly.

It strikes me that this is the first time he hasn't used his title to signal our societal differences—just as he hasn't once been rude or condescending. Who is this Ze?

"We are an odd pair, are we not?" He muses quietly as he places his hand on top of mine, keeping it in place on his cheek.

I blink in surprise, not sure I understand his meaning.

"Ze..."

The rustling of leaves has him on high alert, his eyes regaining the focus from before just in time to pull me to his chest, rotating with me to avert an incoming attack. My heart beats loudly in my chest. I hear his heart beating loudly, the beat in tandem with mine.

Grabbing his sword, he hurls it at the barely moving man on the ground, severing his head.

"I do not want you to panic," he starts in a tight voice.

I frown.

"What do you mean?"

"I... I might have gotten hit."

"You might?" I gasp, immediately jumping out of his arms. I circle around him and sure enough, there's an arrow sticking out of his back.

But...how? How could he have missed the fact that one of the men wasn't dead yet? Unless... It's my fault. I distracted him. Not only did I disturb his focus by rushing to his side, but he also got hurt protecting me.

"Ze... No... Tell me you're immune or something," I plead in a thick voice. He's not yet blue, so maybe that's a sign? The other man had turned blue within seconds.

"I am not immune, but it is not deadly for me, either. I will be fine shortly," he says as he coughs. "My body needs some time to fight off the venom." Reaching back, he pulls the arrow out of his back and throws it to the ground. A little unsteady on his feet, he walks to the dead man, recovers his sword, and places it in his scabbard.

"What do you need me to do?" I offer immediately.

"We need to find shelter for the night. I cannot protect you in this state and I do not know how much longer I have before..." He pauses as he sees my aghast expression.

"Before?" I probe, already frightened by what he's about to say.

"Before I become incapacitated."

"But... But you said you will be fine," I cry out, tears already coating my lashes.

He smiles a sad, weary smile.

"I hope so."

He wheezes and coughs, and my worry mounts. Knowing time is of the essence, I hurry to his side, wrapping my arm around his waist and trying to give him some support as we move forward.

"That way." He points to an unbeaten track. "I remember from the map," he rasps.

I nod. There's no point in arguing with him now.

The vegetation becomes increasingly harder to traverse, the foliage thicker than before. We walk for another thirty minutes before he motions me to the right, down a windy path that gets us out of the thick vegetation and into a rockier environment.

Ze seems to get weaker by the moment, his breathing harsh and pronounced. But every time I ask if he's all right, he tells me he's fine and we should push forward.

It's some ten minutes later that we come to the location he had in mind—a big rock with a hidden opening in the back. How the map would have had this small detail is beyond me, but I don't question it as I help Ze inside the cave-like structure.

It's hidden enough from sight that we should be fine for a while. But the size of it is a little concerning. The mouth of the opening is small—so much so that we both need to get down on our knees to crawl inside.

"Wow," I whisper as we both make it on the other side.

Although the entrance was tiny, the interior is certainly not. The ceiling is high, with a few small holes on each side to let light in.

Ze slumps to the floor, dropping our bag next to him, and gets a sip of water. Leaving him there, I walk around a little, noticing some odd constructions that are certainly not natural. This makes me suspect that the entire rock is some sort of shelter, especially as I find a small pond at the end of the cave that leads into a subterranean river. Getting to my haunches, I put my palms together and take a bit of water to taste.

It's sweet. If we boil it, we might be able to drink it. If Ze's body will be weakened from the venom, then he'll need a lot of hydration.

Spending a bit more time looking around, I find some dusty cloth, some animal bones, and a few containers—signs that someone lived here before.

"We need to make a fire," Ze croaks. He gets to his feet, wobbling toward the center of the cave. We find some materials for the fire, after which Ze teaches me how to light one—in case he will not be able to in the future.

The more he talks, the more anxious I get that this is more serious than he's been making it out to be. Is he dying and he doesn't want to tell me because I might freak out?

As the sparks from the fire flare to life, the cave is inundated with light and warmth. That's when I notice some strange illustrations on the wall of the cave.

"Is that..."

"Language," Ze states. "The language of those who make P'davi their home."

"But you said it's an intermediary realm." I frown.

His lips twitch.

"Precisely. If you are not welcome in your world and if you cannot go to another one, what do you do?"

"You're stuck in limbo."

"Indeed." He coughs.

I hurry to his side, offering him a little more water. Seeing his wan complexion, I place my hand to his forehead, checking his temperature.

My eyes flare open in shock. He's...burning.

"Ze..." I whisper, my voice cracking with pain.

He did this for me—to save me .

He grabs onto my hand, slowly looking up at me, his eyes now a light purple.

"I will be fine," he assures me.

"You better," I sniffle. "You can't die, you hear me?"

A sad smile plays at his lips.

"You know... You are the first person to tell me not to die."

Before I can ask him to clarify what he means by that, his eyes flutter shut, his body slumping against the wall.

"Ze!" I cry out, shaking him.

He doesn't answer.