The Princess And The Lord

Arthea was jolted from her bed with her forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat, she froze while surprised by the loud sound that turn out her own beating heart, she swept her gaze around her surroundings before noticing she was in her own bedroom.

Arthea took a deep breath to calm her heart first before she wrapped herself with a knitted shawl and stepped out of her bedroom.

When she came out she was surprised to find Cavio sitting on the floor right in front of the furnace, Arthea then sat next to her brother.

"You awake?" asked Cavio, while throwing firewood to the furnace.

"Hm, you can't sleep either?" Arthea answered softly, while hugging her knees her eyes stared at the fire slowly burning the firewood.

"Demian peed, I couldn't sleep after I changed his clothes" Cavio complain.

Arthea listened to him and chuckled "You're the one who insisted he sleep with you tonight"

"Yeahh..." Cavio sighed helplessly because there was no one to blame.

Demian doesn't actually have a room although Cavio puts a crib in his bedroom but most of the time Demian sleeps with his sister but lately he has been insisting on sleeping with his son at night maybe because he is busy training his 'gift' he has very little time with his son during the day so he missed his son.

"Cavi…" Arthea whispered.

"Hmm..."

"You remember you said that Lazarus would stop at nothing until he got what he wanted" Her calm voice conveyed concern.

"….." Cavio's movements stopped, his expression becoming tense.

Arthea rested her chin on her knees her whole expression gradually becoming heavy "I saw blood, I see the death of many-many people...then a pair of yellow snake eyes glowing in the darkness...you know, Lazarus once told me that he was originally born as a black snake and then the gods gave him a human form as compensation for his sacrifice..."

"You said he does not allow to interfere with the lives of the people in the world he guards, is that mean he found a way to circumvent the gods' restriction..." The corners of cavio's eyes crinkled with worry.

"Apparently so…" gloom etched on Arthea's face.

Meanwhile, Cavio was immersed in his thought, even when he had expected this from the beginning yet he was dumbfounded by the news.

Cavio glanced at the bedroom where Demian was asleep then he turned his eyes back to the furnace while listening to Arthea's mutterings.

"I don't understand, he used to be so kind, warm, innocent in a way...he often reminds me of a young child but how could he...so many deaths, because of me!" the visions she saw in his dream made her blood run cold she wished it was just a bad dream, unfortunately, it was real she knew this is the way of god's to warn her of what will come.

"He is indeed akin to a child throwing a tantrum when he can't get what he wants but the problem is he possesses godlike powers and combined that with the mind of a young child and what you got is a recipe for disaster, unfortunately, his feelings for you only make things worse. .."

"I should have realizes perhaps I did...it just that...." Arthea swallowed her next words as there was no use to explain anyway.

"It doesn't matter, it is what it is and it's useless for us to regret what happened, what we can do now is try to overcome this problem," Cavio said with a firm determination.

Arthea pursed her lips knowing everything cavio said was true, rather than cover up her mistake she would rather think about how to fix it, she couldn't let Lazarus go any further than this there might still be a chance to wake him up even if the chance was very small but he had to try.

"So when did he come?" Cavio issues the most important question.

Arthea took a moment then said "Three more days when the full moon turns blood red...he came when the blood moon rose"

There was a steady calm in cavio's eyes, there was no fear, anxiety, or even excitement only resolution flashed in his purple eyes, Cavio then rubbed his hands together in a serious voice he said: "Then we shall be ready..."

Arthea looked at his brother feeling grateful and relief having him by her side cause even before they were blessed with the 'gift' from God, it was always her brother's perseverance that keep giving her hope, therefore she was sure as long as she have her there's nothing she afraid of.

Arthea leans her head on her brother's shoulder, Cavio then strokes her head "Everything is gonna be okay, sister" he softly comforts her.

"I hope so…" Arthea closes her eyes wishing for the Gods to show them the way…including Lazarus.

Three days before the appointed time Cavio sent his men out of the village to a hidden path that led to a giant moth cave which was quite far from their village, the place was chosen because there was a large enough spring and a flat surface for people to build tents to stay that way. the villagers could stay there for at least a few days until it was safe.

At first, his subordinates who had quite strong 'Gifted' power wanted to go with Cavio but Cavio convinced them that it was better for them to stay protecting the villagers like when he fought with Byroft back then, isn't he come back alive, besides Arthea would come with him.

Actually, Cavio wanted Arthea to stay with the village people but Arthea reminded him that Lazarus will be searching for her therefore her presence among the villagers would only harm them and so Demian so it's better for her to go with him, having no other way Cavio reluctantly agreed.

Before they go Cavio and Arthea said goodbye to Demian who was now reach a year old, however, the little boy cries his heart out refusing to let them go.

In the end, Arthea pecks the boy's forehead in order to use her power to force Demian to sleep only so Cavio and Arthea could leave even though with heavy hearts.

The last day approached and midnight soon befell follow by the cold wind blowing away her cheeks it swept away the rosy color of her lips, and soon after the snow began to fall adding to the pile of snow that was already high. In the empty village, the night grew colder than it used to be even breathing became slightly painful.

"The full moon has turned red," said Cavio next to her.

Arthea stared at the full moon with its glowing red light making it seem like a harbinger of impending doom. He knew the time had come even though he hoped this day would never come, unfortunately, this day was inevitable.

Arthea raised her hands and a transparent dome covered them like a protective shield afterward the gray clouds begin to swirl massively and Lightning cracked the sky with blinding light as if trying to split the sky but then a rumbling sounds come and a small black dot appeared in the sky and it grew wider-and wider as if the sky is torn apart then it turns into a giant vortex.

Cavio undeterred his expression remained calm and steady like the surface of the pond then he clenched his fist and the divine sword appeared in his grip, meanwhile sadness clouded arthea face, she wondered if it was not too late to change his mind, this time she would do whatever he wanted.

A black smoke struck Arthea's barrier causing her barrier to letting out a cracking sound a moment later the barrier shattered into pieces than from inside the vortex an enormous black snake emerged.

"Lazarus, why…" Arthea's face contorted and she shook her head in utter grief.

Cavio didn't waste his time, he swiftly took a long jump while pointing his sword at the black snake but the big snake dodged swiftly apart from its large body and almost entangled Cavio's body but with he nimbly dodged then climbed the snake's body while scratching his sword into the body as he runs but the snake but the snake's scales was like iron even the god's sword did not have much effect instead it made the snake even more aggressive and in an instant, another fierce battle commence.