Cursed Queen: Battle Against Gods

Hachiman

When night came, we landed at the place he mentioned. It was only a small portion of the mountain but it seems to be the only place here that isn't that cold. In fact, snow doesn't fall here.

"Wow..."

"This place is pretty, right?" Karis said proudly as he draped his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah," I replied and shoved his arm away.

There is a small pond and a big oak tree behind it. It looked so pretty, especially under the moonlight. I smiled to myself as I walked around the place. We expected it to look magical and we were right. If only we could stay here for as long as we want...

"Let's set a bonfire up," Karis said and prepared some sticks.

I helped him with it. Since I wanted to practice using the elements, I tried to light it up on my own. I might burn the place up if I overdo it so I only made small sparks. Ah, controlling it isn't that easy! But even so, we were able to create a fire.

Karis took the preserved boar meat out and we started to cook it. I prepared a soup for us while he's roasting the meat. A soup would be good on a chilly night so I figured I should make one for them.

"Is this good enough?" Karis asked after some time.

I shook my head. "No. Wait a little longer."

He looked impatient as he continued to roast it. I chuckled and finished cooking the soup and rice. Karis seems really hungry. Maybe I should tell him to eat ahead of me.

"I'll handle that. You can eat first," I said and took the rod. The fire seems to have gone down a little so I added some.

"No, we should eat together," he said and stubbornly continued to roast the meat with me.

I sighed and just allowed him to do so. Arguing is the last thing I want to happen, especially when the place seems so pretty. After a few more minutes, I noticed that the meat was finally cooked so we started to eat. I also gave Cyrus his share while Koryu left to hunt some magical beasts.

"Is he going to be fine?" I asked hesitantly while watching him fly.

Karis chuckled. "You're seriously going to worry about the former king of the dragons? If he heard you, he would feel humiliated."

"Oh, okay."

I shrugged and continued to eat. After that, we cleaned up. It was a little tiring so we rested first. Koryu came back while we were resting and took a nap. Cyrus climbed up on his back and also went to sleep. Karis was about to follow but I pulled him.

"You seem to be forgetting something?" I raised a brow.

He groaned and pulled me towards a plain ground. "Okay, okay. Go over there and put your hands on the ground. Feel the energy that's being released from the ground. It might take a while but you have to be patient. Just focus."

"Okay." I took a deep breath and did what he said.

Energy...

What kind of energy am I supposed to feel? Honestly, I couldn't feel anything. But so far, everything he told me was right. And...I trust him. So I believed what he said and tried to focus. As I tried to find the 'energy' that he's talking about, I felt life. It was as if there was life beneath the ground.

'Please lend me your power...' As I whispered those words in my mind, I felt power gushing within me. It was as if a life was planted within me. It felt refreshing and somewhat calmed my heart.

The moment I opened my eyes, I saw flowers growing from where I placed my hands. The flowers bloomed beautifully and it made me smile. This element is probably one that puts a smile on the user's face. How beautiful...

"You see, the earth element is the most beautiful and emotional of all. It represents the user's feelings. That flower right there..." he trailed off and touch the white rose that bloomed. "It shows how pure your feelings are."

He smiled and bopped my nose. I wrinkled it, which made him let out a chuckle. He stood up properly and yawned. Oh, he's probably tired from everything. He's been teaching me lots of things since we started the journey. Also, it's been a long day so I should allow him to have a long rest.

"Let's sleep now," I said.

I stood up and shook the dirt off my clothes. Karis tried to help me wipe the dirt from my legs but I glared at him. I created a ball of fire in my hand and threatened him with it.

"Whoa! I was just messing with you. No need to be so mad," he said with a mocking grin on his face.

"You are so annoying," I said and made my way towards Koryu's foot.

His body is warm so it will help us sleep better. I lied down there but it was not comfortable at all. The ground is so hard but I am already used to it. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

"Hey, wait! Wake up!" Karis said and shook my shoulders.

I opened my eyes and pushed him away. He chuckled when he saw how annoyed I look. Sooner or later, a punch will land on his face. How annoying.

I rolled my eyes. "What now?"

"You'll be able to sleep comfortably if you make a bed of dahlias. You know, the flower."

"Why would I bother? I can sleep like this," I said and pointed at the ground.

"I'm not. Now do it."

He seems stubborn. I rolled my eyes and checked our things. I glared at him when I found a fluffy blanket. He smiled awkwardly and looked away. I thought he checked our things, but he's so stupid! He even forgot to do that.

"Here," I said as I fixed his blanket.

He pursed his lips as he watched me put his blanket beside mine. My brows furrowed. What's his problem? He's been acting weird as if he has a big problem. I stood up and crossed my arms. He looked away when he saw my expression.

"Karis, what's wrong?" I asked, a little worried.

He took a deep breath and turned his back on me. "Sorry. I'm just...having weird thoughts..." he murmured.

I blinked a few times. Weird thoughts? Is he...scared? But what is he scared of? I know that he's a grown man and that he's strong but...I think I should help him out. Maybe he's afraid of getting nightmares.

"Weird thoughts? Why? Maybe I can help you get rid of them."

"Stop lusting over Her Majesty, Karis!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

I looked around and saw Cyrus standing up. Oh, it's just Drake. But what did he say...? My eyes widened and I looked at Karis who was covering his face with his hands. I hesitantly tapped his back and he flinched. Oh my gosh.

"Hey...are you serious?" I asked.

He heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry..."

"What do you want me to do?"

"What the hell?!" Drake shouted but it's not like he can do anything.

Karis groaned. "Nothing. Just sleep. I'll take care of this."

"But I know that I can help-"

He held both of my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "No. Go back there. You can sleep."

I pouted and went back to my blanket. It took me a few minutes to realize what I did. Oh, s**t. When did I become so lustful?! And to Karis of all people! But...he was the one who started it. It's not like I actually wanted to do it with him. I was just trying to help him.

"Please don't engage in such activities with your servant, Milady," Drake said in such a stern tone.

I chuckled. "Stop being jealous, Drake."

He went silent, probably embarrassed. He stopped relaying messages after I saw through him. I chuckled and decided to just go to sleep since I really got tired. Karis is probably trying to take care of 'it' so I didn't look for him anymore.

Suddenly, I woke up in a completely different place. There was a grave in front of me and I seem to be in the middle of a lake. But...I wasn't here before. I was just with Karis and the two dragons. Where are they?! I looked around but there was nothing else. It was just me and the grave.

I fell on both knees and I couldn't breathe properly. Someone held my chin and made me lookup. I was scared but I saw a gentle face of a person. He was wearing a white yukata and his hair was as white as snow. He had such a gentle touch and it helped me calm down.

"Who are you?" I asked, still panting.

Damn, I thought I was about to die. I tried to catch my breath. He smiled at me when he noticed that I have finally calmed down. His smiles were really gentle, as well as his features. I noticed that feathers were falling so I looked at his back. Is he...an angel?

"I am the fallen god, Hachiman. I died here so the people buried me on that exact place where I died," he said.

I stared at his face. "Hachiman...?"

He nodded. "I see...a curse has been inlaid upon you."

My eyes widened. "Do you know anything about this curse? Help me..." I begged.

All I wanted was a normal life. I just wanted to continue living. Oh, the heavens must have forsaken me. Why do I always encounter misfortunes? I never wanted any of this but now...I have to put up with everything.

Tears fell from my eyes. Hachiman gently wiped my tears but I kept on weeping. I was trying to ignore the fact that I'm being forced to do all of these but after seeing the people of this world...I can't help but feel bad for them. They never wanted to live like this but...so do I.

"It's okay. You can cry. You have been through so much," he whispered and embraced me in his arms.

It felt so comforting so I continued to cry on his chest. He caressed my hair while I complained like a kid. I don't know what he did but I just found myself crying my eyes out. He wiped my face after I calmed down.

"Flare, I regret to tell you this but there isn't a way to lift that curse. Because if you try to get rid of it...it will destroy you and this world. However, as long as you are strong enough...it will work in your favor. That is why...you have to keep getting stronger. Take the throne for yourself. That way, you will be able to keep your curse from turning this world upside down."

I bit my lower lip and looked down. Why did this happen to me? Is this karma for killing a lot of people? Why does it have to be me? It's not like I want to do all of that. Why do I always have to suffer...?

"Flare, lift your head. You are a queen. You will get through this..." he said and gently patted my head.

Tears continued falling. I don't think I have ever cried this much. Everything just feels so heavy. It feels like I'm carrying the whole world behind my back. So many times...I have thought about ending it. But what about all the hopes and expectations that have been thrown upon me?

I can't crush those. They are desperately fighting to save the people of Plaisiria. Who am I to trample on that? That's why I'll just suck it all up and do what needs to be done. It's not like I have a choice anyway...

I wiped my tears and stood up. I am now a goddess, a queen. A queen must keep her head up. And that's what I'm going to do.

Hachiman smiled at me when he saw how determined I look. If I'm going to do this, I can't just half-ass it. As always, I will do my best to succeed.

"Good luck, Little Flare..." he whispered.

"Flare! Flare, wake up!"

I woke up and saw Karis's worried face. He was tapping my cheek and he seems like he was about to cry. Relief washed over his face when he saw me opening my eyes.

"What's wrong...?" I asked and got up.

He caressed my cheek. "Are you okay? You were crying. I was so worried..."

I held my cheek and they were wet. Oh. I thought I only cried in that dream. Karis seems so concerned and scared. I chuckled and ruffled his hair. For some reason, I found it cute.

"Why? Flare, tell me. Are you really okay?" he asked and checked if I have a fever by touching my forehead.

I chuckled. "Yes. Thank you for worrying about me but I'm really okay now."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"It wasn't a nightmare. Don't worry about it. Come on, let's cook our breakfast."

He wasn't convinced but he didn't press further. Instead, he stood up and helped me prepare our food. There was some leftover rice from last night so we decided to eat it for breakfast.

"I'll fry it."

His eyes widened. "What? You will fry the rice?"

Oh. I guess they don't know what fried rice is. I chuckled and fried it anyways. Maybe I should make an omurice? We have some eggs here so I should be able to make one. I smiled to myself and started cooking.

"What is that? It looks so strange..." he complained.

I chuckled. "Shh. Trust me. This will be delicious. I often cook this for myself back in my old world. Don't worry, I'm a really good cook."

He was still suspicious of the dish that I'm making but he stayed quiet and watched me cook it. Cyrus also watched me while Koryu left again, probably to hunt some magical beasts for breakfast.

"I thought magical beasts are poisonous?" I asked curiously.

"No animal in this world is poisonous to the king of dragons. Don't worry about it. He's used to eating magical beasts anyways. Drake always sets them free in this mountain so that they can hunt for food."

"Oh, that's why he seems so used to this place," I replied. "The dragons are indeed fascinating beings."

Karis frowned. "How about me? You never say something good about me!" he complained like a child.

I laughed because of his silliness. "I never even said anything about Drake! It's the dragons that I find fascinating."

"But he's a dragon! And I'm a deer!"

He's acting like a child again. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling. I can't believe that he's the former leader of The Zodiacs. This...silly man in front of me? I mean, he looks buffed and he seems strong...especially when he's in his deer form. But he's always acting like this so it's a little hard to believe.

"Okay, what do you want to hear?" I teased.

He frowned more. "You can't even compliment me? Really?"

I shook my head, smiling a little. "You're good-looking, strong, and amazing."

"Oh-ho? You've finally acknowledged how handsome I am, huh?" He smirked.

His behavior is somewhat amusing. If I say no, he'll probably start sulking again. How adorable, makes me want to baby him. But his ego won't be able to take that. I smiled and nodded at him. My compliment really made him happy, it shows on his face.

The moment I finished making omurice, I served it to him like a maid. He shook his head while laughing because of what I did. He looks more handsome when he's smiling genuinely.

"Stop that. You're a queen, okay?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. Cyrus was waiting so I gave him his breakfast before placing mine on a plate. Karis didn't start eating until I sat beside me. He really waited for me to start eating before doing the same. It may be a trivial matter but it made me happy.

He took a bite and I watched his reaction. I saw him smile as he chowed the food down. Ah, he's seriously like a kid. It makes me want to take care of him instead of treating him as a servant. I chuckled and finished eating, too.

"How is it?" I asked.

He smiled. "It's so good! I have a new favorite dish now."

"I'm glad."

I patted his head and stood up so I can clean up. He helped me get rid of them. We got a whole bag of trash so we fed them to the magical beasts. They're scared of Koryu now so they're not going to attack us anymore.

"Are we heading straight to the other side of the mountain now?" Karis asked and looked at the sky.

"Wait."

I made a white rose using my newly learned ability. He was as white as snow so I figured that a white rose would fit him. There was a big rock by the oak tree. It's probably his grave so I placed the rose there and clasped my hands together and prayed for him.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"What did you do?" Karis asked with furrowed brows and tried to peek at the tree.

"It was Hachiman's grave," I said and pulled him by the hand.

"Who?" he asked, his brows were furrowed.

I looked at him and cupped his cheeks. He was surprised but what I did. Makes me want to tease him. I know that I need to control myself but I can't help it. He's so fun to mess with. That's probably how he feels when he's messing with me. How amazing.

"Come on, why's my servant getting all jealous?" I teased.

"I am not! I'm just curious. You're suddenly talking about a guy I don't know. And there's no one else here expect us..." he denied.

It was obvious, though. His voice and face gave it away. Hm...what's made him feel this way? I kind of get it but I don't want to admit it. We're obviously more than just servant and master but I think we should keep it at that. This is honestly strange. But after interacting with a lot of people after getting my emotions back, I have learned what they are. Especially after spending a lot of time with Karis, I have gotten used to them and learned a lot.

"Hachiman is the name of the fallen god. I met him in my dream."

His mouth went agape. "You dreamed of another man?"

I flashed a mocking grin. "What? Another man? Why? Am I supposed to dream of you only?"

He clenched his jaw. It seems like he wants to say something but he can't say it. He looked me in the eye. I noticed that there were dark circles under his eyes. He was staring at me intently but after some time, he looked away. His face flushed red and it seems like he remembered something. I smirked when I realized what it was.

"Did you...dream of me?" I drawled.

He looked away and took our things. "Let's go."

I bit my lip and stopped teasing him. I don't want this to lead to something we'll regret. It's obvious that we shouldn't do something like that. Well...it's not like I want to do it. He probably wants to but that would not be appropriate since I'm a 'divine being'.

He covered it with a bag when he helped me climb up on Koryu's back. I looked away because I felt bad for him. It's my fault for teasing him but I can't even help him.

"You two, seriously..."

It was Drake. I pursed my lips and looked around. We're still humans with desires. And besides, it's not something he can control.

"You should really stop teasing him, Milady. I know that it amuses you but it's dangerous to mate with a member of The Zodiac."

My jaw fell. "What?!"

"You see if a male member of the twelve mates with another...the person is guaranteed to get pregnant. If that happens, that member will die and pass his position as a member of The Zodiac to his future child. As for female members, they would die after giving birth."

My brows furrowed. "Has this happened before?" I asked, suspicious of him.

I heard him sigh heavily. "Every once in a blue moon, a very powerful god is born. That God has to choose his twelve servants and give a portion of their power to the twelve. Bythos is the third god that was born under that circumstance. This has happened before under the previous generation."

I pursed my lips. "Okay, I'll be careful." I looked at Karis. "You better be careful too!"

He nodded and looked away. How is he so submissive and docile at times but annoying most of the time? I shook my head and focused in front.

"Karis can't die. Neither can you, Milady. Take care..."