A KISS OF RAGE AND FIRE

FIVE

Just as she thought, the oasis is nearby but far enough from where they left the wraith. She moaned as she felt the water hugging her body. She had removed her clothing and left only her undergarments as she enjoyed the cold water of the oasis. After all the rolling she did on the sand, it was refreshing to soak in the water. She's certain it was the case for Marceline too as she could see her enjoying her own pleasure with the water. 

The oasis was not too big. It was like a basin, with palm and peach trees surrounding the vicinity. The herd of water horses is resting on the opposite side of the water basin. Their buckets are already full of water. And they still have time before dinner. Given how fast the water horses are, they can get in time. 

Hindi niya mapigilang magtaka para saan and tubing an kukunin nila. She has never been fond of studying Assassin culture and traditions.

"Is this water medicinal or something?" she asked Marceline. The latter opened one of her eyes and gave her a sideward glance.

"I think so. The Master uses them to make medicine."

"Innovative," she merely commented. Hindi niya alam na may ganoon palang gamit and tubig doon. But then, as she feels her body relaxing in the cold water, she had to admit maybe there is something in this water that is useful to make medicines. 

"Unlike the Faeries, we, the Assassins, you, and the other races couldn't heal ourselves. So we need medicine. The Master is just using what's available for us."

"True," she said. She is one of the Dragon Descendants, being a fire user. The only thing she knows about it is that they're fire and wind users. Aside from that, wala na. She never even stepped into the land of the dragon descendants. Sa pagkakaalam niya'y konti nalang ang natitira sa kanila. Her mother was born there married her dad who is an Ordinaire, or someone who has no magic power. She doesn't know what happened to the other dragon descendants. She has been wishing to see the land for herself but her father just won't allow it. And it even worsened when her mother died. 

One could say, she sneaks out a lot but she hadn't really gone outside.

The sun is setting and they can't risk staying there for long. If there are sand wraiths, there are also water wraiths which are so much worse and they only go out when the sun is down. They got dressed and settled the buckets to the water horses. She thought they're slimy to sit on and she thought she'd get wet kapag sumakay siya dito but she was wrong. Riding a water horse feels like she isn't riding one at all. She feels like she's floating. She's never tried riding water horses before and she was too excited to ride one. 

She kicked the horse gently and it neighed before it started to run slowly. She touched the neck of the horse but her hand just passed through.

"That's the best you can do, Princess?" Napalingon siya kay Marceline who was confidently balancing herself atop the horse. Marceline bumped the horse with her foot at nagsimula itong tumakbo nang mabilis. She heard Marceline scream followed by a giggle. 

She chuckled and gently bumped the horse with her foot too. Nagsimula itong tumakbo ng mabilis. She did it again at mas bumilis pa ito. Earlier, when she tried to grab the neck's horse, her hand just passed through, but now, nahahawakan na niya ito. It was as if the horse's body knows which part exactly should be hardened para mahawakan niya. She removed the scarf she had on her face and started to scream as she felt the air on her face. They raced through the dunes. The horses seem to know which part of the desert is dangerous or not. 

The walk from the fortress to the oasis took them almost 4 hours while it only took the horse an hour to transport them. They gently untied the buckets from the horse and she was surprised the water didn't spill. The moment they unloaded their things from the water horses, it dissolved into the sand, much to her surprise.

Marceline must have read the expression on her face kaya sinagot into ang tanong sa isip niya, "You can only use one water horse once. Once you're done, they dissolve and get reborn to where we got them. The time they get reborn depends on the distance. Don't worry about it." Marceline tapped her shoulder.

They walked down the hallway. The open-air training spaces were empty. It's already sundown so everyone must be in the dining already. But Marceline didn't lead to the dining, instead, she took the opposite way.

"Where are we going?" she whispered.

"To where we should put these water." 

Naguguluhan man ay sinundan niya nalang ang babae. She doesn't know which part of the fortress they are now but she can tell it's one of the spires judging from the stone walls and the spiraled marble stairs. The stairway wasn't too narrow—just enough for her and the two buckets in her hands to pass through. She looked at the window on her left and she could see the desert that stretched far ahead.

Marceline took one last turn and they reached the top of the spire. The top of the spire wasn't what she expected. It was open, very open. The windows are larger compared to what they passed by the stairs. But it wasn't the openness of it that impressed her. It was the thing in the middle. A huge basin filled with unrealistic blue water. And in the middle of the basin is a scroll, a floating scroll.

"Is that—"

"Yes, it's the Assassin's scroll. It's the most sacred treasure in this fortress. This place is heavily warded. So we can't use our magic in here," sagot naman ni Marceline sa kanya. 

The Assassin's scroll. No one really knows about what's inside the scroll but it is the most sacred treasure of the Assassin's fortress. What everybody knows that it contains the strongest magic from the Land of Assassins and anyone who will possess it will even surpass the Master. But that's what they say.

And true enough, the place was heavily warded. Maybe five times stronger than the entrance of the fortress. She couldn't even feel the usual gentle buzz of her magical power inside her. It's like it's been completely shut off.

Marceline poured the water gently into the basin and the water in it glowed. It was like the basin was thanking them for adding water to it. 

"So what now?" she whispered to Marceline. She doesn't know why but something about the place tells her she should not be talking in the first place.

"It is said that a cup of this holy water can cure a whole country," Marceline said, looking at the basin.

Looking at the blue waters, she can tell it holds a considerable amount of magic.

"And the secret to making an ordinary water turn into this lies on the scroll."

"How do you know about that?" tanong niya sa babae.

Marceline faced her and Katharine doesn't know why she feels agitated by her stare. She stared straight into her eyes and said, "I am going to steal this scroll tonight, Katharine."

Tila nabingi siya sa sinabi ng babae. "What—"

"And I am not telling you this to ask for your help."

"Then why are you telling me this?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. What is Marceline talking about? And why tell her this now? She couldn't help but have these questions in her mind.

"Because I trust you."

She crossed the distance between her and Marceline and held both her shoulders. 

"Listen here, Marceline. If you steal that scroll, we don't know what will happen to you. There are so many Assassins here for god's sake! All trained to kill! And you do know you're putting me in a difficult situation right now, right? What am I supposed to do now after knowing what you're planning? I have to get the Master's approval so I can back to my Palace!"

"And I need to get that scroll to heal my land, Katharine!" Marceline said in a low voice. She took a shaky breath. "My land, it has been infected with a deadly virus for several months now and all the physicians in the place have given up trying to cure it, trying to find a cure for it. They're my people, Katharine. I can't stand here and watch them die one by one." Marceline harshly wiped the tear that escaped her eye. "You are a Princess of Terrasen and of all the lesser kingdoms. You should know how I feel, right? Or do you know even understand how I feel?"

"Marceline—"

"Nothing can stop me now, Katharine. Not even you." Marceline picked up the bucket and stormed off the stairs.

"Marceline, wait!" she called.

But Marceline has already left. And she is left with a burden of a secret that would either kill or save both of them. 

* * *

She muttered a silent curse as she got up in her bed. It's already eleven in the evening and she couldn't sleep. After what Marceline told her earlier, how could she? Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Marceline somehow became her friend during their short time together. But she has to win the Master's approval as soon as possible. Telling the Master about Marceline's plan would make that easier. But what about Marceline?

"That damn woman. It would be a lot easier if she hadn't told me about her plan." She said as she frustratedly runs her hand through her hair. Marceline had said she will do the deed tonight. Katharine doesn't know what time exactly. She paced the room. Will she just turn a blind eye to it? What if she'll be branded as an accomplice?

She looked at the window where she can see the spire kung saan nakalagay ang scroll. The place is heavily warded at hindi niya alam kung anong planong gawin ni Marceline para makuha ang scroll. The Assassins don't strike her are somebody forgiving. She has to stop Marceline before it's too late. She wore her tunic and was about to open the door when she heard a commotion outside.

"Marceline," she breathed and rushed to see what's happening.

Assassins are rushing outside, running, heavenly armed. Ready to kill. She gulped and went back to get her weapon, an old sword that was already in her chambers, and ran together with the crowd. She doesn't know if Marceline has already done the deed or if this commotion is an entirely different matter but she has a feeling it's the former. They were about to turn to the dining when a loud explosion destroyed the dining doors, blocking their only way to the spire.

She flicked her hand and the explosion fire contained in both her hands until it got absorbed inside her. She didn't notice Jude was already there and with a wave of his hand, pushed the debris inside the dining, making way for them. The man glanced in her way before going for the run.

They rushed to the spire and when they got there, the scroll is indeed gone.

"Assume positions. The thief must have not gotten far yet. Prepare the weapons," Jude instructed and everyone followed suit. She stood frozen, looking at the blue waters.

Some positioned their selves at the top of the squire, looking, observing with keen eyes. Others went to the other side of the spire and did the same.

One of the assassins yelled.

"There's movement in the south, black clothes."

Agad silang napatingin sa tinutukoy ng babae and indeed, someone clad in black is riding atop a water horse. Katharine realized one thing. Marceline is a water user, and she can create anything that she memorized. Is it possible for her to make a moving creature?

"Prepare your weapons," Jude said and then he walked towards her and handed her the bow.

"I heard you are the master of archery, then by all means," he gestured his hand to the woman riding atop the horse. "Please do the honors of catching the criminal, Your Highness."

Hindi niya alam kung may alam ang lalake dahil sa pangungutya sa boses nito. But she has a feeling na may alam ito. That she knows this is going to happen but he doesn't have any evidence to prove it.

I took the bow and the arrow from his hands and looked at Marceline. The bell in the opposite spire rang. Whether to warn the criminal or to alert anyone in the fortress, or both, she doesn't know. All she knows now is to do what she had to do. She took a deep breath before she raised her bow and positioned the arrow. She closed one of her eyes as she marked her target. Marceline looked back and from the distance, she could see her too, aiming the arrow at her.

She counted to ten. Trying to buy her some time.

"Shoot the arrow, aim for the heart," Jude commanded and she finally let go of the arrow. It flew past the wall below and straight to Marceline.

She heard Jude swore before he took the bow from her hand and tried to shoot Marceline but failed miserably. She saw Marceline took another look at her before she wore her hood and ran to the desert, with the arrow she fired pierced on Marceline's leg.

* * *