Voyage Of The Villainess

The time had finally come and Malaya faced the head priest once again. 

"We see each other again, Lady Malaya." 

"It's our honor, high priest." Malaya bowed her head.

"It seems you've got new comrades with you," he turned an eye to Oliver and Maru.

"They are my acquaintances as well, who just got reunited with me yesterday," Malaya said with politeness. "May I ask, if I can also bring them out of this island with your help?"

"No problem, it will be fine. It really doesn't matter the count of the people you can bring with you." The head priest said. "Then let's not delay things further. Please follow me." The head priest said and turned his back.

Malaya and her companions followed after her. They were already carrying their luggage. Ah, Lila was the only one who was carrying luggage with her. And in her face, there was visible excitement written on it. She followed behind Malaya while the three men followed behind them. 

"I thought she already had our permission for the head priest?" Oliver asked Kayden who was beside him but as expected he was just answered by silence. Kayden walked ahead and Maru, seeing this, rushed to his side.

Oliver just smiled wryly. "It looks like they don't like me or these people are just really cold to me." Then he hurried his pace and walked side by side with them again. 'This person has an otherworldly attitude,' he thought.

---⚓⚓⚓---

They entered a huge hall with intricate paintings of different kinds of nude angels on the wall. There were also chandeliers with lights that came from magic lighting the whole place.

"This is so beautiful," Malaya said while looking at the chandelier which was made up of gold and diamond. 'It looks like some baroque theme.'

"Welcome to our Laic, This place is sacred and has a different energy than any place in this city. Another thing is this is the place where we can go in and out the island." The head priest stopped walking and pointed to a huge rectangular mirror that was in the middle of the hall. It seemed four people could fit on it.

"So this is the Laic. Wait, is that a mirror?" Malaya looked at the mirror. 

"Yes, this is the portal to the world outside the island." 

"Portal?" Malaya remembered what the priestess said to her, about this place being a space of dream and reality.

The head priest just smiled, without answering Malaya's question. "Evereen, it's time for them to leave now." He said in the end as if he was in a hurry to let them leave.

Behind the mirror, a familiar woman emerged.

"White lady!" Malaya said in surprise.

"It's been a while, champion of the ancient gods." Evereen briefly bowed her head then looked at Malaya. "I apologize for the late introductions. You can call me Evereen, one of the priestesses that serve under the god Bradimyll. I shall now activate the passage to the outside world."

With that said, she traced her fingers within the mirror and it glowed. 

"The passage is now open," Evereen said as she turned around to look at Malaya. "You can go now."

Malaya felt a mix of tingling sensation and excitement inside her heart. 'I will finally leave this place and see again those people I left..'

"What is the opposite side of the passage?" 

"It leads you just outside this island." The head priest said. "While our meeting is short. But I'm glad to know you Lady Malaya, but before you leave I wanted to give you a warning."

"A warning?" Malaya looks at the high priest with confusion written all over her face. 

"If you come across with the champion who has the inverted black mask, please flee as far as possible" 

"I will remember that, head priest. Thank you for everyth.."

Suddenly the whole ground began shaking followed by the sinister laughter. The wind also grew strong. 

"What is happening?" Lila asked with worry. "Wait, it was an earthquake? How come that it was the wrong timing!"

"Calm! Don't worry, it's nothing." The head priest said. "Please hurry now and leave, the portal will only be opened once every year. This is the only chance you have. May you don't waste this time, I know you are so eager to leave this place, especially you, Malaya" 

"Yes, you are right but will you be alright?" Malaya asked with worry as the ground continued to tremble even stronger. Lila is now in a seated position because she lost her balance due to the force they felt on the ground. 

"We will be fine. We are strong. I have my people who are more powerful than you think, Lady Malaya." The head priest said with a confident smile. "Please go now, I'm sure there is someone who must be waiting for you. If you are eager to go out of this island, now my all permission to leave."

Malaya clenched her fist, then sighed. "Thank you for everything, head priest and I wish you goodwill.  I hope sometime we will see each other again and I will be able to visit this place again."

"If the Gods let our path to meet again, then why not?" the high priest paused a few seconds before he talked again. "Malaya, whatever happened to you outside of this City. Always fulfill your mission in this lifetime. If you didn't do it, who else can do it? If you are the only person who is chosen by your God." Then after the high priest said all of those words he turned his back to them. 

Malaya took a deep breath before he returned all her senses to the present moment. "Everyone, let's go." Malaya turned to Lila, Oliver, Kayden, and Maru. With her lead, she walked towards the mirror and the others followed after her. The last thing she saw was the door bursting out open revealing the girl who harmed her after Kiana. The girl with that sinister red mask and the one who almost killed her before.

And blinding light engulfed them all.

---⚓⚓⚓---

When Malaya opened her eyes, they found themselves in the presence of another familiar. He was wearing a long black robe and behind him was another group of knights wearing black armor with some sharp weapons on their hands.

It was no other than Lanzelot, the one they asked help on the unknown island in order to defeat Oliver. 'Then this place,' Malaya looked around with excitement. 'This is Misty Island!'

"You came back here!" Lancelot screamed as he immediately brought out his sword."You betrayed us with your contract! Now you will pay!"

"Yes! I'm finally back!" Malaya screamed happily ignoring his threats. "I'm finally back!"

Then she looked at Kayden. "Please, Kayden, will you teleport us to the border of Taleba." 

"Seize them!" 

But before they could reach Malaya, her whole group disappeared at once.

---⚓⚓⚓---

The wind was blowing rather refreshing today and Nicholas was leisurely drinking some mango coconut juice while sunbathing in the sun. All of the sudden, a card was blown to his face.

"Hmm… let's see what the cards show me." He picked it up then looked at what it was. "Two of Cups Upright? Will I unite with someone today? Interesting, huh." 

At the exact time, he mentioned that he heard screams. He looked everywhere to see where it was. And when he realized where the source of the screams was coming from, he saw a blue-haired woman that he had not seen for quite a long time now. And she was not alone, she was with someone who is not familiar to him.

"Sir Nicholas! Save us!" Malaya screamed.

He had no time to be in a daze and he immediately gestured his cards to catch them. Cards flew directly towards Malaya forming something like that of a flying carpet. It caught all of them and they were gradually dragged to the ship where Nicholas was staying.

When Malaya landed safely on the ground, Nicholas looked at them with suspicion.

"Hooh! That was too close. Thank you for saving us there, Sir Nicholas!" Malaya wiped off the sweat on her forehead. Then looked at Kayden who seemed surprised looking at both of his hands. He did teleport them to what Malaya had told him but he was surprised that it didn't work perfectly like he always did. 

'Was it due to the effect of that portal?' He kept thinking. Amidst his chaos, Lila and Maru looked with wonder at the new place they were at. And Oliver just smiled with relief that he was finally back. 

Nicholas looked at the whole group that suddenly almost fell down to him. Then back to Malaya. "You know that I don't accept, thank you," Nicholas said sarcastically. 

"Ah, right." Malaya seemed to not mind. "I will pay for that. Plus for some lodgings for one night and some information about all the things I want to know while I'm gone."

Nicholas let out a satisfied grin.. "Of course, my very generous customer. "