The First Knight

Axel shots Mr. Alastair an arctic glare that could even freeze a molten lava. I know I'm exaggerating, but that description fits the scene I'm witnessing.

The temperature suddenly drops a few Celsius below. Call me insane, but why do I get the feeling that Axel had something to do with it? I erase that thought the moment it crosses my mind. It sounds absurd and impossible.

"What a fantastic entrance! I didn't even expect this grand entrance. It's so unlike you, Mr. Montblac," Mr. Alastair said in a cheerful manner.

Axel didn't respond, but instead, he takes a step and walk into the room. "If you find my entrance to your liking, do you mind if I make an exit with your head as my ticket out?" Axel said with venom.

Oh no. He didn't just say that?

I try my best not to keep my mouth from hanging open. If he made a threat like that to Mr. Alastair, it will surely result in our own demise. It's undeniable that Mr. Alastair is taller than Axel by a few inches and with his burly body, given that Axel also has a well-built body, Mr. Alastair looks like a wrestler. His physique is way bigger than him!

I'm starting to get worried about Axel safety. I know he's also a good fighter, considering he made it in here unscathed, but by just looking at them, Mr. Alastair looks like a bully.

"You're overly confident Mr. Montblanc. Just because you wounded my guards that doesn't mean you're able to take me down." Mr. Alastair said. His face is no longer smiling.

He raised his right hand and the whole room lit up. The flash of light hurts my eyes so I close it and use my hand as a shield from the blinding light.

"I will make you regret your own actions." I heard him says and it was then followed by the sound of gunshots.

Instinctively, I drop down to the floor thinking that it will keep me from getting shot. What can a blind lady do? I'm totally defenseless on every angle you see me.

The gunshot stops. I try my hardest to open my eyes, but I'm finding it hard to do so. I can only see blurry images of guys exchanging blows. When my eyes finally adjusted to my surroundings, I saw Mr. Alastair being pinned down with a gun on his temple by Axel.  He's ready to shoot him dead.

No.

I ran towards them. 

"Stop!" I shouted as I push Axel's arm away from Mr. Alastair and tackle him to the ground. It's not like I'm siding with Mr. Alastair, but I believe that he is not our enemy. Mr. Alastair is already giving me his ring when Axel showed up and messed everything.

Axel glared at me. "What the fuck are you doing, woman?" He snarled.

"Stop it this instance! He's not our enemy." I told him. I glance towards Mr. Alastair. He's panting heavily while trying his best to stand up. There's also blood on the side of his mouth. I find it shocking to see a big man on the floor beaten down by someone who's smaller than him and didn't even break a sweat.

Tearing my gaze from the beaten up man, I look at Axel.

"Before you showed up, he's already giving me the gemstone," I said. Taking a closer look in his eyes, I noticed that they are no longer charcoal black. There's a faint color of blue in it. It reminds me of the color of the gemstone.

Suddenly, I Axel cleared his throat. "You're heavier than I thought." He says.

That instantly made me realized our compromising position. 

"Oh my gosh," I exclaimed and get off of his body. "I'm not heavy!" I added and stands up. It's so embarrassing.

I averted my eyes from him and decided to look at Mr. Alastair who's just sitting still. It's like he's looking at something. His huge body is hindering me from seeing it from where I am standing.

What is he looking at?

I was about to walk towards him when Axel grabs my arm to stop me.

"Stay here." He ordered.

Before I even had a chance to argue with him, he's already walking towards Mr. Alastair.

The beaten up man on the floor didn't even move when Axel enter his line of vision. He's too mesmerized by whatever he is looking at.

Axel stops a few steps away in front of him.

"Now I finally get it..." Mr. Alastair suddenly said.

Finally get what?

"The reason why you always stay away from my mansion..." He continued. What are they talking about? Since my curiosity is now at its peak, I decided to ignore Axel's order and starting to walk towards them.

"...You're one of them." He finished.

I stop dead in my tracks when I finally saw what they are looking at.

There's a familiar jewelry sat on the floor. It was the same ring earlier. It still has its white gold band but the difference is, it's no longer blue but it's black. There's still a faint glow of blue surrounding it but nonetheless...it's black.

I didn't realize that I'm already in the middle of the two gentlemen when my hand finds its way towards the ring that is lying on the floor. It's as if I'm enthralled to hold it.

When my hand touches the ring, my body suddenly felt a surging pulse. It started from my fingertips until it reaches my whole body. Afterwards, I felt really cold and suffocated. It's like I'm drowning in the middle of the ocean.

My eyes began to water. It's painful.

Make it stop!

As my consciousness starts to fade I heard Axel saying something but I can't understand it. My vision becomes blurry until I can see nothing but black.

***

I feel so cold. Did they forget to turn on the heater? It's freezing.

I'm to lazy to get up and turn it on so I try to find my blanket just to keep myself from being cold. I grunted when I didn't find any. How odd. Where is my blanket?

I slowly opened my eyes. It startled me when I didn't saw the familiar ceiling of my room.

Strange. All I saw now is the vast blue sky.

Where am I?

I try my hardest just to remember how did I end up in this place in the first place but my mind is blank. No recollection or anything.

I get up just to see where did I get myself ran into. It's so unlike me just to sleep in the middle of nowhere.

When I'm finally up, I only saw water. Front, side and back only water. Water everywhere. I'm in the middle of the ocean!

If I'm in the middle of the ocean, then where am I standing? That's the moment I look down and saw the blue sky reflecting by the water. I screamed, freaked out on what I saw.

I'm floating! But...but how?

I suddenly heard a chuckle. That made my head turn towards the direction of the sound. Not far from where I am standing, I saw a little blonde girl wearing a white dress. She's smiling but I find her smile way too creepy.

"Who are you?" I asked her.

Instead of answering my question, she raised her right hand and wave as if she's saying goodbye. Before I can even utter another word, I felt my body falling into the water.

Now, I'm struggling just to keep myself afloat. The girl in white didn't even try to rescue me. She just stands there while smiling at me.

I felt something grab my feet. I didn't know what was it but it's pulling me down. The water is already entering my mouth and nose. It's so painful.

Am I going to die?

I'm starting to lose my consciousness. Why do I get the feeling that I've experienced this before? Oh yeah. I finally remembered. It was the time I touched the ring back in Mr. Alastair's mansion. Do I have this tendency to die in a painful way?

I just noticed that the girl in white is now right above me. Now I have a perfect view of her face, it horrifies me when I saw the two pairs of familiar blue orbs staring at me.

She, again, smiled. It's way too creepy for my liking. "I told you I'll be keeping an eye on you. Congratulations on finding your first knight," I heard her say before I totally lose my consciousness.

***

I opened my eyes when feel the cold air hitting my face. Where am I?

I immediately noticed the city lights below and from the looks of it, seems like I'm in a tall building or something.

I grunted. Not again? Do I had the tendency to sleep anywhere randomly?

"Finally, you're awake." I heard a very familiar voice says on my side.

I look at the owner of the voice. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? I pinch my cheeks just to make sure I'm really awake this time. It's painful but not enough to convince me so I decided to pinch the cheeks of my companion.

The person on my side just looks at me as if I was crazy, unaware of the thing I was about to do. Before he could even stop me, my hand is already pinching his face really hard.

"Fuck it, woman. What the hell are you doing?" He shouted. That made me flinched and let go of his face.

Oh. So this is not a dream.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"You have eyes to see it for yourself." He hissed. My pinch gives his face a tint of blush. If only he can smile, that will make him more adorable. Woah...did I just say that? He, for a fact, is handsome. A lot of ladies are trying to get his attention like back then at the party.

Oh, wait.

"What happened in the mansion!?" I suddenly asked loudly.

"Tone down! I'm only at your side." He said irritated.

I glared at him. This guy is still the same guy I met in his hotel room. The grumpy and cold mafia leader named Axel.

"You fainted right in front of us and he let us go." He simply said.

"What? That's it? You didn't elaborate the details!"

"What do you want me to tell you?" He asked. Obviously irritated that he had to tell me the story because me, the damsel in distress, fainted even before we can get out of the mansion.

"Like everything!"

"Fine fine. After you fainted, Bellamy let us go and gave us a ride home."

"Just like that? What about the ring?"

"It's right here." He said and showed me the ring on this finger. "He gave me this ring and..." He paused. His face looks like he has an internal debate. "...told me the whereabouts of the next gemstone. " He finished.

To be honest, after our encounter in the ballroom with Mr. Alastair, I can't remember anything.

"Oh, I see." I only manage to say and I stay silent afterward.

After a few moments, there's a faint light on the horizon.

"Woah. Is that sunrise?" I asked. I gasped when I finally realized where we are. The light of the sun gives me a better view below.

"Why didn't you told me that we're on top of the Eiffel tower!?" I exclaimed.

Axel didn't say anything. He's just looking at the horizon as the sun slowly rise up from behind the huge buildings in Paris.

I sighed. 'This never gets old.' I told myself.

When I thought he's not going to say anything, he suddenly opens his mouth and speaks. "I heard you yesterday."

My eyes squinted. What is he talking about?

"Never mind." He quickly says when he saw my facial expression. " I'm just doing the other side of our bargain. So enjoy while we're still here." He said with a blank look.

Now he's back from being cold. "You know. You should try to smile sometimes. You always look like you always ate something bad." I commented with a snort. "But you know what... thank you."

End of Chapter 17