99 REWIND 1

But it was too late. A vicious pack of wild wolves was now circling them.

It seemed like the one that they heard just left to call on the others! And they were no ordinary wolves. 

"Not again!" Zoe blurted out.

She recalled her dream that they were the exact beasts that ran after her then.

They were bigger than a human with enormous claws that could gouge anyone's internal organs with one swift groove.

And they boasted their crooked sharp teeth inside their foul mouth as they snarled to terrorize their invader.

"Here's your sword, your Highness!"

Azra threw Raigon's sword at him, which he immediately caught with one hand while his other hand was still pressed on Zoe's. 

Fortunately, Azra managed to bring it just in case they encounter an unfortunate event such as this one. 

"Protect Zoe!"

Raigon bellowed as he led Zoe to Azra's care and dashed in front of them.

He pointed his long sword at them and positioned himself in a fighting stance. 

"Milady!"

In a flash, Azra exchanged places with Raigon.

He was now the one who was guarding her.

"Grrrr..."

The fierce wolves snarled at them but they could not do anything.

The Crowned Prince of the City was resolved to defend his beloved from her savage predators.

"Raigon!" Zoe screamed.

By bad luck, one of them which came in late entered beside the opening hole and dashed to Zoe's defenseless side. 

"Aargh!"

Like a bolt of lightning, Raigon dashed to the wolf and jumped high in the air followed by a mighty attack of his sword to the charging wolf. 

It died in an instant.

"Anyone else dares?!"

Raigon turned back to the rest of the wolves and growled, challenging them to come near them again and they would experience the same fatal blow.

One by one they stepped away, knowing that they were powerless against the soon coming king. 

"Zoe..."

As soon as they were out of sight, Raigon put back his sword in its sheath and wiped the beads of profuse perspiration from his prominent forehead. 

He swiveled to face Zoe and Azra who were on the ground as Zoe's wobbling knees gave away. Azra was supporting her. 

"Are you alright?" 

Raigon came to her side and replaced Azra.

Zoe's bloodless lips were as pale as death as she recalled the exact incident that happened in her dreadful dream.

"It's not a dream. It really happened to me! Blackvine Forest.. Cayden… The wolves.. And…"

She glanced her feeble eyes at Raigon who was just gazing at her and alert on how he could possibly help her.

"It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who saved me then?"

Those words finally managed to come out of her fumbling lips.

As if Raigon understood what she meant, he answered him immediately to lessen the mental stress that she was experiencing right now.

"Yes, it was me."

Zoe's eyes widened in ghastly horror as everything dawned on her.

"This was it. This was the island where we had our vacation. This is where my parents died!" 

Nightmarish visions came flooding Zoe's disordered mind like a rewind of a thriller movie in sixteen times mode. 

"Aahh!"

Her bewildered head was throbbing in extreme pain which made her scream as she couldn't tolerate it anymore.

In a fraction of a critical minute, she passed out

****** 

Young Zoe has just realized that she was alive as a young man cupped his hand on her little mouth.

She thought it would be the end of her after her perilous encounter with the wolves. 

"May I come in, your Highness?"

A stern and orotund voice called out from just outside the room to where they were in.

"Oh no! What should I do?!"

Young Zoe suddenly realized the situation and panicked. 

The young man in front of her quickly assisted her to stand up and asked her to follow him. 

He went to the right corner of the tent.

After lifting some pieces of red and gold fabric, he raised his hand to where she was as if asking her to enter in.

"Are you inside, Your Highness?" The man from outside repeated.

Young Zoe has no time to lose. She hurried to the secret exit.

As she entered and was about to walk forward, the young man stopped her and held her elbow.

She looked back at him with questioning eyes.

"I'll be back. Wait for me."

He quickly assured her with a soft but deep voice before he closed the curtain.

"Is everything alright, your Highness?"

The voice from outside finally came inside the room. 

Young Zoe tried to peek from where she was at to get a view at them.

The other man was like the same age as the owner of the room.

He stood a little shorter than him with a shadier colored skin. His hair was kept up in a full updo. 

"Yes. What's the commotion going on outside?" 

Young Zoe overheard the owner of the tent saying to the "bodyguard".

"We have heard that there are outsiders on the island that are looking for our treasure."

"Does Vigo know about this?"

"Yes. He is already out looking for them together with his troop. If he finds them first, this will be the last time they will set foot on land."

Young Zoe's knees trembled.

She fell down and knocked over a porcelain vase which she quickly grasped as it was about to fall on the floor.

But that didn't escape the notice of the "bodyguard."

At that moment, she heard a slicing sound as he immediately pulled out his sword from its case.

She bit her lips and held her breath.

The chamber suddenly heated up in full notch as drops of perspiration fell from her face.

"I think I heard something over there, Your Highness."

"I didn't hear anything." 

Young Azra was about to run to the room where Young Zoe is when Young Raigon stopped him from his tracks. 

"We better race Vigo or there will be a blood bath on the island soon." 

Young Raigon quickly stormed out of the room before Young Azra could say anything.

He followed him out of the room. 

Young Zoe burst out a long and deep sigh of relief.

*************************************