After Teto settled the debt, and gave the rest of the money to Jessica’s account (Teto made her an account), Teto drove the three around the town.

Before that, Teto had to scold Sooyoung and Yoona for roaming around without any adults. “You could have been kidnapped!” The mother exclaimed worriedly, “And you know I barely could pay the money, much less ransom!”

“What’s a ransom?” Sooyoung and Yoona inquired in unison. Teto sighed. “Nevermind that kids. Come on, let’s go home.” She said, ushering the kids to the car. Although (very) reluctant, Jessica had to ride the awful thing known as transportation.

Along the ride Teto, Sooyoung, and Yoona were talking about something called ‘handphone’ while Jessica and Krystal didn’t even bother to open their eyes.

Teto would never forgive her if she and Krystal puked inside the car. Judging from how Teto cared for the car (How she touched it), Jessica doubted Teto would ever forgive her, if she did something. But should she did, Teto would perhaps forgive her quickly.

Meh.

“…Yoona! Don’t try to pick your nose!”

…Yep, pretty much.

“I didn’t!” Yoona pouted, and crossed her arms. “I’m bored, Auntie!”

“Yeah!” Sooyoung shouted her agreement, once again making Jessica’s ears deaf for a split second. “And I heard there’s a festival later at town hall, can we go there?” She said as she gave her mother a pamphlet.

“Seven Tiger Generals’ Return?” Teto raised an eyebrow after sparing a glance to the pamphlet. She was driving, and she could never afford to lose her focus on the road. Not when she was carrying kids.

Sooyoung nodded eagerly. “Yeah!”

“When?”

“6 PM for bazaar, and 7 PM for the festival!”

“Please… stop… talking…” Jessica mumbled, still struggling along with Krystal who mumbled some inaudible words. To their dismay, Sooyoung didn’t. In fact she deliberately shout out her excitement. “Please mum! I want to see the strongest mage in the world! She must be pretty!” She earned two glares, but she casually shrugged it off.

The she word caught Jessica’s interest almost immediately. “Strongest… mage… is… a girl?”

“Yep!” Yoona replied, her eyes sparkled in the same way Sooyoung’s did. “Tiffany Hwang! She’s the 2^nd Tiger General!”

Jessica opened to ask, but Teto cut her off. “We’re here!” Teto suddenly announced. Jessica quickly jumped off the car, and breathed a sigh of relief. Krystal on her arms also regained her colour again.

“If she’s the 2^nd Tiger General, then what about the first?” Jessica mumbled to herself as she placed Krystal on an old baby cradle on the guest room. The baby quickly fell asleep, as she was tired of holding her barf from hours ago.

Holding it was a tiring activity for a baby, mind you.

“Who’s the first Tiger General?” She inquired and sat on the piano seat beside Sooyoung who was playing an old classic piece. “Gandring Mahaputra,” she said shortly. “He’s a wizard, not mage.”

“Wizard?”

“Yep,” Sooyoung nodded and ended the song. She turned to Jessica. “Mum said he’s a royal mixblood. Born from mage and witch. Cool right?” Jessica nodded slowly, and looked at the cat who was sitting on Sooyoung’s lap. Val the cat suddenly approached them as soon as Sooyoung said the First Tiger General’s name. She started meowing loudly and pawing Sooyoung’s lap, something that cat hardly does.

Sooyounng sighed at Jessica’s questioning looks. “Val, dunno why, always acted like this whenever his name is mentioned.”

“Probably he’s her former master?” Jessica joked. Sooyoung chuckled and looked at Val with a teasing look. “Oh? So you miss your former master, eh Val?”

Val hissed.

“Do you lov—“

Her words were cut off with a loud painful scream.

Drip.

“SOOYOUNG YOU’RE BLEEDING!”

Val clawed her cheeks.

Jessica quickly ran off to look for bandages while Sooyoung look for her mother. “Mum! Mum!” She screamed in panic, as the blood didn’t stop flowing from her wounded cheeks. She ran to the kitchen to find Teto was setting up the table for dinner and Yoona helping her.

“What is—oh my God!” Teto gasped, dropped the plastic plate and quickly went to find some antiseptic and clean cloth. Yoona only spared a glance to Sooyoung, and declared, “I’m going home.”

In few minutes, the bleeding had been stopped, and Teto endlessly started lecturing Sooyoung about cats’ tendencies. “You shouldn’t tease a cat that is close to you!” She huffed, petting Val who sat on her lap. Sooyoung gave a dirty look to Val, and the cat didn’t bother to look at its owner.

The next two days, they went to the Mountain Zarconis—The Mountain of Jade. Apparently the mountain that formerly was a legendary Dragons’ sanctuary, had been turned to a national park by King Jay to honour the Dragons and Dragon Slayers that had fallen during both on the Old War and Great Battle.

“Look! That’s the Salamander!” Sooyoung exclaimed enthusiastically while pointing at a golden statue of a spiky haired man with scarf. Yoona nodded vigorously, sharing the same interest as her friend.

“That’s The Twin’s statue!” Sooyoung said again, pointing at a pair of statue. “That’s the Sky Maiden! IRON EATER! OHMYGOSH I LOVE MYSELF FOR ACCOMPANYING YOU HERE!” And she continued to do that, ignoring Jessica’s silent complaints.

“There are lots of Old Dragon Slayers’ statue inside, so I expect you to prepare for these fangirls screaming.” Teto joked and parked the car. Jessica hastily left the car, feeling pathetically sick. Krystal didn’t even bother to hold her puke as soon as she reached land.

“Ugh… I forgot I always hate vehicle…” She muttered weakly. The three only laughed at her.

The four climbed the stairs to reach the infamous lair of the Dragon. Sooyoung and Yoona were heavily exhausted while the other three were quiet as ever.

“Is it still far?” Jessica asked Sooyoung, who looked like dying. Sooyoung nodded and gulped down a bottle of water. “Nope. We turn left after the temple over there, so just a bit more.” Sooyoung said, slightly panting.

“We need to pick up the pace then,” Teto said rhetorically while giving a bottle of milk to Krystal. “I heard the Jade Crystal is quite an attraction.”

“No, let them rest for a bit, Teto-sshi.” Jessica said with a teasing smile to the two shikshin. Yoona groaned and got up. “I’m not tired! This fatty does!” She yelled in irritation.

“Who’d you call fatty you alligator?!” Sooyoung shouted while standing up so she could be on the same eye level as Yoona. Unfortunately for Yoona, Sooyoung was much taller and therefore, more intimidating than her. But Yoona is Yoona, and she was never intimidated by Sooyoung.

“At least alligators are cool you shikhsin!”

“YOU ARE TOO.”

“ENOUGH!”

Crystal of Forest

Crystal of Forest is a crystalized Forest Elves who broke the rules of not harming humans who did nothing to forest. This Crystal is founded by Kim Junmyeon and Wu Yi Fan, the leaders of EXO Tribe of West, after the raid of Jinrui Village on March 1543. Scientist had proven that this Crystal is created by two young forest elves on late 15^th century, considering its strength to remain intact after nearly half a century.

“Well those scientist are right,” Jessica muttered after reading the description placed on the tree. “They did crystallized on 1496, and they did attacked humans. But they didn’t got crystallized because of it.”

“How do you know?” Teto asked curiously. Although she understood Jessica was from 15^th century, it never crossed her mind that Jessica had quite a vast knowledge of Forest Elves. And Jessica was still a seven years old!

Jessica looked at the jade crystal above the branch of the tree with a small smile. “I befriended those two elves,” she said with a dreamy tone. “Taeyeon,” she pointed at the left that had peculiar long tail, “and Hyoyeon,” and then pointed at the right one who had long hair.

“Whoa, that’s bloody interesting!” Sooyoung said with mouth wide agape. “But that got me curious; then why were they crystallized? If that’s not the case”

Jessica tapped her chin and looked at Krystal—who blinked rapidly at her. It was as if Krystal was telling her to tell them later. Jessica nodded and turned to the two. “Later, I guess. Too long—“

All of the sudden, the ground shook and people began to panic. “Earthquake!” They screamed and ran away, seeking protection. Teto’s and the dragon slayers’ ears rang painfully at the screaming noises.

“Sooyoung! Can you detect any threat with your power?” Jessica asked and Sooyoung nodded vigorously. “I can!” “Then do it!”

Sooyoung clashed her palm together and a yellow magic circle appeared. “Threat Detection.” She whispered softly as her eyes glow yellow.

“There!” She said and pointed at the forest behind the crystal. “I think they want the crystal!” She exclaimed.

Jessica gritted her teeth. She won’t let any peons to harm her friends, even if they were crystallized. Though she knew Forest Elves crystals are worth fortune, and Forest Elves are rather despicable, mischievous creature. But these crystals are Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, her friends. “Teto-san, please get them to safety!” Jessica commanded, now using the modern use of honorific, just so the Chimera would listen to her.

“But what about you?” Teto asked, highly suspecting Jessica would do anything close to suicide. “I’m going to fight for them!” Jessica declared and prepared herself with sharp sword made of ice she just created. “I’ve trained with my mama for three years nonstop, and I shall use my years of training!” She said.

Teto had to hold back her sigh. Out of all time, she had to be right. Jessica definitely was suicidal.

“Then we shall fight too!” Yoona said with a grin. “I’m quite a swordsman too you know?” She said as she created a small blade made of steel.

“And you may use me for more destructive power!” Sooyoung said and a yellowish flame began to engulf her palms. “Mom,” Teto turned to her daughter. “Can you fly me up there? I want to see that threat’s position.” Sooyoung said and pointed at the tower near them.

Teto hesitated but when she saw the determination on her daughter’s and the other’s eyes, she gave in. “Okay,” she said and put Krystal back to the stroller. She clapped twice and her wings spread majestically. “Hold tight, my daughter!” She said and flew with Sooyoung on her arms.

“Yoona”

“Yeah?”

“You think you can copy my move?”

Yoona shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, no big deal.”

Jessica smiled widely but the smile disappeared soon after, as the ground shook more violently once more.

“YOONG! SICA! RIGHT BEHIND THE CRYSTAL!” Sooyoung screamed on top of her lungs as she flew down with her mother.

Jessica quickly took Krystal from her stroller and tied her on her back. “Soojung-ah, lend me your strength, okay?” “Buu.”

Suddenly, the trees behind the crystal disappeared, replaced by a giant machine that looked like a steel dinosaur.

“Actually, BE SAFE!” She said and passed Krystal to a confused Teto. “Get her safe!” She screamed and ran to the tree.

“HAHA! I AM RICH!” Screamed a man who seemed to control the steel dinosaur from the head. The dino roared and dig the certain tree’s root, and Jessica knew that the man wanted to have the crystal for his own.

“No!” She screamed and jumped to the dino’s arm. “I won’t let you have Tae and Hyo!” She screamed and jabbed her ice sword to its arm, damaging the system on its part.

“AHH! Who are you?! Curses! you’re just a small child!” He roared and swatted Jessica from its arm. Jessica landed on the ground with a somersault, feeling grateful Krystal had already safe on Teto’s care.

“Ice Dragon’s Blizzard Bullets!” She screamed and countless bullets fired from her magic circle to the Dino’s torso, sending it swayed a bit. The man became enraged and began to move his dino’s tail, destroying everything on its path. Yoona charged forward, continuously dodging the tail of the dino with ease. “Copycat: Ice Dragon’s Blizzard Bullets!” She screamed as she copied her magic. The bullets weren’t as strong as Jessica’s, but it was enough to make the dino’s steel skin became frozen and fragile.

“I WILL KILL YOU!” The man shouted.

“No way in hell!” Jessica yelled and jumped again. She then screamed, “Ice Dragon’s Roar!” in mid-air, and the icy blue blast hit its torso. The dino stumbled backward, and the man’s eyes widened in anger.

“Screw the crystal! I’LL KILL YOU INSTEAD!” He yelled and began attacking Jessica with its mechanical hand.

No reviews hm? Honestly I'm a bit disappointed.

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