25 A New Journey

As soon as Creambell exclaimed, "IT'S DONE," everyone turned their heads toward him in surprise. "The fish is done," he added with an awkward smile.

"You didn't have to startle everyone for that," said Moonlight.

"Sorry, Your Highness," Creambell responded apologetically.

After a moment, everyone eagerly picked up a stick on which the succulent fish meats were skewered, the delightful aroma of the smoked drill fishes filling the air, except Finn, who could neither touch the sticks nor he could eat anything.

As everyone savored the juicy smoked meat, Finn gazed at Orochi, his curiosity piqued. "So, Orochi," he ventured, "if you don't mind my asking, could you please tell us how long you were imprisoned down the lake?"

Orochi, savoring each bite with an air of elegance, paused to consider. "What is this year?" she inquired.

"758 CY (Common Year)," Creambell promptly answered.

"In that case, it has been a hundred years," Orochi revealed, calmly resuming her meal.

"A hundred years!" Finn exclaimed, astonishment evident in his widened eyes.

"Yes," Orochi affirmed, the weight of a century-long imprisonment apparent in her response.

Intrigued by Orochi's composure as she savored the cooked fish, Finn's curiosity got the best of him. "What did you eat down there?" he inquired, unable to contain his fascination.

"Carcasses of dead creatures that washed away into the confinement," Orochi replied nonchalantly, as if it were a mundane occurrence. The revelation hung in the air, causing everyone to pause in the midst of their meal, trying to grasp the gravity of Orochi's words. Meanwhile, Orochi continued to eat calmly, seemingly unfazed.

In this frozen moment, the group gazed at Orochi in astonishment. Unfortunately, the first to catch Orochi's eye was Butterbell. Orochi halted her meal and fixed a penetrating glare on Butterbell. "What are you looking at?" she questioned, her voice carrying a mild, threatening undertone.

Instantly intimidated, Butterbell averted his eyes and stammered, "Nothing, Ma'am."

The others followed suit, calming down and attempting to shift their focus back to enjoying the fish meat. After a moment, Finn, displaying a newfound courage, asked Orochi calmly, "So, Orochi, do you want to share?"

Without making eye contact with Finn, Orochi swiftly replied, "No."

"No problem," Finn responded with a friendly smile, understanding Orochi's boundaries.

A heavy silence settled upon the group, their meal momentarily forgotten as they absorbed Orochi's confession.

Under the wintry night's shroud, the forest stood in eerie stillness. The frigid air carried only the crackling of the firewood and the distant howl of the chilling breeze. Orochi's internal struggle continued, the desire to share her story conflicting with her deeply ingrained stoicism. The profound quietude seemed to amplify the weight of her thoughts and memories.

In the midst of the wintry silence, Orochi made her choice to break the suffocating quiet. Her voice, seasoned by endless years, carried the gravity of her ancient existence. "I'm the 251st supreme beast, born on Central Island," she began, each word measured and clear.

"Over 250 years ago, I hatched from an egg hidden in the lake's dark depths. I got stronger, connected to the Serpent Forest, leading every creature there. In just two decades, I became a creature to fear. A decade later, my name spread all over the world, scaring many. They sent their strongest to fight me, but they all failed I fought with different generations of the Kings of Central Islands, but they could never defeat me, instead, I killed some of the Kings. But a hundred years ago, three brave individuals trespassed into my home."

She remembered that day vividly. "The first one, covered in shiny metal, held a giant two-handed sword, as tall as his own height. The second intruder was a human woman in a flowing purple robe. One end of her robe hovered a foot above the ground, and it sliced through anything in its way as though cutting warm butter with a knife. The third, an elf man dressed in green, wielded a bow made from bones, and his arrows were made from his own blood."

"This marked the first time I encountered them, and they proceeded to strip away everything from me. They destroyed seven of my heads, leaving me significantly weakened. At that point, they had the chance to end my life, but instead, they chose to imprison me at the lake's very depths, where I was born."

In Orochi's eyes, determination glinted, sharpened by the passage of time. "Now that I'm free," she declared, her words cutting through the winter night, "I promise to find them and make them pay for what they did." Her vow, strong and resolute, would echo through history.

Everyone quietly enjoyed their meal, hesitant to respond to Orochi's grim revelation. Among them, Finn broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him. "So, how are you planning to search for them?" he inquired.

Orochi looked at Finn, her expression cold and lifeless. "I will search for them, but first I need to reclaim my seven heads," she replied.

"Wait. You can get your heads back?" Finn exclaimed.

"Yes, they always regenerate as long as I'm alive. The fact that they haven't grown back means they have been sealed somewhere," Orochi explained.

"Now that we're friends, let me know if you need my help," said Finn.

"First of all you're not my friend, and second, I can do it myself," Orochi snapped.

"Alright, alright," Finn said, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.

After a while, most of them finished their dinner. As Orochi made her way back to her room, Finn bid her goodnight. However, true to Orochi's demeanor, she entered her room without reciprocating the greeting.

However, like Orochi was, she went into her room without greeting him back.

While Butterbell and Creambell were attempting to prepare a bed for Moonlight on the ground, their options were limited due to the lack of suitable bedding. Unexpectedly, Finn conjured a mattress and pillows, altering the ladle and cauldron he had previously left. "Here," he said, placing them on the ground.

Inspecting the items, the pixies noticed they were quite moldy. Butterbell couldn't resist a sarcastic remark, "Thanks for the clean mattress and even cleaner pillows, ghost."

"This is all I have guys," said Finn.

Creambell stepped in, graciously accepting the pillows. "Thank you, Finn," he said with a smile as he went back to preparing the makeshift beds.

In the midst of their preparations, Finn inquired, "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

"We're heading to Sepalton, the largest town of pixies," replied Creambell as he worked.

"And where is that?" asked Finn.

"North of Ixar," Creambell informed him.

"Guess I'll have some company until Ixar then," Finn mused.

"But first, you need to get off this island, ghost," remarked Butterbell, smirking.

"I can," Finn replied with a smirk of his own.

Intrigued, Butterbell watched as Finn transformed the mattress into a wooden puppet with a painted demon face. He controlled the puppet using his Dead Control ability. Then he walked out of the island onto the ice sheet and waved his wooden hands at Butterbell.

Butterbell was astonished as he saw the puppet walk back onto the island. Stunned, Butterbell asked, "Can you talk?"

Finn immediately stopped controlling the puppet and returned to his apparition form. "Unfortunately, no," he replied, disappointment evident on his face.

Hearing this, Butterbell burst into laughter. "If you can't talk, how are you going to explain your problem to the carpenter you find there?"

Moonlight chimed in, offering assistance. "We will help Finn, since we are going there anyway. That's the least we can do for him," she said, giving Butterbell a meaningful look. "We will help him, understood, Butterbell?"

Butterbell's laughter ceased, and he responded with a serious tone, "Of course, your highness."

As night blanketed the forest, everyone except Finn settled into their makeshift beds, preparing for a new day. Finn, being an apparition, didn't require rest and eagerly awaited the morning. He was filled with anticipation for the journey to Ixar and the prospect of exploring the world beyond the Serpent Forest.

At dawn, after a quick breakfast, the pixies gathered their belongings, ready to set out on their journey to Ixar. Finn, now in his 3-foot wooden doll form with a demon face, joined them in their readiness. Meanwhile, Orochi remained in her room.

"Shall we go then?" Creambell asked, seeking confirmation from the group.

Finn glanced towards Orochi's room in his wooden doll form, hoping to see her emerge, but there was no sign of her. Disappointed, he turned his gaze to the forest beyond the lake, preparing to take his first step on the adventure. Just then, Orochi's voice called from behind, "Wait!"