Stripped her dress

Under the moonlit sky, the market in the quaint town of Aashanti shimmered. The shopkeepers began packing up their stalls, ready to retreat to their homes. However, deep inside the market, there was a shadowy black market, a testament to illicit trade. The atmosphere was thick, with buyers and sellers whispering in hushed tones, and merchants, thieves, and smugglers who were ostracized by legal business roamed freely.

Amidst the shadows, two cloaked men, their faces obscured by masks, stepped into an establishment. Within its walls, men gathered, engaging in the trade of illicit drug business.

"Looking for some drug, good sirs?" The owner of the establishment, a man with a dark, rugged beard, approached them, a sinister grin etched across his face.

"Looking for someone," One of the cloaked men said, his tone authoritative. "Did you hear the whispers about Betaal roaming in the town today?" This place was a hotbed not only for the drug trade but also a gathering ground where secrets flowed freely, attracting a motley mix of people searching for intoxication and valuable information.

"And what's my reward if I spill the beans?" The owner's lips curled into a sly grin, his gaze lingering on their rich clothes. A glint of greed coarse in his eyes, eager to wring every last penny from these noble men.

The cloaked man pulled a pouch from his waistband and flung it onto the table, causing the gold coins to clatter and cascade across the surface. "100 copper coins."

"Hundred!" The owner's eyes widened as he swiftly pocketed the coins. Upon collecting, he immediately spilt the beans. "Word on the street is a spice merchant caught sight of the Ghoul King slinking around the town's graveyard wearing a red gown. Then, in the evening, he snuck into Raven's meat stall." The owner counted the copper coins as he spoke.

"Betaal has been complaining that the previous sailor's clothes reeked of smell last time, but it seems he caught a noble lady's clothes this time. That poor woman will not see the light of day for at least a month, trapped in his filthy pond."

As the words red gown reached their ears, the masked men gripped their knuckles tightly and bolted out of the shop. "It's confirmed. Betaal is the one holding Naimishi. I know the raven's meat stall. The Ghoul king might have gone there to buy flesh and bones. We must catch him before he slips away into the forest. Let's go."

"What the hell is happening here, Dusen? Who is this Ghoul King you are blabbering_"

"Reezhel, I don't have time_"

The two figures concealed beneath the masks were none other than Dusen and Reezhel.

"Since morning, I have been going insane trying to find my sister. We have scoured every inch, but it seems like she has vanished without a trace. And now, you have dragged me to this black market without a bloody explanation. That drug peddler claims that some Ghoul King was seen wearing my sister's gown. I need to know what the hell is going on here." Reezhel's eyes blazed with fury. He feared the worst, imagining some beasts had attacked his sister. His uncle would become a monster if he caught even the slightest whisper that his daughter had snatched away once again.

Dusen exhaled a deep sigh as he explained. "Betaal is the ghoul king of the Jivandher forest. Five hundred years ago, he resided within our Kingdom. He was notorious for playing wicked pranks on the people of Aashanti. He would dig up skeletons from the graveyard, dress them in clothes, and hurl them into homes to scare people. So, the former King stripped him of his own attire in front of the palace, humiliated, and banished him into the forest. The King aided a shaman to cast a curse, binding Betaal never to set foot in the Kingdom. However, the shaman, burdened by remorse for depriving Betaal of his food, amended the curse. She twisted the curse giving him a chance to leave the forest only if he had clothes on the body."

Dusen continued. "Sailors and travellers seeking to engage in illicit smuggling illegally pass through this forest unaware of Betaal's presence. Betaal lures them and steals their clothes to step into the Kingdom. It's possible that Silas pushed Naimishi over the waterfalls, and she tumbled into the forest. Betaal has created the maze in such a way that it plays tricks and brings you back to the same spot no matter how far you go. Once you are exhausted, a mulberry tree appears, tempting to eat its fruit. It's the ghoul king's trick. With one bite, the fruit transforms into a pond, leaving you trapped in the waters, and strips you bare."

"You should have warned me earlier!" Reezhel's anger simmered, ready to ignite. "If I had known about this danger, I would have never let my sister near those waterfalls. Listen well, Dusen, if anything happens to her, Mithiyana will unleash its fiery wrath upon Aashanti. My uncle will not hesitate to burn your Kingdom into ashes."

"Naimishi is also my responsibility, Reezhel. I would not let any harm touch the future Queen of Aashanti." Dusen declared to let Reezhel know his seriousness for Naimishi. He admits that he was captivated by her ethereal beauty at first sight, but in the seven days he spent with her, he felt an irresistible magnetic pull that transcended the mere physical appearance of her.

"Let me see if your words hold true or if they are but weak promises," Reezhel scoffed, his tone laden with scepticism.

"We can save our arguments for another day to decide the winner," Dusen replied, his voice steady and resolute. "Our priority now is Naimishi. Let us make our way to Raven's Meat stall."

As Dusen guided Reezhel through the corners of the black market, Reezhel's mind churned with uncertainty. "Once we capture the Ghoul King, what then? Will he willingly give my sister without a fight?"

"He won't. We must capture Betaal and strip Naimishi's dress from his body inside the forest. Only then will she be freed from that magical pond," Dusen affirmed. Betaal keeps his victims trapped until his fancies are satisfied, leaving many sailors and travellers to die out of the cold. Sensing Reezhel's rising panic, Dusen chose not to burden him with the truths.

They hurried to the meat stall and were informed by the owner that Betaal had borrowed two kilograms of bones and left five minutes ago. Dusen, aware that Betaal might be making his way back to the forest now that he had satisfied his hunger, led Reezhel down the limestone road that leads to the forest. There, they spotted a thin figure in a red gown with a bag in his hand, softly singing haunting melodies while taking leisurely strides.

Dusen and Reezhel moved in stealthily to capture Betaal from behind. However, before they could lay their hands on him, Betaal swiftly launched himself into the air, springing up into a nearby tree with lightning-fast agility. "Do you truly think the Ghoul King is oblivious to your schemes, you two fools!" Betaal giggled mockingly, his voice dripping with a twisted delight. "How amusing! The Crown Prince of Aashanti attacking from behind like a coward?" He taunted, his eerie laughter echoing.

"The crown prince of Aashanti also knows to strike with the ferocity of a lion." Dusen asserted, his eyes fixed on the Ghoul perched high in the tree. "Get down when I am being nice to you, Betaal."

When Betaal refused to descend, Reezhel toned down his voice and addressed him. "We are not here to harm you, Ghoul King. All we want is the gown you are wearing," The Ghoul King's gaunt face twisted in confusion at Reezhel's words. He continued. "It belongs to my sister, whom you have trapped in the pond. If you release her unharmed, I pledge upon my honour no harm will come to you."

"The girl is your sister? A pretty face, indeed." Betaal remarked with a wicked grin. "I am the King of the forest, and I decide how long my guests stay, not you." He raised his bag, flaunting the bones to Dusen and Reezhel. "I am going into the forest to have my dinner. You two, don't follow me. I will offer a bone to her to keep her alive; if she dies, rest assured, I will only taste her flesh. The bones are all yours to burn her in the pyre."

Reezhel's flicker of sympathy for Betaal vanished instantly upon hearing he wanted to feed on his sister. Dusen and Reezhel lunged at him, but their efforts were in vain as Betaal effortlessly leapt from tree to tree, eluding their grasp. Dusen, at one point, was lucky to catch his leg, but Betaal kicked on his shin and disappeared into the forest. Fueled by rage, Reezhel prepared to charge, but Dusen forcefully held his hand without letting his foot. "Don't!"

.....

"They think they can outsmart me!" Betaal giggled. As he walked to his home, he caught wind of murmuring voices—a man and a woman. His anger boiled up as he witnessed the disappearance of his beloved mulberry tree, replaced by a man attempting to feed fruit to his guest without his permission. With lightning speed, Betaal lunged towards Naimishi, snatched the fruit mid-air and crashed to the ground with a thud.

"You are back again, pervert!"

Naimishi shot daggers at Arazhan. How she wished he had swiftly fed her the fruit instead of playing 'wider and narrow' game with her mouth. She would be free by now. Little did Naimishi know, Betaal lied to her, spinning a tale that eating the fruit would set her free.

"You think you can escape from me?" Betaal cackled, his twisted grin revealing a row of decayed, yellowish teeth to Naimishi before his gaze shifted to Arazhan. "And you! I will trap you in my pond for sticking your nose to help her." Betaal sneered as he gazed at Arazhan. How muscular! His flesh must taste divine. How delicious could his bones be? The Ghoul king moistened his lips, his mind conjured with the imagination of sinking his teeth into his strong bones.

"Try me!" Arazhan's tone was low and dangerous. His eyes fell on the Ghoul who stood before him, clad in a red gown that barely clung to his skeletal form, threatening to slide off his bony shoulders at any moment. "Give back the fruit, or_"

"Or what will you do?" Betaal jeered, his wicked laughter filling the air as he swiftly darted up the tree, clutching his precious dress. "You think you can kill me? You will have to catch me first." He leapt from one branch to branch, taunting Arazhan.

Arazhan keenly observed the ghoul king's tree-jumping pattern. Seizing an opportune moment, he jumped into the air, grabbing hold of the Ghoul by the flowing red dress and forcefully yanking him down.

"Leave me, you fool!" Betaal squirmed, attempting to kick Arazhan, but he firmly seized Ghoul's legs, flipping him upside down, the loose dress threatening to fall off his head. He unsheathed a sword from his cloak using the other hand. Betaal's bones shuddered in fear. "Don't! You want the fruit, isn't it? Release me, I will give it to you."

"Really?" Naimishi's eyes lit up. "The fruit is in his left hand. Take it."

"You really want to fall for his trick again?" Arazhan flipped his sword with precision, thrusting it towards Betaal. Naimishi braced herself, but to her surprise, Arazhan's strike was not aimed at the Ghoul's body. He sliced through Betaal's gown, severing it from his body. As the discarded gown fluttered and fell to the ground, the pond dissolved into nothingness, leaving Naimishi completely naked.

Arazhan standing face to face with her, froze.