Chapter 3

As she walked out of the forest, she saw her friend, Owens, a black huge python, hanging on top of a tree.

“Where are you heading to, Odin? Can I follow you?” Owens asked.

“I am going to the kingdom of the Crescent, and no, you cannot follow me,” Odin replied.

“Why?”

“Because there are people out there who don’t like snakes like I do and would do everything to kill one if they see it, so no.”

“Very well, I will wait for you here,” Owens said. Odin patted his head and continued her journey.

She had met the snake when she was a little girl. She didn’t know why she wasn’t scared of it, rather she picked the snake and started petting it.

“What is she doing?” The python asked no one in particular.

“I am petting you,” Odin replied obviously.

A shocked look appeared in the eyes of the python. ‘Did she just reply to me?’

“Can you hear?”

“Yes, I can,” Odin replied, smiling, and continued, “I want to be your friend, can I?”

The black python came out of its shock state and nodded, “Okay, at least you can hear me.”

That had been some years ago, Odin and the python had grown so close.

Odin quickly walked into the kingdom of Crescent, she was disappointed when she saw how it was. The great kingdom she had heard so much about wasn’t that beautiful.

“Rubbish, and here I thought that this kingdom would be as elegant as I have heard.”

Although no denying it, the kingdom was beautiful, but how could a kingdom be beautiful when the people living in it had sorrowful faces?

Why would there be so much suffering in this beautiful kingdom? Does it mean that the king does not know that his people are suffering? How could the royals be so cruel?

Those questions were left unanswered as she walked deeper into the kingdom.

After a while, she couldn’t see anything worth seeing to her, so she then left the kingdom.

“Well, there is nothing worth seeing in that kingdom,” Odin said to herself as she began her journey back home.

As soon as she re-entered the forest, she heard her name.

“Odin.”

She stopped as she looked around her. Seeing no one, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, that was strange. Maybe I am now hallucinating,” Odin thought and continued her walk.

“Odin,” the voice called out.

This time Odin knew this was no hallucination. The voice was real and was calling her, but from where?

As if on cue, Odin turned and started heading to another path of the forest she hadn’t been or seen since.

It was as if she was no longer in control of her body.

‘Where am I heading to?’ She had no idea.

She came upon a large clearing. By the side of the clearing was a big cave. It looked so ancient.

‘Where is this place? Why am I here?’ She thought as she looked around.

“Odin, help us,” this time the voice came in multiples.

And it was coming out from the cave.

‘What is really going on? Why are they calling out her name, asking for help? Who are they? How did they even know my name?’ Those were the thoughts that crossed her mind when she heard her name being called again.

“Odin, help us,” the voice came again.

Without knowing what she was doing, she ventured into the dark cave. Her feet started taking her deeper into the cave.

The cave was quiet. She heard nothing and continued.

She came to a stop when she saw five mold wolves.

‘What are all these things? Are they mold or real wolves?’

She was about to turn and get the hell out of there when something caught her eye.

There was a writing by the wall beside the wolves.

Without thinking, she walked toward the wall and saw a strange writing.

She began to say the words.

She was so focused on reading the writings and did not notice her surroundings.

As soon as she finished with the last strange word, not making sense to her, she turned to go, but then she stopped.

Staring at her were the molded wolves she had earlier seen before she started reading, only that this time they were real wolves.