Chapter 138: The Arrival Of The Dark Jinn
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"The Dark Jinn!!?"
"Hello...Little Princess..."
The cold, emotionless voice of the Dark Jinn rumbled through the gloomy, silent, and motionless land, striking like thunder on the hearts of its listeners. Princess Qamari's face turned ashen, the fine hairs on her skin rising in goosebumps.
"Dark Jinn...why are you here?"
Why in the seven realms was the Dark Jinn here? Was he also...
She couldn't remember whom she offended so badly for them to send the Dark Jinn after her.
"Little Princess...I'm sure you know why I'm here...I don't appear without a valid summoning, and when I appear, I don't return without completing the task I'm summoned for...come, it's time for you to go..."
Princess Qamari was trembling, her limbs shaking without her conscious volition as she stared with horrified eyes at the looming behemoth.
The Dark Jinn was cloaked in a dark robe, its face shrouded in darkness by a dark hood. Its limbs were huge, each about 600 feet tall and 300 feet wide, with its head covering the sky. Elemental dark magic waved off its frame and spread out in the region, shrouding everything in a gloomy mask of hopelessness and despair.
Under its enveloping shadow, Princess Qamari felt like an ant before an elephant.
Against the Dark Jinn, she had no fighting chance, let allow winning.
Still, she clutched her golden sword and remained in her spot, staring at the nightmare without backing down. Even when her limbs were uncontrollably trembling and her heart drumming in her chest, Princess Qamari did not step back.
"Hehe...Little Princess...I must say, you are quite brave...to confront me so foolishly when only defeat awaits, you are the first..."
Seeing her defiantly staring him up, without a hint of bending or begging for her life, the Dark Jinn's eyes filled with interest.
"There's always...a first...for everything." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her tingling nerves and control her limbs.
Because even if it was going to be a wretched clash, with her exploding in a shower of blood and flesh with one blow, Princess Qamari still planned to fight.
Her life wasn't a cheap grass anyone could stomp and crush as they pleased. It was a gift from her parents who raised her with love and care. And if someone wanted to snatch it, then they would have to at least shed a skin or two before achieving their aim.
"Skyler, this might be where our journey together ends. Although short, I enjoyed your company and Snow's companionship. If there's a next life, let's meet again in better circumstances."
"Princess, don't worry. Just a looming fool, how could he obstruct us?"
"Princess, at this moment, you are too weak to confront the Dark Jinn. But if given enough time to grow, beings like jinns wouldn't dare to confront you." Snow, sensing the tense atmosphere and what appeared to be final words, groggily lifted her head to see the giant.
She was still in a confused state of mind, her head and limbs heavier than lead as she tried to overcome the crushing, drowsy feeling.
In this moment of hopeless despair, she had to lend the princess her strength.
"Princess, we can't directly confront them right now. Run. Escape as far from this place as possible. As long as you escape alive today, you'll have your chance tomorrow."
"Little Princess...no need to delay...come!" Dark Jinn was out of patience. He had come to take the golden sword in the princess's hand for the Regent Prince of the Amayan Empire.
As for his reward...
Eyes flashing with a dark glow, the Dark Jinn stretched his giant hand to grab the puny creature.
"Skyler, let's go!"
Princess Qamari twirled her sword, her eyes flashing with pain for a brief moment.
Is this really the end? Will I never see him again?
At this moment of life and death, she couldn't help but recall her husband. After the completion of her mission, her plan was to rush back to the empire and see him. But perhaps, their fate together was only this long...
Sighing despondently, she lifted her hand and swung her sword, fusing her elemental power with the sharp sword aura, as she charged to meet the descending hand of the Dark Jinn.
BOOM!
A loud explosion resounded, rocks and dust rising, as the region within a mile distance of their confrontation went through a renovation. As the rocks and nearby vegetation shattered and grinded to dust, a desolate and barren landscape appeared.
Puff!
Princess Qamari's figure sailed through the air, blood spraying from her mouth as her skin burst apart and fresh blood coated her from head to toe. The powerful collision with the Dark Jinn's oppressive might had severely injured her with one blow.
Even her newly refined level 1 Stage 3 elemental energy was useless.
'No wonder Snow wanted me to escape.'
Boom!
Puff!
As her figure ruthlessly smashed into the ground, another mouthful of blood sprayed from her mouth.
Princess Qamari lay limp, her breath coming out in rough gasps, not able to move a finger or toe. Every muscle and bone in her body screamed in pain as they bled profusely. Skyler, now dull and shaking, laid in her hand, unable to grasp the sword that was similarly damaged in the clash.
'This is really the end...'
She blankly stared at the dark sky, her mind flashing with images of a time when her life was simple, carefree, and filled with happiness. That was a time long gone, feeling more like an eternity than a few mere years.
That was the time when her parents were still alive and well.
When did it begin?
When did her peace shatter and morph into one she could barely recognize?
She didn't know. At some point, somewhere in time, something beyond her understanding had taken place and shattered her world. Something happened that changed the trajectory of her life, and the life she knew was hurled amidst the whirlwind of a storm, becoming nothing more than a wistful dream.
"Little Princess...if you'd come along easily, you'd be in much better condition...why fight the inevitable?"
Bang!
Bang!
Princess Qamari did not respond.
The Dark Jinn's voice reverberated in the region, its penetrating rumble hard to ignore as his every step made the earth shake and the sky tremble.
This was a behemoth upon whose appearance the very earth vibrated in shuddering tremors.
Bang!
Bang!
Laying motionless in the sea of dust, paralyzed with numbing pain and bleeding her life away, the princess's eyes remained clear and bright, not a trace of regret or resentment to be found.
She did her best to change her future, but if even her best wasn't enough, then there was nothing she could do about that.
She had taken this path to become strong and prepare herself to face a nameless darkness. But before she even confronted the enemy of her haunting dreams, she encountered a jinn.
Though not as daunting as her faceless enemy, the jinns were beings born from magic fire, making it practically impossible to kill them. And as beings with immortality, they possessed immense knowledge and boundless magic.
Their only flaw and the only shackles chaining them to the Dark Forest was their curse.
In fact, their boundless magic was overwhelming enough to become the masters of the Seven Realms. But because of the curse, they couldn't even move out of the Dark Forest without being called upon.
And because of this curse, the most powerful and magical beings of the Seven Realms were reduced to fulfilling the wishes of weak and puny humans for a price of their desire.
Bang!
Bang!
As the jinn neared, Princess Qamari peacefully waited for her end.
'Maybe after it ends, I'll see mother and father again...'
It wasn't that had she given up, but that she couldn't lift a finger to counterattack.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
"It's a Jinn! It's the Dark Jinn! Warriors, put up the chains! Put up the chains!"
"Tie up the Jinn! Tie him up!"
"Hahaha.....! A Jinn dares to enter the territory of the Jinn Hunters! What guts! I applaud you, man!"
"Unfortunately, this is the end!"
Out of nowhere, a swarm of men and women garbed in black cloaks swirling with runes appeared one after the other. The men, like a pack of wolves sighting meat, threw out numerous chains fluctuating with boundless elemental water energy that lunged towards the Dark Jinn like a surging flood.
Pisss!
As the chains made contact with the Dark Jinn, sounds akin to a cup of water poured in a hot pot rang out. The Dark Jinn, caught by surprise at the sudden change, grunted in pain when the chains made contact with his robes.
"You puny humans dare to chain me, the Dark Jinn!?" Enraged, he roared and directly grabbed the chains, and using his brute strength, shattered them apart.
"Don't let him get away! Since he dared to come, he shouldn't even think about getting away!"
"Throw out more of the Jinn Restraining Chains!"
"Throw out more of the chains!"
The group of men and women, undaunted by the enraged roar of the Dark Jinn, threw out more chains and began using whips to lash at the giant's feet.
Pisss!
More sounds of water and fire colliding sounded out as mist began to form around the Dark Jinn.
"You puny humans are tired of living!" Releasing another enraged roar, the Dark Jinn stomped on the ground, causing the earth to shake and tremor. The Jinn Hunters lost their footing and fell on their backs, their hold on the chains loosening for a split instant.
Seeing an opening, the Dark Jinn roared and threw out his arms, shattering the chains again.
"I will make you pay for daring to chain me!"
The Jinns' most taboo topic were chains.
Being cursed to never take a step out of the Dark Forest, and only appear when called upon by humans to fulfill their wish in exchange for a price of their desire, they felt chained and shackled, hating the injustice done to them.
Obviously, they were more powerful than the puny humans, having more magic and ability than humans that could only live for a hundred years.
So why were they trapped in a dark, gloomy, and bleak forest, while the weak humans basked under the glorious sun and laid under the radiant moon?
Why were they living like filthy rats in the dark, damp, and rotten Dark Forest, while the puny humans lived like the rulers of the realms in the beauty of the trees, seas, plants, and other creatures of nature?
Why, when they were the better beings, the more perfect creatures deserving of such enjoyment!?
So they hated and resented the humans, using the greed and desires in their hearts to fulfill their wish while creating discord among them.
Steaming with anger, hate, and rage, the Dark Jinn stomped towards the fallen humans.
But right at this time, another swarm of black-robed men and women, with runes of magic swirling on their cloaks, charged onto the battlefield.
In a thunderous holler, they threw out more chains and chanted at the top of their lungs.
"WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"
Their thunderous boom resounded in the heaven and earth and raised a storm of dust. The earlier group of Jinn Hunters, getting reinforcements, jumped back to their feet and joined in the chant.
"WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"
More chains shot out and the Dark Jinn, the most dreaded Jinn of the Seven Reigning Jinns, was bound in chains like a measly slave.
"Urrg!"
He roared and threw out his arms, but where the first line of chains shattered, new ones replaced them. And as time passed, the number of men and women in cloaks swirling with magical runes increased.
The Dark Jinn paused and as he glanced in the direction of the paralyzed Princess Qamari, a sense of hesitation waved off his giant figure. After a few moments of stillness, it exhaled and sighed in defeat.
"Little Princess...I guess today isn't the day..." Sighing again, he dispersed in a puff of gray smoke.
The Dark Jinn of the Dark Forest arrived and departed in a shower of dust and debris.
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"The Dark Jinn!!?"
"Hello...Little Princess..."
The cold, emotionless voice of the Dark Jinn rumbled through the gloomy, silent, and motionless land, striking like thunder on the hearts of its listeners. Princess Qamari's face turned ashen, the fine hairs on her skin rising in goosebumps.
"Dark Jinn...why are you here?"
Why in the seven realms was the Dark Jinn here? Was he also...
She couldn't remember whom she offended so badly for them to send the Dark Jinn after her.
"Little Princess...I'm sure you know why I'm here...I don't appear without a valid summoning, and when I appear, I don't return without completing the task I'm summoned for...come, it's time for you to go..."
Princess Qamari was trembling, her limbs shaking without her conscious volition as she stared with horrified eyes at the looming behemoth.
The Dark Jinn was cloaked in a dark robe, its face shrouded in darkness by a dark hood. Its limbs were huge, each about 600 feet tall and 300 feet wide, with its head covering the sky. Elemental dark magic waved off its frame and spread out in the region, shrouding everything in a gloomy mask of hopelessness and despair.
Under its enveloping shadow, Princess Qamari felt like an ant before an elephant.
Against the Dark Jinn, she had no fighting chance, let allow winning.
Still, she clutched her golden sword and remained in her spot, staring at the nightmare without backing down. Even when her limbs were uncontrollably trembling and her heart drumming in her chest, Princess Qamari did not step back.
"Hehe...Little Princess...I must say, you are quite brave...to confront me so foolishly when only defeat awaits, you are the first..."
Seeing her defiantly staring him up, without a hint of bending or begging for her life, the Dark Jinn's eyes filled with interest.
"There's always...a first...for everything." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her tingling nerves and control her limbs.
Because even if it was going to be a wretched clash, with her exploding in a shower of blood and flesh with one blow, Princess Qamari still planned to fight.
Her life wasn't a cheap grass anyone could stomp and crush as they pleased. It was a gift from her parents who raised her with love and care. And if someone wanted to snatch it, then they would have to at least shed a skin or two before achieving their aim.
"Skyler, this might be where our journey together ends. Although short, I enjoyed your company and Snow's companionship. If there's a next life, let's meet again in better circumstances."
"Princess, don't worry. Just a looming fool, how could he obstruct us?"
"Princess, at this moment, you are too weak to confront the Dark Jinn. But if given enough time to grow, beings like jinns wouldn't dare to confront you." Snow, sensing the tense atmosphere and what appeared to be final words, groggily lifted her head to see the giant.
She was still in a confused state of mind, her head and limbs heavier than lead as she tried to overcome the crushing, drowsy feeling.
In this moment of hopeless despair, she had to lend the princess her strength.
"Princess, we can't directly confront them right now. Run. Escape as far from this place as possible. As long as you escape alive today, you'll have your chance tomorrow."
"Little Princess...no need to delay...come!" Dark Jinn was out of patience. He had come to take the golden sword in the princess's hand for the Regent Prince of the Amayan Empire.
As for his reward...
Eyes flashing with a dark glow, the Dark Jinn stretched his giant hand to grab the puny creature.
"Skyler, let's go!"
Princess Qamari twirled her sword, her eyes flashing with pain for a brief moment.
Is this really the end? Will I never see him again?
At this moment of life and death, she couldn't help but recall her husband. After the completion of her mission, her plan was to rush back to the empire and see him. But perhaps, their fate together was only this long...
Sighing despondently, she lifted her hand and swung her sword, fusing her elemental power with the sharp sword aura, as she charged to meet the descending hand of the Dark Jinn.
BOOM!
A loud explosion resounded, rocks and dust rising, as the region within a mile distance of their confrontation went through a renovation. As the rocks and nearby vegetation shattered and grinded to dust, a desolate and barren landscape appeared.
Puff!
Princess Qamari's figure sailed through the air, blood spraying from her mouth as her skin burst apart and fresh blood coated her from head to toe. The powerful collision with the Dark Jinn's oppressive might had severely injured her with one blow.
Even her newly refined level 1 Stage 3 elemental energy was useless.
'No wonder Snow wanted me to escape.'
Boom!
Puff!
As her figure ruthlessly smashed into the ground, another mouthful of blood sprayed from her mouth.
Princess Qamari lay limp, her breath coming out in rough gasps, not able to move a finger or toe. Every muscle and bone in her body screamed in pain as they bled profusely. Skyler, now dull and shaking, laid in her hand, unable to grasp the sword that was similarly damaged in the clash.
'This is really the end...'
She blankly stared at the dark sky, her mind flashing with images of a time when her life was simple, carefree, and filled with happiness. That was a time long gone, feeling more like an eternity than a few mere years.
That was the time when her parents were still alive and well.
When did it begin?
When did her peace shatter and morph into one she could barely recognize?
She didn't know. At some point, somewhere in time, something beyond her understanding had taken place and shattered her world. Something happened that changed the trajectory of her life, and the life she knew was hurled amidst the whirlwind of a storm, becoming nothing more than a wistful dream.
"Little Princess...if you'd come along easily, you'd be in much better condition...why fight the inevitable?"
Bang!
Bang!
Princess Qamari did not respond.
The Dark Jinn's voice reverberated in the region, its penetrating rumble hard to ignore as his every step made the earth shake and the sky tremble.
This was a behemoth upon whose appearance the very earth vibrated in shuddering tremors.
Bang!
Bang!
Laying motionless in the sea of dust, paralyzed with numbing pain and bleeding her life away, the princess's eyes remained clear and bright, not a trace of regret or resentment to be found.
She did her best to change her future, but if even her best wasn't enough, then there was nothing she could do about that.
She had taken this path to become strong and prepare herself to face a nameless darkness. But before she even confronted the enemy of her haunting dreams, she encountered a jinn.
Though not as daunting as her faceless enemy, the jinns were beings born from magic fire, making it practically impossible to kill them. And as beings with immortality, they possessed immense knowledge and boundless magic.
Their only flaw and the only shackles chaining them to the Dark Forest was their curse.
In fact, their boundless magic was overwhelming enough to become the masters of the Seven Realms. But because of the curse, they couldn't even move out of the Dark Forest without being called upon.
And because of this curse, the most powerful and magical beings of the Seven Realms were reduced to fulfilling the wishes of weak and puny humans for a price of their desire.
Bang!
Bang!
As the jinn neared, Princess Qamari peacefully waited for her end.
'Maybe after it ends, I'll see mother and father again...'
It wasn't that had she given up, but that she couldn't lift a finger to counterattack.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
"It's a Jinn! It's the Dark Jinn! Warriors, put up the chains! Put up the chains!"
"Tie up the Jinn! Tie him up!"
"Hahaha.....! A Jinn dares to enter the territory of the Jinn Hunters! What guts! I applaud you, man!"
"Unfortunately, this is the end!"
Out of nowhere, a swarm of men and women garbed in black cloaks swirling with runes appeared one after the other. The men, like a pack of wolves sighting meat, threw out numerous chains fluctuating with boundless elemental water energy that lunged towards the Dark Jinn like a surging flood.
Pisss!
As the chains made contact with the Dark Jinn, sounds akin to a cup of water poured in a hot pot rang out. The Dark Jinn, caught by surprise at the sudden change, grunted in pain when the chains made contact with his robes.
"You puny humans dare to chain me, the Dark Jinn!?" Enraged, he roared and directly grabbed the chains, and using his brute strength, shattered them apart.
"Don't let him get away! Since he dared to come, he shouldn't even think about getting away!"
"Throw out more of the Jinn Restraining Chains!"
"Throw out more of the chains!"
The group of men and women, undaunted by the enraged roar of the Dark Jinn, threw out more chains and began using whips to lash at the giant's feet.
Pisss!
More sounds of water and fire colliding sounded out as mist began to form around the Dark Jinn.
"You puny humans are tired of living!" Releasing another enraged roar, the Dark Jinn stomped on the ground, causing the earth to shake and tremor. The Jinn Hunters lost their footing and fell on their backs, their hold on the chains loosening for a split instant.
Seeing an opening, the Dark Jinn roared and threw out his arms, shattering the chains again.
"I will make you pay for daring to chain me!"
The Jinns' most taboo topic were chains.
Being cursed to never take a step out of the Dark Forest, and only appear when called upon by humans to fulfill their wish in exchange for a price of their desire, they felt chained and shackled, hating the injustice done to them.
Obviously, they were more powerful than the puny humans, having more magic and ability than humans that could only live for a hundred years.
So why were they trapped in a dark, gloomy, and bleak forest, while the weak humans basked under the glorious sun and laid under the radiant moon?
Why were they living like filthy rats in the dark, damp, and rotten Dark Forest, while the puny humans lived like the rulers of the realms in the beauty of the trees, seas, plants, and other creatures of nature?
Why, when they were the better beings, the more perfect creatures deserving of such enjoyment!?
So they hated and resented the humans, using the greed and desires in their hearts to fulfill their wish while creating discord among them.
Steaming with anger, hate, and rage, the Dark Jinn stomped towards the fallen humans.
But right at this time, another swarm of black-robed men and women, with runes of magic swirling on their cloaks, charged onto the battlefield.
In a thunderous holler, they threw out more chains and chanted at the top of their lungs.
"WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"
Their thunderous boom resounded in the heaven and earth and raised a storm of dust. The earlier group of Jinn Hunters, getting reinforcements, jumped back to their feet and joined in the chant.
"WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"
More chains shot out and the Dark Jinn, the most dreaded Jinn of the Seven Reigning Jinns, was bound in chains like a measly slave.
"Urrg!"
He roared and threw out his arms, but where the first line of chains shattered, new ones replaced them. And as time passed, the number of men and women in cloaks swirling with magical runes increased.
The Dark Jinn paused and as he glanced in the direction of the paralyzed Princess Qamari, a sense of hesitation waved off his giant figure. After a few moments of stillness, it exhaled and sighed in defeat.
"Little Princess...I guess today isn't the day..." Sighing again, he dispersed in a puff of gray smoke.
The Dark Jinn of the Dark Forest arrived and departed in a shower of dust and debris.
"The Dark Jinn!!?""Hello...Little Princess..."The cold, emotionless voice of the Dark Jinn rumbled through the gloomy, silent, and motionless land, striking like thunder on the hearts of its listeners. Princess Qamari's face turned ashen, the fine hairs on her skin rising in goosebumps."Dark Jinn...why are you here?"Why in the seven realms was the Dark Jinn here? Was he also...She couldn't remember whom she offended so badly for them to send the Dark Jinn after her."Little Princess...I'm sure you know why I'm here...I don't appear without a valid summoning, and when I appear, I don't return without completing the task I'm summoned for...come, it's time for you to go..."Princess Qamari was trembling, her limbs shaking without her conscious volition as she stared with horrified eyes at the looming behemoth. The Dark Jinn was cloaked in a dark robe, its face shrouded in darkness by a dark hood. Its limbs were huge, each about 600 feet tall and 300 feet wide, with its head covering the sky. Elemental dark magic waved off its frame and spread out in the region, shrouding everything in a gloomy mask of hopelessness and despair.Under its enveloping shadow, Princess Qamari felt like an ant before an elephant.Against the Dark Jinn, she had no fighting chance, let allow winning.Still, she clutched her golden sword and remained in her spot, staring at the nightmare without backing down. Even when her limbs were uncontrollably trembling and her heart drumming in her chest, Princess Qamari did not step back."Hehe...Little Princess...I must say, you are quite brave...to confront me so foolishly when only defeat awaits, you are the first..."Seeing her defiantly staring him up, without a hint of bending or begging for her life, the Dark Jinn's eyes filled with interest."There's always...a first...for everything." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her tingling nerves and control her limbs.Because even if it was going to be a wretched clash, with her exploding in a shower of blood and flesh with one blow, Princess Qamari still planned to fight.Her life wasn't a cheap grass anyone could stomp and crush as they pleased. It was a gift from her parents who raised her with love and care. And if someone wanted to snatch it, then they would have to at least shed a skin or two before achieving their aim."Skyler, this might be where our journey together ends. Although short, I enjoyed your company and Snow's companionship. If there's a next life, let's meet again in better circumstances.""Princess, don't worry. Just a looming fool, how could he obstruct us?""Princess, at this moment, you are too weak to confront the Dark Jinn. But if given enough time to grow, beings like jinns wouldn't dare to confront you." Snow, sensing the tense atmosphere and what appeared to be final words, groggily lifted her head to see the giant.She was still in a confused state of mind, her head and limbs heavier than lead as she tried to overcome the crushing, drowsy feeling.In this moment of hopeless despair, she had to lend the princess her strength. "Princess, we can't directly confront them right now. Run. Escape as far from this place as possible. As long as you escape alive today, you'll have your chance tomorrow.""Little Princess...no need to delay...come!" Dark Jinn was out of patience. He had come to take the golden sword in the princess's hand for the Regent Prince of the Amayan Empire.As for his reward...Eyes flashing with a dark glow, the Dark Jinn stretched his giant hand to grab the puny creature."Skyler, let's go!"Princess Qamari twirled her sword, her eyes flashing with pain for a brief moment.Is this really the end? Will I never see him again?At this moment of life and death, she couldn't help but recall her husband. After the completion of her mission, her plan was to rush back to the empire and see him. But perhaps, their fate together was only this long...Sighing despondently, she lifted her hand and swung her sword, fusing her elemental power with the sharp sword aura, as she charged to meet the descending hand of the Dark Jinn.BOOM!A loud explosion resounded, rocks and dust rising, as the region within a mile distance of their confrontation went through a renovation. As the rocks and nearby vegetation shattered and grinded to dust, a desolate and barren landscape appeared.Puff!Princess Qamari's figure sailed through the air, blood spraying from her mouth as her skin burst apart and fresh blood coated her from head to toe. The powerful collision with the Dark Jinn's oppressive might had severely injured her with one blow.Even her newly refined level 1 Stage 3 elemental energy was useless.'No wonder Snow wanted me to escape.'Boom!Puff!As her figure ruthlessly smashed into the ground, another mouthful of blood sprayed from her mouth.Princess Qamari lay limp, her breath coming out in rough gasps, not able to move a finger or toe. Every muscle and bone in her body screamed in pain as they bled profusely. Skyler, now dull and shaking, laid in her hand, unable to grasp the sword that was similarly damaged in the clash.'This is really the end...'She blankly stared at the dark sky, her mind flashing with images of a time when her life was simple, carefree, and filled with happiness. That was a time long gone, feeling more like an eternity than a few mere years.That was the time when her parents were still alive and well.When did it begin?When did her peace shatter and morph into one she could barely recognize?She didn't know. At some point, somewhere in time, something beyond her understanding had taken place and shattered her world. Something happened that changed the trajectory of her life, and the life she knew was hurled amidst the whirlwind of a storm, becoming nothing more than a wistful dream."Little Princess...if you'd come along easily, you'd be in much better condition...why fight the inevitable?"Bang!Bang!Princess Qamari did not respond.The Dark Jinn's voice reverberated in the region, its penetrating rumble hard to ignore as his every step made the earth shake and the sky tremble.This was a behemoth upon whose appearance the very earth vibrated in shuddering tremors.Bang! Bang!Laying motionless in the sea of dust, paralyzed with numbing pain and bleeding her life away, the princess's eyes remained clear and bright, not a trace of regret or resentment to be found.She did her best to change her future, but if even her best wasn't enough, then there was nothing she could do about that.She had taken this path to become strong and prepare herself to face a nameless darkness. But before she even confronted the enemy of her haunting dreams, she encountered a jinn.Though not as daunting as her faceless enemy, the jinns were beings born from magic fire, making it practically impossible to kill them. And as beings with immortality, they possessed immense knowledge and boundless magic.Their only flaw and the only shackles chaining them to the Dark Forest was their curse.In fact, their boundless magic was overwhelming enough to become the masters of the Seven Realms. But because of the curse, they couldn't even move out of the Dark Forest without being called upon.And because of this curse, the most powerful and magical beings of the Seven Realms were reduced to fulfilling the wishes of weak and puny humans for a price of their desire. Bang!Bang!As the jinn neared, Princess Qamari peacefully waited for her end. 'Maybe after it ends, I'll see mother and father again...'It wasn't that had she given up, but that she couldn't lift a finger to counterattack.Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!"It's a Jinn! It's the Dark Jinn! Warriors, put up the chains! Put up the chains!""Tie up the Jinn! Tie him up!""Hahaha.....! A Jinn dares to enter the territory of the Jinn Hunters! What guts! I applaud you, man!""Unfortunately, this is the end!"Out of nowhere, a swarm of men and women garbed in black cloaks swirling with runes appeared one after the other. The men, like a pack of wolves sighting meat, threw out numerous chains fluctuating with boundless elemental water energy that lunged towards the Dark Jinn like a surging flood.Pisss!As the chains made contact with the Dark Jinn, sounds akin to a cup of water poured in a hot pot rang out. The Dark Jinn, caught by surprise at the sudden change, grunted in pain when the chains made contact with his robes."You puny humans dare to chain me, the Dark Jinn!?" Enraged, he roared and directly grabbed the chains, and using his brute strength, shattered them apart."Don't let him get away! Since he dared to come, he shouldn't even think about getting away!""Throw out more of the Jinn Restraining Chains!""Throw out more of the chains!"The group of men and women, undaunted by the enraged roar of the Dark Jinn, threw out more chains and began using whips to lash at the giant's feet. Pisss! More sounds of water and fire colliding sounded out as mist began to form around the Dark Jinn."You puny humans are tired of living!" Releasing another enraged roar, the Dark Jinn stomped on the ground, causing the earth to shake and tremor. The Jinn Hunters lost their footing and fell on their backs, their hold on the chains loosening for a split instant.Seeing an opening, the Dark Jinn roared and threw out his arms, shattering the chains again."I will make you pay for daring to chain me!"The Jinns' most taboo topic were chains. Being cursed to never take a step out of the Dark Forest, and only appear when called upon by humans to fulfill their wish in exchange for a price of their desire, they felt chained and shackled, hating the injustice done to them.Obviously, they were more powerful than the puny humans, having more magic and ability than humans that could only live for a hundred years.So why were they trapped in a dark, gloomy, and bleak forest, while the weak humans basked under the glorious sun and laid under the radiant moon?Why were they living like filthy rats in the dark, damp, and rotten Dark Forest, while the puny humans lived like the rulers of the realms in the beauty of the trees, seas, plants, and other creatures of nature?Why, when they were the better beings, the more perfect creatures deserving of such enjoyment!?So they hated and resented the humans, using the greed and desires in their hearts to fulfill their wish while creating discord among them.Steaming with anger, hate, and rage, the Dark Jinn stomped towards the fallen humans.But right at this time, another swarm of black-robed men and women, with runes of magic swirling on their cloaks, charged onto the battlefield.In a thunderous holler, they threw out more chains and chanted at the top of their lungs."WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"Their thunderous boom resounded in the heaven and earth and raised a storm of dust. The earlier group of Jinn Hunters, getting reinforcements, jumped back to their feet and joined in the chant."WE ARE THE JINN HUNTERS! WE CHAIN THE BEINGS OF THE DARK FOREST! FEARLESS! BRAVE! COURAGEOUS! WE STAND UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS! LET'S CHAIN THE JINN!!!"More chains shot out and the Dark Jinn, the most dreaded Jinn of the Seven Reigning Jinns, was bound in chains like a measly slave."Urrg!"He roared and threw out his arms, but where the first line of chains shattered, new ones replaced them. And as time passed, the number of men and women in cloaks swirling with magical runes increased.The Dark Jinn paused and as he glanced in the direction of the paralyzed Princess Qamari, a sense of hesitation waved off his giant figure. After a few moments of stillness, it exhaled and sighed in defeat."Little Princess...I guess today isn't the day..." Sighing again, he dispersed in a puff of gray smoke.The Dark Jinn of the Dark Forest arrived and departed in a shower of dust and debris.
