The Dawn of the New World

Princess Helena meekly shook her head, "No, please. I was just a little surprised to see that Princess Na'im associates with the human lords. After what happened, I thought everything would still be at a crossroads."

"Human Lord?" she sniggered, looking at Hao Xuan from the corner of her eye, "Nothing that meager..." she mumbled under her breath but both the Demihuman Princesses heard her, exchanging surprised glances with one another.

He wasn't someone from the human royalty?! But then what was his background that he could talk to the Barbarian princess in that tone of voice?

Princess Helena was quite elated inwardly seeing as the relationship between Hao Xuan and the barbarian wasn't as rock-solid as she originally thought. If he truly was the one from the prophecy, he needed to be on their side no matter what.

Princess Na'im took a seat and gestured for the Demihuman Princesses to do the same. Burak, Uri, the guards, Hao Xuan and Ma Jiang were all left standing awkwardly on the side.

Upon getting comfortable Princess Na'im looked towards Burak, "Go ahead. Tell me everything that happened from start to finish. Don't leave anything out."

Burak was more than a little taken aback by her words. He looked towards Princess Inara and the others. Everything that happened within the pyramid was almost like a dream, not to mention the impact of all those findings would have on them.

It could very well change the entire power dynamics of their world.

"But..."

"It is fine. I think it would be better if the Demihuman tribes knew what happened down there. We will need to work together for what is to come."

Her cryptic words made Princess Helena a little uneasy. It looked like the Barbarian tribes knew something they did not, which was quite odd.

A single look from the glowering Princess Na'im was enough to make him sing like a canary. From the moment they entered the pyramid till they returned to this encampment, Burak didn't leave anything out.

The strange creatures, the weird rooms with unknown technology, the constantly shifting passageways, the neverending hordes of monstrous creatures that populated said passageways, the other world and all the time they spent there, the things they encountered and everyone they lost, the floor full of gargantuan beasts that were sealed in the pyramid, one by one he told them almost everything.

There were a couple of things he chose to keep to himself about Hao Xuan and the hunter. Not of their existence or the things they could do, but what he felt about them.

Throughout the narration whenever Hao Xuan was brought up and all that he did, he would receive perplexed looks from the entire group. But he was sitting in a corner with his eyes closed and didn't notice any of them.

Princess Na'im's self-assured expression slowly turned to one of shock, concern, and veiled fear by the time he finished. It was the same for the rest of them as well.

Princess Helena especially. She could barely hide her glee and anxiety because from what Burak had said, Hao Xuan was most definitely the one mentioned in the prophecy.

But perhaps none of them were more astonished than Ma Jiang. The wide-eyed adolescent beauty was the only one of them that knew Hao Xuan came from the surface and wasn't actually from here.

In her eyes they were both on the same level but after hearing everything that he had been through while she wasted her days down here without making much progress, she couldn't help but indulge in self-pity.

Time was running out for her and she had still not managed to achieve what she came here for.

It was like someone had cast a spell of silence over the room. No one spoke up for a few minutes until Princess Na'im.

"Is that...everything?" she looked towards Burak hoping for a yes, which she got.

He nodded somberly, looking towards Hao Xuan who felt his gaze and opened his eyes.

Hao Xuan stood up and walked up to them. Maybe it was their own mind playing tricks on them because they had heard everything he did but, somehow, he seemed much more imposing than before.

He gave a cursory glance to the Demihuman Princesses and looked to Princess Na'im for answers.

"We're short on time so I will be direct. Do you know about the surface?"

Princess Na'im's expression faltered, as did Princess Helena's but everyone else was confused. Well, everyone other than Ma Jiang. She sprung to her feet like a startled cat.

"No-" she reached out trying to stop Hao Xuan but he snapped his fingers and a Qi barrier appeared surrounded her, effectively silencing her and keeping her contained.

The female guards tightened their grips around their spears, preparing to attack if he made any suspicious movements.

"The surface?" Burak tilted his head to the side, "What do you mean?"

Hao Xuan snickered, "Ask your sister. It looks like your people aren't as ill-informed as I thought."

"Sister?" Burak looked towards Princess Na'im for answers but she just raised a hand to make him shut up.

With furrowed brows, she gestured towards him with her chin, "You are from the surface?"

He nodded.

"I am. Do you know what's happening up there?"

She shook her head once.

"We have no business with the surface.. Whatever trouble they have brought upon themselves has nothing to do with us," she said resolutely, thinking that Hao Xuan was a native from there.