Maya rolls her eyes and reminds Bhommi "Enough you two. Bhommi. Don't play around. Be alert".

Bhommi pouts and flies away.

Maya pats Eros before muttering "Find your Master".

------

The Southern Realm's Camp.

Maya looks around dumbfounded as the place is destroyed. There is no single camp or anything at all to prove there was a huge fence of soldiers protecting this place just before a few hours.

While looking around she finds a glimpse of someone moving and snaps her head in that direction.

She pats Eros "Towards the right!".

Eros starts running forward in the right direction while Maya frowns as she doesn't find anyone.

'I am sure I saw someone here'

Her eyes notice some huge pile in the distance and mumbles "What's that?"

Eros doesn't need to wait for her instruction and runs towards the pile.

Her eyes turned in horror as the pile was made of dead humans!

She pulls the reins of Eros hard and gasps "Stop!"

Eros speaks "Your Majesty".

Eros slows his speed abruptly and stops before he could reach close to the pile of dead bodies.

The path ahead is filled with dead people. 

Maya couldn't see much ground ahead and climb down from Eros. She gags as the stench of metallic blood hit her nostrils strong and she winces seeing the arms and legs of people next to her.

This is the worst moment of her life. Never once she felt so sick just by seeing something horrible after Christopher's death. That was nothing compared to her situation right now.

She looks ahead hesitantly and gasps holding her mouth.

'He must be somewhere there'.

She looks back at Eros contemplating 'How could I disrespect their brave deaths by stomping their bodies? I shouldn't do this. I don't want to walk across this place too. But going with Eros without stomping anyone is impossible'.

She takes a deep breath and speaks "Wait for me".

Eros speaks "I will help you reach Master, Your Majesty".

Maya huffs a small breath and grabs the bow over her shoulder. She orders "You can come only when I ask your help".

Eros neighs respectfully.

Maya keeps an arrow against the bow's string in alertness and starts walking ahead.

For some reason, she feels the strange need to go search for him even though her mind says she doesn't need to.

Her eyes never stayed relaxed as she walked carefully ahead. Though she moved sternly, her stomach twisted every time she saw the dead people. She will not have her peaceful nights of sleep for weeks. Her previous plans of resting seem very luxurious at this point.

As time passes her whole body is drenched with cold sweats and when she finally crosses the pile, she stumbles weakly and falls on the ground exhausted. She kneels holding her stomach and throws up finally.

She wipes her mouth and looks around through her blurry eyes. She wipes her tears and sees her hand already shaking. 

'I am scared?'

Never once she felt scared even roaming in the darkness. This minute-long walk across the dead bodies tested her guts in a very short time.

She pushes herself up and mutters "If I don't find him soon, I am going to leave him behind. I can't be here for long".

She takes deep breaths to restore her energy and walks ahead determined.

SCREAMS!

GROWL!

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She snaps her head up and is shocked to see the huge amount of arrows shot at once towards where the Northern Realm soldiers would be fighting. She gets scared as she thought of Xavier getting hurt by any of them.

She steps back still looking up and freezes when another round of burning arrows are shot.

Maya gasps "Fire…"

She steps back hurriedly this time and runs back the way she came. She can't let Xavier get hurt.

"Maya!"

Maya freezes hearing an urgent voice behind her. What made her stop was not the tone but the familiarity in it. 

Because it was her voice!

When she turns back, she gasps in astonishment.

'The Empress? How is she here?!'

The Empress warns coldly "Get yourself together!"

Maya felt scared seeing herself with a cold face but speaks anxiously "We will talk later! He is in danger! I need to protect him".

The Empress smirks coldly "He is not the only one in danger, is he?"

Maya gulps guiltily as she forgot about the soldiers fighting with them for their country and Princes yet she speaks hesitantly  "But...He.. will get hurt-"

Maya stops speaking as she noticed Empress's face turning colder than before.

Seeing Maya's cheeks getting damped by small tears in fear and anxiety, the Empress steps forward sternly.

Maya smiles expectantly as she thinks the Empress wants to help her.

To Maya's surprise, the Empress raises her hand and slaps Maya hard!

SLAP!

Only her movement was so subtle but her slap was not at all light! 

Maya's tears drenched her cheeks instantly as she looked back at the Empress in front of her in pure rage. 

'How dare she! How dare she raise her hand against me! How dare she stop me from saving him-'

Her thoughts stopped as soon as she saw the slapped palm mark forming on The Empress's cheek as well…

Maya "..."

'This…'

At first, she thought the Empress would help her to save Kalki while she saved Xavier but she was disheartened to get slapped instead.

But now seeing the swollen cheek of Empress and the throbbing pain on her cheek made her mind go blank without any thoughts.

All her thoughts are wiped out by that single slap!

What made Maya's astonishment is the Empress didn't even flinch as she slapped her. 

'Did she even felt the pain?'

The Empress speaks taking a step ahead startling frozen Maya "Each one in this battlefield swore to fight for The Northern Realm. Their lives are in danger and only one man's life matters to you? Do you even have any shame? Do you even qualify as a soldier with that irresponsible thought?"