Raised From The Wild-Chapter 404: Attacked in Mid-Air
Leon moved with a quickness born from instinct. In a heartbeat, he dashed forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Princess Amaya, ready to confront the looming threat. Just as his feet settled firmly into the earth, a sudden force knocked him off balance, and he found himself sprawling onto the ground. The brittle leaves over the cool, damp grass pressed against his back as he lay there, momentarily disoriented, with a sense of urgency pulsing through him.
The blurry figure that passed by him earlier was the massive tiger. Although its striped body was taut with muscle, its posture was surprisingly gentle. One paw was lightly placed on Leon’s chest to keep him in place.
Vasquez and the other guards emerged from the shadows, forming a tight circle around the man and the beast. Their weapons were drawn and the cold metal of the guns trained intently on the creature that loomed before them. Just as tension filled the air, ringing laughter broke through. The melodious sound of Princess Amaya echoed around them, causing the guards to take a double look at the beast.
They recognized the tiger. After several months of guarding her, they knew it was her pet.
Leon looked up at the tiger in shock and horror. He turned his face to the right to escape the tiger’s extended pink tongue, which was lapping at his cheek in an almost playful manner. The tiger’s large, golden eyes were calm, and its ears were perked slightly forward as if greeting his long-lost friend.
"Strange. How is it that Khalil seemed to like you when it was the first time he’d met you? When I met him, he growled at me and almost sank his teeth into my neck," Vasquez grumbled.
A vivid scene erupted in Leon’s mind, transporting him to a time when he crouched low in the shallow waters of a rocky riverbed. The chill of the water lapped against his skin, mingling with the faint scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. Suddenly, a deep, menacing growl emanated from the shadows behind him, sending a ripple of dread coursing through his veins. Before he could retrieve his gun, a tremendous weight slammed into his back, knocking him off balance. The world around him swirled into darkness as he lost consciousness, the last echoes of the growl resonating in his ears.
Princess Amaya noticed Leon’s discomfort and asked Khalil to release him. The tiger lifted his paw off Leon’s chest, obediently approached Princess Amaya, and began licking her face. Princess Amaya giggled.
"That’s enough Khalil! You’re tickling me."
Khalil let out a low growl, almost as if he were complaining to Amaya.
"Yeah, I know, Buddy. I missed you too." Amaya said softly, her voice warm and affectionate. She reached out and gently ran her fingers through the tousled hair at the back of Khalil’s head, feeling the familiar softness as she offered him a comforting rub, a small gesture that spoke volumes of their bond.
The group spent the remainder of the day exploring the forest. Princess Amaya made her way to the lush herb plantation nestled within the valley, situated between the majestic peaks of Mount Ibra and Mount Daya. The plantation flourished with a diverse array of fragrant herbs, their vibrant colors painting a beautiful contrast against the deep greens of the surrounding foliage.
Princess Amaya installed a cable car system to facilitate quicker journeys between the mountains. The system offered breathtaking views of the landscape below, whisking travelers effortlessly from Mount Daya to Mount Ibra and back.
From above, Princess Amaya surveyed the valley below and was pleasantly surprised to see the lush herbs of different varieties through the telescope. Dave did a good job of managing not only the plantation but also the pharmaceutical company.
"Princess, I have confirmed that the drug currently flooding the market in Raiya is a slightly modified version of your immune booster." ExZee’s childish and cute voice broke the silence inside the cable car. Although there were only three of them, the space felt cramped because Leon and Vasquez were tall. The other bodyguards occupied the adjacent cable cars.
"Damn! Who is bold enough to produce counterfeit drugs?" Vasquez cursed.
"It is not counterfeiting but copying and slightly modifying it." Leon said indifferently.
"Exzee, did you gather the evidence? Do you know who is behind this?"
"Yes, Princesses. Ren collected the evidence and sent the information to your email. Princess, when you donated the immune booster to Ra-Iya, someone intercepted the shipment. After some time, the pharmacies in Ra-Iya started selling the ProctaX."
"Who is the person behind the operation?"
"Princess, it is your cousin, Queen Zanzara."
"What?" Princess Amaya’s brow furrowed deeply, a wave of disbelief washed over her as she struggled to comprehend the insidious scheme attributed to Zanzara. Though her cousin had schemed against her before, she could not believe that Zanzara could do such a level of scheming. She could sense that something was amiss, a hidden thread woven into the fabric of deceit, yet every attempt to pinpoint the source of her unease slipped through her fingers like grains of sand.
Leon’s gaze remained fixed on Amaya. He could guess what was on her mind.
"I think your cousin is just a scapegoat." Leon shared his thoughts.
"I believe that’s true. While I’m not dismissing the possibility of her being able to accomplish it, we must consider that she is currently pregnant. She certainly possesses a certain cleverness, but it seems she falls short in the skills needed to achieve such a plan."
"Then, do you think it is King Ralden himself?" Vasquez stood from his seat and towered over Amaya as he asked curiously.
"Maybe. Back in Uropa, he approached me for a collaboration, but there was no follow-up."
"If your cousin acted in that manner, just imagine how ruthless she must be. Those drugs were meant to be a lifeline, a chance at survival for countless individuals. It’s no surprise that Ra-iya is grappling with the highest death toll from the Octa Virus among the three monarchies." Vasquez spoke passionately. One of his friends in Ra-Iya died because of the outbreak.
Princess Amaya was lost in thought, trying to recall her conversation with King Ralden when she noticed something approaching from the South.
Leon and Vasquez frowned as they looked worriedly toward the South.
The two men followed her gaze.
"Are those migratory birds?" Vasquez asked. His voice trembled. The hundreds of birds were flying towards them at an unbelievable speed.
"Oh, Shit! Those aren’t birds. They are birdlike drones."
"How can they be drones? Drones don’t look like that." Vasquez did not agree with Leon’s observation.
With a swift motion, Leon’s finger hovered over the sleek surface of his watch before pressing a button, a soft beep echoing in the cramped space.
"Activating shield!" A male mechanical voice came from Leon’s wristwatch.
"Activating shield!" ExZee echoed.
The birds swooped in rapidly, their wings beating frantically against the air, creating a flurry of movement and sound. As they approached the cable car, an invisible barrier shimmered into view at a five-meter radius. The instant they collided with this protective shield, a sharp crackle echoed through the air, and several birds plummeted from the sky, their bodies tumbling in a bewildered descent.
"ExZee, scan the birds. Are they drones or real birds?" Princess Amaya became concerned when she noticed the birds did not look like mechanical.
"They are living things, Princess!"
Leon frowned. How could it be? Was he wrong?
"ExZee, deactivate the electromagnetic shield." Princess Amaya cried urgently.
"Princess, if those birds collide at the same time, the cable car won’t stand a chance against the force," Leon protested urgently, his voice laced with concern. His instincts screamed that they were teetering on the edge of a dire situation, sensing the danger that loomed ahead.
"Keep the shield up, but disable the electromagnet and keep the cable car speed to the minimum."
The sizzling stopped. Yet, the birds were inexplicably drawn to the cable car. Rather than soaring gracefully around it, they repeatedly crashed into the metallic structure, flapping their wings in frantic confusion as if it were a mesmerizing but perilous obstacle in their path.
"What the heck! Are these birds idiots? Why do they keep bumping us." Vasquez shouted. He took a gun from his waist, but it was pointless as he could not fire from inside the cable car.
Leon pulled out his cell phone. With a sense of urgency, his fingers flew across the keypad, typing a complex sequence of numbers and letters that seemed to dance in the air. His watch let out a series of sharp beeps, sending out soundwaves that rippled through the air. Startled by the sudden noise, the birds took flight, their wings flapping wildly as they scattered away from the cable car.
But before they could sigh in relief, the birds regrouped and attacked their car more forcefully. Without the electromagnet, the shield shattered.
"Activating secondary shield."
Just as the shield activated, the birds parted, and towards the rear of the flock, seven birds the size of a kingfisher in a symmetrical v formation were revealed. Their eyes turned red as if about to release a laser beam.
"We’re doomed!" Vasquez shouted in despair!
