Chapter 5: Towards A New Beginning

Almost a weeks' time has passed but there are no signs of waking up from the wounded girl. Thanks to the village chief's daughter, the wounded girl's life was saved.

Remembering the strange coincidence of meeting the village chief's daughter is itself a blessing in disguise.

When the door opened, there stood before them a person of an undeniable royal lineage. The eyes of the two siblings follows every move the girl takes. She looks very happy as evident to her smiling face.

'Thank you very much.' The princess clasps the other girl's hand.

'How can I repay you?' The princess' light voice carries with it the tone of an innocent, or an ignorant.

'Ugh. Pardon me but it is us who should ask for your forgiveness. We had trespassed your territory and entered your house.' The little girl lowered her head apologetically. Her second brother did the same. While staying in the same position, the little girl continued.

'If we are to ask something, can we perhaps stay until our companion recovered?' Politely speaking, one would wonder if this little girl really came from a commoner upbringing.

'No, no. I actually can only imagine what happened to the village. I am saddened I can't help my people.' The princess' reply made the two fell into silence.

The princess must not know the terrible situation her village had suffered. But seeing it with her own eyes is much better than hearing it from outsiders like them; only then they will be able to lend her their shoulders, the two siblings thought.

'It seems that you have a sick companion. As my benefactor, I'll do my best too.' The princess happily walked past them. Grabbing the vials of medicines, the little girl and her brother who have a handful of books in tow only followed in silence.

The princess doesn't know yet how cruel the world is. Those that a person treasures the most is what the world will selfishly took. But this despair is not yet known by the princess. This made the two who were following behind make sorrowful faces as they see their past selves on the humming princess.

Their eldest brother who was waiting above ground was greatly alarmed as he sees an unfamiliar face making her way to the entrance from the underground. His worries however were soon dissipated as he saw his siblings behind.

Confused, he approached the two and asked, 'What happened?'

'We found the medicines and this village's last survivor, the village chief's daughter.' The little sister replied in a low voice which made her eldest brother frown but said nothing.

'Is she your sick companion? She's in a bad state.' The princess' remark left a bitter feeling to the three as it reflects their inability to help their companion. They nod in response as if they painfully admitted that they are weak.

'Then please let me help you.' The princess said with a smile and casted a chantless spell.

A magic circle of different form and design than the usual appeared at the ground where the wounded girl lies. It emitted a warm and light feeling that had the whole house covered.

The three siblings themselves felt light and recognized that their small wounds and scratches were healed.

'Thank you very much.' The three bowed in gratitude.

'Surprisingly, your companion isn't waking up yet though her wounds have all been healed. My power can only heal wounds but restoring mana is an advance form of healing. That I cannot do yet. However, your companion is now safe. Let us wait for few more days until she wakes up.' The princess explained but not that it matters to the three siblings. The fact that she has helped them is more than enough.

However, after that scene was another hurdle for the three siblings.

First on their list is checking the unconscious girl from time to time. Secondly, they also have to take care of the princess who were so shocked upon seeing her village and her people.

It would indeed be a traumatic experience to see her own family in such state. The princess cried for a whole day but went out the next day and decided to offer a ritual to send off the souls of the villagers, a so-called Ritual of Reincarnation.

The Ritual of Reincarnation will be held after a week. That being said came their third problem. The three siblings together with some help from the princess shall recover the decaying bodies of the villagers.

Fourthly, acquiring food is troublesome. Having a safe water to drink is not a problem as the river is purified, according to the princess. But growing their own crops is currently impossible as evident by the dried cracking land.

Hunting for meat in the forest is another impossible feat as the beasts are far stronger than them. The only food they are able to procure are looted goods from the ruined houses but how long can it last is another thing to consider.

Lastly, the princess has also told them that their territory which stretches towards the mountain to the south, the port to the north, the cave to the west, and a beach resort to the east is somewhat cut off from civilization.

Being separated from the outside world seemed to happen only recently, specifically during the attack. It happened that the village council which were comprised mostly of the village elders casted a wide-range irreversible spell, a poisonous fog that surrounds their entire territory.

This also meant that escape from the inside and infiltration from the outside are impossible.

However, there seemed to be a way to break through the fog of poison; it is to wait for the chairman of the village council.

For the time being, the kids were not yet sure what path to take. They are now a bunch of homeless children, robbed of their family and sense of belongingness.

They move forward because they thought that it's just the natural thing to do. In their eyes, living is now an obligation. They breath for the sake of living.

They open their eyes, breathe and eat in order to survive the day. They have been confined to the shackles of the past, only live for the present and lack the desire and interest for the future.

Their eyes devoid of life and color. Their tears that seemed to have dried. Their faces that show no emotions. And their hearts with nothing inside. They confined their true self in a dark prison of despair.

Their true selves are struggling, running in circles in an endless space of darkness. They reach out to the light before them but their feet get heavier with every step making it even harder to chase after the fading light.

It was a dark abyss. Feeling hopeless they fell into their knees. Their end is before them and struggling is futile.

Reaching out into nothingness as if accepting their pitiful end, cracks started to form within the darkness. It was like a breaking mirror, with its cracks stretching farther and farther.

Later on, the pieces started crumbling and a blinding light enveloped them.

Before their very eyes is a beautiful young girl. With her straight and long shiny snow hair, dashing eye lashes and bewitching crystal clear gray eyes, she approaches the others with finesse; giving anybody the idea that she is an incarnate of an unfamiliar goddess from fairytales.

Stopping before them, she flashed a breathtaking smile and said, 'Good morning.'

***