Chapter 6: The Sound of Midnight

Her body aches from all over but surprisingly she felt light. She recognized it was morning due to the ray of sunlight passing through the hole on the wall.

She surveyed the room she is at. It is not a room though because it looked like the living room. The furniture was badly destroyed, the curtains were ripped, and the blocks were scattered on the floor from the collapsed wall. It was a complete disorder.

She walked past the missing door and was welcomed by a blinding light. The houses in view are no different from the house she's staying at; they all have received damages.

She wondered how she reached the village. The last thing she remembered is her fading consciousness while dragging herself towards the village.

Trying to search for people in hat seemingly abandoned town, her feet has brought her towards the center. Dead bodies lined with no distinguishable features. The bodies had undergone decomposition, after all.

Four people sits in silence under the shade of a house. They stare at the road coldly, with hopes that started to sink away. They have not noticed the girl yet but once the wind blew, their attention moved and was glued to the girl standing meters from them.

The girl approached the four while tucking few strands of her hair to the back of her ears as it was blown by the wind. Stopping in front of them, she smiled and said, 'Good morning.'

The others, mesmerized to the splendor of the girl in front of them, recovered moments after.

'Are you hurting somewhere?' The princess asked which was responded by a slight shaking of head from the newly arrived girl.

The other girl approached the two talking girls and said, 'I am sorry. Because of me you got hurt.'

The sorry look of the girl had confused the once wounded girl. With another shake her head, she reached out for the girl's head and caressed it.

'No, I should be the one to say sorry. I wasn't much of help. Also, it seemed you were the one who looked after me while I was asleep. I am very thankful for that.'

'We have gone a long way and I still was not able to introduce myself properly. I am Ariz. Ariz Celeste Silvino. May I know your names?'

'I am Austria, the youngest child of our Revilles family. And they are my big brothers.' The little girl whom Ariz saved from the clutches of the wolf introduced herself.

To Austria's eyes, Ariz is her ideal self. Beauty, confidence and bravery. Her character is beyond ordinary. Even now that they have finally talked to each other, she can already felt how big Ariz's heart is and how amazing she could be. With this line of thought, Envy slowly creeps into her heart.

The brothers she had also referred stepped forward.

'I am Austin Revilles, the first born child.'

'I am August Revilles, the second born child.'

Austin, as he observes Ariz, was finally convinced that there is something different from the girl. He cannot explain it but he certainly knows that a force is attracting him to her. Not because of the girl's beauty nor elegance, but something else.

Meanwhile, August had remembered once again the invitation Ariz had offered. The journey to the unknown, as she calls it. He cannot remember agreeing to it however, he felt that he will likely miss half of his life is he turn the offer down. But a journey is certainly dangerous and he might lose half of his life for real.

Yet, he still leaped into it and convinced himself that following the girl that seemed to hide many secrets would be fun.

It is now the princess' turn to introduce herself thus she said, 'I am Elisha Marilla, the daughter of this village's chief. However, I had lost my home and people I am ought to serve. Right now, I am just Elisha Marilla, a simple girl.'

To Elisha's eyes, she hasn't met anyone of her age that has blown away her confidence when it comes to beauty.

Jealousy bud inside her heart upon realizing that the girl standing before her does not boast her beauty but is rather simple in the truest sense. This simplicity and full confidence is what struck the girl to be more beautiful.

Elisha wasn't able to fully see the beauty of the girl when Ariz was still asleep, covered in blood and tattered clothes. But now that the girl has been carefully tended, her skin is as fair as its snowy hair.

The dress she gave as Ariz's change of clothes looks more dazzling as compared to the times when she used to wear the same dress, and staring back at her is the girl's clear gray eyes.

They have shared their stories and learned more about each other over a simple afternoon meal. It was their first meal where they are all present thus they went out of their way and prepared steak, with the guidance of Austria.

They continued their current job after the meal, and with another pair of helpful hands they were able to retrieve all the dead bodies which were placed on the wooden circular altar they have built at the top of the hill beside the village.

The sun had gone to sleep and the moon had blessed its light with all the preparations for the ritual have been set. The dark sky is adorned by little twinkling lights and the wind is rather calm.

As the clock stroked midnight, the four children lighted the torches around the circular altar and along the path they made as aisle.

The top of the hill was enveloped by light that seemed to float is viewed from afar. It was an eye catching sight. The hill shall serve as the graveyard of the villagers, and it shall be called in the future as The Sorceress' Heart, one of the tourist attractions of the village.

With the moon just directly above the altar and together with its blessings, the Ritual of Reincarnation had started. Elisha, dressed in black, walked at the aisle. In her hand is a dark violet sorceress staff. She stopped in front of the altar.

Elisha recited a spell as she raised her staff. She acts as if she offers her people to the moon looming above the hill. The spell ended and a magic circle appeared. The altar gave off a light green glow.

As the decaying bodies started to vanish and turn to ashes, small bodies of light started to appear in return. They floated within the light green grow of the magic circle as if they are dancing.

The other bodies of light slowly floated and rose to the sky, vanishing within the dark sky together with the twinkling lights. Meanwhile, three circles of light approached Elisha's forehead as if they are bidding her goodbye.

The tears Elisha had thought had dried up fell to her cheeks and said, 'I am sorry Father, Mother. I can only hide due to my weakness. Sister, yes I know you always have loved me.'

The three circles returned to the range of the magic circle.

'You don't have to worry about me. I now have friends with me. So, I bid you farewell and wish you a safe return 'til we were once again reunited.'

Seemingly satisfied with Elisha's words, the last three circles have also floated to the sky and disappeared.

---

To the largest land of the third region, Nimbus Region, of the nation of Ellysia, far west of the Sorcerers Village, two persons landed swiftly at the mansion's rooftop.

Standing side by side, they watched the moon in its huge and beautiful form. They have been wandering at night in search for that person. The person that gave warmth to their frozen hearts.

The sound of church bell reverberated in the silent night as the clock stroke midnight. With a blow of the wind, a leaf elegantly swayed through and fro.

However, not a single soul was found at the rooftop anymore. Instead, two small nocturnal creatures are flying away together from the mansion. They seemed lively, and with pleased smiled fangs appeared.

---

To the land, west of the Sorcerers Village, a person peek outside the attic window. His back had been itching lately and this night was the most unbearable.

He was attached to the moon specially tonight with its full circle and as the midnight stroke, he cannot longer endure his throbbing back. A pair of angel wings emerged and it glowed a combined color of yellow and white.

The abandoned mansion deep inside the woods glowed but paying it no mind, he wondered when was the last time his wings have this burning desire to fly.

'Ah. I see. It was when I met that person.' With a nostalgic smile, the murmured to himself and his wings have calmed down once more.

---

To the land southwest of the Sorcerers Village, a vas ocean is located and a hypnotizing sweet voice lingered in the horizon.

The salty air was gentle and the waves were calm. The night was quiet as if intently listening to the girl's enchanting ballad.

The moonlight shone like a spotlight to the rock she's sitting at as she sung the ballad about lost love and loneliness which was taught by her savior.

Right now, she offers the ballad to her savior as she can only imagine their reunion. She can only hope that the gentle wind can carry her lonely ballad to the person she dedicates her song.

The sound of midnight echoed and thus she leaped into the water, swimming deeper until the seabed and resting inside the giant seashell abundant of glittering pearls, the product of a mermaid's tear.

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