Chapter 1

There is no good or bad in this world they say. I thought the world was nothing but bad. I still do even now. When I woke up the name Sara was all I thought about.

But the surrounding area caught my attention. Sand had stuck to my face since I was lying on my stomach. I smelled the ocean and felt the cold breeze around me. It was a very relaxing situation.

Behind me was very much the backwoods of any mainland country in the land of stars, trees, bushes and mountains. But this mountain I saw was far bigger than anything I've seen. It looked just like a massive wall that stretched miles from top to bottom.

"Whoa." I thought to myself. I wondered where I was. I had tried to stand but the moment I put pressure on my right arm I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. I realized a broken arrow was still in my shoulder. I was already festering.

"How long was I out?" The pus was leaking from my wound already. My face turns sour. Looking at the arrow reminded me that I was through away by the one's I thought we family not by blood but by bond.

"Parish." The remembrance of that day rushed thoughts in my mind to many times. I laid on the sand again since I felt no need to or even have the strength to stand yet.

"Sara, Parish, Haiden, Loe, Tolai." The names of the ones I trusted brought tears to my eyes. At that moment the word why became the unchanged question in my head. Why did they do this. Why did it have to be me?

A grieved smile was painted on me. I got left behind again. My mother was the first and now them. My mind was fried from all of it. Mentally it was taxing.

What now? What should I do now. Honestly, I think I might die from my wound. So, I guess it doesn't matter what I do now. "Maybe dying can be relieving now."

"How so?" I was startled by the sudden voice. I immediately get into a defensive stance. "Who's there!?" Hey, this time the voice was in my in head.

"Wha…who the hell?" "Relax I'm trying to take form. Your emotions are disrupting our mana." "What?" "Relax yourself." "Why should I?" Am I possessed? I heard of spirits doing such thing is common. "How can I trust you?"

"If you want me to reveal myself you need to relax and calm your mind. I promise you I won't do anything else." "Promises don't mean anything at all."

"That's all I can promise you. Besides if you think I can hurt you then maybe I could if I wanted to. But I won't. Take that into consideration."

Maybe she was right. Mortal people can never fight against gods or even spirits. The fact she hadn't done any harm to me was enough for me to relax myself.

I relax my muscles and mind. A few seconds later a blue orb flashed in front of me.

A small woman had appeared in front of me she was a little bigger than my forearm. She was very beautiful and young as well and looked ancient because of her aura and the clothes she wore. "Hane'kee." "What"

"It's a greeting word in your language, right? Of the panther clan." How does she know that I'm a beast-men? "How do you know that I'm a pantherian"

"I know because of the contract that has bind us together. Our memories and mind are connected." Is this what they spell of magic? How did this happen? I never sign anything. Everything that was happening felt like something that would happen to a hero in the old stories my mother used to tell me.

"Also, I can tell just by looking at you. The blue hair and eyes that look like a cat is not natural in human society. Half breeds always have characteristics of their father or mother."

I was completely bewildered by her. Her greens eyes showed innocence and no wavering in them. She is not a liar. But it was not smart to trust her yet.

She smiles at me. Which radiated with an energy I never felt before. Kindness.

"So Ivalyo, age 18. A slave huh. Half human and Pantherian." "What are you?" "Oh sorry. My names Alie Ingo. Nice to meet you." I stuttered over my words since talking to someone new has not happened in a while.

"What's wrong?" "I'm sorry I'm just confused on how we made a contract?" "I see. I guess you must have lost consciousness in the ocean before we made the contract with my rune seal.

"I don't remember." "It's fine if you don't remember. Now we don't have to go through all the boring stuff now."

"Ok…then what are you?" "Me?"

She stopped mid-sentence and looked unsure of herself. "Huh…I can't seem to remember." "You don't remember what you are?" "Seems so."

Seems so? How can you say that so nonchalantly. "Hm strange. Why can't I remember?" Again, she looked unsure of herself. Looking at her reminded me of a lost city girl.

"You alright?" "I'm fine. But you on the other hand need some help." Her eyes had lite up for a second. She gently grabs my face holding me in place.

Looking at her made me curious about her. She is small and mysterious. Her body was liking though water. "Come! We need to find you food!"

"But I not really hungry." "You haven't eaten in days. How can you be so casual about it?" Her entire character changed instantly suddenly. It was like something awoke in her.

I grabbed her waist since I couldn't talk properly. "Relax Its hard to speak." She was breaking down in tears. We had only just met and yet she sheds tears. But why?

"Why is that you are crying?" "Because. I saw everything…your past and the things you had to do." My past…she did say we share memories. Though I haven't seen any of hers.

"But also…because you're a person no matter what is worth helping." Strange. This feeling in my heart…I don't ever remember feeling like this before? Or ever.

"Please let me help you." Her kind eyes and genuine words made me give in. Her eyes reminded me of my mother. She used to always find a way to feed me no matter what.

I nod up and down. Her radiant smile was attractive and so bright it could block out the sun.

"Follow me." Her eyes had shined again revealing only things she could see. Her power engulfed the land with strange sparkles of shapes.

For a second, I could see things from her eyes to. I was startled for a bit. I saw places and things I've never seen before. It was like the whole world had changed.

"Follow me Ivalyo." "Ah…right. Ok" Strange. Was that her memories or did vision? It was very strange at that moment. "We went into the forest not far from the beach. "Over there."

She hovers over some bushes that purple flowers in it. I was confused. She must think I'm desperate. "Flowers…I don't eat flowers Alie." "No, the flowers!"

"Then what?" "The potatoes underneath." "P-potatoes?" Alie instructed me to pull them out and I did. To my surprise there really were potatoes beneath the ground. I never knew where they came from so it was quite a shock to me.

"How are potatoes here?" "They grow all of the world even in desert and coastal areas." "Really?" "You really didn't know?" "I've only ever eaten them in slave camps or mines. I was never told where they came from. I was scared to asked since we are not allowed to ask any questions or well be beaten."

Alie's expression went from excitement to a very grim. "So, can I eat them raw?" "You can but it might cause a few symptoms, but it won't kill you."

"We should go and cook as many as we can. You need it." "I do?" "Of course, you're about to die and no person should look like this?"

"I've been like this for a long time." "That doesn't mean its ok." Again, she sheds tears for me. I don't like making people cry. "Alright. I'm sorry." I have never met someone with such emotions, not since I was with my mother.

After she calmed down, we headed back to the beach with arm full of potatoes. "Now we should make fire." "A fire?" She points at some rocks.

"Rocks? Why?" "Hunters call them flints. Gather some dead twigs and grass. A then strike the rocks to gather over the twigs. Hit the rocks together had created small sparkle of light.

I thought I was doing magic. But was corrected that it was not quite magic. The fire was finally lit after striking the rocks against each other a dozen times.

The fire grew bigger and bigger when I added more and more logs. It was warm…I never felt this warm in so long. To be able to create something was making feel proud of it.

It was hard to show this emotion though. "It's ok to show some happiness." "…Its hard." "How so? You made this happen." "We slaves are forbidden to. If we ever thought of ideas, we would be put to death. It's a way to protect their power, I guess."

Growing up as a slave I can barely remember the times I had the time to be a kid. Alie paused for a moment before saying, "This world should not keep you from being something."

Suddenly Alie released her magic power engulfing the entire area. I also noticed the sea had also been engulfed in her magic. Her mana was much heavier than the black coats I've met or wizard.

Her eyes went back to normal and slowly lowered herself to the ground tired. "This world hasn't changed at all not one person has ever wanted to change this twisted world."

"Alie?"

"I'm fine. I used my magic to gather some knowledge of the world. But not all of it since your weak right now." "Because of me?" She was breathing heavily. "The contract binds everything together including our magic."

Magic? I never know if I did have magic. It's very rare for half-bloods to have magic after all. "You gathered knowledge?" "Kind of like reading a book about history."

Having such a power would be blaspheme to the church. Honestly her entire existence would make me nervous. "Did you always known you could use magic?"

"It felt natural." Alie was unsure of herself. Maybe she was confused just like me. "The world is nothing but war."

Without war there is no history or change. "Its been the motto of this land Alie." It wasn't always like this though. There was a time when life was tranquil. Its been 20 years since the world had become a battleground.

"The beast-men kingdom. It was once a powerful kingdom that protected all beast-men and rival to the empires. But I guess it was too much for them because it the kingdom if gone now."

"Are you alright Ivalyo?" I felt bitter and anger. My mother always praised the beast kingdom. That they were a force that could not be moved and would protect everyone. But that was just persona to protect what they really were. They were no different from humans.

"I feel the pain in this Ivalyo…do you ever wonder if you could." "Stop…thinking about all this is annoying." My sudden remark was shocking to her, but she understood.

"Yeah. Why don't you eat." I waited for my potato to cook and thought why am eating when people are starving? It felt unfair to them. Alie looked very uncomfortable with the silence, so I asked. "I hope your spell gather knowledge on where were at too."

"Oh…of course. We are in the southern lands on the eastern part of it." "The southern lands? Don't you mean the southern kingdoms?"

"No. The massive content beyond the emerald sea." "How did I end up all the way down here?" The southern lands. It was far from the southern empire, so I don't have to worry about them.

"This place is of no actual royal ruling." "Not really. Lazare and Isabella are the only two royal kingdoms here." I was not entirely surprised, human expansion is inevitable. "I figured so.

Night had fallen upon us. Because of the lack of light. The entire world looked like an endless tunnel of darkness. My light made it look like the only thing in this world. The ocean waves made our situation very isolated. Which were kind of were.

It was a great representation of my world honestly. Alie had not said much that night. She stared out into the ocean. She must be asking why she was in the ocean.

I couldn't care less about it though. It was not my business after all. That night I dreamed about my mother holding me in her arms laughing and caressing me.

The face of a loving mother. "If you loved me. Why did you leave me behind!?" I shouted as much as I could in my dream, but the dream did not change. I woke up screaming my lungs out. Alie who sat next to me was startled by my outburst. "I'm sorry."

"Bad dream?" "…I'm not sure." What was wrong with me? I feel even worse than yesterday. "I need to find my friends." "You mean the one's that shot you with an arrow."

I paused for a moment then. "The very one's you call family right." "What is that supposed to mean?" "The man Parish. I saw him in your memories." "You looked through my memories!?"

"No, I did not. But you did. Every time you lose your cool or go under extreme stress your mana starts to lose control. Mana is your part of you and carries memories of your life."

The contract. "Then don't talk about them then." "I'm sorry but I feel your being swayed by Parish sweet words Ivalyo."

"What?" "Even if they help you what if they use you cause that's what they did." "That isn't"

"Then what?" "What gives you the right to judge me or them I just meet you yesterday!" "And I said you were worth saving." "Saving me from what!?" "From becoming a slave to false words that don't represent your character."

Why is she using words used in such weird way. But thought she made sense I didn't want to believe it. I was not sure why I still wanted to trust Parish.

"Why do you still believe your chained Ivalyo. Don't you get it. You are free now and can do what ever you want."

"Why do you say strange things?" I could not comprehend the things you has talked about since we first got here. "I speak the truth." "Sometimes speaking the truth doesn't help." "Its called helping you idiot."

I getting annoyed now. The anger in me was reaching it point. I hate having to show such an emotion.

"I saw all things you did Ivalyo. You were everyone's smile and you refused to use violence ever again. Ever since you." "Stop talking! What do you know! I'm lost Alier. I have nowhere to go I know nothing! I don't know what to do anymore…if there is anything I want to do now is find my mother."

Despite all the remarks we made to each other. Alie had apologized to me. "I'm sorry…that was incentive of me." No. Why are you apologizing. "But I still stand by what I say Ivalyo. Do not think you are anything less than what you think you are. Or what other have told you."

"…I…" "I think you need time for yourself. I will head back into the space between our minds. If you need me call for me." Just like that she disappeared, and I was alone again.

I wonder if my attitude is why everyone leaves me. Or is this my destiny to me alone? Days would pass since then. I was alone and ate nothing but potatoes. Luckly there was also a stream nearby, so I didn't really suffer much.

Alie never came out. But I'm sure she's watching me. I thought a lot about my life and surprisingly my future. Though it never got me anywhere close to what I wanted.

I decided to walk around to get my mind off these things since it was tiresome. Walking on the beach relaxed my head since all I heard was the ocean next to me.

I came across so many rocks and different flowers. The colors of them were the first for me. A went deeper into the forest to see if I could find more food. The forest was beautiful. It looked a lot like the mainland. But there was a different feeling here that didn't feel suffocating as it would feel in the mainland.

A sudden wind had blown past me. Beyond the sea were dark clouds that tower over the world. In our beast clan. They are the Storm and rain gods fighting for dominance in the sky.

Not too far from the coast was a small fleet of two boats were approaching. "Humans?" I can make out the flags of the boats. I had never seen their flag before.

But they were no doubt humans. The smell of blood on them is strong. "I need to hide."

On the beach one of the men asked his leader what was wrong. "Sir? What is it?" The man stood over six feet tall. His braided goateed was the length of an arm.

"Seems we found something else other than a war ground." "War sir?" "Hahaha! What do you ask that!? Lad!? This land will be our next battle ground!?" "I see."

"I would love to fight now but our people need a new settlement. We should head South more so we can find a better place if we do.

"Yes sir." Besides. Whoever is here I can sense a warrior soul in it. I have no doubt other groups will come here. Maybe he will join choose a side. And when we does I hope we cross blades soon.