Chapter 9

Some say you should never dream of things you want. Because it's basically telling you can't make it happen. Instead make it a goal that you want to strive for. Tell yourself it can become true. The words of what my mother taught me echos into my head. Even the last words she said to me. Build a home you can go back to. 

Again, I was in the mana pool. The strange creature stood before me. "Who are you?" "..." The cat sinks into the water below us. The glow of blue shaped into the magic circle. The circle ups open the waters. I fell through the water into the endless dark of nothing.

I awoke on a straw bed afterwards. The dream was no longer a dream to me. At this point I can't tell what's a dream and what's not.

I feel thirsty. My lips were dry a sign I was thirsty. The interior of the room was not recognizable to me. But I know it was human made. "Alie?" 

She was nowhere to seen. I stood from the bed. My clothes have changed as well. It was coat of sorts but somehow different. My pants and shoes were all different. 

"I need to get out of here." Beside the stool was an axe. The very axe that was in my hands. But it seems dim. It did not have all the light effects on it anymore. It was the only weapon I had in the room.

The axe being here in my grasp confused me all the more. To leave a weapon here with me is dumb decision for the humans to do. I took it with me just in case. Even I know they are not showing me signs of hostility. After all. I'm not in a cage.

On the stool was holster for my axe. I strap it around me and holster it. The outside was clear. But I could hear the sounds of laughter down the hall. This must be the tavern.

"Well, I assume this a whole situation is because of Alie. She has way with words." But I could not take another step further. The things they have done to me. I could never forget what the humans done to me. The cruel things they did to me is stopping me.

Telling me to run. My heart is pounding. This is too hard for me to go any further. Coincidently Alie was walking back to my room than.

"Ivalyo! Your awake!" "Alie." She leans me on the wall. She uses her magic to calm me down. "I'm so glad your awake." "What happened to me?" "You fell into a coma." 

"A coma? What is that?" "It means you fell into a deep sleep. For two weeks you did not wake up?" "Why did that happen to me?" "It must have been the beast ascension. It must have been too much for your body to handle for such a long period of time."

"Why is so hard to breath?" "It's a natural thing. If you can't go out there right now than you can go back to your room. I promise you the humans here aren't the same as the ones in the mainland."

"No... I don't want to hide anymore." "You sure?"

"Not really." "The humans in this village. They used to live with beast-men at the time. Long before the world fell apart." "But when war came between the beast-men and humans. The Southern Empire came to this looking for every beast-men. They slaughter them all. And they could do nothing to stop it. All generation of beast-men in this place. Were slaughtered."

I didn't say much about it. I was taken aback by the story of this place. It was something that was never thought of amongst the beast-men. They would laugh at such notion of humans and beast-men living together.

"They still think about them. They named this commune Proud beast."

"Not very original honestly. But I get it." "You ready now?" "Yeah." Walkling into the open was strange. There was a moment of silence when they saw me. "Everyone this is my friend Ivalyo. He was the one that stopped Servin."

An old women step forward. "I am the leader of this village. I want to personally on behalf of the entire village. Thank you for saving our home." The people were very different. The humans were like what Alie described them as. 

"Are you ok son?" This feeling is uncomfortable. I could not say a word. "...I...am fine." "If you don't mind, I think he would like to sit down."

Watching them drink and laughing together. It was infuriating to see them act like the world outside didn't bother them. This disgusting feeling is shameful of me.

But...I saw what humans can do to one another. Maybe we aren't so different. I always thought humans had unity together. They always preached about when we were young even to our death beds. Humans are strong when together. We never break. We always prevail.

Laying my head on the counter was relaxing. I never sat on a table before. This new feeling is kind of nice. While I was in my thoughts. A small human child approached me. She was only four years.

She looked at me with innocent eyes of curiosity. She touched the axe on back and told her not to touch. "You're going to hurt yourself touching things that Sharpe kid."

"Da!" 

Alie watched me struggle with the child. "Seems you don't need company." "I would not say it's good company." "But not a bad one." "...I guess a cute one." 

She seems happier. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." The night came to end. Many passed out in the tavern. Alie was in a buzz. "So, what now Alie?" "Hm?" 

"What do you plan to do now? Everything here is solved, and the village is helping us with anything we need. Do you want to go back now?" 

"Well...I was thinking about it. I honestly don't know. I just know we need to survive in this world." "Seems like the basic instinct in this world."

"What about you? What do you want to do now?" What do I want to do. It's kind of hard to think about that. "The village leader offered to let us stay here as long as we want. We have time to think about it."

The day after the smoke had barely cleared away. Alie spent her time helping people around the village. The knights order that was here had left after finding out they were helping them. Though they had a suspicion. Now they must build a new order of knights.

One day the village leader had given me a blank book. "What is this?" "For you of course. I can tell you have many things to say." "I still don't understand."

"You two don't plan to stay here long. Its feeling I get from you both. This not where you should be." "Is this wisdom or are you being serious?" "Both."

"It's blank." "Writing things down is joy. It could also be very good for the mind." The first page of writing. Destiny is a real thing in this world. Every is driven my it. Some not. Though it's not common. But some do. If you achieve your destiny the god of light will grant you evolution. To become powerful. 

It's strange how the god's work. Staying this village remined me of how the world is filled with culture. It's being overshadowed by war and famine. I was free now. Learning about other cultures is something that pursued my mind.

"Is that a new your journal?" "The leader gave it to me." "Neat." "She thinks it will help me in some way." 

"You already wrote in it." "I've been writing about my life and the current events. Want to read it?" "No. I already know all about you and in the future, I will witness all that happens to you." She is right. We all contract between us now.

We sit on the floor chatting about our days. It was good feeling to just talk to someone. I found myself smiling sometimes. Not when Alie was around though. It feels weird to smile in front of her. "Sometimes I think about her...my mother." The both of us were surprised that I was opening up about my feelings. 

"I miss her a lot. But I could never forgive her for abandoning me. I try to forget her but it's hard. She to always tell me stories about our clan. And the society of beast-men. And it infuriates me that it helps me."

"How so?" "Like the humans we beast-men don't agree on a lot of things. You must have strong blood connections with one another to be protected. Even in the slave mines we had to stick to the strongest to survive. I realize we aren't all that different from humans. My people the panther clan were never allowed to step into the Sultra lands and the beast-men kingdom because we believed in different gods and the spirits."

It was like that a lot with certain beast clans. Some even wiped out. The stress I had during these past weeks even when I first meet Alie. Never gave me time to think on this. "Alie, do you know why this happen to me? Why did it happen?"

She hugged me. I never showed so much emotion before. I cried myself to sleep that night. Alie never stopped holding. me.

A few days later we decided on what to do next. "You're really going to Isabella? Are you sure?" "We are." "And what reason would you go to such a dangerous place?"

"We...are needed there. We have business there that involves are plans." "I see. If you are certain of it than so, be it. You two are always welcome here." After saying our goodbyes, we hoped on a wagon they had given us. We sat up front controlling the horse. 

I wanted to get use to controlling them. So I took the reins. I was scared they would go wild. 

A few days before Alie had vision that prompted us to go. Of course, I was hesitant on it. "I saw the city on fire. Innocents dying." "Alie."

"I feel it's in a similar situation here." "You think Servin went there?" "Maybe." "I'm quite unsure about this." "I know. You'll be fine to walk in Isabella. Its open to beast-men. The princess harbors them." 

"She does? Isn't she a royal blood line?" "She has pure heart. But because of her degree. Many humans have grown tired of her letting them. Because food is limited now."

"And what do you plan to do once you get there?" "I thought of something Ivalyo. I won't tell you yet because no matter what. It will involve you one way or another because of the contract. Until the princess agrees to help me. I will tell you."

"...I see. You've done enough for me to trust you. So, I'll be patient. I also think it's a good idea to go to Isabella." "Eh?"

"My...old companions could be there. And maybe my mother too. Also, I want to see world." "Has it piqued your interest." "Yes. This once in lifetime to learn new things I never got to before. And maybe I'll find what I'm looking for."

"Your destiny?" "No...my purpose." I wonder what awaits me now.

"By the way we should talk about the axe on your back." "What about it?" "Where did you get it?" "I'm not sure. It just appeared and disappeared after I left Servin's world. Then it was there when I woke up."

"Something about is strange. Just by looking at it. Its magical artifact." "Not weapon?" "The symbol on it. Its old language of the ancient ones. An era lost to us. The magic is emitting is spiritual. Did you see anything usual?" 

"I saw cat creature. It helped me go into beast ascension." "...That is very strange." "What is?" "If the cat creature is a spirit, it should not be able to help you obtain beast ascension because its divine ability by the mountain beast god. Not spiritual or magic."

"Then how did?" "Maybe the beast god accepted you." "Do spirits normally stay in people?" "Unless it's your spirit animal." 

"My what?" "Spirits are known for a lot of things today. But before mankind open the evils of the spirit home. They were used as guardians of the human world. People born with spirits are gifted with abilities. The ones born with it are known as spirit animals. A protector and guider."

"It's not a blessing?" "Blessings are received from gods. Just like how curses are given from demons."

Alie uses her hand to write messages in the air. "Blessings, Gifts, curses, chaos. Gods, spirts, Demons and dark apostles." 

"What about magic?" "It's more of a human thing. Anyway, the spirit is your protector so I wouldn't worry about it. But the axe is strange. Maybe the spirit had it when you were born." 

Seems the world of supernatural is with me in some ways. Kind of unsettling. I need to get stronger, or I won't last much longer in this world. I also have some I need to protect. So, I have to get stronger no matter what.

In the city of Isabella, a group of hooded men laughed and talked about disturbing and serious things. The riots outside did not shake them. They enjoyed the chaos. 

"Things are going according to his majesty plans." "Indeed. So, the Isabella will lose itself. But what about the bandits?" "They will push them. The knights want control of the kingdom they wouldn't want a group of bandits to take over. Right sir?"

"Indeed. Let this country's war begin. For the glory of our people."

"Let the heads of men, women, elderly, children fall on the steps of the Empire."