Voice of Nous

The path that Liliya show is hidden behind a mountain pass. When they made it through, looks the road is flat and smooth, like someone had made it before. They followed the path that circled the mountain.

It got colder as the road got higher. From their position, Winfor looked like a miniature city. The tower of the windmill that was taller than the trees, appeared to be the size of a chess piece.

***

"Woah, this is the first time I've been on the mountain without feeling the cold at all."

***

"Are you okay?" Ashnard asked when he saw Liliya, who was shivering from the cold, even though she was already wearing gloves and thick clothes. "We can rest first."

"No. Just keep going. We have to keep moving," the girl said. A puff of smoke came out of her mouth and Ashnard's mouth as he spoke.

The sound of dragon wings flapping rang out at the top of the mountain. The mighty creatures roared in the sky, but their eyes and claws were always aimed at the ground. To those who are overcome by the greatness of the mountains and fall in the snow.

Ashnard and Liliya continued to climb while avoiding the gazes of the dragons aiming for them. They ducked into the shadows and mountain crevices until they reach the cave.

In front of the cave, Ekarios prances and squawks when saw Liliya. Liliya was as happy as the bird, she immediately ran and buried herself in Ekarios's warm feathers.

Having Ekarios here calmed them down because surely Sefenfor were also here. Ashnard entered the cave and found two men with their backs to him, observing something on the table.

"How did this happen? Why did he come to you?" Sefenfor asked the bearded man next to him named Reibo.

Reibo let out a small snort. "He's always been like this, you know. If there's a problem, Nous will always come to me," he answered casually. "Perhaps he still remembers my place, despite being corrupted by the forces of darkness, and ends up asking my for help."

"Well, you are indeed the closest person to him than I am."

Cold air suddenly pierced Ashnard like hundreds of swords pierced through his entire body. Ashnard fell. There was a pressure like being buried in dense and thick snow that made him unable to get up.

His fingers were shaking violently and turning blue. He tried to breathe to calm himself down, but every breath he took made his body temperature drop even more.

Sefenfor was surprised to see Ashnard whimper in pain behind him. So does Reibo. "Who is this kid? What happened to him?" the bearded man asked.

"Ashnard. He has a high sensitivity. I have to calm him down." Sefenfor then blew wind into Ashnard's body.

The pressure was gone, but the cold sensation still made Ashnard unable to get up.

Liliya immediately entered the cave and helped Ashnard to get up. "What's wrong, Ash? Are you cold?"

"Bring him near the kiln!" ordered Sefenfor, his expression showing displeasure at the two of them being here.

Liliya carried Ashnard and sat him in front of the hot-burning stove.

"What are you doing here?" Sefenfor didn't give Ashnard time to rest. "I told you I couldn't help you!"

With a trembling voice, Ashnard said, "I didn't come for you. But him." Ashnard pointed at the bearded man next to Sefenfor.

The man's beard was thick and very conspicuous. The beard even almost covered part of his fat body which wore with thick leather clothes. The man made a scary face when Ashnard pointed at him.

Ashnard turned around and showed the hilt of his sword to Reibo.

"This sword ...." His eyes widened as soon as he came to his senses. "You're Ebert's son?"

"Yes. He is my father, and I have come here to ask you for an answer. Why did my father give me a sword with only the hilt?"

"That's right. Your father came here three years ago. He asked me to make a sword, a whole sword. Your father was in a hurry, but at that time this sword was still not finished. He just took the blade and left the hilt unfinished."

"What exactly is that sword?"

"A sword that can cut through the darkness," Reibo growled.

"That's enough questions," Sefenfor interrupted. "There are more important things than your sword."

Seen at the table, a man in a robe is lying. He had long black hair and pale skin. Liliya recognized the figure as Nous, the Guardian of the Wind in the South.

"That's Mr. Nous!? What happened to him? Is he dead?" Lily asked worriedly.

"No, but he's dying. Dark forces are eating away at him," Sefenfor said.

"He previously attacked us, but not because of his will. It was the power of the abyss that corrupted his mind," added Reibo.

"That shouldn't be possible. Nous is stronger than us, he's the only one who can fight the dark forces. He's never been like this before," Sefenfor added again.

"Then, how to cure him?" Lily asked.

Ashnard tried to see the man's smooth face up close. His skin is as white as the skin of a girl bathed in milk. Black veins were running down his neck like tree roots. He also found a stab wound in the man's stomach that had dried up.

Unexpectedly, the robed man's eyes opened wide, he glanced at Ashnard and tugged at his neck. "My sword ... someone removed the seal. Help me ... before darkness takes over this land once again," he whispered. After that, he was unconscious again.

Ashnard felt suffocated as the man spoke to him. His voice was still etched in Ashnard's head as if it could not be forgotten.

It didn't stop there, Ashnard's stomach felt like it was being twisted. He tried to lean on Liliya, but his whole body suddenly stopped working. Ashnard fainted right then and there.

His thoughts stopped within the dark world. But, he heard voices that echoed in the world. It's Liliya's voice.

***

"That scary man's voice just now like I heard it too and echoed in here," he muttered.

Suddenly, Ashnard's illusion which was originally standing stiff, moved unorthodoxly. Like his movements were fragmented, stiff, and abnormal. Then, the illusion was back on its feet as before.

"What the hell just happened?"

***

"Why don't you use your power, Liliya?" asked Reibo in surprise. "You can't hide it forever, you knew that."

Then, Ashnard woke up by himself. He saw Liliya's tears were almost spilled. Ashnard then looked at Sefenfor and Reibo curiously. "Did you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"Nous. Nous said something to me. Didn't you hear or see it?"

"That's impossible. We were right next to Nous, he didn't move an inch, didn't even open his eyes," Reibo denied.

"It was his voice. Trust me! He said something to me," Ashnard insisted.

Sefenfor walked up to Ashnard and asked, "What did he say?"

"Something about his sword ... he needs my help, and he says darkness will soon rule this land again," Ashnard explained.

Sefenfor and Reibo glanced at each other. From that view, they were both shocked and confused. "Nebulius seal has been released? That's impossible. How can that be?" muttered Reibo.

"Is that astral power you mean?" Sefenfor threw a question at Ashnard, who were trying to get up with Liliya's help.

"Astral power?" Reibo also asked to Ashnard.

Ashnard glanced at Liliya who was carrying him. He shouldn't have told this anyone. Ashnard didn't want to tell Liliya about this power. But, it was too late. Liliya also looked at him curiously. Secrets cannot be hidden forever, one day the secret will surely be revealed by itself.

Ashnard nodded, "Yes. I have an astral element."

Reibo grabbed the boy's shoulders and shook him. Her face which had previously looked angry in Ashnard's eyes now looked overjoyed.

"If that's true, the seal has been broken and the darkness has returned, the world will be in danger. That explains why Nous attacked me. His mind has been swallowed up by the darkness." The bearded man then looked expectantly at the 16-year-old boy in front of him. "If Nous hopes to you, then, we can do it! Ashnard son of Ebert, you will find that sword and save Winfor from the darkness."

Ashnard stared in confusion. "What is that sword anyway?"

"Nebulius Sword. A sword that can conquer darkness, just like your father's sword ... it can also save Nous from the darkness."

Knowing that this was not what he came for, he refused, "No. I don't want to! I can't do it!"

"I know this is hard for you. But, it's the only way," Sefenfor insisted.

Ashnard turned around. "You said you couldn't help me, then I couldn't help you either."

"If we could do it ourselves, I wouldn't have to beg of you, little human. Nous hopes to you. To your power. It means your ability is strong and really helpful. This may be your destiny."

When Ashnard didn't feel like doing it, he remembered Roc's adventure which he still doing it, even though it was full of danger. Ashnard is still young, unlike Roc who is an adult, Ashnard thought that he would not be able to do like Roc. That's why he refused.

"If you're not doing it, your home, your city, all the people you care about will disappear. This land, this beautiful world will be gone and only memories will remain. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

Of course. Ashnard doesn't want it if he can't achieve his dream of traveling the world. He didn't want his mother to disappear, he didn't want Liliya to disappear, and he didn't want the place to return to from his long journey also disappear. In the end, Ashnard chose to do it for the sake of his strong will for the world, for his dream.