Savior

"Get out of here! I don't want to see your face ever again!"

The words echoed in his mind, tearing at him with relentless force. Each syllable left a mark, a wound that refused to heal. It fed into his deepest fears, the crisis he couldn't escape. One that would follow him like a shadow.

"I regret having a son like you!"

He opened his eyes, revealing irises that mirrored the nearby light source. He found himself surrounded by a vast, dark universe dotted with stars, accompanied by the sound of sparks crackling beside him.

A sudden headache shot him, bringing back fragmented memories. "That beast!" he mumbled, trying to rise, but his condition didn't allow it.

Struggling against the discomfort, Aldebaran felt every movement like a fresh wave of distress. He noticed bandages wrapped around him, some bruises still visible while others had faded. Fragmented memories of a mysterious figure returning before he lost consciousness began to surface.

"Already awake?" A feminine voice broke his thoughts, making him turn to her. "That was a close call. I never knew Sporecrest would do something like that."

She kneeled next to him, holding a cup of mixture. "Drink this. It'll make you heal faster."

Aldebaran noted there was something unusual about her. Her aura felt different. Her blond hair flowed loosely, dressed in a brown leather outfit that accentuated her shape. Slender yet full in the chest and waist, she wore a small metallic armor on her shoulders, accompanied by a hood she left unused.

Aldebaran felt his bones cracking, but this time, he didn't feel uncomfortable but rather a sense of relief, like his soreness had been released. He met her gaze before reaching for the concoction, captivated by her charm to the point that his heart felt tight.

"What about the creature?" he asked, curious.

Smiling sweetly, the woman responded, "It has been tamed."

Her explanation made him furrowed his brow. "Tamed? You could tame the Mystical Beast?"

"Well, humans manage to tame Orbivians, which are also considered Mystical Beasts," she explained, her voice melodic. "And their levels are higher than Sporecrest."

Aldebaran couldn't shake off the feeling that she wasn't a normal human. The magic she had used on the creature stayed clear in his mind. "With that light?"

"Oh? You were still conscious at that time?" she chuckled, adding to her attractiveness. "Yes, with that magic, I was able to calm it down."

Mystical Beasts always revive in their habitats, no matter how many times they're killed. Their flesh vaporizes, leaving nothing for hunters. This basic knowledge left Aldebaran in silent thought as he fixed at the concoction.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Because of you, I can still live this life."

Aldebaran accepted the mixture, hesitating slightly as he observed its thick blue color and odd smell. As he took his first sip, the bitter flavor overwhelmed him, causing him to pull back. "Ah, what kind of drink is this?"

"Oh, I might have overdone it with the ingredients," she fretted, looking worried as she checked her own mixture in the container.

After tasting it herself, she sneered. "You're right. This is not what I intended. Let me fix it."

"No, no worries," Aldebaran said, stopping the mysterious woman. He didn't want to trouble her any further. "It's fine."

Taking a deep breath, Aldebaran readied himself and quickly finished the concoction despite the overwhelming taste of vomit, holding it in with all his might. The woman fell silent, impressed by his determination.

She mustered a faint smile and said, "You don't have to push yourself, you know?"

Aldebaran coughed as he looked around, realizing they were no longer in the swamp. The trees were more spaced out, a bonfire had been lit with a bowl on top, indicating she was a hunter with great insight.

"Is this area in Eanor's region?"

She replied and nodded, "Yes. We are now in Eanor. Do you have any business in this region?"

Without hesitation, Aldebaran said, "I'm here for Spirit Springs."

She paused, looking down thoughtfully before asking, "Is something happening?"

Aldebaran sensed something was off about her demeanor but couldn't quite pinpoint it. "It's complicated to explain, but herds of rabbits and beavers have lost their homes. Humans are also having a dispute with the Forest Spirit."

Her voice dropped low and shaky as she buried her face. "So these issues are more dire than I anticipated," she muttered. "Even though I've tried my best."

If Aldebaran hadn't heard her voice, he wouldn't have believed it. Something about this woman was suspicious. "Are you one of the Prophets?" he couldn't help asking, as it was the only explanation that made sense to him.

She took a long interval before wiping away her tears and answering, "I was, but not anymore."

Aldebaran wasn't surprised; her aura matched his own. The Aura of God wasn't just a way to establish his divinity, but also to recognize other divine beings. "How?" he asked.

She shook her head. "It's... it's hard to explain. But I have something to ask too."

"Is it true that the light from the riverside of Oakspire came from you?" she asked, her expression turning serious. "Who are you? Why do you have the same aura as the Goddess?"

Aldebaran's eyes widened, feeling as though he had been caught red-handed. There was nothing to hide; his mission could become easier with the help of a Prophet. "Because I'm one of them. I've been sent to become a God."

The woman was speechless, her lips agape after hearing his confession. "A male God?" she murmured in disbelief. "What does a God want with these materials?"

Affirming his commitment, he replied, "It's to set things right again. To build the heaven we all dream of. That's the main reason I'm here. Would you collaborate with me to fix the troubles around here?"

"Is that what the Prophet sent for?"

She turned her face, her eyes filled with a sorrow so deep it seemed to ripple through the air.

"But I've been banished," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Goddess Thalendra won't let me make amends for what I've done."

Aldebaran shrugged, keeping his tone calm. "I'll handle it," he said. "I'll speak to her. What's your name?"

She hesitated, as if weighing the decision to confide in him. Then, she looked back at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Alissa."

"Alissa," he repeated with a smile. "We'll figure this out. Together, we'll find a solution to fix things and restore balance to the world."

A glimmer of hope flickered in Alissa's eyes, like a candle in the dark. For the first time in what felt like ages, she felt the faint stirrings of a future that wasn't bleak and unredeemable. Their destinies were now intertwined, bound by a shared mission and a trust.