CHAPTER 3: MONSTER

Aurea

That was my name from now on.

Not Amara, but Aurea

An orphan who lives her whole life in this church with her friend whom she treats like a sister. I locked up myself inside this room, unable to accept the truth. I was strip off of my own Identity and become someone who I didn't know existed.

I thought it was a dream, nothing but a dream.

I slapped my face hard, jump off of the stairs and bang my head in the wall. But I never woke up, the pain feels so real that it makes me tremble in fear.

Now, I can see it vividly. The beauty that lies in this greenery field as it waited for the sun to illuminate them. The mountain and even the faces of the people, I can't recognize it when I was dreaming.

Everything is real.

I was agonizing, yearning the warmth of my mother's embraced. The sweet gesture of my father. The strict voice from Alex and even Anna's cute face. Kaye, my friend who was willing to laugh in every corny joke I make.

I felt my chest tighten as my tears come rushing down my face. I close my eyes and hug myself, drowning it from despair and regret.

Will I be able to live without them?

I stood up from my bed and open the window,

I look at this fascinating view. In a normal day, I would probably be enjoying my stay here. Roamed around, eager to make experience into this newly opened door. But, this paradise can't soothe my loneliness.

"Knock, Knock"

"Aurea, the sister is going home. I know that you're not feeling well, but we have to move and do our duty" the overflowing concern is evident in her voice. I can't find the courage to answer. I was too scared, I feel like, when I answered her and open this door.

It is the start of me, unknowingly accepting the truth.

That I left my family, that I will live with a total stranger. That this is my reality and no longer my dreams.

"Aurea?"

Instead of answering, I turn my eyes back to the outside scenery. You can find solace in this place, as it lightens everyone that would gazed. It was in a rural place, I remember whenever the teacher ask about our dream home, my answer would be, province vibe.

A place near the rice field, with mountains beneath the sun. A morning tweet from the tiny birds that would stay outside my bed's window. This place pictured exactly what I want, alternatively. Everything is familiar and unfamiliar in the same time. My head throbbed, when all these notions keep swelling up. I can't decide whether to accept it or not.

I don't understand anything.

and that makes it even harder.

I woke up, when I felt a presence in the side of my bed. I slowly opened my eyes; it was welcome by a sweet smell of lavender. The room is in dim light, when I looked at my side.

I found her

Her beautiful small face with his long-silvered hair, covered by worries and mixed emotion. I can't help but feel my conscience articulate all over my body. These are one of the reasons, I feared her questions and even the way she gazed at me.

How could I ever relay a cruel truth to her? How could I ever look into her eyes and spilled the details of how her "Aurea" is no longer in this body. That I "Amara" took her body to lived.

I slowly sit on the bed and when she feels it, she looks at me with those eyes brimming with love and anxiety.

I wanted to cry, when an image of Anna flashed on her face. My eyes swell and a tear falls down. She smiled and wiped my tears out.

"Do you remember? When we were kids, I use to cry a lot and let other people get the best of me. You, you are always there. Either standing up for my sake or when listening in my little sob"

She pulls me into her armed. That was when, I know. I lost it.

"Despite all the things, we experienced. You never let out your tears. You never ask a hand and never look at the bad side but seeing you right now, gives me a satisfaction, cruel isn't it? I always wanted you to rely on me, trust me. Just as I trusted you"

Her warmed makes me realized how selfish my action was. The truth is, this body isn't mine. This body holds people dearly, this person was loved, and I was cruel enough to harm it, out of desperation.

"I'm… I am really…really sorry" I said letting out a sob in between my words. She answered me with a light forehead kiss.

I rest in the middle of her arms. Until I calm down and she accepted me wide open. Her soft gesture reminds me of mom. It was truly comfortable. She started humming and gently stroking my hair. When I look up, I saw that her eyes were shut, and I can see

Her face was an 'epitome of harmony'

Everyone will be able to tell. How this woman can dominate everything by kindness and happiness. How could I hurt her?

I am not ready, I can't accept this yet. Not until I find the truth behind my transmigration. I will seek veracity into this predicament.

My mouth fell down at this sight, I was just starting to acknowledge my new circumstances and here it is, surprising and slapping me hard on the face. Unbelievable, I was watching these kids throwing a fire, water, and rocks to each other.

Magic….

I know from the very moment I woke up in this place, that this aren't normal. But seeing it with my naked eyes makes it overwhelming, my head is refusing to accept it. I, of all people shouldn't feel this.

Hello, Amara have you forgotten how you transcend in this place? *Mentally fighting myself

We are at the back of the church. We are supposed to hang the washed clothes when they started playing and in a magical play in that. I shook my head and decided to let this passed. I started doing the worked when a gust of wind took the fabric in my hands.

I was about to run after it, when a tremendous loud growls echoed in the whole place and when I look at the direction of the forest. Another growled was release.

My feet froze. I felt a surging fear through my vein refusing to move even an inch of my limbs. I look at the kids in my peripheral eye view. I saw them with terror in their faces. I have to do something but...

Is there anything I could possibly do?

Damn it…

I felt small hands on my legs. As I look down, the kids are already holding me in their small fragile trembled hand. I should be able to make an escape. I am scared, but I know I shouldn't.

I heard a heavy footstep, slowly arriving one after another. When I look back ,the people of the village are all here, prepared to fight. "Aurea"

Shan runs in our direction. But I saw her stop the moment another growled was release. It contains madness, hunger, and overflowing aura. I remember it, when I was in my own body. Inside my dream, Aurea fought magnificently. Will I be able to do that?

When I was in my world, I never once faltered. I was bustling with confidence as I walked, wearing the beauty and knowing how smart I am. But since the moment I started living as 'Aurea'

Everything has change.

"Aurea? what would be our strategical moves?we need you in this battle" a man asked.

Every day, my mind is filled with unwanted thoughts that killing my conviction. I felt like a small candle trying to broaden my light in the midst of the never-ending darkness.

"The headmistress already sends a message to the capital, asking for help" I heard one of the man said. I felt a relief in my chest, but it lasted only for a second. The land started to tremble.

"We should evacuate the elders and children first." Before I even move an inch from where I was standing. Just when the hope suddenly become reachable.

A wave of enormous monster slowly emerging in the sight. I should at least run and ask for help but my body is about to collapse. Why now? I was silently cursing myself, for being this pathetic.

Fck! Run!

The children, I have to keep them, I have to protect them. I have to move and do something, anything. They were getting bigger as they move towards our direction. The noises become unbearable from our ears

"Arghhh!"

Even with the beast fang shattered everyone in sight. I pathetically witness their demise, unable to do anything. The loud noises from the people, started to immerse. I felt a hand pulls me. That is when I was able to move. We immediately carry the children and run.

"Let's go to the basement, that was safer" We run, letting the elder sister guide the way to the basement. We evacuate everyone.

"GROWLLLL" the starving monster eat the villager, continually. I saw Shan running outside, again. I run after her and saw a boy around seven to eight years old running. Jeez. I run after them.

"Leinan!!"

I saw the child crying in his knee as he watches the monster Infront of him swallowing a body. He shouted "Fatherrr!"

Shan took him and was about to leave,when I saw the monster preparing to attack. I felt my fear overcome my rationality. A hot sensation crept in my body and before I realized it. I attacked using a crimson fire.

A fire different from those children. The monster let out a loud sound as it burns slowly. I looked at my hands, it was shaking. Is this Aurea's magic. Shantal was surprised but was able to escape.

With this power, I could save everyone. The problem is, I can't feel the hot sensation. I tried so hard that I forgot I'm outside, where we are being attack.

"AUREA!!" a loud voice from behind makes me back to my senses and a striking wind attack what's Infront of me. Fck, I was in the verge of dying. That ugly, smelly monster was about to attacked me.

"Princess"

Huh? I look back at the monster, but it was dead while its kind continually attacking the others, now. Thankfully, Shan attacks was lethal. She held my hand, and we run towards the basement. When I entered, I saw a room drowned in fear and undying sadness. The children our crying, calling their father. The women, trying to ease their children with their shaking body.

I slowly absorbed the real situation. If I were in their shoe. Watching Daddy fight as mom shred her tears, tiring her beautiful eyes. Anna and Alex filled with anxiety.

It was unbearable…

The night feels so long as we waited for it to end. We can't hear anything from the outside as we shut the door.

"Mother, is father going to be okay" a shaking voice from the side was heard in the four corners of this room. His mother did not answer but rather hug him and cried. Not too far from them is where Leinan and his sister where silently crying.

Their father is the only guardian they have. On the right upper side, the children of the church were compress. They were crying and shaking while the sister of the church tried hard to soothe them.

This room becomes shallow as the night befalls upon us. I look at my hand, that sensation, that crimson fire. If only I could do that again. I could save their family. If I have this power and its under my control, then everything wouldn't be like this.

I look at Shan's face, she was beside me. Her hand pressed to each other as she pray hard for help.

I look at nowhere.

Just when the sun slowly rising. We all stood up ready to go outside. When the door open instead of the beautiful sun and fresh air. We ware welcome with blood shattered all over the place.

No body's left, only the villager blood that splintered, tainting the once so beautiful field. This place that once become the people hopes have turn into their melancholy. A loud noise coming from all the people's misery.

That's when I realize. That no help from the capital was given.

"How could they abandon us"

"We are still part of the southern, still a people of Lumiere"

Their angered was transparent. It was valid, that's right, even though I am not Aurea. I know for sure, how important this place for her. How this people mattered for her. How everything she treasured become a prey for those monsters.

How could something like this happened. When a king and a knight exist? How could they abandon their people?

No matter what world it is. Everything is still the same. When you have nothing, when you are poor and does not capable of living in the status bestowed of those in the upper rank.

You received nothing…

Not protection…

Not respect…