CHAPTER 7: STRING OF HOPE

Defying the will of nature, goes beyond horizon. Seek power, strive perfection. To become the best, you have to work harder, claim higher. Forget yourself and prioritize other. What is your purpose?

I was standing in the middle of a wide land. A place that was once splintered by blood of the men's protecting their family. Under the guidance of luna, I aim straight, eyes locked in the middle where a huge rock stand.

A loud explosion echoed in the silence of the night as I release the force made by my aura. My wants has been attacking my needs, the entire time. It was craving truth, freedom, and peace.

My needs has been shouting revenge and justice. For the people who loss rights, die infront of me. The me who does not know how to live. The smaller, weaker version of Aurea. The version I desperately want to leave.

This time I will protect them, used this power bestowed upon me. I will set aside the Amara and live as Aurea. Not to forget her but to find her, serve her peace and happiness. I will protect the people of this land.

Days have passed since I woke up. In three more days, the light signifying our rebirth will show. The day I will seek the presence of my siblings. The day another prophecy will arise. Prophecy that means death.

A war, probably.

"What are you thinking?" a soft voice pull me out of delving the probability. I tilted my head, finding the right answer. Shantal told me about her newly acquired magic. I am happy, no longer had the fear.

Her magic is unexpected, a blessing in disguise. With her in the village they will be safe. I have to leave after the prophecy was revealed. I have to find the guardians, find the root of the problem and get rid of it. Securing the peace.

"I was just thinking, what's the next right thing to do" I saw her sat on the ground and look at nowhere, slowly drown in the deepest of her thought. I shake my head as I release an attack one after another.

A second turns to minute to hour and yet no words deliver in between her lips. No answer was given. I am sure that the next right thing will be the deadliest way. Exhaustion filled me whole. My body collapsed and I started running out of breath.

I have mastered this power but become a double edge sword. The more I used, the more it burdens my body. My eyes witnessed the night filled with stars that glittered upon the land. I raised my hands trying to reach its beauty.

Impossible….

I took a deep breath and stood up. I look behind me and saw her. I walk towards her, as I gently caress the softness of her face. She become strict the day I woke up. She experience sign of anxiety when I wasn't in her visions.

I felt remorse as I watch her cry as we separate even a second. Which make it even harder knowing that I needed to leave any days now. For the sake of the innocent, the old, the children. I can't take her with me, it would put her in danger.

I gently lay down beside her and close my eyes…

I felt a heavy presence, a cold breeze brushing through my skin, sending shiver down my spine. I tried lifting my arms, opening my eyes. But I was froze unable to do anything. A trembling hands shakes my body, a wet drops fall down my face.

[This are not monster but an aura of a demon]

nocturne…

[I will force your body, you have to get up. Ten minutes and a demonoid will attacks]

demonoid?

[A human rise from the death. It is a work of a necromancer]

I felt a strong mana invading every muscle in my body. Forcing my eyes to open. I immediately cover my nose when a black smokes surrounds the whole field. My eyes automatically goes to the village.

They are safe….

A sense of relief loss a pound of this heaviness. I turn my gazed back to Shantal covering her nose while looking at me, concern and worries is visible in her face. We stood up and look around, the smoke is blurring my sight, preventing me to find the culprit.

A necromancer, huh?

A human gifted by the power of death by dealing with a devil itself. This power obtained by selling your own soul. I have to find that before it reaches the village. I can no longer let another souls be devoured.

I wrapped my hands around Shantal's waist and jump. Thankfully I didn't wear the usual women's clothes. I took the opportunity of being in the air to look around but still failed. I put a distance, escaping the place covered by the poisons.

"Shantal go back to the village and silently hide to the underground with the people" I whispered. She was hesitating but I look at her intently, commanding her in silence. She have no choice but run. As I watched her back I felt a force gushing through my direction.

But…

I stay still, wait for her to be safe, when the dark ball energy was about to hit me I dodge to the right. Running away is no longer part of the option. If I run now, no one will protect these people.

I run straight to the direction. Following the source of this heavy aura. The more I got close to that person, the more poisonous it become. The rotten scents become stronger. and the force are too heavy to confront.

person? can a necromacer be a person?!

Funny…

When a bulk was shown in the midst of the smog. I stretch my arms and started forming a bow while arrow on the right. I stop in a distance ,preparing to attack, I aim to the shadow. I was shocked when my magic slipped through the smog.

Now that I realized it, I have entered the forest. I can feel the presence and yet cannot see with my bare eyes. This is bad, I was running out of breath, I can feel a cold sweat falling down my neck. I was starting to get dizzy.

The chances to win against a necromancer is a fifty. No fire can fight against death. It has a high resistance to magical effects. Additionally, being touch by a necromancer is dangerous, they have the ability to steal life energy.

I felt a tight grip from below. I immediately form a sword attacking the skeleton from the ground. I jump higher, trying to look from the top. When my eyes laid on the final blow. I can feel the overwhelming fear from my inside.

As I slowly fall down the ground. I took a step backward slowly. A warrior of demonoids are emerging from the side, some are skeleton, some are zombies. It was impossible to take them down. How can a mere human defeat a death.

[The only way is to find the controller]

I know but with this poison and enormous number, is that even possible?

[do you want to run away?]

He sure knows how to railed bad. I dispersed my bow and arrow. I close my eyes and control the flow of my mana from the inside. A hot sensation crept through my body, requiping into my battle suit. A fire covering me, an armor that clings into my body like a second skin.A jagged spikes lines the pauldron of my suit with a taint of blood-red accent.

My skin turn dead white and my eyes burns red. My jet black wavy hair in high yet loose ponytail, a black horn emerge.

A sharp blade grip in my hands, screams flesh and blood.

The Crimson Dragon Warden

I opened my eyes, gritted my teeth in annoyance. The moment my eyes witness their hideous face, my anger overflowed. I strike head on, slashing every demonoids. I grip my sword tightly.

How could that person disrespect hundreds of body. How could they disturbed those in peace. No matter what reason it is, it's unacceptable. I will stop them, I keep attacking. But I cannot find the controller.

This is bad, a magic like this is fleeting. The more time it takes, the harder it become. I jump in mid-air once again. Hoping to see the devil but it failed. It took me half an hour to take everyone down, atleast that's what I think.

But it only need less than a minute to stand again. I was catching my breath, sweat all over my body. I thrust my sword into the ground, forming a triple layer of magic circle around me.

"ember slashed" I uttered, performing a fire magic. But this are ineffective, like what I said. This power is a double edge sword. I clutch on my chest when I felt the unbalance beating of my heart. I was gasping for air, sight blurring.

My body is collapsing and yet I haven't found the controller of this rotten magic. Here I thought I become stronger and reliable. All this time, I was fooling myself, thinking I was enough. I felt a scorching pain of mixed disappointment, anger, fear, and resentment.

I was too preoccupied, inattentive. A hot ball, compressed dark magic hit me on my side, throwing me away from distance. As I fell down, I cough blood. I can feel the unbearable pain, making me weak. Taking my ability to stand.

I can't loose consciousness, atleast not yet. My eyes are getting heavier and my body started to refused moving. I can feel the poisons entering my veins, flowing in every parts of my body.

"Dragon"

My eyes can no longer see clearly but a figure is surely standing infront of me. He was here, if only I can get the chance to strike one last time, I can win.

"My lords perception holds truth, the dragon was reborn"

my lord?

"A present like this, I could be awarded" I can feel a laugh, tremendous. How did he know about me? That lord he was talking about seems to know about it ahead of time. Not even the high priest nor the emperor was aware.

nocturne, who is his lord.

[I'm afraid, I do not know. Can you still fight? I cannot be summon if my master's life is drastically decreasing]

Yeah right, I still have nocturne. However, I promised to not used him, not yet. Is there anyway to win, anything is fine. Think, I have to think. If only I could be healed.

Heal—

That's right, Dragons can heal faster than anyone. I open the second host of my aura, healing my self from the inside. Concentrating, I prioritize the vitals. The burning pains makes me vomit blood. I can still heat his laugh, echoing in the forest.

How long does he planned to do it. Just do it, that would be my opportunity. A couple of minutes and every dangerous wounds are healed. I can feel my body become lighter, my eyes opened. I can now see his face but one thing that caught my attention, the 'x' in his neck.

I was surrounded, giving no chance. The rotten smells become excruciating. My heart started beating fast and hard, confused and scared. Another presence is approaching in a speed. I cannot be wrong, this feeling of familiarity.

I clearly told her to hide, what is she doing here anyway.

I took the moment where the necromancer was focus on her. I released a silence explosion from my back, throwing me upwards. An air blade strike, more than twenty skeletons fall. I took that moment to release my crimson arrow.

I used Shantal attack to hide mine. Hitting his head straight. My fire arrow fumes inside one's body, seeting their organs on fire till is turns into ashes. The battle ends and the controller die. I landed infront of his corpse, once again look at the tattoo in his neck. But I was surprised, unable to find the right words. I didn't expect another magic.

A dark fire came out of nowhere, toasting the body of the controller. The moment shantal stand beside me, we attack the same direction. Disappointingly, the presence and the enemy's body vanished into thin air.

We look at each other's eyes, an intense earthquake make both of us waiver. and when my eyes laid in the sky, I was stunned. It was supposed to occur three days from now. What happened? why is this happening now?

A strong glowing light was vivid in everyone's eyes, cannot be concealed. Its radiant shines brighter even with a vast of expanse. I can feel a fiery sensation from my back up to my nape. It was the dragon symbol.

I look at Shantal to make sure she was okay. The moment my eyes met her eyes that turns silver white, with her exposed nape revealing a shining light. I have come to realized that one of the guardian I was destined to meet is with me all along.

[Nine-tail]

"You are the nine-tail chosen hero"

She looks at me, confused. Her eyes shows innocence, naive. She is not yet aware, this gonna be a long journey of explanation, for sure. I look at the four lights, consist of free mana.

The start of new beginning, a string of hope….