Chapter 1

 Chapter One

Morning is one of the most peaceful moments of the day, opening the windows can see the birds flying past and hearing the chicks calling out to their parents waiting for their meal. Men woke up to get ready for their work, women chatting to each other in their front door. All seem well until something disturbed the atmosphere.     

“Wake up, Edmond!” A loud voice tears apart the peaceful morning in the Kendou village. The voice was from a house near the river, a family with 3 members living in the house. The father was a hunter, everyday would enter the near by forest with his gun to hunt animals for his family to eat. The mother would stay in the house to do cleaning while waiting for him to come back from hunting. When he back, she will do the preparation for the lunch and dinner. They also got a 15 year old son name Edmond Alexander who goes to the village school every morning till afternoon.  

    “Edmond, Wake up now! You would be late.”   

    “Mhm…….I waking up……..”  

    “If u don’t wake up soon, I will throw a cup of hot water at you!”  

    “Oh my god, mum don’t do that. I am coming now!” Edmond quickly dress himself up and prepared him self for the school. He rushed down the stairs after all was done; his father was already finished his breakfast and reading newspaper while drinking his cup of tea.

    “Morning, dad!”

    “Morning, Edmond. You finally manage to wake up. Having a great dream so forget to wake up?    

    “Not really, is just my clock seemed like not working. So I over slept.”

    “Bring it to me son, there is no such thing as not working. I will soon make it work again.” Edmond’s father always loves to open up objects like clocks to see how they work inside.

    “There u go, son. Now is working again. There’s no more reason for u to over sleep.”

    “Oh dad, now I can’t over slept since u fixed the clock.”

    “I thought so, if u really wants to wake up, nothing could stop u.”

    “Edmond u better get going now or u will be late for school.” His mother coming out from the kitchen bringing out a basket of toast which was just taken out of the toaster. Edmond moaned. “Oh mum, just when I have to go, u only now brings the toasts out. So mean.”

    His mother gives a little laugh, “Go on son. Takes two, you can eat them while u walking to the school.”    

    “Cool, thanks mum. Okay, bye mum, bye dad. I am going now.”

    Opening his house door, Edmond stepped out into the peaceful, welcoming street of Kendou village. He was just walked for 10 min while eating his toasts when he hears a voice calling him.

    “Wait up, Edmond.”

    He looked back and saw his friend, Ryan running to him.

    “Morning Edmond”

    “Morning, Ryan.” He looked at his friend who was still panting from the run and laughed, “Gosh Ryan u need more exercise if u starts panting already with that little run.”

    “You probably right, I do think I need exercise. Edmond, since we were close friend, I am sure u won’t mind company me for the exercise right?” Ryan looked at him with a wicked smile.

    “What? Why do I need to go exercise too?”

    “Oh, come on Edmond. You know is quite boring if just run by my self”

    Edmond sigh. “Alright, when u wants to start you exercise?”

    “Great, I knew u won’t disappoint me. How about we do it after school this afternoon?”

    “As you wish Ryan.”

    While they chatting, they finally arrived at their school. Edmond took a deep breath and was about to follow Ryan to enter the school ground when at this moment he notice something unusual up on the sky. The sky has been always like forever blue to Edmond from his child hood till now. But now unbelievably what seem like a large crack has appeared on the sky. He pointed it to Ryan but Ryan laughed at him and enters the school, Edmond shake his head and follow him.

As the morning goes by, with lessons to be concentrate on and friends chat with, Edmond had completely forgot what he see before enter the school, all went well till afternoon when they have their usual last lesson of the day, history. As they entered the classroom, Edmond settled him self at the far back of the room ready to take his usual afternoon nap. As Mr. Simon, their teacher entered the room Edmond start his afternoon nap on his desk. He slept like 1 hour when suddenly a voice calls out to him.

    “Edmond, please wake up, you need escape from this village.”

     Taken surprise by this, he jumped up. Ryan looked at him and said “What’s wrong Edmond? Got night mare?” Edmond slowly settled back on to his seat as he notice the whole class had turned round to look at him.  

“Ryan did some one just called out my name?” Edmond whispered to Ryan

“No one calling you, you must be having a night mare.” Ryan whispered back to him.

   “I guess you are right.” But just as Edmond about to go back to sleep, the ground suddenly shakes violently, causing everything in the room crashed onto the floor. As every one started to scream he rushed to the window and look out. What he sees make his body started to tremble, a gigantic monster had appeared outside. He looked up at the sky and notice, the crack that he had seen in the morning was now as large as the monster.

  “Edmond, where are you going?” Ryan shouted at him as he rushed out of the room. He looked back and shout back, “I need go see if my parents alright or not.”  

   As they rushed out of the school, they could hear the bloodcurdling roar of the monster getting closer to them.

   “Hey Edmond, am I seeing things? That beast seems like coming at our direction.”

   “I hope not.” Edmond looked back, Ryan was right, the monster was leaping towards them, with its powerful legs, it pounced at them. At that very moment, Ryan pushed Edmond out of harm way and the monster missed him just by an inch, Edmond rolled back to his feet and was about to sprint to aid Ryan but was too late. He saw Ryan got eaten just right in front of him, his knee give way and he fell down on the floor.

   “No way! It can’t be, Ryan!” Edmond shouted his friend’s name The monster hearing his shout turn towards him and leaped at him too when a young mysterious boy appeared and pushed Edmond away, the beast missed him. With quick motion the mysterious boy takes out two swords and charge towards the monster. The beast roared at him and attacked him with it’s claws, he jumped up and twists his body while in the air and doge the attack. He landed right at the monster’s arm and charged up towards the monster’s face, then jumped up and slashed at the monster’s face with his swords. Continued with this same tactic, the monster finally fall back, it stared at him with eyes full of hatred then it turn back and went through the crack which it came from.    

   Slicing the swords back to their sheaths, he walked to Edmond who was still shocked by what happened to Ryan. He shakes him, “Pull your self together Edmond, you got no time to sit around here, we need to get out of here quickly.”                     Edmond turned slowly to him, “Who are you? Leave me alone, I don’t want to go anywhere.” The young man shakes him again, “Edmond, your friend has sacrifice his own life to let you survive, is this how you going to pay for what he did by sitting here and get killed?” Edmond slowly stood up, wiped his tears and looked at him, “Who exactly are you? How did u know my name?”    

“There’s no time for this, we better go now.”

“Where are we going?”  

“Just follow me.”

They went through what had been the main street of Kendou village but now was like a ruin. Soon they leave the half destroyed village and entered the forest. As they enter it, the young man sliced one of the swords from the sheath and handed the sword to Edmond, “You might needs this just incase got animals attack us and u can defend your self.” Edmond takes the sword and looked at it, “You need to teach me how to use then since I never touch a sword before.”            

The young man gave a laugh and put his hand on Edmond’s shoulder, “Right now may be u doesn’t know how to use, but when u got attacked, the methods of using a sword will auto come into your mind just to survive.”     

    “You are kidding. Just like that? I don’t even trust my self with a sword.”

    “I am sure you will be fine. Just give me a signal when u going to use it, so I can get out of your way, you would have plenty of spaces to swing the sword as much as you can then.”

     Edmond give a little frown,” Is that suppose to be a joke? Or are you making fun of me?”

     “Let’s take it this way, it can be a joke, but at the same time it will save me from death. Come on, let’s go, we got no time to waste.”

Edmond muttered to him self as he follows him.    

    As they walk through the forest, Edmond can sense even the forest had become dead quiet. He turned to the young man, “Hey, where are we going exactly? You know, the forest doesn’t make me feel any safer then staying at the village.” The young man turned slowly towards him and rolled his eye balls, “Did I ever mention about going through the forest will be safe? Come on Edmond, of course it is not safe.” Edmond stopped and glared at him. “Then why are we still going through the forest when you know is not safe?” The young man shrugged his shoulder and said, “I rather die in the forest then eaten by that monster.” Edmond shakes his head and follow him further into the forest. They walked for almost an hour, and Edmond was about to get tired of these walking when the young man suddenly raised his arm signaling him to stop.

     “Now what? How long we still need to walk?”

     “Shh, Edmond be quiet for a moment. I think something is watching us from behind the brushes.” The young man sniffed at the air, “This is not good, a pack of wolves had surrounded us.”

      “You are a dog or what? You can tell what kind of animal that is just by sniffing at the air?”

      “In a way, yes, I did learn this from a dog. You might not like it. But it certainly is a good skill to help survive in a forest.”

       “Oh right, survive, now what then. How are we going to escape from a pack of wolves?”

       “Be quiet Edmond, I am going to talk to them in the wolves’ language.”

       “Talk to them? You are crazy. I am not going to die here.” Edmond takes out his sword and charge towards the direction where he think the wolves are. But charging through a forest in night time is a bad idea, he couldn’t see his way, his foot caught by a branch and he tripped over it. As he picked him self up, he noticed the wolves already surrounded him, he swing his hand only then notice the sword was gone. Edmond was about to panic when the young man ones again came to his aid. Taking out his sword, he faces the wolves, just as the wolves about to leap at them, a voice rang out, “Aro frozo!” Followed by rains of arrows. Edmond and the young boy ran to takes cover. They heard the wolves howled in pain as the arrows hit them then all became dead quiet. They looked around and crept out from their hiding spot, then Edmond sees something that he couldn’t believe his own eyes, a moment ago was a pack of living wolves but now what he sees was a pack of ice statues. He turned to the young man and speechlessly pointed the ice statues of wolves to him, but the young man chuckled and said, “Nicely done Arianna.” Edmond stared at him puzzled, “Arianna? Who’s Arianna?”

       Then he heard a girl’s voice, “Thanks god, Noah, I managed to come in time.” He looked at the direction of the voice then his lower jaw almost fell down as he sees a young beautiful girl with long blonde hair stepped out from the brushes holding a bow. Seeing such a beautiful girl appeared in front of him already make Edmond’s face brushed, but it get worst when she threw her self into him, “Oh Edmond, I really do miss you a lot.” He was so shocked that he fell onto the floor, “Just waits a moment. How do you know me?” She looked at him puzzled and turned to the young boy giving him a questioning look, he shrugged and said, “We better go now. Our old friend probably will barbecue us soon.”

      As they walk once more, Edmond stared at Arianna, she gives him a wink when she saw him looking at her. Soon they finally arrived at an opening of the forest, sitting beside a camp fire was an old man with short silver hair. Just by looking at him, Edmond somehow got a feeling that this old man can be trusted. He looked up as they came out of the brushes, he gazed at Noah and said, “What takes you so long to bring that boy to here? Been playing those little games of yours again?”

     Noah reply back with a pretended hurt voice, “Oh come on old man, you should have trusted me, you know.”

     The old man gave a chuckle and said, “No, I don’t think I could trust you that  much. Your nose already betrayed you, it had been jumping up and down the moment I mention games. But you still managed to complete your mission, I think we need to have a party to congratulate you.”  

   “Old man, you must be drunk. There’s no way I would go spend time on playing games.” He went to the direction of his tent, as he went in, they could hear his little laugh. The old man muttered to him self and turned to Edmond, “Come on, Edmond, just settle down and have something to eat. We will be having a long journey tomorrow.” Edmond and Arianna settled them self beside the old man and start to eat their share of rabbit’s meat. After a moment of silence, Edmond turns to the old man, “Old man where exactly are we going to?”  

    “Just call me Belagine will be fine. Noah didn’t tell you anything? I see, alright just listen up.” He takes out a map from his pocket and opens it up, “Right, first we need to get to Vesto village which if by foot, will takes 2 weeks to get there, if by ship would be around 5 days.” Edmond choked over his meal and looked up, “5-5 days for sailing? You kidding right? I hate sailing, always get sea sick.” The old man put his hand on Edmond’s shoulder, “Well too bad son, I already appointed a ship to wait for us on the shore out side of this forest. Anyway, as long as u don’t sick on me, I think we will be fine with sailing.”

“And if I sick on you then how?”

Belagine gave him a wicked grin, “What else? Of course dumb you into the sea and let you swim back to the shore and walk to Vesto Village from there,”

Edmond gave a sign and said, “Alright I guess I choose sailing then.”

The old man patted his back and looked at Arianna who was yawning a lot.   

“Oh my, Arianna I think you better take some sleep, you already dozing.”

      Arianna put her hand to try stopping another yawning but failed “Oops, did I fallen asleep? Sorry Belagine, I guess I better turn in now. Good night Edmond, good night Belagine.” She stands up and about to turn to the direction of her tent when Edmond holds out his hand, “Come Arianna, I take you back to your tent.” Brushed, she slowly takes Edmond’s hand, “Thank you Edmond ”  

      As Edmond and Arianna walked away, Belagine looked at them and gave a little smile. The old man stretched him self a bit and lie down on the forest floor, he looked up at the sky for a few moments then takes out his necklace. He gazed at it then slowly open a case that was attached to it, as he opened it, two separate small pictures of two women emerged. Both women had the same black long curly hair and look so alike that any one sees them in a street would have thought they were twins. Belagine slowly touched the pictures as tears shower down his face, he was so concentrated that he didn’t notice Edmond was back.  

       “Who are those two women in the pictures Belagine?”

       “Oh, you back already?” He wiped the tears and sits back up.

       “The two women you saw in the pictures are my wife and my daughter.”

“How come you didn’t stay with them then?”     

Belagine takes out his necklace and looked at it, “They are always in my heart, no matter where I am, I will remember them forever.”

    “They-They are dead?”

    “Yes, they got killed. Even till now I still mad with my self for not able to save them.”

“What happen?”

“Come sit down next to the fire, is getting windy. Now, where should I start? Ah, yes, it should be 50 years ago, not long after me and my wife married, I started to notice I got talents in using magic.”

“You are kidding right? You can use magic?”

“Oh yes, to be honest I was pretty shocked as well, that day was also as windy as now. We decided to have barbecue at our house garden, she had gone to do some shopping while I try to light up the fire. But it was so windy that no matter what I did, it just doesn’t light up. In the end combine with rage and in frustration, I just wave my hands and think, just burn it will you.”

“Just like that?”

“Oh yes, just like that, with a little explosion, I got the fire light up. I was so shocked that I was in blur, totally no idea what had happened only till when I talk to my wife about it then I know I can use magic.”

“Explosion? Then how are you going to use the barbecue?  I bet she was shocked, right?”

Belagine chuckled, “Agree, the barbecue totally destroyed, but I was the one that got shocked again by her reply, she said what takes you so long to realize you can use magic? Is like she knew I got this talent and was waiting for this to happen. As times goes by, my magic skills gets better and better, I could use my mind to hold a large rock above the ground as long as I wanted to or even can turn a rat into a rose. Ever since the discovery of this talent, my life had changed a lot, it was just full of happiness, but not for long. I started to get so addicted to try master my magic even better that I never notice my wife was going to gave birth to our daughter, instead of staying at the house to help her, I went up the mountain to practice my skills. One day it was in the afternoon, the sky suddenly darkened, lightening flickering around, and then I heard a spine-chilling roar that I never heard before. I quickly went to the mountain side and looked down at the town, what I saw is something that I would never be able to forget, even if I closes my eyes, that image would still pop up. A gigantic monster appeared at our town, it was attacking anything and tossing things like houses around like playing toys, it was at this very moment that I came back to my sense and finally remembers my wife. I rushed back to the town in hope that she would be fine, but that hope never happened. I arrived at the place that was where our house was supposed to be, but all I see was only piles of rubbles. I failed to protect her, just as I feel anguish with my self, I heard a baby crying that seem to be underneath the rubbles, I rushed to the place where the crying seem to be and started to dig through the rubbles, just as I feeling desperately, I finally find my daughter, she was underneath all those rubbles and without any harm. Probably my wife manage to protect her, I try search for her, but never succeed. From then on, I made up my mind I would do my very best to take care of my daughter and protect her when she needed. All went well, she even married to a prince and we were having such great time. But then perhaps is fate, one night, the same monster appeared again. Just as it happen before, it destroyed the whole town. I try to protect my daughter and her family by using my magic against the monster but not one of my spell got effect on it, finally it swing it’s claws and hit the great hall of the castle, half destroyed it. My daughter got throw onto the wall and hit her head on it, her husband also got killed by that attack from the monster. I was the only one managed to escape, and yet, I failed again to protect my family, till now I never can forgive my self.”

“But is not your fault, that monster is way too strong for you to handle.”

“Perhaps, alright enough of talking about my past, you got things to ask me right?”

“Oh right yea, you got any idea what those monsters are?”

“Yes, only recently I found out a bit about them, they are what we call demons.”

“Demons? You are kidding right? I didn’t know they exist.”

“Oh yes, they do, you already had seen one not long ago.”

“But why they attacked us?”

Belagine grazed at Edmond and said, “Tell me, why a man holding a gun will go kill people?”

“Well I suppose he just want to kill them?”

“Exactly, and is same as the demons, they just want to kill us all. Alright, anything else, Edmond?”

“Just the last, I been wondering how come the three of you seem to know me so well? Did we meet before?

Belagine looked at Edmond for a few moments, “Come a bit closer, Edmond, let me check something.” He put his palm on Edmond’s forehead, at first nothing happened, and then slowly a dim blue light appeared and covered Edmond, it last a few moments then gone as Belagine takes away his hand.

 “I see no wonder why you don’t remember us.”

 “What is it? Belagine. Something wrong?”

 “You don’t remember anything from your childhood right?”

Edmond concentrated for a bit then shakes his head, “I can’t remember anything at all.”

“That’s because your memories got sealed away by a very strong sealing spell. Right now I don’t know who or why that person put this spell on you, but perhaps we might able to find something about it in our journey”

     “Is there anything we can do to get ride of the spell, Belagine?”

     “Perhaps can perhaps not. Alright, is getting late, we better sleep now, tomorrow we need to wake up early.”

      Edmond lay down on the floor as he watches Belagine turn off the fire with a click of his fingers, soon the old man was snoring. But Edmond just couldn’t sleep as he memories of all the things the old man had told him, he looked up the quiet night sky full of twinkling stars and gave a sign, “I wonder what will happen to me.”