The Legend of Azhakkstadd

CHAPTER XLIV : INTO THE FAIRY LAND II

-Kuzma-

            I still can’t believe that I’ll be going to the Land of the Fairies. I just dreamed for this to happen but now it’s really true, I'm really going there. I never expected this. There are lots of things I wanted to do when I get there, I don't know what to do first… I’m so excited. I’m so happy that I’m going down there… finally.

            This is going to be my first time going out of our cloud, ever. I’ve never been out since I was young. It’s forbidden to go outside without permission, and it’s for our own safety, since it’s so dangerous outside our comfort zone. Kurezma’s going with me too, and our chieftain said that we’ll be training there and the others from another tribe are already there, so I and Kurezma need to get there quick.

            After our chieftain told us that we will be sent to the Fairy Kingdom, out of excitement, we both packed quickly, literally as fast as we could. We didn’t bring a lot of stuff though, just those we really need. And it was so hard to sleep when you’re very excited for tomorrow, I think I only slept for an hour.

            Kurezma even woke up so early so that she won’t be late. I heard her shrieks and steps outside my room that woke me up too ahahahahaha take note, she always gets up late. She doesn't usually wake up early, but if she has reason to, she almost never sleep at all.

            Anyway, we’re already on our way to the Fairy Kingdom. We’re riding this strange vehicle that I usually see at the edges of our clouds. This is what our chieftain used to ride whenever he’s going somewhere outside our village. The vehicle had no wheels so I assume that it is an air transportation.

            What makes it weird is that the horses that are used to run this thing doesn’t have wings. So how does it fly? I kept on thinking about that since we entered the carriage. I can’t take it off of my mind ahahahaha I’m so curious yet I just sat here silent waiting until we get to Fairy Kingdom.

            I’m so excited about the concept of going there and to train myself to get even stronger. I can’t wait to be there! Kurezma is sitting beside me and she’s also very silent since a while ago as if she’s not planning to talk. Weird. Because she always loves to talk even in situations like this yet she chose not to… I’m so proud of her.

            I’m not sure what exactly will happen there all I know is that we’re going there, that’s what our chieftain kept on repeating. I bet he doesn’t want to spill all the information so that he won’t spoil us ahahahaha just kidding. I have no idea what will happen that’s why I’m having this kind of excitement.

            “We have arrived” the man outside said formally as I felt the vehicle landed. I looked at our chieftain to know what to do next. He looked at me signaling me to open the door so we could get off. Since I’m the one nearest the door, I held my hand towards the knob and opened it.

            Before I went down, I grabbed my bag and hopped down to see the place… Oh gosh, this is it! I looked at Kurezma for a while before facing it to make things suspenseful ahahahaha joke.

            This is just soooo…

            “What?” I uttered out of nowhere as I saw the place where we landed… I-it doesn’t seem right… “Are we really here?” I asked again and turned my gaze towards the people still inside the carriage

            “Why? What’s wrong?” I heard our chieftain asked as he moved to see the Fairyland that he is talking. Kurezma moved a bit to take a look too.

            The place doesn’t seem so Fairy at all. It seems like the place had been abandoned by happiness… I don’t know. I can’t describe, but it’s very far from my expectations. I thought that Fairy Kingdom is a happy and bright place. I thought that it’ll be so wonderful and amazing.

            But this one seemed so dark and dull. Destruction, darkness, doomed, dead… I don’t know, I can’t describe. The tress that I always wanted to see aren’t so alive… I mean literally not alive, there are no leaves at all.

            The plants, they’re dead. The grasses, they’re withered. There are no flowers… what the heck. I thought I’d finally see those things. I only see crows and ravens, I thought that they also have different kinds of birds here like ours. Is this really the Fairy Kingdom?

            “Oh my… what happened here?” our chieftain confusingly asked as he stepped down from the carriage and followed by Kurezma with a confused and disappointed look on their faces. So this really is the Fairy Kingdom. It’s so damaged…

            I looked everywhere to see signs of life. I turned my head both left and right, yet I only see dried leaves lifelessly lying on the ground as branches and stems bowed down in malnourishment. The view is so agonizing; I really didn’t expect that it would be like this.

            Kurezma was so excited as I was a while ago. Seeing this, I really felt her disappointment too. We both felt so sad upon seeing this kind of Fairy Kingdom. I felt like my heart almost dropped the moment I laid my eyes upon it.

            According to stories, Fairy Kingdom used to be the most beautiful place here in Azhakkstadd. It used to be so colorful, bright, alive, and happy. It has been so abundant and blessed. People are lively, they are always happy. It seems like happiness never cease here in Fairy Kingdom.

            Yet everything seems like the opposite of what I have just said. It seems like the stories I heard aren't true, I don't know. It's so pale, dim, lifeless, and sorrowful. It seemed like this is the most cursed place in Azhakkstadd. That happiness has never even laid a single foot here. 

            We noticed someone approaching us from a distance. They are coming from the direction where the arc is standing holding the sign board of the Fairy Kingdom. We don’t recognize them as the fog blurred the image from that distance, we could only see their figures.

            We waited for them to come closer as our chieftain suddenly exhaled recognizing those people.

            “Who are they?” Kurezma asked as she stepped forward getting near me. I stood still waiting for our chieftain’s answer

            “The Ordo King and the Sioga King” he answered without turning his gaze towards us. I see people going to our direction, one wearing an amethyst purple clothing while the other one wore gold.

            “So we really are in the Fairy Kingdom” I whispered and followed our chieftain as he walked forward to meet the Kings.

            “What happened here?” our chieftain asked the moment we meet them

            “It’s the curse…” the King in gold answered, he must be the Sioga King and that makes the purple one the Ordo King. He looked so down as he answered as if their land has been suffering all this time…

            “What curse?” our chieftain asked again in curiosity as he looked at the Sioga King intently yet the king just shifted his gaze towards our direction

            “Is he your chosen student?” he asked pertaining to me, out of nervous and shyness, I gave him a faint smile answering his question. He was shocked with what I did…why? What’s wrong? He suddenly gasped as he got caught off guard while looking at me

            “What’s wrong?” I asked him confusingly as I took a quick glance towards Kurezma and our chieftain who also looked confused

            “Nothing… and you must be Kurezma? The one the Ordo king has been talking about?” he changed subject and turned to Kurezma who’s standing behind me…

            What was that? It’s like he’s hiding something, but I don’t want to conclude… The way he looked at me, it’s different… there’s something in it, but I don’t know what… he looked concerned, shocked, afraid, happy? I don’t know… If only I could ask him, but I’m not in the place…

            After a few seconds of talking about some stuff, we walked towards the entrance of their village heading somewhere. I bet we’re going to where the others are.

            There’s really something wrong with this place. Everything seemed so dead, the people are sad, listless, and lethargic. Even the atmosphere itself is so dim, fogs are covering the whole place almost blurring all the views. It is so quiet and spooky.

            When I was up in the clouds, I always wanted to go down here. And if I finally do, the first thing I wanted to do is to enjoy the atmosphere, observe trees, flowers and plants, watch those animals who walk on land, also enjoy the rivers and streams, to feel the grasses on my feet, and many more…

            But why is it like this? It’s like worse than our clouds. Though our clouds are somehow damaged and a lots of destructive whirlwind are present, yet our place still looked amazing.

            “Why did they send us here? This isn’t a place for training” I whispered to our chieftain as we walked following the two kings

            “I didn’t know in the first place, I am so sorry” the Ordo king answered without looking at me… gosh, he heard that? I made sure that was so silent that only our chieftain heard it “I can read your mind so don’t think about it too much” he added…. I see

            “Are we really training here?” I asked him again

            “No, in three days, you’ll be sent to our land so that you can train there” he answered without turning towards me again, we just followed them walking

            “Why three days?” I asked one more time

            “Because we’re still preparing our place for your arrival. We weren’t even prepared for this” he answered calmly as we suddenly entered a building.

            Gosh, I was thinking so deep that I didn’t notice that we walked far enough already.  

            “Welcome” the Sioga King humbly said as we entered a hall where other people are silently sitting probably waiting for something or someone to arrive. Perhaps they’re waiting for us to came ahahaha

            “Kindly sit with them, they’re from the other tribes, same reason why you’re here. We’ll just head somewhere with your chieftain. We’ll be discussing about something” the Ordo King added before they stepped out from the hall that we just entered.

            Before they could get out, I noticed the Sioga King giving me his last glance with a mix of emotions painted all around his face. I don’t even understand what it all says.

            I just let it slip off my mind and went towards the table where people are seated which the Ordo King pertained a while ago.

            “Hi everyone” I greeted humbly as we reached the empty chairs to sit on it. They all looked at us as they smiled while the others bowed their head slightly.