Mikleo 1

Love, revenge, salvation. Of all the things our lives favor, Which would we ultimately choose To be our life’s pathway? Chapter 1 ~ Outset Nayla is dreaming. In her dream, she recalls spending her younger days in the fields, where her mother would make her colorful flower crowds and her father giving her horseback riding. Those days are the best, filled with laughter and joy. Her mother, Jade, made the best apple pie in the world. Little Nayla loved eating her mother’s homemade sweets, but her father liked to eat even more than her. He couldn’t cook, but he could cut down big trees with just a few swings of his axe. Every day in the afternoon, the three of them would spend some time together, just eating and talking. Nayla would tell her parents how she went through her days, while they complimented her accomplishments. They had this family portrait hanging in their living room. Her mother sat on a chair, with Nayla sitting on her lab, while her father stood tall behind them. She has her mother’s eyes, everyone would say. Nayla’s family did not have much, but she did have a few things that she cherished, namely her parents. The thought would never occur to her that she would ever have to lose one of them. They lived peacefully in this small village. It was just one of the many nameless desolate villages of the country. The villagers are down-and-out but hardworking people. There was no war or poverty. One night, she was woken by these noises from outside their house. She tried to ignore it at first, going back to sleep, but the sounds just got louder until it was impossible to ignore. She left her bedside to find her parents, but they were not in their room. Nayla looked for them at every corner of the house, but she could not find them. She knew that it was not wise to leave the house alone in her age, especially at such a late time as that. Somehow she had a bad feeling about what was to come, and she could not just ignore it. She followed the sounds, trying to locate the source. It was coming from the back garden, where they usually plant their fruits and vegetables. Little Nayla was afraid, especially when she started hearing yelling and screaming. Are her parents having a fight? was the first thought she speculated. But her parents never fought before, especially like this. Sure they had some disagreements once in awhile, but they always worked it out in a civilized manner. Nayla creeped towards the back door, carefully opening it and peaking from the given small gap. She could hardly see anything except for rows of halfway ripped vegetables planted on the soil. That was when a blood-curling scream erupted, alarming enough to chill the toddler down to her spine, as well as awakening the entire village. Lights from outside started to turn up. People were wondering what had happened and tried to investigate. Little Nayla was frozen on the spot. She was too afraid to move. She recognized that screaming voice — it was her mother’s. She knew that she had to do something, but deep inside she was frightened to find out what had happened. Move, you coward! Your mother is in danger! she mentally apprised herself. She pushed the door wide enough to allow her to pass, her hands leaning against the outside wall of her house in order to help support her shaking feet. She was someone running towards her from afar, who she recognized immediately as her father. “Daddy!” she called out to him, her high pitch voice coming out as a clamorous shrill. “Nayla! Get back inside!” he told her urgently as he ran across the field, heading closer. “But mommy! What happened to mommy?” she persisted. “It’s dangerous outside, Nayla!” he said in distress. Before her father could have stopped her though, the little girl had already ran off towards the other direction. She went off to find her mother, her big brown eyes searching frantically, sweeping through the field that laid before her. After going back and forth, her vision finally caught something familiar. It was her mother’s circlet, nestled in between the bushes. She quickly sprinted towards it and picked it up, her father following behind her suit. “Nayla, don’t go off on your own. What if something happened to you?” her father said. “What about mommy?” Her father could see the determined look in her eyes. He knew that his daughter could be pretty hard headed when she wanted to be, so he just nodded to her with a defeated sigh. “Alright,” he finally yielded, “but stay close to me, okay?” They went in search for her mother, their hearts beating faster in fear of what was to come. The two made a turn to a slope, only to discover something dreadfully horrendous. The found person they were looking for, but not in the state the had wished her to be. Lying dead on the ground, with eyes closed and mud and blood covering her entire body was her mother. She looked almost too peaceful in that stage, making them wonder if she was still alive. There was no sign of hope. Her skin was intermittently growing pale and there was no sign of respiratory movement. Dejected, they both moved towards the corpse limping gait. Her father embraced her mother shakily, while tears could not stop leaking from her eyes. From the distance a shadowy figure watched them in silence. Nayla lifted her head just in time to lock eyes with that yellow-eyed monster in the dark. The figure steps out from the dark, revealing long blonde bush of hair. It comes with a pair of long pointy ears and a smile so twisted, it creates a hauntingly vicious facial expression. His malevolent eyes are wide open, staring wildly at her direction. He wants her to know it’s him. Nayla can read it in his eyes. She knows that this is just her memory playing out in her dream, but Nayla could not stop the sadness from affecting her. It feels as if she is experiencing the ghastly night for many countless times. The dream distorts into a nightmare that she can not escape from. No matter where she goes, she always ends up in the same horrific place. Nayla shakes her head in denial, but the terrorizing sight keeps coming in, blurring in and out in apprehending darkness. The memory of her mother’s death remained burnt in her head, along with her killer. The girl wakes up with a stark, her body soaked with cold sweat and unnerving fear. Nayla glances around in panic, her thoughts still jumbled from the aftermath. It is not until her eyes settle on her mother’s circlet that she ceases from dismay. Retrieving the object from her bedstand, Nayla holds it carefully in her palms. The piece of jewelry feels cold when it makes contact with her skin, but she doesn’t care. It was the last token of memory from her mother. Something about having the object nears her calms her down, somehow. It is still dawn outside, but she gets herself off the bed anyway. Nayla heads to the kitchen, making an early start for breakfast. Since her father can’t really cook that well, she has taken over the task ever since the death of her mother. “Good morning, Nayla,” her father steps out from his room a couple of hours later. “Busy day today?” “Morning, Dad. I’m tagging along with you to the forest for a bit today, and then I am going to spend the rest of the day training,” she answers swiftly as she whips out some food to the table. Her father is one of the village’s lumberjacks. Every day he goes deep into the forest, along with some of the other villagers, and chop up some wood. Most of the day’s gatherings goes for sale, a little bit for the villagers while the rest is shipped out to bigger towns. They keep a little bit for themselves for home use. “What about chores?” he asks, taking a sit at the dinner table. “I woke up earlier today, so I’ve done pretty much all of today’s share,” she says before starting to eat. Ever since the day of her mother’s death, Nayla has been training herself to get stronger. The passion of hatred towards her mother’s murderer fuels her hell-bent on revenge. She doesn’t tell him, but her father can pretty much guess what she intends to do. It is not in his nature to dwell himself in the past. Ace was hoping that he could change his daughter’s mind, but once Nayla sets her mind to something, it would be difficult to change her. And now that she has grown into an adult, he must allow her to do what she wishes to do. Once they have finished breakfast, Nayla works with the dishes as her father goes to prepare for work. She takes a quick wash down the river stream, before changing into another set of clothes that is easier to move in. It consists of a plain black shirt with long sleeves that stops by her elbows, a pair of jeans for the bottom, and a pair of Cowboy boots made from leather. The father and daughter hike towards the forest, which is located just beyond the field behind their house. Each of them carry their own axe and packed lunch. They meet with a couple of other villagers on their way there. Once they reach the desired location, they start chopping some wood. It is rare for a female to work as a lumberjack, but Nayla wants to help her Dad earn money. She doesn’t want to be like just another girl who spends their days doing housework back home. Other people sees her as an admirable youth, but swinging the axe only proves to give more strength and increase stamina for her. She can’t stay working that long, though. Unlike her father, who has twice the bigger built than her, Nayla’s frame is petite and small. She can not handle the workload of a real lumberjack. Exhausted, she says farewell to the others and goes back ahead. When she gets home, Nayla took some time resting, before preparing for dinner. She spends the remaining time training outside while she waits for her father to return. Over the years, she has disciplined herself to self-defence training. Kicking and punching heavy dummies have become an accustomed ordeal in her day to day basis. She wants to be prepared when she faces her mother’s murderer, thus why she is training so hard to polish her combat skills. “Father, I have something important to tell you,” Nayla says one night. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and I have come to a decision. I want to travel.” Ace glances at his daughter warily. “You’re going to find that murderer, didn’t you?” She nods. “Is there anything I can do to make you stay?” She shakes her head. He sighs tiredly. “Fine then, if that is what you wish to do.” Nayla does not want to leave her father alone, but she feels the importance of pursuing this murderer. She refuses to rest until she finishes him. She only remembers his appearance — his haunting yellow demonic eyes and long blonde locks — but that is all she needs to know. She is assured that if she travels to a much crowded town, she will be able to find out more clues about it, which hopefully will lead her to the murderer himself. It is sad to leave everything she has known her entire life, but it is time for her to say goodbye and take her leap. She takes her time packing up her things, stuffing some clothes, dried food and the little bit of money she has gathered into her duffel bag. The next day they have breakfast awkwardly. She knows that deep down her father still disagrees about her decision, but she has already made up her mind. She has been looking for an opportunity to leave for a while now, preparing provisions for her journey. And it is not like she is leaving for good. Once she enacts her revenge, she first thing she will do is go home. Nayla finishes changing into her traveling outfit as she hears a knock from her door. “Come in,” she says. The door swings open and her father walks in holding something in his hand. “I’ve been wanting to give you this, just in case.” He opens his fist to reveal a golden amulet hidden inside. Her eyes lit up at the simple yet beautiful jewelry. “As a token to remember me by, so that you will always know that I love and protect you, no matter where you go.” He unhooks the chain and gestures for her to turn around. She can feel the weight of the amulet when it is placed on her chest. The girl takes one last look at the mirror. She is wearing a short jumpsuit underneath her long cloak, paired with leather Wellington boots and stockings — all in black. The jewelries stand out the most against her wholly dark traveling getup. She already has her mother’s circlet girded on her forehead. Combined with her father’s necklace, she can finally feels like her journey will be blessed and guarded. “Thank you, Dad,” she turns to him, eyes slightly teary. “Now I can make my travel with ease.” Knowing that her father is not so opposed to her decision anymore. “As a parent, I can only support and hope for the best for you. I hope you have a safe journey, daughter.” He pulls her into a warm hug. They say their goodbyes and well wishes, before Nayla eventually takes her departure. She hitchhikes on one of the traveling carts that deliver goods to the nearest city. Their next stop is  at Aldonah town. They will have several more transits, which will take her a few weeks until they can get to the final travel stop, which is Ladylake, the capital of their country. Nayla spends the days chatting with the coachman, who happens to be quite an experienced and well-off merchant. He came from a long line of a merchant families, and he has a wife and three kids waiting for him to come home at Ladylake. It is very generous for him to allow her to bum a ride until they get there. They watch the sun sets as the cart passes by a hill abreast the riverside. It is a very heartwarming and beautiful scenery. Nayla shares her dried food with the merchant, who in return share some of his as well. They enter Aldonah just when it is getting dark. The merchant, along with the rest of the troop, leads to the nearest inn. They like to stay as close in as possible, as it will be easier to let the others know when it is time to leave.  The girl wants to save her money by staying out. The merchant disagrees, and even goes as far as offering to pay for her stay in the inn, but she politely refuses. It might not be safe for a girl as young as her to go outside for the night, but Nayla is ready to defend herself when it is necessary. In the end, she asks permission from him to recline at the small space in his cart.  Calling in for the night, they bid each other a good rest. The next day, the merchant group spend some good hours trading with the local market. They utilize their time to make sure that they negotiate for the best offer from the local traders, before getting ready to move on to the next big town. It is a busy day at the market. Many shoppers flood the crowded streets. Some local merchants try to offer her to buy some of their goods, but she only buy food as much as it is needed. What she deems most important is gathering information. She does not have much luck though, but some townspeople suggest her to try some of the other bigger cities that are located closer to the central district. The next pit stop is Gandald, a small city located near the Galahad Ruins. It also happens to be one of the cities that are close to Ladylake. They have to travel through the Aroundight Forest before they can reach that location. It is a 2-days journey, which is much longer compared to the previous stop. It also means they will also have to camp out in the forest for a night, which can prove to be be a challenging experience, what with the cold wind blowing pass left and right. Lucky, they managed to find an inhabited cave and make a campfire inside. During their cart ride, they spot some wild animals jumping through the woods. Some merchants who have some archery skills try to make a hit in order to increase their goods. One man manages to land his arrow on a stag, which is a very lucky catch since he can sell the horns or the complete head for another extra earning. The stop in Gandald proceeds similarly to the one before. Nayla tries to gather information again, stopping at pubs and local informants in hope of finding the man she is looking for. This time, she finds something. “Yellow eyes, ya’ say?” the informant scratches his head, the scar that is marred on his face stretches as the muscles pull into a scowl. He has a very thick country accent. They are inside one of the many inns the town can provide. It is a typical provincial business arrangement: downstairs is a drinkery, upstairs is for inn rooms. The walls and floor are made out of large stones, while the ceiling and furnitures are made out of makeshift wooden boards. It is only evening, but people are starting to gather inside, enjoying some beer and meals. Nayla got word that the informant visits this place often, so she was just trying her luck. Didn’t think she would find him so fast. “‘Been hearing ‘bout that lately. People are sayin’ that he left a trail of bodies behind. Just last week, there was a man found dead by the water wheel, but that might be because he likes to get drunk at dark.” “Do you have something more useful that I can use?” she asks. “Well, I have also been hearing ‘bout some townspeople discovered dead at Central Cavern area. Don’t know why anyone want ‘em dead, they are only priests and priestesses livin’ there. Why ya’ lookin’ for such a dangerous man? He’s an assassin, ya’ know? Better be careful where ya’ tread.” “Assassin? And how do you know that for sure?” “People I know talk, ya’ know that, kid? Some are quite angry, and they have enemies everywhere. Not to wonder why they want ‘em dead. But there are some strong people out there, not by strength, but by money. So ‘course they need to hire people. What better way than to get the best? And your guy happens to be one of ‘em.” The girl stops and thinks in deep thought. Her search is finally bearing some fruits. And it seems like she is getting closer, too. If what the man’s say is right, there are some powerful and rich people living in the central district. That means the assassin will be drawn to that town. “Alright, that ‘ill be worth 2 silver coin,” he says, his hand indicating a ‘pay up’ gesture. Nayla slightly gulp at the charge, but she can’t deny the usefulness of the information. That is, if he is not ripping her off for merit. She looks at the man and he seems to be serious enough, especially when he talks about the murders. So she decides to give him the benefit of the doubt and hands him over the coins. She has got to be smart when keeping her money. The girl has heard enough robbery stories to be cautious about it, especially when she is travelling alone. That means she has to look out for herself. Using a simple trick, she makes sure to distribute the money to several hiding spot on her person. Some are placed in her jumpsuit pocket, some in her duffle bag, and some are in between the sole of her boots. Nayla gives her thanks and leaves. The merchant group finally moves further east, heading towards Ladylake. It is only noon, but her body is already shaking with anticipation. She’s going to find her mother’s murderer, and soon. She’s getting closer, and her hands are chattering from apprehension. The journey from Gandald to Central District takes at least 6 hours by horse. It is already quite late at night before their troop arrive. Nayla decides to take some rest in order to save up her energy. She wants to be ready when she faces that accursed adversary. She dreams of that traumatic night again. Her mother is dead once more, and this time the murderer hunts her down. Nayla goes back to being her 5-year-old self, running and heaving as fast as her short legs can carry her. But he is faster, stronger, and the fear of being caught by him consumes her. She hates this feeling, but her subconscious can not help but be afraid of what could happen. The girl trips in her dream, landing hard face down first. When she is about to pick herself up, a hand grabs her ankle. She tries to break free from the hold, but he is just that much tougher, that he is now pulling her back towards him. He throws his head back in a maniacal laughter, the sound is so haunting it echoes all around her, making her shiver in fear. Coward! Fight him off! Nayla tells herself, but the dream goes out of control, getting darker and ghastlier like an endless madness. She starts to return to consciousness, but only for a brink of a moment, before fatigue comes again in a crashing wave and makes her fall asleep once more. The dream is much calmer, more peaceful than the last. She dreams of a memory, back when her mother is still alive and well, breathing serenely by her side as the winds blow through the hills they are in. The sky is blue and there are green fields as far as the eyes can see. What a wonderful day it is. There are huge caves up ahead, its stony gate crafted with intricate symbols the young woman can not understand. She is in the same age as her mother now. Her mother smiles kindly and points at the direction of the cave. They go in, entering the mysterious yet enticing cavern. There are fountains in the cave. The mother daughter duo walk through a stone bridge, seeing deepless abyss underneath. There are more carvings of symbols inside. It is so beautiful in there that Nayla wishes she can stay there forever. “Come, Nayla, I have something even better to show you,” her mother’s voice echoes soothingly to her ears. “Nayla . . .” “—yla, Miss Nayla, please wake up. We are already here.” The girl wakes up to find Mr. Merchant shaking her to consciousness. “Hhm— yes?” she replies sleepily. “Chin up, young miss. We are at Ladylake already.” By the mention of ‘Ladylake’, Nayla straights her back almost instantly. “We are? Already?” She sounds surprised.