The Reign of the Outlander

Chapter 4: When She Was Five

Altalune grew up in the hands of her guardian named Amaris. When she was five years old, her existence was exposed. Amaris always brought her into the academy before the classes began. That was the only way she could do it because she can't let her stay alone in a secluded area of the academy.

When her existence was exposed, professors, including Whizka loved to see her behave in front of Amaris, while the latter was working the whole day. Amaris was their keeper in maintaining the cleanliness and arrangement of the entire academy. The other professors were forcing her to stop being a helper of the academe, and become one of the professors instead.

"Why don't you submit yourself as a professor in Mahika, Amaris?" Whizka once asked her when she saw her watering the plants, in the backyard of the academy.

"I agree," a slim figure of a woman named Aliz second the motion, but Amaris just ignored them. She always gave them the same response.

"I'd rather stay with Altalune all her life than leave her alone without someone taking care of her."

"I know that, Amaris. But, you can still bring Altalune here while you teach other students. I can change shift for you just to take care of her," she was talking to her while Aliz was trying to make Altalune smile.

The five years old Altalune was always brought by Amaris on a carrier attached to her body. It's a modernized and advance baby carrier where Amaris can freely walk and do anything while Altalune is inside the carrier, he called Amarenia. It's like a backpack where Amaris carried on her back. That is why Aliz always made the baby smile whenever Whizka talks to Amaris in convincing her to teach in the academy.

"I get your point. You know our Headmaster, right, Whizka? He only accepts students with inborn superpowers. Altalune does not have anything," she explained in the most unexplainable way Whizka can understand.

"I was talking to you as a professor, Amaris. We saw how Headmaster agreed to accept your stay in the Mahika Academy," she continued to convince her, but Amaris just stop her from talking.

"Yes, he agreed to let me stay, but you also saw how disappointed he was when he saw me carrying a child five years ago, right?"

Whizka and Aliz stared at each other. She can't convince her anymore. Amaris was right. The headmaster accepted her, not because of the baby, but because of her diligence and loyalty to the academy.

"I don't think she does not have powers, Amaris. If she is your daughter, she should have inborn superpowers. Why don't you observe little by little?" Whizka instilled into Amaris' mind the benefit of the doubt.

"Aliz, it's about time. Class starts at eight in the morning. We have to go back inside," Aliz called her.

"Think really hard, Amaris. Just observer Altalune. We'll see you again next time. Goodbye."

Before leaving like a smoke, Whizka and Aliz kissed Altalune on her cheeks. "Bye, little girl. Behave, okay?"

The professors disappeared, leaving Amaris alone with Altalune. She stops watering the plants in the backyard and removes the carrier, to look at the five years old child. She sat on one of the wooden bench, facing the plants she was watering earlier, and talk to the child.

"You're such a lovely little girl, Altalune. Your eyes and chubby face reminds me of your mother, my best friend. If only they knew that you're also one of those immortals, they would gladly accept you. But, what matters to me the most is you than any job offer in this academy. I will continue to be your guardian until you are strong enough to protect yourself, Altalune."

She was cuddling her, making her smile, kissing her cheeks, and hug her. It was the first time in her life to become a mother. When Mona entrusted Altalune to her, she knew the bigger picture of carrying her, teaching her, helping her understands the consequences. Even if it cost her life, Amaris would end up protecting her.

UNKNOWN to her, the Headmaster of Mahika Academy, saw her from the fourth floor of the building. He was shaking his head, watching her seriously from the inside. He clearly remembered accepting her back five years ago. Amaris is one of her trusted aide, and he was surprised to see her returned to the academy carrying a baby.

What he knew back then was it was her child, but at the back of his mind, it wasn't her. She was only protecting the child from any malicious words. However, he never heard one. The professors agreed to accept her with the child because of her diligence and loyalty. He was hesitant at first, but majority spoke for her, and he agreed.

Deep inside, Amaris' presence melted his stone heart. He was slowly liking her from afar. But, the day she brought the child, he has this feeling that the baby was of different origin. And he could not accept it. The feelings he had with Amaris continued to prosper, but watching her every day carrying an Amarenia where Altalune was being carried displeased him.

IT WAS twelve in the afternoon. The heat of the sun shone brightly outside the courtyard of the academy. It was time for the students to go out and one by one, they showed their inborn powers. The five years old Altalune was sitting on Amaris' lap. Both were watching several magics, few meters away from the woods, where no one can easily see them.

Professors, Whizka, and Aliz, and the others were watching the students released their powers. Some were born as ice, emitting icy daggers from the body. Others can shift into a giant bear, or a wolf while a few still does not know how to control their powers. They ended up ruining the courtyard again.

"Poor little students. They ruined the courtyard again. And I have to clean it later for them to use the following day."

Amaris shook her head while making sure that Altalune was safe in her arms. Unknown to her, the baby was carefully watching each magic and powers the students were releasing. Her eyes shifted from one after another. Her vision started to see the existence of those students born with superpowers. And those things were saved in her mind, waiting for the right time to understand what she saw.

...

Impyerno

10,000 feet above sea floor

About ten thousand feet above the sea floor, there is a place called Impyerno where the soul of the criminals, whether from the land of the immortals, or from the human realm, were destined to become slaves of the Underworld.

Hundreds of thousands were thrown in the hell-like place to become servants of Leviathan, eaten by giant Cyclops, tortured by invisible monsters, decapitated by living skeletons, and burned by an unknown creature living in the boiling waters of Impyerno.

Even those who were only accused were captured by Leviathan's monsters and brought them into the realm of Impyerno. They have no choice, but to serve him, worked for him, and die for him in his world.

What's worst is, humans were even kidn*pped from the land of the mortals just to serve Leviathan. Immortals and hybrids who were born as an infant were even snatched after being born. And only Leviathan's power can caught them and brought them in Impyerno to become slaves forever.

"Move! Do not slack off!" Skeletons holding a sharp whip were busy slashing the body of one of the prisoners getting out of their dungeons.

The giant Cyclops were even fiercer than them, that whenever they were hungry, they just caught one soul, or immortals, or hybrids, or humans, and eat them all. Invisible creatures on the other hand loves to play and most of the time caught the attention of the humans were they became its target. What they usually did was thrown them into the boiling water, and have them eaten by the unknown creatures deep down below.

All of these scenarios were ten times as hell as the fiery Gehenna, and as five times scarier than eaten by a giant beast on the land of the mortals, or immortals. Leviathan has it all. He was not only the god they served. He was the most powerful among the demons, devils, and evil monsters. One word coming out from his mouth would mean death, or entirely vanished those who defied his rules in Impyerno.

Poor humans. They were captured without their knowing. Immortals, and hybrid infants were the loneliest because they grew up without even seeing their mother. Their powers were absorbed by Leviathan, and nothing were left, except serving him for the rest of their lives.

It was ten thousand deep above sea floor. Whoever decides to quit, leave quietly, run away, rebelled, fought back became food, turned into ashes, or feces eaten by Cyclops, or decapitated and thrown into the abyss of the unknown creature hiding in the boiling waters of Impyerno. No one were able to leave the place alive. It will be their only place to live and die forever.