Down System

Chapter 26

The cold breeze was brushing my hair. While feeling its touch, my eyes were shining due to the exquisite beauty of the landscape. I was finally on the trip!

I was riding our car while heading to the capital of Hades. My parents made this condition— I will take part in the said event, but they would come with me. I gladly accepted the favor. Besides, I wanted to be with them for this short journey, since in the following days, they would be back to work.

The sun was slowly rising from its place. When we went out, the skies were still dark, but at this point, it was getting bright again. My trunk was thrilling, knowing that I would see the scenery even clearer. Sometimes, I liked the trip much better than seeing the destination. Well, it was just calming to greet the incredible nature.

It was about five hours of traveling to the capital. Before going out of the car, Mommy Morrigan handed me a jacket, saying it would give me a warm hug behind the cold air outside.

After thanking my mother, I asked my parents to permit me on joining my friends on the walk. A wide smile touched my lip the moment they nodded their heads with a grin.

I ran and hugged Ferelith as she went out of the bus. My best friend looked cute with her braided hair and pink coat.

"Winter's coming," she said as we continued to wander. "It's getting colder, Aleera. What's your plan for the next month?"

"I still haven't decided what to do, actually. Why don't we just enjoy the last moment of spring now?"

Ferelith nodded and beamed. "I will surely enjoy, since next month, Keevan will be back again at Ragwarths!"

My eyes grew bigger. "How did you know?"

"Not still sure. Well, it's just a rumor. Don't mind me. I'm just feeling excited."

I wasn't able to speak more when she pulled me towards our other friends. Nonetheless, my brows were still folded. Was that rumor about Keevan coming true?

The guide sent us first to the botanical garden. It was broad there, giving us a pleasing sight coming from the colorful flowers. The stench of plants was fragrant, an addicting scent!

I and Ferelith, together with our friends, excitedly roamed all over the place. We weren't satisfied by just looking at them, so we had taken time smelling them one by one like we were willing to stay there no matter how long it would take us. We wanted to pick some up, but it was prohibited. If only we could take some as a remembrance.

It was almost an hour of staying in the field. There was a wide, empty area there, wherein we grabbed the opportunity to play. We performed hide-and-seek, catch the tail, and other interesting games. After which, the guide steered us to another place.

"I hope I can live here one day," Ferelith said while we were walking. "It's so nice here, isn't it?"

I nodded. "I actually enjoyed the flower area. What among the flowers did you like the best?"

Ferelith stopped for a minute, thinking of what to say. "I guess, the pink tulip," she replied with a grin.

"And, why?"

"It's because I love pink. About the tulip, it's Mom's favorite flower," Ferelith said. "When she was still Dad's girlfriend, she used to be receiving that flower from him. But when they separated, that never happened again. Please, keep this a secret."

"Sure!" I smiled. "Your problem is safe from my hands and my mouth."

"No, not that."

I puckered my eyebrows. "What?"

Ferelith drew her face closer to me and whispered. "I took a pink tulip from the field. Please, don't tell this anyone. I just want to give this to Mom."

My jaw dropped. "Okay, it's just a secret," I said, still stupidly looking at her.

For months of being friends with Ferelith, it was just the first time I heard something about her family. Little did I know that her parents were separated. I might didn't know the exact reason for this, I hoped my friend was now doing fine.

Still walking to our next destination, I looked at Ferelith; there was a change in her emotion. I had planned to ask her what was wrong, but I didn't continue since we just arrived at the rides.

The guide told us to have the ride, and it would travel us to the place of animals. It was an open mini car with a maximum of two passengers. It was on a trail and moving like a train.

The ride eventually steered us to a wide forest with varieties of animals, but not those wild creatures. This one was so cool!

I couldn't stop myself to smile while gazing at the greenery of the area. The animals seemed to be smiling at me, and so I didn't halt as well from giving them flying kisses.

On the contrary, Ferelith wasn't giving even the simplest beam. It was probably still about her family concern.

"Look at the butterflies!" I told her, trying to get the problem out of her mind. "They are colorful, right. So beautiful!"

I did everything to entertain my best friend, but nothing had changed her mood. Until I was running out of ideas, I just talked straight forward to her.

"Is it still about your parents?" I asked. "Or maybe, about the flower? No worries. I won't tell to anyone, swear."

Tears started to fall from Ferelith's eyes. "It just happened the last night," she said.

"Y-you mean, your parents just broke up?" I asked. "I thought it happened years ago. I'm sorry."

"Mom's suffering from domestic violence without my intuition," Ferelith cried. "I had no clue that the wounds she has been receiving was coming from Dad. Whenever I ask her about her scratches, she would just say they are nothing."

I swallowed my saliva. "C'mon, I am just here to listen," I said, hugging her and no longer minding the surroundings.

It was just me and her, with the calming ride.

"I never thought Dad would do such a thing to Mom. I just knew he loves her, but I was wrong at all." Ferelith looked at me. "Why is this happening? The unequal treatment of genders. Why is it occurring?"

I sighed and worriedly looked at her.

Ferelith was too young to encounter this big dilemma. Domestic violence was too harsh for the innocent mind of this young girl. She wasn't supposed to be experiencing this kind of situation. She should be enjoying the company of her family, and not bothering herself about gender inequality.

For long years, the different way of treatment towards the two genders had been a problem. The power was being held by men; otherwise, women were being a training ground for this wickedness. When was the right time to obtain equity?

"You know, Aleera," Ferelith said, holding my hands, "I shouldn't be joining this trip. I don't wanna leave Mom alone in the house, but she insisted me of going."

"Why didn't you bring her with you?" I asked.

"Even though I wanted, she would refuse. Besides, her wounds are still hurting. I just want to go home now."

Once again, I gave my best friend a warm embrace. "I am just here with you, okay? You've done enough for me, and now it's my turn to give back to you your goodness." I faced her. "Will you let me wipe your tears?"

Ferelith slightly slapped me on the shoulder. "I hate you! You're making me cry even more."

I chuckled while wiping her tears with my handkerchief. "Alright, now, let's be happy just for this time!"

The smile on my face couldn't be faded, especially that I was finally seeing my best friend laugh again. I couldn't take my eyes away from her, watching her greet the wind as she expressed a loud whoop of joy. I knew she was just faking things, but at least she was trying to find ways to forget her suffering for just some time.

Presently, I turned my gaze to the trees that surrounded us, which gave off fresh air and pristine ambiance.

When we went off the rides, the guide took us to every corner of the capital. He introduced to us the significant spots and explained to us their origins. He also showed us different treasures of Hades, including furniture, gems, pearls, and other materials made of gold, that were found in ancient times.

While wandering, I and Ferelith couldn't stop talking about the land of Hades. We were wondering, how would it feel to live at the beginning of creation? It would probably be more exciting discovering the treasures on our own.

After some time, we entered a big mansion. The guide let us walk around, but told us to not touch anything, for it was prohibited. Besides, we were following a certain belief— that if you touched other's possession, you would be cursed forever.

The mansion was too wide to see all the elements of it. Even though it was made many years ago, it was still alive and looking new. The woods that built it were sturdy, that even a strong storm wouldn't destroy it, perhaps.

Displayed material inside included sculptures of our ancestors, the swords used in the first war that happened in Hades, as well as the clothes and other paramount papers owned by significant people. There were also religious stuff exhibited such as the portraits of animals, paintings of nature, and the most hooking thing that stopped me was the big sculpture o Gandor placed on top of the mansion.

"What's wrong?" Ferelith asked when she noticed me stopped and stuck on the dragon's image.

"Do you know him?" I asked without looking at her.

"He's Gandor, the one, and only god," Ferelith answered. "Don't tell me you don't know him? His image is everywhere."

"Of course, I know him. But what I mean is, do you really know about Gandor? About what makes him the superior?" I turned my gaze at her. "Do you have any idea, or you just worship him because it is part of the culture?"

Ferelith stopped, thinking. "I e-exactly don't know," she stuttered. "Maybe because he is god, and that's why I praise him."

"You look at him as a god when, in the first place, you don't know what makes him a god."

"Don't talk like that. He can hear you."

"I don't care whether he hears me or not. As long as no one can tell me why he is god, my respect is not given to him. He is only a dragon, can't you see?"

"I see, but Mom told me he's powerful."

"Did she see the dragon working?"

Ferelith shook her head. "You don't have to see him work in actual just to say he's really doing something."

"How do you say so?"

"It's like people. Sometimes we can't see someone working in front of us, but that person is actually doing something in secrecy."

"But not in all times, you have to compare your god to people. You see him as a superior, right?"

Ferelith nodded her head.

"Then you should not compare him to the lower class," I said, affirmed.

"You seem against to him. Did Gandor do something bad to you?"

"If he's really a god, you shouldn't be asking that question to me," I said. "Because a real God, do not curse his people."

"Yeah, but you're angry with him, so I wonder what's wrong. Mind telling me?"

I shook my head. "Personal view."

Before the trip, I had found a book in the underground, telling the background of Gandor. I had not read yet all the parts, but that bound gave me an idea of how should I view that red dragon.

Before I move from my place, Mommy and Daddy arrived, holding a big pouch of food and handed it to me. They even gave me a towel, saying that it was important for me not to get sick of sweat. After I thanked them, they told me to keep going, and they would just fancy the nature outside.

After wandering the whole mansion, we had taken our lunch in the dining room provided by the capital for us.

I was chewing my food but stopped when Ferelith talked with tears again falling from her eyes. I didn't ask her what was wrong because it was obviously about her family. Instead, I gave her water and told her to just release the pain for it would lessen the burden inside her heart.

"I wonder how Mom is doing now," she said. "Since that happened, I'm missing her every day. I just want to take care of her. If only I have the right to defend her from Daddy, I would do."

I touched her palm. "You have the right," I said. "You are just afraid to fight for your Mom because you also love your father, and you still have respect for him despite what he's done to your mother and you."

"You're right, but I pray to Gandor one day he would give me the guts to speak about women's rights." Ferelith looked directly at my eyes. "How about you?"

Wrinkles creased my brow. "What do you mean, how about me?"

"I'm not saying it will happen, but what will you do to your dad if he did the same thing to your family?"

I let out a sigh. "I actually don't know, but I believe Daddy Perseus won't do anything that will ruin our bond. He loves Mommy Morrigan and me, I don't think he will do that."

Ferelith wiped her tears using the handkerchief I offered to her. "You know, Aleera, you're more than blessed of having your parents. I know they are good, and I just believe what happened to me will not be done to you. I always pray the best for you."

I thanked her. "I can see your family will be restored. Just believe, Ferelith. I am with you to claim things."

Still smiling at my best friend, my stomach groaned, not because of hunger but because of pain. I immediately stood and asked the guide where the comfort room was; when he told me, I ran as fast as I could.

It was a success eventually. Since I felt like craving again, I went out of the room and planned to go back, but I was stopped when somebody blocked my way.

"I knew the bad smell was coming from here," the boy who surprised me, said. "It's so bad!"

I sharply looked at him. "Do you think there is a poop that smells good?" I glared.

"Yeah, mine."

His presence shocked me, but I was trying not to show it to him. So, Ferelith was right? This stubborn kid just came back, and here, teasing me again.

I clenched my fist. "You never changed, Keevan."