The Center of Cosmos

CHAPTER TWO

Asmeira is divided into three continents. Asvante, Rubiane, and Leberion, each continent was represented by kings and was under the De Blanche Empire ruled by Mathew De Blanche.

In their world, just as monsters and mythical beings live. Magic also exists. However, it is not naturally innate in them but it is from the holy artifacts or weapons blessed by their gods. And since some holy weapons were destroyed there are only a few left.

However, among these few, there are four that stand out.

The blade of fire that Mathew owns. The sword can cut anything on its way and can even cut mountains in half, the flames from the blade can also burn the body and soul. However, despite its strong attacks, the flame in its blade cannot withstand a large body of water. And also, any contact with water can lessen its power.

The bow of the wind that Allen has can make the air surrounding it into sharp silver arrows and can pierce the target’s body and soul. But somehow the bow can use one opponent at a time and cannot produce endless attacks. The arrows’ trajectory can also be interrupted by the strong blow of the wind.

Casis owned the shield of earth. It is used to protect anyone from large and destructive attacks and the amount of area the barrier it produces can shield the whole Asmeira but only for an hour.

The spear of water that Nathan possesses can best use in water battle for it can control water elements but can only use one time and is required to be near the water. However, the sharp blade on the tip can cut through anything.

It was still dawn and Mathew was already sipping his morning coffee while reading some of the documents he took with him. Before leaving the capital he makes sure to finish the necessary things he needed to finish before leaving and instructed the archduke to substitute him for the meantime.

“Lucas,” He called.

The door suddenly opened and Lucas entered the room.

“Greetings your majesty. Do you need something from me?” He asks as he bowed his head.

“What are the agendas today?”

Lucas lift his head and stared at the emperor who was staring at the open window with a bored expression on his face.

“Aside from signing the documents on your table, there is no work ahead for you, your majesty.”

Mathew frowned. He never imagined being so bored in his life not to mention the world is about to be destroyed and yet he still felt boredom. But somehow, he can't figure whether that was a good or a bad feeling for someone who lives in a time-limited world.

This routine was far from his usual routine back from the capital where when he got bored he would just sneak out leaving Lucas struggle in finishing the unfinished documents on his table and facing the ladies who wanted to have dates with him.

He eyed the man still standing in front of the closed door.

“What is the best way to stop this boredom, Lucas?” He asks.

“Well, if you ask this humble servant of yours, your majesty. I would suggest that signing and finishing those documents will stop your boredom,” Lucas answered with a big smile almost saying that there is nowhere to sneak out in the middle of the ocean.

“As expected you are a boring person Lucas.”

After signing all the documents on his table he went to the upper deck to get some fresh air. Dressed in a plain white polo with sleeves and a trouser pants, which made him look fresh and majestic made it justifiable why women in social circle wanted to marry him.

The warm wind from the hot weather welcomes him as he stood and watches the blue sea.

“Good morning your majesty,” Casis greeted with a smile while his messy and spiky hair was gently swayed by the wind making the fringe covering his left eye swept sideward, making both of his narrowed grey eyes exposed.

“Good morning,” He replied.

“Greetings to the ruler of Rubiane,” Lucas greeted as he bowed his head.

“Lift your head, your greetings have been well accepted,” Casis responded with a smile.

“How was your sleep, your majesty?” Casis continued.

“Quite good,” He answered with a low chuckle.

Suddenly, Nathan approach and greeted them with a wide grin plastered on his face while his messy grey-white hair and round golden eyes looked like they were shining because of the sunlight.

“I came to talk to the captain a moment ago and he said we are a few miles from Deborus.”

“Then we must prepare already,” Mathew replied and landed his eye on Lucas.

“Prepare the knights.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Lucas responded and excuse himself.

He was about to face and gaze at the ocean when he saw a man with familiar unruly orange hair, a thin build yet short stature.

It was Reynald, the aide of Allen.

“Greetings your majesty and to the ruler of Rubiane and Leberion continent,” He said as he bowed his head as a sign of respect.

“Your greetings have been well accepted, you can lift your head,” Mathew answered.

Reynald’s cheerful smile was seen on his face as his brown eyes glimmered because of the sun.

“Where is Allen?” Casis asks.

“King Asvan will come here in a minute, your highness king of Rubiane.”

“He must have slept so well that he forgot the time,” Nathan said as he chuckles.

“Tsk. It is early in the morning and you are already running that mouth of yours, Nathan,” Allen muttered as he glared at him but later on greeted the three of them.

“Greetings your highness,” Reynald greeted him and bowed his head.

“Reynald, see those documents on my table. I have already read and signed it. However, kindly double-check it for me,” He commanded and landed his gaze to his aide.

“As you wished your highness,” Reynald replied and excuse himself.

“Are we about to arrive, your majesty?” Allen questioned.

“Yes,” Mathew answered shortly.

A few hours have passed after they have eaten their breakfast, the assistant of the captain approaches them to deliver the news that the island Deborus can be seen in the distance.

Hearing this, automatically, Mathew finished the sip of his tea and went to the deck to view the island.

There he saw a silhouette of small land.

‘Ah, we have finally arrived,’ He thought as he eyed Lucas who was silently standing beside him.

“Have you prepared the knights?”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Good.”

The knights prepared for a small boat since the ship cannot get closer to the island. And finally, they have reached the grey sand of Deborus.

Seeing the thick and slightly foggy forest made it look more dangerous. Mathew felt the heat from the sand.

He stared at it with a puzzled mind.

‘The sand is grey?’ he thought as he ignored the heat he felt on his feet despite wearing boots.

He gazes at the three men and at the knights who stand behind him.

“Be prepare,” He announced.

“Yes, your majesty!” They cheerfully said in unison.

After giving the knights a few instructions, they have entered the forest.

Seeing the tall and large trees makes it look hunted but luckily the fog is not that thick at all so they can slightly see the silhouette of their surroundings. The soil is slightly muddy and slippery and the air became cooler than they felt when they are at the seashore a while ago.

Mathew lifts his head and saw that the tall trees were covering the blue sky making the forest a little bit dim. The chirping of birds can be heard.

He walks towards a tree and touched the trunk, he felt that it was a bit wet and quite slippery.

“The trees are too steep to climb,” He commented to himself almost as a whisper as he roamed his eyes to his surroundings.

“Your majesty, please let me climb the tree,” Nathan suggested.

“No.”

“Then, let us continue to walk north,” Allen said while holding a compass.

“But it is easier for us to have information if we look from above,” Nathan suggested.

“It is dangerous to climb. We can't afford to take the risk now since we don’t know what type of monster will attack us,” Mathew explained with a composed expression.

“Your majesty is correct, Nathan,” Casis intervened.

Suddenly a rustle can be heard and a large snake was about to attack them when Nathan automatically pierce it with his spear. The snake was dead when he grab it and throw it away from them.

He let out a heavy breath and eyed Mathew.

“I understand, I apologize your majesty for insisting,” He said as he bowed his head.

“No need to apologize.”

Hours have passed and to their surprise, a large and tall bear approaches them.

It roared aloud as it runs towards them ready to attack. Mathew took out his sword and held it tightly.

He was about to kill it when he heard a small yet fragile voice of a child shouting.

“Please do not kill my mother!”

His sword stop midway almost hitting the bear. The bear also stop and looked at the cub who showed itself hiding from a fallen trunk.

“Why did you come out?!” Shouted the mother bear.

Mathew and the rest were surprised upon hearing that the bears could talk or perhaps they are the ones who are going crazy?

“Mother…they—”

“If we don’t fight they will kill us!” The mother bear interrupted his cub’s words.

“No, we aren’t,” Mathew answered as he returned the sword to its scabbard.

“I’m sorry if you think we are going to kill you but you initiate the attack first,” He continued.

The bear calmed down when she heard his words.

“I apologize for that. However, it is strange to see humans on this island? Why are you here?” She asks.

“To me, nothing is stranger than a talking bear?” Mathew replied.

Nathan and the mother bear let out a small laugh as they stared at each other.

“Oh, I’m sorry I did not mean to laugh,” He explained.

“It is alright, it is also funny to see a human and a bear talking to each other.”

“Then, perhaps can you tell us what happened here?” Mathew questioned.

“It happened a week ago, the island suddenly envelope with a strange light, the island became strange after that.” The bear explained.

“What kind of strange happenings?” Allen asks.

“The island was covered by strange fog and the water inside this forest has turned into black.”

“Then that must have explained why the sand is grey?” Casis commented.

“Yes,” The bear answered.

“Do you have any idea where that light landed?” Nathan asks.

“It landed on the lake. I will show you the way,” It said.

“Then please do,” Mathew responded as the bear lead the way.

After a few walks, they have noticed many fallen trees along the way. Then they heard the sound of water and smelled a strong and bad odor.

“This smell is coming from the water itself. The lake was not like this before,” The bear said.

“Did the water automatically became like that after the light vanish?” Casis asks.

“Yes.”

“Did you feel something like an earthquake when the light landed on the island?”

“No.”

“Can the other animals talk too?” Mathew interrupted without looking at them.

“I don’t know?” The bear answered.

“You don’t know?”

“Yes,” It replied.

A few steps and they saw a large lake with black waters surrounded by tall and big trees. Because of the strong smell, trees that are near the water have died and some are slowly dying. In the middle of it was a small land where a strange ruins of a large close door was standing.

The small cub gently pokes Mathew’s right leg. Mathew looks at the cub with gentle eyes.

“That’s it!” It said and pointed to the strange door with its small paw.

“That unusual door came from the fallen light,” The cub continued as his soft eyes landed on Mathew’s face.

‘Did the island have other sources of water to drink?’ His mind suddenly said.

“Did the island have other sources of water to drink other than the lake?” Mathew asks as he looks at the mother bear.

“No. Majority of the animals here have already been in too much thirst.”

“Nathan,” Mathew called.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Can you cleanse the water?”

Without asking further questions, Nathan took a few steps near the water and started to swing his spear but it wasn’t working which made him confused.

“I cannot your majesty. The lake was contaminated by a curse coming from that door,” He said as he pointed to the door.

“It is okay,” The mother bear said as comfort.

“However, if you have water can you at least give some to my child?” She continued.

Mathew suddenly felt a flinch of pain in his heart when he heard the mother bear‘s word. He carried the cub into his arms and took his bottle of water as he assisted the cub from drinking.

Mathew stared at the water and saw a trace of black curses flowing from the door.

‘The lake can’t be saved,’ He thought.

He stared at the cub drinking the water happily. It was so small and its weight was too light for a cub and then stared at the mother bear while still holding the cub in his arms.

“If you’re going to be on your way now please stop near the seashore and wait for us there, we could give you some water and food,” Mathew muttered.

“Thank you very much,” The bear replied with gratitude in its eyes.

He did not ask the bear if it knew that the world was about to end. He never asks because the burden from their hearts was already too much.

In three months as the godly stars aligned, the door would open and the darkness will enter their world. What an absurd idea! He can’t understand if the gods or fate is foolish that they have forgotten such a simple thing. The idea that the world is already wretch.

For him there’s no need for darkness to come for the world is already dark.

‘However, there is still a choice,’ His mind stated.

“Casis find a way for us to cross the lake,” He commanded.

“Yes, your majesty,” Casis answered.

“Then we will be on our way. Please be careful,” The bear said.

Mathew responded with a smile and gently put down the cub on the ground.

The bears went on their way while Mathew stared at the closed door.

‘Behind that door, is the thing that could stop the world from ending…or not,’ He thought as the trees swayed from the wind’s strong blow.