Asteria

Chapter 1

It was a bright sunny day when the royal knights suddenly came to our town. I really don't understand what is going on but they started destroying things. They hurt the elderly, woman, children, burn the houses and killed families. My family was killed during that time. It was a war. We fought but didn't win, they had abilities that normal human can't have, we only fought with what we had while they fought with great power.

I really don't understand. Why am I the only survivor? Why did I survive? What's the meaning of surviving when I lost everything? Is there something else that is needed to be done? What's the point? Everyone from the town is dead. House are destroyed and now it looks like an abandoned town.

Why did I survive? "This is the consequences when you defied the royalties" Ah, why am I remembering that now. It was that one knight said before thrusting his sword to my throat.

I touched my throat. I remember being stabbed by the throat, but, when I woke up, their is no wound or even a scratch. Could that be a dream and I actually passed out during the battle? But it felt so real. "Are you from this town? My dear?" An old lady approached me. Seems like she is currently traveling and just happened to passed by here. "This town... a year had already passed since this was destroyed and forgotten." My eyes widened. What did she just say?

"Ma'am? What do you mean by a year?" A year she say? Now that I see it everything is in ruins now, like I said earlier, like an abandoned town. But no way, a year? No... I just woked up and it felt like I've lost my consciousness for like a week or so. It's impossible for me to be still alive if a year had already passed by.

"Seems like I was mistaken that you are from here, well, the town was all destroyed after all, not a single alive person remains." She said then handed me a basket full of fresh red apples. I took it in confusion then she gave me a really nice smile. "Take this apple with you on your journey." She said and that got me even more confused. I don't plan on going on a journey.

I was about to ask the lady when she suddenly disappeared. It got me shocked. Who was she? It seems like she knows something that I don't, if only I could have asked her.

I looked at the basket full of apples. A journey huh. Why would I go on a journey? I could just kill myself in this place, where my family also is.

Tears are falling through my cheeks as I remember how our house had collapsed during the battle. My two little brother are inside of the house... I asked them to hide there... If only I knew that would happened. Mom got half of her body trapped in a debris. Dad was nowhere to be seen anymore when joined the fight.

I just sat on the grass. Why did I survive? And after a year? How did that happened? Do I need revenge or something? No. I hate that kind of stuff. What's the point of getting a revenge when there is nothing left---.

"New Recruits! Make sure to burn everything!" Another flashback. New Recruits? Why would I remember something like that? And on top of that it's that knight I remembered again. He was about my age but he is in control of the knights. He was about my age but did not hesitate to kill....

I want to know. Why did the royal family want my town to be destroyed. Why did he not hesitate to kill. Why did my family got killed? Why did I survive? And why did I woke up after a year? Will there be anymore victims just like what happened to my precious town? "I want to know everything."

The nice lady just predicted my what I'm going to do huh. The royal kingdom is 5 towns away from here. To get to the neighboring town it will take 3 days. Having this apples will take me to the next town before this will rot. If I see that nice lady again, I will give her my gratitude.

I need some materials first before going on my journey. Monsters might be lurking at night so I need some sort of weapon. But everything in this town is destroyed. Going to the the armory shop will be just a waste of hope. Or so I thought. "Jackpot."

The armory shop in my town is destroyed but I remember the mister who owns the shop had a basement to nicely preserve weapons, not your ordinary weapons. "A sword would be too much for me to carry." The weapons that are stored in here are what you call rare items, or so what the mister calls it. The materials that is used to make this weapons are hard to find so it was quite expensive. Only adventures who is traveling buys this stuff.

"Mister shop owner. I apologize for taking your lovely weapons without paying for them. But I can assure you, I will used this properly." I then put the bow and some arrow inside the quiver then wore it.

I used to go hunting with my dad so I kinda know how to use bow and arrow. "Hunting with dad huh, how nostalgic, was I 6 or 5 years old back then?"

I visited my house. It was hard but I have to. Mom will be worried sick if I won't tell her where I'll be going. My two little brothers will probably asked me to bring some souvenirs then Dad would just hand me a pocket money.

"Hik..." My two little brothers will probably laugh at my stupid crying face. "Hey everyone. I'll be going on a journey. I don't know when will I come back but I'll definitely come back. I'll also bring lots of souvenirs and you don't have to worry about me mom. And dad, thanks for teaching me how to use this type of weapon, this will help a lot." I barely recognize our house anymore, but I can still feel it. "Please watch me from the heavens."

My hometown was destroyed and I don't know why. Joining the knights will be able to answer my questions. And I possible, I want to change their way. Killing and stuff... "How cold..." And I would also like to meet that guy. I want to know why, why does he not not hesitate when taking someone else's life? Why does he have the eyes that can peirce through someone.

"I'll be going now, everyone."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sun is almost setting and I haven't reached the forest yet. And also... "Tired..." I only have a little stamina in me, that's why mom would only want me in the kitchen and not do any stuff that can tire me so badly. "Breathe..." It's hard to breathe now. Will I really be able to join the knights? With me being this weak? I need to increase my strength!

I can't believe I'm this weak. How can I reach the royal kingdom if I'm always short in breathe? Will, some good food will do the trick... Ah, I only had apple in me, I forgot. I'm greatfull for the apple and all but I would really love to have some decent food like meat.

I have finally reached the forest and I started setting my camo for the night. I just made a campfire, I don't have some tent so I'll just sleep on the ground with this barely hanging blanket I found when I was still searching for some materials in town.

Well... Solo camping for me. My little brothers and I used to camp too. We would sing then roast some fluffy sweets.

I expected my solo camping to go smoothly since I camp near the road just in case a monster might appear. But I suddenly heard something from the bushes. If it's a monster I won't survive if it's a close range. The bush is just near me too.

What I feared just came true. It's not a monster that had appeared but a wild bear. It slowly walked towards me and all I could do is just sit still while slowly grabbing my bow. But it noticed me grabbing it so it went wild and attacked me.

"HA!" I got up and started catching my breathe. It was just a dream that I was attacked by a wild bear. But it felt so real. Dreams are really scary indeed.

My hands touched the ground or so I thought. I felt a soft and smooth cloth and when I looked at it, I was sitting on a... bed? Wait what? I looked around. I seemed to be in a clinic? I saw some medical gadgets by the table and some medicines too. Wait. "What happened?" Why am I here? I was camping outside. Solo camping!

"You're awake." My heart almost escape from my inside when I heard a voice of a girl behind me. I turned around and saw a pretty woman wearing lab coat with some medical gadgets on her. She must be a doctor in this clinic. "Y-yeah." She is matured... hm... super matured... I wonder if my front will be as mature as hers? "U-uhm---." I was about to ask a question when started asking first. "What in the name of heavens are you doing in the middle of the forest? On top of that you sure sleeps so nicely." She said and I got confused. So I was indeed camping outside? Them she found me and took me here... but... "So a wild bear attacking me was not a dream..." But how am I still alive.

I looked at my hands. I can feel how my hands are torn apart and how the bear just bite off my neck. I even struggled but the bear is so strong. It even tore my legs off my body... I can feel it. What the hell is happening? If that really happened then how was I? "A wild bear attacked you? You must be dreaming. You are fine, no blood, no wounds, no scratch, just mosquito bites." Mosquito bites... but I really felt it. What is happening? "You said you found me in the middle of the forest? T-thank you for taking care of me." I'll just think about it later.

"It's impossible for me to leave you sleeping so carelessly in a forest. I also can't believe that you didn't woke up after many slaps I gave you." Now that I feel it my cheeks are stinging and a little bit hard. "Now pay me for taking care of you." My mind went blank after hearing that. P-pay? I-I don't have any money on me. I only have apples, which I don't have anymore, it was left in the forest.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't have any money... well, I can do some cleaning and cooking, I can pay you with it if that's okay with you." I've searched the entire town, not a single money I found. I found some but it already got rusted and it's barely called money anymore. "I don't need money. I have plenty of that stuff." For some reason I got annoyed after hearing that. But it's a relief that she doesn't need money from me. "What I want is information." Information?

"What kind of information is it?" I asked. I wonder if I can give her any information, I just woke up after a year so I don't know what's going on anymore. "Don't act dumb. Now spill it." I'm not acting dumb though? "I'm sorry but, I don't understand what you're try--- ekk!" Something just flew by my side and when I looked at it, it's a knife, and now it's stuck in the wall. That made my entire body shake. Is she trying to kill me or something? "I said don't act dumb."

"I really don't know what you're talking about-- ekk!" Another knife flew, and this time, it hit me on the cheek a little bit. It's just a small bleed. But what is this lady trying to do---. She then suddenly grabbed my hand that is covering the wound she just gave me.

She then started laughing like a crazy person and I started feeling scared. Her grip got stronger as she laughed loudly. I can feel my bone giving up already. "I-it hurts, miss." She stopped laughing and let go of my hands. Then another crazy moves she had done. She pinned me on the bed. What now? Oh dear mother, Oh dear father, Oh dear brothers, please enlighten me, what is happening exactly? "I saw you at the Greenwood forest. How strange. There are no town from the other side nor a single house, it's just the ocean that you see at that place. Could it be that you're from another country? No, you don't smell like you have travelled through seas, more like, a town's girl or so, but then again, there is no town from the other side of the forest. Strange of you isn't?" I don't understand what she is talking about.

"What are you trying to say? The town of Asteria is just at the other side of the forest." There is no town she say? Has she gone mad or something? Indeed our town is just near the ocean but there is a town!

She got up from pinning me and I noticed her expression changed. I don't know but she look shock but at the same time confused. "Asteria you say?" She asked and I pushed her away from me. I immediately got up and tried to open the door but it's lock. Oh dear heavens, what is happening right now? "Asteria... You say you're from a town named Asteria?" I looked at her and she is now infront of me, like how?! Could it be? She can use magic? "Why did you lock the door? And yes Asteria is the name of my hometown, what's---." My whole body started shaking when I saw her terrifying expression. Is as if, she had found out something. Her smile gives shivers to my spine, what is this creepy feeling, I even had goosebumps.

"I have decided your payment." She said. "But before I tell you, answer me first." What? What does she want now? I don't have informations to give her! I just woke up! The only hot tea in my town is Jerome cheated on Hina, that's all! "Where are you going?"

"Huh?" Where am I going? "U-uhm. I'm going to the royal kingdom..." Answering her questions, must stay alive.

"I see. You wanted revenge." What did she just say? Revenge. "Y-you... You know something about my hometown?" I am starting to regret asking that since she then again smiled so creepily. "I heard from my brother. The king had ordered the knights to eliminate the entire town, the town of Asteria, the town of Immortals."

I-immortals? What does she mean? The town of Asteria? Is a town of Immortals? "The town is hidden from the world but the king knows it's location. I have been where you came from but all I see are grass and ocean. Seems like your town used a barrier to hide their existence." She looked at me when she noticed how confused I am. "Nevermind that. As for your payment. All you have to do is come here once a month. That's all."

My mind is still all fuzzy. I really don't understand what she is talking about. My town? A town of Immortals? I have not heard any of that. What does she mean by hidden? We have been traveling sometimes and went to cities and towns---, now that I think about it not a single outsider came from our town. The first visitor we had are the knights, when they came to destroy our town. Wait what? No no no. That can't be. I have been living for 17 years already. I grew up from that town but not a single thing about that immortal stuff. People if die from my town too, like how normal beings are---.

Huh? I was stabbed. But when I woke up, I'm all fine. Huh? Wait, what? "You. You know nothing, I see." What is she talking about now? "I can feel you in, about where you come from."

I want to know...

I remembered I die from the battle. Then I remember the pain from having my body torn apart by a wild bear. But I'm fine. Still alive with my limbs intact.

What is it that I don't know?

I want to know.