I Am The Archer

There was still light, but why do I feel loneliness? Despair? And gloom? 'Where am I?' I heard distant explosions from where I quietly laid. Followed by distant cries of people, falling debris and faint vibrations.  'What was that explosion?' The soft grass was all I can feel of, trying to move my fingers.  Everything is sore. My limbs are numb, and I feel like my weight doubled.  'What happen?' I remember nothing. Deciding to open my eyes, the place looks empty. It was only I who laid on the unhealthy-looking grass as some of it is withered. There was a nearby tree, ready to fall at any moment, as it braches touch the ground and lose its leaves. 'Why is the city destroyed?' And the sky, it was weird. Different shades of red and black was on display hiding the setting sun. The air was polluted and a humongous smoke was visible. 'How did I get here?' All these questions kept increasing, but nobody answers me. I can't even find the answer to my own questions. It was like I have no memory.  'Who am I?'  I asked myself and a name came from my silent mind.  Mayari My name is Mayari. But other than that, I don't remember anything.  "What am I wearing!?" My voice came out high-pitched as I grip the satin cloth of my white gown. I am taken aback of what I am wearing. Why am I dressed like this with an on-going war? 'Am I insane?' I feel like I'm dressed like a goddess, with the long slit from my thighs to toes, with a low v-neckline and my favorite part, the gold belt. I poke it with my fingers checking if it's real gold and the satisfying 'ting' was heard, and I think it does as the dress feel quite heavy. Feeling drained I decided to take a sit on the tree's roots but before my butt can reach the tree something behind my back got stuck on the branch. "How am I going to get out?" I said, I was arching my back for good five minutes and it's aching already when I pulled away from the strings. "What is this? How did you get here!?" I awed at the bow and arrow and got it out from the branch, carefully not to scratch it. 'So this is why I felt so heavy! Silly me.'  I laughed at my own ignorance. Why didn't I felt this bow? Am I that pre-occupied of where I am? Looking at it, it was a recurve bow--- "Wait! How did I even know what this thing is called?! I never tried archery before!" 'But how did I know I never tried archery before?' Ignoring my unrelented question that I know I can't answer, I couldn't contain my excitement to examine it. It was like they were my favorite pieces in the world. I probably look like a kid, happily opening christmas gifts. The bow was plain but elegant looking, it also has a soft texture that you can easily glide your fingers. It was made of slick silver, shining as the light touch it. The thick string looks hard and sturdy, and very flexible.  Putting it down, I set my eyes on the silver quiver, it was polished to shine and boy! The arrow was sharp from the point to the fletching! I almost cut myself. You can even have a splinter if you touched the fletching! I quickly put them back in the quiver and decided to left them here. Maybe the owner will come back for them. And so I trek down the hill to visit the destroyed city. I was already a meter away from my spawn point when I felt a big push from behind that sent me rolling down the hill like Jack and Jill. I didn't know how can I stop from tumbling down but I did anyway, when the surface was now flat, face direct on the ground. Holy cow! My gown! I quickly stand up and checked my gown, thankfully it wasn't ripped or anything but it was surely dirty. And I can tell from the added weight I have, the bow and quiver is glued on my back. "Did you fly?" I asked it, but like any other normal thing it won't reply. So I left it again there and just like what happen in the first time, it did stick itself on my back. 'I guess, I'm your owner then?' I concluded. Sighing I left it behind my back and what I discovered is that, the longer you carry it the lighter it gets. Which I find weird.  'Probably because I'm getting used to it?' But no, I always carry my backpack when I go to school but as time goes on, it gets heavier every second. 'Wait did I just remember I went to school?' I stopped in my tracks. If I did, then I'm still a teenager? Or in early twenties? Silly brain! Why can't I remember anything!? I scratched my head, and I felt something sticking. Random leaves where sticking out of my hair. How charming! As I was nearing the bottom of the hill, I saw a small village with minimal people walking, they were carrying logs, hunted deers and jars of water. Finally! Civilization! I hope someone can help me and explain to me what's happening. Or I can just live here and have friends!  I quickly rushed to them and called for help. "Hi! Uh, may I ask where am I?" "You're in Isles of Oleas, the country and the destroyed city of Elencia" One man kindly said but when I started to ask again a woman gasped. "A-archer!" she frighteningly pointed out, her fore finger pointing at me. "Wha--?" I said looking around as they ran frantically, they didn't care whether they break and spill the water, nor let their food catch germs, even the logs were around, blocking the path. "Hide!" I heard someone scream despite the panicky situation./  "Keep the children safe!" "PREPARE FOR ATTACK!" And they encircled me with their local spears. "She should've been dead by now!" The men whispered but I can still here them clearly. 'Why should I've been dead?' "Why is she alive?" They asked unbelivably.  And I looked at each of them, turning trying to ask one of when but they firmly hold their spears and grimly eyed me. "Why--?" I tried to reach them but they firmly hold their ground, making me flinch. "Don't move!" A deep voice shouted amongst the crowd's chattering. And I did what I've been told. I didn't move a finger. And just look at them confused and clueless. Why are they doing this to me? The man I suppose was the leader of the village he was holding his sword, ready to strike when I back away. Why am I even given a weapon that I don't know how to use. "You must been mistaken, I'm Mayari and I-- "Don't you dare, brainwash us again! You swore to protect us from the apocalypse! Yet you dare walk and show your face!" "She should be beheaded!" "Torture her to death!" "Feed her to the wolves!" "Offer her to the next eclipse!" "Wait! You don't understand! I don't know where I am! And I don't know you-- "Nonsense! Kill her!" And they all come at me, and with instinct I grab my bow from behind and swing it at them with my eyes closed. I don't want to see what I can do. I don't want to kill them, I don't want to be a killer. But then everything became quiet. And when I opened my eyes, all men were bloody and dead. I lost grip with my clean bow, wondering why it was clean. And I heard faint cries and looking at the direction, I saw the women and children running away from me, saving their lives. While I was left looking at my wounded feet, and lifeless bodies. I walked away from the zone, never minding the cursed bow on the ground as I know it'll stick itself to me. They were abandoning their houses, their things and the people they loved and cherished. I stare at their retreating figures with tears in my eyes. I wanted to stop them, to convince them I'm a good person. I'm not someone they mistakenly believe, I was more than that. I want to tell them I need them, they're safe! But how? They wouldn't even hear me out. They cut me off several times never giving me a chance to explain myself. I feel so weak. Bow and arrow seem to be powerful but why do I feel weak? Useless? Why can't I do anything? So much for needing help. So much for seeking a home and shelter. So much for finding civilization when I killed the whole village. I wrecked their families. They didn't even get to say goodbye, as I killed them. I wanted to run too, but where will I go? I'm an archer. They hate me now. I seem to have a bad reputation but what was it? I never know it! Why are they scared of me? What did I promise them that I didn't fulfill? Was it me? Or they were mistaken? I was about to collect myself when I felt something move, turning around I saw the man holding a spear and throw it at me. It landed on the side of my hips, peeling my skin off and slicing my flesh. I cried in pain and agony as I lose my balance. My once white gown now turning red. I watched him successfully stand on his two feet; he grabbed another spear, determination was evident in his eyes. He was determined to kill me. To have my blood and shout it aloud, I killed the Archer. But I am now archer! I don't know how to use it! He was slowly crossing the distance, and out of an adrenaline rush like before, I opened my head and summoned my bow,. It was like a magnet that quickly stick into my hand. Unconsciously reaching for an arrow and releasing it. Hitting him right on his heart. His eyes were wide. Looking at me unbelievably. His mouth spouting blood as his knees gave away, and he slumped against the ground, lifeless. I cried again, out of frustration, agony, and pain. Words that I didn't think I would use to describe my situation. Emotions I never wanted to feel, and the events I never asked for. I want to disappear; I want to go. But where? I don't even know where I am. How on earth they hate someone like me. And the power I use, where did it came from? Was it me? Was everything me? Did I made everything? I wish no.  Pulling myself up since, I can't stay here forever, I put pressure on my wound as I use my bow as a cane to support my weight. I opened one door and spotted an open cabinet filled with clothes. I used one arrow to rip it to make a bandage and put it around my hips.  But a thought came to my mind, shouldn't I put something like a leaf to treat my wound?  'Where is that herbs?' I thought and suddenly my eyesight got dark.  'What!? Did I lost too much blood that I can see anything?' It was like they turned off the light but then it came back, but this time everything looks so clear.  And there's this circular thingy that follows my sight of focus and gets bigger when I look on one object. And when I tilt my head something green glowed, and I looked at it, focusing. And something popped up.  It was a discription about the herbal medicine I need and in the left side was the plant's illustration. The dark came as I finished uprooting the small plant. I didn't bother to read it as I want to lie down quickly. But walking back to the house was hard.  I couldn't see anything. The moon wasn't shining, and that's when I thought about something in relation with light that my vision got bright. It was like someone turned on the lights! But I saw something flicker in the top left corner, it says 'nightvision activated'.  "Ah, so it's a nightvision." Gripping my wound and walking slower than when I came out, I manage to reach the house and took a sit on the chair. I'm running out of energy.  Focusing on it again, because I don't know what to do. The description shows up again and unfortunately there's nothing to look at. So I took half to boil and the other for something I still can use.  But the problem was, how will I create fire? I've never been in camp nor scouts. So I never really tried them.  I think I should just plunge my self into my arrow straight to the heart and just die. I think death is easier to do than to make fire. Seriously, I'm considering it. Yeah, it's Plan B. Looking around the small stone house I found a bow drill, and started to create fire while moving it back and forth. The problem is where should I put the fire? Ugh! Why do I need to be badly injured?  And then I just put it on a leaf and once it smokes I put it beneath the tinder bundle and blow it out. Then it started to fire.  Now I just need to put the whole thing in, never minding if it's correct or wrong and boil it.  I swear I almost fell asleep and when everything looks good, I took it out. It smelled pleasant and the leaves were gone, but the roots are still present and it produced a brown color. I took one cloth and dip it in, and then put it around my wound.  The pain was in another level, and I almost black out! After a while I put directly into it and I almost peed myself. Gross, yes, but it was that kind of level of pain.  After gaining a little amount of strength I bandaged it around and walked to the bed, letting myself sleep and guessing if I will wake up tomorrow.