He is here to kill us?
And without another word he suddenly attacked, Radal face him before he even reaches my father. "Go! I'll take care of him" he shouted. My father then grabs my mother's and mine then runs, we were almost at the center of the clearing when a bright light suddenly illuminated the area when I open my eyes again I saw a watery substance that forms like a dome, it shines like a pearl. As we came nearer, I can't explain how I felt, it's like, beyond that place is home.
"Do you feel it, Enya? It's calling us back home," My mother whispered. I can see the longing in her eyes as she stares at the portal. Home? Is that what's beyond that?
"And where is 'Home' mother?" I asked. But before she can answer an arrow hit her shoulder, a few inched more it could be her heart, I was so shocked that my father has to drag me too along with my wounded mother.
"Enya, help your mother near the portal, but do not cross yet, do you understand?" my father gave me the instruction as he scans our surroundings. As I slowly help my mother walk towards the portal, another arrow was shot and this time it was aimed at me. Luckily, I reacted fast enough to dodge it.
"Enya! are you all right?" My mother asked.
"Yes, who are these people? Why would they want us dead?" I asked, never have I ever felt threatened like this before.
"I don't know," my mom said. Now what is going on? Why are there people who want to hurt us?
I look up to see my father fighting with another man. I never saw my father fight before, not even inside a gym, but the way he moves you can see years of training hone his body. It feels like forever. But in reality, it only took a few minutes. My father was able to disarm his opponent and pointed his sword to his chest.
I can't hear what they were talking about because they are a few meters away from us, I'm guessing that he's interrogating that person. Then suddenly my father pierces his sword into the assassin. It was my first time seeing someone being killed, more so seeing that it was my father who did the killing. I feel nauseated. Was it easy to kill someone?
I saw how my father drags the dead body beyond the wooded part of the clearing. It was a while before my father emerges again. My father walks toward us, and I can't help but flinch knowing that he just killed someone. A sense of dread came over me. Looks like death and carnage will become my daily occurrences.
Was this all a dream? Am I imagining all of this? A slender hand reached and hold my cold and shaking hand, I vaguely heard my mother's voice saying "She's shaking, it's way too much for her in one night."
"Here, let me ease her fear," my father said, and I feel his large yet comforting hands over my shoulder and I feel warmed and calm. It was as if a very relaxing heat wash over me, I still remember what my father did, but somehow I feel more calmed than what should someone just saw a murder.
"What did you do to me?" I asked him, accusingly.
"I just calm your nerve and mind," my father said. I feel guilty after I realize that I just accuse my father of trying to do something harmful towards me.
"Dad, I'm sorry" I whispered as I hold his hand.
He put his hand over my head and said, "You're in confused with all of this, I understand. But know this Enya, I will never harm you and your mother, you are both my life, my love always," His eyes say it all.
Not long after my father killed the assassin Radal returned, based on his appearance looks like his opponent was hard to deal with, he had a deep wound on his shoulder and some knicks and scratches all over his body, and the smell of blood is stronger on him.
"All done?" my father asked.
"Yes, took time, he's tougher than I thought. If you are all ready we can cross over then," Radal said. When none of my parent's objects, he walked towards the portal, as he came nearer he took out a tablet that looks like it made of a black stone—obsidian? It has an insignia that looks like a bird, but I cannot make out what type of bird it is. As he stands just at the edge of the portal, raised his hands holding the tablet and the portal luminous light glowed red, it was like the entire place bathed in blood, and it makes me remember the assassins that my father killed. After the red glow receded, Radal looks back at us and said, "Let's go, we should be a few minutes of walk away from a village."
"Hmm... I hope it's Priowllud Cross," My mother said. She looked at me and smiled, "It's where I grow up before my family moves into the capital. You will love the place, Enya" she added. My mother's hometown? Everything is so new to me, talking about home towns and family. My dad seemed to know what I felt because he put his arms around my shoulder and squeeze it. Looks like I have to wait to get the answers I've been waiting for.
My father helps my mom to walk towards the portal, while I follow behind them. As I was about to cross the barrier, a voice sounded in my head, "Welcome back," I looked around trying to find the owner of that voice but it was only me, my parents, and Radal at the clearing.
Who is that? Another question on my endless list to ask my parents about.
After crossing the barrier, a bright morning light greets me. The silent breeze of the night wind vanished and the mild heat of the morning sun greeted me. It was distorting at first, the changes from night into day. In just a blink of an eye, everything is so bright.
As my eyes slowly adjust with the sudden brightness, I saw an open field of flowers. I can't even tell what type of flowers it was, but it has a familiar scent of Lavender but it looks like a pink Stargazer flower. My mom noticed me staring at the flower. She leans towards me and said, "Those are Princess Crown, it's my favorite flower. I missed it so much that I was so happy when I found that Lavender smells like it. To ease my homesickness, I dose myself with its scent even if the flower I used is not the same" she said with a smile. I looked again at the flower field and trying to imagine my mother frolicking among the flowers.
As I looked around, I saw my father looked at my mother, eyes shining with love. "Did you know I first meet your mother in a field like this too in the capital?" He whispered. "It broke her heart to leave all of this behind, but for the family she is willing to let go," He added.
We continue our walk towards the Village Radal mentioned, as we walk I feel at home, as if I know the place. I try to recall if this place is the same place where we came from just in a different continent, trying to see a familiar landmark, but aside from the forest from my far left and an open field on my right and a brink wall up ahead, I didn't saw any familiar sightings.
As we came nearer into the town, I notice that the flag at the tower has the same insignia with the tablet Radal was holding at.
"Dad, whose insignia is that?" I asked. He looked up at where I pointed and he smiled.
"That is the insignia of the royal family, of our family. Each Kingdom adopted a mythical beast and turned them as our Guardians. And the Zaenia Kingdom adopted the Fire Bird, The Pheonix," he said.
"The Pheonix? isn't that a mythical bird?" I asked.
"In the mortal's world? Yes, the phoenix became a myth to them, but not here at Cigen Continent. Dragons, Knights, Magicians, and monsters are real," he said. I want to ask more questions, but we already arrive at the gate of the village.
"Halt! Who are you?" the guard by the gate asked.
"I am General Radal Blaese, I am here to pass through from my mission along with my companion" Radal announced. After hearing his name and showing his militia emblem, he didn't ask for more questions and let us pass.
"Princess Enya, Welcome to Merust Yard. A village of the Bergenim Town," Radal said as he dramatically spread his arms. I still don't trust him so I didn't show any interest, but said, "We should find a place to stay so we can dress my mother's wound, I know it's not life-threatening but I don't want it to be infected."
He just looked at me and said to my father, "She acted just like you when we first meet" he turned around shaking his head as he walks in the direction at the center of the town. Just a few blocks from the gate of the town are the town center, at all sides, different stores and stalls can be seen, the vibes I feel from this town it's like we are in the sixteenth century in Europe. But the clothes that the people are wearing are like a variant of Asian culture in the mortal world. It was like the entire world was squeeze inside this compact town, that looks like it was only a few hundred acres big.
A new world.