The fire flicker in a concrete chimney as the cold blizzard passes the night. The roads are snowed under and the lights are barely visible. The homes were buried deep in the freezing ice walls and the roofs would almost sink under the snow. The hail continues and the night grows deeper in sheets of mountainous frost.
And on the hill beside the frozen river is a cozy home cleared off from the flooded snow. The house was huge perhaps a mansion inhabited by a small family of concealed secrets. The firewood ran out and the storm goes on. And before it went freezing again, suddenly the soil went floating into the air and it changed into a metal contraption finishing into portable heaters. It multiplied and the warmth went back that saved the family unharmed.
"Pa," the little girl called out.
"Yes, baby?"
"Isn't our abilities very helpful?"
"Well, it is." Her dad answered.
"It is? Then why are we keeping it a secret?"
"We're keeping it a secret because that's what we are told to do, sweetheart."
"Why are they telling us what to do? With our magic we could have helped our neighbors out there."
"Because you know sweet pea, our family holds a forbidden treasure which everyone doesn't need to know. We kept it for generations and generations and it is best for you not to know, darling. Well, for now until you're ready to hear it one day."
"Whoa! so mysterious. I wanna know pappy! I wanna know!"
"Sorry darling, you haven't come of age yet. Now, go to sleep."
"No daddy, I wanna know! I wanna know! Please daddy! Please!" the little girl prettied her little eyes as she insisted her daddy.
"Ok, I'll tell you some part of it but promise that you'll sleep after that ok?"
"Yay!!! (Giggles)" the little girl rejoiced in circles.
"Now, come here little butter cup (grunts)" the father took the girl on the lap and began his story.
MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN KING AMON THE SECOND MARRIED HIS PRINCESS TO THE PRINCE OF THE OTHERWORLD AS A TOKEN FOR PEACE SETTLEMENT, THE RUTHLESS WAR HAVE FINALLY COME TO AN END. THE MARRIAGE BECAME SUCCESSFUL AND EVERYBODY LIVED IN HARMONY. HOWEVER, THE HOLY SANCTUARY IS STRONGLY OPPPOSED TO WHAT HAVE RESULTED. AND TO THEIR ENMITY THEY TRIED TO ELIMINATE KING AMON FOR DEFYING THE SACRED ORDER. BUT INSTEAD THE TABLE TURNED ON THEM AND THEIR INFLUENCE BECAME WEAKER AND WEAKER. THEY WENT SILENT AND THE LAND FLOURISHED CREATING A NEW EMPIRE.
YEARS PASSED AND ANOTHER PROBLEM OCCURRED.THE LAND DRIED UP AND THE CATTLES DIED. THEY SAID THAT THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE QUARTERLY FAMINE THAT HAPPENS RARELY WITHIN A YEAR. AND IT IS NOT THAT BIG DEAL TO BEGIN WITH BECAUSE IT'LL NEVER EVEN LAST FOR A MONTH. SO, THE EMPIRE IDLY PREPARED FOR THIS AND EVERYONE LIKEWISE COOPERATED. BUT MONTHS HAVE PASSED AND YEARS HAVE COME STILLTHE FAMINE DID NOT VANISH. THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO INSANE AND THE EMPIRE WOULD ALMOST FALL.
HENCE THE KING DEPLOYED HIS SOLDIERS AND SENT OUT HIS CHOSEN SCHOLARS TO INVESTIGATE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. AND SOON THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS NOT JUST ANY NATURAL FAMINE BUT A BIOLOGICAL POISONING ORCHESTRATED BY THE LOST SANCTUARY. AND THE MOMENT KING AMON KNEW ABOUT THIS, HE SENT HIS MOST RUTHLESS EXECUTIONERS TO TRACK DOWN THIS CRIMINAL AND BE KILLED PUBLICLY. WHEN THEY RETURNED THEY ALREADY BROUGHT THE GRAND ARCHPOPE AND FIRST THING IN THE MORNING HE WILL BE PUT TO CERTAIN DEATH IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
THE DAY WENT FORWARD, AND THE EXECUTION IS AT HAND. MANY HAVE GATHERED IN THE SQUARE AND THE GRAND ARCHPOPE WAS ALREADY AT THE DEATH CHAMBER. EVERYONE LOOKED FORWARD TO THIS END BUT SUDDENLY TO THEIR SURPRISE A HORDE OF COMBAT PRIEST CAME TO RESCUE HIM. SO IN AN INSTANT, THE KING ALSO COMMANDED HIS SOLDIERS TO ANNIHILATE THEM IMMEDIATELY. THE CROWD STARTED TO PANICK AS THE BATTLE COMMENCED IN THE SQUARE. THE ROYAL GUARDS WERE TRULY A FORMIDABLE FOE BUT THE GRAND ARCHPOPE MANAGED TO ESCAPE.
AND WHEN THE REMAINING PRIEST WAS ABOUT TO BE DEFEATED THEY THEN DECIDED TO PERFORM THE LAST ORDERS OF THE GRAND ARCHPOPE. TOGETHER THEY FORMED A BIG CIRCLE AND STATED AN OMINOUS RITUAL. THE GUARDS SUSPECTED THAT THIS WILL BE A LETHAL BLOW SO QUICKLY THEY TRIED TO DESTROY THE FORMATION. BUT THEY WERE TOO LATE AND ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT THE PRIESTS SUMMONED; FIRE, WIND, WATER, AND EARTH, TURNED INTO SOMETHING LIKE METAL CONTRAPTION AND IN A FLICK OF A HAND, IT CREATED A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION BLASTING EVERYONE OFF FROM THE SQUARE.
THERE WERE LEFT NO SURVIVORS AND ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVES THE BLAST. THE KING WAS SO INFURIATED BY THE DESTRUCTION AND SWEARS BY THE LAW THAT WHOEVER IS FOUND CULTIVATING THIS KIND OF UNUSUAL MAGIC WILL BE IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF FROM THE KINGDOM AND BE KILLED. THE TRACE OF THE LOST SANCTUARY VANISHED AND TOGETHER WITH IT THE FAMINE DISSAPEARED.
"Whoa, that was not a good story papa."
"Yeah, I know baby. Now, go to sleep."
"Papa, is it possible that were a descendants of the lost sanctuary?"
"Hm, I don't know about that honey but they said the famine might have infested other people to inherit the curse. In fact, there are many of us who had inherited this ability. But as said, it is forbidden that's why we shouldn't use our ability in front of other people. And as long as we keep it, everyone will be safe. Do you understand now, Quiante?"
"Yes papa."
Quiante goes to bed and her father kissed her goodnight. The night went late and Quiante falls into a deep slumber. The surrounding went black and she kept falling and falling into the abyss. And in a loud splash, she woke up and finds herself lying on a moistened ground. She straightened up and saw Zeku sitting beside her cuddling Lillian in his arms wet and unconscious.
LILLIAN! (She remembered)
"Oh, you're finally awake." Zeku started talking.
"H-how was Lillian?" Quiante anxiously asked.
"Unconscious, thanks to you."
"I'm… (Sighs)" she hesitated.
"It's ok."
"No, it's not ok, alright?! Just… leave me alone!" Quiante exclaimed.
"You know, Lillian greatly looked up to you. She took your word and she never listened to me once. And this is just how you're going to react when she wakes up?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What I'm trying to say is why are you killing yourself?"
"What do you mean killing?"
"Well, you obviously just jumped off the bridge right? Wait, did you hit your head that bad? Cuz I'm gonna throw you back to the river if that'll won't work."
"Of course, I know I jumped bear brain! And I wasn't trying to kill myself."
"Then why did you jumped?"
"Well, you see I forgot I have no money to spend the cab so I decided to jump off the bridge and take the river route because it's the shortest way back home."
"I see, you have point. But, are you insane! That fall might even kill you to death. And you haven't controlled your mana yet, plus an extra plus, you dragged us down together with you."
"Well, I wasn't expecting you'd come back."
"(Sighs) this is crazy. I never should have saved you back there. My, what a drag"
"(Scoffs) that's because, next time you should try asking first before going to conclusions. But is Lillian really ok?" she asked again.
"Mm, it's a minor scratch. She just fell unconscious from the water impact. Anyway, how do you feel?"
"It's nothing, I'm used to it though." She thoughtlessly answered.
"What do you mean used to it? Wait, aren't you…"
"Hurting myself for a long time now?" Quiante interjected. "Yes. In fact, I did it a hundred times already, if I remember correctly."
"(Scoffs) you seemed to take it lightly huh. You must be lucky for the hundredth time missy but don't expect someone to be saving you again next time. And that next time for sure will be your death."
"No, my body will just take the damages but I'll just come breathing again, because… I never die."
"Well, that's wonderful living your life like an immortal. It might be blessing but at the same time a curse. You must have truly got used to the pain huh. (Sighs) you know, you should stop doing that if I were you."
"I can't, because the more I live the more things just get worst."
"Why? Is it because that man bothering you that badly?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know… the one that called your phone back there at the café."
"What? You even heard that? You nosy son of a leech, can't you even give me some sense of privacy? Hello, it's my life not yours your highness."
"So it's true that he's troubling you recently, right? And that's why you're killing yourself over and over again." he still continued.
"Yes, but he is not what makes me destroy myself. In fact, he's just a trash compared to mister psychopath five years ago. He's not even worth it dying."
"I see. So… who's this mister psychopath you're talking about?"
"It's none of your business, Zeku."
"Oh, but it is my business because I just called the bank and paid half of your debt in just a day just as promised. Well, if you're not convinced you might try to call them now."
"No its fine, I know you're a good person, Zeku."
"But, I might have another deal to settle with you if you'd like."
"And what is that?"
"To tell me about him."
"What?! No way Papa bear."
"Well, maybe the next morning I'll be paying off your remaining dues you know."
"Are you serious about that?"
"Of course, why would I kid around paying over a thousand silver sequel Polar bear. I might be pretty rich but it's a lot of money to count you know."
"Ok, but first I want to know why you're so into my story, Zeku. I wasn't even you're friend to begin with. So why bother?"
"That's true, but you think any brother would just entrust their beloved sister to some random suicidal stranger?"
"I see. But on one more condition, I will leave my secret with you but the secret stays between the both of us. I don't want to get involve others to my own dilemma, so can you promise me that?"
"Want to even have a pinky promise?" Zeku teased her.
"(Laughs) no thanks, no pinky promises it's not that even powerful at all. But I want you to keep your word, please?"
"Is my word enough to keep the deal?"
"Just promise, ok?"
"Promise. So, what happened five years ago?" Zeku began to bring back the topic.
"Five years ago, I got in conflict with my ex-fiancé that turned our life miserable."
"Our life?"
"Yeah, my family got included."
"Well, that's not right. So why is this dude a psychopath anyway?"
"Actually, he's not, back five years earlier. In fact, we've became the best buddies in school that I even think about marrying him when I turned eighteen. But I didn't expect he would change that horribly the day I've finally come of age. Because the day I turned eighteen, he began to rampage violently at school, bully our classmates, and even defeated the leader of the strongest gang. And not until that day that he even touched my brother. I was roaming around the school when unexpectedly; my brother went flying above me. He was roughly bruised and what's worst because the man I trusted the most who supposed to be by my side became an enemy. To my fury, I wasn't able to hold myself back and rage at him immediately. I did a lethal blow from here and there and out of the sudden, I just… I hit his eye that I injured it critically by accident. So, this angered the Archduke and in short, here I am living in dept and suffering."
"So that's happened huh. I think it's not your fault, your just defending your brother anyway."
"I did, but I think I just went too far to the extent of almost killing him back five years ago."
"(Scoffs) that'll teach him a lesson"
"Yeah," Quiante weakly replied.
"Yeah? Where's spirit butter cup?"
"I… I just don't feel right about this. I know I should be angry towards him and laughed around his back but I don't understand why I still…" Quiante paused.
"Love him." Zeku continued. "You still love him, right?"
"I don't know. Maybe not anymore. But this time, I think it's best to move on and forget about it forever."
"As in right now?"
"That's it Papa bear, I'll move on and marry William instead. So far that's the best thing I can think for now."
"Um, that's it? After you emo at me how you helplessly fall in love with that psycho and then out of the blue you'll just say, I'll move on and marry Prince Charming instead. Blah, blah, blah," Zeku imitates her voice.
"What's your problem, Bear brain? Aren't I giving that psycho a lesson? And why you suddenly sided with him, huh?"
"I believe he has his reasons, Polar bear."
"Wow, and now you suddenly sounded a lot like him. I like that, traitor!"
"Backstabber!"
"Nosy brat!"
The two went closer and closer, when Quiante slipped and pulled Zeku accidentally as they fall into the ground. To their unnoticed, Lillian already woke up and escaped her brother's arms before the argument even started. The two mounted on each other again and Quiante was dragged below. Lillian saw this and teased them romantically. The two was so embarrassed that they started panicking. However, the situation went worst because the moment Zeku puts his weight on his arms to stand up, he slipped by the wet grasses and by mistake; they kissed again.
--Slap—
"Hen-tttaaaiiiii!!!" Quiante shouted loudly as Zeku's men has finally found them.