At a time of uncertainty and anticipation, when they thought they would have been warmly welcomed to their world, Asahi came to the discovery that it was changed rather than destroyed.
The brown-haired, golden-eyed man, Brich, and the mysterious unnamed silver-haired boy ran down the hills as fast as they could, sprinting away from the figure.
Upon doing so, the silver-haired boy grabbed the siblings and carried them on his shoulders, speaking to Brich with a calm tone.
"Brich, get the carriage. It should be close by. I figured that we would have arrived at the city by now, but due to that shooting star we saw just before sunrise…." Sadiki hunched his shoulders and took his breath, placing Asahi and Aletha's bodies against a soft grass bed. "... things have changed."
Without resistance, Brich snapped his fingers and vanished into thin air, leaving brown particles as he went.
"Understood."
In the meantime, the silver-haired boy decided to hospitalize Asahi and Aletha, hoping they would awaken soon.
* * * * * * * *
The wind blew strongly on the grass, gently brushing the passing clouds in the sky and causing the trees to move in rhythm with its beat.
As the warm sunlight gently stroked her skin, Aletha inhaled deeply from her slumber. She brushed tiny dirt particles off her eyelashes and parted her eyelids, observing where she was.
The terrain appeared to be a large, practically treeless grassland plain with rolling hills, large swathes of gorgeous vegetation, and crystal-clear lakes all around; a very different view in contrast to the clumped and claustrophobic labyrinth that was the forest.
The only thing that really came up in her head at this very moment was that spine-tingling and unnerving sight she noticed in the forest. Two piercing magenta eyes, cold, empty, and hollow, pierced her gaze without any movement. It made her heart stop, stained in her mind without any renown.
"Where are we?"
"You're in the Grasslands of Purity." A mysterious and familiar voice said from a distance. "The Nation of Pladtioa; One of the most isolated and secluded nations in Gincad."
Immediately, Aletha tilted her head to where the voice came from.
He had shining ashen hair, bright blue-lavender eyes, and fair skin. Aletha's eyebrows raised at the radiating aura he presented. A presence devoid of mistakes, with a face as clear as the stars. A large gray stripe stretched from the top of his face to his chin, and he was wearing a dazzling shirt with a mixture of dark gray, purple, blue, and white scattered all over.
She placed her hand over her forehead, trying to compare the silhouette she saw emerge from the smoke to the one she witnessed now.
(Is this the boy that saved us?) Aletha thought with a disbelieving expression plastered on her face. (He looks so… pure.)
"I apologize for that encounter." The silver-haired boy said as he looked over to the sun. "You two shouldn't really be wandering in a place like that. I've heard it reeks with the stingy aroma of creatures."
After a deep exhale, the pure boy approached Asahi and Aletha and introduced himself.
"The name is Sadiki, a white knight of Pladtioa. A pleasure to meet you two." He said with a firm handshake. "So, what are both of your names?"
As Asahi stepped back, taking his time to immerse himself and digest the view of his new surroundings, Aletha proudly straightened her posture and answered.
"Oh, my name is Aletha, and that boy over there is my brother, Asahi."
"Aletha and Asahi…" Sadiki said as he scratched his chin. "Sounds like they're both very uncommon names. Say, where do you two come from?"
At that moment, Aletha's eyes broadened in shock. Not because of the obvious question but what he said prior. "Uncommon names."
Although Asahi couldn't care less about it, Aletha felt composed to root her feet in her stance, ensuring that this wasn't some sort of trick. So, she repeated herself.
"Uh, I'm afraid you have been mistaken. I'll repeat it." Aletha said as she gulped. "My name is Aletha Adtraic, and that boy over there is Asahi Adtraic." She made sure to emphasize speaking their last names.
"Oh, Adtraic is both of your last names," Sadiki said. "Sounds like a relatively unique last name. To be honest, I have never heard it before."
"WHAT?!"
There was something wrong about what Sadiki answered that busted Aletha's bubble.
In the past, when the family of The Adtraic was still prosperous and conquering the entire world of Gincad, it was unusual for someone to claim that they had never heard of the Adtraic before. Because in all actuality, no matter where anyone went during that era, the names of The Adtraic would be inscribed everywhere in the world.
It was a respected and worshiped name; even enemies knew because they knew indefinitely that The Adtraic were the True Rulers of Gincad.
But now, after the calamity and being absent for ten years, their names have been completely wiped out. And then came the memory from the white void.
. . .
("And to make matters for you worse, I erased the memories of your family's very existence from everyone in Gincad. Yes. The Adtraic Family!")
Once Aletha recollected those screams from that unforgivable creature, she grew silent and refused to speak.
. . .
As Aletha stood still in disbelief, staring at the clouds with blank gray eyes, she eavesdropped on Sadiki and Asahi's conversation not just a foot away.
"While you two were unconscious, I managed to find these strange swords falling from the sky."
Without hesitation, he gave one of them and placed it in Asahi's hands, saying.
"I figured that since these blades matched the same pattern as your attire, I thought it was only respectful to give you them back."
Two long, dazzling blades coated in the color of night, each bearing a sprinkling of pale dots that shimmered across its otherwise smooth and sharp surface.
He felt an overwhelming sense of relief as he clutched his blade. It had a hefty and substantial feel and was icy to the touch, just like he remembered it. Although much had been lost, Asahi cracked a little grin on his face and said.
"Thank you."
Not long after, Aletha started to calm down and retrieved her blade. She held it firmly between her fingers, staring at it with love and care. "I never want to be separated from you again." She said as she stared at the glittering white dots sparkling on the blade.
Sadiki couldn't help but chuckle at the response Aletha gave. He could never believe someone could be so attached to a weapon. Nonetheless, it was apparent that he knew nothing about Asahi and Aletha; and had only saved them out of the good spirit.
Before Sadiki could say anything else, a high-pitched sound shook their ears.
(SCREE)
"He's here." He mumbled.
On its sides, the carriage had two horses pulling the carriage, with four windows on each side.
The structure of the horse-drawn carriage was a box shape, with diamond patterns painted on both the left and right sides and three clear windows on the front, back, and left sides. The horses that drew the carriage looked to have bright white fur and gorgeous lavender eyes, matching what a Pegasus would look like.
Both animals projected a look of strength, power, and speed.
One could only assume what type of individual could be inside.
Promptly, the carriage's wheels skidded on the ground and approached an abrupt halt centimeters away from the log.
Sadiki signaled the carriage by waving his arms and seeing the horses stop.
"Hey, you two... follow me!"
The wanderers nodded.
"Okay..."
Afterward, Sadiki guided the wanderers (Asahi and Aletha) to the carriage doors.
A click sounded behind the entry, and two doors slid open and parted away while a wooden staircase rolled toward the ground.
The bright ceiling lights shimmered at the entrance, revealing a figure slowly walking down the stairs.
Upon closer inspection, Sadiki noticed it was a man wearing a black suit. His hair was tied into a bun and judged by his skin color; Aletha immediately recognized who this man was.
"Brich?!" She exclaimed with a stupefied expression.
Sadiki smiled at her reaction.
"Yes."
The man reached the bottom step and walked past Sadiki, stopping right before Aletha and Asahi.
He stared directly into Aletha's eyes with his dark brown eyes and asked her in a soft tone.
"Didn't I tell you to wait for Sadiki? Now, look where you are!"
The man took off his hat and brushed his long, light brown hair behind his shoulder, exposing his smooth, pale neck.
Aletha gulped, then blurted out.
"... You're Brich, aren't you?"
"That's correct," he answered in a calm tone. "And who might you be?"
At this point, Brich was trying to test her memory and see if it was still intact.
Aletha glanced at Asahi, then back to Brich, finally answering.
"I'm Aletha."
"Ah, yes, I've heard of you." He said sarcastically. "I think I met you back in that forest and helped you out, didn't I?" Brich started to chuckle at his own joke.
Aletha stood up straighter and gave Brich a cold stare.
"Yes, and you vanished without explanation."
Silently, Asahi added to Aletha's sentence inside his head.
(Much like The God of The Forgotten.)
This thought seemingly triggered a memory to return to his mind.
("If you dare lay a finger on me, blonde one, I will make sure my presence is known in every corner of Gincad!")
As the memory faded from Asahi's mind, he looked down at the ground and mumbled.
"I remember. The God of The Forgotten was serious. I can already sense his presence."
While he saw Aletha walking into the carriage, with Brich laughing at his own jokes, Asahi continued to mutter.
"He didn't die then. Each fragment of his skin contained a memory. So if he really meant by making his presence known everywhere in Gincad, it could mean…."
His eyes flashed with realization.
"That the God of The Forgotten is not only messing with EVERYONE'S memories but those memories are also scattered everywhere."
* * * * * * * *
"We're ready to depart as soon as you get on board, so hurry along."
When they entered the carriage, Brich made his way up the steps, lowering the lever and pulling back the wooden staircase.
"Something is tampering with my memories," Brich mumbled as he shut the door, clenching his fist and closing his eyes. "I don't recall acting like this at all. I was… I was…" He slammed his fist against the wooden wall, frustrated beyond comparison. "Ah, I can't remember."
Asahi's eyes widened in shock seeing this. He knew immediately, just by gazing at the action previously betoken him… that…
(These have to be traces of The God of The Forgotten.) He thought as he felt a heavy feeling pressuring him. (And it's getting stronger by the second.)
Suddenly, the world around him was muted for him; there was no sound of carriage, mutters, or anything; Only the company of his mind was heard.
He could sense a ghostly presence encircling him, crawling on his back like a spider.
When he returned to the door to check if anyone was around, he felt something nagging him to remember.
But there was a barricade, a blockade blocking everything.
As he took a seat among the five red cushioned chairs around the carriage, he heard Aletha ask from the background.
"Wait, Asahi, where did our mother's scarf go?"
AND THAT'S THE MOMENT WHEN HE REALIZED.
"Our mother's scarf!"
. . .
"What scarf are you talking about?" Brich asked as Asahi became silent.
The carriage had already taken off, drifting across the dirt road, swerving its way through the rolling grassy hills. If not, it would take approximately ten minutes before they reach their destination.
Although Asahi couldn't recall any detail of the scarf anymore, Aletha wasn't hesitant to answer.
"A brown one with sparkling patterns." She said with a confident and prideful look on her face.
"Oh, you are looking for that?" Brich replied as he placed his glass on the table next to him. "I saw it appear with a shooting star the other day. It came from the clouds, crashing down into the grasslands. Indeed. And I saw that my friend approached and grabbed it. I guess he thought it looked nice and took it to the city to sell it."
Asahi's eyes winced with disbelief. He had always endeavored not to allow anyone except himself or his sister to take possession of the scarf.
So the very act of being informed of the most prized relic of which they cherished the most, being stolen from a stranger prior, drove him to the very core of rage.
But suppressing the thought like extinguishing the chaotic, disjointed flames of anger, Asahi responded to it with a slight tone.
"Are you being serious?"
"Absolutely," Brich said with a wide grin. "A city not too far from here."
As Sadiki looked over to the window, Aletha hoisted her arm into the air and tilted her head to Brich with narrow eyes.
"What city?" She asked with a lifted chin.
"Pladtioa City. The capital of this nation." Brich answered with a discernible tone. "It is the most prominent and busiest place around here. You haven't been there before?"
Sadiki scratched his head and added in a nervous voice.
"I thought I already informed them we are taking them there."
Brich laughed it off and shrugged his shoulders, leaning back and spitting out his glass of water.
"I guess they forgot."
Although most around the carriage have been relatively humble, Asahi was still drowned in suspicions of The God of The Forgotten.
He knew that if The God of The Forgotten were to make an appearance at any moment, his personality and emotions would be undoubtedly tampered. In a swift and haste tone, Asahi interrupted the bouncing laughs of the others and uttered.
"Look, all we want is our mother's scarf."
Silence filled the carriage.
Brich looked back at the paintings and thought the ride would be much more enjoyable with visitors around.
But due to the urgency of Asahi's anxious and uneasy attitude, Brich decided to amplify the pace of the horse, going at speed so fast that the surroundings behind the glass transformed into a blur.
As Brich placed the glass back, scratching his stubble, he replied with a neutral tone.
"Oh, if you want it so badly, Sadiki and I can take you two to the city faster," Brich said calmly as he noticed Aletha holding onto the chairs for dear life. "I must admit, being in the wilderness of Pladtioa can either be a blessing or curse, depending on where you are. You never know what dangers lurk here."
A serious, sharp look flared from his golden eyes as he squinted at Asahi's face and resumed.
"And it only gets deadlier."