Aesther frowned at the faint strain over her right leg. It was barely noticeable but also hard to ignore.
Her body was naturally not the same. It felt familiar yet odd at the same time. Aesther was born as a scrawny child, and her physique remained slender for the entirety of her earlier life.
But after becoming a warrior and fighting countless battles, she became used to a different life. The great descent of her strength and prowess left Aesther feeling uneasy.
She whispered an ancient incantation under her breath and felt the low hum of spiritual energy through her veins. It was weak and flickered dimly before disappearing away.
With a heavy heart, Aesther realised that she will have to work on a lot of things. The first thing she must do was at least catch up with Ezrahl's strength. She had to do that as soon as possible.
In her former life, Aesther was hailed as the strongest luna. She became a venerable warrior. But all that was still not enough to defeat Ezrahl.
"Well…" Aesther murmured with a deep sigh, her eyes lowered and distant, "You aren't a tyrannous devil either."
Not yet.
She brushed those thoughts away.
Aesther still carried the knowledge of the future and past. She knew where things went wrong, what to avoid, and what to pursue.
She brushed those thoughts away and sighed as the evening breeze brushed past her.
Nesmeria was a beautiful land, and though she had visited many places, Aesther never stumbled upon a town as mesmerizing as Nesmeria.
It carried a divine allure in the day and a tempting haze during the night.
It was in the midst of autumn, and as the winds danced and people chatted, no one really paid her much attention.
Only a few curious glances turned her way, to notice the new face in the town. They would linger for a while to take in the eyes that were as beautiful as sun-kissed forest in the forgotten lands.
Aesther responded with a smile that made some of them blush.
She hasn't been away from the Alkazar much for anyone to remember who she was. Otherwise, as a luna, it was hard to walk so freely in the streets. The restrictions were too many.
A luna was revered and respected, but seldom heard.
Aesther stopped by a few shops to buy herself more comfortable clothes. She bought a white hooded cloak to go with her white robes and a grey scarf to cover her face a little.
The chances of someone from the castle being in the town were very not few. And if they recognised her, Aesther can easily get into trouble.
She soon arrived at The Midnight Hallow; an old yet lively tavern. It marked the four roads, one of which rose and ascended to the hills over to Alkazar.
The distant castle rose high to the heavens and ghostly clouds surrounded its towers in an ominous embrace as thunder crackled and lightning shrieked.
Her limbs felt numb.
A piece of joyous music thrummed outside the tavern as some performers danced to the applause of onlookers, it faded when Aesther averted her gaze from the castle and entered the tavern.
She was hungry and had to think about the best way of returning inside. Her mind was still clouded, a part of it refusing to simply leave the future she had built.
The past carried… hope.
But it left her uneasy nevertheless.
Aesther chose a private room near the window since the tavern was bustling with people. She was feeling too hungry to get her thoughts in order. Thus, Aesther decided to take a good meal first.
There were a lot of things to worry about.
Sighing for one last time, Aesther ordered herself two plates of Red Goose Meat Platter, Chilli Chicken Cutlet, Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup, and a large mug of Cinnamon Ale.
She started her meal, a little after the Wandering Trader outside began to tell an old folklore. His audience was mainly young children.
"Back when the stars and moons were still forming," he said, "Our worlds and realms were scattered into countless dimensions. These were then further divided into the mortal lands, the heavenly realms, and the dark chaos…"
The wanderer lowered his voice to an ominous tone.
It made the small kids widen their eyes in fear and anticipation.
The wanderer dramatically sighed, "Where there is light, there is shadow. Darkness is an endless state and it gives birth to the sinful. Three thousand years ago, eight cosmic immortals rose from this darkness and they wreaked havoc in heavens and earth!"
One of the kids immediately retorted, "But my mom says there are five!"
Aesther agreed, only five immortals were known and they were all ancient primordial beasts with immense powers. She concluded that the wanderer was just adding some fictional elements to make the lore more interesting.
The wanderer tapped the kid on his head with his fan, "Do not interrupt me, or I will end this right here!"
He replied haughtily and the kid was pulled back by his other friends as they curiously waited for the story to continue.
"There were eight immortals," he enunciated, "their primal form has had no form, nor any gender. But these wicked spirits were able to shift into anything! Whether it was a beast or a human or even a god.."
Aesther no longer heard those words. It was a legend that was taught to every child of Nesmeria.
The immortal spirits of chaos were soon named the immortal beasts. They brought disasters upon all. To suppress them, Rah, the goddess of the sun, created five heavenly cities.
These cities that stood between the mortal realm and the realm of darkness, were constructed to seal the immortals.
As each of these cities now lives peacefully, they also suppress the ancient calamities, as well as act as a barrier to the chaotic dark realm.
She created the first race of the 'blessed'. These were formed through the essence of those five immortal beasts and carried a fragment of their celestial prowess.
Hidden from the eyes of mortals, and located in the endless unknown, every heavenly city never let its guard down.
They always trained and prepared themselves to keep the seals in place and not let the barrier be breached.
But it does get breached.
All because of Ezrahl.
Her fingers grabbed around the mug until her knuckles turned white. That night was still raw in her mind. It was the beginning of the fall, a night that took away everything from her.
She took in a deep gulp of the burning ale to ease the heaviness creeping inside. Her gaze shifted outside the windows.
The wanderer was gone.
However, a white horse stopped a little far as the kids were captivated by another story unfolding.
The horseman was clad in dark clothes that blended into the night. His cloak slightly whirled into the wind as he stood in front of a group.
Her heart slowed down.