The dazzling crimson sun slowly hung in the sky, descending down the hazy horizon, and the blue firmament shimmered, its luminance shining on the trees.
Asahi, Aletha, and the others traveled through the thick forest going westward. The sounds of the forest approached a quiet halt, and the noise of the flora dancing in the cool air.
Akwan, who had a handwritten map strapped at his waist, slowly pulled it out and revealed the wanderers as they stopped the hike.
"So right now, we have just entered west of the Forest of Milmoor." He said as butterflies and hummingbirds flew in the air. "Just a few more blocks and we will reach the opening."
"Wow, Akwan, I never thought you would be the one to use maps," Drimi said as she set foot on the pathway. "We should call you Mr. Responsible."
"I highly doubt and dislike that name with a passion," Akwan said as he rolled up the map. "Let's just catch up. It's nearly dark.
Asahi nodded, and after a while, examining the natural beauty of the wind-swept forests of Milmoor, the moon had arisen from the horizon.
Just before they knew it, the sky transformed into night.
The moon hung high in the sky, its faint rays shimmering on the ceiling of leaves. As they reached an opening in the forest above them, Aletha commented.
"The moon's luminance is just like the sun's."
Belial chuckled at the wonder-filled awe Aletha was presenting. He couldn't help but bring up a chuckle.
"I see you haven't seen the moon before. See, it reflects sunlight. Honestly, I thought you would be more intelligent."
"NO!" Aletha screamed as the owls hoot. "I am smart. Just… creative smart. Not brain smart."
"Makes sense," Said Akwan as Aletha slapped her palm straight on his head.
While they approached the stream, they noticed cool waters paving the way through the rocks. Furthermore, they saw a cliff, shrouded in shadow. After dragging their feet on the waters, they approached a dead end.
Belial turned his head and commented at the sight of this place.
"It appears we have reached a dead end." He said
"Danger could be anywhere," Drimi said as she prepared her canister of purple soil.
"I'm behind you, Drimi," Sally said as she grabbed a canister of blue soil.
After all of them had prepared to go forth on the dangerous detour, either holding books or a canister of enchanted soil, Asahi and Aletha drove them to conclude.
(It seems that the canisters they have been using are responsible for the magic.) Asahi thought. (How exactly does magic work now in this changed world?)
As Asahi continued to ponder, holding onto a torch,
"What are you two preparing for?" Aletha asked cluelessly, with blinking gray eyes.
After the wind stopped, a silhouette of a large beast appeared, its growls echoing through the forest.
Sadiki, having been silent for so long, quickly charged at the dark silhouette. But just before he could get his hands on it, he was slammed and thrown to the ceiling.
Belial, after preparing his blade and bow, yelled at the wanderers and everyone.
"Get out of that place now!"
After being flung into the air, Sadiki crashed down and unsheathed his sword.
Then, dashing over to the moving silhouette, Asahi and Aletha pulled out their blades and prepared for the worst. The beast's yellow eyes flew left and right, gazing as Drimi and the others unleashed several blows.
Afterward, the beast roared, with golden glowing eyes at the canisters flying into the air.
As the sounds of the bottles shattering filled the beast's ear, suddenly, a glacial wall formed inside the beast
Just as it could escape, the purple bottle of soil slowed down and poisoned the creature, and the green luminance, although it healed the creature, eventually tore it into shreds.
"If only we were intelligent enough not to use these soil canisters,"Belial said while Sally hid.
"It's the only method that's viable," Drimi said. "Especially here in Pladtioa."
After a bunch of conversations stopped and started, suddenly, a whistling arrow hit both Asahi and Aletha. A thistle of great magnitude slammed through the wanderers like butter. Slowly, they fell asleep on the ground, the beast close to their tracks. But just before the beast could lay a hand on them.
(SHING)
Akwan intervened and unleashed a bright blue slime straight at the nose of the beast. Soon, four slimes were created and fabricated from his gloves, unveiling his power.
"I didn't want to resort to this as it takes all my mana," Akwanm commented, hearing the beast wail in agony. "But if it's for Asahi and Aletha, I'll do anything."
"Are you sure you won't faint mid-battle?" Sally remarked. "Last time you used your power, you fainted right on the spot."
Akwan, though he seemed to be beaten and worn, tremblingly gave a thumbs up and summoned another creature straight at the head of the beast.
Drimi, Sally, and Belial used the remaining canisters they had before fleeing to safety, Akwan's cyan torch guiding the way.
"Get them to the village now!" He said, falling to his knees.
As the three scrambled to catch Asahi and Aletha, they lost their consciousness, and all faded to black.
. . .
The glistening ball of light slowly rose over the horizon, and the sky had now become pink like a sea of cherry blossoms, coloring the clouds with a red hue.
The unkempt village stretched out for a few blocks, ending halfway along a running stream. Though it was quite rural, it was still limited and quiet, the village casting a peaceful yet lonely aura.
As the sun slowly ascended, the leftover cool shadows of last night vanished. The windswept, misty grass hills glittered with light, and a few wildlife wandered through the chaparral, wandering through the golden bristles of grass hills.
Their eyes leaned over to the window with the morning sunshine beaming through the glass. Asahi lifted himself off the bed and slowly rubbed his eyes. He caught on to the birds chirping and the watermills shifting back and forth.
A wardrobe was placed right next to a desk in the far right corner of the room. A lamp glared brightly close to his bed, a tall wooden door was near the left side of the room, and a dark, shadowy figure stood close to him.
Asahi could only figure that the room in which he was situated had only two beds. One on the window and the other further from it. At first, he thought the figure was a shadow, but upon closer inspection…
"Sadiki?" He uttered as he stepped back with his sheets, noticing a white-haired youth sleeping on the other bed. "Aletha? Where are we?"
As the sound of Aletha's snores grew louder, Asahi tried to familiarize himself with where he had awakened.
"It seems to me that…" He recollected all the moments, from the beasts to his fainting. "...that we have awakened in a village." The sounds of laughter from children bounced against the walls as Asahi slowly leaned over to the window.
"Where have we gone?"
Aletha, after rubbing her eyes, began showing the exact same emotions Asahi shared. Emotions of confusion and alert. Aletha whispered as she moved onto one side of her bed, noticing the shadowy figure crossing his arms from the other side of the room.
'Sadiki?" She asked as the sun filtered through the window. "What are you doing here?"
After bending over and trying to speak with the figure, Asahi shouted.
"Who are you?"
Sequentially, Aletha calmed herself down, leaning over to the side of her bed, as the shadow figure stared at them like a statue. As Aletha hid in her blanket, the silhouette approached closer.
"Sadiki, stop messing around with us!"
But he refused. Asahi closed his eyes, ensuring what he saw was still there. However, it appeared even closer to the wanderers. Aletha yelped as Asahi prepared his blade.
"Answer us now!"
Suddenly, just as the shadow could touch them, a loud smack sounded across the room, sunlight starting to shine on his face.
It was no monster, nor was it a ghost.
The figure wasn't even a beast at all.
His pale face glimmered with his shining lavender eyes, silver hair, and a streak dropping on his face. A blistering red bruise glowed over his cheek, screaming,
"What was that for?"
The wanderers lowered their arms, taking a relieved sigh, confirming that the shadow indeed belonged to Sadiki. Both the wanderers question in unison.
"Sadiki?!"
"Yes, that's me!" He said, cluelessly. "Belial told me to keep watch of you overnight. We fought the beast, and Sally got injured. We didn't know who the beast was, but when we finally made it over the rock,"
His gaze daggered the wanderers.
"We escorted you both out so that none of us gets hurt."
After being fooled by their own senses, a heated blush appeared on their faces. A long, awkward silence came. After those moments of stillness, Asahi and Aletha slapped him and said.
"Idiot!"