Nortes walked through the street, then to the street again. And another street. Driven by a mission to find the shop that is relevant to a book.
His step came to a stop. At last, he found what he was looking for.
However it was a store that sell all kinds of books.
He originally planned to find a shop that has books. So he decided not to waste his body's energy, as he was assumed it would take longer to find the library in the town.
In addition, he was not so familiar with the town yet.
He opened the door and the bell chimes.
Thing!
He flinched when he heard it. Upon glancing it was just the bell hanged above the doorway, he let out a derisive snort because he reacted to nothing but just a door accessory. The awkwardness subsided then moved on, closing the door behind.
Though it was his first time to hear the chime of the bell and ever seen one.
The interior of the shop has a small space, and yet the books on the shelves are quite pretty arranged.
The room is dimly lit, and the only light source is from the windows on each side of the entrance door.
He approaches through the shelves of books and presently stood front of the Storekeeper's desk.
The slight staggering face masked his head.
There was no sign of the Shopkeeper.
Nortes remained closely at the counter to wait patiently for the Shopkeeper to come.
A minute has passed and still the Shopkeeper had not come.
His patient was growing thin, upon waiting and waiting. The time is driving forward. As it's reached its end.
'Maybe I will come back later...' He thought.
With the tiresome sigh, he turned, facing away, as he walked toward the entrance door to exit.
His hand grasped the doorknob-but then he suddenly felt an uncertainty.
He rose his head then glances back at the counter.
'Maybe. Just maybe. I will try to wait again.'
His right hand subconsciously slipped off the doorknob. Again, he walked through the shelves.
In the midst of the stroll toward the counter, his eye wanders over the novels on the shelves. There is one novel that caught his eye. It seized his attention too.
His hand holds the book carefully.
His head tilted as he inspected the book.
He cannot read the title due it is still unreadable; the letters are all distorted and unstable. The shift of his attention stayed on its cover instead.
A white bird flying across toward the horizon under the clear ocean mirroring the dawn.
He felt a growing modest liking on its cover. As if it is like familiar to his being.
At that moment, faint footsteps interrupted. He turned to where the noises were coming from as he saw an elderly man walked toward the counter and remaining there.
That could be the Shopkeeper of this store.
When he walked back to the counter while holding the novel in his hand, the elderly man perked up his head as if he realized he had a customer.
"Ah, a customer!" The voice was a bit weak yet it was audible to hear. "...If you were looking for the Shopkeeper you should just ring this bell over here." He rose a finger and points it at the table bell displayed on the wooden counter.
Nortes blinked as he now realized his stupidity.
"Is that how it works? My fault. I actually didn't know about it until now."
"You must be new around here right? Judging by your honesty about your problem."
"You are right. I'm new." He instinctively put the novel over the counter and left it there.
The Elderly man lays his eyes on the novel laid on the counter desk then returns to Nortes.
"The price is 349 Nezo."
"You've been misunderstood, mister. I am not going to buy it but I will put it there to return it."
The elder man takes the novel book then puts it down under the counter. He rises before facing him again.
"Well, you could just put it back where it was before."
Nortes found that the way to return was different. Because in his world when the person takes an item and wants to return it back where it belongs they are supposedly going to the main counter.
"Sorry again. I am new here."
"I already knew. Adjusting to the new surroundings, aren't you? I understand. It isn't easy at first, and you will handle it soon; it's only a matter of time. So what book are you looking for?"
"I need a language book specifically for this village. I had a problem not understanding the language of the writings around here you see." He confessed lightly.
With just a nod, without a word, the elderly man walks across the store, every shelf, to find the book he requested.
Simply, a few minutes had passed, and the man was on his way back to the counter where his customer was waiting.
The grandfather stands before him and reaches his arms to present the book, he grasps and takes the book from the elder's hands.
"You may go."
Nortes's head jerks up, looking at the old man directly,
"Right. I should pay-" He exclaimed, even knowing that he didn't possess the currency of this world just yet.
The grandfather opened his palm, gesturing in refusal.
"Consider it as a welcome gift to our town."
He felt undeserving of the gift-giving for free again. Feeling overwhelmed by the guilt, his mouth opened to utter a word, but sadly it was cut off by the elder man who went inside the back door.
Nortes is now the only person in the store as accompanied by silence.
He gazes at the book in his grasp.
"These people are kind to the outsider, huh? Or am I just lucky?"
A murmur of disbelief escaped his lips. He took the moment of solitude before he turned around and left the store.
Ting!
The book slips and falls to the ground while he closes the door.
The book opened, and the pages were pressed against the stone ground.
He grunts, mildest frustration, and retrieves the book in his hand.
"Damn it." His hand moves, brushes the dust off on every part of the book. And inside too.
As the cleaning is done he starts to read. A light irritation appears across his face.
'I still can't read. Useless!' He closes the book immediately.
Next, the ground shook briefly before it went silent. Followed by the loudest eruption.
Phush!
The harmony in the town was no more, gone like in the blink of an eye, and felt that moment was transient. The chaos and screams of the people are the only things present to his eyes and ears.
Amidst the terror there is a giant serpent in black, standing straight, overlooking the buildings.
Soon after, its presence fell as a sound of destruction and crumble in that direction bellows across the town.
His attention was quickly diverted. People were running towards him across the path in fear, telling by their expressions, they were afraid to meet their end.
A ferocious roar can be heard somewhere.
In the flow of the feared people on the path, four men in armors passed him as they were heading to where the direction of ongoing wrecking havoc.
He, Nortes, felt curious, a tendency to went ahead in that direction despite the danger. So he simply answers a direct response that was to dedicate his life to watching the action in a closer view.
After arriving, he turned his head everywhere. The houses were ruined and the debris was scattered. He continued, walking forward as he met another destruction, but in the distance, the most catches of all was an innocent child stood in silent and wept seemly unable to move, he was overwhelmed by fear. The people were already left the ruins except the kid whom left abandoned, forsaken in the destruction. He heard a faint sound is closing in.
The giant monster crawled across the path, subsequently brought destruction as now seeking again something to destroy, something vulnerable. Its hungry eyes are directly focused at the child. A hisses lingering of prelude to satisfaction from the giant black Cobra-like serpent bearing several small limbs, like a predator had seen another prey to devour in order to please its hunger to the fullest.
Nortes began to trembled all over, felt under intimidated by those sharp gaze. His body subconsciously retreated backwards and it also was prepared to run if the case became worse. When he was about to turn he swiftly in sudden halted.
"Mama…" A voice shattered his fear and cowardice as it leisurely left his body. "Where are you, mama…? I'm scared. Don't… leave me alone, mama." It came from the child.
In his mouth, it twitched, hardly choosing a decision. It's either risking his life to save the child or leaving the child to saving himself instead.
If he choose to left the child he will surely not forgive himself. Not only that but it would also break his dream.
The twitching lips eased and were replaced by gritting teeth. His irritation subsided, a clear signal and direct answer that he had finally decided.
'Damn. It's ride or die. It's all or nothing!'
His eyes, which were shaking in fear, now settled, shone in strong courage like iron.
He sprinted toward the child as the giant cobra-like serpent slithered across, crawling with its limbs, toward the child too. They took their actions simultaneously at once.
The outcome is uncertain—
He reached the child, opened his arms and closed around the child while the snake already stretched its mouth wide. A prelude to their death.
In the middle of the way, he went down then rolled immediately to the side as he evaded the incoming opened-mouth.
The snake was remained slithering across the ground. It shifts its maneuver, turning back at them, to launch another attack. It screams in desperate desire, a dire answer, itching to swallow a live prey.
His body shuddered in fear and became pale after he saw the snake was heading back toward them. He began to sprint without uncertainty, his primal instinct possessed the mind. While the child currently carried under his arm like a sack, his arm tightly hugged the child's waist during their escape and in a crucial situation.
"Don't be afraid. I got you. Everything is gonna be fine, I'll get you to your mother later, I promise." He assures, "...If I can survive somehow." He whispered quietly, attached a slight hint of an unsure doubt.
However there were no words escaped from the mouth of the child.
He tried his best to slip the giant black snake by going through different directions on choosing randomly.
However, it involved the buildings in ruins. Crash and crack by the serpent's body as there was no painful reaction so far. It was like the hardness of the buildings didn't bothered it at all while pursuing its prey.
At that moment, Nortes could barely think of a plan to divert its attention completely. Just stuck at the condition of relying on his mind to choose randomly.
He went to the left to the left to the left and to the left.
To the right to right to left to right to left, straight forward then to the right to the right as went to right.
However the snake was unaffected after he tried to took random directions and also tried to shake off its attention.
'What would I do in this situation… Come on, think!' A voice of dismay glides around in his head.
As when the body begins to lose power, an idea eventually appeared.
'I got it!-'
Thud!
In the midst of running and performing his idea, it was suddenly intervened, he felt tackled on his side, pushed him toward the side of the path as he was escaped fortunately from chased by the humongous serpent, who slithers across the stone path. Now its sharp sight had lose the sight of its preys.
"Hey-" A hand clasped against his mouth.
"Mhm?" It was too press that his voice become minimum.
"Be silent." The hand pressed over his mouth, smothering his words-and that hand was Mikhail's. As the attention shift to the huge black cobra overlooking over the buildings so to easily find where they hid now.
Mikhail reached out his other hand to pressed on his lord's chest, forcing to leaned until his back felt the wall of the ruined house as Mikhail did the same too.
Not long after as he felt like it was clear to be at ease, Mikhail shoot a glanced at his lord. A relief and delight spreads across his serious face.
"It's fortunate to see that you're in fine condition, my lord. I must escort you to safety quickly." He paused in the mid-way of flee when he spotted his lord didn't move and has a child on his side, hands are clenched to his outfit as it's like a denial to be abandoned again.
"That child..."
"Mikhail, are you looking for this kid too?" A question broke his silent. Nortes acknowledged Mikhail's intention was only to found him. And he assumed Mikhail might looking for the child also as him. For if he might told by the child's mother to must retrieve him in peace.
"I do. I had an encountered the mother of the child on my way as she had told to me I must find her missing child. I swore upon an oath, I must protect the lives of the people and I also bring the child to his mother. It's the purpose in my role as the Sentinel."
"Your role, huh?" Nortes fell silent. He slowly glanced at the child beside who clenched his hands tightly on his upper cloth like a koala to the tree. Seem seeking assurance and comfort in the midst of the chaos that quiet down for a moment.
'Every tale I had read often led to tragedy. When I saw this kid who was alone and froze in terror, it reminded me of that. A child who lives in harmony cannot bear the cruelty of the sudden event, unlike me on other hand—My mind had learned to withstand the pain over these past years.'
'It's undeserving for a children even him to experiencing this madness, they are supposed to enjoy their childhood to the fullest. However I can't do anything because it is unavoidable.'
"Oh no...!" The voice of Mikhail shattered his reverie then he glanced to the side where the giant cobra present itself and it has found them. Its sharp gaze locked completely at them. It hisses then the child gasped in frightened on Norte's side. Still cling on his cloth.
"Tsk! It has found us." Mikhail immediately stood front of his lord, "My lord, take this moment to flee."
Nortes was dazed on his sudden action, soon he recovered,
"Without YOU? Don't say that. There is way to-" His retorted was cut off.
"Go ahead, my lord! Live! I refuse to loose you again!" A confession behind the shout.
Nortes grit his teeth, overwhelmed by hesitation to take the command.
"You must! Do it now!" Mikhail then unsheathed the sword from its scabbard on his side which connected to the belt. The engaged in combat stance, behind those shuddered eyes a fierce light shimmered, he had prepared to laid his own life for the sake of his lord.
'This scene... This feeling... Why am I witnessing it again...' A memories from the past flooded his mind. The characters were met their demise but some were undeserved even to those who laid down their lives for somebody.
The hungry snake began to move, slithering to the side slowly, seemly observing its preys as Mikhail ready himself then he felt an anticipation whenever it would strike. And taking a glanced occasionally to those two who still there and also had not flee yet.
The child, his hands were now shook Nortes on perceived to desperate to retreat due caused by the sharp eyes of the black snake.
In that moment, the time became frozen. The heart of Norte's burrowed body drumming extremely.
'Mikhail... To be honest you're such a poker face bodyguard and I may in fact not know you... But you are genuinely not suitable to receive a bad ending. Even though you were annoying from before. Y'know what, it's because...'
'...That's because I hate watching anyone who are gonna die. I will not feel that misery again.'
As when he moved as the time resumed. The brown-haired child loosened, fell his hands to the side, and ceases shaking him when he began to proceed walked to Mikhail.
Mikhail glanced back to check at them again then he saw his lord approached to him while leaving the scared child behind than take the chance to flee.
"What in the..."
A second later, his lord was now stood on his side. While the snake still observing them, he fixed his attention at his lord then he spotted there was no fear but a little visible of hint of anger, blazing in his eye which tried to hid behind his unemotional face.
"Lend me your sword." There, a voice had erupted in the midst of confusion and silence.
A mild of irritation twisted across Mikhail's face.
"I sincerely declined. You are supposed to flee with that that child along, my lord. This matter is mine alone to handle."
"Lend. Me. Your. Sword." His lord answered again. This time it was flavored with emotion.
"I kindly denied. This matter is mine to-"
"That's an order!" His lord snapped. His voice had revealed its color. It was a mixed of desperate roughly authority and light tone.
The snake heard that as it hisses piercingly before whip its tail forward.
Mikhail's hesitation shattered and pushed his lord when he saw the giant foe launched its attack in the middle of their conversation.
The tail broke the wall of the abandoned house on impact—However those two were remain survived and unharmed.
The snake returned its tail as well as returned to observing them again.
Mikhail had surrendered to the authority of his amnesia lord, giving the sword with facing its handle on his hand carefully.
"Consider it done." Mikhail replied.
The cleansed blade of the sword caught Nortes's attention, a silent admiration behind each of his eye, the light bounced off from the blade as he glanced he met the reflection of his eyes of burrowed body.
'Every characters deserve a happy ending. Even you too, boy.'
He glanced at the child who now standing from far. The child was moved away when the tail was coming to them, Nortes assumed.
"One more thing, Mikhail. Bring the child to his mother."
Mikhail hesitated, he imagined his lord would fight the giant black snake alone then so he began to concern. However due according to his morality he must follow the command. No matter how ridiculous may be.
"I shall fulfil your command." He bow first to him before went to the child.
"And Mikhail..." Another voice from his lord as he heard. He halted at once in prelude of their flee.
"Come back to my side quickly when it's done. I'm powerless without you." A smile carved on his blank expression. Without a word, with just a nod, Mikhail and the child left.
'Every tale needs a protagonist then I'd gladly become one. If I become inferior by that dark chocolate giga lizard's power, I will need the assistance of Mikhail to increase the manpower so to make it possible.'
Nortes swinging the sword gently to avoid accidentally get himself a wound.
"Neat...!" He said in absolute admiration on the first ever held a real sword.
"-!" His head perked up when suddenly the snake started to attack, swung its long tail. He tried to evade through skip a step backward however the attack had reached to him eventually.
Augh!
Whack!
He flew across far from the snake. As he before hit the path, he threw the sword first forth as he groaned,
Ooofff!
and moaned in suffer on landing then rolled across the floor and at the same time protecting his head with his forearms. Meanwhile the sword also landed on the floor with a loud metallic thud of his blade, and slides with gentle scrape. It ended soon when it lied twenty meters far from Nortes's body.
Fortunately, less of a minutes, his body was recovered and regained his consciousness, even he felt dizzy, beside that, then tried to lift himself up, the body slowly rose from the dusty floor. A slip of agony blew in his mouth.
"Ah... Augh... That was unfair." He retorted weakly even though it was entirely his fault he got distracted. The land shook then paused as he gaze across he saw the snake approaching forth.
"I regret my decision... May I get a refund?" He spoke a joke even in the critical moment, though his body has not moved on. The pain from impact still stings.
"Maybe... Looks like I'm not gonna survive after all..." He replied weakly. In the distance far from him the giant snake was stood up to look over him then it fell on the ground lightly with a loud rumbling thud as it began to slithering toward him. Its limbs softly padded the quality of the surface, crawled constantly in its wake.
"Ah... Shibal..." Nortes cursed.
[Readers, here is the info of the current foe he is facing if you are wondering:
Creature: Cobra-like Serpent (Nameless)
Species: Unidentified
Body: It has the head of resembling a cobra and has 15 limbs on each side. Behind its head holds two horns as carved and sharp at the point. In its hood (Neck ribs) each side of its thick neck is where notable of its presence the most: It is glowing in delayed flick in pure azure color like it is coursing through visibly like electricity traveling through the scale in a shape of veins. And it also where people mistaken its hood as mutated into a quality of clear sky-colored crystal.
Diet: Carnivore
Scale texture: Rough as dried lava and tough as if its flesh made in twenty plates of strong minerals combined.
Scale color: Obsidian black.
Eye: Vertical black color pupils (Black Panther's eye for an example.)
Eye color: Glowing clear sky blue (Its purpose are always guide and see its holder in the darkness. Even where light no longer exist.)
Size: 32.8 meters tall (Included the horns.)
Head size: 70 Ft (Perfect size fit for its prey. One bite can take to completely devoured all.)
Body length: 61.5 Meters wide (Thick) and 151 Meters long (Full length from head to tail)
Weight: 300 pounds (Heavyweight)
Trivia:
a.) Its horns where it can be found at back of its head can be a source as a blade of the weapon, specifically for a heavyweight hammer.
b.) Its tooth is greatly sharp as the blade of a polearm. It will take one bite to pierce through the flesh of the body, easily killing the prey.
c.) Its liking is mostly to slumber in underground where darkness lurks. However when an individual disturbed its slumber it will first know the species of the individual (Whether it is human being or animal) before it will come and destroy the home place until none remain as an act of vengeance. After it was done this serpent will slithers back to its cave and fall to slumber again.
d.) This giant land serpent is a heavy sleeper. It can sleep through straight days for longer even if it will take over 200 years.
e.) It has an immensely temper of an abusive individual when its slumber had been disturbed even it is unintentional or intentional.
f.) It can see its prey from far away. Limit range is 50 meters.
g.) One tackle forward is enough to break a building. Even if it is a rock, crystal, or boulder, and any sort of material the shelter is made of. A strong iron metal is an exception but eventually when this creature relentless hitting against it in repeat, the metal wall would becoming a wrecked metal. Its head must be probably made out of tough diamond.
h.) Its digestion take 3 minutes on daily basis whenever it finished to devour.
i.) This serpent's usual sleeping position is the same as snake's.
j.) Its starvation will be satisfied if it consume many animals even humans and birds too. Approximately 500 living beings could end its hunger.
k.) When anything like hard and rough like ruined parts from a building included in its stomach, it will melt away as liquid whenever after its body begins to digest.
l.) Warning: When you take a shelter in a bigger-wide cave or a manhole that it is deeper and you feel any abnormalities as it is quite too silent and even there are no signs of residing of any inhabitants like bat—You must leave immediately and take shelter elsewhere.]