Disclaimer: I do not own Maplestory. However, I do own the creativity, story plot, and original characters.
Journey to the Unknown
Chapter 1: Who Are you?
A strand of brunette hair flowed graciously with the current of the wind as the white clouds revealed the sun in the sky. Covering her face with her hand to block intense sunlight, a woman walked toward a shabby hut located in the evergreen forest. She came across a guy in dirty clothes hammering a red material, which would presumably turn into a blade. When he was done with the hammering, he looked up, then quickly approached her after soaking the blade in water.
The guy asked, "Miss Aran, you're here for the weapon?"
She smiled before speaking, "Yes, of course. What else would I be here for?"
The blacksmith scurried away to the hut right after seeing her 'Gimme-that-thing-now' look. After a minute, he came back with a pole arm in his hand, holding out the well-made weapon to her in hopes that she would verbally praise his talent. Instead, she merely observed it without a word; the blade looked very sharp enough to cut diamond and the gold stripes on red paint added sophistication. She was pleased to see her favorite jewel, a pair of small garnets, embedded along the gold stripes.
She asked in curiosity, "Can I rely on your talent? It looks very heavy for me to handle."
Disappointed that she doubted his talent rather than trusting it, he retorted, "Don't underestimate our family's skill and talent, young miss! I'm the eldest son of Levin family!"
When her fingers fumbled on the pole arm, she heard a male voice talking to her. "You bastard! How can you call me up from the Underground?"
The blacksmith was upset. "Shut up, I chose you because you were the strongest one. You should be thankful that I'm reviving you in this world!"
Aran literally jumped in surprise. "Who was that?"
He clarified, "A spirit. Didn't I tell you that most of the weapons I make contain corresponding spirits?"
After seeing Aran shaking her head, he further explained, "I would say 80% of the weapons that I made have the spirits who were once humans like you and me. These spirits can be seen and heard by their weapon wielder and me in general. People with great Ki can also witness them as well. I usually summon spirits on purpose because that's how I learned to make weapon ever since childhood. However, if my summoning spell fails, then there is no spirit for that weapon. Luckily, yours have one! Congratulations, why don't you touch it to see the spirit?"
Slightly fidgeting in fear, she slowly wrapped her finger around her new weapon of the spirit. Soon, a male figure materialized behind the blacksmith. Shocked by unusual visual effects, she screamed, and dropped it on the floor as if it was the filthiest thing on earth. The vague figure quickly blended in with the air, disappearing.
The voice echoed again, "Damn woman! I hate that look on your face! Don't look at me like I'm an ugly monster. I didn't want to be revived in this world either. Blame your damn blacksmith!"
He shouted, "Shut up! I've never seen a rampant spirit like you! Just accept the reality, Maha!"
Aran picked up the pole-arm from the ground. "Maha? Is that his name?"
"Yes, damn woman!" The angry voice pierced her ear as a male figure materialized again in front of her. She could see a young guy with angry-looking eyes and blonde pony tailed hair floating like a ghost. He wore a typical man's clothes – a vest and a harem pants – and had two gold piercings on his left ear. His first impression to Aran was like that of a delinquent.
She narrowed her eyes. "So you will accompany me for a long time?"
Maha protested, "Like I would. If only I knew how to unleash myself, damn woman."
Aran couldn't help but chuckle at his childishness and rudeness. "I will take that as yes."
The blacksmith interfered, "So are you accepting my weapon?"
After nodding, she gave a pouch full of coins. She thanked him, "Thank you for making a great weapon. I think I can tame it over the long run."
He bowed in respect. "I'm glad that you like it. It's my job to help the hero who will save the world from the evil."
Turning around, Aran said to himself discouragingly, "Yes...I hope so."
When Aran and Maha were far away from the hut, Maha raised his eyebrow as he passed through the trees. "Are you some sort of hero?"
Trudging the grass, she replied, "That's what people around here call me. I'm not the only one,why?"
Maha laughed. "You can' be serious, damn woman!"
Aran stopped walking before admonishing him, "You should learn how to speak respectfully to others. Why do you keep calling me damn woman? My name is Aran, you damn pole arm!"
"Wh...what? You gotta shut up, damn woman! I was never scolded by anyone when I was alive! How dare you talk to me like that?"
Aran became curious. "So you were alive back then...huh?"
Maha spoke angrily, "Yes, I lived a perfect life in my kingdom, although the country was poor. I was the only one bringing money, so I was treated like a god until some damn soldiers came and killed me!"
Growing curiosity about his life prompted her to ask him, "Why were you the only one making money? What do you mean by the soldiers?"
He explained in detail, "When I was living as a magician, I was able to train foreigners in exchange for money. Since I lost my parents at the age of 10, I had to learn to live by myself. For ten years, I made lots of money because my training helped the foreigners a lot. One day, an army of people in black cloaks invaded my country and killed me first. When I was in the Underground, I met my neighbors who told me that our kingdom was totally wiped out that day. I couldn't be sadder."
Aran briefly reminisced about her hardship in the past.
Painful screams barely reached the forest as she and her guard ran through the woods, hurriedly passing by the sharpy shrubs and smashing the long grass with feet. Her feet started to sore in the dire situation. Sensing her tiredness, he ushered her to a nearby bush and helped her sit comfortably.
"My lady, stay here under the bushes. Nobody will find you if you are hidden well. I will take a look around here and divert the intruders' attention from you."
She grasped his hand in fear and quietly said, "Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me."
He replied, "It's okay, my lady. I will not take long. I will come back and protect you until the end of the world."
He jumped into the darkness of the forest, leaving her alone. During ten minutes of absolute silence, Aran could do nothing but shiver from cold, "Asmund...I'm scared..."
Suddenly, a sound of footsteps was amplifying. Before she could stand up on her leg to greet Asmund warmly, Asmund spun around and drew his sword as his black ponytail swayed slightly.
He shouted, "You can never defeat me! Go ahead, and I will behead you and rip you in pieces!"
For a moment, she saw his short glare over his shoulder as soon as he was done speaking; his determined eyes told her to run away. Following her guts, she rose up from the ground and ran as fast as she could, hoping the darkness could hide her. A few minutes later, she turned around in fear and carefully scanned her surroundings, which was not threatening for now. From afar, she could see a stream of smoke and a red light beaming intensely through the trees. She hoped Asmund could catch up to her fast and return with less injury as possible. She ran again in the opposite direction to her house.
I can't die...not yet. I have to live to pass on my will and heritage. I have to revive my family's name and reputation.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of the pain that she suffered at a young age. Realizing she was about to cry, Maha stammered, "A...Are you okay, damn wom...no...Aran?"
After wiping her eyes, she replied, "You finally called me by my name, huh?"
Maha stammered even more, "Sh..shut up...Aran..no...damn woman!"
Aran smiled in indescribable comfort.
Ki = invisible energy that is transferred by the law of entropy. If you have curious to know more about it, just read ch10 of my other Maplestory fiction. Don't forget to review!
Also, I have translated Korean Cygnus Knights Cartoon. If you want to read, please visit my profile page and click the appropriate website.