Hi again everyone, this is the chapter where the adventure will begin...in a pretty cliche way. So please bear with me. The scene in this chapter somehow make me doubt my rating.
Record 1 : Harbinger
"Dark and Light lie in every soul
Just like good and evil always reside within you
Those who dare to defy that very truth
Will bring forth the harbinger of destruction."
"Ealonna, Elarie Road"
It is a good day, today the weather is perfect for an exploration. Everyone from the facility is walking together on the road, talking about the site we are going to explore. Leading the group is the professor as usual, I follow right behind him, a bit troubled "Is it ok for me go empty handed like this, professor? Shouldn't I help you carry your luggage?" I ask him. "Don't worry, if you don't carry anything, you will be able to help us out easier when we need you, am I right?" He answer with a smile, he does have a logical point, but for a helper like me to just follow while he carrying that man-sized backpack is kinda... Putting that aside, we are in the Elarie Forest, on its road the "Elarie Road" to be precise. Base on the information the professor had told me before, this road was formed long ago by an ancient civilization from the past, this is seems to be the reason there is rumor that a temple is reside deep within the forest.
Putting that aside, I have notice some absent since the beginning of the trip "Where is Iblanc? And I don't see Kervul either..." I ask while looking around "Ah those two? Iblanc said he didn't feel well so he is staying behind. As for Kervul, he got something to do so he will catch up later he said." professor Saeth answers "Kervul I can understand, but for Iblanc to stay behind is an unexpected case.". Iblanc has always been the one who is on the lead, follow by Saeth and Kervul. He is always cheerful and wouldn't miss anything that could unearth something new, making a fuss out of them is his best abilities. Kervul would always be the advisor and is the one who will put out those fusses that Iblanc made. Without them here, thing are unusually..."normal?"... I think the term "normal" would be implemented to something if it happen on a daily basic.
We keep on walking like that, nothing actually happen and we just keep going like that. I just keep looking around and gaze at the sky, until a voice pull me back "I thought it was short, but it has been three months since you started to live with us right, Erille?" professor Saeth suddenly asks "Huh? Ah yes! It has certainly been quite awhile." I hastily replies "How do you think about living with us? Actually, what do you think about us...human?" a strange question, I assume that he is worrying about my connections with other not being well but "I think human are good being, you live peacefully and study to make a better life. I think you are a trustworthy race." I reply with all the data I have experienced with human "I see...Ahahaha, that's good to hear! I was worried that you would feel uncomfortable being with us." the professor gives a strange expression, I don't know if he is smiling or frowning.
With that said, he slows his pace to match mine "Erille, after this excavation is over, there are a few things that I would like your opinions. Would you like to help me out?" he asks with a serious face, it is must be something important that he is asking me with such a serious tone "Yes, if it can help lighten your burden, then I will." I answer. The professor give me a light smile "I see...Alright then! Let's go quick and make this trip another success!" he raise his hand and looks back at his subordinates, whom raise their together with him. I don't know how to react, just standing there and shrug, it is not uncommon for him to do that, he might be usually indulges in researches but he is actually a very sociable person.
And then we march on as usual, the path leading deeper and deeper into the forest almost like there is no end on the other side. But that doesn't seem to be true, after a few hours, we come into a dead end "Huh? There is no more path leading ahead anymore Saeth, and there doesn't seems to be any temples around here either." one person in the group speak up. There is a giant blockade of rocks standing in front of us and there doesn't seem to be anything behind it "I don't detect any road that is formed behind those pillars, professor. I suggest we find another way to." I said while performing a quick scan around the environment "I suppose so. I guess this is the end of the road! Everyone let's find another way! We might be able t-".
Just as the professor is going to tell everyone to find another way, I detect some signature "Hm? There are humans over there!" as I raise my voice, everyone looks toward the pillars, where now many wild-looking people are jumping out behind the rocks "No... This is the end of the road for you buddy!" a giant man walk to the middle facing the whole group, say his line with a threatening voice "W-who are you guys?" professor Saeth asks, seems to be intimidated. The man just spit to the ground, then draw out his blade and point it toward the professor "W-what are you doing?!" Saeth backs off, feeling the dangerous vibe from these people, everyone are seems to be scared of them too.
I am not sure what are they trying to pull, why are they threatening their people like that? I move to the professor side when he is backing away from those people "Do you know these people?" I whisper to him "I don't think I know them and I don't even want to think that I do" he whispers back with a shaking voice. The man standing over there take a glance at me, then he smirks "Heh. Even though you're in such situation, you feel nothing at all, huh? Monster.". Monster? What is he talking about? "W-what the hell do you guys want with us? Are you guys bandit? If so we will give you money and our stuffs, just let us go!" Saeth yells at them trying to pull us out of the situation. "Heh...Gahahahahahahahaha!" the mercenary over there laughs at Saeth face and his expression change immediately "You have got some gut for some freaks who is going to die here! C'mon you rascals! Slaughter them all!" he shouts and all the other draw out their weapons and charge at us.
At the sight of things, everyone started to scream and run away, professor Saeth quickly pull something out from the side of his backpack and shouts "Everyone! Run!" then he quickly throw some ball shape objects into ground all over the parameter in front of him and they explode into some kind of smoke, which stops the other in place "Erille! Hurry!" hearing his words, I quickly run after him, getting away from those mercenary. Who are they? What are they trying to achieve with those act? I keep questioning myself but find no logical solutions to their act.
All of us run as fast as we can but the sound of the chaser still right behind "You are not getting away!" "Goddamn bookworms! We're gonna kill you!" they keeps shouting those words while chasing right behind us. Everyone seems tired of all the running, I myself is not doing so good, at this rate if only a little distraction is enough to make me fall over. We keep running away from those guys, but something suddenly echoes in my head "Why are you running?" the sudden sound hit my head by surprise making me lose my footing and fall "ERILLE!" professor Saeth immediately notices and quickly runs to my side "Are you alright!? Hang on!" he quickly pulls me up onto my knees, the other scientists and researchers seem to have been surprise by the sudden stop of their head so they pause, but that was a significant and deadly act they made.
Right after my fall, stopping everyone on their track, the mercenary quickly surround us "Hah, pipsqueaks! Now there is nowhere to run!" everyone seems to be terrified. I just made a terrible mistake and now everyone is in trouble, but my body isn't moving, my mind is being bind the strange voice "Why are running away from those weaklings?" "I...I" I utter some words out unknowingly. While I was being taken over by that voice, a figure approaches from behind the mercenary leader "K-Kervul!? What are you doing here?" I try to steer my view toward the side and manage to see Kervul figure "Heh...What? Obviously, I bring this guys along so they can finish you fools off!" he said with a mad voice with utmost hatred "W-what on earth are you saying?" Saeth seems terribly shocked by his words, not believing in his ears "You fools trying to live with a monster, those killing machines? Don't joke with me! You are merely want its power! Nasod and human can never live together!" "Why are you doing this Kervul? Aren't we friend? What the heck is wrong with you!?" the two of them start to argue madly.
"I was always think of you as one! But from the time you find that thing, you have been acting as if everything is yours to decide! You didn't even take my words or the organization words seriously! You think you can just use that thing to overthrown us? This organization was founded by my family and I won't let it fall into the hand of a mongrel who hides his face behind a sheep mask!" Kervul throws all those words at Saeth. Totally frozen by his friend words, Saeth is at loss of words "I... didn't mean... Kervul... I just..." "Haha... hahaha... Enough! All of you who accept such monster isn't allow in this society! You can all vanish now, no one will can ever use it against us anymore if you all disappear!" as he said that he give the signal to the mercenaries and they all charge toward the scientist. The massacre begin...
The scream of agony, pain and fear of those who fall under the the mercenaries tear the very air apart "NO! KERVUL! STOP THIS!" Saeth yell in despair seeing his colleagues fall one by one in their blood under the hand of the mercenaries "They are evil" the scene before intensifies the voice, it keeps piercing deep within me, like trying to push me to something. After the screams faded, the lead mercenaries walk over to my place kicking professor Saeth away "Argh!" he groans while falling on the ground and his backpack dropped far away "No worries brat. We are to leave you as the last one to die! Gahahaha!" as he said so, he raises his gigantic blade upon me and say "Sweet dreams! Monster!" as he slashes downward, I barely manage to look over... But, I was not destroyed "E...ri...lle" the professor is holding onto me, his back drenched in red odor, human's "blood", some splashed onto my clothes "The heck! You wanna die so badly, eh?" the mercenary pissed.
The professor conditions is bad, at this rate, his life is "I...guess...I...couldn't...show...you" he tries to put out some words "I'm...kugh" he coughs up blood while falling down, the last word I heard from him "Sorry...for not bringing you...truth" he falls to the ground. "They are injustice!" those voice in me increase its volume "They are monstrosity!" they are like shriek that can shatter my very mind, I can no longer feel my body. "Tch! That freaks! I was planning to make him the last to suffer! Forget it! Just slice off that piece of metal head!" I barely hear what Kervul is saying as the mercenary raise his sword again. As I lost my sense to my body, a final sentences pierced my mind "THEY ARE YOUR ENEMIES!".
As those words faded, the sword flies from the mercenary hands, being pierced by a spear that rips through his very bone "GYAHHHHHHH" he screams in agony, but not letting that pass, I quickly pull that spear out and lunges it into his bellow then pull it out right away, killing him immediately. The other was petrified in place, I stand up and looks over them. All that remain in my mind now is only one thing "I...will kill you all..." the mercenaries recklessly charges in hoping that they could bring me down, only to pierce by my spear one after another. Their blood filled the sky, splashing all over my body. I pay it no heed, and keep bringing them down...one by one.
I slowly walk toward Kervul, who is now sitting on the ground, terrified "Y-y-y-y-you m-m-monster!" he pulls out a gun from his pocket and shoot straight into my shoulders, piercing it. It didn't even flinch me, I felt nothing from that shot. He continuously fire all of his remaining ammo while screaming, not that those can stop me from standing right before him "You done yet?" I ask him with a deadly cold gaze , a purple aura emits from my body , draining the lfe force of the mercenary that I dragged along and recover all of my injuries. At that sight, Kervul turns totally pale and quickly try to get away, too bad my spear nailed him in place right after, along with his cry of pain.
I slowly approachoes him, pulling out another spear from the thin air and grab his head with my other hand, looking straight into his "P-p-please spare me! I will do a-anything!" he says, sending a chill of disgust through my system "So you were toying with them?" his eyes widen like he has no ideas what I am talking about "You were toying with their lives, torture them just so now you can beg for your live!?" I put those words straight through his ears "You toyed with their lives, ending them in a way they didn't want... Now... I'll do the same to you." tears begin to run down on his face, but I found no mercy "Die. Trash.". A piercing sound echoes through the air, then vanishes leaving only the sound of wind blowing through tree branches.
I slowly walk away from the site, the sky is now dye in black. There is nowhere to go now, the people I trust had been killed, one of them was responsible for their death. He betrayed us all, and I was naively believed that he was trustworthy just because he is close to Saeth "..." I look up the sky, seeing nothing but pitch black, just like my mind now, nothing but darkness, nothing could be analyze "What good is it there in trust then? I won't ever believe in anyone again. I will just have to solve everything by myself now. If something that dare to hinder me... I will annihilate it!" then I walk into the shadow of the forest, still drenched in the blood of the fallen.
So this turned out to be a tragedy, this chapter was about introducing the reason how Erille obtain her part of her starting power as well as the reason she started to wander. If you do looking forward to next chapter, be delighted that it will be something lighthearted unlike this one.