Another day came
A little blonde girl slept soundly on her bed Suddenly she heard a noise “Psst”
Someone was whispering
“Hey Erin, wake up”
The little girl slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them Standing beside her bed was a little boy with messy dark hair “Mmm… Narru what’s happen?”
“Shhh” He quickly pressed a finger to his lips “don’t make a noise, you’ll wake up mom”
Erin blinked sleepily
“Come follow me, I found something in the forest”
Narru grinned
“Inside the forest?” Erin immediately sat up “But didn’t mom said that we should stay in the village?”
“Yeah, I know about it” Narru whispered “that’s why we are going to get back here before mom wakes up”
Erin hesitated
“Are you sure mom won’t get mad?”
Narru puffed his chest proudly
“Of course, as long as we don’t get caught”
Erin stared at him for a moment and then nodded Together, the siblings quietly sneaked out of the house The village was still silent in the early morning The two carefully slipped into the forest Erin held tightly onto Narru’s sleeve “What did you find?” Erin asked “Shhh… don’t make a noise and follow me” Narru smiled They walked deeper between the trees Then a sudden noise came GROOOOOAAAARRRR A groan from a beast “What is that?” Erin shook, her body trembled “Shhh… that’s the thing”
Narru pulled her behind a bush
They peeked through the leaves
There, in a clearing, adventurers stood facing a massive black boar nearly three meters A boar almost 3 meters with enormous tusks and a spiky tail “Who are they?” Erin whispered “They are adventurers”
“Adventurers?”
Narru nodded exitedly
“Yes, they travel around the world, fight monsters and help people” Narru explained Erin’s eyes sparkled “You remembered the hero from the book right”
She nodded
“The hero is also adventurer, so he also helps people beat these mosnters”
The adventurers consisted of 4 members, a warrior, a paladin, an archer, and a mage With good cooperation they hunted the black boar They moved as one When the black boar rushed forward, the paladin blocked it with his shield then the archer aimed its eye The mage raised her staff and launched a blazing fireball Then the warrior rushed in and delivered the final blow The beast collapsed Those kids amazed at how these adventurers beat the black boar easily Her mouth hung open “Phew, that’s though” the warrior wiped his forehead “let’s carve it up and get back to the guild”
Crack!
A sudden noise
“Who’s there!” the warrior shouted
The party immediately put their stance and aimed at the source of the voice It was from the bush; Erin accidentally stepped on a branch an made a noise Narru put his hand on both of their mouth, trying to not make a single sound Then the warrior gave a sign to the party and slowly approached the bush Step by step the air felt colder and colder Then the warrior rushed and slashed the bush The bush cut into in half His eyes widened “What!” He shocked There was nothing behind the bush “It must be a squirrel or something”
The party relaxed
Then the warrior walked back to the boar
Far away, the siblings were already running
They finally stopped to catch their breath
Narru laughed
“So, how is it, it’s amazing right” Narru asked Erin’s face was glowing with excitement “Yeah, it’s amazing” she waved her arms wildly “She went whoosh and then boom!”
Narru laughed at her clumsy imitation
“Do you think I can use magic like that someday?”
“Of course, didn’t the chief said that you have potential”
Erin’s eyes brightened even more
“So, I can become an adventurer too?”
“Of course, when we grow up let’s become an adventurer together”
“You promise” Erin pointed her pinky finger
“Yes, I promise” he nodded
They made a pinky promise to become an adventurer in the future “But before that, let’s get back first before mom notice”
They immediately went back to the village
The moment they get out from the forest, someone was already waiting for them, a woman “M-mom…” Narru shocked The woman walked toward them with full anger “M-mom I’m sorry, I’m just-”
Slap!
Bedore he could explain Narru got slapped right on his face and sent him crashing to the ground “Narru!” Erin tried to help her brother But her hand got hold by her mother tightly “There is no food for you today” she said with a cold tone and pulled Erin back to the village Narru remained on the ground, holding his burning cheek It was really normal thing in that village The village where everyone was forbidden to went outside for whatever reason One day, the siblings were having lunch on the dining table, until someone knocked their house Narru went to opened the door and outside there stood an old man with bald beard and white beard covered his mouth It was the chief His eyes looked down at Narru with disgust “Where is your mother?” he asked “Oh… wait a minute”
Narru ran into her mother’s room “Mom, the chief is looking for you”
She shocked and immediately went to meet the chief The moment she saw the chief, she straightened “Ah… chief what the matter?” she asked The chief looked at Narru right behind his mother “Can we talk outside?”
“Ah yes chief”
They went outside and close the door
Narru quietly listened through the door
“So, what’s the matter?”
“Your daughter Erin, she will undergo the ritual tonight”
“To-tonight?” she gasped “Are you sure?”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
Her eyes trembled
“N-no, it’s such an honor for me”
“Then let’s meet again tonight”
The mother’s face became serious; she went back inside and pulled Erin straight to her room and locked the door On the other hand, Narru overhear their conversation, he was afraid, but again there was nothing he can do Night came fast The villagers already gathered for the ritual in the middle of the village Everyone was wearing the same white robe covering their body while their face was covered in a strange white hood Torch burning everywhere, lighten up the village The villagers moved in slow circles, chanting endlessly Narru stood outside the crowd and looking at them “Narru” Erin called him with a trembling noise “Erin?
What are you doing here?”
Her small body was shaking
“I-I’m afraid?”
“Afraid, why?”
“What if I fail?”
Narru’s face became darker knowing that if someone could die if they failed the ritual But he smiled “It’s going to be fine, I’m sure you’re going to succeed the ritual”
“But if I fail then-”
Narru crouched and hold his sister’s hand
“Hey, it’s going to be fine.
Look at me, I failed the ritual too, right?
But I’m still here”
“So even if you fail, I promise you’re going to be fine”
“But I’m sure you’re going to succeed at this ritual, because you are better than me”
Erin confident rose up a little bit until
“ERIN!”
The siblings shocked, it was their mother
“What are you doing here?”
“M-mom, I’m sor-”
Their mother stormed over, she yanked Erin away Their mother didn’t care a single bit about Narru and left him alone His face became darker as he looked at his sister went to do the ritual The ritual started; everyone was walking in circle and kept chanting Erin stood beside the chief as he casted an incantation outside the circle “Oh, dear god, please give us your blessing,” said the chief Erin slowly walked toward the middle of the circle One by one those people knelt upon Erin Erin met the middle of the circle, and everyone was waving their body as they kneel They kept chanting, louder and louder Then a black magic circle was created around covering the crowd Slowly a weird mark cover Erin’s body Suddenly she fell on her knees, holding her own body “AHHHHHHHH…”
Her scream tore through the night, but no one moved they kept waving their body and chanting louder Narru froze and watching from far couldn’t do anything His legs wouldn’t move Erin fell on the ground and her body twisted in an unhuman shape, withered in pain Her body felt like being torn apart Screeching and screaming Then the black magic circle slowly turned into white, glowing The chief raised his arms “The god… The god have given us its blessing”
Everyone cheered in happiness, the ritual succeeded But Narru didn’t feel the same, he froze, he fell on his knees thinking at what kind of torture his sister will get afterward From that day, Erin was never come home, she was locked inside the village storage room alone But Narru couldn’t do anything, he knew that every single kid that succeed the ritual will be locked inside the storage room and tortured every single day One day, Narru sneaked toward the storage room while carrying a book A book that the siblings always read, a book about the hero who saved the world He carefully slid it through a gap Inside, Erin picked the book up and realized it “Narru is that you?”
“Shh… yes it’s me” he whispered “I know it’s boring being kept inside so I thought about giving you something to do”
Erin’s eyes brighten and hugged the book tightly “Thank you”
Days later, their mother went toward Narru’s room while he was reading a book in his room She brought the same book Narru gave to Erin and hit him in the head with it BAM He fell on the ground “You are the one who gave her this book aren’t you?” it wasn’t a question Narru glared up at her He couldn’t hold his anger anymore “Yes, and Erin is still little; she shouldn’t be treated like that”
SLAP
His mother hit him again
“What did you say?
Little?
Do you know how precious she is to this village; she has received the blessing of the god and you want us to let her be useless like you?”
He rose to his feet
“What are you talking about, this blessing is stupid, there is never a blessing in this village, every single kid that received the blessing was dead several days later, this is never a bless-”
SLAP
His mother hit him again, harder
Her face twisted with rage
“Shut your mouth, you are useless, you didn’t even get to get the blessing and somehow talking like you know everything”
“This blessing is the only thing that will bring happiness to our life, if your sister could use the blessing, then we could get revenge to the kingdom”
Narru stared at her
“Revenge?
So, all this just for a useless revenge, you are willing to sacrifice Erin life just for revenge to that stupid kingdom”
She grabbed his collar and lifted him
“Useless?
Said that again.
Your father died just for us to be recognize by the kingdom and you said useless.
Who do think you are?
You are just a little kid who only know how to be useless”
She threw him to the ground
“If you ever get close to Erin one more time, you are dead”
Then his mother went outside his room
Narru remained on the floor, shaking
Then he made his decision
That night Narru sneaked out of the house and went to the storage room He brought a shovel with him and carefully tried to break the storage lock Crack!
The lock broke
He looked around, but no one was there, he was safe The slowly he went inside A big room for a single kid, not a single thing was inside, only a blanket for cover He crouched beside Erin then whispered “Hey, Erin wake up”
Erin woke up and rubbed her eyes
“Narru, what are you doing here?”
“Let’s run away”
“Run away?”
“Shh… yes let’s get out from the village”
“But what if someone found out?”
“It’s already midnight everybody is sleeping”
Erin still uncertain
“Hey, you remember our promise right” he showed his pinky finger “We’re promise that we’re going to an adventurer together”
Erin nodded
“If we keep staying in this village, we will never be an adventurer, that’s why I’m asking you to run away, so we can be adventurer”
Erin finally agreed and together they sneaked out from the village Narru kept holding his sister hand right behind Sneaked carefully out the village then immediately run toward the forest Then something happened Slash!
Narru’s hand got cut by an invisible force separating the siblings He screamed Erin tried to help her brother but she was held, there was an invisible barrier blocking them The siblings were thrown apart Narru was on the ground holding his hand Blood kept gushing out Erin was screaming while hitting the barrier But her voice also got block Then a figure emerged from the darkness It was their mother He went closer toward Erin, grabbed her hand Erin kicked and struggled desperately She relentlessly tried to escape and helped her brother but it no use Narru couldn’t do anything, his hand cut clean, blood kept gushing out non-stop, his vision blurred And then he collapsed The last thing he saw was Erin screaming silently as she was dragged away.
“And that was the last time I saw my brother” Erin said quietly Her voice trembled “From that day” she lowered her head “the villagers kept asking me to use god magic again and again”