《Curse of the Immortal》
Chapter 1 - A Diary left behind
"Eh? What''s that?"
Aliyah crouched down and tried to reach under the bed. When she got the item she was reaching for, shewas surprised to learn that it''s an old notebook. When she opened it, the fragile old pages almost became delicate snowflakes with the touch of her hand. The pages within were brittle and what remains of its original stitching was barely holding it together.
"A diary? Could it be Grandma''s?"Aliyah ran down the corridor looking for her grandmother. After looking for a while, she found her talking to his elder brother in the garden.
"Grandma I found something!" Aliyah hopped towards her grandmother Kheifa. "Is this diary yours?" Aliyah showed the diary to her grandmother.
With a look of surprise on her face, Kheifa replied to her granddaughter, "Ah, that''s not mine. It was owned by a dear friend." The diary was a memento she got from her bestfriend.
"How come you have itGrandma?" Aliyah curiously stared at her grandmother. How come this diary was lying under her grandmother¡¯s bed? Shouldn¡¯t be in one of her shelves?
¡°She gave it to me on her deathbed.¡± Kheifa replied while patting her granddaughter¡¯s head.
¡°She¡¯s already dead?¡± Aliyah shot her grandmother a surprised look. She even forgot to ask her why was it lying under her bed.
¡°Yes, she died when she was young. She was barely 18 years old then.¡± Kheifa sorrowfully sighed. It had been a long time since she spoke about her bestfriend, and she missed her a lot.
¡°The two of you must have been really close, right Grandma?¡± Aliyah consoled her grandmother. She doesn¡¯t want to see her sad after all.
¡°Yes, she was like a little sister to me.¡± Kheifa smiled.
¡°Uhm, would it be fine if I read this diary?¡± Aliyah grew curious about the owner¡¯s diary.
¡°As long as you promise to take care of it then I don¡¯t see any problem with it.¡± Kheifa realized that somehow, the diary must have been destined to be found by her granddaughter.
¡°Thank you Grandma!¡± Aliyah hugged her grandmother before running off to her room.
Kheifa watched Aliyah¡¯s disappearing figure while sighing. She couldn''t help but wonder how that diary could be found by her grand-daughter when she had already locked it up at the attic last week.
¡°Grandma, is there anything bothering you?¡± Aliyah¡¯s older brother, Nyk, noticed the puzzled look on his grandmother¡¯s face.
¡°It¡¯s nothing, my child. Come, let¡¯s go to the balcony and eat some snacks. It¡¯s getting cold out here in the garden.¡±
~o~
¡®Today, I mostly stayed in bed. I knew he barely heard me as he kept his focus on the book he¡¯s reading but I still kept telling him what I had done throughout the day. He¡¯s always like this and I don¡¯t blame him.
I knew I¡¯ve been really selfish for asking him to accompany me all this time but I can¡¯t help myself. I love him. I love him that it hurts.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
I knew he doesn¡¯t feel the same and that he only cares about me as a friend. But I kept on hoping that someday I can tear down the walls on his heart.¡¯
¡®This diary¡¯s owner is pitiful.¡¯ Aliyah thought to herself while closing the diary.
¡°I guess I¡¯ll continue reading later. I still have to meet my friends today.¡± She put the diary under her pillow then got up and changed her clothes.
At the front door, her brother saw her leaving.
¡°What time will you be back?¡± Nyk asked.
¡°I¡¯ll be home before 9 o¡¯clock in the evening.¡± Aliyah replied.
¡°Do you want me to pick you up?¡±
Aliyah walked towards her older brother and pat his shoulders, ¡°Big bro, you shouldn¡¯t be overprotective of me anymore. I am already 18.¡±
Nyk sighed. He¡¯d always been protective of this little sister of his. His parents always reminded him that he must watch out for her as he¡¯s the older one. But he knew that it¡¯s more than that, it¡¯s something that this family must protect at all cost.
¡°Ok, I get it. But you must contact me immediately if anything wrong happens ok?¡±
¡°Yes! See you later!¡± Aliyah ran out of the house while bidding goodbye to his older brother.
At the staircase, Kheifa slowly descended, ¡°She¡¯s growing up fine, isn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°She always makes me worry.¡± Nyk shrugged.
Kheifa sighed, ¡°Nyk, I know it¡¯s been hard on you. But I know that you understand why we must do this.¡±
¡°Yes Grandma. I understand.¡±
~o~
¡°Aliyah, are you alright?¡± her friends became worried when they saw her holding her head due to pain.
¡°I¡¯m fine. Lately, I¡¯ve been having headaches frequently.¡± Aliyah slowly replied but her vision started to darken and the world began to spin around her.
"You should see the doctor.¡± One of her friends suggested.
¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue.¡± Aliyah stated. But suddenly, a sudden surge of pain assaulted her that caused her to scream. ¡°Argh!!!¡± After a while, her consciousness faded.
¡°Aliyah!¡±
¡°Aliyah!¡±
Her friends rushed to her side while one of them called the ambulance.
~o~
¡°My Lady Aetheria, would it be fine if we left like that?¡± Norielle worriedly asked her master. They escaped from the Sovereign of Life¡¯s Palace heading to the Sovereign of Death¡¯s Palace.
¡°Don¡¯t worry too much Norielle, my brother will be agitated for sure but he wouldn¡¯t do anything to harm me once he finds out.¡± Aetheria assured her. They must head to the Sovereign of Death¡¯s Palace to make everything alright. But first, they must pass through the Great Celestial Forest, to meet the Lady¡¯s lover.
¡°My lady, I am not worried about your brother, but about your mother, Her Highness.¡± Norielle voiced out her worry. The Sovereign of Life was a doting mother but once she gets angry, she could make your life a living hell.
Aetheria became silent upon the mention of her mother. Suddenly, the atmosphere became really grave.
¡°My lady ¨C ¡°
¡°Keep quiet Norielle.¡± Aetheria hushed Norielle. Then she pulled the maid servant¡¯s arm to make her stand behind her.
Suddenly a person spoke from a distance.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here Lady Aetheria.¡± It¡¯s the Great General Volkia, Commander of the Celestial Army.
¡°General Volkia, how come you are here?¡± Aetheria smiled at him, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be guarding the Central Palace at the moment?¡±
¡°Your Ladyship must be joking, that job is assigned to the Secret Order. I wouldn¡¯t dare to enter the Central Palace without the Sovereign¡¯s permission.¡± The general chuckled and scratched his head.
Aetheria stared at him for a short while before her eyes became sharp. ¡°Then how come I saw you enter the Palace last night?¡±
The general¡¯s smile instantly faded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know about that. But since that¡¯s the case, you must die.¡± The general displayed a sinister smile. ¡°Men, enjoy yourselves!¡±
Several masked men appeared and assaulted them. Aetheria was able to dodge their attacks but one of them grabbed Norielle.
¡°My Lady please help me!¡±
~o~
Aliyah abruptly opened her eyes. She found herself in a hospital room. She was a little confused. She just saw a strange dream. Norielle? Aetheria? Who are they? Why do they seem familiar?
¡°Aliyah, thank goodness you are awake.¡± Her friends surrounded her bed. ¡°How do you feel?¡± their faces were filled with worry. When she suddenly collapsed, they panicked and were at a loss of what to do. Thankfully, her brother Nyk arrived and brought her to the hospital.
¡°I feel¡fine.¡± she tried to reply but after a while she felt a surge of pain in her head and then she lost consciousness again.
Chapter 2 - Emotionless
¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you leave the house.¡± Nyk grumbled beside Aliyah¡¯s bed. A few moments after Aliyah left the house, Nyk decided to follow her, so when she collapsed, he was able to bring her to the hospital quickly.
¡°Who would expect that I would pass out?¡± Aliyah pouted. She¡¯s having headaches recently, but this was the first time that she couldn¡¯t handle the pain that she collapsed.
¡°Then why didn¡¯t you mention about having these frequent headaches before?¡± Nyk fixed his gaze on her that made her skin crawl.
¡°I-I thought it was just normal at first. So I ignored it.¡± Even though Nyk seems lovable and gentle, Aliyah knew how frightening his brother could be when he gets angry.
¡°And how do you explain what happened last night?¡± Nyk squinted his eyes at Aliyah. He was deeply worried about her, not only because she¡¯s his little sister but because of what might happen to her due to ¡®that¡¯.
She raised her blankets to hide her face, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad now okay? I didn¡¯t expect this to happen. It wasn¡¯t that painful at first but lately, it¡¯s getting more painful.¡± Aliyah felt wronged. Wasn¡¯t she the one who felt the pain and was hospitalized, why was she still being scolded then?
Nyk sighed. He realized that he couldn¡¯t keep scolding her like this. But he needed to know if her frequent headaches had something to do ¡®that¡¯.
~o~
¡°My poor grand-daughter, thank goodness your home.¡± Kheifa hugged Aliyah as she entered the house. ¡°How are you feeling now my dear?¡±
¡°I feel fine now Grandma.¡± Aliyah smiled at her. In her thoughts, even though she got scolded by her big brother, her grandmother¡¯s hug and comfort made up for it. Aliyah stayed in the hospital for almost a day and she only got discharged from the hospital at 6 in the evening today. Because it was already dark when they got out of the hospital, she and her brother grabbed a bite first before coming home.
Nyk walked in after parking the car, ¡°You should first head to your room. And try to get some sleep first. The doctor said you lack some sleep.¡±
Aliyah held her tummy then turned to her brother, ¡°Can I eat some ice cream first?¡±
¡°Aliyah!¡± Nyk suddenly raised his voice and his eyebrows wrinkled that it seemed to form into a single line.
¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll go to sleep now.¡± Aliyah dashed to her bedroom quickly, afraid that her brother would really scold her again.
Kheifa chuckled at the sibling¡¯s interaction, ¡°Nyk, you¡¯ll grow older quickly like that.¡±
¡°She¡¯s a handful.¡± Nyk sighed.
¡°See? You even sigh like an old man.¡± Kheifa kept on chuckling.
¡°Grandma¡¡±
¡°Fine, fine I''ll stop now.¡± Kheifa raised her hands in surrender but her eyes still showed a mischievous smile.
After a while, Nyk suddenly voiced a question to his grandmother, ¡°Her condition, does it have something to do with¡ ¡±
¡°I believe so.¡± Kheifa confirmed. ¡°I have already informed your parents and they¡¯ll be arriving next week.¡±
Nyk looked at his grandmother in surprise. He thought their parents were extremely busy with all the commotion in the Central Palace, how could they afford to leave at such an important moment?This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
¡°Is it alright for them to come back here in the Human Realm now?¡±
¡°Yes Nyk and that¡¯s because of two reasons. First would be because of Aliyah¡¯s condition and second, because of the High-goddess Dyan¡¯s son.¡± His grandmother stated.
¡°What¡¯s with the High-goddess¡¯s son?¡± Nyk looked puzzled, but when he heard her answer, his eyes widened in surprise.
¡°He¡¯s the one who caused Faria''s death.¡±
~o~
Today I asked Dev how he would feel if I died, he said he would be sad. When I asked why he said that, he told me that he had lost too many people he cared about already, he didn''t want to add more to that number.
I feel happy, at least he cares about me. He never talks to anyone in this hospital aside from me and the nurses and doctors, I wonder how can he do that? Sometimes he¡¯s not even talking at all.
Aliyah closed the diary and put it again under his pillow, ¡°Why do I feel so sad whenever I read this diary?¡± Aliyah then heard a light knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡±
When the door opened, she saw Nyk in his uniform, ¡°Aliyah, did you forget that you have school today?¡±
¡°What!?¡±
~o~
¡°Hey Aliyah, you still look pale. Is it really alright for you to come to school?¡±
Aliyah nodded her head, ¡°The doctor said I just lack some sleep. I will be fine.¡±
Currently, Aliyah is a freshman at the C* University. She¡¯s one of the campus beauties that the school recognized. She was nicknamed as the ¡®Fairy Princess¡¯ since she looks a lot like her mother whom the school previously referred to as the ¡®Fairy Goddess¡¯.
¡°Hey guys, look who is coming!¡± one of Aliyah¡¯s friends exclaimed.
¡°Who is it?¡±
¡°The Vice President of the Student Council.¡± Upon hearing that, most of the girls in class squealed. Aliyah covered her ears, ¡°I feel like they have seen a cockroach.¡± She thought.
When the Vice President passed by, Aliyah also looked over, but she didn¡¯t show any excitement over it, because she knew the man¡¯s true personality. ¡°Why do they like him? He¡¯s just a narcissistic and heartless jerk.¡± Aliyah mumbled.
¡°Excuse me, may I know the way to the University Hall?¡± Aliyah asked the man who¡¯s currently standing at the nearby information post. When he turned to look at her, she got mesmerized at the man¡¯s face.
¡®He¡¯s so handsome!¡¯ She thought to herself.
¡°Take this map and follow the line indicated. The marked destination is the University Hall.¡± the man expressionlessly handed a paper to Aliyah. But when he noticed that she was in a daze looking at him, his expression changed into annoyance.
He snapped his fingers infront of Aliyah¡¯s face, ¡°Are you done looking?¡± his face showed that he¡¯s really irritated at her.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡± Aliyah bowed her head in embarrassment, then she grabbed the map he was holding and rushed to the University Hall.
¡°Hey, Aliyah? Aliyah?¡±
Aliyah snapped back into reality when he heard someone call her name. A few moments ago, she suddenly remembered how she met that heartless jerk on the first day of school.
¡°You were deep in your thoughts. What were you thinking about?¡±
Of course, Aliyah couldn¡¯t tell them that he already met that cockroach because it was an embarrassing moment for her, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just remembered a cockroach.¡± she mischievously smiled.
¡°Why would you even think of a cockroach at this moment?¡± her friends found her thoughts musing. They thought Aliyah was out of herself again.
Aliyah was about to answer when somebody called out to her, ¡°Aliyah, Devin is calling out for you.¡± Aliyah got surprised. What? That jerk?
~o~
Inside the student council office.
¡°What do you need me for?¡± even though she hated this jerk infront of her, he¡¯s still part of the council so she couldn¡¯t act rashly.
¡°The school festival is approaching. The council plans to hold an evening party on the 3rd night.¡± Devin explained without looking at her, he was currently reading some reports.
¡°And what does that have to do with me?¡± Aliyah looked puzzled.
¡°Sing for the event.¡±
¡°Eh? Why me? There are others who can sing better than me.¡± She never thought that it would turn out this way? Singing for the school event? Hell no!
¡°Your faculty recommended you to us.¡±
Aliyah stared at the emotionless bastard infront of her, ¡°Fine, I will try to ask permission from my brother. I am not allowed to stay up late in the night because I am currently not feeling well.¡± As if, you should be thankful I am not flat-out rejecting you, at least you can save your face.
¡°Can you confirm by tomorrow?¡±
¡°Okay. Can I go now?¡± She couldn¡¯t wait to get away from this man because he irritates her so much.
¡°Mmmm.¡± He didn¡¯t even bother to look at her.
¡°Evil Cockroach¡± Aliyah mumbled on her way out of the council¡¯s office.
Suddenly Devin spoke again.
¡°What did you say!?¡±
Chapter 3 - Strange Dreams
¡°Lady Aetheria, I discovered the whereabouts of the rebels.¡± Norielle slightly bowed as she reported. She ran around all day gathering information on the rebels who had attacked the Palace a few days ago.
¡°Good work. I wonder who¡¯s leading them, do you have any information on this?¡± Aetheria put down the book she was currently reading and stood up, with light steps, she moved towards her most loyal maid servant.
¡°My Lady, their base is a little hard to infiltrate.¡± Norielle was a little hesitant to continue what she was about to say. But after considering for a while, she decided to tell what she saw. ¡°I am not yet sure of the matter, but, I believe I saw one of them wearing an army badge My Lady.¡± She bit her lip after speaking, she knew that this incident won¡¯t be just a small matter anymore.
Aetheria abruptly turned her head to Norielle, ¡°What did you say?!¡± Aetheria gripped the maid servants shoulder and stared intently at her.
¡°I-I saw one of them wearing an a-army badge.¡± Norielle stuttered as she repeated her words. Her Lady is a gentle and delicate woman but when it comes to serious matters, she can be absolutely scary.
¡°So it¡¯s really them. No wonder they knew our every move.¡± Aetheria loosened her grip on Norielle and started pacing inside the roo deep in thoughts.
Upon noticing this, Norielle started to panic. She¡¯s familiar with her Lady¡¯s personality. She may act timid and cowardly most of the time, but she knew how brave and valiant she can be when she¡¯s protecting the people she cares about. ¡°My Lady, we can¡¯t act rashly on this.¡±
¡°I know Norielle. But we can¡¯t do nothing.¡± Aetheria¡¯s face was filled determination as she turned to Norielle. ¡°Go and prepare the carriage.¡±
¡°Where are we going My Lady?¡± still stricken with panic, Norielle seemed to be unable to move her feet.
Aetheria squinted her eyes and gazed at the direction she wanted to go, ¡°To the Sovereign¡¯s Palace.¡±
~o~
¡°Aliyah, wake up!¡±
Aliyah felt someone tap her cheeks a couple of times before slowly opening her eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± she lazily asked. She¡¯s still a little disoriented and confused, how come she fell asleep again?
¡°Class has finished already and you keep on sleeping?¡± her friends chuckled around her.
These past few days, even though her headaches are gone now, she¡¯s been feeling sleepy a lot. And what¡¯s even more puzzling is that she keeps on having those strange dreams everytime.
¡°Aliyah, the Vice President is calling for you.¡± One of her classmates called out to her from the corridor. Some of her classmates gave her a curious look, some even gave her sharp glances.
Again? Why would he call for me again? I have already declined to sing for the event haven¡¯t I?
¡°Aliyah, why do you look so annoyed?¡± one of her friends noticed the sulking expression on her face. Aliyah just shrugged at the question and walked out of the room sighing.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
~o~
Inside the Student Council Office she didn¡¯t see Devin, instead, it was the Council President who was waiting for her. Aliyah saw the girl cross her arms as she stared at her like she could see her soul.
Aliyah felt really awkward under her gaze so she decided to break the silence, ¡°Ah, they told me the Council Vice President was calling for me.¡±
¡°Who are you to Devin?¡± Aliyah could hear the anger in the President¡¯s voice when she asked her.
What¡¯s happening? What did I do that made her angry? Aliyah looked quizzically at the girl infront of her. Was it because of that cockroach?
¡°President, I don¡¯t really know him that well.¡± Aliyah decided to probe first. She needed to know what other problems that cockroach had brought her.
¡°You don¡¯t know him? Then why did he request you to be his partner for the event of the 5th night of the School Festival?!¡± the Council President suddenly threw some papers on the table and stared angrily at me.
5th night of the school festival? Wait a minute¡ if I am not mistaken, there was no scheduled activity on the first and second night. On the 3rd night would be the Night Party/Concert, on the 4th night would be the camping and bonfire event, as for the 5th night¡ the fireworks display?!
¡°Ah!¡± Aliyah couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when she realized what would be the event on the 5th night. The fireworks display night was rumored to be the night for lovers, whoever confesses their love would have a high chance of receiving that love in return. As for couples, they will be granted happiness and abundance of love.
¡°What are you screaming for?!¡± the Council President¡¯s shout snapped Aliyah back into reality. She slowly turned her head to her.
¡°President, you got it wrong¡ I know nothing about this.¡± She could only plead not to be blamed for this mess, but in her mind, she was already stabbing the cockroach to death
¡°Hmp. If I ever see you near Devin, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll make you regret ever coming to this university.¡± She then walked out of the room and closed the door with a loud bang.
Aliyah pat her chest as she calmed her heart, ¡®That was scary, I¡¯m really going to make that cockroach pay.¡¯
~o~
¡°Aliyah, why are you not eating your dinner?¡± Kheifa noticed her granddaughter staring at her food and not eating at all. She¡¯s been acting really weird this past few days and it¡¯s making her really worried.
¡°I¡¯m not that hungry Grandma.¡± Aliyah replied. She couldn¡¯t tell her that she had been planning several ways on how to deal with a certain cockroach who put her in a troublesome situation.
¡°You can go to your room and take a rest then. I¡¯ll put the excess food in the fridge. You can just reheat once you get hungry.¡±
¡°Thank you Grandma. I¡¯ll leave first then.¡±
Once Aliyah left the dining room, Nyk turned to his grandmother. ¡°Grandma, I think it¡¯s happening too soon. What did go wrong?¡± Nyk¡¯s voice was filled with worry for his younger sister.
Kheifa sighed as she looked at her grandson, ¡°Even I don¡¯t understand either my child. We have kept the truth from her for so long to delay her awakening, I am not sure what has gone wrong. Soon, she¡¯ll realize the changes in her body.¡±
¡°I guess I just have to protect her and watch over her more closely from now on.¡±
~o~
¡°Aetheria, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Her Highness, the Sovereign of Life was surprised to see her daughter inside her Palace Chamber. This daughter of hers was gentle and delicate but now she had rebelled against her.
¡°Mother, it¡¯s not what you are thinking. You are being deceived by the Secret Order Mother. Please listen to me!¡± Aetheria begged her mother while the servants are holding her down. She was caught sneaking into the Palace Chambers thus the Knights of the Secret Order cuffed her and were on their way to lock her up.
¡°Your Highness, I beg you please listen to my Lady. Don¡¯t lock her up.¡± Norielle dropped on her knees and bowed her head to ground crying and begging for her Ladyship.
¡°Norielle, you were once a wonderful maidservant, very efficient and trustworthy. I regret to have let my daughter take you away from my care.¡± the Sovereign of life shook her head in disappointment. ¡°Knights, lock the two of them!¡±
¡°Mother!!!¡±
¡°Your Highness!¡±
~o~
Aliyah abruptly opened her eyes, ¡®What was that? Why does that dream seem so real?¡¯ She could feel her heartbeat racing fast. She decided to go to the kitchen to get some water. When she was about to go back to bed, she suddenly heard a voice.
¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Norielle.¡±
Chapter 4 - The Arrival
¡°Devin, what were you thinking?!¡± the council president suddenly opened the door as she shouted at Devin who¡¯s currently reviewing the reports for the upcoming school festival. There¡¯s only less than a month left to prepare and all the clubs have submitted their preferred activities for the event.
Without even bothering to look at the president, he gave a monotonous reply, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±
¡°I¡¯m talking about registering a nobody as one of the performers during the night party!¡± she slammed the table next to him, ¡°That¡¯s one of our main events! You can¡¯t just put anyone to perform there, what if she messes things up?!¡± anger is written all over her face.
¡°I believe that she isn''t a nobody.¡± Devin rebutted then turned his head to the president, ¡°Myrtle, you¡¯re being unreasonable don¡¯t you think? Didn¡¯t you read the report written for her qualifications?¡±
¡°Qualifications? Do her abilities even qualify her? She didn¡¯t even win any contest or something like that!¡± Myrtle scoffed.
¡°Then if that¡¯s so, then your little sister doesn¡¯t qualify to perform either, don¡¯t you think?¡± Devin stood up and filed the reports on the drawers next to the shelves.
"T-that¡¯s¡ That¡¯s different! She was already acknowledged by her department, even her Department Head praised her!¡± Myrtle reasoned out. Her little sister has been preparing for this event for a long time, she can¡¯t allow anything to hinder her from performing.
Devin closed the drawer and looked at Myrtle with a frown on his face. ¡°Is that so? But Aliyah was also acknowledged and praised by her department, along with their Department head. Even more so, the school director Hariyama praised and recommended her. I¡¯ve written that in the report, didn¡¯t you see it?¡± Myrtle was stumped for words, it¡¯s true that she didn¡¯t see that part. When she saw that it was Devin who recommended her she already flared up and didn¡¯t bother to read the whole report anymore.
Devin opened the door and was about to leave when he suddenly spoke again, ¡°I know you want to make the event a wonderful one, so I hope you set aside your personal grudges and blind jealousy. It¡¯s because she¡¯s the Fairy Goddess¡¯ daughter isn¡¯t it?¡± Devin sighed then shook his head as he closed the door.
Myrtle stared at the closed door for a long time. She doesn¡¯t want to admit it but Devin¡¯s words struck her. Yes, she was deeply jealous of Aliyah, not only for being the Fairy Goddess¡¯ daughter but because she¡¯s really pretty like her mother. The Fairy Goddess was one of the school¡¯s pride, she was a genius and a multi-talented woman and all the schools in the region knew about her as no one was able to beat her during her time, be it in academics or in talent. That¡¯s why her mother had been so strict on her because her mother was that woman¡¯s rival. She wanted her to surpass that woman, but in the end, she wasn¡¯t able to. And now, that woman¡¯s daughter appeared in their university and like her mother, she¡¯s also a genius and very pretty too, but what she hated more was that even Devin had been paying attention to her. She really hated it.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
~o~
At the top of Mount Agasa, there gloriously stands an obelisk that is even older than the Kingdom of Nephylaria itself, it is known as the Ancient¡¯s Tomb. An altar was built around the obelisk, various flowers and offerings can be found on top of it. Infront of the obelisk, two people holding each other¡¯s hands are standing gazing at the top of the obelisk.
¡°This obelisk gives me nostalgia. It¡¯s been a long time since then, but, I still remember the first time I came in contact with this obelisk.¡± Cleigh-an emotionally expressed. ¡°And thanks to that, I met you.¡± She turned to the man beside her, her husband, Zhefyre.
Zhefyre pats her head and smiles. It was a long journey, and they¡¯ve been through too many hardships, fortunately, they didn¡¯t give up.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps slowly approaching, ¡°I heard you¡¯ll be traveling back to the human realm today.¡±
Zhefyre turned to the source of that voice and found the Emperor of Nephylaria walking towards him. ¡°Greetings your highness!¡± he slightly bowed in respect to the Emperor. ¡°Indeed, my wife and I will be traveling back today.¡±
¡°You and your wife have been a great help to the Kingdom. The rebels who have been trying to dethrone me and usurp the crown have gone back into hiding. I am mostly worried about the factions trying to harm the crown prince.¡± The emperor sighed. He¡¯s been worrying about it these days and the pressure and responsibility weighing upon his shoulders
¡°You shouldn¡¯t be worrying too much Your Highness. The crown prince is currently studying at the Lotus Academy and the Headmaster is taking care of him. I¡¯m sure that the crown prince knows what he¡¯s doing too. He¡¯s your son after all Your Highness.¡± Zhefyre also watched the crown prince grow and he knew the crown prince¡¯s capabilities. He holds the power that may even surpass his father in time.
¡°I just hope that he will not act rashly and make unnecessary decisions.¡± The emperor sighed.
¡°Speaking of which, your reason to travel back, does it have to do with your daughter¡¯s awakening?¡± the emperor asked curiously. He knew that Zhefyre¡¯s daughter wasn¡¯t born under normal circumstances, her birth was actually a miracle in a certain sense. And the fact that her awakening didn¡¯t occur when she turned 13 was already out of the norms. Nephylarians usually awaken their abilities at the age of thirteen but there are also special circumstances.
¡°Yes Your Highness. We were expecting it to happen when she turns 21 just like what happened to my mother. But unfortunately, my mother contacted me a few days ago and told me that she¡¯s already showing signs of awakening.¡± Zhefyre wasn¡¯t expecting it to happen at this time but the circumstances couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°We were very sorry about this Your Highness. My wife and I know that you need us at this time but¡¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. You have done so much for this Kingdom already. And besides, you¡¯re no ordinary people of this Kingdom, you¡¯re still considered as Nobles and most of all, you are a direct descendant of the Ancient One. It¡¯s our privilege to have you here.¡± The emperor tapped Zhefyre¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I wish you and your wife a safe journey.¡±
¡°Thank you Your Highness.¡±
~o~
¡°Aliyah, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Kheifa knocked on Aliyah¡¯s door but no one was answering. She knocked again for the second time but still, there was no response. After knocking for the third time, she decided to open the door. When she entered the room she spotted a silhouette standing on the balcony of her room so she called out to her. ¡°Aliyah, it¡¯s time for dinner, aren¡¯t you hungry yet?¡±
Kheifa turned around and was about to head for the door when she suddenly heard Aliyah speak ¡°Aliyah? Is that what I¡¯m called now?¡± Kheifa abruptly turned back to look at her granddaughter and she got shocked at what she saw.
~o~
Nyk came out of the dining room and was about to check on his grandmother and sister when he noticed two silhouettes made of light appear at the living room. After a few moments, two figure appeared and Nyk hurriedly approached the them. ¡°Mom! Dad!¡±
The two embraced their son who came rushing to them. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much Nyk.¡± Cleigh-an exclaimed.
Nyk scratched his ears subtly with a blush on his face. ¡°You¡¯re just in time. We¡¯re just about to have dinner. I¡¯m just going to check on grandma and Aliyah.¡± Nyk was about to head for the stairs when Cleigh-an suddenly pulled his arm.
¡°Let me do it.¡± Cleigh-an smiled and was about to head for the stairs when they suddenly heard Kheifa shout.
¡°Who are you?!¡±
Chapter 5 - Awakening (1)
The three ran up the stairs and headed to Aliyah¡¯s room. There they saw Kheifa with her back facing them and infront of her stood a woman they have never seen. Her long black hair swayed with the wind coming from the balcony, the ample light of the night sky shone upon her face, and along with her extraordinary demeanor, she looked like an ethereal being.
¡°Where''s Aliyah? Where''s my granddaughter?¡± Kheifa was surprised to see an unknown woman in Aliyah¡¯s room. Her eye¡¯s searched around but she couldn¡¯t find her granddaughter anywhere. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± Kheifa became agitated.
¡°Please calm down, I mean no harm. Your granddaughter is safe.¡± the lady suddenly transformed into Aliyah for a few moments then turned back to her ethereal appearance. This act left Kheifa, Cleigh-an, Zhef, and Nyk flabbergasted.
¡°You- you¡¡±
¡°I borrowed her body for a while. To be exact, a fragment of my soul has been with her since her birth, but her magic essence was unable to sustain my existence at that time so I was asleep the whole time.¡± The lady explained.
¡°Who are you?¡± Zhef spoke. He didn¡¯t feel any ill intent from the ethereal-looking lady so he knew that she was speaking the truth.
¡°You may call me Eri. When I was alive, I lived in a place called Celestial Great Forest.¡±
¡°Why did you borrow my sister¡¯s body?¡± Nyk asked Eri. He could see that the lady was very polite and formal when speaking to them, she must be someone of high rank from where she came from.
Eri showed a melancholic smile as she stared at the moon, ¡°The soul of your sister is the soul of my greatest friend. Before I died, I vowed that I would always be by her side and help her accomplish what she needs to do no matter what.¡± She turned her gaze to the four people inside the room. ¡°She¡¯s about to awaken her powers and I know that you have noticed it.¡±
¡°Yes, she¡¯s showing signs of awakening.¡± Kheifa stated.
¡°It will not be a normal awakening.¡± Eri sighed. ¡°It will be a very dangerous one, and it might take her life.¡± Eri clenched her fist.
¡°What do you mean? My daughter is in danger?¡± Cleigh-an became extremely worried. They knew that it wouldn¡¯t be a normal awakening because she already passed the normal age of awakening. But they didn¡¯t expect it to be an extremely dangerous one.
¡°Her soul is not of mortal nor that of a Nephylarian as you all are.¡± With Eri¡¯s statement, they were all shocked.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°How do you know about us being Nephylarians?¡± Cleigh-an asked.
¡°Based from your souls.¡± Eri replied.
¡°How can you see souls? Are you a death god?¡± Nyk curiously asked he couldn¡¯t believe that an ethereal looking lady could be a death god.
Eri lightly smiled, ¡°I am surprised that you¡¯d think of me as a death god. But you are right for one thing. I mentioned that I once lived in the Celestial Great Forest, along with my best friend. There we were known as Holy Maidens, or for a more familiar term, we were called ¡®Goddesses¡¯.¡±
Kheifa suddenly remembered the origin story of all Nephylarians, ¡°Celestial Great Forest¡ You couldn¡¯t possibly be from the¡¡± Kheifa¡¯s eyes were open wide as she stared at Eri ¡°¡the Celestial Kingdom?¡±
Eri nodded, ¡°So you know about it. Yes I am, and so is your granddaughter, Aliyah.¡± Then she turned to look at Cleigh-an, ¡°That is why I said it will be very dangerous once her powers awaken. She holds a goddess¡¯ power but right now, she only has a mortal body. Her powers might burst out and take her life.¡±
Cleigh-an gasped as her knees suddenly weakened, Zhef held her so that she wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°Is there a way to help my daughter?¡± she asked as tears started to well up in her eyes.
¡°There is, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to live a normal life from then on as you have hoped she would. She¡¯ll have to live as a Halfling.¡±
¡°What¡¯s a Halfling?¡± Zhef inquired.
¡°Halflings are beings contracted to Holy Maidens. Through the contract, they receive an ethereal body but they have to abide by their master¡¯s biddings no matter what is it. If I form a contract with Aliyah now, she¡¯ll be a Halfling and she will safely undergo her awakening.¡± Eri explained.
¡°How will we know you won¡¯t bring harm to her instead?¡± Kheifa stared at Eri. Of course, she would do anything for her granddaughter¡¯s safety but letting her become contracted to obey somebody else¡¯s biddings was a little too much to bear.
Eri waved her hand and a ball of light condensed on her hand. Gradually that ball of light transformed into a silhouette that looked like Eri. ¡°This is my soul, as you can see it¡¯s almost transparent now. That means I won¡¯t be able to last much longer. Once I form the contract with Aliyah, I can only ask one vow and I will disappear. Each vow would require us to impart a part of our essence to a Halfling, but since I don¡¯t have magic essence anymore, I can only use my soul essence. And that one last vow would be¡ to ¡®end¡¯ the cursed immortal.¡±
¡°The cursed immortal!?¡± Kheifa shouted in surprise.
The three turned to look at Kheifa, ¡°Who¡¯s the cursed immortal grandma?¡± Nyk asked.
¡°The cursed immortal is the reason why Faria died.¡± Kheifa¡¯s voice croaked as tears poured down her face. The cursed immortal was a
being who lived for thousands of years. Nobody knew where he came from but one thing is for certain, he caused too many deaths that Nephylarians can feel the aura of death from him.
¡°That unforgivable bastard!¡± Cleigh-an clenched her fist.
¡°I can see that you bear grudgesagainst him, but all of you can¡¯t do anything to him. Only an ethereal being can ¡®end¡¯ him.¡± Eri then looked at Kheifa, ¡°Aliyah can become an ethereal being through the contract and it will save her on her awakening. You have to make a decision fast because any moment now, she would undergo her awakening.¡±
¡°It can¡¯t be¡¡± Zhef could feel that Cleigh-an tightened her hold on him, he also tightened his hold on her when he felt her tremble as she cried, ¡°My daughter¡¡± Zhef had known her wife¡¯s personality well. She¡¯s a strong and brave woman infront of her enemies, but when it concerned her family, she would show her weakness and vulnerability.
¡°Please save our daughter.¡± Zhef gazed at Eri with determination. As the father, he knew that right now, he¡¯s the one who could make the decision for the welfare of his daughter.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s my most precious friend. I won¡¯t do anything to harm her.¡± Eri then closed her eyes as she chanted, various symbols surrounded her while a wall of light began to condense around her. After a few moments, they saw Eri¡¯s soul fly out of Aliyah¡¯s body as it turned to look at them. Then they suddenly heard her voice, ¡°I am grateful to all of you. I feel assured leaving her because I know you love her as much as I do.¡± Eri then looked at Aliyah, ¡°It is time for me to say goodbye now.¡± I hope you find your happiness in this life, this would be the last thing I can do for you.
Gradually, Eri¡¯s soul dispersed into tiny sparks of light until it vanished.
Chapter 6 - Awakening (2)
Aliyah slowly opened her eyes and was surprised to see the endless horizon of a clear blue sky. She was lying on a mound of grass and the cool breeze of the wind softly touched her face. The soft chirping of the birds and squeaking of small animals could be heard in the distance. The rustling of leaves from the trees permeated the air.
¡°Where am I?¡± she slowly got up as she looked around her surroundings. ¡°I guess I¡¯m dreaming again. Might as well enjoy myself before I wake up.¡± A playful smile appeared on her face and started to run, ¡°Woah! This wind is so cool, so nice!¡±
Aliyah started running around, climbing trees and eating fruits. She had always wanted to experience something like this, to be in a place embraced by nature, where she could roam around however she wants. After climbing various trees, she decided to rest under one of the trees for a little while. After a few moments, she heard footsteps behind her. When she turned around, she found a very beautiful lady with long silver hair standing before her.
¡°Who are you?¡± Aliyah was surprised to see her. Even though she can¡¯t remember, she felt like she had seen her before, like they¡¯ve known each other for a long time.
¡°I am you, and you are me. But you may call me Eri.¡±
~o~
¡°Has Aliyah woken up already?¡± Zhef asked Nyk who just came out from Aliyah¡¯s room.
¡°Not yet dad. Grandma tried to wake up her up already but it seems that she¡¯s still in a deep slumber. How about mom, how is she?¡± Nyk asked back. His mother refused to eat a while ago and didn¡¯t want to leave Aliyah¡¯s side. Only until they confirmed that Aliyah was only sleeping that they were able to persuade her to eat.
¡°She¡¯s fine now. She¡¯s taking a shower at the moment. She¡¯ll come here and check on Aliyah later. This is going to be a long night.¡± Zhef sighed.
¡°Ah!¡±
They heard a sudden cry inside the room so the two immediately rushed in. They saw Aliyah levitating on top of her bed as streaks of light swarmed around her.
¡°Her awakening has started.¡± Kheifa who was standing nearest to Aliyah started to chant spells to surround Aliyah so that her awakening wouldn¡¯t be interrupted. The two also cast protective barriers around the house. When Cleigh-an came into the room and saw what they¡¯re doing, she also closed her eyes and started to chant spells to mask the house from any human¡¯s view.
When one would undergo awakening, that person would be surrounded by swarming streaks of light. There would only be a few streaks of lights at first, but gradually they would increase in number until that person¡¯s body would be fully enveloped by light. This initial stage of the awakening may take a few hours. Zhef¡¯s awakening took more than 4 hours while Nyk¡¯s took more than three. Kheifa¡¯s awakening, on the other hand, took more than 6 hours before it reached the final stage.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
~o~
Aliyah listened to a lot of Eri¡¯s story about her past life. She believed that it¡¯s only her dream at first, but when Eri pinched her and made a small cut on her finger, she felt the pain.
¡°This¡ how could this be?¡± Aliyah was so surprised.
¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe but right now, you are currently awakening your powers. Your mortal body has now changed into that of an ethereal body through the contract. You¡¯re a Halfling now.¡± Eri pat Aliyah¡¯s head.
¡°So Nephylaria and the Celestial Kingdom¡ they are real?¡± Aliyah frowned. Everything that she told her flooded her head.
¡°Yes, they are. And you once lived there. Now you need to wake up, they are waiting for you.¡±
Aliyah saw Eri waved her hand as she got enveloped with light, then as her vision darkened, she heard her say, ¡°Soon you will remember everything and by that time, you will understand.¡±
When she opened her eyes again, she saw an extremely beautiful lady floating before her. Her eyes were like dark gems full of luster and life as it stared at her. ¡°Who are you?¡± Aliyah asked. This was a very disconcerting experience for her. She just met a very beautiful lady a while ago who claimed to be her in her past life, and now, there¡¯s another lady that felt very familiar to her, yet she couldn¡¯t remember when and where she met her.
¡°We were the best of friends in your first life and I am here to fulfill my promise to you.¡±
¡°Promise? What promise?¡± Aliyah remembered that Eri mentioned she had a bestfriend whom she loved the most but she died to protect her.
¡°To help you fulfill what you weren¡¯t able to accomplish before, to ¡®end¡¯ the curse immortal.¡±
¡°Cursed Immortal? Why do I have to end this cursed immortal?¡± Aliyah tried to remember if Eri mentioned anything about the cursed immortal but there¡¯s nothing mentioned about him in her stories.
¡°To maintain the balance of the realms. The cursed immortal has traversed through time and realms, this caused ripples that affected the balance between realms. Once the balance gets destroyed, chaos will break out. You must prevent that from happening. That is your duty as a Holy Maiden. I have bestowed the Halfling contract upon you to help you overcome your awakening. Now it¡¯s time for you to finish it.¡± The lady started to gradually disappear.
¡°Wait! I still want to ask ¨C ¡±
Before Aliyah could even finish, extreme radian of light blinded her sight.
¡°Ah!¡±
~o~
Inside Aliyah¡¯s room, worry was written all over their faces. It¡¯s been 8 hours since Aliyah started awakening there was no sign of it ending yet. Suddenly, surges of magic essence erupted from her body.
¡°We¡¯re on the final stage, you must cast your strongest protective spells now.¡± Kheifa told the group as she chanted more spells. Among the four people inside the room excluding Aliyah, she and Cleigh-an held a greater amount of magic essence that¡¯s why the two of them had been casting more powerful spells from the beginning. Now that the awakening entered its final stage, the greater magic essence they have to spend in order to hide the phenomenon from the normal humans.
As the magic essence around Aliyah increased, a large beam of light penetrated the roof and showered down Aliyah. If any normal human being saw this, it would cause a huge commotion because they would see that the light came down from the skies as if an opening was created so the light could pass through.
When the light died down, the four rushed to Aliyah¡¯s bed. ¡°Was it successful?¡± Cleigh-an was worried because Aliyah still doesn¡¯t show any sign of waking up.
¡°Let¡¯s wait for a bit. I¡¯m sure it was successful.¡± Kheifa assured her.
After a few moments, Aliyah carefully opened her eyes. When she looked around, she was astonished to see her parents, her grandma and her brother around her. But what surprised her more was that she could see the flow of magic essence in their bodies. She also noticed that the amount of magic essence coursing through her mother and grandmother are greater than that of her father and brother. ¡°You¡ all of you have magic essences?¡±
Her question surprised all of them. They have already stabilized their magic essence so it¡¯s not visible right now. ¡°You can see the magic essences?¡± Kheifa asked.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s coursing through your body and it¡¯s converging near your heart.¡± Aliyah replied. She could see that the magic essences clustered at the center of their body near their heart, while some of it were circulating through their whole body.
¡°You¡¯ve really become a Halfling.¡± Kheifa muttered in shock.