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Hii :) thanks if you decided to continue reading my unworthy stories :)
I tried to make it longer this time and with more content and information as to how actually this archipelago world works :)
If you find it unsatisfying please comment for it and tell which part :) I wanted to improve my writings and that would certainly help. Also a bit my rant about this one, making a flowing and natural conversation while keeping in mind of how the speakers would speak were actually very difficult things to do .... even writings a simple background stories already killed me ...help me with your comment :D and anyway thanks again and have fun readings.
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“Lupa !!” shouted a middle aged woman near the white sandy beach. She wore a light green tattered dress with bamboo conical hat, preventing the sunlight blinding her dark brown eyes. She then keeps waving her hands mentioning my name over and over again making me paddle faster to respond her wishes seeing me sooner.
It was not a strange custom for us anymore ever since I worked as local fisherman. She would often pick me up in this sandy beach where fisherman often land their boat. None of the locals had the money to afford big boats and even though the ocean nearby are relatively calm and didn’t have any big waves we still wouldn’t risk our life saving, so we would pull our boats towards the small hut 15 rakat away from tides waters.
“ Wait a bit Lisa, I need to pull the boat first” I informed her even though she should already know since it was nothing new and the old man beside me just smirked, he must thought it was natural for me to do so.
“ Hup ” I jumped from the boats and landed in shallow water with a small splash. I then proceed to run towards the small hut while tapping the sand below checking the wetness of the sand. I need to make sure everything alright and I could safely place round logs without sinking to much.
After feelings that everything was alright I then continued to walk towards the hut. with a screech I opened the small shed in the hut looking for the logs that the fisherman often share. We were the last to arrive today and they should have placed everything back in order. Most of the local fisherman were young people in their mid 20 and compared to this old man that I work with, they are much more diligent and nice.
I sometimes wonder what happen with this old man. When we first met years ago and I started to work for him, he would show me the way things works with smiles and patience. He never scolded me even if that day we failed to get anything back to sell. He would just laugh at it and say we had no luck for today and just sail us back home.
He would also share some of his stories when he was young, when he tried to fiddle with some goods that was not his or when he tried to win some maiden hearts. I didn't think it was any important to listen to him but since he already share this stories why not listen ? I think I managed to develop my listening skills because of him. I could listen to the rattle of old people in bar for hours without feelings tired.
I respected him so much before but what happen, he changed so much in the recent month. I fear that the day I would bad mouth him will come. Thus far I hadn’t mentioned any bad words about him, not even when I’m alone. I would try to curse him though from time to time but I always manage to stop myself before the words completed.
“ Ouch” I wasn’t being careful and pricked my fingers with some of the log chips. I didn’t worry though since I always prepare small things in case like this happen. First I remove the chips in my finger then I moved my hand towards my hips, there I could find a small pockets with green herbs in it.
Lisa have some of this medicine herbs prepared for me whenever I go out sailing. She already planted a lot type of it in the front yard too. We tried to minimize our cost of livings by planting some medical and seasoning plants.
Now if I’m not wrong, I just need to crunch this in my mouth and grind it with my teeth. Afterwards with small amount of my saliva I would splatter this grinded herbs on my fingers.
“there done” I muttered as i finished taking care of my small wounds. Lot of people would laugh at this if I do it in open space like market or bar but I care not for them. Lisa taught me that disease could spread even from small wounds like this and I had to play it safe.
We got no doctors in our village although in the center of this island, where there is this one huge market with lot of people gathered we could find some but they cost so much. From what Lisa told me, one visit by them without their medicine could cost the wholesome amount of works I do for the old man for a week straight.
Yup okay, now all set as I lay the logs in the path for the boats to safely arrive in the small hut.
I looked left and right looking for the old man since I couldn’t find him inside the boats. I wouldn’t want to push this boats with the old man in it right. Its alone was already heavy enough to make me pants even though the distance was small. Never make light works done in the sandy beach.
[chatter,chatter]
I heard sound of a man and woman talking happily in some distance away and it was my caretaker Lisa and the old man. I don’t know what they are talking about that it needs them to make more distance but I could guess they were talking about the share of today catch since the old man already brought the wooden boxes with him.
That old man wouldn’t even discuss with me first and went straight for Lisa, don’t he know at least I would want to take a final look at our catch before they sell it. however suddenly their moods seems sour after the old man said certain things and Lisa just nodding her head acknowledging what the old man said. Well I don’t really have the space to care for them at the moment as I still hadn’t finished pushing this boat towards the hut.
Min pass by and eventually I am done with the small boats. I am now proceeding to secure the small boots as not to slide down with a long square wooden log. I place it both in front and behind the small boat. Now all done I could finally leave this place and head towards Lisa.
“Oops” I almost forget about the emergency ratio box that I tied in one of the sitting place. After I loosed the tie and looked at the inside of the small box, I sighed as I found no left over in it. Never mind that let’s head straight to Lisa I thought as I close the small box again and bring it with me in my right hand.
“Lissaaaaaaaa” I shouted and run towards Lisa. I didn’t stop when I was near her and instead jump towards her. She just laughed and hug me whenever I did that. It was one of our special greetings after I’m done with works.
“ Ohhh my little Lupa” She said while humming my name. She then scratched my cheeks and stroked my hair. However not long after that she pushed me out while still keeping me in her hands and asked me question.
“ So what did you today ? did you change your profession and become a dark lord now ?” She said with a joking tone after realizing that my body was still dark because of the tint from calmar. I didn’t bother to clean it up like usual and just went ahead with the old man since he hurried me sail us home.
“Never mind that, let’s go to the market.”
“Nope, with your condition right now I doubt people will come and buy our catch”
“you got that right Lisa” said the old man then he just wave his hand leaving me and lisa behind. He was heading towards the market and it seemed he was determined selling his catch today.
“ Where is our share Lisa ?”
“ Where ? with Juan of course. Don’t you see him heading towards market ?”
“ Why ? You could sell it way higher then when he does ?”
“ Oh my, seems someone wants to embarrass me in the market”
“ Urghh yes, I am sorry for being the dark lord….”
“ It’s okay Lupa, let us go home now. I got something special already prepared for you” she said while smiling and drag me away towards a paved road with small bushes in the side of it.
“ Special ? what special ?”
“ By any chance, you forgot didn’t you ?”
“ Me forgot ? ahahaha no way no way it must be that isn’t it ?”
“ Of course, My Lupa would never forgot wouldn’t he ?
“Yes , Lupa wouldn’t even forget anything” I said with a defeated tone. I really hate this remarks whenever I forgot something, she would just use my name. I was once told by her that my name means someone who forgot in one of the ancient language here.
“Good since if Lupa ever forget about it then he wouldn’t get that special thing”
“ Yes yes….”
“Lupa … you really forgot about it didn’t you”
“ Yes … I am sorry”
“ Well don’t mind it, you will realize it later on when we arrive”
“ Okay, forgive me already” I begged her now since I know all she ask was for me to admit my mistakes and ask for forgiveness. It was one of her way to take care of me though this method seems so troublesome.
“ Lupa now is forgiven” she said with smile in her faces
“ Thanks”
“ Don’t worry about it Lupa, you will definitely remember about it later. Now let’s continue”
We continued to head home. Nothing special happened as we walked by the paved road before separating with it in the next turn. The paved road was something that was built for the wealthy fishermen and merchant that often traverse this path with their carriage.
The big time merchant and fisherman were not from our village. They would only be here since the harbor for their big ships was located not far from our local fisherman beach. Outside of that the reason would be their visit to our market. They tend to bought some immediate supply for their goods when they fall short after all they could haggle our prices easily with a bit of force.
I honestly despise them since they were not our locals and do whatever they want with our products but Lisa said not to mind them and she said that it was them that allow us to grow big like today. The big market in the central of this island was build by them and that would often attract adventurer to resupply in our island before continuing their journey.
Lisa said that it was because of them that our small island appeared in the Archipelago map. I once asked her what is archipelago and why is it so important. She answered with pleasure and explained to me that Archipelago was collection of countless unnamed island in this regions.
This countless island may or may not have names and only when the island could offer some major commodities or benefits would then they be charted in the worlds map. She also said that there is a big land that people call Benua.
She explained that this big time merchant or adventurer often comes from this Benua. She herself never visited this so called huge island so she couldn't said much however when I asked her how big it is, she described as something so big that when this island that I could run around in 3 days added with another one of it, it would just like adding a salt in the ocean.
I couldn’t really believe what she said but since I never really visit other places, but I guess that show how big the worlds is. Another things that piqued my interest was why did this people from Benua wants to venture out in out nameless island in Archipelago.
This however was answered with a grim expression by Lisa. She told me that years ago before I arrived in this Island, the local people were surprised by huge tremor and in the morning they were surprised by the appearance of a small ravine in the middle of the island that span wide enough to split the island in two.
At first the local people were scared and want nothing to do with it, some even went as far as migrating to other island that was already populated by people only to later on come back as the same things happen to the whole Archipelago.
Then years pass by, the ravine slowly appear normal for the locals as they began to relax around them until one day a catastrophe happen. From the seas emerged creatures that walked slowly while bringing menace and disaster.
They appeared like a fish but with hand and feet, none of our locals have seen anything like them. Their eyes were dark as if no light could ever penetrate through it. Their body was smelly like a decayed corpse that was already rotted inside out. In their hands was weapons out of all kinds that even the local folks didn’t know how they can use them.
They still retain their tails which they dragged offshore leaving an ooze green like liquid and when animal happen to touch it they died in that place instantly, leaving their carcase which rotted so fast inviting moth and flies to comes only to add the dead pools.
They walked from all side of the island, leaving the local people in panic. Old people began to hide their wares and children in their houses. Lisa herself went hiding a top of some trees while her husband refused and gathered with other like minded people shouting they will protect their loved ones and so on.
Lisa told me that she didn’t understand why her husband had done so but I guess I could sympathize with him. I mean if something ever endangers Lisa I would fight it till my last breath. However, I had never ever once mentioned it to Lisa since I fear she would only be angry and sad to me. She might fears what had befall her husband could also happen to me.
Lisa’s husband then band together and proceed fighting this creatures but what unfold were just massacre. None of the creature Lisa saw died, only her husband and his groups that died miserably, butchered. Limbs were scattered here and there but none of the creatures pay attention to it.
All that lisa could imagine was this were the island people ends but to her surprise this creatures pays them no heed. They were just walking towards the ravine, they would destroy what was in front of them, stopping them from their advance but they wouldn't chase those who were fleeing, human and animals alike.
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They headed straight to the ravine from the open path the first creatures had showed and opened for them. They don’t even went slightly left or right, they followed the ooze green liquid that was left behind by their vanguard and went straight ahead. Some unfortunate beings and buildings were not spared in their parade and they still went on and on.
More and more creatures emerged from the seas as Lisa could saw the endless horde of them. They were unstoppable force that none can fight was what she thought until certain creatures also emerge following behind them.
Compared to the first creatures that emerged, they were more fresh. She said that these creature were some kind of bubble of water capable of flying and hovering above the ground. I thought to myself then why should the emerge from waters when they could hover above the air but till today I still didn’t understand.
She continued on explaining that these creature directions were no different than the first one as they followed the ooze green like liquid. These creatures continued to hover around it but the place that these creature already pass by suddenly become clean.
Lisa couldn’t find any of the traces from the first creature, it had cleaned off every thing in its path and even the smells that surround her started to dissipate. Some of these bubble hover atop of the leftover carcass and also cleaned it off, leaving nothing.
After them emerged nothing more out of the seas and Lisa started climbing down from the trees. She said to me that she went to look for her husband dead body, but she couldn’t find it. She went on and on for hours while others began to join her looking for their partner.
Lisa care not anymore about the creature as she focused searching for her husband's remains, all she had thought was to be able to at least give a proper burial for him. She searched for him forgetting about her fears that consumed her before.
Suddenly a huge tremors appear again and lisa stumbled to her feet. When she managed to stable her self and stand up, she heard a cry from the middle of the Island. The island was dead silent before the tremors happened as people and animals alike are likely still hiding and thus giving no noise.
Lisa then run after the voice, she worried something huge happened there and by any slim chance her husband could be there. She hold her tears as she run and run. She was so desperate until she arrived at was supposed to be the middle of the Island where the ravine was supposed to be, but the long and wide ravine disappeared without traces.
There she found many people crying and wailing, she still didn’t understand until she got closer and only after she arrived in the center, she lost all her power in her feet. She stumbled down, tears rolled down from her eyes and she cried, joining the others as she saw her husband remains there in front of what appears to be a hidden underground stairs.
Laying in there was ton of body parts and carcass of what hours earlier were full of energy, the joy of livings. She could saw her husband head laying blending together with others body parts. She understand what happened to her husband instantly without others saying anything. Her husband died like the rest of people who tried to fight the horde, got cleaned up and gathered here by the bubble creatures.
Then small rumblings occurred and the people began to panic once again, but Lisa stayed still in her place, uncaring what might happen afterwards. It was just a small rumbling though nothing like what happen before.
A stone suddenly appeared, pushed from the ground beside where Lisa stayed still. She originally didn’t care at all about that stone until she could notice some writings that appear to be crafted in it.
She said it was written with one of the ancient language of the locals she had learned. Not many people used it anymore but Lisa was different, It was her hobby to study the locals ancient language and by chance did she meet on of the people that could still use it and learned from her.
She said what was written in it teared her hearts to shreds, she only defined the first few sentences before she stopped, she didn’t want to continue reading it. She said what was written on it would something along “ Here lies what was once yours” in our language.
I then asked her to stop and said why should I know all of this when it hurts her so much just by retelling it ? She then bitterly smiled and answered. She wouldn’t want the same thing happens to me and if by perchance the same things ever happen again, she asked me to do the same thing she did, hide and save my self.
She then continued her stories. Not long after she went and suggested a mass burial for the people that died at that day. Lot of people joined her in that and one of them was the Old Man, Juan. He was one of the few man that survived the attack or what it appears to be. He was one of the few man that refused to fight with the bands and went into hiding alone. His families appear to be killed by the same creature as their hiding places was in the way of the creatures.
Years pass by after that and the people began to pick up their spirit again as new life was born. Through few men that were left new marriage proposal was offered since most of the survivor were woman. Lisa refused such a thing though but she still give her consent regarding that. They were not wrong in doing it since without a heir they might as well as being dead. They didn’t feel like going to another land either because they guessed the same things happened in another island in Archipelago.
Then good things happened afterwards. It was the arrival of a naval ship in their Island. They were asking ration since they had runs out of it. From them, the locals heard the situation of other island and even the naval homeland In Benua.
It also turns out that the naval were a scout from their main naval flagship.They were tasked to find out what was happening in this archipelago, especially the populated island and if they can try to relieve the locals and help them. It was their official duty that was reported to us and we were happy to give them helps.
Not long after people began arriving in our Island and business began to spring as goods and trades becoming our life line. Adventurer also arrived in our Island and when Juan went to talk to them in a special way, in which Lisa refused to tell me. From them Juan found out that the accident that happened in our island were in fact also happened in the whole worlds including Benua. However what was not told to us officially were the facts that people could benefit from it.
The reason why there were so many travelers nowadays were because of this. What was before known to be taboo to even come near the underground stairs in the middle of the island became the central market and gathered a lot of attention in this Island.
The adventures told Juan that this staircase lead us to sort of underground basement. They also informed us that in Benua it wasn’t always staircase and the like. Some were waterfalls, some become volcanoes, some even appeared normal building but when people got near it they would either suddenly disappear only to appear on the other side of the places or repelled.
People in Benua also shared our despair but they weren’t defeated by it. Kings sending their army towards the site and began their expedition. Lot of people were drafted and offering them self to help the expedition. They also began to name the site as Eru.
Juan then asked them why it was named Eru, it turns out it was to honor the first ever person that managed to enter the special site in Benua and succeeded conquering it. Then it piqued my curiosity as I cut lisa explanation and went ahead asking her more about this Eru but she returned my question with a frown and ignoring me while continuing her story at that time.
She then told me that not anyone could enter this Eru sites. Only a select people could and even then they would need to prove it again on Eru sites. She also told me that it won’t disappear with only just one people succeeding entering and completing it. This fact made people race to compete entering and conquering Eru sites in the worlds.
It seems Lisa know my curiosity knows no bound and answered my question again even before I ask. She told me based from what adventurer said that this Eru sites said hold unimaginable rewards. Some would rewards power and some would rewards richness in form of golds, jewelry or magical artifacts.
Magical artifacts, I frowned as it wasn’t that rare since I could see many adventures have it. Lisa then said that before the appearance of Eru sites magical artifact was nowhere to be seen. Lisa also said that magical artifacts from Eru sites could grands many strange effect like healing someone or some magical spells capability like making thunder falls at targeted place where the artifact was pointed.
Lisa still hadn’t stopped her mind magic reading capability though as she magically answered my unasked question. She said what Eru got from the site was a relic. I asked her what relic is but she just shake her head since she also didn’t know, but what she knows though that every first person who succeed conquering Eru sites would get a relic.
Strangely, the adventurers who gave us this information commented that many kingdom hunted for this relic and pay a huge ransom for it. They said that the kingdom would paid a lot for every person that have it and willing listing it as one of the kingdom treasure items. They also said that a relic couldn’t be parted with the owner, as when the owner died it would just disappear. Some argued that it went back to the original Eru sites when it was first acquired but none could prove it till now.
Getting back to the topic Lisa said that every other person that succeed Eru trials afterwards were rewarded with either those 3 things that she mentioned before, but they could still choose it.
She then explained a bit about the trials that she understood. She said that the trials to enter the site and to actually succeed conquering it and be rewarded were different. It was known that somehow both trials resembles the other but the difficulties were different. The method for when the rewards were given were also a mystery added the adventurer.
Lisa then gave me examples of know Eru trials. She said that If the trials were asking for an items, then we could find some special plate to hand over the items inside Eru site, but if it was a challenge against something, a duel or something else to proves our worth then it had to be done in the trials special places inside Eru sites.
It was estimated that the amount of people that already succeed the trials were 1 for every 1.000 people in all Eru sites. Not a small number anymore but when it was compared to relic holders it would be 1 in 100.000.
Lisa then said that here in our island such trial also exist but since we got the taboo things from before somehow still running, it was harder for outsider to pass it. Also since till today there was never one that succeed completing the trials in this island, this island manage to grow big and could be charted in the world map.
I then asked her a rather sentimental question, about what if I succeed in conquering the trial but she just nonchalantly said that if I ever succeed then that is good for me. I asked her again whether she could accept such a thing or not but she easily answer that yes, she also said that we shouldn’t regret what had already happened and just let it go, proceeding with her life and enjoys it. However, despite all what she said I could still sense a sadness in her tone.
Anyway she said, I could go and conquer it whenever I want since it could prove to be useful for me later on in life, but she also said that I must not hate the newcomers in the island, exempting the rude ones. After all the outsiders were the one that come to our help when we needs it. They brought us seeds and other commodity that helped us grow as we are now.
Right now we could enjoy more luxuries compared to before, when we were still uncharted she said. We also could easily travel to another island or even Benua since we got a periodic ships for that in our Harbor, although it would cost a lot but that matters not.
“Ughhhhh” I let my voice escape from my mouth as I stretched my body. Any seconds now we would arrive home and I was glad I was busying myself thinking what Lisa told me years ago since I noticed her looking a bit stressful. I guessed that she was thinking on how to surprise me later on in our houses.
Yup and not long after, there it appears our house. It was not big but it was humble and good enough to be my treasure. Located near a hill where I could hear the sound of waves hitting the protruding rocks below. Our house were quite far from other but it was Lisa and her late husband preference. It was made from some woods from the forest, it roof was from some dried soil near the forest. I don’t exactly know how it was made since it was not my object of interest but It could serve its purpose well, protecting us from the sun during the day and giving us the warm we needs during the night.
Lisa suddenly stopped me in my track and made a signal with her hand for me to stand by. I quickly followed her judgement and went on stand by. She then suddenly rushed ahead towards our home and stopped right in front of our door. Lisa then opened her arms wide and said loudly
“Welcome to Archipelago, The lands where wonders are found and also welcome home Lupaaaaaaaa”
She ended her sentence with a smile in her faces, so bright that it almost did not suit her middle age
“ Yes I am home, thank you Lisaaaaaaaa” I played along with her copying her tone. I now know what day is today. Today is the day I first arrived in this Island, the day I first arrived and met Lisa, my beloved caretaker and savior.