A serene breeze blew over a melancholic river that flowed downstream towards the horizon, far from human sight. Numerous creatures depended on the river to sustain their lives, and they lived around it, adapting to the constant changes brought by the wind. While some creatures learned to survive the changes, others moved on with the river like lone wanderers. The hierarchy around the river was never stable, as new threats would appear from time to time, disrupting the peace.
The river was a serene sight to behold, with the calmness of the water and the chirping of birds that filled the air. However, its tranquility was disturbed by the reflection of a girl, whose countenance was devoid of any enthusiasm or life. Her short hair was tousled, and her gaze was blank, sending shivers down the spines of the small critters that called the river their home. She had been standing there for several minutes, motionless and soundless as if lost in deep thought. Her mind was a flurry of different scenarios, each more complex than the last, as she struggled to clear her mind of the clutter that had taken over.
In a small village on the outskirts of Leviere, was a short girl with a pail full of river water by her side. She had lost track of time as she listened to the river flow and the breeze of fresh air. The voices of the small animals always calmed her down and put a calming smile on her face, even though she couldn’t understand them.
Minutes turned into hours of complete silence, when suddenly,
Plop
Her reflection rippled with the water as a rock plummeted through her reflection’s forehead. She turned to see where it came from and wasn’t surprised to see a shorter boy tossing a rock between his hands.
Girl: [What are you doing?]
Her soft, high-pitched voice called out in annoyance.
Boy: [What’s taking you so long?]
Lifting the pail and heading towards the boy, the girl groaned and rolled her eyes. The boy’s voice, almost opposite of the girl’s, came off as deep and mature.
Boy: [Were you meditating again? I’m going to tell Mom.]
Girl: [There’s nothing wrong with meditating!]
Boy: [Yeah, but when you’re supposed to bring home the water…]
Girl irritated: [Whatever!]
As she sat by the edge of the water, her eyes fixed on the turbulent surface, the image of her furrowed brow and scowling expression stared back at her, distorted by the ripples. Frustrated by the reflection that mocked her, she pushed herself up and strode towards the boy.
Boy: [Mom has been waiting for you, Meera!]
Meera: [She’s waited longer.]
The two started making their way down the stone road.
Meera: [Don’t tell her about this.]
Boy: [I’m not going to lie to her for you.]
Meera: [This wouldn’t be your first time.]
Boy: [Not anymore. You have to own up to it.]
Meera: [Just tell her I bumped into some friends or something. She’d believe that.]
Boy: [This time the water wasn’t for her. I don’t know if you forgot, but you’re an elder sister now.]
Meera let out a sigh as she rolled her eyes.
Meera: [Believe me, I haven’t.]
Boy: [Then what’s up?]
Meera: [Don’t you ever feel like you aren’t the person you think you are?]
The boy gave her a stink eye as she spoke. A look of disbelief that wasn't foreign to her.
Boy: [If you’re on your period again, I’m not doing the dishes for you.]
Meera: [That has nothing to do with this.]
Boy: [Then what’s with the existential bullshit?]
Meera suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and dropped the bucket of water. Surprised, the boy turned around and looked at Meera’s narrow eyes in his direction.
Boy: [What are you doing?]
Meera: [Ever since mom had that kid, I’ve been coming to this river… meditating… and it’s made me realize something.]
Boy: [If you’re about to say some dumb shit like “I’m running away”, you have no idea what you’re doing.]
Meera slowly turned her head away from the boy and didn't utter a word. The sudden silence took the boy by surprise, making him feel even more disheartened than before. The disappointment in his heart was palpable as he stood there, waiting for some sort of response from Meera.
Boy: [C’mon, Meera!]
Meera: [I haven’t been feeling like myself, Saliesh! I feel like I'm not the person I was a few weeks ago! It's weird and I don't know how to explain it. Those stories about the Penn queen and Leviere paladin living double lives, maybe I’m like them!]
Saliesh: [Just because they’re going through something doesn’t mean that you are too!]
Meera: [Saliesh, listen to me!]
Saliesh: [You’re being so fucking stupid, Meera! You want to leave me and Mom, AND our new sister, just because of a feeling you might be special?!]
Meera: [I’ve been capable of crazy shit since I was born, and the whole village knows that! What I can do isn’t normal, and everyone makes it clear that I don’t belong…]
Saliesh: [We need you more than that queen that doesn’t know you exist!]
Meera was taken aback by her brother's reaction. She had always believed that he would be the one person who would support and understand her decision. However, his expression of disapproval and disappointment as he stood before her made her heart sink. Meera had hoped that as her younger brother, he would be on her side. Unfortunately, even he failed to see the wisdom in her choice.
Saliesh: [We have a sister and a mom that need our help. Mom can barely move on her own, and I’m forced to find a wife I couldn’t give two shits about. Neither of us are living the lives we wish we could… but you don’t hear me telling you about my dreams, do you?]
Meera: [This isn’t a dream…]
Saliesh: [Shut up and pick up the bucket. We’re going home.]
Meera's heart pounded in her chest as she clutched the fabric of her shirt, her eyes fixed on his back as he picked up his bucket and turned around. She felt a surge of panic rising within her. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation spreading through her body, starting at her fingertips and working its way up to her chest. It was as if her whole body was being filled with a golden light, and for a moment she forgot all her fears and worries. She felt a sense of power and energy coursing through her veins, and she knew that she would be okay, no matter what happened.
Meera: [No.]
Saliesh turned to his glistening sister with narrowed his eyes to match his sister.
Meera: [You take it. I’m leaving. Tell mom that I said I’m sorry.]
Saliesh: [Think about what you’re doing, Meera. Think about what you’re going to be leaving behind.]
Meera: [There’s more to my life than what I can see… and I’ll prove it by going to the queen.]
Saliesh: [What are you going to do if you aren’t the special person you think you are? I doubt Mom will let you back in after hearing about this.]
Saliesh's face was now drenched in tears, his cheeks wet and salty. Despite his emotional turmoil, he managed to keep his expression stoic and composed. His older sister could sense the depth of his feelings and knew that her departure would cause him immense pain. Saliesh tried to hold back his tears, but the thought of her leaving was unbearable.
Meera: [Then I’ll go to school in the capital. I’ve been saving money for this.]
Saliesh: [You can’t be serious…]
Meera: [I’ve already made up my mind, Saliesh. If you want to stop me…]
Meera readied her fists and moved the golden glow that surrounded her to only surround her hands.
Saliesh: [I know better than to fight you… but please, think this through.]
Meera: [I’ve thought long enough.]
With a heavy heart, she lifted the bucket and handed it to her younger brother. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving without saying goodbye, but she knew that her mother would never let her leave the village if she returned. This was her only chance to escape, and though it was not the farewell she had hoped for, she had to make do with what she had.
As she looked at her brother's face, contorted with pain and sorrow, her heart shattered into a million pieces. She began to doubt her decision for a moment, wondering if it would be better to stay. But she knew deep down that she had to leave and start a new life. With a heavy sigh, she turned her back on her brother and walked away, her heart heavy with regret.
Meera: [We’ll see each other again… and when I do…]
She looked back at Saliesh with a warm smile.
Meera: [I’ll be a different person. I promise.]
Saliesh: [What’s wrong with the person you are now?!]
He shouted again, damaging his voice in the process.
Saliesh: [You are so much more than what you think, Meera! Me and mom love you… there isn’t anything we wish to change!]
The warm smile across Meera’s face faded as Saliesh started to let his tears flow. For all her life, her younger brother had always been the calm and collected one in the family. Rarely came the time that he would break out in tears, though every time had something in common.
Loss.
The first time Meera could remember seeing his tears was when their father passed away. It had been a year ago, but the raw emotion and pain that came from his face reminded her of the time and even brought a tear to her eyes. Another time was when he was forced into a marriage and gave up what he had dreamed for his entire life. The argument he had with his mother when told this was a day Meera couldn’t forget. And now, right in front of her face, her brother’s tears clashed with the floor and flowed towards the river heading downstream.
Meera softly: [Saliesh… I’m sorry.]
Saliesh: [No, you aren’t!]
He clenched his teeth and threw the bucket on the ground.
Saliesh: [Just go! I don’t want to see your face anymore!]
The tears forming in Meera’s eyes quickly flooded and began pouring down her cheeks.
Meera in tears: [You and mom mean the world to me!]
Her voice rose and plummeted with every word.
Meera: [You’re always there when I need you and you take care of me when I’m sick! I would do anything to keep you two happy!]
Saliesh: [Then why are you leaving?!]
Meera: [Because I’m not the same sister! Ever since last month, I’ve been feeling like I’m not living in my own skin, and coincidentally a few days later the queen of Penn comes out as a… a different person. If I want to find answers to the truth about my feelings, I have to talk to the queen.]
Saliesh: [What about us, then? If you leave, things will be harder for me and Mom.]
Meera: [As soon as I get everything figured out, I’ll come back and fix things. I promise it’ll be sooner than later.]
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Saliesh: [I won’t forgive you.]
Meera: [I don’t expect you to.]
She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself closer and shutting her eyes tight. Meera’s tears clashed with her brother’s hair as she tried to stop their flow.
Meera: [Just promise me you won’t give up on mom.]
Saliesh: [Of course I won’t.]
He returned her hug and buried his head into her shoulder.
Saliesh: [I’m not an idiot.]
----------------------------------------
As Meera set out on her journey towards the northeast, she bid farewell to her little brother. Her lack of experience with the outside world and the unknown challenges that awaited her made her apprehensive. However, determined to start anew, she gathered essential items hidden near the river and embarked on her journey. Looking back at her childhood village from a small hill, she smiled, but tears streamed down her face as she thought of her mother and how she must be feeling.
Days passed, and Meera's journey became more arduous than she had anticipated. With limited food supplies, she stopped by small villages to gather information and replenish her stock using her meager savings. She learned from NPCs and traveling merchants that Leviere was a perilous place to visit, but she chose to ignore the warnings and continued her trek.
One day, while the suns shined bright on the land, Meera stumbled upon an abandoned village ravaged by a past battle. The only inhabitants were wild animals and Ultras, who attacked anyone on sight. Meera cautiously made her way through the city, hiding behind buildings and avoiding confrontations with the dangerous Ultras. As she neared the center of the village, she spotted a colossal Ultra, nearly the size of a building, surrounded by several smaller ones. Fearful, she trembled, afraid that they would attack her if they saw her.
She pressed her back against a wall, trying to calm her nerves, but the Ultras caught sight of her and shrieked. One of them pulled out a horn, and Meera noticed three Ultras guarding it. She tried to fight back, and four golden hands appeared behind her, grabbing the Ultras and pulling them back into the alley. This gave her the opportunity to defeat them and avoid alerting the horn-blowing Ultra. She then took the horn, which looked like a hollow elephant tusk, and felt a strange pulse emanating from its core. Confused and scared, she threw it on the ground and watched it vibrate.
Suddenly, the ground shook, and the colossal Ultra charged toward the tusk, followed by several other small bands of Ultras. All exits were blocked, leaving Meera with nowhere to run. She turned around and saw the giant monster with its nasty green eyes staring back at her. It was an immense version of the small Ultras Meera had encountered earlier, with an orange stomach protruding forward and large yellow tusks sticking out from the bottom of its lips. These Ultras were goblin-like creatures who had unique skills and could hunt in groups.
Meera's eyes glowed again, manifesting an enormous fist from thin air that slammed into the giant's face, pushing it into a ruined building. As the monster crashed, it let out a deafening cry that echoed in the sky, causing Meera to close her ears to protect her hearing. The hundreds of Ultras that had been alerted went towards the large monster, while the ones that followed it pulled out swords and charged toward Meera.
Terrified, Meera manifested a hand that lifted her from the ground and tossed her in the air, giving her a better view of the village. From the skies, she noticed a colorful group headed towards her, giving her hope. Before she could scream for help, the Ultra snatched her from the skies and held her in its hand. Meera struggled to break free and used violence as her last resort. Dozens of small hands appeared behind her, shooting towards the giant and slamming into its face. Though they only stung the giant, causing it to grow irritated, they were roughly Meera's size. The Ultra let out one final scream before reaching for Meera's head, now enraged.
Before it could crush her,
Sean: [người bảo vệ lửa!]
From the sky a massive creature the size of the giant dropped from a red magic circle and smashed the Ultra head down, releasing Meera from its grip. As she was falling, she was suddenly picked up by a blue-haired girl on the back of a blue phoenix. Meera stared at the girl in awe as she had a wide grin across her face and a mystical aura all around her. She brought Meera to the rooftop of a nearby building and gently put her down. Once on her feet, Meera got a good view of the girl’s light purple outfit and physique.
Faith: [You aren’t hurt, are you?]
Meera stared at her before shaking her head. The girl’s soft but mature voice mesmerized her.
Faith: [Good. Has no one told you that it’s dangerous around here? Demons have been surrounding Leviere ever since the waves started.]
Her worried face appeared cuter than concerned, and it made Meera blush a little.
Meera: [I was warned… but,]
The titan battle behind her erupted cries and screams as the two tried to converse.
Meera: [Why are you here?]
Faith: [We were actually on our way out of here, then we saw you flying and…]
Sean on ground: [FELIX WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!]
A sudden voice shouted between the monster’s cries.
Sean: [GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE AND HELP!]
The girl’s smile quickly faded into a frown as she turned toward the voice and shouted back.
Faith: [I’M COMFORTING THE GIRL, YOU DIMWIT!]
Sean: [WELL HURRY YOUR ASS UP! THE SUMMON WON’T LAST ANY LONGER!]
Meera: [Your name is Felix?]
She looked at the blue-haired girl as she stood up and looked towards the battle monsters.
Faith: [Yes, but no. Just call me Faith, please.]
Meera silently: [Faith…]
She had the feeling she heard the name once before and began scrummaging through her memories for when she heard it. As she did, Faith created a large shield that defended them from a clash from the summon. Above Faith’s head, Meera a title that she had never seen before. ‘ELITE’ in all caps and shining like a star. Whoever this was, she knew they were a big shot.
Faith: [I’ve gotta go help them, so stay safe and head back to where you came from… wait that sounds mean.]
A large explosion came from the direction of the monsters.
Sean: [FELIX!]
Faith irritated: [SHUT UP SEAN! I’M COMING!]
She jumped off the building and towards the ground, with her hair flowing behind her. Not a moment later she rose above the building on a blue phoenix and soared towards the monsters. Meera watched, angered to have been left behind. As Faith made her way, Meera jumped off the building and manifested a golden hand to carry her toward Faith’s phoenix.
Sean: [The Ultra is stronger than we thought! The golem got gangbanged by the goblins on the ground.]
Faith: [Can’t you use a better word?]
Sean: [Would you prefer me to say raped instead?]
Faith disappointed: [No… the other word will suffice.]
Sean: [Anyway, Abri and Parker are waiting for you to pick them up. They’ll handle the goblins while we take care of the big boy.]
Meera: [Count me in, too!]
Coming from Faith's side, Meera soared beside her with a nervous grin across her face. Faith was surprised to see her, but accepted her, nonetheless.
Meera: [I can fight!]
Faith: [Say less!]
Faith chuckled.
Faith: [Sean! You and the girl will handle the monster. I’ve been wanting to practice my Od with Parker!]
Sean: [What?!]
Faith: [She says she can handle it!]
Sean: [She’s a stranger! If anything happens to her, it’s on your head!]
Faith: [Yeah! Yeah!]
She turned back to Meera and grinned.
Faith: [I’m depending on you.]
The sorceress flew down and between the legs of the giants, towards two individuals on top of a small building.
As Faith disappeared from her view, a sudden notification appeared in her peripherals that asked her to party up. Once she joined, she saw the icons for Faith along with three others resting on her left eye.
Sean: [Hey, girl!]
The image of the guy in green reacted with the voice. Meera was shocked to see it happen before her eyes.
Sean: [I’m going to unsummon my golem. The Ultra will target you once it’s gone. I don’t know who you are, but don’t let me down, okay?]
Meera confidently: [You got it!]
As the Ultra carried the stone golem in a chokehold, it suddenly exploded into millions of tiny blue particles, that then flew to Sean’s wand. As the Ultra glanced through the particles, it caught sight of Meera’s golden hand and screamed with familiarity. Its rage was greater than before as the golem did quite a bit of damage and tarnished its ego.
Meera sat down with her legs crossed and closed her eyes. Sean watched from afar as a golden aura began to sprout around her and flow just like flames. The Ultra charged toward her, killing the smaller Ultras beneath it, and breaking through buildings like they didn’t exist. Meera remained calm in her golden aura. Its warmth reminded her of a hug from the people she loved the most. She could almost imagine her family around her, and that brought a smile to her face.
The Ultra was closing in on her, raising a hand in an attempt to grab hold of her. As it gained distance, Sean grew anxious about her actions. Waving his wand, he created crystal-like steps to bring him to a great height and watched with caution as the Ultra’s hand got closer.
Meera slowly raised a single hand and pointed her palm at the Ultra. Once she rested her palm,
Meera: [Rūpa.]
Suddenly a golden fist the size of the Ultra appeared behind Meera and slammed into the Ultra faster than the eye could see. In pain, the Ultra took several steps back with its face covered. One of its tusks snapped off and crashed into the ground.
As the beast stumbled back, Sean raised his wand and cast a spell.
Sean: [Rừng phun trào!]
A dozen vines and wooden branches rose from the ground and wrapped around the Ultra, bringing it down to the ground with an explosion of dust.
Sean: [Finish him!]
Meera stood up and looked down at the crying Ultra as its minions surrounded it, slowly eating bits of its skin.
Meera coldly: [Vijñāna.]
Suddenly, the Ultra’s cries grew louder as it shouted into the skies. Every crevasse on its body started to emit a golden light that shot into the atmosphere. Faith and the others watched in awe as the monster begged for mercy.
Meera: [I’ll end your suffering. Nirodha.]
With a shut of her palm, the Ultra’s soul rose out of it like a golden spirit and flew towards the sky. The higher it got, the quieter the Ultra became. Once it disappeared, the smaller ultras surrounding it turned towards the three on the ground and shouted.
Sean looked at the scene in horror, his eyes unable to close themselves and a jaw wider than he had ever made.
Faith: [Looks like our fight isn’t over.]
Parker: [Buy me some time and hurdle them around the big boy! I’m going to bury them all with this attack.]
Abri & Faith: [Right!]
They split up and attacked both sides of the Ultra herd, pushing them towards the body of the giant like sheep in a pen. Any that refused to cooperate were killed on the spot and turned into XP.
Once in a near-perfect circle, Parker smalled his staff into the ground and watched as the outline of Ultras shined green and rumbled the ground beneath them. Faith and Abri returned to the druid and watched as the Ultras quickly descended into oblivion. Creating a massive hole in the middle of the city would surely create problems, so Faith and Abri took it upon themselves to fill it up with a green magical substance.
As soon as everything came to an end, Faith waved at Meera and asked her to come down along with Sean. They met up on the green patch and sat on it like it was grass. With smiles across their faces, Meera watched them converse as they had just completed a mission. Some of them spoke about a possible pay while the others groaned with weakened breaths. The way they spoke to each other was oddly friendly like they had known each other for years, which left Meera out of the conversation.
As soon as Faith noticed Meera’s awkward smile, she laughed and let out a hand.
Faith: [Our first introduction was kinda iffy. Let’s start over!]
Meera reached for her hand and firmly grasped it.
Faith: [My name is Faith, and these are my friends.]
Turning to each one of them, she named them individually.
Faith: [The wizard that helped you take down the giant is Sean Soukone. He may come across intimidating, but he’s really cool once you get to know him.]
Sean awkwardly: [Sorry about underestimating you, by the way. I didn’t expect you to have Buddhist powers.]
Meera silently: [Buddhist?]
Sean silently stared back at her as Faith walked up to the guy with the staff.
Faith cheerfully: [This is Parker Kane! He’s a druid with a really big appetite!]
Parker angrily: [Is that really how you introduce me to others?!]
Faith confused: [What? Am I wrong?]
Parker let out a sigh as Abri laughed.
Faith: [And that’s Abrianna, last name unknown. She’s the soon-to-be queen of an elven tribe and our Od mentor.]
Abri: [When he says soon-to-be, he means not for another several thousand years.]
Meera’s eyes widened at the thought.
Meera surprised: [You don’t look a day over twenty!]
Faith: [I know right!]
The sorceress walked up to Meera’s ear and began whispering.
Faith: [If you want her, you’ll have to act fast. You’ve got Kane as competition.]
Parker irritated: [Shut up, Felix!]
Faith let out a giggle and returned to her spot.
Faith: [This is our band of Stooges. Call us the Adventurers of Some Sort! Trademark pending.]
Sean: [None of us agreed on that name, Felix.]
Faith: [You didn’t disagree with it either.]
Abri: [They were drunk on Api Juice.]
Faith: [Until you come up with a better name, that’s what I’ll be telling travelers.]
The three continued to argue over the topic, as Parker walked up to Meera with a smile.
Parker: [Ignore them. They get like this often.]
Meera: [You’re Parker, right?]
Parker: [Yeah. I don’t think we got your name.]
Meera: [I’m Meera Gurung. I came from a village pretty far from here to meet with the queen.]
Parker: [Is there a reason you want to speak with Ruby? If you don’t mind me asking.]
Meera: [Not at all. It’s because I feel like I’m like her… y’know?]
Parker: [You feel like you’re a queen trying to rebuild her kingdom?]
Meera: [No, I feel like I have a second identity in me. One that isn’t from this world.]
Parker: [Are you referring to the Buddhist powers you have?]
Meera: [What are Buddhist powers?]
Parker: [… So, you think you’re one of the lost?]
The druid turned to the three arguing over a name, and shouted Sean’s name, attracting his attention almost immediately.
Parker: [Do you remember a Meera?]
Faith: [Meera?]
She suddenly joined the conversation.
Faith: [Isn’t that the weird chick that was on the soccer team?]
Faith looked at Meera sitting beside Parker with her eyes squinted.
Sean: [I think Meera was in team Journey. I saw her with Magic Strawberry once, I think. Why?]
Parker: [This lady says her name is Meera and she feels like she has another life elsewhere. She wanted to talk to Ruby about it]
Abri: [Maybe she’s one of the lost.]
Faith: [I mean, she most likely is. There is only one way to find out.]
Sean: [I’d advise against it for the time being. Parker’s way is still something we can’t trust.]
Meera watched patiently as the four of them spoke back and forth on something she didn’t understand. Their usual friendly banter turned into a serious conversation as they tried thinking of something they could do.
Abri: [I’ll shoot Ruby a message to let her know you’re on your way.]
The elf said towards Meera.
Abri: [We cleared the villages of any Ultras, so you should be safe. As long as you continue northeast for the next two days, you’ll be in the capital of Leviere, where Ruby is staying for the time being.]
Meera: [Th… thank you!]
The four of them got up and began walking east of the city, where Meera had entered from.
Faith: [Safe travels!]
She shouted while waving her hands. Meera watched the Adventurers of Some Sort walk out of the village with smiles on their faces and grew envious.
She stood up and looked northeast, passed the green patch, and walked in the direction she was advised to go. In two days, her life would take a drastic change, and whether or not it was for the better was a problem for future her. For now, she continued onward to meet with the queen of the fallen kingdom, Ruby Ly.