PART SIX

Narrator's POV

Before the wrath of Pricus happened, the Gods made different weapons only to be used by the defenders when the right time came. Nobody can use it except from the owner itself. 

There are bows and arrows, spears, swords, daggers, axes, and slingshots. 

In order to prevent greediness from entering their hearts, the Gods made them imperfect unlike the four siblings. Almost half of the orphans already mastered their weapons, some are not. Those who are not yet good at it are much wiser than the others. Though it's rare for a certain defender to be both wise and strong, some of them manage to have it both. 

Alasdair thought that it's about time for the newcomers to meet the others and get their own corresponding weapons to begin their training. Alasdair, Arphen, Nowo and Moha, started heading towards a huge gate where they could clearly hear the shouts of the defender's while training with each other. The centaurs who were guarding behind the gate quickly moved to let them in. 

As they all entered the huge ground, different noises began echoing the whole place. All of them are busy enough to notice the sudden visit of the former king. 

"The headmaster is here!" One of the Centaur shouts that made them stop moving for a while. 

They all began to keep their weapons and started to walk towards him. "Headmaster." The orphans started to greet him with a deep bow.

The moment they all started to stand up straight, Alasdair began to speak, "I am very flattered to see your hardwork and determination to learn, defenders. And I came here to deliver good news to everyone.'' His smile broadened from ear to ear.

He asked the newcomers to stand in front of him and began to introduce them to the other orphans, "I'd like you all to meet Nowo and Moha."

Nowo feels strange about their blank faces, their fiery eyes are locked into their direction, their stares are full of judgement and curiosity. Whether the two of them would be their biggest rival in reaching their goal to be the main defender of the land. 

They thought of winning the battle as a token for fame, power as long as for the never-ending blessings from Gods. 

"I hope all of you would help them adapt to the new environment here in defender's base." Alasdair uttered to them. He nodded his head while facing the centaurs, a sign from which he's commanding them to do a task that they are already aware of. They walked towards the wooden table to get the two weapons lying on top of it and handed it to the old king. 

He gave Nowo a sword, while Moha, on the other hand, got a bow and an arrow. 

"These will be the weapons you need to learn." He uttered to them. "I'm looking forward to seeing more of your skills."

Nowo's forehead started to crease in curious lines as she held the sword, which is really heavy for her to wield. "A question..." She fretted. Both of her eyes locked into Alasdair's direction. "Why am I having a sword? Isn't a man supposed to have this? It's not like I want to use an arrow but I can feel that both of my wrists are going to break once I start raising it. This sword seems to be bigger than me."

Alasdair let out a short laugh and began to respond, "If only I have the power to change your fate, Nowo. But you are all destined to have what is already given to you."

He turned around and faced the others with a bright face. He put both of his hands at his back before taking a deep breath. "That's why you all need to train hard, focus on your inner strength first so that the power inside you will turn you into someone you never thought you will be. Always remember that you have to be wise, strong and brave in order to pass the test that I am going to give you, and then after that, get yourself ready for the upcoming battle between each other."

Alasdair left the training ground with a positive mind. He smiled at the thought of seeing such great skills and abilities that are going to sprout from them soon after his plans. 

Nowo's POV

"Hi." I heard someone greet us from behind. I turned around and saw a curly haired lovely young lady, who currently wears a knee level balloon dress with inner tight pants. She's holding a bow, while the arrows are placed inside a wooden cylinder hung at her back. 

"It's really nice to see you guys, I am Luna." She was in high spirits the moment she introduced herself to us. I can see her eyes squinting as she smiles, hiding her captivating greenish pupils. 

I can't help myself but to smile back because of her friendly approach and she seems kind, so why not? "Hi, Luna. Have we already met?"

She nodded her head and answered, "Of course. I know you, Nowo. But I'm aware of the fact that you don't know me. Right, Moha?" 

Moha gave her a slight smile. The way she looks at him seems so different. It's full of affection. "How have you been, Luna?"

"Always fine, Moha. How are you?" She asked him.

I've decided to move away and give them the space that they might need. I walked towards the wide empty corner which is the perfect place to practice wielding my sword. 

"Why did you leave me, Nowo dear?" said my little guardian, Lane. 

"Sorry, I was not in my actual self today." I responded with a slight smile. 

"Hmmm..." Lane stares in their direction while furrowing her brows. "That's really strange." 

Her words drew my attention which made me raise my head and look at her, "What do you mean?" I asked out of curiosity. 

She stared back at me and began to shake her head slowly, "Nothing, my dear. It's just that I couldn't see her guardian. Maybe it's neither fairy nor peryton but another creature."

"Oh, I see." I responded to her.

I was trying to learn how to use my sword but everytime I'm raising it, I feel like my hands are going to fall.

"By the way, Nowo dear. Are you sure you didn't know her? How about the other defenders?" She asked me.

"Yes. It may sound weird to you, Lane. But all of their faces look very different. The only image that is clear to me right now is Moha's appearance."

Honestly, the reason why I am not familiar with this set of people is a mystery for me until now. What I mean is, we all lived in the same place for eighteen years but they all seem to be strangers. Like I've never seen any of them before. Well, maybe because I don't pay attention to the people around me that much. But things have changed now and I don't feel like being my old self again. I know I have to be attentive and focused in every way that I can.

I remember the moment while I was alone in the small room at the higher floor of this base right before Moha and the two fairy guardians found me there. I began to roam around that place and ended up locking my feet in front of a huge window. Both of my eyes are focused somewhere far outside, where the darkness reigns. I slowly tilted my head and started to wonder why this sudden thing happened. That if I really came from this world then maybe I can find my biological parents here? Maybe they are still alive? 

I wonder if they are still looking for me. 

Alasdair's POV

Training should be over as soon as possible. There's not much time left for us to waste. The darkness will soon cause despair to every life remaining in this land and that includes us.

"Sorry to ask this question, my king. But Are you really sure about your plan?" My loyal comrade asked me as he creased his forehead in worried lines.

"Yes, Arphen?" I urged.

"The 7 trees of wisdom and the mountains of hunters are considered reasonable for me as a test but why do they need to go to the Lake of Aria?" He asked me again.

"The Gods made the Lake of Aria a sacred place and you are able to gain back your memories by diving deeper into the center of it. The water will pull you down not to drown you, but to fill your mind with the old events that happened right even before you were born." I explained to him.

"Your plan is to bring their memories back?" He wondered.

"Remembering your past will also turn you into your original appearance. The magic, your real skills and the abilities you are supposed to have will all come back." I added. "The whole power that the water in the Lake has, is beyond our knowledge. There may be more hidden magic in that place but I am afraid those words that I have shared with you were the only things I knew about it."

His eyes are both widened, "That's incredible. I wonder why you are still training them." Arphen uttered to me.

"I tried it on one of the orphans." I said as I smiled widely. 

"who?" He asked me. 

[FLASHBACK] 

The memories of the past remained clear in my mind. Feels like it happened just yesterday. I can still hear different species crying for help as the evil people started taking their love when they refused to be one of them. 

We have been waiting for a very long time now, wherein we can finally ask for the defenders help. 

There's not much time left for us to spare. Our home land is getting nearer to its end and the magical power that the Gods made to protect and hide this orphanage is no longer enough. 

In addition to that, Pricus would never stop looking for these children and I don't have much power to save them from him. Even my comrade doesn't have much power to defeat him. That's why I got to do my plan and get them ready for the upcoming chaos. 

“Excuse me. Who are you?” I heard the young man uttering. I was just sitting on the huge chair, facing the window when he entered my place. 

Earlier this day, I commanded Arphen to bring him into the other world. 

“Where am I?” He added as he looked around the place. Maybe the different sight of this place causes him to stop questioning and begin to wonder why in a world he would suddenly wake up in a gloomy place like this. 

I stood up and faced him. The young man was just creasing both of his fox-like amber eyes while staring in my direction. 

“Nice to see you, Moha.” I started to greet him with a wide smile flashing on my face. 

He kept wearing that kind of expression, even my kind approach didn't make him comfortable. “How did you know my name?” He curiously asked. 

I walk towards him, flashing a wide smile on my face. I began to pour him the glass of water I was holding. This water came from the Lake of Aria, it has an incredible magic that can cause you to gain the memories you had even before you were born. It will also give you a different level of skills and abilities that they are supposed to have right before they came into the orphanage. 

All of the things that the said water can do are still theories for me. They were the only ones who were separated from the land and were made into a normal person. I'm not a hundred percent sure if this thing would work. 

That's why I chose to try it on Moha. 

[END OF FLASHBACK] 

"What happened after you poured it on him?" Arphen asked me as he creased his forehead. 

I smiled and said, "Nothing." while shaking my head from left to right. 

Both of his eyes are widened."What? Are you serious about that, my king? So the power of the lake isn't real?" I can't believe that Arphen's reaction would bring so much fun.

"Take it easy, Arphen. I only poured a small amount of it. Maybe that's the reason why it doesn't have any effect on him." I murmured. 

During that certain moment, I have no choice but to reveal the truth to Moha. Everything about him, including the reality of his role in this mission.

Moha is indeed a unique orphan. I thought it would be easy for me to convince him but I was wrong. Even showing him every proof that I have doesn't work. So I just let him do whatever he wants. 

I knew that the right day would come soon, the time when he could finally accept his own destiny. 

----- “There's no such thing as a shortcut when it comes to growing a plant. Seeds are meant to be scattered in a correct process in order to see them spring up, and taking care of it in a proper way would help them grow nicely.” -----