《Songs From Areth》 The Dying World - Prologue Songs from Areth - The Dying World For Kei-chan Prologue "I ran out of potions." I said in dismay. I felt my tears running down my cheeks. The undead dragon outside my energy shield keeps on breathing it''s frozen flames. Around him was the snow, covered with black blood from the other undead. Bodies of direwolves and a giant. The undead dragon was the only one left. It can no longer fly as Arjin already cut it''s huge wings off. I looked at Erjinn. He''s turning into the likes of the one who did this to him. "It''s fine, really." He smiled. "It has been fun meeting you in this dying world. I never would''ve thought that I could meet someone who can bring me back my smile. And give me something to live for." "You have to hang on..." I said. "If only... if only I studied healing magick..." "Will you please slit my throat with a smile." Arjin said. "I don''t want to be one of them..." "You''re so stupid... dying like this. What about your son. I don''t want him to grow up without a father." "You''re... pregnant?" "Yes. I wanted to keep it as a surprise but... damn those undead. Destroying the village like that." My tears just kept on flowing. "That dragon will make a good sword. For our son." He smiled. "I shall give him that sword. I promise." And that was when I slit his throat and I watched him choke on his own blood. .... .. . I jumped out of bed. I had the same dream again. It has been a year since then. My son died during birth. And ever since then, I stopped doing monster eradication jobs. I opened up a small shop for adventurers to come and drink. And it was a nice source of income to be honest. But adventure is in my blood. And magick runs from my veins. I know deep inside me that I don''t belong here. I was not born to give adventurers ale and food. Although that was a year ago. The business was always booming here. It was a small village around the south where the winter is colder. But today, something was different. "And then, and then!" Yoneise said. Her pointed ears wiggling. "I bought this translation necklace for 500 crystals! And know what! This thing is the best thing there is!" She shoved on my face an obscure item that has humans inside. "High school romance is the best! They go to school to learn things! And that''s also where they find their true love! Isn''t that great!" "Yes yes. Now pay your tab!" I said. "Dark Elves sure are stingy!" She frowned as she handed the crystals that she owe me. "And High Elves always like to bury themselves in debt." I smile as I took the crystals. "Keirie, I always see those swords hanging on the wall. Are those for sale?" "No." I looked at them and smiled. "It was supposed to be for my son." "What!! Just how old are you?" "I''ll be 56 on the fourth day of winter. Why did you ask?" "You look younger than I thought." "Everybody says that. Until I destroy their penises in bed." I smiled at her and we both laughed. "What happened to your son?" "He was dead when I give birth for him. And the dragon that bit my husband was the source of material for those swords." "I''m sorry." "Don''t be." I smiled. "Somehow, I want to learn how to wield a sword. Like Arjinn did. Casting spells while slicing through the enemy." "That''ll be cool." Yoneise said. "We should go on an adventure together." "No need." I said as I walked towards the sword and wore it''s straps around my shoulder and my hips. "The adventure has came to us." A loud thud was heard as the door broke open. It was an undead. It was a man who often visits this place. Except that his face was rotting and his mouth was filled with blood. Yoneise nocked and drew her arrow. A shot to the heart. But the undead heeded no mind. I unsheated the buster sword on my back and sliced the undead in half. Since it was made from pure dragon crystals, saying that it''s as light as a feather is an understatement. It weighed nothing at all. "We''re leaving now." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Yoneise followed suit. We rode outside of town with Ember, my red direwolf. He chewed the head of every undead we came across. And unfortunately, everyone on the village has been infected by the undead. And that was when I remembered that Girbelt owns a goddamn dragon. And the only reason why I remembered it was because I heard dragon wings flapping above us. The undead fire dragon slowly descended. It''s former shiny red scales started to rot and becomes a dark purple. The gusts coming from it''s winds stopped Ember from it''s running. Girbelt jumped down from the saddle of his dragon, his famous spear in hand. Behind him was his dragon. And around us were the towns people who became the undead. I sighed at the sight before me. It looked like as the same scenery as last year. The undead rushed at us. I drew my buster sword and hacked at everything it reaches. Spinning around like a tornado. Yoneise was aiming at the dragon''s eyes. Ember gnawed at every undead that he can. It was a battle that seems to have no end. Bodies of the undead lied at the snow. Ember was growling next to me, looking tired. Yoneise used all of her arrows. She now has two daggers on her hand. By the looks of it, she looks like she has never wielded them yet before. Her long blond hair swayed by the cold wind. Fear resides inside her blue eyes as she took a stance she never did before. I on the other hand, is tired from all the slicing and hacking. I placed the buster sword back in it''s sheath. I never thought that I would call upon fire from the sky again. But desperate acts for desperate times. I don''t want to use magic anymore. As it reminds me of the times that I have spent with Arjin. But I have no choice. I surrounded ourselves with an energy shield. The undead ran towards us, trying to force their way inside. But it was too late for them. Raising my right hand and closing my eyes, I began to say my incantation. "I ask the God of Fire, who keeps me warm at the coldest nights. My light in the darkness. Send your flame to my enemies and burn them to ashes. Your servant asks." And there, balls of fire engulfed the undead, and the village. Flames were everywhere, consuming everything. But not the fire dragon. For fire was it''s fuel. Even though the undead''s weakness was fire, a fire dragon could never be killed with flame. My energy shield lowered, as I consumed all of my mana. I unsheated the long sword on my hip. It''s blue crystal blade shone as it was hit by the light of moon next to the Promised World. The big blue planet where there are no undead. No pain. No suffering. The dragon was the only undead left. It''s body was pierced by arrows. It''s something that a normal archer could do. It is nearly impossible to pierce it''s thick scales by sword. Specially by an arrow. It snorted flames. Ember growled. I charged at the dragon. Screaming. Hoping that it would give me enough strength. And that was when I remembered what my father once told me. "Besides a strong magick, arrow through it''s eyes, a dragon can kill another dragon." I may no be a dragon. But what I am holding is part of a dragon. Which makes sense. It blew it''s flames at me. And I cut through it using my sword. My long sword absorbed it''s flames. The former blue colored steel turned into red. And that''s when I jumped to stab it in the heart. I felt it''s heart beating from my sword. The dragon roared and fell. Including me. Since I don''t have the strength to pull out my sword. "Keirie!!" The High Elf screamed from the distance as she ran along with Ember. I got up and was about to pull the sword from the dragon''s chest when I saw Girbelt, standing. "Yoneise!" I shouted. But it was too late. She was bitten by Girbelt. Yoneise screamed in pain. Ember chewed Girbelt''s limbs and tore it''s body apart untl nothing''s left. I ran towards Yoneise and saw the bite mark on her shoulder. She was crying as she laid on the ground. "I''m gonna turn! I''m gonna turn!" I hugged the blond elf. "It''s fine. I can heal your wounds." I smiled. "But it won''t prevent be from turning!! I don''t want to die! Please!" She was crying. "I want to go to another world! I don''t want to die here... help me! Please! I''m close on finding the gate to that world!!" Ember whined. It''s ears drooped. "I''m sorry... if only I was strong enough..." And just like the last time, I failed to protect what''s dear to me. I have lost my lover. My son. And now, my friend. I feel so worthless. I wish I could''ve protected her. This town. But now, it''s just me. "I''m sorry." I said as I took my knife under my skirt. "But I don''t want you to die as one of the undead." The Dying World - i Songs From Areth i - Crow''s Song She had long blue hair and eyes of the same color. Her parents died from the orcs who raided their village at Axitermial Point, next to the City of the Fallen Gods. She was the only one who survived, a girl of six. Vanyflix Enfolic killed all of the orcs with her frozen flame. She can make an area cold, so cold that it burns with just her mind. For days, she wandered the forest. She started to hunt rabbits, boars, wolves and whatever she encountered, burned them and ate them. A few months later, she was found by a priest of the Corvus Church and was taken to the orphanage. Because the human race were weak, seeing a human in this world was rare. Although the orcs keeps them like cattle, make them procreate, used as slaves and then when they have no use for then, they were eaten. Being the only human, Vanyflix grew up awkward and was often bullied. Six years later, she found herself devoted to the God of the Everlasting Wind, Corvus. Since she has nothing left, she wanted to give her life on serving the only god that hasn''t abandoned the Forgotten World, Areth. The world where gods turned their eyes and left. Three years has passed, Vanyflix became a full-pledged acolyte. The priest has given her and other acolytes the task of evangelising the whole Areth, for the end is near and the God of Everlasting Wind shall rise again. With his dark wings, he shall take those who believes in him to a world where the wind never dies and the skies never end. ...... ... . "Don''t kill the elf, little girl." Vanyflix said as she walked past the bodies of the undead. "Little....!" The Dark Elf with the pink hair said. "I''ll have you know that I am already-" "Your age is not important. What''s important is for your friend to drink the cure." Vanyflix took a bottle from the pocket inside the sleeve of her robe and walked towards the High Elf. She placed her scythe down and made the elf drink the cure. "She might still get a fever but she won''t turn." "Thank you..." The Dark Elf said, her tears were already falling. She took her friend in her arms and about to go inside her house. "Come with me for supper." "I am fasting. I am sorry." She said. Her long blue hair fluttered in the air. "Then come and sleep on my house." The blue haired acolyte agreed. "Are you two the only one''s left?" Vanyflix asked as she was sitting infront of the hearth. She wasn''t accustomed to the coldness of winter since she lived at the middle lands of Areth. "Yes. By the way, I am Keirie Witfrestein. The High Elf is Yoneise Ma." "Vanyflix Enfolic." "Since when...." Keirie said as she stopped midway on eating her bread. "Since when was the cure for turning into an undead was made?" Vanyflix hugged her scythe as if it could give her extra warmth. "Just this fall." "I see." The Dark Elf said. "Aren''t you gonna take off your mask?" Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "No." "Why?" "It''s cold." Keirie laughed. "You''re weird." "I''m not used to the cold weather." "Don''t tell me that the rumor was true?" "What rumor?" "That under the cloaks of the Corvus Church''s acolytes, you wear nothing?" "Yes,we do not." "..." "..?" "Ehhhhh????? Even though you''re a girl?" "There are no exceptions." Keirie then climbed up the stairs and went to her room. She came back with a thick sheet in hand. "Here! You might catch a cold." "Thanks." She wrapped herself with it. And then a thud was heard. It was a direwolf with red fur. He sniffed the acolyte and then sat next to it. "I think Ember likes you." "Ember, huh?" Vanyflix pat the direwolf. "What''s an acolyte of the Corvus Church doing here down south anyways?" Keirie said, drinking a glass of warm milk. "I am supposed to evangelise this town. But I guess I was too late." Keirie laughed. "Seems like it." "The God of the Everlasting Wind will rise again." "I don''t believe in gods." Keirie grinned. "I see. But what do you plan on doing now? Now that your town has been destroyed by the undead?" It somehow reminded her of what happened to her village. "I guess I''ll head north. I heard that they made a wall to protect themselves from the undead or something a few months ago." Keirie grinned. "I guess I could start anew there and make a tavern. What about you?" "I guess I''ll go with you." Vanyflix said. Her voice was muffled because of her mask. "Since I''m not that of a fighter myself." "Okay then." Keirie said as she pat the back of the masked acolyte. "We''ll live this shithole once Yoneise is back on her feet. Oh right!" The Dark Elf grinned. "I''ll just call you Vany, if that''s alright." "..." Vanyflix nodded. She was blushing underneath her mask. It was the first time she had a nickname. A good one. Unlike "Orc Fodder" that she always heard from her peers at the orphanage. She waited for Keirie to fall asleep. Vany went outside and jumped at the roof. And there at the top, she gazed at the Promised World. She always liked looking at it. Stretching her hands unto it as if she could grab it in her hands. Oh how she wished that she lives on that world. A world without suffering and pain. The world that the other gods have promised. Yet, her ancestors were left behind to suffer. "And you shall fly with me to another world with dark wings that I shall give to you." She said to the world next to the moon. "The Promised Flight 3 verse 47." Vany removed her mask, her long blue hair fluttering into the wind. "I wonder if people on the Promised World are also curious on what''s happening here?" She whispered to the wind. The acolyte then closed her eyes and prayed to the Dark Winged God. Strong gusts of wind came and whispered to her ears. Telling her to rest for tomorrow is the start of her great journey. Thanks to Thomas the Dank Engine for giving me the name of their church LMAO The Dying World - ii Songs From Areth - The Dying World ii - Dank Elf "Here comes that boy..." Yoneise whispered to herself as she drew the arrow from her bow, targeting a 5 feet frog in the distance. She loose the arrow with confidence as she said "Oh shit, waddup!" She hit the frog between it'' eyes with her crystal arrow, instantly ending it''s life. Yoneise ran toward it and laughed. "I really love that meme." She said. "Keirie, Vany! Help me with this one!!" Vanyflix with her hood down and her long blue hair fluttering in the air is next to Keirie. "A frog? Really?" Her voice was muffled behind her mask. "Aren''t there any bunnies or bears around?" "Aww come on!" Keirie said, her long elven ears wiggling. "Frogs around Froilenstern forest are delicious! You know what the Dark Elves says! Just because it looks yucky doesn''t mean it''s not yummy!" She grinned, puffing her small chest out as if she did something awesome. "Does that mean you''re yummy?" Yoneise said with a serious face, trying to suppress her laughter. "You racist High Elf!!!" And so, they made camp on the area. The three made fire in the middle of the Froilenstern Forest under the light of the Promised World and the Moon. It has been 3 days since the three left the small nameless village to go north for they know that it is the only safe place there is. They took whatever they can that would help them on their journey. But neither to they know that Yoneise took something that she shouldn''t have... Keirie prepared their dinner, Vanyflix made a firepit, Ember went out hunting while Yoneise is playing games on her magic square. It was an item from another world that she found lying around the cave where she took her last quest. She didn''t know how it got there or who was it''s original owner. But all she knows is that she loves the idea of the games and anime that she saw. A world of peace. Not a single monster was there. A place where you can just study, fall in-love, get a job, marry, have kids and then die from old age. She loved it. Which is why she copied the way girls dress in the anime that she saw. She had them custom made for her. "Is this the Promised World? It looks really nice." Yoneise said. "What is that?" The acolyte asked. Two blue balls were looking at Yoneise behind the crow''s skull that she used as a mask. "Is this the item that you say that came from another world?" "Y-Yes..." ''This acolyte is giving me a frighten.'' Yoneise thought. "Though you wouldn''t understand if you don''t have a translation crystal spell thingymajig." She said as she showed Vanyflix her necklace. "I see." "Hey guys! Dinner is ready!" Keirie said. ''Finally. I haven''t seen this acolyte''s face ever since I met her. She hasn''t eaten in two days. I will see her face now.'' Yoneise thought. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "You will eat with us now, don''t you?" Yoneise asked the acolyte. "My fasting is now done, so yes, I will eat with you." She said with her muffled voice. And then she removed her mask. The three then ate. "Wow... you''re so beautiful." Yoneise said as she ate the barbecued frog leg. Vanyflix had white skin, pinkish lips and blue eyes. She was beautiful person she has ever seen. "How old are you, Vany?" Keirie asked. "19 just last summer." Vanyflix smiled. It made Keirie and Yoneise blush. Ember emerged from the trees and then sat next to Vanyflix, sniffing her. "There''s a town called Reinugraz near here. I think it''s just a 5 hour walk. I want to go there." Vanyflix said. "I need to tell them that The God of the Divine Wind will rise." "Sure." Keirie said. Morning came and they started to walk until they reached the said town. Is was a big one with stone houses and a big castle in the middle. "Let''s go to that inn! I''m tired and hungry!" Keirie said as she marched inside the huge inn. The other two followed suit. "A room for three please!" She smiled. "I''m sorry but we''re already full." The half-human-half-orc clerk said. "Maybe you can do something about that?" Yoneise said as she winked. It made the clerk fluster. "I''m really sorry but-" "I see. We have no choice then. Let''s go to another inn." Vanyflix said in dismay. She was wearing her mask then. "A-A-An acolyte of the Corvus Church!?" The clerk said. "Let''s go. This place and everyone in it shall be doomed and engulfed when the flames came. They have no place next to the Divine Wind God when He rises and flies at the endless sky." Vanyflix said. ..... ... . "With just that, the clerk gave us the most beautiful room! You''re amazing Vany!!" Keirie said. "He even let Ember inside!" The direwolf barked. "It is the Divine Wind God who''s amazing. I''m just a mere servant." Vanyflix as she placed her bag on her bed. "I shall be going now. I shall do what I need to do." She said as she took her scythe and went outside. "I will go outside and check the town out. Want to come with me, Yoneise?" Keirie said. "Nah, I''ll stay here." "Suit yourself." The two went out. That was when Yoneise began checking her loot from the village. She thought that it''ll be awkward to check then in front of the other two so she waited a chance where she can be alone. And then, she took out a cursed bow. Yoneise knew what it was before even taking it. It was a simple looking bow except for the cloth at the handle where a spell was written all over. Even though she has a translation crystal as a necklace, she couldn''t make do of what''s written in it. And then, the door was opened. There were 3 humans and 2 dark elves pointing swords and daggers from her. "Hand over the bow and blood shall not spill."