'Take a deep breath, calm yourself, Fara.'
"A woman woke up from her eternal sleep."
"But everything in her surroundings turned into desert, a pitiful sight." The old man replied.
His password was connected to my words, even though he is the person I know. Being cautious saved my work many times.
Imitation is often the case of being a Zeisha carrier, which is why lots of them didn't last in this world.
"Fara, I didn't come here as your king."
"Right away, your maje--- Forgive me Mr. Railo."
"It's been 8 years."
Eight years ago, the village I lived in was peaceful until everything was burned down, and the people seeking a safe place ran into the forest, but they were swallowed by hungry monsters. A demon that stayed in the village, slaughtering everyone, despite they are begging, kneeling on the ground. Some offered themselves so their child would spare their lives.
None of them gave any exception until.
"We have a visitor." The old man, Railo turned his head at the forest, a human shadow slowly walking in his direction.
Seconds of waiting, the shadow formed a male demon, overflowing with his skill. And it's a hundred vicious monsters behind, hiding in the forest.
"Ahaha... everyone really stayed in their house, which is a favor to us, there's no need to roam around." A deep, cold voice wrapped around my ears. The fear of hearing him made my body tremble. "And there is one fool, but the other one is a walking..." The demon reached his back as he stared at Railo.
"Fara, in this world, someone is always above you. Even if you reach the pinnacle of your life. There is always above." A light envelops Railo's fists as he clenches them. Followed by a giant black portal behind him. Slowly, an enormous claw appeared, moving forward until its whole body escaped from its nest.
The blazing color of its scale, fangs sharper than any sword, eyes that can burn by sight. A giant wing that can bring a storm once it flaps, and its supremacy.
"T-The re---"
The night becomes day as the fire-sun fired directly to the proud demon, erasing everything to its path, leaving nothing but ashes of nature.
Watching the demon burn in my sight, I remembered when this happened to my village. A demon that doesn't hesitate to kill the humans living in the village. Demon and my village vanished from the map in a few seconds, leaving no trace but just like this in my sight, an ashes and burning sight.
I turned my head to the sky. "They don't give any mercy until the red dragon kills all of them, huh?" And I whispered to myself.
No record of red dragon appearance, but there's a witness who has seen his existence. And I am one of them not one but twice.
"Fara."
"Mr. Railo."
The red dragon nods its head as it goes back to its nest, and Railo walks toward the tree at the same time, leaning his back.
"Fara, what do you think the Zeisha?"
"They are... The fake Zeisha were not creations of humans but monsters or demons. I felt they have been interfering to our land for a long time"
"Yeah, they did. Any highly intelligent monsters or demons can make humans grovel. For us, money is everything, skill is everything, and ignoring the truth of danger. Fara, anytime they can annihilate us."
"I can see that by glancing at the demon earlier. If you haven't come here, hours... no, in minutes the Haria will be destroyed in a short time. Mr. Railo, I'm grateful for your time staying in Haria. You saved me not just once but twice, even the town I grew up in, the people I treat my family, this time they didn't leave me, that's why."
I kneel one more time. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart, King Railo Aramiha, king of the Aramiha Kingdom."
Railo took a couple of steps and stopped across me, he offered his hands, and I handed to him the two Zeisha in my bag.
"Today I'm just Railo, but your appreciation is accepted. Fara, I have a request for you."
"Anything, Ra---"
"A foolish request."
"As my saviour, I w---"
"Fara, it's not your duty and it's not an order. A request. You can turn it down. As a person who has seen hell to its journey, I don't want you to act according to your belief because I am your saviour."
"Then, let me hear it."
Railo hides the Zeisha in his bag, standing straight as he rests his hands behind. He lifted up his head, gazing into the moon.
"It will take years to complete it. Fara, visit the Nariana castle, once you are there, if ever someone in there kills them."
"Nariana Castle, which can be found in the heart of Nariana land, is an unexplored land. But there's a record, it was the place where a group of mercenaries went to an adventure to end..." I gulped realizing something.
"Mr. Railo, are you telling..."
"A thousand years ago, a large group of mercenaries set out on to journey to end the life of the demon lord. The one who rules everything in this world, and we humans who are seen as food and slaves. The demon lord that existed before became a fairytale."
I got up and stood behind him.
"The life we had was thanks to the 20 heroes who were called today as 20 deities for controlling the demon's aggression to further the destruction of our world. They are..."
"To remove the fear you must hide the truth. Fara, those 20 deities..."
"Is the mercenary." I quickly replied, which made Railo smile and turn his head at me.
"I'm not one of them but the red dragon."
"I-I don't know if I'm worthy to know this kind of history. This is not written to any books. As far as I know, no one knew about the truth of 20 deities and the demon lord. The story about him was too soft, weaker than any normal demon. And in his era... Mr. Railo."
"Yeah, that era where humans had barely skills. The demon lord can destroy the world, but luckily, half of the mercenaries were not human, elves, dwarves, or beasts. Thanks to them, they were able to contain the oppression of the demon lord."
"Contain... that was..."
"You are really smart, Fara. Yeah, they contain him so that he does not kill the demon lord, but seal his body. No one from that era can match the power of the Demon Lord. He is far above a creature than any living thing."
"I see, so they seal him, and when they have enough power to kill the demon lord. The 20 deities will begin their journey ---"
"However, the 20 Deities are missing and some might already be dead. Fara, the red dragon was the last member of the mercenary. He couldn't face the demon lord alone."
"Mr. Railo, if that is true, I am nowhere near the power of a red dragon to visit the Nariana Land."
Railo waved his hand, pointing for me to follow him on the walk, and I quickly did.
"Thanks to the 20 deities, the fear of the demon lord never exists. A hundred years ago, we just lived to survive, gaining skills for protection. We built an army if demons invaded our land. That's the reason for our strength today."
"They have power and strength, while we have numbers and strength."
"Yeah, we are million, but our number is nothing when it comes to the Demon Lord. Years are needed to reach the Noriana land, and only a few people will survive that journey. Fara, tell me why you are not learning skills."
I halt for seconds and walk.
"Having few skills will make you move freely. Far from the eyes of our lord, and most of all, I can feel the freedom of living."
"Freedom, huh? I have lived for a long time, but I haven't felt what my freedom is."
Railo halts at the same time, facing me. "Fara, the danger is slowly crawling to our land. Little by little, our time is running out, once the danger found its way out, we couldn't stop it."
"Red dragon is far stronger than me, like I said ear---"
"I reached out to countless people about this, and none of them agreed. Who will waste their time visiting the dangerous land without a proper goal?"
'So it's still order... And me?'
"You are a king who can order the whole nation, but you can't pursue a normal person. Mr. Railo, why don't you spread abo--- that's right..."
"I'm glad you understand why I secretly approached someone. Yeah, to avoid the demon's attention. They might strengthen the defence in Nariana land, if they found out that an all-out war to demons will spread around the world."
For a hundred years, humans and demons were engaged in war, claiming the land that was supposed to be theirs.
As time passes, it's become a hate for each other.
"An all-out war means the demon will deploy their full strength."
"For now, they are doing it for fun, to expand their land, but once a demon lord revives, the demon will start the aggression and invade each town, city, even our capital land."
"I realized what my reason is now. Mr. Railo, thank you for bringing me to this town, that's why I will visit Nariana."
Railo put his hand on top of my head and tapped it weakly.
"Fara, you won't get any fame or honor. No one will hear your bravery and the good deed you will do. It will be buried alongside your journey. They will not believe, and they start laughing at you if you ever succeed."
"I see, I will never be a hero and never be. I understand, Mr. Railo. My journey will remain to only me. I will spend my life to follow my death, it was foolish but worth the time." I look at the entrance of Haria. "Because the family I know can live peacefully," I added.
Railo starts walking, but this time he goes to the trail of the red dragon's attack while I stay watching his back.
"Fara, before I forget. Here."
"This is..."
"You are a Zeisha carrier, so you know what I mean. Bring that Zeisha to the person in Nariana castle."
Railo threw toward me a Zeisha with a piece of paper. A contract for the Zeisha carrier and the password to the receiver.
"Just visiting is a bit boring... Ahaha, this will be the longest quest. I accept it, Mr. Railo." Bow as Railo is leaving.
"Fara, I thank you for trusting my vague request. It might not happen and will just waste your time, but I appreciate your sacrifice."
'Your words will never be vague because the red dragon is on your side. He might have known the seal was slowly shattering, and in a few years, the demon lord would wake up.'
"Don't mention it, Mr. Railo."
Railo waved his hands as he left.
'Forgive me, huh?'
As he was leaving, a wind carried his whisper toward my ear. He is desperate to find an answer to the upcoming disaster.
He is a king, and yet he lied. I knew it from the start. It's not about the demon lord but the one asking to visit the Nanaria land.
Some agreed but didn't last, some might have been able to visit the Nanaria but found nothing.
His eyes, despite the dark, were full of regret, and his voice was kind but afraid.
"Journey, huh?" One more time I glance at the moon before going back to the inn.
An adventure without a clear goal will be a waste of time. And Nariana land is far from Haria land. This town was the worst place to start the journey. If Nariana was on the other side, Haria was on the other side. A starting point.
"I wonder what the rumor will be tomorrow."
Walked toward the inn, and I'm sure the master knew about what was happening. Railo once said she was right, if I'm not wrong he was implying the master. After all, she has all eyes in the Haria, inside and outside."