INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS
CHAPTER XLII: ARIA

Twelve years of martial arts training never prepared her for the darkness in the forest or the uncertainty of what lies ahead after she left home. After her dad died, she never set foot anywhere except places where she’s with her grandparents or family. She remembered hiking a mountain with her dad but her the experience wasn’t enough to be confident to travel in a dark, unknown wilderness. But she continued moving forward with her compass and map, traversing between large trees and wide green planes. She kept walking until she felt that she’s too far from the road. She took shelter between two large roots of a tree, the three walls shielding her from the howling wind. The moonlight was faint due to the clouds. Within a few minutes, she was able to make a camp fire.

She sat down, resting her back against the tree’s root. Exhausted from walking, she took off her hiking boots and massaged her feet. Now what? She looked around, looking for signs of human or animal life but there weren’t. She was far within the forest and the trees were too high. But the sounds of crickets and other insects comforted her. She grabbed a letter in her backpack to read it for the 20th time.

“If you are reading this, it meant that I’m not with you anymore. I’m sorry for separating you from your mom but we believed that it’s to keep you safe. I wanted you to know everything, but they will probably see my letters,” she read then stopped to watch the stars and to catch her breath. Who are they?

She continued reading.

“Our friends will keep you safe. We don’t trust the people around our family. My friends will keep you safe. They are-“ She stopped when she heard rustling around her. The sound was faint but she felt that she’s in danger. She slowly stood up, looking around her. They saw my fire. She grabbed her sword. The red and black bells dangled when she picked it up.

There were footsteps. There were people around her. Her heartbeat quickened. She could also feel the throbbing on her tired feet.

Then the sounds stopped. She frowned as she tried to sense and listen to someone’s presence. Were they sounds made by animals? She looked up, watching the still leaves on the branches of the trees. She tried to look for moving shadows. Nothing. Why does it feel like everything is on a standstill?

Snap. She quickly spun towards the sound, raising her sword with both hands. Her breathing was heavy while anticipating for an attack. But it never came. However, she remained in that position for a while. When her legs finally gave out, she sat but kept looking around. Strange. I swear there was someone there.

After that incident, the forest was peaceful. Yet she couldn’t sleep for a second. She couldn’t let herself rest while danger is lurking around her. Hours passed and her eyes were heavy and weary.

“Ugh.” She rubbed her sleep-deprived eyes when she noticed that it’s already almost midnight. She took a sandwich and tumbler from her backpack, and began to eat her late dinner. After eating, she took out her pocket map and compass. She lay the map on the ground.

“It should be there.” She pressed her finger on the map then glanced at the letter beside it. “But…it’ll take me three days to get there.” Aria looked around the fire-lit forest then sighed. She was in the wrong place. Earlier, she ran towards east instead of north.

“Damn it! It’s because of those thugs!” Her shout echoed. Suddenly, fear crept on her neck. A sudden realization hit her. If I go to the right place now, they might be waiting for me there. Her back slumped against the root behind her. The fire furiously danced with the passing wind, but she forget the cold for a moment.

“I need to replace another route. They shouldn’t catch me,” she whispered to herself as she stare into nothingness. Aria quickly moved to grab a pen in her backpack then focused on the map on the ground. Her mind was running with possibilities as she doodled on the paper.

This lasted for half an hour before she lay on her sleeping bag on the ground. But instead of resting her body, she just sat there, hugging herself as she stared at the fire. She couldn’t even sleep in the house where she lived for years, so how would she sleep peacefully in the forest.

“My…eyes are…” she muttered after two hours. Her body and eyes are too heavy.

“UGH I CAN’T SLEEP!” She began tapping her cheeks.

When she noticed that the fire was slowly dying, her eyes and mind became hazy. No. I can’t sleep. It’s dangerous here…

No, it’s to rest. You’re tired.

But what if someone caught me off guard?

You’re safe. Everything was becoming black.

Why do I feel so tired all of the sudden?

You’re been tired for years---

With swift movements, Aria’s eyes opened wide opened, grabbed her sword, and then stood up groggily. She gripped the sword with both hands as she surveyed her surroundings. With slow steps, she moved backwards near the tree trunk. The heaviness and haziness in her mind was still there but she was now conscious of it.

“I won’t fall for that.” She didn’t know who she was talking to but she felt their presence around her. She was unable to detect them earlier because they waited for her to feel tired before manipulating her mind.

“Come out!” She didn’t know where she got her confidence, but it really annoyed her that someone was messing with her thoughts.

“So how was your experience with the mist?” The sound came from behind a tree in front of her. What the heck is a mist?

“Don’t play with me. Who are you?” she shouted. She squinted to see the black figure walking towards the light of the fire. The figure was giving off a dangerous aura. Her feet trembled a little when she felt the energy surge every step he takes. They are real… This was the first time she encountered a Mortemian. She gripped her sword and took a deep breath. You won’t win if you are afraid, Aria.

Once he stepped into the light, Aria frowned at his masked face and long black cape. He was 6 feet tall and medium in built. His eyes and mouth could be seen in his black mask. She felt disgusted by the way he was watching her as if she’s a prey. Idiot.

“You don’t belong in this woods, princess,” he started then stopped walking a feet from her; the fire separated them. His voice was deep but she guessed that he’s in his mid-30s. His whole demeanour screamed danger but his cocky attitude made her forget that she was scared a few minutes ago.

“I’m not a princess!” she hissed when his statement registered in her mind. Her words made him laugh, probably amused with her reaction, but she was beyond pissed. Her frown deepened as she glared at the masked man.

“Are you going to joke around?” she shouted. He responded with a hum but then he straightened his back then took a step towards her. Aria subconsciously took steps back until her back hit the trunk of the tree. I need to control my temper... It’s going to end me someday… Or today…

She shook the thought away. She won’t go down without a fight. She needed to accomplish what her dad asked her to do. Now that she had a purpose, she won’t easily give up her life, especially to villains. She scanned his body for weakness but she knew that he’s going to use his elemental to get her so she won’t be able to get close. Damn it!

“What do you want from me?” She lifted her sword then bended her knees. She was now ready to fight.

“The same thing that I wanted from your father.” Her eyes widened by his statement. She swiftly pointed her sword at him, intensely glaring as she did. She started breathing heavily due to anger.

“What.did.you.do.with.my.dad.” Her voice was full of venom and her eyesight started to darkened due the intense rage. Her opponent, on the other hand, seemed unfazed, rather looked amused.

“Of course you don’t know, but-“ She didn’t wait for him to finish. Without a second thought, Aria engaged, running towards her opponent. She swung her sword but he blocked the attack with a long maul. She immediately jump backward. What the… where did it come from…

“My elemental,” the stranger answered her thought.

She earned a bitter chuckle from him. This made her blood boil. She didn’t even notice the pain caused by gripping her sword firmly.

“You really are pitiful.”

“WHAT?” He was testing her patience. Despite her patient training in martial arts and in ignoring her relatives, he was making her into a fool so she was having a hard time controlling her anger.

The man swung his long maul as if it’s a baton as he shook his head at her. She huffed.

“You’re getting impatient.”

“Great observation,” she replied sarcastically. “If you are here to fight, then fight.”

He chuckled then stopped swinging his maul. He dropped the large head on the ground and held the silver stick loosely. Enough chatting and start-

“I thought your memory will return by now.” Though she was confused by his statement, she didn’t react because it might be a trap.

“Alright, since I wanted to be nice to you before I finish you, I might as well tell you a story,” he continued then smiled afterwards. No, it wasn’t a smile but a smirk.

“What now?” she taunted. “If it’s not about my father, zip it.” But Aria knew that once he started talking about what happened to her dad, she might lose herself. What matters is that I avenge him.

“It’s about your father alright but can you take it?”

“Don’t make me tell you twice.” She could feel the burning heat in her whole body/

“Well, even if I tell you, it won’t make a difference on the result.” He lifted his maul then gave her a disturbing smile.

“You were also angry that day in the forest,” he started. What? “So you burnt him.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, confused, but an idea was already forming in her head. The man pointed the maul at her before answering.

“You. You’re the reason that he died.” She knew this. In order to protect Aria, her dad sacrificed himself.

“Not like that. You burnt the forest along with him,” he lazily said. “Everything was red. It was hot around. The dancing fire was reaching out to the night sky. And the two of you stood in the middle of it.”

The man attempted to give her a sickening sweet smile but Aria didn’t know how to react. She caught her breath as she stared behind the man. His description activated something in her mind.

“That’s…im…impossible,” she mumbled. Her grip on her sword loosened.

Dancing red. Black smoke. Red hands. Death by her hands.