Ersia: Raven Dawn

Viena's remark put a big question mark on everyone's faces. They are unsure how to react, but certainly, that kind of explanation is controversial. It's both right and wrong at the same time. Then, Lisabelle takes the initiative. She holds Viena's hand and lead her to take a seat on the sofa.

"Theo, let's leave it at that for now. It's better if we get on the same page first."

"Yeah, sure. We're in no rush here."

"Gino, Gina, can you bring that book I gave you last year?"

"Okie!"

"Dokie!"

"Vivi, we are going to tell you a story. Don't you think it's a good time to share the cookies with the others?"

"Oh! Sure! I almost forgot about that!"

They set up the table. Vivi is plating the cookies she made with Eleanor, Theo is filling the glasses with milk, and Lisabelle is tidying up the sofa a little. Then, after everything is ready, they gather and snuggle around each other since the autumn wind has been quite chilly for some time now.

"Now, Vivi, Do you think the story of the heroes is not real?"

"Hmm . . . Perhaps?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because Papa said if they were real, then there shouldn't be anymore suffering, but that is not true. Especially since they have started to fight with each other again . . . I once helped him treat a border guard and her wound was so scary that I couldn't even eat properly for two days."

"Hm. I'm sure eternal peace is what everyone wished for. Yet, even if things don't turn that way, I think it's imperative that we must give thanks to the sacrifice of the dead, and honor the fruit of their deeds."

"You mean the heroes are dead?" Viena tilts her head.

"Yes, they did. Although some rumors say otherwise. But I'm sure people are just making that up because they missed them terribly."

Gina turns the pages of the big storybook to proceed. However, when she turned to the first chapters, they discovered a few heavily damaged pages. The pages aren't just crumpled, they simply have turned completely unreadable.

Gina hurriedly went to skip the pages, but Lisabelle had already slammed her hand down the middle of the book to make a stop.

"W-Wah! This looks so bad!" Gina stuttered.

"I-I know it! This must be the rats doing!" Gino gulped.

"Y-Yeah that must be! They are being too much of a nuisance lately!"

The room slowly turns silent as no one dares to speak. Everyone knows that it's a foolish move to make Lisabelle angry. Each one of them knows that she's on the verge of snapping anytime now.

"B-Boss . . . ," Gina apprehensively shakes Lisabelle's leg, appealing for forgiveness.

.

.

.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE PAGES?!"

Gino and Gina looked away, undaring to meet her eyes. They ended up letting Lisabelle swip through all the rest of the pages to look for further damage. She eventually burst out for a moment, before finally calming herself down and chugging up a whole glass of water.

"Explain. Gino. Gina. RIGHT NOW!"

"We are so sorry, Boss . . ," said Gina downheartedly.

"We were too excited when we first opened our present. We both wanted to spend our time with it by ourselves and ended up fighting. Thus, this happened."

Lisabelle irritably tapped her own forehead repeatedly with her fist. Meanwhile, Theo just munching on the cookies, and Viena slurping the glass of milk.

"Sigh. Well, whatever. I have nothing to say since this book belongs to you two now. Although I hate this, I think I should let you two know that this book costs almost 300 Rios."

"300?! Lily that's a lot of money!"

"Of course it is. Books are one of the high-end products, especially books with pictures like this one. The colored version can go even beyond."

Suddenly, Gino hugged Lisabelle's leg, and Gina did the same with her arm. Both are tearfully begging for her forgiveness.

"Boss, we're so sorry! We will take good care of your gift this time! Please don't be angry!"

"Boszu! I'm sowwy! Sniff! Sniff!"

"Haah. You idiots. I want you both to take care of it because if someday you get tired of the book and decide to sell it, it can still retain most of its value."

"Boss! We will never do such a thing! We will treasure your gift!"

"Bosssuu, don't hate us!" Gina sobbed.

Lisabelle maintains her poker face as Gino and Gina shake her body here and there before finally taking a big breather.

"Alright, alright! Just shut your mouth and stop crying! Sigh, why is everyone around me a crybaby." 

Viena ignored the others and took the book for herself to look at. The pages where Lisabelle left open are filled with drawings and it's a delight for someone who can't read like her. Her smile lasted until she opened the torn pages.

"What drawings are on the torn pages?"

"Err . . . It's supposed to be the drawing of the heroes."

". . . . THE WHAT?!"

Viena whines and cries a little also before finally making peace with her poor luck. After that, they all continue where they left off. When the book is put in front of her, Viena turns to panic. If the others found out that she can't read well, she would be very embarrassed. Luckily, Lisabelle noticed this.

"(Too difficult?)"

"(. . . There's a lot of new words. I can only guess to understand.)"

After they whispered to each other, Lisabelle thought of a clever way to solve the problem.

"Theo, Vivi says that your voice is nice to listen to. She asked whether it's possible to have you read it out for her."

"R-Really?! Man, I thought you flop, kid. But sheesh, you're doing alright! Okay then, guess it can't be helped, aye?"

Theo moves to the middle of everyone and starts to clear his throat, a smile sparks on his face since compliment is not something he hears often. The two girls then look at each other once more and grin together. Viena gives her thumbs up while Lisabelle flips her hair haughtily.

Thus, began the storytelling of the heroes.

"After 300 years of fleeting peace, humanity once again let their greed reign. Swords sharpened and trees cut down. Books were burned and children were sleepless. Wars raged and hatred spread like an unstoppable wildfire. Thus, with the next 200 years of blood flood, comes the finest seedbed of chaos. From the most tainted soil, He emerges once more. The Doubted has returned, enthroned by his blinded acolytes and misguided believers."

"The Doubted?"

"It's like an epithet. It's a common thing for a greater being to have one. Just like our goddess. She's often called Aine The Merciful. That's why The First Queen, who forged a pact as Aine's champion, never kills her opponent even when she lost her only son at the hand of her enemies," Lisabelle explained.

The story continues.

"The greater being responded. Gods and goddesses raise their champions to withstand the encroaching shadow. The champions eventually gathered around and fought together as one.

Bear witness and engrave these names to the back of your skull O witness of history:

Meralda the Radiance from Hilverhold, champion of Uni, Goddess of The Hearth and Kitchen

Toran the Keymaster from Underpoint, champion of Luka, God of Larks and Games

Marwan the Golden Lion from Zarim, champion of Qayn, God of Wealth and Luck

Yumna the Rainbow Bubble from Runawijaya, champion of Nusa, Goddess of Summer Tide

Fu Mei the Dragon Priestess from Xin, champion of She Hua, Goddess of Medicine.

Ethelar Aramid the Dominator from Aramia, champion of Omzun, God of Revolution."

"This man looks scary - Huh? Wait . . . Isn't Ethelar Aramid the name of the emperor from yesterday?"

Viena pointed at the only surviving pictured page in the book. It's the drawing of Ethelar Aramid riding on his horse staring at the reader. His bruised steel armor is smeared with blood and mud, and the look in his eyes alone is enough to tell others of the countless bloodbaths shed by his hands.

"You are right. He is the emperor of Aramia, and it's safe to say that he is the most disliked of the eight."

"Well, that's not hard to understand given everything that he had done," Gino said in strong resentment.

"Eight? But there are only six though?"

Theo smirks and opens the next page where the pictures are torn on one side of the page. Hence, there are only names and a description following them, unlike the previous ones where each was provided an illustration.

"The last two are the most famous. They are Asmar and Randia, a twin chosen by Ruala, The Goddess of Light, the most revered of the Seltis Pantheons. The most major goddess who has the highest number of followers in this continent."

As Theo wanted to turn over from the torn page to the next one, Viena stopped his hand. Her chest and mind feel itchy. She bites her lips, trying to control her curiosity. She blinked a few times, each hoping that when she opened her eyes, the drawing was there, intact and in full color like the others. A wishful thinking, she knew, but she had to.

"Don't worry! Don't worry! You'll see them someday! Although it's kind of hard since they're not fond of being drawn, especially Lord Randia," Gina poked Viena's cheek

"Sorry . . ."

Lisabelle took some cookies and offered some to Viena. She takes up on her offer and munchs on them while listening to Theo.

"Since stories are best to be savored one bite at a time - just like these fine cookies which Lady Eleanor has baked for us - we're just going to talk about Asmar The Great Hero since he is whom people often referred to as the leading figure of the campaign against the bad guys, as well as the owner of the sword."

"What about Randia? Isn't he Asmar's brother?" Viena asks for an explanation.

"Well, technically yes he is. But . . . err, he's kind of different," Gino cuts in.

"What do you mean different?"