The Scepter of Marahuyo

Chapter 016

Sunday morning. I wait on the border of the town of Marahuyo, which is at the outskirts of the country of Benia. Benia is geographically circular, landlocked by forests teeming with monsters where at the center is its capital where the Ruler lives. 

A part of Marahuyo is surrounded by cement walls that stand at fifteen feet. But it’s not simple walls. It’s reinforced by the mage’s blessing from the ground up to a few hundred meters to the sky which is met by the barrier produced by another town until it encloses the whole nation. This reinforcing magic is powered by tools from different mage academies in Benia. In Marahuyo, the device is in the center of the Academy. We supply our blessing to it almost every day. If we can’t make it that day, we give more on the days we can provide. 

“Sorry about Master Deborah,” the warrior says. “She’s not usually late with meetings.”

Being late, Master Deborah sent a warrior to inform me that something unexpected happened in Master Orson’s experiment. In my previous timeline, I remember that Master Orson stayed in the Sword’s barracks for a month for research. For a month, I did not see him, so I spent it in the library with Olivia, where she gushes over a man who I thought she’d marry. Two years later, it turns out that he’s already married and that he only courted Olivia because he felt that she’s the same as the Marahuyo mages who are in a relationship just for the sake of experiencing it, and of course, to play around. That is why, when Cara and the others are about to influence me to try it, I decline for Olivia’s sake. 

“I thought she’s on leave today?” I respond. 

“Yes and I am supposed to be on leave too.”

“You’re forced?”

“I am ordered.”

I smile. In the previous timeline, I wouldn’t have had this kind of conversation with anyone, much less a warrior.

“What’s your name again?”

“Nico.”

“It is so nice to meet you, Nico.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to say the same to you.” he answers.

I frown. “Why?”

“I already said my name the first time and now you’re asking it again.”

I laugh. “Sorry. I’m not used to other people.”

“Master Orson mentioned that. He mentioned you’re like his daughter too.”

I blink. A daughter? “I never thought he would think of me like that.”

“I guess you’re also blind.”

I laugh again. “You’re very sour to people.” He looks sideways at me, so I add, “Don’t worry, I like how you speak what you think.”

We hear the sound of horse hoofbeats and see Master Deborah coming into view. When in front of us, she comes down and looks at Nico. 

“Good. Thanks for coming,” Master Deborah says.

“As if I have a choice,” he mutters but doesn’t exactly say it to her face. 

Master Deborah looks me over. After six years, during my death, she’s also outside the zone, so I am not sure if she’ll be with Olivia to destroy the Quads or not. She comes and goes and gets especially busy around this time due to the monster’s erratic behavior. 

“You’re sixteen right?”

I nod.

“Orson told me you can transport things and create potions.”

I nod again.

“Your skills are not made for battle. How are you going to fight against the monsters?”

“I can’t do battle alone so I act as support. That's why I’d like to see Master Orson in battle. I might get pointers on what to study next.”

“At least, you’re smart and know what you lack. See here Nico? You should learn from this little girl.”

Nico snorts but does not respond. 

Master Deborah leans to me and whispers, “He’s upset, pardon him.” And to Nico, she says, “You protect her and I’ll defeat whatever monster we come across.”

I look at Nico, he’s taller by a few feet than Master Deborah, but the way they react to each other tells me that they have this pushy-boss-and-an-overworked-underling relationship.

After Master Deborah ties the horse on the post together with mine and Nico’s, we proceed to the border gate. No one’s guarding it, but there are patrols hourly. It doesn’t need a guard since it uses a medallion type of trinket to open. The Quads and some high-ranking warriors are issued one. 

“Here,” Master Deborah hands me the medallion. 

I look at her, confused. I’m not supposed to receive one. 

“Orson forced it. Besides, if you’re really going to get serious with this training, you’ll need to be able to train anytime you want. It’s a hassle to always accompany you here.”

As expected, it will really be a while before Master Orson gets some free time, and Master Deborah thinks it’s a bother if I pester her with the exit process.

Nico sighs and whispers, “I don’t understand your foster father. Does he not know that it’s dangerous for a sixteen years old like you to go outside?”

“The old man trusts the little girl’s decision making,” Master Deborah interjects. She presses the medallion on the wall, and it opens. “Let’s hope the trust ain’t misplaced.”

Master Deborah walks through the circular exit that appears. I follow. Even the shield that reinforces the wall is nullified for a diameter of three meters. Once outside, Master Deborah presses the medallion on the air where the wall should be, and it closes together with the barrier going back to normal. 

I look at the landscape outside the town of Marahuyo. There is lush vegetation ten meters away from the wall. I can hear the river but can’t see it due to the outgrowth. Everything is green and imperceptible. It’s the same as I remember as a child, minus the sound of the river.

“Common monsters that even a young mage can defeat usually hang around five to ten miles from the wall.” Master Deborah informs. “That would be a great start for you. But that’s not what we’re going to do.”

Nico groans beside me as if he’s expecting the change in plans.

“We’re gonna go a bit deeper. Hopefully, it’s not the Oryol we’ll cross paths with, since that serpent could enchant Nico.”

“Oh please,” he complains and says, “You just want to come across some high level monsters like the Angongolood.”

Master Deborah smiles at him, which makes Nico stop.

“If we find one, that’d be great! More work for Orson!”

“What is that?” Why is it that I haven’t come across that name before? Was it even in the textbooks?

“Apes that live along the river. They transform humans into trees. They say it’s the reason why lots of trees grow along it. You hear the river, right?”

I nod. 

“That’s the usual hiding place of Angongolood, although not this close to the wall.”

I look around. I still can’t see the river. There’s a lot of trees that tower over us. It’s early in the morning, but inside the forest, it seems like it’s dusk. The rocks and stones are covered in moss. It’s colder, and there is a light fog that makes the area look almost ethereal. 

We walk for a couple more hours when we come across a clearing. No, not really a clearing. There are a couple of giant trees that fell, which destroyed the surrounding bushes. It also allows the sunlight to come through, and there’s no more ethereal quality in the air.

I look at Master Deborah. She seems pleased and excited while Nico is massaging his head.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“A tandayag,” he answers.

My eyes widen, and I feel my heart stop. For training, a Tandayag should not be my first. Even at twenty-two years old, that wild boar can quickly kill me!

To be continued…