Zemeria: The Final Sanctuary

Chapter 3: The night

  "Because Zemeria has the Guazeria..." She paused for a second, pain flashing across her eyes but then she pushed it aside and continued, this time with an emotionless voice, as though reciting a memorized narration, "It is said that when the threat of Humans became too dangerous, the most powerful mages gathered here and made a spell to transfer all their magical powers to one individual, the Guazeria, and have that power passed through to the next generation whenever one Guazeria dies. The mages gave up their lives to create one last sanctuary in which Humans can't enter, and where we could live in peace, separated from the outside world." She sighed, sounding almost pained. "And it's my responsibility as the current Guazeria to protect Zemeria from any Humans."

  "But," he started tentatively, knowing this time that he absolutely should not ask this, but he just could not leave it be, "if Humans can't enter, and the Guazeria protects Zemeria, how did the humans manage to attack Zemeria six years ago?"

  Fia froze in her place. An ominously terrifying aura was suddenly pouring out of her, and her hands tightened into shaking fists. Liam gulped. Maybe I really shouldn't have asked that.

 He closed his eyes, fully expecting a spell to be thrown right at him this time, but nothing came.

 "It was my fault," she uttered, simply, soullessly, and moved on.

 Liam stood still, staring after her in shock.

  He was not sure if he was more surprised by the fact that she did not kill him right then and there or by what she said. 'It was my fault' she said it so matter-of-factly, as though it was something she was used to saying over and over and over again.

   He almost wished she had gotten angry instead.

   He followed after her once again but this time did not dare speak a word the rest of the way.

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  "Alright," Fia said, "I think this is deep enough."

  They were now quite deep into Zemeria's forest. She wanted to take Liam as far away from where the majority of the creatures lived, at least for the night, to try and calm down the fuss that his presence has caused.

  "It's really quiet here," Liam said.

  "Yeah, not many creatures reside this deep in the forest. The only ones who live here are those who prefer peace and quiet, not all creatures fancy crowds." She sighed and turned around, looking at a tree behind them. "Won't you come out to introduce yourself to our...," she looked Liam up and down with empty eyes then continued, "guest, Demral?"

  Demral came out from behind the tree. He stayed by the river when Fia left him to go get Liam, and then decided to go take a look for himself when he sensed that they were near.

  Liam was a bit taken aback, for it was his first time clearly seeing a magical creature after all. He thought that Demral looked pretty much like a fox, but had eight long tails and was exceptionally bigger than the normal fox. He also had bright green eyes that shined like emeralds. Then he noticed that he was actually glaring at him quite intensely with those eyes.

  "H-hi?" Liam tried, smiling nervously.

  But Demral did not reply and continued scrutinizing him. He then turned to Fia. "I really don't see or sense anything special about this Human, Fia."

  She sighed, "You just can't sense magic cause you're not a mage, Demral. Actually," she looked at him a bit suspiciously, "his magic is incredibly dim that it would even be hard for a mage to notice it."