Chapter 42: Meteor From The Ocean

"This arrow, how can I get this fix!" Ambroz was currently seated on top of a tree branch holding his single arrow. It was the only thing left of his past. A single object that makes him remember his people and as well as his old folks.

His brows furrowed staring at it for too long. Without noticing it, he groaned and leaned back. Not a single thought has come inside his head. The man heaved a sigh.

"There's no use of thinking about it. Nothing works anymore." He said and covered the sun's ray with the use of his palm.

It was just his hunch, but his head gazes towards the direction of the ocean. From where he is, it was covered by massive land and huge trees. He was unfortunate, he usually goes on tall trees to only see the ocean from afar— calming himself down with all the hatred he has inside him.

However, he still went down the tree with no shoes on and began to run over to the tall trees he was just gazing at a few moments ago. With no care, he furiously sprint and did even flinch at all the curvy rocks hitting his foot and bruising it.

Indeed, he was numb as a stone.

The man heavily panted and stood to support himself by holding on to a tree trunk. Not for long, he started climbing it effortlessly. Like some king of the jungle, he is. His manliness spread his body, the muscles across his arms and foot was tense up. He was used to the forest already. Upon reaching the top, he sat himself on a huge branch while holding on to another branch. There, he saw the ocean. It was not a clear view and scenery but it was enough to calm his insides.

Whatever he's feeling, the ocean reminds him of his mother. There she died and was rested. Suddenly, his heart began to palpitate hardly. He gripped his chest and he arched his back. It seems his curse self was reacting to his thoughts. It was reflecting to him. What he did? It was the unthinkable.

"Get this pain off of my chest you bloody dead witch!" He shouted and instead of slowly fleeing off the tree. This man leaned his bottom forward and landed on the ground harshly. He was out of his mind doing something so hazardous.

But he did not care. He decided to close the distance a bit more between him and the ocean. Again, he runs and runs without any stop. He was creating a dimension of anger towards himself without realizing it. Hitting every rock and pebbles on the ground with his toes. The man wreck havoc upon himself. Truly, for what is it?

While running he yelled, "Stop this! Let me die! I need to die!" His voice had thickness to it. It was very deep but the pain surrounded it. He can not help but punch his own chest in repeat. "Ah! I can't go on like this! I need to die! Let me rest! It was not my fault..."

In an instant, he kneeled to the ground. Without arriving at his destination yet, his knees have weakened. When he thought that he already accepted his fate, turns out, he still wanted to turn the tables around.

He was a huge man but was wrapped like a bush in the middle of the forest. The animals who were close to him remained their distance but kept their eyes on watch. They were frightened but most certainly saddened. This man, whom they observed for long with their minor thinking, they still were able to presume that he was experiencing a lot of pain. But what could they possibly do? Nothing.

Ambroz slowly stood up. Amidst of all the sorrowful shouts, a single tear never escaped from his eyes. He gritted his teeth and made a fist.

He stroked his forehead and hissed when a thump resonated from his heart that gave a huge agony. He thought but,

Why?"

Without a hint, he started stepping onto a less grassy and limited amount of dried leaves surrounded. He was at the exact land where his village was built. However, when he raised his head. Not few but there was none left of their structure. No wooden floors, the well was destroyed long ago but is now lost in the wilderness, and the land was filled with nothing but trees all over.

It made him realize it again.

That's right, I have lived for such a long time now."

He roamed his eyes around and found nothing. It seems that he can not thoroughly see the ocean when there are still trees lingering here. So, he continued walking until he reached a clear space. And the ocean was as clear as day. He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm standing here and yet the ocean is vividly plastered." He said with an airy voice. The wind breeze pass by and swayed his long hair. He let out a sigh. "It's been so long since I stood on the sand..."

He bowed down his head before looking back to the ocean. Without a moment of doubt. He went down the mountain and crossed over logs, ponds, and the entirety of the forest. Until, he finally reached the sound of the waves, the strong wind, and the brightness of the sun.

But, he halted. He halted on the exact spot where the beach separates from the deep forest. Where he stood were no sunlight nor the tinge of the water. He was just standing there thinking if it was right to proceed. Somehow, he was scared to face and touch the water.

"This feels wrong. Aranyani, the goddess, will she punish me for this? If she will, I wish it will be death. To decide whether I shall live or die? What is so hard about it? In the end, I fail my folks, my people, and myself. I deserve to receive the death wish. Aranyani..." With his foot, he placed it on the sand and breathe out. "Let me die already." Whispered through the air.

At last, he had the urge to finally step on this part of the land. He never thought he could still be able to stand here alive.

"Alive?" He, without any truthful expression, chortled. With full of sarcasm he said, "It feels as if I am dead already. My insides, it's all numb."

This man continued to wander around the beach, feeling the heat on the sand. With his current temperature, normally, the sand would only be slightly warmer. But, since he's cursed, it's hot as ever. Like stepping onto the gates of hell. But he ought not to get bothered by it.

Ambroz went and soak up his feet. Closer to the ocean waves, he rubbed his feet on the wet sand and the waves flashed through it. He gazed at it and blinked. He was never a pale-skinned man. This curse truly destroyed who he is.

"I, no longer notice myself." He whispered.

His heart thumped and as if his ears were extant, it played an unexpected trick on him. Somehow, the sea whispered something in it. His brows furrowed and immediately looked up.

"What was that? As if someone hummed." He confusingly exclaimed and at the same time with his edge finger, he tried to rub his ears and see if it was just his head overthinking it. But, after a few seconds, it happened again.

Sounded like the deep ocean, like a woman singing, as if a siren spreading vast and travelling his various senses. It was luring him into the ocean. The sweetness and vagueness of it, like a goddess upon the heavens swimming through the depths of the sea, the abyss of its wildness. It was tender but Ambroz felt it was harmful. The second he knew about it, the water was on his waist level already. He let out a pant. For a moment, it took his breath away from him.

Then again, it whispered, "Come, my dear. Let us sleep—" it was only a whisper and yet he heard it clearly without a rust.

"Mother?" Was what he blurted out. Even to this day, he could never believe he would utter her once more. He shook his head and even hit it multiple times, thinking that he must have gone insane. "What is wrong with me? Mother is dead and is somewhere in the heavens already. She can not be here. Is it the ocean? Is this because of the sea?"

He dashed over to the shore and the water splashed as his heavy hands run through it. He was trying to bring himself back to sane. But, is it really just something his head is playing with? Probably not.

His heart never failed to beat as fast he could ever think. This has never happened to him for more than he could ever remember. Maybe because he has never gone to the sea until just now.

"If it's just the ocean, why was it so clear? Like a transparent glass? What the utter world is going on with this body? Should I not be afraid? Or should I?" He exclaimed and groaned in frustration afterwards. "Mother? Why have I even thought of her? I might have bothered her with my foolishness. I have made a laughing stock of myself. I should just head back." He decided.

And he did, Ambroz started to trace his way back to the forest. Instead of being afraid of the consequences, he will receive from the goddess, he was more alarmed by the fact that the ocean is luring him in. Thinking about it, he can drown himself in this ocean if he wants to. But, he already tried it in the river. Nothing happened except that even the water declined his existence and body. It brought him back to the surface no matter the times he did it.

"It's impeccable how I have attempted to kill myself and yet I'm still alive and breathing. What a joke." He snorted and shook his head horizontally. His hands were touching the tree's trunk. He has decided to not turn his back. Yet, something called out to his attention.

Not a siren, a woman humming, nor the sweetness of a living's voice. But, a small sound of an object rushing through the surface from afar. His brows met and slowly he glanced back.

And what he saw widened his eyeballs. This is unbelievable.

Two large ships were racing from afar, it was massive and he reckoned it had a lot of people sailing in it. His heartbeat almost stopped with a mere glance from it. In the hundreds of years he has been living, not a single human being he has seen. Only but a dozen of animals and insects.

His mouth parted in awe. "Are they enemies? No, that can not be it. Or maybe, this presence is nothing but the same reason as to when mother and father went here? Are they also looking for a land?" He started panicking thinking of a lot of possibilities why people started to come to the land. But what panicked him the most was, "But, if they knew someone was here living such as me, they would cause a havoc. I need to head back and hide as thorough as I can."

He was numb but for the first time again, he started to feel the care for people. He did not want them to live such a horror.

He started running back. His limbs were starting to ache but he did not stop. He was once again on the part of the land where his village was before. On top of the mountain, ships were almost approaching the land. He panted and started to rush again. Even the animals watching him in a stampede was curious about why he was acting that way.

He arrived at the cave and covered himself from the rays. Like a rumbustious creature trying to stay hidden from any living being. Ambroz was afraid of the possibility that he might also kill and slaughter these people.

"I can not do the same mistake twice." He exclaimed in a frantic voice.

The cave has the deepest point and he was there. Wrap like a snail in its shell. With his cloth, he stayed like that. Ambroz expects nothing but the obscene of the truth that if he may reveal himself, it will cause a ruckus.

"Staying here, I hope they won't ever know my existence. It will not only spare them the freedom but avoid death from crossing by. These people, why would they dare enter such a land?" Ambroz exclaimed in a deep voice before he could rest his eyes.

For many days, Ambroz did not hesitate to stay inside his cave. Yet, he could feel every human being there is standing upon this land. Somehow, it has been his temperament. This man can feel the consciousness of the humans as he is now a serpent of this land.

Instead of scaring the people away from the land as the goddess gave him that purpose. The chief inside of him refuses to do it and chose the people's lives.

It was his personality, after all. He wonders, why has the goddess stayed put even though she is aware of all of it. This is her land, why has she been calm even after days. Is she letting her guard down? Maybe not.

Ambroz took the courage to go out, he was running out of fish flesh and he can not stand the grumbling it does to his stomach.

"I don't feel anyone's presence today, it should be safe to go to the river." He uttered and went out of the cave.

As usual, the wind welcomed him. But, he had to be quick. He can't truly tell what's ahead of him.

Ambroz traced his way towards the said river. This man was never running but each step was taken to an emphasis and was very hard. He was glancing from left to right just to make sure no one was eyeing him at that very moment. Bringing his weapon and hanging it from behind along with his old and rusty strap. Indeed he was aware of it.

His ears were also wide open for any unusual noises. Talk about consciousness.

He appeared on the river and in an instant, he was already holding the bow and arrow, looking for any subtle movements of a splash. And there was! It was truly a fish he would want to feast on.

With one of his non-dominant eye closed and his other one open, he directly hit the fish. The arrow pierced onto its skin despite the age. It was a precise hit, inside he rejoiced noticing how he still did not get rid of that skill. Luckily enough.

He head towards it and with his head, he grabbed the flickering fish. But what he forgot was how much noise he made from the river's water. His hands that were landing in and making splashes with the water was creating such a commotion.

Crap! It was trouble for him.

When he was about to head back, gazing and turning his back, a kid was staring at him straight. It was a girl with curly hair, brown skin tone, green eyes, and was hip tall. It was in awe when it saw him. But, it did not look even a little bit afraid of him.

With his palms, he signalled the woman to calm down. Using a finger and place it on his lips. Trying to convince her not to make any sudden outrage.

"I'm not afraid of you. But, you are not our people." Suddenly, with her tiny voice, she spout and it made Ambroz worried.

She knows.

"Oh, I-i u-um..." He struggled to open his mouth.

"Are you from the other ship?" The girl inquired to him.

His brows furrowed trying to comprehend the little girl's question. But then, he remembered. There were two enormous ships, by what this girl is trying to say, it must be that the other ship was from another sort of people.

Should he just lie? "I am." He answered. Somehow, by her mere presence, it was making him anxious and his heart never stopped from beating. He started to get out of the water and grab the fish with one hand. He slowly started to go back when...

"No, you are not." The little girl answered.

He stopped. "What?"

"You are not from the other side. You are lying. Father said when one's eye is shaking it means that they are lying. You are doing that just now."

He cleared his throat. "Go back to your family. It's not safe for youngsters to be here."

"But they are here with me." The girl answered back with calmness in her voice. However, Ambroz reacted to it differently.

He glance back and saw that there were already two people holding the little girl behind them as if it was trying to keep her safe. They were all in the same color. Looking at him as if he was a beast; eyes in complete terror and brows furrowed to the limits.

At this point, all he could do was panic. With heavy breathing and sweat running down from his head. The sudden speed of his heartbeat was out of reach. Ambroz did not know what to do. He can not move his body nor does his sanity help him.

He was brought to an utter still. When he tried his best to keep them safe from not forming any sort of communication with them, here they are appearing before him.

So, in the end. He runs. He escaped from them and he could not think of any other decision to make other than that.

The curse is vague and evil. No matter the time. It will always find its way to thrive. And he is afraid of that time to come again.

He is no longer human.

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ABYSSCESS