3 T W O

"My name is Zenier. What about yours?"

"I-I'm...Iowa."

...

Asthrea lied, a guilty feeling overwhelmed her. She didn't know why she lied. She just felt like she had to. She had to protect her identity somehow.

"Iowa .. That is a very unique name. I like it." Zenier smiled.

"H-how did you get here? No humans were supposed to know the existence of this place." She said grabbing her clothes.

"Like I said. I was riding my horse and stumbled upon this forest. I heard the sound of the falls and I just followed the sound."

"I..see. But you have to go. This isn't a place for a human like you." Zenier crossed his arms at what Asthrea said.

"You keep saying "human" like me. Aren't you also one?" he questioned her as he sat down on the tree where Asthrea was earlier.

"I... I am not a human like you." Asthrea said. Zenier looked at her with questioning eyes. This made Asthrea fidget.

"You are not a human? What are you then?" His voice is full of curiosity, but no remorse, nor disgust can be traced from his voice. This made Asthrea more comfortable around him.

"W-well..." Asthrea started and sat a few feet away from Zenier. "...We both have the same features that can resemble a human, but I am way.. way more.. uhm how should I say this.. immortal? Eternal? I don't know... It's just that we have more life capacitg than normal human beings such as yourself." She explained. Somehow she doesn't feel afraid of him anymore.

"Hm. Is that so? If you aren't humans. Then what do you call yourselves?" He asked. Asthrea is hesitant to say anything.

"Humans should know who we are just by looking at our mark- our insignia." Asthrea said as she showed a constellation-like mark on her back just below her nape.

"Uhm. Actually I really don't know... I was bedreddin since I was merely a little boy. I was always sick. And no medicine was able to cure me." He explained and smile. But his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I had no childhood. I was always in bed. Just walking a few meters would make me weak and vomit."

"T-that's...sad." Asthrea blurted out before she can stop herself.

"I-I'm so sorry I didn't mean l-like i-it's a bad thing.. I-I mean it is. I mean n-no-!" Asthrea hugged her knees out of embarassment when she heard Zenier laugh.

"It's okay Iowa. I mean I am fine now. A woman who took care of me for a few years cured me. I don't know how... But she just held my arm and I fell asleep. Then when I woke up. I was cured. I feel energetic. I ran and ran but I never felt tired, I didn't vomit either. I was so happy that day." Zenier said smiling. Asthrea grew quiet for a bit and then looked at Zenier.

"But... After I was cured.. She just vanished without a trace. I tried looking for her but she was just...gone. I am still looking for her even now.. She's like a mother to me.. I still feel sad knowing I may never see her again." Zenier said.

"Eliriouns... That's what we are called. I think that the person who cured you. Was also an Elirioun like me." Asthrea said. She felt like she could trust this man in front of him.

"Eliriouns... Oh so you are one of those people. I thought they were just stories of folks. I never thought that they really exist."

"You... You're not going to hurt me?" Asthrea asked out of sudden.

"What? No. Why would I? An Elirioun save my life. How could I ever hurt you?"

Asthrea beamed at what Zenier said. She is happy that the first human she has met is kind. No malice hidden in him. Asthrea went closer to the man and sat beside him. Zenier appreciated the gesture. Meaning Asthrea is willing to open up to him.

They talked for hours, talk about their childhood, their adventures, and they ended up talking about the bad history of Elirious and Humans.

"They captured our people. Tortured them. Use them. Sold them... I don't know how your kind has that kind of dark heart." Asthrea said as she looked at her hands. "We don't mean harm. We just want to live together with humans. How could they just do this to us?" She continued.

"Iowa..."

"I grew up in this forest. I never knew what it was like outside. I... I just felt so dead.. Everyday... Every single day I do nothing but wander this empty forest. There is nothing more than leaves, trees, water, no more. I just... want to leave and find my purpose.." Asthrea said smiling sadly.

"Then come with me." Asthrea suddenly stared at Zenier. Shocked at what he has offered.

"I-I don't think I can."

"You don't have to be scared. I'll take you home-"

"ASTHREA!" Both suddenly stood up upon hearing her Aunt Jevi's voice.

Aunt Jevi pulled Asthrea away and pointed a dagger to Zenier's throat.

"Y-you! I have never seen you before! Show me your mark!"

"W-wait aunt Jev-"

"Be quiet Asthrea!" Asthrea closed her mouth.

"I-I don't have one."

"A human!? How-How did you enter this land?! This place is completely sealed off to keep you humans away!" auny Jevi said. She couldn't believe a mere human can enter.

"Aunt Jevi! He was healed by an Elirioun, T-that must be why the gates must have felt the Elirious aura in him. P-please calm d-"

"YOU WERE HEALED BY AN ELIRIOUN?! Y-you used us without consent! How dare you humans treat us this way!?"

"I-I d-didn't even know that Reas can cure people!" Zenier stated not knowing what to say anymore.

"R-Reas?" Aunt Jevi said. She dropped her dagger out of shock.

"W-wait... The woman who t-took care of you was Reas?" Asthrea asked, shaking.

"Yes... S-she took me in when even my parents abandoned me."

"T-That's.. That's my mom's name..."