01: Making New Ally

I slowly opened my eyes as the sight of a dim light started to hit my eyes. Where am I? Am I already dead? What happened after I passed out?

I looked to my left and right. Still no signs of a person or people. I'm going to panic if I don't see anyone starting from this moment.

"Oh, you're awake now?" A woman's voice filled my ears as her silhouette covered the light. Her voice was soft and very angelic. A comforting one.

"Who are you?" I asked as I almost got out of bed, but this woman refrained me from doing that.

She must have known that I was startled by a strange face and an environment not really familiar to me. I felt my back and chest ache. That's how the arrow pierced me. It was very deep, it almost just passed through my body.

I sighed in relief as I knew that I could still feel pain. I don't know where I am right now. I couldn't even tell where the hell I was. But the fact that I am alive and breathing is the living truth that I could still save my tribe from falling.

"Oh, I am a healer. Do not fret. A stranger brought you here two days ago and left without any traces," the woman spoke.

"The arrow that pierced through your body didn't hit any vital organs, but it did cause you to lose a lot of blood." 

The healer explained to me everything I needed to know through my journey of recovery in this place. She also told me the dos and don'ts while I'm still recovering. The healer also informed me of the date of when I would be able to go home.

The healer also told me that my debts had already been paid and that there's no need to worry about myself. It must be from the stranger who helped me that day when I got shot.

My back still hurts, probably from the wound I had from the time I escaped. I stood up, slowly and gently. 

"No, no, no! Do not stand up. You'll cause a lot more trouble, your wounds are not fully healed. And the stitches from your wound might open up," she said and pushed me gently back to bed and let me lie down.

"I—If I may ask about my whereabouts, where am I?" I asked. 

"Before I tell you that, we must talk about the poison from that arrow," she said and pulled up a chair to sit on.

"The poison from the arrow was hard to identify. I haven't encountered that kind of poison in my entire life," her expressions was a combination of confusion and frustration.

"The poison was only attacking the upper part of your body, mainly your brain and your eyes. Do you have any idea what kind of poison was that?" she asked.

I shrugged, I haven't encountered that kind of poison as well. I haven't hear that effect to. A poison that only attacks your upper body part means that the poison only targets what the culprit wants.

"Fortunately, I extracted all the poison and your eyes miraculously protected itself from being damaged. But, Your brain, however, was damaged. Some of your memories might be corrupted but it will heal soon."

"Thank you," I said.

I will be forever grateful for the kindness of this healer's heart. I will always look up to this day and return her kindness once she needed it.

"Anyways, I was asking where a-are my whereabouts?" I asked again.

I wanted to know since after my recovery I will soon travel to the Mountains of Easteria where the Guildmasters are.

"You were taken here to the West Empire," the healer said. 

I frowned. That's odd.

"How long does it take to travel back to the East Woods of the Riverose?" I asked. 

Her face was left in shock and her jaw dropped instantly. I'm shocked as well because I'm not in my rightful place.

"You are from the East Woods of Riverose? How come you are here? How come the stranger didn't bring you to the nearest healer in the East? " 

I could sense great confusion on her part. I shrugged as a response to her question.

"That's strange. I have never encountered this kind of situation before, and it is somehow new."

The stranger probably didn't know that the East and West part of the land weren't really going well with each other, perhaps that they're at cold war.

Or, the stranger purposely brought me here, intentionally saving me from death and danger. He probably knew why I was running and that I was a target for execution. If not, then how could he respond to that situation faster than anyone? 

How did the stranger knew where I was and that I was about to fall? Could it be that the stranger is secretly following me from the woods? 

Anyway, I wanted to know who that guy was. I nearly blamed my tears. If my sight hadn't gotten blurry, would I have seen the guy's face clearly?

All I could remember is that he was wearing a cloak with a torch on his hand, but then left the torch in the woods before carrying me. 

"Uhm, what should I call you, Ms. Healer? I probably should have treated you with gratitude, " I respectfully said to the healer.

"You can just call me Madam Priscilla," she answered politely. 

"I don't know if I should tell you this, but I think I know the stranger's purpose for why he brought me here instead of back home."

I'm still hesitant about telling her this because I couldn't trust people that much, especially if I was a target of execution. But as of the moment, I need to trust her. I must trust her even if it'll cost my life.

"What could possibly be the reason why he brought you here?" she asked with a frown on her face. 

"You see, before I got here, I needed to tell you the whole truth," I said.

And of that, I told her the truth. Everything about what happened and what my situation was back there in my home, if I could still call it that way. 

 "So you are the target of an execution because of that?" she asked. 

"Yeah," I said, nodding.

She held her forehead as if she was stressed out. He held her clothes and looked into my eyes. 

"So, you need someone to stay with and you also need a huge help from all the Guildmasters?" she asked. 

I nodded in response. She walked through the window and slightly opened a small part of the curtain as she seemed to be peeking at someone. Afraid to be caught, after that she closed the curtain again. 

She sighed. "After your recovery, I will let you stay here and I will help you with everything I can."

She said, If I could see myself right now, I'd probably see my eyes sparkle. As of now, I'm safe and confident that I'm safe from any danger.

"But in one condition," she paused. You will be my assistant. I will teach you how to make medicines and anything you need to do here. "

That's okay for me, as long as I am safe. 

"I'm good with any work you'd like me to do," I said with a smile. 

She smiled back.

"Then it's settled. What's your name? " she asked while still smiling.

"Oh, Vespera Embershadow." 

Embershadow, yeah. A lot of people know that surname. A lot of people love the people who owns this surname, but a lot of people also hate the person who holds this family name. I stand together with the one who hates this surname. 

Her smile faded in an instant. It's as if she didn't smile at all. Her face was again left in shock. 

"Now I know why. That's the surname that will lead us both to death," she said as her jaw dropped from what she had heard. 

"Uhm... yes. I know that"

She shrugged off and smiled again. Wierdo.

"Okay, okay. Aside from being my assistant, you will also pretend to be my daughter since you can't use your surname as of now. I will let you borrow mine."

She is truly kind. She is a pure person. I bet she is loved by the people who live in this town. Her heart is truly kind and pure. Even with me, a random stranger who came from a country they all despise. 

"By the way, do you remember anything from your childhood?" she asked.

"Thi is just a theory, either your memories from childhood was the one corrupted or the traumatic memory before you passed out. Since you still remember the memory before you passed out means that your childhood memory was the one corrupted?"

I tried to remember everything from my childhood but nothing comes to my mind. Maybe she was right, the childhood memory was the one that was corrupted.

"Yes, it's okay for me though." I said.

I just feel like my heart was talking to me saying thag it's okay if I couldn't remember them because it's much more better.

She smiled. "Anyways, where were we? Oh yes!"

"Vespera Massoulleve," she said. "Since you are going to pretend as my daughter you will also call me Mom. Is that okay?"

I then agreed with a thumbs up and a wink to her. 

I must also be sorry for causing her a lot of trouble and stress, but I am a bit shy about telling her. She looked at me. I don't know if her reaction was in awe or just pure shock. 

Yeah, my story must be so shocking to her. But the fact that she didn't betray me once she knew is a living fact that she can actually be trusted. Maybe? Who knows what may happen in the future.

I must be thankful to her for accepting me and letting me into her humble abode and her safe zone. I'm also very thankful that she trusted me and didn't see me as a threat. She didn't see me as a trap set by the Easternians nor a weapon.

If I was brought to the wrong person, I must have died by then the moment I told that person that I was from Easternia.

"M-Mom?" I called. 

It feels weird to call a stranger mom. 

"Thank you," I said, and I gave her a warm, soft smile.

And this is a great step-up. I made a new ally. I'll be needing more. Since my other allies are back there where the trouble is.