The Quest for Redemption

"When I was watching her child, my smile slowly faded as I was thinking about my childhood. I'm looking at the stores, mirroring all of the things that I was thinking about – the way people treated me. I have always been the Golden Child, and after that, I was abandoned. But now, they are in the past. They're all gone. Now I have one goal, not to relive the past, but to make a new future.

As if the child, I can see this child sync with my soul. She looks so bright. As a sign, I can believe I can make children like that smile return. But the chrome-be adventure was working all the time. I was scared because I didn't want anyone to get her, and the place we went to was full of danger. I feel a bit lonely, like an abandoned puppy. It's funny for a 20-year-old to seek hugs or some love. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm just thinking about the future.

I needed to clear my mind, so I drew my sword went to the little corner, and began slashing trees. I don't want to summon anyone or hide behind someone. I began slashing the trees more violently as I thought of Ethan getting hurt Sylvia dying or even the child disappearing. I begin to make more loud noises because of the slashing of the trees. I can't stop the rage from my heart. It's getting deeper and deeper. The louder and louder, and more my mind I don't know what's supposed to do. When I had no one to hold, besides my friend, the thought of losing them made me lose my mind. You can see me from afar, but I didn't care.

The more I slash, the more I relax. But suddenly, my hands stopped because Ethan hauled at him with eyes full of rage and yelled from the bottom of my heart, 'Ethan, what did you do? You know what happens if I hurt you accidentally.' I didn't realize that tears were flowing down from my eyes. I was so worried, so stressed that I didn't realize tears falling from my cheeks, feeling the pain in my soul.

But he didn't reply. He held me in his arms. I couldn't say anything, but I whispered as my voice began to disappear, 'Why are you so kind? Why did you never leave me? Why do you always protect me?' And my hair, previously putting a ponytail, is already falling. He still doesn't want to respond, but he holds me more tightly. The closer I get, the more emotion I pour. His hug was so warm. I can feel his breath. He began to play with my hair, and I didn't refuse his touch. It's intoxicating and makes me feel like a small child and his head. I look at the stars. I don't want to look at his eyes, but he looks at me with a soft smile, as he is assured that I am safe.

I breathed in and out as a heavy breath came out from all the stress. I don't know how we still don't see him as a lover. He is more like a friend to me, who keeps me happy and warm. But when I think that everyone is asleep, I see Sylvia come closer. I didn't want to let Ethan go away, so I remained with a smile. Still, we come close. As she was shocked, I didn't make any comment, but she yelled from the top of her head, 'You and Ethan dating? I was expecting this type of activity, but I didn't expect that you are the two of you.' I smile softly because we are not dating. He is more like a brother to me. So I leave his hands. He was other with the point, and I replied for her softly, as I was always happy to see her too. 'You always think that everyone who gets close to me is dating. It's just like my brother. And what happened to this little child?'

Sylvia changes her reaction from super happy to uncomfortable, and this makes me feel so serious. What happened to this child? Does something better happen? I get stressed out again without realizing it. Ethan holds my hand. I looked at him and smiled, but I didn't let his hand last too long because I needed to check out the little child. I walked towards the camp and saw Aria crying as if someone hurt her. I ran toward her to find out what happened, and instead of doing nothing, she held me so hard. I hug the girl from the bottom of my heart as her tears run down. I catch my breath, and that's her slowly. She didn't stop; instead, she started talking about some random things, some questions I didn't have an answer to, a pain that I didn't know how to fix, and a bright smile that went away.

I wish I could help her out. The only way I can help her is with my kind words. So it was a slow smile. I look at her greenish eyes as if I am looking at myself. And I tell her what I wish someone told me when I was younger. 'Aria, listen to me. You are not alone. Me, Ethan, and Sylvia, all of us with you. People are sometimes harsh; sometimes people are bad. Don't give your heart to anyone. Be bright like the sun, but if anyone tries to hurt you, burn it. Okay, stop crying now. Last strong from your heart.' I wipe her tears gently as she struggles for her breath and rubs her eyes. She nods at me so nervously and hugs me so peacefully as if nothing happened. I hugged her back to feel the safety, and she didn't even want to let go. I'll hold her in my hands until she drifts asleep again. I put her in the carriage to be more safe and put some blankets on her because it was getting cold outside. My eyes were full of affection, just wanted to give her the whole universe.

Sylvia was looking from afar, but she was not that happy. Instead, she was attribute shocked. She gets closer to us and looks at me with the softest even a princess who goes through so many things can have the heart of a mother. 'Mia, take it from me; you need to eat.' I realize I didn't eat anything, so I get the hot soup, and slowly I begin to feel relaxed again. I don't want to get annoyed anymore.

I am calm as I see. But when someone gets me angry, it's hard to control the rage in my heart. Too big. I began eating, and I stopped suddenly, feeling like I needed to draw anything and you wear because the feeling inside would not go away without my heart. So I get a pen and paper and begin through. I drew something that I finished.

I didn't realize Sylvia still standing. Sylvia was so focused on the drawing and the process. She gets the paper from my hand after I finish, and with all respect, she looks at it saying, 'Your art, it's like something no one can make. This drawing is full of emotion. How can you draw something from imagination you didn't even see a person like this or of this beauty?' I was so flattered because no one said this to me before.

I smiled slowly and whispered because I didn't want that to wake up,' When I was so young, my father always trained me in art. I know how to draw people through everything as if it is a piece of me that will never change. Art is not as simple as people see; it's complicated with emotion. You can see my beauty, but art is a beauty of the soul, a reflection that no one can capture. The first reason when I get sad or mad, even if I am broken, I will still draw, whether it's on the mountain or the ground. I will draw from the bottom of my heart.'

Sylvia was overwhelmed with information and sympathy. She always thinks that she knows me, but I am like a secret closet that no one opens and has been abandoned for years. I can't say my father abandoned me, but he abandoned my feelings. He never showed me true love, and he made me feel excitement, happiness, and my childhood. Mother was always responsible for that. When my mother died, or I think she died, my father never treated me the same. I wish old people could see the truth, but some people are blind. I'm scared to fall in love because some people can hurt me, but I can't hurt people too. I just want to live peacefully. I don't know what else to say.

After I finished eating and silence was everywhere, the old man said, 'It's time to go to the Shadow Kingdom.' Ethan and I go first; Sylvia goes after us, and the two adventurers go left. I don't know if I have to feel worried, but something is not good about the female adventurer. Her weapons are already exposed to everyone as if she's ready to face wolves. But good to know Sylvia has already put some protection on us. If anyone tries to hurt us, they will reflect on them. Sylvia's weapon is really genius.

We reach the property of the Shadow Kingdom, and from this point, the two adventurers can't smoke the lesson at us dangerously. The gas is so heavy it can kill us. The female adventurer goes toward me with her knife and puts it close to my neck, telling me with a smile, 'You know I love to kill you, but the way I want to kill you now is boring, and the Kingdom of Shadows will be more fun, you know that they have multiple ways to kill people. I will choose the funniest way or the most painful way, I don't know.' She playfully puts her knife closer to my neck. Ethan stops her before the knife touches my skin. Good relief that we are all awakened. We didn't sleep the night because she was not the only dangerous person there; her brother was also dangerous. So good, we let our guard on all the time.

The scary part is not here; it's the beginning of the most bloody battle we see. But before that, I go to the old man who drives the carriage. 'Old man, if anything happens to us or we don't return on time, save her.' The old man looks with eyes full of responsibility. He looks old, but I know he is wiser than he looks.

We stop in front of the side gate of the Kingdom, and we see things never seen before."