Spirit of the Lake

(1000+ years ago)

Click... Click... Click...

A small girl was trying to open a lock while the traders were not around. She was one of the kids who was sold to the slave traders during the night of the Halloween festival in their town.

There were so many people that day and her foster parents used the opportunity to sell her off. She was an adopted child anyway so why should they care?

When the girl finally opened the lock with her hairpin, she immediately took the chance to run towards the forest.

"Hey! Hey! The girl! The girl is running away!"

"Follow her!"

"Don't let her escape!"

The girl continued running without stopping until she slipped and fell down, causing her to earn cuts and scratches but the pain didn't stop her from getting up.

She needed to escape!

Her adrenaline rush was pushing her forward despite the pain in her body. She continued running until she started running down a hill, and once again she slipped and rolled down from there until she lost her consciousness.

The next thing she knew, when she opened her eyes, she was in a small wooden room. The drip of water was heard and when she looked, there was a small basin, catching the drops of water that were coming from a small hole in the room.

Thunders clapped, making her flinch. She could hear how heavy the rain was from outside.

Just then, a delicious scent entered her nostrils which made her stomach growl in hunger. The smell was coming from outside of her room.

When she tried getting up, she felt her body ached. It was too painful for a child like her. Tears formed in her eyes because of how her body was aching. In the end, she remained on the bed, lying down.

"H-Hello?" She tried calling out with her sore throat. "Is anyone there?"

Did the kidnappers catch her?

Not long, she heard footsteps from outside. The door slowly opened and there came a man with grey hair. The sign of old age was visible on his face. He was carrying a tray with a bowl of porridge and a glass of water on it.

"You're finally awake" The old man smiled kindly at her, trying not to scare the child. "You must be hungry" He placed the tray of food by the side of the bed.

The little girl cautiously looked at him, "W-where am I? Who are you?" her voice was shaking. Although she couldn't remember anything except her name, she felt scared of being in an unknown place.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. You are currently here at my home. I found you in the forest yesterday and took you in." The old man gently helped her in sitting down.

The child noticed the bandages that were wrapped around her short arms and legs. Did he help her?

"What is your name, little one?" Asked the old man.

The girl looked at him and seeing that the man didn't mean her any harm, she answered softly. "It's Melia."

The old man smiled, "And my name is Julius Lukul. Your parents might be looking for you. I will try my best to help you so... where are you from, Melia?"

Little Melia looked at the food and then to the old man. Her stomach was grumbling. She wanted to grab and devour the food but she held back.

The child knew where she came from but those parents of hers were mistreating her that was why out of fear, she decided to lie by shaking her head and saying, "I... cannot remember."

"Ah, is it because you hit your head? That's terrible." Julius sighed heavily. He looked at Melia who was looking at the porridge. "You can eat. It's all yours."

Melia smiled at him and quickly took the bowl of porridge and ate its contents. She was really starving after all. She filled her little tummy with the porridge as the old man watched her, smiling.

...

Since that day, Julius decided to take Melia in since she had nowhere to go. She would help Julius in picking fruits and herbs at times, learning how to live from him.

One day, she went to a lake that was nearby the cabin she was staying just to play while Julius was away.

"This lake is so clean and clear, how beautiful," Melia said after she filled the small bucket with water.

"Ah, a girl?"

A voice, coming out of nowhere, was suddenly heard by the child.

Melia ended up blinking. She looked around and called out, "Who's there? Grandpa, is that you?"

"You can hear me?"

Melia continued to look around, looking for the owner of the voice. "Of course I can! I have ears!" She pouted in a cute manner. She looked and looked and yet she couldn't find where the voice came from. "Where are you?"

"Look at the lake."

When Melia did look at the lake water, she saw a handsome young man, a man with red hair and red eyes. He didn't look scary at all, instead, Melia was astonished by his red hair and eyes. She has never seen a person with that hair color!

Melia gasped in surprise, "Why are you there?! Come out! Mister will die inside the water!"

The guy chuckled in amusement as he saw the girl's reaction. It has been so long since he saw another being except for the old man.

Melia reached out her tiny hands to the water and tried touching the guy but she couldn't.

"I am a spirit. The spirit of this lake."

"Oh! So that's why! That is so amazing, mister! What is your name?"

"Alois is my name. Lass, why don't you come have a swim in my lake? You will definitely enjoy it." He invited her with a kind smile.

Melia, the naive girl, couldn't help but grin. "That's wonderful! Melia wants that but.." she paused and looked down sadly. "I don't know how to swim... "

Alois chuckled, he offered his hand, reaching out to her from under the water. "Then I will teach you, come... Don't be afraid, I happen to be a good teacher."

The little girl hesitated at first but the kind smile of the spirit in the lake made her want to trust him. She reached out her hand to him as she started walking towards the deeper part of the lake. For some reason, she ended up being captivated by his crimson red eyes.

"Melia? Melia! Where are you?"

The old man's voice snapped her out of her thoughts which made her stopped from going further into the water. It was then she noticed that the water was already reaching her knees.

"I will learn swimming next time, okay? Grandpa is calling me! See you later, brother Alois! "

Brother Alois

"Wai-- t... " Alois tried stopping Melia but couldn't since he couldn't touch her, not until she was in the deep water.

Almost, almost, he almost got the girl who can be the way to break the seal on him. He only needed her blood.

Surely a little girl like her is pure, right? She will be the one who'll break the seal since she can see his spirit form. Her blood will be his way of escaping. His spirit will finally be able to return to his body that sleeps deep down in the lake.