Chapter Three

THE SHURIKEN MASTER

***

"HOW DID YOU do that?" Astier asked as they walked down a forest trail.

"Do what?"

"The thing that came out from your hand earlier. The one you cut my palm with."

"Oh. You mean this?" Instantly, a shuriken materialized in his hand and showed it to Astier's face.

"Careful with that," Astier complained, inclining his head backwards to evade the sharp edges of the familiar weapon.

"This is called a shuriken." It vanished into thin air. "In Azalia, there are various types of magic that people can practice. Some are even fortunate enough to be born with innate powers, either inherited from their ancestors or, a gift from the Seven Queens."

"And this magic you use," Astier interrupted innocently, "what do you call this type of magic?"

"It's an Assasin's Magic. In my case, I practised and learned to become a Master Shuriken. I can forge or morph shurikens from my bare hands, no matter how many. Only my imagination controls its limit. But of course, my magic is only limited to creating various kinds and forms of shurikens, which actually takes a huge information from my own knowledge."

"You mean, you can only create shurikens based on the forms you've known."

"Exactly."

"I see." Astier thoughtfully nodded his head. They have just exited the paradise-like forest. But the sooner their feet left their previous ground, the environment changed so drastically. Astier expected they'd be stepping out into a new town or village but instead, a barren land awaits them. He turned around but he no longer saw the forest, only that this barren land seemed to be endless.

"What happened to the forest?" Astier confusingly asked.

Ardelian clicked his tongue. "Don't worry, it's still there."

He drew nigh and extended his hand into the air. His entire palm vanished through the invisible barrier.

"Whoa! What just happened?"

"This forest is the home of Mother Nature itself. She put up a barrier surrounding it, disguising it as a barren land to keep humanity away."

"So, the forest is entirely this barren land?"

"You are correct."

Astier thoughtfully nodded again. He want to raise another question but Ardelian preceded to encourage him to proceed. They soon departed the barren land and had themselves stumbled upon a small town. Just like in the book, there are more human beings dwelling in most towns than hybrids or other mythical creatures. They're not usually welcome in towns mostly inhabited by human beings. Most of the time they're treated as an outcast.

This is quite ironic because the Seven Queens are friends with the human rulers.

The entrance of the town was guarded by royal soldiers, inspecting anyone that would want to enter the premises. Identification cards are needed for verification. Astier began to worry as they approach the gates. There are quite a few people who got in the line first and the closer they get, the wilder Astier's heart races.

"Your identification card," demanded the soldier on the right. Ardelian casually took out two small rectangles and gave one to Astier. On them, their names and faces magically appeared.

"Please step into the circle."

Beneath the gates, there is a small circle where everyone should step in. Their identification cards will then be inserted on the floating magical glowing sphere placed in the middle, the Identifier; there is a narrow space at the top intended for their cards. The circle on the floor will personally scan every being that steps on it and the Identifier will verify if the said information written on their cards is real or not. The Identifier will glow green if the information is correct but it will glow red if the person used a fake card or is someone who is wanted by the authorities.

Ardelian waited for a few seconds before the Identifier glowed green. He proceeds inside after retrieving his card. But when it was Astier's turn, he began to hesitate. It only doubled his agitation when the same soldier asked him to pull down the hood of his cape.

"You're gonna have to take down the hood so the Identifier can properly scan you."

He's never felt so scared in his entire life. 'Is this what wanted people usually feel whenever they illegally cross the borders?'

"Mister, I don't want to repeat myself. Take off the hood now or I'm taking it off for you!"

"He's just a little nervous. This his first time visiting a new town," Ardelian had to intervene.

"I don't care. He's with you, yes? Can you tell him to take off the hood? There's a line of people he's holding! Come on! We don't have all day."

Ardelian looks at him, giving him an expression of approval, telling him that everything's going to be okay. When he nodded at him, Astier finally pulled back his hood.

"Place your card on the sphere." He did as he was told. A few seconds had passed, much longer than Ardelian's time. He thought getting himself ready should this soldier catch him and threw him into the dungeon. His heart nearly exploded when the sphere finally glowed green. He vents out a sigh of relief before approaching his friend.

"That was close. I thought I was a dead man," he whispered to him. Without realising, they proceeded but were soon stopped when the soldier called them again.

"Hey, wait, stop!" They paused, slowly turning around.

The soldier approaches them with a stern look like a lion who's about to devour his prey.

"You forgot your card."

"Oh."

Astier successfully evaded being caught by them at first sight. But the wanted poster of him nailed on the walls and windows everywhere around town did not escape his eyes. The bounty on his head is gradually increasing every three days. Many more are getting interested to have his head. The notice doesn't even care if he's alive or dead.

*** WANTED: DESTROYER OF PEACE ***

WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'LL DO TO HIM. WE ONLY NEEDED HIS HEAD.

REWARD: 1, 000, 000 PIECES OF GOLD

***

"Does she want to kill me so badly?" he muttered to himself. Incredulously staring at his own wanted poster. Then he came to wonder, how come he wasn't detected yet? Why is no one seem to be paying attention to him as they walk freely around town? And it just so happens that his poster was taped to a window, the sun beamed, mildly reflecting his image.

"What on earth? I look nothing like that! Who are you?" His eyes are squinting as he scrutinizes his own reflection.

"Is something wrong?"

Astier was nearly startled by Ardelian's tap on his shoulder. He then pointed to his image with a confused look.

"What happened to my face? Did you do surgery on me while I was unconscious?"

His good friend let out an amused snicker. "Your face is still there, Astier. The only thing that's changed is the perception of other people on you."

"Is that why they don't recognise me?"

"Yes. Have you checked your card? I've made it while you were unconscious."

Astier verified his card. His information magically appeared on the plain-looking glass-like rectangle.

NAME: VIKRASTIER CAZ IGREED

RACE: DEMI-HUMAN

RECORD: NONE

A small picture of his current face also appeared beside his information.

"As long as you wear that bracelet on your wrist, your true face will not be revealed. You must never take it off when we're in the public."

"I understand. Are we going to get some good place now where we can finally talk things over properly? Maybe explain to me a little bit about how come you are so all-knowing about this world. And how did you know I got sucked inside the book?"

"I know you have a lot of questions you want to ask me. But let me tell you this first. The person you're seeing in me right now is the actual me."

"What do you mean?" he curiously asked.

"I'm not really from your world, Astier. I never was. I was born and raised in the world of Azalia."

***

A BEEPING MONITOR, a slightly hard object was laid on top of his mouth that reached up to his nostril, cold air directed at his nose. His eyelids are weak as he attempted to slowly lift them open. His back felt like he was lying on a very soft substance, a soft cushion laid beneath his head. He felt a strong sensation of comfort. Finally, he successfully opened his eyes. They still appear droopy, looking partially opened but Astier could already grasp his foreign environment.

'Where am I?' he mentally asked. Slowly and cautiously, he rolled his eyeballs in an attempt of perceiving anyone in the white-painted room. Suddenly, an opening and closing door emerged from the serenity of his current location and the white-dressed woman holding what he deemed to be a small thin wooden tablet registered a surprised expression on her face. She dashes to his side in a panic, snatches a white object from the wall and put it in her ears.

"John Doe is awake! Call the doctor now!"

A few moments later, several more people dressed in long white robes came into the room. The first man who approached him wore a black tube-like object around his neck. His face was a blur but there was something about him he couldn't forget. His appearance seemed to be more formal than the others and he looks highly respected by his comrades. Or whatever they are.

Astier is beyond confused with what is currently transpiring. He could've flinched in fear when the white-robed man directed a bright light into his eyes. 'Why did he do that for?'

The words they murmured came to his ear as a foreign language. What are they talking about? He couldn't understand anything.

The man with a black tube around his neck approaches him once more and begins to ask him a few questions. But he couldn't answer because he couldn't understand anything he says. Besides, the object in his mouth hinders him from speaking.

But what was so peculiar about him?

Ah! His ginger hair was quite outstanding.