Cresia, Five Hundred Years Ago

I am not sleepy!", the little girl grumpily said.

Her father was trying to put her to sleep with a lullaby, yet failing at the same time. He let out a sigh and said,

" Zeru, you have to sleep, it's late and you have lessons early in the morning."

Zeru, "But father, I am not sleepy. How about you tell me a story instead, please."

Father, "You little troublemaker! You know your way out huh?! Okay, but promise you will sleep after the story and no excuse."

Girl, "I promise!"

Father, "Alright. Once upon a time, there was a god who was the supreme creator of all lives. He had two twin daughters. He entrusted them with the task of life and death. For him, life and death are a circle that keeps rolling like a wheel. The elder of the sisters was entrusted with life while the younger with death. But the younger one grew envious of her sister as she considered that her father looked down upon her. To her death is a weakness that prevents one from the power of life. Death is something that is considered a hindrance to achieving one's goals which eternal life can grant. She never understood her father's philosophy of balance of life and death and regarded it as a flawed outlook. So, she rebelled against him and her sister. She thought her father preferred her sister more than her."

Zeru, "So, did he?"

Father, "Did what?"

Zeru, "Did he really see his daughters as unequal?"

Father, "No Zeru, he didn't. He treated them according to their dedication to the tasks he gave them to perform. As the supreme god, he was not used to showing his affection but deep down he had the same love a father has for his children. But for the younger goddess princess, it was never enough. She gradually became darker and more evil and one day she stole her father's bracelet with the Gem of Ayelet that had the power of the old god in it. She used it to raise monsters and bring down destruction on the world, her father's creation. But she was defeated and punished for eternity. The bracelet was taken away and the gem of Ayelet was separated from it and hidden away by the Kingdom of Illusontis so that no one ever could use it for evil purposes."

Zeru, "And the Gem, father?"

The man looked at his daughter affectionately and said, "Don't worry it is hidden away safely as well. Something as precious as the gem must be protected, just like you."

Zeru, " Like me?"

The man smiled and said, "Yes, just like you."

Zeru looked a little baffled by her father's words. But he quickly diverted her attention and said,

"Enough of stories. Now, to bed. You promised to sleep once the story is over."

Zeru spoke impatiently, "But father, what if the Gem is found again and the evil goddess wakes up? To be truthful, I don't think the story is over."

Her father tucked her warmly in her bed and said, "I am not going to fall for your inquisitiveness Zeru. Don't worry it won't happen for sure. Now, no more talk. Go to sleep."

Zeru went to sleep reluctantly. Her father came out shutting the door. Her mother was at the kitchen table and she looked up at him smiling and said,

"She won't sleep, will she?"

Father, "She is too stubborn and I wonder where it comes from."

Mother, "Ohhh so now you are going to pine it on me?"

Father, laughing, "Did I say anything wrong?"

Mother, rolling her eyes, "Yeah whatever. But dear, we might have to tell her the truth someday, I am afraid."

Father, "I know. But for now, it's better she doesn't know about it. The truth will come with a heavy burden on her. She will eventually know it when she grows up to become strong."

Mother, "I am worried dear. The other day she healed a broken flower in the garden. Her abilities have started to show. It is only about time that they will manifest. We have to prepare her for the reality."

Father, "We will. Don't worry. She is just a kid now."

Suddenly a voice spoke from the couch facing the fireplace.

"She won't be a kid forever dear son-in-law."

Father, "No she won't, but for now let her be away from all these and live carefree a child should."

Old grandma, "The kingdoms are fanatically looking for the Gem. We must protect our Zeru and prepare her for what might come. Our family has served Uraos since the beginning of the time and it is our duty to defend his will."

Father, "I just don't understand Uraos is gone. Iseret is now ruling the heavens with Serkhet condemned into eternal prison at the Forest of Damnation, how things will be done now? Iseret has absolutely refused to intervene in the affairs of the world after the war, if things go bad who will guide our Zeru?"

Grandmother stood up from the chair and said in a confident tone, " Our Zeru, is not any ordinary child. She has no idea just how powerful she is. So do not be scared. We just have to teach her properly so that she can fulfill her destiny."

A few days later, Zeru was playing alone on a playing ground. She was a little different from other children in temperament which made her the target of frequent bullying. That day she was picked by a group of boys who started to throw stones at her, calling her names. The leader of the group suddenly picked up a big stone and threw it at her, which hit her forehead. Zeru hold her forehead and cried out in pain, but then she stopped crying and stood up with anger in her eyes looking at the perpetrators. Her sudden change in demeanor made the group panic. And not only that, her eyes flashed a tinge of sparking blue hue. With that, to everyone's horror, the stones that they threw at her started to raise in mid-air all around before they flew towards the boys hitting them all over. The boys started to scream and fled from there.

Back at home, Zeru was being treated by her father who was angry with the boys picking on his daughter. But her mother was worried that like this the fact that Zeru is different will be exposed and it will lead to mayhem.

Zeru's mother, "Zeru, you could have run back. Why did you attack them?"

Zeru, "Mother, I didn't, it just happened, that way."

Zeru's father, "Zeru, dear go to your room, I have something to talk to your mother."

He pecked a kiss on her forehead before sending her away to her room. He then stood up and faced his wife saying, arms crossed, "Have you lost your mind? You cannot seriously say such things on her face when it is she who has been the victim."

Zeru's mother, "What do you think is going to happen if they discover Zeru and who she really is?"

Zeru's father, "We will prepare her for it but that does not mean we keep our eyes and mouth shut about the bullying she is facing. That will be cruel to her. And mostly you cannot say to her face that she shouldn't have used her powers against those who wrong her. She is a victim here. They threw stones at her injuring her. Should we just keep mum about it just to protect the secret? No, I cannot do that."

Zeru's mother, "There are things you have to sacrifice for the greater good. We cannot risk the secret we are protecting."

Zeru's father, "For me, there is nothing greater good than Zeru and I will go to the ends of this world to protect her."

Right, when the bickering of the two was at its peak the grandmother entered. She snapped at them for fighting like kids. She spoke indignantly, "My, my!!! When we need solutions to our problems all you both do is fight. You both are no better than those kids fighting."

She then turned to Zeru's mother and spoke, "I never thought that I will birth a stupid daughter like you. How can you blame Zeru like that and say it to her face? The powers are dormant since she is still a kid and they manifested because of the trigger. I never imagined the powers will sync with her mind and feelings. The most worrisome thing is that she is born here. No matter how much we dedicate our lives and goal to serve Uraos we still are humans. We have to rely on ancient scriptures of Uraos for it."

Zeru's father, " But what to do about the bullying? We cannot keep shifting from one place to another. The atrocities have to stop. In the middle of all these being special, I don't want to forget the fact that she is a kid just like the others."

Suddenly they heard a commotion outside. The father ran out to check what is going on and panicked at what he saw. A group of soldiers; Cresian and Illusontian led by the group of boys who bullied Zeru were approaching from a distance, with the leader of the group pointing at the house. Zeru's father, realizing the danger, ran to inform Zeru's grandmother and mother. They were shocked as to what to do. Zeru's father thought for a second and said,

"I'll get Zeru, take her and run. I will meet you near the forest edge."

After handing a sleepy Zeru over to her mother, Zeru's father took out his sword and stood guard while making their escape safely through the backdoor towards the forest. Zeru's mother and grandmother were reluctant to leave her father but he made them leave. While they were fleeing the disturbance made Zeru wake up from sleep. With half-sleepy eyes, she saw the backdoor closing with her father drawing the sword, while her mother and grandmother were fleeing. She was about to scream but her mother muffled her mouth with her hand so that her screams won't draw the attention of the soldiers. They ran through the forest as fast as they could and finally reached an empty cottage at the edge of the forest of Cresia. This cottage was built secretly by Zeru's father as a secret hideout. This portion of the forest was denser with wild animals so it is completely uninhabited, a perfect place to raise Zeru protected away. As days passed Zeru grew up learning the sacrifice her father made. On her eighteenth birthday, her mother and grandmother told her the secret about Zeru's birth and gifted her something her father left for her.

Zeru's mother, "Your father wanted me to give you this on your eighteenth birthday as the coming-of-age gift. It is a precious heirloom that he got from his father, and now it is yours."

Zeru took the box in her hands. It was a gold-plated rectangular box. She slowly opened it and inside there was a large white diamond pendant. Zeru carefully looked at it and said, "It looks like a diamond but it isn't one, mother. Looks more like crystal."

Her mother glanced at her grandmother and then spoke, "Yes, it is just a crystal but it is an heirloom, which makes it very precious, dear. So keep it and guard it with your life. Never under any circumstances will you lose it."

Zeru looked at her mother and said, "Of course Mother, I will keep it safe. I promise. After all, it is the only thing I have that reminds me of father."

Later that night Zeru was lying on her bed looking at the crystal rolling it with her fingers. It was shiny and clear but definitely not like a diamond. She then spoke looking at it, tears in her eyes,

"Thank you father for your gift. I wish you were here today. I miss you so much."

After that, she took it placed it in the box beside the table by her bed, and went to sleep. On the inner side of the lid of the box, there were letters carved that read,

'To, My Beloved Daughter, Nezeira'.