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Ashes of the Past

Freya George, a girl who left the orphanage the moment she turned eighteen tried her luck to live on her own. Barely surviving from the curse of this cruel world, she found out that she was not who she thought she is. In the place where no ordinary human could enter, she found out her dark past. Realizing her power and the perilous life ahead of her, how will she be able to handle all of this without losing anyone, anymore?

merry_go · Fantasy
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29 Chs

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I looked at my body, I looked at my surroundings, and I looked at the guy in front of me just to be sure he's alright. But I can't see anything other than fire. Everything was set ablaze, even my body.

I ran.

I kept on running.

But everywhere I go, the fire keeps on following me. Burning everything around me.

But I can't feel the hotness of the fire. I feel… nothing.

I still kept on running inside the dark forest. It is so dark that I feel like I was caged with a very thick and large wall where no light could enter.

Until I can see a bluish light not too far away. I ran as fast as I can to reach the light. I kept on running and running but the distance between us is still the same.

"Help me please!" I screamed.

The bluish light turned into a bird. A very big bird. Bigger than an eagle. Bigger than me.

I stopped running.

"Who are you?... What are you? Please help me!" I cried

"I am you. I am living inside you. Release me so you can free yourself from your past. Only then you can say you are saved."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

I am so confused.

It flapped its wings and carried me above.

I am afraid of heights but now I feel like I am one with the wind.

"Now go!"

And then the bird released me.

In the air.

I am falling.

I AM FALLING!

I screamed so loud it felt like my organs will soon explode.

I can feel hands on my shoulders shaking me.

I opened my eyes.

It was just a dream. But why does it feel so real?

Wait… so those guys who can control rocks and dark smoke are just part of my dreams as well?

"Thank God it was just a dream," I told to myself.

"What dream?"

I almost fell to the ground when a guy who looked like the guy in my dreams who can control rocks said something.

Okay… what is happening?

"Who are you?" I asked him while looking carefully at his face making sure I am wrong.

"I should be the one asking you that. Just so you know, you are in my place after you collapsed." He said while preparing something. Is that food?

I was about to answer him but my stomach growled in hunger. That last time I remembered that I ate something was when I bought a bread while looking for a job.

"Here, eat first" he handed me the plate full of anything that can be eaten.

"Thank you" I said, still confused. He really looked like the guy in my dreams.

I ate my meal while he was doing something.

"Thank you for the food. I really am grateful to you for letting me stay here for a day but I need to go to work. Don't worry, I'll come back here and pay you" I rose up and got my things.

I feel like I am in danger. If this guy is the same guy in my dreams, then that would mean that what happened the other day is real. If that is real, I think he is dangerous. If he is dangerous then my life is at risk.

I know I am paranoid but why can't I be? I don't know where I am and I am with a stranger, for Pete's sake!

I rushed to the door and got out immediately.

Oh my���

After seeing what is happening outside, I went inside, again.

"What was that?" I asked him while catching my breath.

"Well miss, allow me to introduce this place"

He opened the window and I can see different people with different… powers?

"This place is called Aspiera. It is protected by incantation magic so people on the outside, I mean normal people can't see this. It is located in the heart of the darkest forest so no other people can enter this place other than us. The people outside are the residents of this place and each of them has their own magical powers." I am just listening to him like he's telling a fairytale. This can't be real.

"That girl over there," he said while pointing to a girl playing with the wild animals.

"She can tame any animals she like" Even a bear? That's cool!

"And that one" pointing to a kid who is growing plants.

"He can easily and quickly grow any plants" Even roses?

"Centuries ago, this place used to be ruled by the four-element users. The fire, air, water, and earth…" He said while extending his hands and then at a quick moment, a rock as big as his fist came flying into his hands.

"But it was destroyed by the greed of the Caeli 20 years ago." He broke the rock he was holding after mentioning that name.

"Caeli what?" I asked

"They are the air element users. They are believed to be the strongest since they can easily control the air and even gasses."

"They destroyed our place and left like a storm. Two years later, they slaughtered the fire element users because they consider them as a threat."

"And why would they do that? Why would they destroy this place and kill people?" I asked out of curiosity.

"We don't know. All we know is that they are evil. And the guy you protected the other day is one of them." Ah yes! I almost forgot what happened the other day.

"At that time, I was looking for a girl who was rumored to be a fire element user. But I crossed lands with that guy, we had a fight but just when I was about to kill him, you protected him by using your body as a shield." Oh right! That was the dumbest thing to do.

I looked at my chest but I can't feel any pain form a wound or anything.

"My spear didn't hit you, nor did the guy. It turned into ashes together with the guy when you set yourself ablaze." What?! I did that?

"So, I killed him?" I asked. My body froze. How could I kill someone?

"Uhm, yes, since he turned into ashes and disappear into thin air right after you burned him." What?! That's ridiculous!

"I am not a murderer! I can't do that! I don't even have powers!" I yelled at him. Is this some kind of joke? If it is, I don't want it.

"I cannot say that you murdered him…"

"Of course, that's absurd!" I can feel my anger and confusion inside my body.

"…intentionally" he added.

"What?!"

"Okay miss. I don't know you yet. I know that you are still confused about what is happening but don't worry about the man you killed..." I made a face when he mentioned the killed.

"Okay, okay, you did not kill him, he just vanished. But the point here is, you cannot bring him back and you should not feel sorry for what you did unintentionally because that man and his kind slaughtered your family!" he seemed… furious. Why?

"I don't have a family," I said in a flat voice.

"Yes, you do and even before you had the chance to be with them, they robbed it from you: your family and your future" he got to be kidding me.

"I grew up in the orphanage, I don't have a family and I am all alone my whole life, so, stop telling me these nonsense things because I still have to find a work to provide myself." I am holding back my anger and hate. I want to scream and cry for everything that happened but not here.

This is too much. I just want to live a fine life. I am not looking for a luxurious life, I just want a simple one where I no longer have to starve.

"Aren't you listening to me? They killed your family and all the other Ignis. You are the only one left!" enough please, enough.

"They are the reason why you are all alone" no I don't want to hear these things

"Don't you want to avenge yourself and all the other victims?

"ENOUGH!" I yelled. But what happened after made my heart want to explode.

I am on fire. Again. But now it's dazzling white.

He stepped back with horror in his face.

I calmed myself and rushed out. If this place is some kind of dimension, I'm going back to my world.

"Where are you going?" he asked while following me.

"Home"

"But this is your home"