1 Reborn

The sun stays perfectly still at the never rotating globe, dividing the places into three different eternities. It peaks through the horizon of the Land of Dawn, shining a beautiful orange glint. It is the place between the Night and Day where you can admire the beauty of a sunset whenever you please. The orange glow of the sun rays filtered the area, and temperature fight between cold and warm—the land of hope where Axiea Aribell Xenon was born.

Ethopia is the most prosperous city of the Land of Dawn, where the most wealthy and noble families live, that is where the Xenon family resides. Years back, the family's Lady is suffering from an incurable ailment, and her husband is distressed with what to do, deeming the fact that they are expecting a child.

The Land of Dawn's portrait was bright and merry, yet that luminous expression ends with the Xenon residence's gate. Everyone was troubled by the Lady's condition, and the atmosphere was grim. The colors seem dull. They tried everything to fight away the illness, but no solution appears to show.

Lord Xenon called over his long friend, who was a potioneer. He was their last and only hope. The potioneer was no best, but he holds a secret herb passed down through their family of potioneer. They were waiting for his return, and as time drops, it fell and add up to the water of unease.

Finally, the time he comes. As the Potioneer enters the residence, he was greeted by the Xenon's Lord with a distressed look. He was then shortly guided to a room he can create the potion. Hours passed, and the medicine was now complete. It took longer from the boiling and brewing of herbs, mixing of drops of elixirs. The Lord was oblivious of what he was doing but kept his trust. He can do nothing for failure will do the same as doing nothing and let her die.

"Can't you finish it any sooner?" he asked jittery while he fidgets perturbed as he waits.

"No can do. So, please settle your ass back there in the corner." He doesn't so much as glance at him and remains focused at his work.

He clutched a bottle out of his pouch, which has a strange-looking herb inside. The Potioneer boiled it along with the substance, which he then transfers to a container. Steam rises from inside the bottle with violet-colored liquid inside, which then turned to green as he slowly swirls the bottle on his hand. Relief came to the Lord's face, but he knows that it's only half before his wife has undoubtedly recovered.

The potion has been delivered to Lady Xenon's quarters, which then she drank to its last drop. The noblewoman was looking pale and weak. It takes enormous efforts for her every breath, and her eyes are indisposed, but she still managed to put on a smile for her husband. Her sight tore the nobleman's heart as he waits patiently whether the potion took effect. His friend, the potioneer, was behind him while also waiting for her recovery. He was confident it would work. The room is silent, and the ticking clock sounds very loud and slow before they saw a successful outcome. It was like a work of magic of a wizard as they saw her pale face instantly gain color. Her once bleached lips returned to its healthy natural red.

The servants, butlers, and maids in the room were surprised and have overcome with glee, and so was their Lord. The potioneer's worry fades, and the event pleasured his pride. His mind circle around the thoughts of achievement and fame he will obtain, but he hid it all behind his mind. The potioneer left the festive residence of Xenon and received a feat in return.

Months passed by, and the birth of a new offspring came. They were expecting one child, but they were astonished when they got twins. Their quarters filled with hollers of joy and cries of the newborn twin. But no later than after they celebrated, Axiea stopped breathing and was declared dead. Everyone was stunned, and the couple mourned for their lost child. Axiea's death was kept secret from the public, and only limited people know about her. She then lay at the Xenon clan's tomb located in the middle of the woods, where their late ancestors laid to rest.

Later in the evening time after her burial, her heart pumped and sent powerful blood throughout her veins. The body of the young child gains life once again, which was pale moments ago as she resurrected by the magic given to her. Young Axiea gasped her first breath, and eyes shot open, only to find herself alone inside a chilly, dark tomb. She cried as fear enveloped her in the pitch black lonely place, and the only thing that glimmer was the flicker of her now green left eye.

~~

It's night by the time but always dawns in the setting. In the inner forest, there walks a traveller who roams around to look for as many beautiful areas in this Land as possible before he gets home to Day Land. He was painting the landscapes of this territory. As he was striding past trees near the Xenon clan's tomb, he heard a child's faint cry. It sounds fair, but it echoes as if it was someplace inside a burrow. He looked around to find the location of its weeping calls, but he found no child. His eyes stopped at the tomb.

He walked at it closer then rests a hand on its thick wall. The sound seems to be coming from the inside, so he looked for the entrance and entered the tomb. The man struggles to open as the door was very secured, but he managed. He followed the outcry of the baby with a small lamp he lit up, and found it at the farthest and darkest area. There he saw Axiea crying for help. The newborn was vulnerable, and fear is written all over her face. His heart broke at the sight of the fragile baby.

"Who's such parent would abandon their child inside a tomb?" He carried her in his arms, and there Axiea slowly stopped her weeps. She stares at the man's face in the dim-lit, and he can't help but stare back at the young's mismatched eyes. Beautiful emerald green left eye and hazel right eye. The baby smiled at him, and he was immediately enthralled. "Don't worry, I got you now," he said, then left the tomb with Axiea in his arms.

Hours passed after that day, and it's the time where people from the Land of Dawn get their breakfast— the minute where the clock strikes ante meridiem. Axiea's parents visited their clan's tomb riding their fancy carriage and guards on horses. Noticing that something's not right, the Lady panicked. The guard saw the entrance which is slightly ajar. They were alarmed and so immediately rushed inside towards the location where they put their child. When they reached the area, they see it empty, and no corps of a baby is seen. The couple were shocked; then, the noble Lady screamed as mixed emotions rushed inside her. Her husband tried to calm his wife down while the guards took actions under the commands of their Lord's right-hand man.

Half of the men stayed with the pair; hence Aetos, the Xenon's right-hand, went to search for the abducted baby. Aetos can communicate and order the feathery animals. He was one of the strongest soldiers in the Land of Dawn and was titled as the 'Rex Avium.' His signature eagle eyes searched for a person in the area whilst he commanded the fastest birds to look for her. The guards scattered in the area, along with a flock of birds each with them. The sky crowded with different birds and the place filled with an outcry of shrieks, hoops, and tweets along with the flaps of wings. They swarmed around Ethopia, disturbing its citizens and leave them in awe that the Rex Avium is in action.

The search took further 'till the clock strikes post meridian, and the birds reported that they spotted a man with a child at the west dock boarding a ship to the Land of Day. Their men quickly rushed there, horses galloped faster, hoping to catch up to him, but it's too late. The ship sailed, and it's already too far to catch up to it. Aetos stopped by the edge of the dock, cursing under his breath while he can't do anything else but frustratedly stare at the ship with his eagle eyes.

~~

It's a week trip going to the Land of Day, and there were no troubles that made the trip longer. The passengers were exhausted from a week of the journey, and everyone finally breathes relief as they step on the Land. The man who carries Axiea also dismounted the ship with a massive bag of luggage he held on his left hand. Their destination is still far from there, and their trip will take half of the day. He rode a carriage carrying him in the middle of the forest where his home is standing.

The ride was long and so looking out the carriage's window is the only thing you can do. Luckily, Axiea is sleeping soundly in his arms while he who badly wants to entertain himself, can't because the man just couldn't put down a child inside a bumpy ride. The scenery outside was completely different. You can't help but compare the two lands. The Land of Day was bright, and its image shows joy and liveliness, unlike the Dawn, which pictures a calm place. The plants and trees shout colours of different shades of green, and you can see things much more brightly. Races are also different as it shows tanned skins and curled hairs. Then, fewer people are outside so they can escape the harsh rays of the sun. At a pavilion, they still gather there. There you can find different children playing their games in their completely different fashioned clothes compared to the Land of Dawn. They wore light, and shorter clothes as to adjust from the high temperature. It's a whole new place, and Axiea looks totally foreign correlated to their people.

Finally, they arrived at the man's home and will be Axiea's too. He put down the luggage and bags he carries first with one hand then proceeds to pay for his lift. They entered his home, and nothing is new except there's added dusts and dirt all over his floor, desk, and books on shelves. Axiea was put down on the bed, and pillows were set beside her so she won't roll over and fall. The man smiled at her as if she was his daughter. Axiea was still sound asleep even with all his moving and putting away of luggage, which made him let out a chortle.

He left the room to arrange and put away his stuff, leaving Axiea in the place. The open window shined at the innocent child and wrapped her with its warm shines. Butterflies entered the window and flew towards her. She woke up from it and saw them soaring above her. She smiled and tried to reach them, but her arms are still small, so she waves her hands, trying to play with them. Birds peek by the window, and so do the other animals. It's as if she was being welcomed by nature, a magical sight to see. Baggage and other stuff are done being arranged, and so the man went back to the room and saw its sight. It's as if his breath was snatched, and he can't look away. Axiea was laughing with nature, and the animals were mesmerized by her emerald green left eye. Butterflies danced above her, while the girl playfully reached for them. Two deers peek through the open window, and a bird stands on a nearby table.

When he snapped back to reality, he walked near her, and caressed her fragile cheeks. As the animals saw him, they all scurried away at once. Axiea's mismatched eyes followed them as they left; then, her attention turned to him. He sat beside her, and smiled at her.

"I don't know why a parent would abandon such a miracle." He continued to caress her cheeks when she holds his big finger on her small hands. She giggled innocently at him and raised her hands at him, asking to carry her. He took her then played with the child while he ponders for a name.

"Bastian Asher is my name. From now on, I will be your father, and I will name you Catherine."