://One day, I want to see you rise to peaks higher than we could ever achieve."://:
This was the only voice that stuck in Aletha's mind; a reinvigorating thought that uplifted Aletha's spirits. One that served as a bold reminder to "keep trying."
Though her parents were nowhere in sight, the sudden memories of them made Aletha feel as if they were standing right there, serving as a powerful source of motivation.
. . .
A sea of stars twinkled above, and the moon rose slowly, casting a soft glow across the grassy meadows and the towering silhouettes of the lush mountains.
As the evening wore on and the battle ceased, the sounds of the forest lulled the world into a deep calm.
Wildlife emerged as the muddy substance's last rays waned. Leaves rustled gently; now and then, a bird chirped, punctuating the tranquil silence.
Cautiously, a family of deer stepped into the clearing, their ears twitching as they surveyed their surroundings.
"Ubel, there you are!" Alai shouted, her voice shaking with relief as she spotted the man. She laughed shakily, taking a step toward him. "I was wondering where you went…."
"The same could be said of me as well."
Ubel jokingly replied, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.
As Aletha, Alai, and he watched the deer prance over to their shelters in the forest, the silver-haired man crossed his arms and redirected his mood to seriousness.
"I was scouring the entirety of Alpine Glitterfly Range for you two. At first, I was looking for a light source. However, when I noticed you two had suddenly disappeared, I scavenged the area, thinking monsters captured you."
Just as his threatening, frustrated voice was about to rise, Ubel lowered it to a soft, forgiving tone, resuming. "Sigh, but now I know… that both of you are alive. Do you two know how dangerous it is to wander the wilderness at night?"
"No. I didn't know nights could be so dangerous," Aletha confessed softly, her voice trembling. She grazed her fingers together, shame coloring her face and her words. "We're sorry..."
"And you…?" Ubel added with a suspicious eyebrow raised. "Alai?"
Alai shook her head and closed her eyes, feeling a sense of anxiety. Although she had found a light source, she knew she had left Aletha behind without warning. To ease her guilt, Alai relaxed her face, let her shoulders drop, and accepted her mistake.
"Yeah. O… Of course, I know how dangerous these nights could get," she stammered, her laughter tinged with nerves. Her crimson eyes flicked to Aletha. "I shouldn't have left you, Aletha. That was reckless… I should have protected you. But at least you're okay, right?"
"Mhm," Aletha replied with a forgiving smile, suppressing her tiny hint of anger at Alai. At a glance, she approached Alai and hugged her, showing affection and gratitude as she spoke in a calm tone. "It's okay. I really didn't know what was happening either. Anyway, thank you so much for helping and saving me. I would never have guessed those monsters would appear suddenly."
"N-no problem!" Alai replied, turning away in embarrassment.
With serenity returning, Ubel, Alai, and Aletha pursued their path to safety.
As they hiked into the distant mountains, Ubel glanced down at Aletha, observing her closely and noticing something odd about her. He let his map drop to his side, sighed deeply, and then asked her with a soft, concerned tone.
"Aletha, if you don't mind me asking, is something the matter? It seems to me you have seen a ghost." Ubel cautiously said as Aletha froze in shock on the spot. "Are you alright? According to my map, Alai's house should be just a kilometer away from us, atop one of the mountains. We need only your cooperation to get there before we can finally rest. Is that okay with you?"
Aletha shook her head. "Yeah. It's not that... I'm sad. I feel… off, like something broke inside me, but I'm okay, really…"
"Then what is your problem?" Ubel asked with a serious expression.
"I don't know…" Aletha said with a frail laugh, averting her gaze while her fingers twisted nervously. "When those monsters trapped me, memories crashed over me—so fast and sharp, I felt like I was drowning. It got worse when the monsters insulted me, calling me a beautiful monster with a family meant to be thrown away."
"Beautiful monster? A disposable past?" Ubel repeated Aletha's words, his eyes widening in surprise. "Strange." After he pulled up his map and continued onward, the man pondered, his gaze fixed on the map as he stared into the shimmering starlight.
(Aletha is far more mysterious than I once thought.)
. . .
They made it.
Not too far from the horizon, a beautiful house emblazoned with vibrant colors and flora stood on the other side of a moonlit path.
There was no problem with visibility for Ubel, Aletha, and Alai anymore, as glowing amber lanterns and lights were dispersed throughout the area's premises.
As they heard the chirping of crickets and grasshoppers, Alai opened a silver gate to the sanctuary of life and invited Ubel and Aletha inside.
When Aletha looked around, she noticed the abundant flora, fountains, and outhouses.
The area felt more unfamiliar than before.
She wondered if it was the evening darkness, the changes in the outhouses and fountains, or simply that she had never seen this part of Alai's dwelling.
Nonetheless, Aletha's curiosity faded as she, Ubel, and Alai entered the front door of the house.
The interior was composed of a mix of hard dark wood, firm glass, and traces of cobblestone.
After entering the house, they saw bookshelves, tables, and couches to their left, with windows.
Several rooms opened from two hallways, each hallway with a sun filter above as the ceiling.
Floral patterns adorned the space, and the neatly arranged furniture conveyed a sense of cleanliness and comfort.
Aletha's gray eyes widened, and she stiffened in shock, blinking rapidly before staring openly at the beautiful interior of this lively home.
"This place… is a lot more beautiful than I remembered." She mumbled tremblingly, her heart pacing with amazement. "It smells so good here, everything is well-organized and clean, and everything is arranged! This is heaven!"
"I must admit, Alai. I myself never expected your house to be so aesthetically pleasing." Ubel admitted as he breathed in the fresh floral scents. "Your house exceeded my expectations tenfold."
As Alai closed the glass sliding door to her home, she raised her chin, thrust her chest out, and stood tall with pride, saying.
"Thank you. And it is all thanks to the cooperation of my teacher and me."
Alai couldn't keep her giddiness in control.
Throughout her time with Aletha, Alai had eagerly awaited Aletha's reaction to the place. Now, witnessing both Aletha and Ubel's response made her beam with pride. She caught Aletha's compliments and added in as Ubel wandered around and gazed at the paintings.
Alai grinned. "You've only seen my garden. If you'd woken earlier, I'd have shown you around. But enough gawking—let's eat!"
Aletha cocked a brow of surprise.
"Eat?" She said, "Like… dinner?"
"Yes!" Alai said, dashing to the kitchen. "Hold on!"
As Aletha waited for Alai to return, she took the opportunity to analyze her surroundings more closely. To her right, paintings, flower pots, rugs, and wooden flooring all around.
It seemed to Aletha and Ubel that this place was instead a luxury for them. They never expected her place to be so rich with life and furnishings.
"Come, take a seat," Alai said, pulling out a chair.
Then Aletha and Ubel slowly sat down on a soft chair, still taking in the place's tremendous interior. A large window oversaw the lush meadows of Alpine Glitterfly Range.
Though it was dark, the moon and the blue sea of stars were clear as day.
Aletha was so fixated on the house's interior aesthetic that she never realized her hair was a complete mess.
With time passing, and the silence of the awkward moment growing ever so closer, Aletha had an itch enter her mind. She took a glass of water and drank from it in one gulp. She then turned over to Ubel as a question urged her.
"Um, Ubel, what's with that big sword? Do you remember what you did to the monsters?" Aletha fidgeted with her hair.
"It's a claymore. And yes, I remember," Ubel replied, taking a sip of water. "You were right there. Shouldn't you remember?"
"Well… you slew the monsters so fast that I could barely see you."
"Oh? Was I too quick for you?" Ubel said, grinning and slipping his hands into his pockets.
Aletha shook her head with disapproval, continuing as the memories accompanied her.
"No, my hair was in my face so that I couldn't see."
"And whose problem is that?"
"First of all, rude." Aletha pointed with a sneer. She tilted her head down and slid her fingers through the soft ribbons of her white hair, resuming with a shameful tone."Second of all, yes… It's my fault. My hair was so long that it covered my face."
"What? So please do something about it! It's not a difficult task." Ubel informed as he shrugged his shoulders.
As Alai walked into the dining room with visible plates of raw food in her hand, she flinched at Aletha's scream.
"You're being a lot more stubborn than I remember, Ubel!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's happening here?" Alai intervened as she carefully placed the plates of raw ingredients onto the solid wooden table.