Unnamed

CH-1 1306 Beginning

'Hush', Our teacher says to quieten the class from the chaos the announcement has caused. "I know you girls are excited about the news but, girls remember the school's reputation is on the line." Who would have thought that the head of the state Akira Lee will grace this small village of Borara in the extreme east of the country?

"In a weeks' time lady Akira will visit our school and I expect you all to be on your best behavior, alright girls?"

With a unison of 'yes ma'am' she dismissed the class and hence the day at school came to an end.

The school I studied had no more than 100 students in total, so whenever our school got over the small wooden building would shake so much that a city dweller might think of it as an earthquake.

This afternoon was kind enough to have enough sun to keep you warm, with the winter approaching the evenings have become chillier to the point where one can't sleep without a blanket.

'Hey 1306' I hear someone call. "You forgot this in class" 0904 walks towards me with my rule book in her hands.

"Thank you so much 0904, I would have in lot of trouble back home had I forgotten this in school"

"You really need to be careful with the rule book, you do know how much trouble it will be if you lose it, right?"

0904 was one of my friends since the primary center and by sheer stroke of luck we always wound up in the same centers.

Centers are places where the citizens of Nela are sent to attend schools so that the citizens are in tune with different cultures of the country. A citizen is sent to four centers during their schooling years with the last center being the place their ancestors belonged to.

Me and 0904 were surprised that we belonged to Borara, the land of the purple rocks as it was once called but now has been reduced to a hollow legend of its grand history. Borara was once the gateway from Nela to the other world but since the rein of Sofia Rehmat contact with the other world has been severed, and the once proud fortress town is now a forgotten village in Nela's history.

'I have you for saving me from the trouble, right?' laughing I take the rule book. The rule book is not a sacred text but it is the duty of a citizen of Nela to have it by heart by the age of 15.

My mother who is a retired lawyer is the reason why I would get in trouble. Mother was a brilliant lawyer with so much talent she once represented a man in the court of Midori, the highest court of Nela. The man got his sentence shortened to life imprisonment and was a big win for the small minority of men in Nela. The win was such a big deal she got enough money to last through our entire lifetime that she decided to retire when I was 10.

"Don't be so sure, with the naming ceremony not even a year far, we really don't know whether we will be together or not,"0904 reminded me so much of my mother it seemed like she was her daughter not me. 0904 has long brown hair that become golden in sunlight, her beautiful dark skin reminds of warm coco in winter (it really didn't help she also smelled like chocolate) and just her presence was enough to remind one of summer. But the most incredible thing about 0904 was that she had such intellect that mother would literally hog her over whenever she came to our place to discuss politics and what not.

"The naming ceremony has months to take place and I am pretty sure the divine queen will still have us together", the naming ceremony takes place when a citizen turns 18 and can choose the name, they want to live within Nela. Getting your own name makes you an independent citizen of Nela and a year in the military as it is the duty of every Nela people to serve in the military after being named.

"Divine queen, will not, if you keep yourself getting in trouble,1306. Get your act straight if you want to possibly serve in the same corps as me," yup, definitely my mother in soul.

"Don't worry, you know that I will find a way to you, right?"

"I will personally kill you if you don't, get that."

Ahhhh now that's the 0904 I love.

"I swear on divine queen, I will always find a way to you 0904."

With that being said a comfortable silence falls and we made our way to our living quarters. Living quarters were houses allotted to families who still had un named dependents in them. The reason is because some 100 years before when men were in charge of the society there was so much poverty that not every child had a roof over its head. Seems pretty bizarre to me.

The location of our school made it easier to go home than to go to school. The school was situated on the top of a hill with the village being at the base of the hill. And with my quarter not falling in the 10 km permit for use of vehicle, I had to walk to school except when it rained. 0905 accompanied me because she likes walking. She says it's a good workout in the morning.

Yes, I am speechless as well. I mean the hill is pretty but not pretty enough to climb.

But I had found a shortcut to our quarters, the problem was it was through the Misty Forest. And it was hard to convince 0904 to take the route. Misty forest were not prohibited to go into but since last 10 years there have been rumors about it. Like disappearance for days, loss of memory whoever goes through it and stuff like that. But me reaching home faster was something I would risk my memory for.

And like any sane person 0904 was not fond of the route. She makes me take the high road and walk more.

As we were crossing the Misty Forest, I heard a cry coming from the forest. I looked at 0904 and the look on her face conformed that she heard it too.

With a silent agreement we went towards the forest with me going in first and 0904 staying at the edge of the forest. We had this routine wired down in our brain with 10 minutes interval when I enter a place, 5 to search and if I am not found, then 10 to inform my mother.

As I entered the forest, I turned to 0904 who nodded in encouragement. The Misty Forest had tall dark trees with a lot of mist in the air. As the crying grew nearer the mist thickened, but suddenly it cleared as the crying stooped.

There was lake with water so clear you can see the base and a silhouette near the edge of the lake. I walked closer to it. The figure turned around and the last thing I remember is a pair golden eye.