LIVING | 하루토

3 - The Ogre

adjusting to my new lifestyle is still difficult, but at least now... i'm not stuck in that sickly room. now, i work at a nearby flower shop to provide only the clearest water for our fauna & to take care of plants and flowers.

this is an essential job so that our land continues to flourish with its flora and fauna.

i chose this because it didn't seem too tiring... and i could put my magic into use.

i've been doing fine for the past 3 weeks here, and everyone's been nothing but so nice to me. i've even met some friends here!

sometimes, it feels as if i'm still dreaming. it's difficult to believe that i'm finally living.

ah... i've run out of water. i'm gonna have to bring some back from the river but today's weather was gloomy.

it's the worst thunderstorm Cepil's ever experienced this year.

since rainwater is from the skies, i cannot cleanse it with my magic. it's simply too complicated for me right now... my mana hasn't reached that level yet.

it is said that only people who devote their entire lives to study magic, can possess strong enough mana to manifest magic to control natural elements.
but right now, all i can do is control it to not fall on me where ever i walk.

i raised my palm to keep myself dry as stepped outside of my cottage. slowly, i walked from my cottage to the river through the wet grassfields. i felt the soft, and mushy mud engulf my feet with every step i took.

but at least, rain did not fall on me as long as my palm was faced up. i've practiced gathering enough mana to control rainwater momentarily from falling on specific areas.

as i walked, i soon realised that the river is further than i thought. it was almost right outside of cepil's barrier. i picked up my pace and continued through the wet grassfields.

upon reaching the river, i quickly made a bubble with my free hand and stored some water from the river into it. i swirled my fingers, securing the bubble so that it wouldn't burst on my way back.

just as i was about to leave, i noticed a dark shadow loomed over me... making me feel uneasy. i felt a heavy footstep land behind me. i gulped, my breaths quickening in anxiety.

i braced myself before slowly turning around.

my eyes widened and my heart started to race as i came face to face with.. an OGRE! those gigantic, green creatures with white horns coming out of their heads... those creatures that i only ever saw in Cepil's history books.

this is impossible!

ogres haven't been active since the 1990s... so why.. why now?! it was said that the ogres deterred from Cepil because they had some sort of weakness to specific fauna here in Cepil.

how.. is it that this one isn't reacting to any fauna?

this ogre seemed to be a fully grown one.. it was massive... and- and i didn't know what to do. my magic was solely for the benefit of Cepil's environment and economy.. there is no form of defense at all! or at least, not that i possess.

"a-AHH!!!" i shrieked as i tried to sprint back to my cottage, careful not to burst my bubble of water. my palm dropped in the moment, and i felt rain drops splashing on me.. the cold pierced my skin as i felt my hair become damper and damper.

as i tried to escape, the ogre growled as he chased after me, trying to grab me with his gigantic hands and sharp claws.

my breathing started to become rapid and soon,  a sharp aching in my chest followed. i winced in pain as my eyebrows furrowed— come on, yena. not now!