It was a bright, spring day. The sky was clear. Winter had faded away entirely; no snow, moderately warm weather, people walking around outside without jackets while taking pets to the park.
Green trees, grass and pure fresh air. The perfect, beautiful, typical spring day.
...At least, for most."...And don't forget, you have a test tomorrow! Myths and Legends, chapters eight through eleven! Study!" The students didn't really hear their teacher, though. They were all eager to go and enjoy their Wednesday afternoons.
Araki Kuronaga sat in the back of the class, her pink bangs visible from beneath her brown hoodie. She packed up her laptop and went out of the classroom, turning left.
Araki was a unique fifteen-year-old girl.
She wasn't into the crazy popular dramas that aired constantly.
She didn't post dozens of photos a day on Butterfly, a newer social media platform.
No, no. Araki was far from normal.
Instead, she found her joy in watching anime and playing video games whenever she had the chance. It had been ingrained in her family for years.
Her older sister, Akane, was a pro-player. She played games that also existed on Earth. Things like Overwatch and League of Legends. Araki also played both, but her passion lay within the role-playing game genre. Her favourite game from their world was a mobile game dubbed Mythical Majesty.
Her best friend, Estelle, sat by the exit gates. Akin to Araki, Estelle also found joy in playing various games, watching different anime and using different technology.
Estelle's hair was naturally light blue, almost like the sunny sky in the air then. Wavy curls swam down to about the base of her neck. She wasn't stunning or a knockout, but she wasn't a bad looking girl either. In truth, neither of them were. They were cute to some boys.
Her amber eyes radiated joy. She wore her navy blue sweater and high-rise shorts. Despite not being popular or clotheshorses, they did care about their appearances. The shorts were white, and her sweater went just down to the pockets. She wore gray Vans on her feet. Estelle's satchel was on one shoulder, holding her books and computer.
Araki took off her hoodie and shoved it inside her bag, revealing her clothes. A simple green tank top and bubblegum pink shorts with white sneakers completed her outfit. Her hair was like that of the cherry blossoms that had begun blooming. Loose, short and free-flowing in the wind. Araki had a skinnier build to her, whereas Estelle was more average.
"Do you have Ms. B for Ancient History?" Estelle asked, stretching slightly as they left the school.
Araki nodded. "Mm, she's easy though. I've got it down pat, don't worry."
"You're sure? Eight to eleven is a lot of content. I'm struggling a bit with the material. This world is so confusing," Estelle replied.
"I can help you if you need it. Arin, too."
Arin was a boy who was also in their grade. He was often a target of bullying and found it hard to come to school from his foster home. "I hope he's okay. Arin, I mean," Araki muttered.
They eventually reached the pathway to the suburbs, across a quiet green chock full of park benches. Walking through downtown was awesome at times, but it could also be dangerous.
Robbers, gangs, etc. It was only two-thirty in the afternoon, however.
"You know," Araki said quietly. "One day, I'm going to learn magic. Visit Freudian University. I'd love to cast spells and protect others with my power."
Estelle beamed at her friend. Like her, Estelle also had dreams. She wanted to design technology. They were so different yet so alike. Past and future. Science versus magic.
Suddenly, Araki gasped and nearly tripped.
"Araki-chan?" Estelle held her up. "What happened?!"
Araki looked down at her ankle. Two blue bitemarks glowed an eerie shade of purple, blood oozing from them.
Then they saw it.
A simple corn snake. But it was very different. Wisps of blue energy flowed from its tail and head. White rings covered its back scales. Its eyes were completely white. It illuminated the grass that it slithered on.
They both looked at each other and then back at the snake.
Ouroboros?
It hissed and writhed away.
"It hurts," Araki groaned, wincing.
Estelle turned towards the direction they were headed in. Her home wasn't far. "Let's get you to my place."
"It's Ouroboros' venom," the nurse responded.
After eventually reaching Estelle's home, her family took her to the hospital. Araki's family was contacted, and they were currently waiting for the prognosis.
A snake bite couldn't be that serious, right?
Araki raised a hand. "W-what will it do to me? It can be extracted, right?"
The nurse shook her head. She was petite, wearing the pink nursing dress and cap. Her auburn hair was in a pixie cut. Her gray eyes were sad as if she was about to tell her patient of their terminal diagnosis.
"It can, but...it's really dangerous. Only elite healers can perform this, and it's highly radioactive. People can be affected within days. In the past, we had to put people bitten by Ouroboros' children into quarantine, or we had to seal them away."
"Sealed? As in...like a spirit?"
The nurse nodded slowly. "It's...not curable. People can and have lived with bites, but only after learning to control their powers."
"Where would she be sealed, though? Certainly not the Phantasm Realm, right?" Estelle asked, her voice quiet.
"Yes." The nurse, whose cap had the name Autumn on the back, sat next to Araki. "If you can't already tell, I'm quite young to be working here. I'm only twenty. But I've been going to Freudian University for six months now. There is something we could do to see if you can possibly wait it out instead of being quarantined."
Autumn turned towards Estelle's father, Masayoshi. He was tall yet muscular with dark blue, nearly black, hair. His brown eyes widened with worry. He was handsome, with angular features about him. He was only thirty-two but passed for twenty-two at times.
YOU ARE READING
Faltesia Chronicles: Ouroboros Rises
FantasyFifteen-year-olds Estelle Hoshizora and Araki Kuronaga are the best of friends. Their world, Faltesia, exists as a parallel to planet Earth. They have their own countries akin to ours, are further ahead in tech, magic runs rampant and some even say...