INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS

CHAPTER XLII: ARIA

Twelve years of martial arts training didn't prepare her for the darkness in the forest or the uncertainty of what lies ahead after she left home. After her dad died, she never set foot anywhere except places where she's with her grandparents or family. She remembered hiking a mountain with her dad but her the experience wasn't enough to be confident to travel in a dark, unknown wilderness. But she continued moving forward with her compass and map, traversing between large trees and wide green planes. She kept walking until she felt that she's too far from the road. She took shelter between two large roots of a tree, the three walls shielding her from the howling wind. The moonlight was faint due to the clouds. Within a few minutes, she was able to make a campfire.

She sat down, resting her back on the tree's root. Exhausted from walking, she took off her hiking boots and massaged her feet. Now what? She looked around, looking for signs of human or animal life but there weren't. She was far within the forest and the trees were too high. But the sounds of crickets and other insects comforted her. She grabbed a letter in her backpack to read it for the 20th time.

"If you are reading this, it meant that I'm not with you anymore. I'm sorry for separating you from your mom but we believed that it's to keep you safe. I wanted you to know everything, but they will probably see my letters," she read then stopped to watch the stars and to catch her breath. Who are they?

She continued reading.

"Our friends will keep you safe. We don't trust the people around our family. My friends will keep you safe. They are-" She stopped when she heard rustling around her. The sound was faint but she felt that she's in danger. She slowly stood up, looking around her. They saw my fire. She grabbed her sword. The red and black bells dangled when she picked it up.

There were footsteps. There were people around her. Her heartbeat quickened. She could also feel the throbbing on her tired feet.

Then the sounds stopped. She frowned as she tried to sense and listen to someone's presence. Were they sounds made by animals? She looked up, watching the still leaves on the branches of the trees. She tried to look for moving shadows. Nothing. Why does it feel like everything is on a standstill?

Snap. She quickly spun towards the sound, raising her sword with both hands. Her breathing was heavy while anticipating an attack. But it never came. However, she remained in that position for a while. When her legs finally gave out, she sat but kept looking around. Strange. I swear there was someone there.

After that incident, the forest was peaceful. Yet she couldn't sleep for a second. She couldn't let herself rest while danger is lurking around her. When the sun peeked above the horizon, her eyes were heavy and weary.

"Ugh." She rubbed her sleep-deprived eyes when she noticed that it's already eight in the morning. She took a sandwich and tumbler from her backpack and began to eat her breakfast. After eating, she took out her pocket map and compass. She lay the map on the ground.

"It should be there." She pressed her finger on the map then glanced at the letter beside it. "But...it'll take me three days to get there." Aria looked around the fire-lit forest then sighed. She's in the wrong place. Early, she ran towards east instead of north.

"Damn it! It's because of those thugs!" Her shout echoed. Suddenly, fear crept on her neck. A sudden realization hit her. If I go to the right place now, they might be waiting for me there. She sighed heavily then slumped her back on the root behind her. The fire furiously danced with the passing wind, but she forgot the cold for a moment.

"I need to find another route. They shouldn't catch me," she whispered to herself as she stares into nothingness. Aria quickly moved to grab a pen in her backpack then focused on the map on the ground. Her mind was running with possibilities as she doodled on the paper.