A girl trudged forward, slowly moving one foot, then the other. She was practically dragging her body along, each labored step serving as a reminder of her powerlessness. She did not know where she was headed; the only thing on her mind was survival.
In the past, whenever she had complained of being tired, her father had been there to ask if she was all right and then carry her on his back. But he was no longer in this world. Her eyes welled tears as the thought of it threatened to overwhelm her with despair. She did not know where she was headed. The only thing on her mind now was survival.
It was the second night since Aisha had been forced to leave her village. Though she had gone into the forest in search of sustenance, all she could find to live off were roots and the rainwater brought by sporadic showers. If it hadn’t been for the occasional help of the spirits, whose voices she could only faintly hear, she would no doubt have already died.
Still, though, she was at her limit. Her steps were unsteady. Sometimes she would collapse against a tree, clinging to it to prop her body upright before continuing on, her legs even heavier than they had been before.
“Am I going to die?” she tried to ask, but she found that she had already lost her ability to speak. She took one more step before coming to a stop. If she was going to die, she would have at least liked to have done so alongside her dear father.
Aisha’s world was pitiless. She came from a poor village where anyone who was unable to find work would starve to death. Some people hunted in the forest, but on top of the risk of getting eaten by a monster, there was always a chance that they might encounter bandits. Some people even sold their bodies to traveling merchants in exchange for the money they needed to live.
Everyone she knew was struggling desperately to survive. That was why Aisha, a child who was slow to grow up, very particular about her likes and dislikes, and completely useless as a worker, was never really welcome. But it wasn’t until after her father had died that she became aware of the extent of it. He had been the only thing keeping her alive.
On her own, she was powerless. Worthless. She felt so miserable and bitter that her heart was ready to burst and extinguish what little was left of her life. Her dry golden hair, which hung limply from her head, fluttered softly in the wind. As if the wind were guiding her gaze, she found herself looking deep into the forest.
In the light of the twin moons, the forest was dark like lacquer, overgrown and unreal. And then, from the trees, she heard the faint sound of rustling leaves.
A wild animal! she thought. But I’m too tired to run...
She had already pushed her body far, far past its limits. Try as she might, it simply would not obey her orders to flee. Whatever beast was coming toward her, she was sure it would devour her.
She was half-right, but she was also half-wrong. The three beings that approached her were beasts, in a way.
“Well, lookie what we got here!” one said. “I’d say a kid’ll do just fine. Oy, girlie! Did someone leave you here to die?”
“Eee hee hee! This is our lucky day! Let’s take her home and have some fun!”
“Hey, Giel! You really like the looks of this brat? She’s all skin and bones! No thanks. I say we kill her and be done with it. Boss is gonna chew us out if we’re late.”
The group of three surrounded her. They were filthy, lecherous bandits.
“Nah, we take her with us! A hole’s a hole! I don’t think they’ll let us use a kid since they break and all, but this brat looks like she’s riiight on the edge.”
“Eee hee hee hee hee! So you’re into that stuff too! Well, your idea, so you carry her.”
Aisha was shaking. The unfamiliar world outside the village was turning out to be far more merciless than she’d ever thought.
What did I do to deserve this...?
She wondered if this was punishment for the way she had lived—pampered by her doting father, spending her days in idleness.
“You suppose she’s even alive?” one of the bandits asked. “She’s not moving, she won’t say a word, and she won’t even cry! Hey, you! Are you dead?”
The bandits roared with laughter. Their voices sounded to Aisha like they were coming from somewhere far, far away.
For a long time, Aisha had kept her resentment locked up deep inside. She’d had urges to lash out at someone, anyone, but had always resisted.
Why had her father died?
Why had the village forced her out? Why had bandits attacked her?
Why had her body never grown up?
Why had she always been such a useless girl?!
Why had she not been born a human?!
Her lips, bloody from having bitten down on them, moved slightly to allow her to speak.
“Someone tell me...” she said, her emaciated vocal cords vibrating painfully. “Why?!”
She didn’t expect an answer, of course. She simply couldn’t bear to suppress her anger any longer. The only sound to be heard was the bandits’ crude snickering. And yet...
“Lovely...” came a beautiful, clear voice from on high, seemingly banishing all other sounds from the world. And then, something alighted in front of her. Its bottomless depths were darker than dark. Was it an angel? A demon? Perhaps a god? It defied human comprehension, yet there it was, close enough for her to reach out and touch.
Aisha had no idea what to make of the being that had appeared in front of her, but she could tell that it was far superior to the likes of an ancient elf or elder vampire. The only thing she was certain of was that it was an abomination. The darkness inside it was so overwhelmingly powerful that she couldn’t bring herself to look at it for long. Even so, given its shape and appearance, it had to be a girl.
The girl looked into Aisha’s eyes, and suddenly all of her thoughts, all of her reason vanished, leaving only charmed infatuation. She would throw her very life away like a scrap of paper if she could only look into this girl’s eyes for all eternity. Her hair was as black as the night sky, and her delicate features were nothing short of perfection. In her eyes, just around her pupils, were rings of golden light. Her limbs were slender and smooth. Her skin was white like snow, and her dress was jet black. There was only one word for it, drifting like a fantasy in Aisha’s mind.
Gods.
Gods above.
How beautiful. How beautiful she was.
As Aisha stared into her eyes, mind empty, the girl spoke. “Do not curse your fate, girl,” she said. “Smile, for you have been blessed.”
And just like that, Aisha’s new life had begun.