Searching For Andromeda

Yael couldn"t remember exactly how he got into Alaris, but he knew it was because of the guild master.

At a stormy night at sea, where children are caged into metal bars on the lower deck of the ship, sat Yael in the corner most part of the rails. They were in a small compartment that did not accommodate to Yael"s height, which had forced him to bend his head down.

Yael was entirely different from other children. He was still a teen, but his physique was like that of an adult. Beside him were also those around his age but one could mistake them to be younger due to their malnourished upbringing, resulting into thinner and shorter statures in their appearances.

Yael was old enough to know that they were supposed to be sold into an auction held in Lofthim, a country in the Western continent, Kurbeln, which is why they were caged like animals in the storage compartment of the ship where only the cold atmosphere kept them awake. Yael knew what was going to become of him once they reach their destination.

But that was a different case to the others.

"I"ll have a better life. I"ll have a better life. I"ll have a better life."

"I"m going to have a new family. I won"t starve anymore. Father promised me that."

"I"m going to buy lots and lots of food after we arrive . . ."

The cages were about four or five, and each cage would have at least fifteen children in them. Yael"s cage was the largest, considering that they were the oldest among the children being transported. Yael glanced to the teens—some were crying; some were frozen in fear, and some were already hyperventilating. But one amongst them looked nonchalant, looking at the distance without an ounce of care.

"Hosea, aren"t you scared?" Asked a boy who was a tad thinner than the others.

Hosea stared at the boy with his hollow, empty eyes. But he smiled, nonetheless.

Hosea remained smiling as he talked. "I"m scared, Frederick. But what would cowering in fear do for me? Nothing."

The memories were fuzzy now, but Yael remembered the crackling of the wood and slight turns from the waves sending the deck to creak and tilt before a loud crash from above had startled all of them. The memories following that were nothing but a blur, except for the guild master"s anger in her face as she saw the entire vicinity.

The children began to cry as more people started to land to the lower deck and open the cages. The darkness began to fade as they came alight. Yael has never forgotten the relief in the children"s faces as they clung to the strangers who had freed them like they were holding onto their lifeline.

It evoked too many memories to Yael. Memories of him trying to please his mother who had abandoned and had led Yael no choice fend himself to survive. It looked too painful that Yael had no choice but to avert his eyes as the people begun to free them one by one.

"Boy!"

Yael slowly lifted his head as he sees a person with pink eyes and a dark hair looking down at him with tears in her eyes. She propelled her hand, extending them towards Yael as she, with her other hand holding an ax, hacked the chains from Yael"s arms and legs in a single swirl.

She, despite the differences in their height—being Yael taller than her even if she obviously was the adult—had embraced him so tightly.

"It"s going to be okay. I"m here now. You"re safe." She said, which sent warmth all over Yael"s heart that he had no choice but to embrace her back tightly, like a child that had been found after being lost for so long. Tears poured down to his face as she began stroking Yael"s hair. 

"You"re okay. I won"t leave you. You"ll be safe."

Warmth.

It was the warmth he needed.

The warmth of a mother saving him.

**

Yael glanced towards the ax in his side—his weapon of choice, the sign of freedom. The freedom the guild master had given him since that fateful day he was released from those shackles. Now it is the time that he repay the freedom he was given. Now is the time for him to instigate a change in his rotten homeland to help those children find freedom as he had.

"What are you guys talking about~?" It was Vashti, one of the most powerful mages in the guild. She was with Hosea, the Grimoire Protector, who had smiled as he met Yael"s eyes.

"We"re stopping Yael from doing something rash," Arletha pouted. "But he"s just ignoring us!"

"Help us convince him, Hosea! He plans to go into the dungeon!" says Pelmon.

Hosea tilted his head, "is it because of your hometown?"

Sharp, as usual. Hosea indeed knew everything, even if no one would tell him. Yael did not respond, but that answered the question in everyone"s mind.

"Well, with that n.o.ble plan, I"m sure you don"t want to screw up!" Pelmon exclaimed.

"Y-yeah! If you really want to increase the chances of winning, then . . ."

"You gotta bring us, Yael!" Arletha and Pelmon said in chorus.

"Fufu. I really like that idea. You should let us help, Yael~" says Vashti with a smile.

"It"s too dangerous," Yael answered.

"We have seen danger already." Says Hosea. "Besides, who is more suitable to help you than your friends, the most powerful group in this guild?"

"He"s right! MOST. POWERFUL. GROUP."

"And also, we"re friends, Yael! We know you for long! We don"t want to have you going solo to a suicide mission,"

"Hehe. I"m sure you would reconsider, Yael~" Vashti giggled.

Yael blinked several times as the group gave him a long stare with their eyes gleaming. Hosea stifled a laughter.

"Alright." Yael said after a brief pause.

"YESSS!"

"WE"RE GOING TO A DUNGEON!"

"We"re helping our friend conquer a vessel, how cool is that!" Arletha and Pelmon fussed to themselves whilst Vashti watched and giggled from a distance.

"EVERYONE!!!" Pelmon yelled, calling the attention of the members of the guild. "Prepare the pints! The turkeys! The food! We"re going to hold a banquet before Yael—ahem, and his party, namely US—before leaving to venture to a DUNGEON!"

"Did Pelmon just say dungeon?"

"That"s so cool . . . !"

"Pretty dangerous, but their group is strong!"

"We"ll look forward to seeing you have that Vessel and be King, Yael!"

Yael blinked once more as he beheld the sight. He had never seen the guild this lively before—not a tad of worry in their faces. Food began to be served into the tables as the Mage-cook, Cantina, gave Yael a thumbs up.

"People really do believe in you a lot, Yael," Hosea said. "We were rescued by the guild master from Patriargë"s slave trading, but we grew up quite differently."

Yael gave no response.

"For one, you still talk less. Nothing changed much about you." Hosea grinned. "Don"t worry much. You have strong companions. Nothing will go wrong. We believe in you, so don"t lose track of your goal."

Suddenly everything was brighter and clearer for Yael. The chatters were like noises and melodies in his mind, along with the clanking of beers and the singing.

"Red Alaris Guild, no . . . your " Hosea said. "Will always believe in you."