Carol Lusinda Gorten

Rain has washed Nerebia’s slum area since morning. Carol hates this weather the most-it makes mud everywhere. And today she has to wait in this dirty small hut. But no matter how she dislikes it, she must wait for the messager. The message was too important to be missed. She has been waiting for him since the previous day. The messager was late. Her mood goes worsen as time goes by. She’s really impatient now.
“Where’s that stupid messanger?”
Suddenly as she kept grumbling, the door slammed open, showing a giant man-only the body, actually, for the head is not visible- standing in front of it. He was wet all over his body. His big and sudden appearance, just like a giant magician popping from nowhere, was too shocking that Carol cannot even speak out a word.
“Are you going to let stand in the middle of this rain and keep starring me like an idiot or you’re going to let me in and give me a glass of rum after this sucking trip?”
“Oh..Sorry..Err..Come…Come in. Have a sit!”
The door was too low for him as it only reaches his neck that he needs to bow down to get through it. Carol has never met any man like him before. He was seven feet in height, with quite big and fat body, making the floor seems to be shaking as he walks. His long and extremely curly hair was let down along his shoulder. It looks like there’s a big bush growing all over his head. And when he gets inside the house, his body took over almost all spaces in it. This house’s even narrower after he came, sighed Carol.
She never likes the mission from the beginning. Too much secrets she’s not allowed to know. Too much waits. She can never know for sure. What she can only do is to wait for the messages. It’s not her hobby to wait. No one has ever dared to make her wait back in her old days.
She used to be a daughter of a noble in the land of Horeland. She has everything that every woman in the country had wished for- beautiful face with long shiny and silky blonde hair, a rich father that loves her so much, lots of maidens to serve everything she wants, even beautiful gowns that each of them costs the same with a small house in town. She lived in happiness and luxuries and arrogance comes with them. But one day everything that she has and hope for-a good husband with beautiful children among her luxuries to complete everything, was destroyed. King Vendor- King Rundon’s father, the current king of Nerebia, destroy her homeland and claim it as one of Nerebia’s territory. He even made all the people of Horeland slaves of his and treats them terribly.
She was lucky to be able to escape, since her father sacrificed himself so that she could run away. She will never forget the moment of her fugitive. She was just ten back then but she had had to kill and eat raw meat to survive because she could not lit up fire to cook them or she’ll be noticed by the guards. It was a living hell for her. Every night she could sleep for she’s afraid she’ll be discovered or caught by the kingdom’s army. Her virginity was even snatched away from her a few months later by a drunken soldier. She hates him. She hates the wicked king. She hates Nerebia. And at the moment she swore she’ll get revenge and made everyone in Nerebia fell what she has felt.
For two years she lived like an animal in her anger and wrath until one day, she was rescued by a man. A man with (according to him) a big vision and mission. He welcomed her in his house, gave her clean clothes and warm food so that she doesn’t need to live in dirtiness again. She hates being dirty. The only reason why she hates rain is that it reminds her of her stray days when she felt really dirty with mud sticking all over her body and cold because she got no shelter.
After the day she was rescued, she became loyal to him. He called himself The Savior, and so is his army, which is prepared to take down Nerebia one day. And since that day Carol joined the army and learns how to defend herself. To prepare herself for the day when she can return everything she’s experienced to Nerebia. Twenty years. After twenty years of waiting finally the preparation to attack Nerebia finished.
She was commanded to wait in her post-which is this dirty slum, and wait for the sign to attack. If it’s not his command, she would never agree to do it. Especially after what she’s been through-with all the difficulties and dirtiness, the more she hates him for putting her in this situation. And now she must deal with this dirty giant man-another mud and dirt. When can I get clean?? She sighed and walked inside to get some rum.
She gives the man a glass of rum to the man and wait ‘till he finished warming himself and said, “ So... Let’s get to the point. What’s the message given to you?”
“You’re such an impatient lady, Madam.” he laughed,” You don’t even make sure who I am first before asking such a confidential question.” Carol’s face turned pale as he spoke. How could she become so careless? “But don’t worry”, the man continued,” I’m the person you’ve been waiting for. The journey gets tougher after this fucking rain. That’s why I’m late. And I also have gone through too much tough and difficult path to sit nicely here and chat like the wives in a fish market with you. I really miss my comfy bed. So I’ll get right to the point and so this was the message given to me: The party will begin in 2 days on the twin princesses’ birthday right after the sun sets. Gorten will wait on the east side of Mount Sorock and start after General Morvoloy. Your task is to make sure no one going from the party through that path. That’s all they told me. I don’t really get it but seems like you’re trying to make some surprise party for the twin princess, huh? Well if it’s not because of the damned trip I would love to join. They’re really lovely you know? But my body’s ache now so I’ll make this the end of my duty. Guess it’s time for me to leave now and thanks for the rum, Heh”
A grimace formed on her face as Carol said,” Yes, it’s time for you to leave.”
A sword went through the man’s body. “What the..?” and even before he could turned to see the face of the attacker, the sword went out of his body and his big body fell onto the ground with loud bump. He was really shocked and tried to look at his murderer’s face, but the only last thing he could see before he died is the shadow of the woman he was talking to, holding a big sword covered with his blood on her hand, going out of the hut. Leaving him alone to death inside. Suddenly he realized it. They’re not going to celebrate the birthday party. And no one in the country would not celebrate the party which only means one thing. They have bad intentions. The king should be warned.
Slowly he tried to crawl out of the hut but on the second move he fell on the floor. Someone should warn the king. Someone….
Carol walked out of the hut, a wicked smile adorned her face. Finally, the day has come. The day when she will end up all this mess and get to become someone she’s been dreaming for the whole of her life. She is sick with all this murder and secret act. She never likes murdering. But it’s necessary if she wants to continue living. It’s whether her death or other’s. But now, the last killing will be done, and she’ll be able to go back to her former life before that damned king destroyed it. Back to all its luxuries and beautiful gowns. When she doesn’t need to kill in order to survive.
Her mind was too full with those imaginations when a reflection on the pond nearby shocked her. A thin tall woman with dirty body was smiling right at her. Her smile was too wicked that she couldn’t believe it’s hers. Her former beauty still can be seen in some areas of her face although it’s really unclear among those muscles and scars. Her beautiful long blonde hair has been cut till it’s short like man’s. There’s a sword that is too big for her hanging on her back. There’s still some blood drop from the tip of it. Her clothes were covered in mud, and on most area, blood.
These twenty years has stolen her real identity. She’s no longer an honorable lady she used to be. She’s a dirty ugly vagrant now. And it’s all that damned king’s fault. She’ll need something to make her look better to calm down her mind. She looked at the pond and her surroundings to make sure nobody’s around, and then smiled. A bath will do.

Prolog

Just like all fantasy stories, we’ll start this story from the past. When everything is still in peace.

Nerebia is a big country compared to its neighbors, such as Korevign and Gorgoria. Surrounded by Mount Sorock at the east, Korevign, Gorgoria and Neanthal Sea at the south and west. The north side of the kingdom was covered by The Forest of Deandall. A mystical forest where the kingdom’s sorcerers lived and practiced. Where every mystical creature that you can never imagine exists.

Ruled by King Rundon von Lebrazka, Nerebia has experienced the most glorious and most peaceful moments. King Rundon ruled Nerebia with his well-known wisdom that all of the citizens love and respect him so much. Married a lovely kind-hearted princess from Kezna, Lady Rozanda, they’re gifted two little twin princesses whom they named Aurel and Nyrel who look just exactly the same except that Aurel has a strange red mark on her neck shaped like sun. They were so happy to have the two of them joining their life. Unfortunately Lady Rozanda passed away not long after, due to her weak body health. And so the twin princesses grew up taken care by the maids of the palace.

They are loved by everybody in the kingdom. Three years have passed since the day Lady Rozanda left. The twin princesses grew into two cute little princesses. The whole kingdom loves them so much. Everybody was living happily and peacefully.

But without anybody noticing, someone out there is preparing to end all those happiness. Tragedy is awaiting Nerebia. Starting from a tiny straw hut in the slum area of Nerebia. In this no one-will-ever-notice hut, a woman is waiting. Waiting to destroy Nerebia.