This morning, I had bread with honey jam and warm milk for breakfast. Before heading to school, I made sure to clean my grandmother's grave, which wasn't far from the road. There, I prayed that Grandma would be happy in the afterlife and know that her grandchild was doing well. I wasn't sure if my prayers truly reached her or could make her happy. To be honest, I doubted the existence of gods myself. All this time, I've lived alone, without help from anyone; I've grown accustomed to solitude. Yet, this solitude has ironically given me strength and hope.
My name is Aeji Ahndo, which means "a human who will give love and peace to everyone." My grandmother gave me that name when I was born. I don't have parents; they left me with Grandma as soon as I was born. Grandma always cared for me with immense love, and I promised I would protect her and make her happy. But those were just promises I couldn't keep... Grandma passed away last year,
Jakarta - Year 2024
That day was a bright day for activities. I was at school, listening to the teacher explain the history of monsters and The Seekers. Meanwhile, my grandmother was at the market, buying ingredients for lunch after I got home from school. Suddenly, a portal opened in the middle of the crowded market. People panicked, starting to run for their lives. My grandmother, seeing people around her running, immediately tried to save herself too. Her gaze then fixed on a small child crying, almost attacked by a monster. Without a second thought, my grandmother immediately ran towards the child and saved them, without thinking about her own safety. Instantly, my grandmother's head was devoured by the monster. Her body collapsed without a head. As the monster was about to prey on the small child, a bullet struck its head. The monster instantly went berserk, attacking the child again, but failed. Someone appeared and swiftly decapitated the monster, sending its head tumbling to the ground. The Keeper who beheaded the monster was the same Keeper who saved me yesterday when a monster almost attacked me from behind. Although the Keepers were late that time, I knew they must have tried their best. My grandmother's sacrifice was not in vain. Grandma always said to do good, both for those we love and those we don't. I promised I would be like my grandmother.
At the Academy of Athena
I attend the Academy of Athena, a school where all beings pursue knowledge. There are humans, The Seekers, and even monsters. Of course, not all monsters attack humans. Some, called Capra, wish to coexist. At this school, some accept their presence, while others reject it.
I have a few friends here. Suddenly, a tap on my shoulder from behind startled me.
"Oi, Aeji! Good morning!" The voice belonged to Hugoresh, a werewolf Capra and my close friend.
Shortly after, another soft voice greeted me. "Good morning, Aeji," said Viola, a beautiful elf Capra.
I smiled. "Morning, Hugo and Viola. How's your morning today?"
They replied in unison, "We're fine! How about you?"
"I'm fine too," I responded.
Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted. "Good morning, Hugo, Aeji, Viola!" Someone jumped, immediately hugging Viola. It was Aiko, a human. Behind her, her partner also greeted us warmly, "Good morning to the three of you!" He was Haru, half-Oni because his mother was an Oni. Despite having monster blood, Haru was known for being very friendly to everyone.
I gave a small smile. "Morning, Haru. It must be troublesome, having to deal with Aiko, huh?"
Aiko immediately cut in, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. "Hmph, Aeji, you're so mean! Even though I'm being so nice, friendly, and amicable with all of you!"
Haru chuckled lightly. "It's okay. I'm used to it. Besides, a relationship should be about respecting each other, right?" he said with a friendly smile.
Seeing Haru's incredibly friendly nature, both Hugo and I were speechless.
A moment later, someone else greeted us. It was Shu, a Sevorant—a term for The Seeker who wishes to coexist with humans. Shu isn't a pure The Seeker but a human born from a mixture of human and The Seeker. He also doesn't originate from Earth but from another dimension called Huanchen (meaning "city of gold"), just like Haru, Viola, and Hugo.
"Good morning to all five of you!" Shu greeted warmly with a smile.
All five of us responded in unison, "Morning, Shu!"
Without further ado, Aiko immediately jumped and hugged Shu, caressing his cheek while saying, "You look so beautiful today, Shu! I'm falling in love with you! Should I cheat on Haru for you, my beauty?"
"Don't be like that, poor Haru," I said, shaking my head.
Aiko immediately pouted and sulked. She then hugged Haru tightly, telling him to scold me for being "mean." Haru just chuckled, stroking Aiko's head. Seeing Haru so relaxed, Aiko's face flushed. She then rubbed Haru's cheek with her own, smiling coyly, "Ugh, I love Haru even more now!"
They were indeed two lovebirds who were always in sync, both in and out of school.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Aeji," Aiko suddenly said.
"What were you going to tell me?" I asked.
"That Vi—" Aiko's mouth was immediately covered by Viola's hand.
"Ugh, Aiko, why are you like that? You promised not to tell anyone, hmppph!" Viola pouted, her cheeks flushing.
Aiko removed Viola's hand from her mouth. "I was just kidding, hehe!"
"Ugh, so mean!" Viola pointed at Aiko in annoyance.
I interrupted them. "What were you trying to say?"
"It's nothing, I was just joking," Aiko replied.
Hugo and Haru looked at each other, shaking their heads at my lack of awareness.
"Why? Is something strange?" I asked them.
"It's nothing," they replied in unison, smiling.
"Aeji, you are..." Haru began.
"Huh? What?" I asked, a bit confused.
"It's nothing," Haru replied, smiling faintly. "By the way, do any of you plan to become a Hesknight or a The Keeper?"
"Hugo and I do," Hugo answered. "But what about you guys?"
"I also got permission from my parents to become a Hesknight," Viola replied. "My parents won't allow me to become a The Keeper."
"Haru and I also want to become a Hesknight," Aiko said. "Hesknight is a term for someone who wants to be a protector, taken from the name of the goddess Hestia, meaning 'protector of the home' without the powers of The Seekers. I want to be like my dad and Haru's dad. How about you, Shu?"
"Me?" Shu asked.
"Yes, you, Shu," Aiko responded.
"Perhaps," Shu replied. "I don't need The Seeker's help because I already have my own power. But are you sure about your choice to become a Hesknight, Aeji? Aren't you just a normal human?"
I replied, "Yes... Because I want to become a The Guardian (similar to The Keeper but without forming a contract with The Seeker, instead with The Monarch). Because I tried to take The Seeker test at the Guild of Alliance (a place where all Hesknight and The Keeper gather), but I failed."
"If I can't become a The Guardian, I can still be a Hesknight, right? Like Aiko's father," I added.
Shu replied, "That's not wrong, but Aiko's father, even without a contract with The Monarch or The Seeker, received a Blessing from The Monarchs... Are you sure you can rely on your own strength?"
I answered, "I'm sure I can. Because if we give up at the beginning, wouldn't all the determination we have be in vain?"
Shu was silent for a moment. He sighed and said, "I see... I forgot I was talking to Aeji. Even though you have shortcomings, you're still confident." He gave a faint smile.
The school bell rang, and we returned to our respective seats.
During Recess
We gathered in the school cafeteria as usual.
"Oh, by the way, Aeji," Aiko said suddenly.
"Yes? What is it, Aiko?" I replied.
Aiko asked, "I heard you were almost attacked by a monster yesterday, right? On your way home from school. Are you okay after that incident? If you need help, just tell us, okay? Who knows, we might be able to help you!"
"I'm fine," I answered. "So, no need to worry about me, okay?"
Haru interjected, "I have an idea to prevent something like this from happening again."
I looked at Haru. "What idea do you have, Haru?"
Haru explained, "How about you learn basic self-defense? At least that could protect you, right? In my opinion, even if it's just basic, you could at least handle similar situations if you're attacked by a monster when there's no The Keeper around, or even if it's not a monster."
Aiko, Hugo, Viola, and Shu all agreed with Haru's idea.
"What do you say, Aeji?" Haru asked.
Shu interjected, raising his hand. "Um... How about Aeji also trains with my older sibling? Maybe my sibling can help you with your instincts and reflexes, even if they can't help you with fighting skills. Consider this knowledge that will be useful later when you become a Guardian or a Hesknight. You can't always rely on The Monarch, even if you can form a contract with them."
Hugo responded, "That's a great idea, Shu! So, what do you say, Aeji?"
I thought for a moment, then replied, "Okay, let's give it a try."
Haru said, "All right then, I'll try asking my father. If my father doesn't agree, then you'll train with me."
"Then what about your older sibling, Shu?" I asked.
Shu replied, "I'll let you know later if my older sibling agrees too."
And the recess bell rang, signaling the end of our break.
After School
The five of us always went home together, except Shu, who was always picked up by his private supir. We would separate at the bus stop, according to our respective routes home.
Aiko and Haru got on their bus. "We're going first, okay! Goodbye, see you again at school, bye-bye!" they cheered.
I, Hugo, and Viola waved back at them. "Bye-bye too! Don't forget to tell me about the training later, okay!"
"No problem, Aeji! I'll definitely tell you!" Haru replied.
Hugo and Viola then boarded their respective buses, one by one, and said goodbye to me. "Bye-bye, Aeji!"
"Goodbye to you two as well, hope you get home safely!" I replied, waving until their buses were out of sight.
Soon after, my bus arrived. I got on. Inside the bus, I immediately took out my phone and started searching for information about humans who received Blessings from The Monarchs.
I found some interesting information. Apparently, Aiko's father was one of those who received a Blessing from The Monarch Archangel Michael.
There was also someone from Singapore who received a Blessing from The Intensity—a term for a deity—but the identity of that Intensity was unknown.
Furthermore, there was a woman, whose origin was unknown, who managed to defeat many monsters that emerged from portals without forming any contract with any entity. She was widely discussed on the internet. Some called her The Seeker, while others suspected she was The Intensity, but there was no information to prove it. What was certain, according to information from the people she saved, was that she was an elf with long purplish-black hair, possessing purple fire power that could burn anything, and she only appeared when portals released very powerful monsters.
In an Underground Lab
In an underground lab, someone said, "Professor, we have investigated and found that these monsters are creations of the terrorist group Cranium Cervidarum."
"What? So these are humans transformed into monsters?" the Professor replied, surprised.
"That's right, Professor. So, what should we do, Professor?" the person asked.
"Have you reported this to our superiors?" the Professor asked again.
"Not yet, but we will inform them soon," the person replied.
"In that case, gather all the guild leaders. We will hold an important meeting. And also, make sure this information doesn't leak out," the Professor commanded.
"Understood, Professor," the person replied, then left the Professor alone.
The Professor murmured, "This war cannot be avoided anymore, can it..."