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06: After a Hundred Years

06: After a Hundred Years

When four families have fallen into a deep sleep, Diere also fell with them.

This was written by Severino Gallano, a good friend of my father. During our era, he was the most prominent author of books, writing his experiences as well as the country's situation, second to the Fritzegerald.

As Diere was known for its legendary beasts, when the family destined to tame them met an unfortunate incident, several beasts became uncontrollable. They started destroying the eastern forest, forcing the people who live on the mountainside to leave their homes and seek shelter at the ministry.

This was most probably the reason why our town was deserted. It became an abandoned town after the fall. No family undoubtedly dared to live there again, as the family who protects the forest went missing.

People started killing the beasts, branding them as dangerous creatures - killers of human. For a death of a single beast equals the death of a thousand human beings.

My heart ached as I went on reading the book in the library. Legends should be referred as Legends, not just mere beasts. They were supposed to be friends of humans, not to be treated as enemies of mankind.

I left the book open and scanned the others laying on the table. They were also records of the past hundred years, written by people I have never heard about, all with the same stories as that of Gallano's. Every book tells how it nearly became another era of dark times.

I heaved a sigh and had my eyes fixed on the large window where I could see the whole center town. Every house was illuminated by enchanted lights, burning candles and lamps reflecting warm colors on the window.

My mind wondered aimlessly while staring at the horizon. Is it possible that there were still people who were alive during those times until now? I would need to ask them about what really happened.

I breathed deeply while thinking. Then again, the chances of those people being alive were slim.

...

It was already getting dark, and I haven't even eaten anything yet since last night. I spent my time cooped up in this library, buried in books the whole afternoon. My stomach's been grumbling for hours, but my shame has eaten most of me. I am a stranger in the palace, someone who was from the past, with no idea about where the hallways would lead me.

There was a knock, and then silence. I started walking towards the door, hoping at the back of my mind  that someone would come with food. The door slowly opened, creaked with a dragging sound, until it opened halfway.

"Good evening, Milady." I breathe deeply after seeing the woman who took me to the palace. She was alone, standing shyly at the doorway, with her hands clasped together at the back.

"I am deeply sorry as it took me a long time to be here. You must be starving, considering that nobody has given you anything since our arrival here."

She turned around and gestured me to follow her. I walked behind her, silently memorizing the direction, finding things and spots that could help me remember my way back to the library.

We passed by the dining hall and went inside another door. There lies the kitchen, where the cooks were busy cooking different foods in pots and cleaning the utensils in a large rectangular sink.