The Explorers of the Universe
Both at the End of the Dusk
Asteria stared at the waves in her yard. It was night, but he did not feel sleepy. Asteria stared at the expanse of sea reflecting the moonlight.
His mind flew past the ocean. Going into the world behind a transparent wall that has not been opened since when, Asteria did not know. Having managed to calm her heart and accept defeat, Asteria returns to her delusion of the world that lies behind the protective walls of her country. Since childhood, he was curious about the world out there. What's up there? Why did his ancestors shut this country off from the outside world?
According to the rumors, to open those walls, it would take many Heirs of Spells who would cast seal-opening spells. However, the kingdom covered up the existence of the Heir of Mantra in the new generation after the islands were sealed. It became a question mark in itself.
“There is no way the kingdom does not know about the seal opening manta. Kenpa they cover this from the people?” Asteria speaks for itself.
“Asteria, in. It's night. Sea breeze is not good.” Asteria's mother screamed from the porch of her house.
“Iya, Mom. I'll be in in a minute.”
Asteria's mother re-entered the house. He thought Asteria still had not accepted his defeat. Asteria no longer accepted her defeat.
Yes, as already told, before Asteria regretted and blamed herself for the lust that mastered it at the end of the game. He himself had not yet met Viana. And Viana hasn't seen him. They are both still silent.
Asteria finally took the rock. He threw it on the waves that were not affected by the throw.
The sea is vast, but my world is narrow! So thought Asteria. For a long time he wanted to penetrate the invisible wall that makes all humans in the New Ferrata archipelago can not penetrate it. And all things cannot pass through it. Fish in the sea are similarly confined in giant aquariums.
The holidays are over in a week. That means he'll meet Viana even though he hasn't seen her for a week.
Asteria entered her house. He decided to lie down on the bed and rest.
In the room, Asteria still has trouble sleeping.
*
A week passed and Asteria had yet to meet Viana.
In the school building area, when Asteria is about to enter her class, she encounters Viana.
Both Asteria and Viana did not say any words. They face each other and stay.
Asteria finally opened her voice, “Have breakfast?” tanyakanya.
Viana shook her head.
“We find a place to eat first, yuk,” invite Asteria.
Viana did not refuse. They both went to the dining area outside the building.
“You still regret the tournament defeat?” viana asked after they sat face to face while waiting for their breakfast to come.
“No I don't mind it. I've already received it.”
“Then, why did you disappear this week?”
“I didn't disappear. I was at home. Occasionally go fishing with a canoe. You're the only one who didn't come to my house,” Asteria replied.
“Usually, right, you came to my house. Take to the castle library, climb the hill, even fish,” Viana reply.
Asteria found no reason to answer.
“There's something I want to talk to you about,” said Asteria.
Viana frowned. “What?”
“Cannot I submit here. Too crowded.”
“About?”
“Reclassic. I'll tell you everything later.”
“OK, okay. That is. Where is the right place to talk about it?” ask Viana.
Their food in the form of toast and fish meat ptongan with savory seasoning arrived on the table.
“Sore it. In my house, or in your house,” said Asteria.
“Good. Later in the afternoon I come to your house.”
*
In the afternoon Viana came to Asteria's house. In casual and polite clothes he walked away from his home. Both of their houses were in a less dense settlement, on an island close enough to the main island where the kingdom was located.
Asteria was already sitting on a beachside chair under a tree. Viana came to him and immediately sat down.
Asteria turned to Viana who was already present. Viana's hair was fluttering by the wind. Asteria praised her inwardly, so beautiful and natural, her inner being.
“I'll get you a drink first, yeah. You wait here,” said Asteria.
“Your mom is there?” ask Viana.
“There. He's cooking dinner again. You will eat here tonight. I told mom you would come and have dinner at home,” Asteria replied.
“Then I come in. I have to say hello to your mother first.”
Asteria and Viana enter the house. Asteria's mother who knew of Viana's arrival smiled. They greeted each other and asked for news.
Asteria and Viana returned to the long chair under the tree with each of the tea cups of salabi leaves, a typical plant that only exists in New Ferrata.
“Iya. In my class, a lot of people talk about Neil. Even a lot of people asked me questions because I was on a team with Neil. They asked the character and figure of Neil who rarely get along,” Asteria reply. “I just served them with the answer that I was once a team with the winner of this year's tournament.”
“I'm sure you and Neil will one day be best friends. You already know each other and have worked together.” Viana drank her tea.
“Yes, I hope so,” reply Asteria.
“Then, what do you want to talk about?” ask Viana.
Asteria stared straight at the expanse of water. Dusk began to dock. So beautiful and quiet.
“Do you see the ocean over there?” ask Asteria.
“Iya. Why?”
“Aren't you curious about all the mysteries that lie behind the wall of the cover of our country?” ask Asteria.
“Since childhood I like to ask grandmother that.” said Viana is not finished, and connected by the words Asteria.
“I want to explore the expanse of the sea and everything behind that wall. I'm sure there's a reason why the wall was made. And I'm sure the kingdom knows all that our ancestors hid from their next generation.”
“My grandmother knows it,” continued Viana.
Asteria. He looked at Vaiana. “Your genes know everything? Why didn't you ever say?”
“So far I didn't know that you wanted to venture out. Anyway I don't really care about the closure or opening of that strange wall,” Viana defended herself.
“Then we meet your grandmother.”
“When?” ask Viana.
“Now!”
Viana was surprised. They had just sat in that chair for not half an hour. Viana thought Asteria wanted to invite her to a casual talk while waiting for the sunset.
*
Upon arrival at Viana's house, the two of them meet Viana's grandmother in the backyard while watching the little ones play.
“Grandma, Asteria wants to be with grandma,” says Viana.
Asteria greeted Viana's grandmother and sat next to her.
“Nek, is it true that Grandma knows the secret behind the sealing walls of our country. And find out what the kingdom has kept secret?” ask Asteria without further ado.
Grandma Humida, as her name suggests, looked at Viana. As if knowing that Asteria got that info from Viana.
“That's why, Grandma?” ask Asteria again.
Grandma Humida took Asteria in. There was no one in the house anymore. Humida and Viana's grandmother lived there together. Viana's mother and father died in an accident while going to the castle by boat. Their sampan is broken and drowned. At that time no one saw him, so no one could help them.
“What do you want to know, Son Asteria?” ask grandma inside.
“Can we explore the outside world? And what really happened to our country, Grandma?” Asteria was filled with questions.
Granny Humida took a breath. “Maybe it's time,” he said.
“Nearly a thousand years ago our planet came under attack from the Sky Forces. All nations, nations and kingdoms were destroyed and disappeared. To protect the country, our kingdom closes the country with a sealing spell. From the outside of the seal wall, our country only looks like a stretch of deep sea. Our country is hidden,” Grandma Humida said.
Asteria and Viana listened.
“After that event, the kingdom made many changes and improvements to solve the existing problems within the country. People work hand in hand to help the kingdom. But in the third year after the closing of the gate, the king disappeared. No one knows of his disappearance. The king's famously beautiful daughter married the winner of the first Archery Tournament 4 years after the king disappeared. Queen trying to find king who lost years.” Grandma Humida took a breath.
“Then what happened Nek?” Asteria.
“The Queen shut herself in the palace for years until her death. The sad Princess asked the Prince who was also her husband to close the kingdom from the people. From that time all the info about the kingdom was restricted. And the way to open the seal wall is closed and removed from the next generation. All that inevitably leaves mystery and strangeness. The kingdom continues to run led by the next generation of Princess assisted by the Royal Council.”
“Does Grandma know how to open that wall?” Asteria hunt.
Grandma Humida shook her head. “All information is very limited. I can tell because my grandfather was once a Royal Warrior. He told a little story of the past. And the conclusion of that story, a thousand years after the events of the Sky Force attack, the attack will come back.”
“When is it, Grandma?” Viana asked.
Asteria turned her head, thinking Viana already knew about it.
“Grandma hasn't told me that part,” Viana said.
“I don't know that either. Our new dating system began 734 years ago. No one knows how many years the event has passed. The distance between the events of the attack and the new date is unknown. Maybe the kingdom knows it,” continued Granny Humida.
“734 years at least passed. We just need to find out what the time is between the Sky Force attack and the re-dating system. At once we find out the wall-opening spell,” Asteria said to Viana.
“How to?” ask Viana.
“We find out in the kingdom!” answer Asteria.
Viana did not answer. He had no idea how Asteria would find out about it in the kingdom.
That night they returned to the house of Asteria to enjoy the dinner that had been prepared by Asteria's mother.
[Next Part 12]
