Voyage Of The Villainess

Malaya woke up when she felt strong shaking all over the place. "Stop! I'm not sleeping!" She said out loud. The next thing she realized was that she was still on the boat.

"We're finally here." She looked up to see the white-cloaked man speaking up to her. The white-cloaked man did not speak anything and patiently waited for the two to say or move. Malaya had finally regained her senses as she observed her surroundings once more.

"Ah, I see." She said as she looked back at the ferryman. "Then what exactly is the "here" you mentioned?" Wherever Malaya looked around she could only see the endless darkness looming everywhere.

"Let's go." She was startled when Kayden spoke all of the sudden beside her. She just remembered that she was with him all this time.

"Go where?" She looked confused at Kayden as the latter one stood up and got out of the boat. 'He was the first one distrustful to follow that white lady and come in this unknown place. Why is he the one leading things now?' But to Malaya's astonishment, once Kayden stepped out of the boat and landed on the ground, a ground which she failed to see due to the darkness, tiny lights like fireflies started to fly over the air, lighting up the whole place.

Malaya held her breath at the astonishing and breathtaking scenery in front of her. She could almost hear the song, 'I see the light.' playing at the back of her mind.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go." Kayden lent his hand to Malaya. And Malaya, who almost felt her jaw drop, just accepted Kayden's hand until she reached the ground. 

"Give this to the guard." Malaya's thoughts were cut off when the ferryman spoke up once again. In his hands, there were two silver cards which Malaya accepted without hesitation. 

"This ends my job. I wish you goodwill, chosen champions of the ancient gods." The ferryman said with a platonic voice, making it hard to know whether he said that out with sincerity. Then he started rowing the boat back to where he came from.

Malaya glanced at the two cards in her hands. The card has a single symbol on it, a black moon. 'Hmm wait, this symbol looks kinda familiar?' Malaya from her bag picked out the stone that she picked before she chased after the laughing monster. The stone has the white moon symbol.

'The west tribe?' Her gaze shifted to the card with the black moon. 'Should it be a white moon, what tribe belongs to a black moon?'

With the light that came from the floating light, Malaya could see that there was only one road and one direction they could end up. 

She walked ahead of Kayden without saying anything and Kayden also just trailed behind her without saying anything. Strangely when Malaya thought that the heavy and awkward silence would last for long, since she was also completely unaware of how long they were going to walk, they finally saw massive iron walls? just almost a twenty-minute walk from the river.

And it was a lot brighter now for there were trees that had glowing leaves surrounding these walls. Malaya and Kayden stopped when they saw the unexpected scenery.

There was a question mark in the iron walls because, in Malaya's stay in this world, this was her first time to see such things. Mostly all the walls they had were made of thick and concrete bricks. And the road they were currently standing on ended up to a huge massive iron door with two guards wearing black armors just like back to what Malaya saw in the lost city at that misty island.

Then in the massive iron door, there were other roads connecting to it and there were different types of people, mostly with beastly appearance lining up. Like they some have ears and tails while some have different colored bodies. The two guards were checking the same thing as the ones that the ferryman gave them. She glanced towards it. 'So I think  this is what their gate pass looks like.' Malaya thought as she continued to observe the scene first.

'If we go there, we will be fine, right?' Malaya pondered as her eyes observed the beings lining to enter the city. She could spot a few human-looking beings as well. 'I guess it will be safe as soon as we enter there.'

"Here, have this. I think this is  important because as far as I can see this is  some gate pass to enter that city." Malaya said as she reached the other silver card to Kayden. 

"I see. Thanks for this" Kayden received the card and didn't say anything after that. He marched ahead in front of Malaya to enter the city. And this time, Malaya just shrugged her shoulders before she followed Kayden.

When they reached the lines, 'Glad, nothing is giving us weird  or any suspicious stares .' Malaya sighed with relief as she observed her surroundings. 'I should also gather some information while we're at it.' In front of her, there was a kind being with violet-colored skin. Probably a female due to her clothes and long black hair.

"Hi, may I ask a question?" Malaya almost yelped, but glad she didn't, when the being turned towards her. The said being had three eyes and her sharp fangs really showing on her mouth.

"Hello, it's a pleasure to offer a service, what do you want to ask?" 

'It speaks normally and respectfully  too.' Malaya just stared stupefied at the said creature.' I think there is nothing to worry about so far.'

Seeing that Malaya was in a daze looking at her, the said creature just smiled at her, highlighting all her fangs. She looked like she was going to eat Malaya if she didn't say anything.

"Those clothes, are you one of the scouts?" 

Malaya realized her blunder and although she didn't know what the strange being was speaking, she answered. "Yes," Malaya said, telling herself well to sound natural.

"I see. It must be tough this day scouting the aboveground. I heard many things are happening right there now."

"Yes, there are indeed many things happening there right now," Malaya answered, trying to make this small talk as natural as possible.

"So what are you going to ask, Miss Scout?" 

"Ah about that, can you tell me more about the city?" Malaya said, asking casually.

"You don't know this city?" The violet being said was a bit surprising. "Ah you must be one of the newly recruited scouts from above, that is why you are still unfamiliar with these things."

"You can say something like that.. Hehe.." Malaya said, sounding that she was in a bind, and chuckled lightly.

"Let's see, where shall I start?" the violet creature pondered for a bit. "Hmm. Well, this city is simply called the Dark Moon City and the place where the highest priest of the god Bradimyll, stayed here."

"Highest priest?" 

"You don't even know that? Hmm. You sound pretty innocent about this city, huh. Okay, listen carefully he just appeared out of nowhere and then started developing this place. You see, this place is just a desolate land and villages of monsters not until he appeared and united everyone."

"This place? Is this different from the Sun Island?" Malaya said which made her earn a gaze from a few bystanders.

"You should not speak that place here." The violet being, covered Malaya's mouth. "You really are new here. The Sun Island is where all of us lost our humanity, got abandoned and tormented before this place was created. And to answer your question, this is not the sun island but something that is within the Sun Island. This place is simply called the Abyss. And if not for our king, the highest priest, we will still live our lives aimlessly. I don't know what you do to end up here, I'm Lila since you're new here, It's a pleasure for me to guide you towards the city."

"Next in line please!" Both Malaya and Lila turned when the guards called out. 

"It's my turn now, I'll wait for you." Then she turned behind Malaya. "And to your companion who was glaring at me since you talked to me inside the city. See you there, um..."

"Oh thank you for your kindness, Lila. By the way, my name is Malaya and that is Kayden." Malaya said, introducing both of themselves.

"Alright, see you inside the city, Malaya, and Kayden," Lila said as she went now to the guards. She showed them her silver card then let them enter the small gate for travelers like her.

When Malaya thought that she would be called next, it didn't happen right now. It already took more than five minutes and she was still not called. 'I see, no wonder, Lila said that she will be waiting for us on the next side. It seems entering the city is not simply just showing your card.'

Then finally she was now being called by the guard.