Brigante Ark

“Let’s start this story without giving it a name. A boy lives alone in a castle with only his cat as his friend. The king and queen aside from the maids are the only one who are presents in the castle. There were no children same as to his age. He never knew what was like outside only the clamoring laughs he heard from the capital. He’s not completely alone, his father would also come to play with him, but only little time that he can spare to him. After all the play time, he would spend most of his time reading books, bewildering himself of the wonders from the outside world.

If not waste his time honing his swordsmanship, his tutor would keep him busy until sunset. Up above his room where he can see the rest of beautiful country, he watched the busy lights flickering while the people gathered together in joy. Most villas are built on the mountain foot part of the country, composes by different designs, harmonious close-nature are mostly made of it.

In summer, the shops would be interconnected to the streets and would be cramp by the tourists. In spring, sailors would dock and reunite with their love ones. There is so much that marvel his little mind, some might say he’s a dreamer – a dreamer who wants to fly and travel all other places away from this lonely palace. He never cursed his home but he wished he could be something more than child who gapes through the holes of the castle.

Of all wonders he read on the book there is something that piqued his interest, the mayona apple. An apple that can grant the person to travel wherever he wants, but all of it was nothing but a child story. Even still, the little boy still hopes that he would find the apple… he never expected that he would have the opportunity to take a glimpse of it.

One night, the little child heard a whisper. He was hesitant to heed its call but the serene voice compelled him to walk fearlessly through the corridors and to the halls of the castle. He walked carefully with slow pace through the descending stair that leads to the garden. The little boy walked straightly to the wall of primrose. Behind the curtain of the flowers, there he saw a pallid vaguely formed shaped of a woman sitting on the side of a fountain.

He stopped and surveyed her. She was never like the other people he had met before, but her glamour is indifferent to his mum. She’s radiating the same warmth as his mum.

“Come here, my child.” She beckons.

He came closer out of his will. He can’t describe what he felt, but when she summons him, he can’t resist the words forming on her mouth.

“I heard your cry and so I came to fulfill your wish.”

“How do you know me?” He asked.

She chuckles lightly, “I know every child who yearn that they couldn’t have. I have different names but you can call me, Allora.”

“Now, my child. I heard your wish of eating the mayona apple.”

The child asked.

“Is it true that it can grant you the power to do anything you want?”

She stood and knelt before him to matched his height.

“Yes, my child.”

She claps twice and an oddly shape apple appeared floating in her hand.

The brilliance of the fruit easily captivated and swayed his heart. The little boy’s little hand reach to the fruit. The lady in white reluctantly gave it to him for him to relish and enjoy the power it will grant to him.

The little boy slowly ate the apple, savoring its juicy taste that lingers in his mouth long enough for him to take another bite.

In the middle of his intaking, a voice squealed behind him. He gazes around and saw the horrified expression of his mother. Her eyes widened as her arm stretches, her hands brimmed in light.

Her mother’s mien quickly changes as she saw the lady in white. The light in her hands was threw on the lady. The moment it touches, her appearances changed from a benevolent kind looking lady to a horrifying dark hood that is under a red-eyed distorted flesh of face of an old woman. The magic that his mother used dropped the falsehood and pretenses that the witch conjured to his innocent young mind.

The apple his holding now became rot and indescribably smelled foul for a youth like him to expose into. He dropped the apple and ran quickly to his mother. His face though is expressionless. His mother could neither tell that if it is he’s in shock or could it be a curse from the apple he ate earlier. Whatever it is the best researchers in this kingdom will find a solution to the curse inflicted upon him, she thought.

The witch growled and uses dark magic to attack them. But the mother was not like any others the witch had fought. The light pushes back the dark energy, protecting them and successfully overpowered the witch as matter of the moment.

“You are too late!” Her rasping voice forcefully shouted. “The boy already ate the apple, there is no turning back on him. His soul will remain his, but his smile will be mine!” And with a horrid laugh, she flew before the knights of the castle could caught up with her.

The mother who’s filled with worries over his only son hugged him earnestly not letting him go out of his sight. She thought with the witch is gone, he would be back to his normal state, but another problem has rose.

Many months have passed, but the little boy did not retain his ability to smile nor able to show any other expressions. The little boy undergoes with different treatments, but whenever he felt the pain, he refuses to continue any further. The pain is too much for his little body to handle. In the end, the best people in kingdom could fathom what kind of curse was laid upon him. As of now, it remains a mystery to all of them.

The little boy may have able to live but the fruit of desire has taken away the only precious thing in this world and that is to feel.”