The War Of Gemstone: Owl & Flower
The Story of the Village Girl and the Water Pool
The Kingdom of Aruindale and the Kingdom of Nortur in the west had been in dispute for hundreds of years. Nortur had ambitions to capture the vast Aruindale region, his first step towards conquering all of Livadia. The war happened 3 times, and Nortur always failed. However, when the fourth war occurred, the Aruindale region was almost captured by the Nortur. The war took place in the Synthetic Plain around Mount Rohara, where sparks of the Synthetic Fireflowers smoldering in the plains. That's where the name of this war comes from, the Synthetic War.
The flower makes both frontline troops have difficulty. The fire, which came from the flower, set the weapons and supplies of the troops ablaze. Therefore, all the water supplies in the city were focused for the troops on the front lines. Nortur took advantage of this opportunity. The war at Sintila was only a decoy for Aruindale's troops, Nortur sent other troops through the Whispering Forest, attacked the Fengariums of Aruindale and cut off the entire flow of water leading to wells in the village and town.
Thanks to the fighting spirit of Aruindale's army and the power of the Aruindale Witch of the day, Saulmandria, defeat was inevitable. Nortur was beaten back and suffered a loss. After his defeat, many news circulated that Nortur was joining Tenebrum. No one knows the reason for the Nortur merger.
The war not only had an impact on the big city but spread to the surrounding village even though it was far enough away. The village suffered a severe drought due to the Nortur plan that cut off the water source. The well in the village has dried up which makes the village lack of clean water supply, the capital that always sends clear water suddenly stops its delivery.
The village chief held a meeting to address the water problem at the village hall. They decided to make a new well, but when they started digging, there was no running water. Signs of wet soil because the water is not visible.
When the village is at the tip of the horn, the 19-year-old daughter of the village chief, Rynn, makes a suggestion to look for a magical pond in the Owl Forest. Rynn's words enraged the villagers. The forest was too far away and too dangerous to go there. The pool has never been found. However, Rynn remained firm in his stance and he begged his father to find a spring pool.
“Although we can enter the forest, but not necessarily the pool really exists. The pool is just an ordinary fairy tale passed down by generations. We also do not know what kind of dangerous creatures live there. It's too risky, Rynn,” the Village Chief assured his daughter.
Rynn is upset against her father who doesn't even want to try first. He also went home. He kicked a small pebble in front of him that landed near a boy. His pouting face faded when he saw the boy sitting in pain under a tree. “Huren!” The girl ran up to him. “Are you hurt?” The girl knelt down while holding the child's shoulder.
The boy grimaced. Sweat was pouring down on his brown skin. “Rynn?”
“I'd better take you home,” said Rynn. He then carried the boy on his back. “Where are your parents?”
“My mom and sister are sick too. They're at home, and my dad's at work.” Huren's voice is getting weaker.
“Work? In a situation like this?”
Rynn finally arrived at her house in the afternoon. He headed for a room where a woman lying on a bed, with a red face and shivering, was his mother. Due to the lack of water, a number of residents developed diseases, including Rynn's mother. The girl held her mother's forehead to check her body temperature. Rynn sighed. “Still hot.”
The girl walked to the back of the house. He took the spare water that had been stored before because the wells had dried up. Then pour it in a wooden bucket. Rynn took the bucket to her mother's room. He dipped a white cloth in the water, and squeezed the water from it, and placed it on his mother's forehead.
His mother woke up with a weak voice. “Home home?” The woman leaned her back against the wall.
Rynn took a chair, and sat down next to her mother. “Do not move much. Mom still hurts.”
The woman smiled as she looked at her daughter's sour face, “Did Rynn's wish not come true again?”
Rynn crossed his arms. “Basic. Why don't you want to find a magic pool? That's the only way. Otherwise-” said Rynn who was cut off as a result of her mother coughing. Rynn immediately laid her mother in bed.
“If Rynn believes he can do it, just do it. After all, Rynn did it for the sake of the villagers, didn't he?” her mother said before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Rynn who always took care of his mother, no longer able to see the face of his mother who always in pain. If he does not try to bring the water of the magic pond, the disease of the residents and their mothers will get worse. As the daughter of the village chief, Rynn could not allow this to happen. Rynn decides to go to the forest alone whatever her father says. He doesn't care.
Rynn takes two wooden buckets that are enough for his mother and convinces the villagers to believe in the existence of a magical pool of water. He prepared some food and a kitchen knife just in case he wrapped it in animal skin. Not to forget, he was carrying a small lantern that was hung on his belt. The lantern uses a glowing stone as its source of light. In addition to durable, the stone does not make hot lanterns unlike candles.
Before leaving, the girl peeked out of the doorway of her mother's room. “I go first.”