The Corruption

By Miracle Mcillwain

A day not similar to most, something strange happened. Something has been planted inside a realm. Something abnormal, something unnerving, something that would make all hearts tremble. A virus. No one knew how this virus formulated, nor did they know the devastating effects of its existence. But few people knew the perfect name for this virus: the Corruption. Ora, the leading character, must find any means possible to stop the corruption from spreading across all realms. Various people begin to accompany her on this grand journey, all not knowing what will happen next. There will be bloodshed, tears, sorrow, and laughter. With all but one believer of the Orb of Light, will there ever be a history to write again?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781640287365

Book preview

I would like to dedicate this book to my wondrous family members and past friends.

Prologue

Irun on the dirt road as fast as my long legs can carry me, a frown on my face.

The sky is hardly noticeable due to the trees blocking it. The sky covers the land with a black-like void from what I could see. The black moon is shining so little light, and no stars are scattered in the sky. No animal life, nor human life, could be seen in the forest either. The atmosphere feels empty. Lifeless to be specific.

I turn a sharp left with my backpack slinging on my shoulder and my ponytailed hair flowing with the wind.

How long have I been running? I question myself in my mind, adrenaline in my system. How long have I been lost? Sweat starts forming on my bloody dark olive-green tank top and forehead. My old golden eyes filled with confusion and fear.

After running what seem like hours and tripping from time to time, the scenery still remain the same. All the trees are connected together, like if any one of them separates, they will forever be alone. The trees’ barks are painted cool grey. The leaves’ colors were just plain grey and white. The air seems a bit thinner than usual. No sounds are made. The only sound I can hear is my shallow breathing. The thought of not hearing nor seeing any living things makes for the confusion and partly of the fear.

I slow down my running pace, trying to catch the breathing pattern of my choice from running so long in my life. The adrenaline fades away, and I limp toward a dead oak tree. I sit down against it, feeling exhausted from fighting and running from those shadow-like creatures.

I lay down my backpack on the ground beside me and tighten my grip on the sword. I look out at the scenery before me expecting something, anything, to pop up at any second. After a few moments of staring out at the pitch-black-like scenery of the forest, I realize I was wasting my time being paranoid and worrying.

My legs feeling like jelly, I try standing up, but the result is me falling down on my butt. I try again, but the result is me falling down on my butt. I try again, again, and again, until I give up, figuring it is useless since I’m exhausted and injured.

I sit there, black spots beginning to gather my vision as I grow dizzy.

Soon my eyelids begin closing themselves.

Don’t fall asleep…don’t pass out…just stay awake…you’ll be fine…, I mutter while fighting against my drooping eyelids.

I’m surprised I’m still alive. Shouldn’t I be dead by now? Why am I even alive?

Soon my eyelids force themselves shut, my consciousness ebbing away. Without Light, I really am nothing, huh? I mutter to myself, frowning.

Then all my thoughts end.

Chapter 1

O…ra. O…ra. Ora…Or…plea…wa…up.

I moan, pain forming in my back and stomach. I open my eyelids halfway, finding jasmine light shining through a window in the blurred room. A few moments later of just staring at the room, I realize a person, whose figure is like a female’s, is sitting down on what seems like a coffee recliner. I close my eyes and open them halfway again, finding a bit clearer version of the room and the person.

The person seems to be wearing a white knee-length dress. Its somewhat skinny beaver arms are resting upon her lap. Its bistre eyes seem to be filled with worry.

Could it be…?

Olena? I mutter while tilting my head into the soft pillow.

The person stands up and hovers over me, its eyes looking at my half-closed ones.

Ora, are you awake? Please tell me that you’re awake, the familiar-sounding voice asks.

I-I-I’m awake, I mutter while opening my eyes fully.

I sit up from my lying down position. I stop as pain radiated throughout my torso and left arm. I cringe and clench my teeth, trying to ignore it, then continue lifting my body up until I’m sitting up straight. I look over at Olena. Her eyes filled with happiness and relief.

C-can I hug you? Olena asks, tears threatening to flow at any second.

Yeah, ya can.

Olena bends down and hug me. She starts crying, blabbering about how worried and scared she was, how she felt she was being watched, how panicked she was when she found me nearly dead.

Not knowing how to comfort her at the moment, I pat her back with my somewhat large hands. I kind of want to cry too, but my body for some reason won’t obey my request. Maybe I was crying in my sleep?

After a while Olena starts to settle down. Olena stands up from her bending position and wipes a dried-up tear on her face. Olena looks down at the floor and sniffles, her breathing still heavy from her sobbing.

A knock erupts the room, making both of us jump up into the air a bit. Another knock erupts the room.

You may come in, Olena yells loud enough for the person on the other side to hear.

The door opens, revealing a young nurse holding a clipboard.

Hello, Lady Olena and Miss Ora. I’m Miss Hiliador, a doctor of this medical center. The female who calls herself Miss Hiliador greets us in a honeyed tone with a smile on her somewhat pale face.

Salv—hello, I greet back, waving my raw umber hand at her while returning her smile with a smile of my own.

Hi, Miss Hiliador, Olena greet back as well. Thanks again for healing Ora the minute you saw her.

You’re welcome. At the moment I’m glad that Miss Ora is alive and well enough to sit up and speak. She grabs a pen from her pants pockets and starts writing things down on the piece of paper attached to the clipboard. Miss Ora, I’ll be asking you two questions, okay? Miss Hiliador asks, her full attention at the clipboard, her white surgical mask shifting a bit.

Okay, I reply.

Okay. Question number one is, do you know anything that happened before we brought you here?

Uh, yes, but only a bit. I can remember Olena and I walking through the forest, me gathering gems and items travelers and townsfolk mostly overlook with Olena questioning me about my past. Then my vision went blank, I explain.

Hmm, all right, she reply, writing down notes on the paper attached to the clipboard. Question number two is, do you have any symptoms?

I feel fine, but I’m a bit dizzy at the moment from waking up. Right now my mind’s blank. If you’re talking about the past, then I cough at random times. The coughs are never serious though.

All right, Miss Hiliador respond while flipping through some more papers that are connected to the clipboard’s clip. Her russet eyes scan through the paper. She lifts her head up and glances at me. Yup, she mutters. Now, Ora Ranundo, I would like you to be careful with your actions. Outside and inside the medical center. We wouldn’t want you to open your wounds, do we?

I shake my head left and right, signaling a no to her statement.

She nods her head, and her mask shifts a bit. Perhaps she’s smiling? She seems to be satisfied with my reply.

You will also have free will to walk outside, but you’ll have to return by sunset.

She continues talking about things I should and shouldn’t do when outside and inside the building, what I’ll eat from breakfast to lunch, then dinner, and etcetera. Soon Miss Hiliador dismisses herself from the room, leaving me and Olena in the room.

Later, the two of us exit the room and the medical center. The scent of pine trees linger in the air. The sun seems to be shining upon the area, making my aching back feel a bit relaxed as city folks rush down the cobblestone streets to their destinations. Some shops, boutiques, pharmacies, and markets are on the left side of me and same as the right.

If I can remember the layout of this city, then we’re on the east side of the city of Helos, or known as the shopping layout. On the west side of the city is where all the residents and inns are. In the middle section of the city, I’ll find the plaza. And if I walk north of the arena, then I’ll find the castle.

Well, at least my memory is a bit good.

The two of us begin window-shopping in the east side of the city. Olena buys expensive fabric and some supplies for sewing and hunting, but most of the time she just windowed-shopped. I don’t really want to spend Olena’s hard-earned money since we split half of what I receive from either when I hunt animals, find gems and rare items, or Olena working at her father’s carpentry shop. At the moment I’m broke.

But, no, Olena insisted; and she gives me a bag of coins. I thank her, and we continue walking.

Since I’ll be in the medical center for quite a while, I’ll buy something that’ll be beneficial, non-expensive, and will help keep my brain active while being in a medical center so I wouldn’t turn deranged—books.

Thanks again for lending me one of your bag of coins.

No problemo. That’s what sisters are for, Ora! Olena exclaims. I can’t wait to make some new clothes, though it is sad that our supplies and clothes were destroyed or torn.

Yeah, I agree. Hey, Olena, I have two or three questions that just popped into my head.

Olena looks at me, seeming to be waiting for my question to be said.

My first question is, do you know where my poem book is?

Um, yeah. It’s back at our house, inside the drawer in our bedroom. But I’m kind of scared of having nightmares or being alone, so I’m staying over at my parents’ house until you come home.

I sigh in relief. It’ll be awful if all seventy-nine poems were destroyed, including my childhood poems.

Wait, nightmares? I repeat, now realizing what she’d said.

Yeah. Um, what’s your second question?

Hm? Oh, my second question is, how a—

Gosh! I bought the wrong type of fabric, Olena mumbles, then sighs. Why don’t I pay attention to the small details? she mumbles louder.

What’s wrong?

"Instead of buying thick fabric, I bought somewhat-thick fabric. I need thick fabric so I can sew some clothing that’ll help keep us warm for the winter and for you when you’re hunting wolves in the daylight or go exploring in the forest for gems that travelers for some reason overlook. And I need thick fabric since you’re so cold. Every. Single. Fudging. Day."

Winter? Winter’s coming already?

Olena replies, Uh-huh. Whelp, I’m going back to the fabric shop. Olena points to the fabric shop with her index finger. And buy some new fabric. I’ll be r-i-i-i-ight back, okay?

Okay, I reply.

Olena turns around and walks to and inside the fabric shop while some city folks bump into her by accident or on purpose.

A sigh escapes my lips as I look at the book Olena purchased. I have a good feeling I chose a good book. I mutter, smiling. I lean against the building behind me and open the front covering of the book and its first two pages, reaching to the word Introduction with smaller words underneath it. My eyes scan through the words while squinting a few times trying to see the small words. The world seems to spin around me after a few moments of reading the words my eye passes over. A heavy sigh escapes my lips as I shut the book close with a frown, figuring my eyes are tired or my vision’s giving up on me.

Can I please have food? a soft voice asks.

I turn to my left, finding nobody standing where the voice came from. I look downward and find a young child staring at me. Her eyes are filled with no emotion, her hands sticking out in front of her. My eyes widen at the dress she is wearing. It’s torn and worn-out while showing her skinny torso and legs.

Please? she asks again.

I bend down to her level and look into her empty-looking jungle-green eyes. I look over at the bag of coins in my hand and hold it out in front of me.

Take this and buy some clothing, food, water, and a room at one of the inns, please. I place the bag of coins in her small hands.

She looks at the bag of coins. Her eyes widen with happiness filling her eyes. I can’t believe this is happening is written on her face.

T-thank you, miss! she whispers. A wide smile forms on her once frowning lips.

You’re welcome, I whisper back, a smile on my face as well.

She turns around and begins walking to one of the nearby cafes.

I stand up to my regular height while frowning. It’s sad that children are abandoned by their families to be left alone in the streets, to suffer, or to have men injure them either mentally or physically. A sigh escapes my lips. But I can’t do anything about it. All I can do is give them coins or read my poems to the children in the adoption homes or on the streets to try and give them hope in their life.

Most of the city folks start exiting the shopping area and head toward the west area to chat or gossip with one and another.

After a few moments of waiting, I can hear bare feet walking on the cobblestone road.

I look over to the source of the sound, finding Olena carrying a bag of coins in her left hand and a somewhat translucent fabric bag with what seems like thick fabric inside of it on her right.

Sorry that I took so long.

It’s okay.

"Ora, you would not believe how awesome this fabric is!"

Awesome? Okay, tell me some things about the fabric you’ve bought.

"The good thing about this fabric is that because it’s thick, water resistant, and stretchy. It can be washed off easily, and it’s easy to fix if you have strong thread! Not even the puffool sheep’s white wool has all those qualities! Olena exclaims. But the bad thing about this fabric is that it’s expensive, but not as expensive as the clothes in this city."

Wow! How did a fabric shop owner receive such fabric?

The person who is currently working at the fabric store wouldn’t tell me what type of sheep they’ve harvested the wool from and how they improved the wool to become the fabric it is right now. Olena places the bag of coins in the plastic bag and grabs a piece of pthalo-green fabric. What a shame, she says, gazing at the thick-looking fabric. If only I had found this fabric when I was eighteen, then I would’ve made some nice and thicker clothing and you would’ve been warmer in the past. Well, at least a bit since you’re always cold.

Ya know they probably want to keep the information to themselves so nobody else will try to make a big profit of it, right?

Probably, Olena mumbles.

After that exchange, we begin walking around the city of Helos while chatting along the way. We share some laughs and smiles while doing these interactions. Sometimes a city folk or two would push by us, but other than that, things are fine.

Soon after what seems like five minutes of chatting, I see the sun is setting. I frown, knowing I have to go back to the medical center. Olena tells me that she’ll be sewing the clothes. She says her farewells, then exits the city, back to where we and her parents live: Vlorestville.

I return to the medical center and into the room I had woken up from. I flop down on the bed, kind of tired from all the walking. I think we walked from the east side to the west, then back to the east side. I think that was 140 miles. If so, then we talked a lot together.

Correction, Ora, Olena did most of the talking, I say to myself. I laugh as I think about the quirky moments we shared together—making weird faces, acting like children who are so carefree, making and laughing at each other’s jokes. If only that moment can last for a lifetime.

My thoughts begin wandering to the young child. That child, she seemed so…miserable.

Why do families kick their children out of the house? They are the ones that bring the children into this stupid and idiotic realm in the first place, or are they the ones that are idiotic? Probably.

In a way, I think that child is just like me when I fell from the sky and landed into this realm. Miserable.

A yawn escapes my lips. I cover my mouth with my hand by habit. I look at the book, contemplating whether or not to read it. A few moments later I decide against the idea since there’s a high chance of me becoming dizzy from focusing on small words when I’m tired and I am not in the right mood to read.

I lay down the book next to a newly lighted wax candle on the nightstand beside the bed. I look over at the chest on the opposite wall. Maybe there are some clothes. I’ll see tomorrow. I wonder how my family is doing. I’ll see when I sign out of this medical center. I lie down on the bed, snuggling into the soft pillow while watching the flames dance on top of the wax candle.

Chapter 2

My mind is fuzzy, the last remnants of the lucid dream still lingering in my mind. It was a nice lucid dream, something about the unknown version of me, around eight years old, standing on top of a cliff and gazing up to the moon, with a pure white lotus-looking flower in my small raw umber hands.

With a mental sigh, I open my eyelids, finding myself in the same patient’s room. Arliyde yellow light shines through the window. I can hear birds singing their preferred songs, with their chicks singing along.

"Another lucid dream…

Another early morning…

Sunlight shining its beam…

With birds singing without warning…"

I recite part of a poem.

I stand up from the bed and walk toward the chest. I open it, finding white medical center gowns inside the chest. I look behind me and make sure the blinds are closed, then change out of my previous white gown with another white gown. I shiver at the feeling of the freezing fabric resting on my skin.

Now let’s get this over with.

***

A few weeks have passed since I have woken up from that incident.

Olena continues to sew some new clothing and a backpack at our house since all our previous clothing are torn (including hers) as she said.

A few days later I find out I have stitches on my body. After my little discovery, doctors remove the stitches from my body, which was a very painful experience for me and a very unpleasant experience for the people who removed the stitches.

Olena’s mother brought me colorful flowers in a plastic vase that has a get-well-soon card attached to it.

It was very thoughtful of her to give me something like this.

The only actions I have done after that day was eating soup, taking pills for the pain, reading the book, talking to Olena or Olena’s parents whenever they have a chance, and walking outside in the forest every now and then for some fresh air.

I have noticed something though. A few animals wander around in the forest. No birds sang in the early mornings like usual. No crickets made their usual rhythm. No frogs croaked at night. No fireflies flickered their soft lights.

Maybe my mind’s playing tricks on me. Yeah, maybe. Being in a medical center while crying from the book I’ve bought can do wonders to my brain.

My eyes scan through the last few sentences of the chapter. I really want to cry at the moment. This woman’s life is just…sad. A few tears start falling from my cheek as I think about what I’ve read

Why would anyone do that?

Questions start appearing in my head. Even though she is a princess, why would the citizens of her parent’s kingdom treat her as an outcast? Why would her own parents think and speak lowly of her? She didn’t even do anything wrong. Why aren’t the people blaming the parents who’ve brought her into the realm she’s in? They are the ones that kept on saying, We are soon to have a prince! to the people. Yet the people are blaming the princess for being born in realm. Not the flipping princess’ parents.

I sigh. The realm is an idiot at times. No, the society in that book is an idiot. And in real life too. I really have to stop having emotional connections with books or I’ll be a crying mess throughout the day.

Hmm, I realize I’m so lucky. I live in a house, I have a good friend who is like my older sister, and a wonderful town where the people there are like a family to me. I’m so thankful for the things I have, for the people who love me and actually care for me instead of giving me cold glares or giving me insults once in a while because I never had a good education, yet I have a good life, like Olena’s father.

A knock interrupts my thoughts, making me turn my gaze toward the source of the sound. Another knock rings in the air. I lay down the book on the bed beside my sitting-up position and stand up. I wipe away the remaining tears on my face, walk toward the door, and open it, finding the same nurse from a few weeks ago, Miss Hiliador.

Oh, hi, Miss Hiliador. Is there anything you need? I ask while sniffling.

No, she replies, while taking out a pen from her pants pocket. But I do have some good news for you. Miss Hiliador surgical mask shifted a bit.

Perhaps she’s smiling? If so, then what’s she smiling about? Hm, why do I always talk or think to myself?

Really? I say as I step out of the way so Miss Hiliador can enter the room.

Hm-hm, Miss Hiliador replies, walking inside of the room. The good news is—she pauses after her short sentence—you can sign out of the medical center whenever you like since your wounds are mostly healed.

Really? I repeat, but this time my voice filled with disbelief. If I can sign out of the medical center that means I can go home!

Hm-hm. Just sign here. She points to a long black line, which I assume is where my signature is supposed to be written. And you’ll be able to go home.

Okay, I reply.

She hands me the clipboard, and I sit back down on the bed. I scan my eyes through the somewhat small handwriting. Perhaps Miss Hiliador is the impatient type because now I can hear her heels tapping against the oak plank wooden floor.

Do you not trust me? questions Miss Hiliador.

No, I trust ya, a bit. I just read over things like this. I dislike not knowing all the information given to me. Nor do I like feeling I’m soon to be tricked. I am and will always, be observant, I mutter, my eyes still scanning over the words.

Miss Hiliador doesn’t responds. Then she sighs and continues with her heel tapping.

Soon I finish with my reading and grip the pen. I sign my signature on the long line. I look up from the paper attached to the clipboard, finding Miss Hiliador’s eyes lightened up a bit.

Here ya go. I hand over the clipboard to Miss Hiliador.

Her eyes scan the words on the paper I’ve written on. Nice slight cursive handwriting, complimented Miss Hiliador.

I smile at Miss Hiliador’s compliment. Thanks, I reply.

Hm-hm. A nurse will bring you some clothing brought from your hometown so you can change into them. After that you are free to leave the medical center.

After the conversation, Miss Hiliador exits the room and I begin waiting. A few minutes later I can hear soft knocking. I stand up from the bed and walk toward the door. I open it, finding a nurse holding a pair of comfortable-looking jeans with a plain black short-sleeved shirt and sneakers.

Here you go, Miss Ora. The nurse hands me the set of clothing.

Thank you.

The nurse nods her head and closes the door.

I look at the set of clothing and look over at the blinds, finding the blinds open. I set the clothing on the bed and close the blinds. Then I pick up the clothing and change into them.

I lay the white medical center gown on the bed and exit the building. I stretch my arms into the air, breathing the fresh air. I look around, finding the same amount of people I’ve seen on my first day here in the medical center.

Now that I’m out of the medical center, I can return home!

I walk down the cobblestone road while some people bump into me. Some would apologize, and some would just scoff at me as if I’m nothing to them or just a low-ranked worker.

Which I am.

I walk outside of the eastside of the city and the city itself until I reach the gate of the town where Olena, her parents, and I live: Vlorestville.

I look around the small town, finding adults chattering to one and another, walking to their destinations or working hard underneath the sun’s rays.

Children’s laughter fills the air as they play with their friends with big smiles on each of their faces. I can see a child on the plaza area playing catch the ball with a person I know so well, Auntie Lee. Perhaps it’s Vanessa playing with Auntie Lee? Or is it Joana? It’s hard to tell since they’re twins, and they look alike and sound almost the same, but their personalities are very different. It’s probably Joana since Vanessa carries around her brown teddy bear with her.

I can also see young men I don’t know so well and Olena’s father carrying long, big planks of wood on their shoulders to their destinations.

Hmm, I think they’re building a new building for the town.

Maybe it’s a telescope house to watch the stars? Or maybe it’s another school for the young children? Or maybe someone’s moving into a house in the town?

It’s always nice to have someone new in this small town.

I smile. It’s so glad to be back at home with people you love and trust.

I enter the town itself and look around some more, finding the same cottages on both the northwestern side of the town and west, the large rectangular-like school on the eastside, shops and workshops on the northeastern side, and the plaza, which in the middle part of town and in front of me.

Some of the people and children begin staring at me, their faces all have but two expressions: shock and relief.

The young children rush toward me, and all hug me at the same time, saying how much they’ve missed me and such. They are talking about how the town wouldn’t be the same without me and how they never lost hope when their parents told them that I was found almost dead. They believed I was okay.

I smile at their statements. I bend down to their level and hug all five of them. I can hear Aws in the background while doing this.

I close my eyes and whisper, Thank you all for believing I would not separate my life from the living and be traveling to the dead.

One female child, who she is named Fiona, gets out of my grip and makes a cylinder-like shape with her small fawn hands and places it over her mouth.

Ora is back! she yells, her voice filled with happiness and enthusiasm.

I can hear footsteps walking on the dirt road and near me. I look up, finding more townsfolk staring at me with their face having the same two expressions the others have: shock and relief.

I can see Auntie Lee standing with Joana beside her with Vanessa holding Teddylocks and Pearl.

They walk up toward me, asking about my health, how I’m feeling, and what happened to me to end up in the medical center. I answer all their questions truthfully, except for the final question.

After a while the questions stop and they go back to their business, smiles on their faces. Only Vanessa is left standing.

Vanessa walks up to me and wraps her thin arms around my lower torso while Teddylocks hugs me as well. I bend down to her level and hug her back, including Teddylocks. She buries her head into my shoulders.

W-welcome back h-home, Ora, Vanessa whispers. Our family, Teddylocks, and I have been worried about y-you. We all missed you a l-lot.

I’ve missed you and the townspeople too, I whisper back to her.

Vanessa! Joana! a feminine-sounding voice calls out.

Vanessa and I turn our gaze to the source of the voice, finding Auntie Lee waving her wheat-colored hand at us, a smile on her face. I wave back at her, while Vanessa turns toward me.

I have to go. It’s naptime for Joana and I, Vanessa explains.

A small oh is all I say.

Vanessa waves at me, then runs toward her mother. Joana soon can be seen running toward the two while chatting with both of them until they walk toward the west side of town.

A sigh escapes my lips. I wonder where Olena is. Oh wait, she’s probably at