Waking up, Aislene found it delightfully humorous how every time something important happened, it would end with her losing consciousness and begin with her reawakening. Sitting up, the world around her had changed slightly from dense trees and roots to a relaxing grove. She lay in a bed of flowers, and the sounds of birds and insects had returned. The numerous trees surrounding were dense. She could hardly see the sky through the blinding canopy. One would think it night were they not to know any better. Despite the darkness, she could see moderately well, allowing her to wonder where she was. The agonizing pain returned moments after waking. She finally noticed that all of her wounds had been wrapped in some cloth or bandage. Deep red blood seeped through the material, hinting at the gore beneath. After examining her bandages, she realized the absence of most of her clothing, except for the bare necessities. Nobody was around, so there was no reason to become so embarrassed, but she couldn't help feeling the unease accompanying the state of being without coverage. She didn't like it. Covering her already covered chest, she tries to move slowly without causing any bursts of unexpected pain. Cautiously bending each leg and arm, she resolved to stand after concluding her capability. Bending her knees underneath her, she put minor weight on her twisted foot while extending herself at a snail's pace. Exhaling rather loudly, she abruptly held her breath while remembering the reasons behind her evil luck. Making noise was equal to mauling oneself and then climbing into the mouth of a beast. Standing, the trees and grove around her once again changed appearance according to her height from where her eyes were original. She could actually see the texture and feel of the trees. The flowers were all sorts of colors, varying from black to blue and white to red. Higher up from the ground, she took a moment to enjoy the peace that she hadn't had since she left the palace. Eyes closed so she could listen to the sounds of the forest. A distinct snap alerted her. Spinning around, she was faced with a furry white chest standing out among the oak-colored forelegs and neck. Looking up, she saw the most stunning pair of eyes in the world. They were otherworldly and could easily subdue any living thing with their powerful gaze. They were the brightest green she'd ever seen, far surpassing the beauty she thought Eembee had. They were so bright they looked as though they were glowing. Soul piercing, she felt unworthy of such inquisition. Aislene fell back on her knees while maintaining their deep opia. She couldn't look away. The eyes allowed her to forget the pain while she lost all thought concepts completely. Soon enough, the eyes remained even as the giant elk hadn't. Standing in place of the once great beast stood an older-looking teenage girl. A blink was all it took from the girl to snap Aislene out of her reverie. Once again, shocked by the sudden change of appearance, Aislene didn't even notice the transformation. Her face was so much more beautiful than what she had seen before. How could she not have seen those eyes in all the time she took examining her? "Have I got something on my face?" The girl broke the silence. Her voice still sounded as it did before. Young and unbefitting to one who could easily be confused for an adult. She sounded like an old child while she looked at least seventeen. "I know you can speak. Stop pretending." Once again, she spoke while Aislene just sat staring. "Sorry." Aislene replied. Revealing her dangerous smile, the girl reached and grabbed Aislene by her unravaged, albeit bruised arm and easily brought it around her shoulder. In the blink of an eye, she had gone from sitting to piggy-backing on this mysterious stranger. "Hold on." Aislene felt a soft yet prickly fur itching her inner legs. She was no longer on the back of a girl but sitting on an overgrown elk beast. On top of the beast's head was a magnificent crown of perfectly symmetrical antlers, all pointing in different directions. She counted five prongs on each side, making for ten. Only six of them turned forward, like a knight's lance. She looked down to her regret. Three meters from the ground, falling would certainly mean broken bones and another dose of involuntary sleep. Burying her face into the elk's back neck, she held on as tightly as she could. Wind pulling her hair back like a wave of sand. Time goes by quickly, and the motion was making her quite nauseous. They eventually stop by next to a river overshadowed by a living cliff. Infected with hundreds of different mosses and growth, the rocks were more green than they were black. When her feet touched the ground again, she feebly attempted limping to a nearby bush so she could throw up without being watched. Unfortunately, she didn't make it that far and ended up revealing her insides to a stranger a few steps away. "Oops, I didn't think it'd be that bad." Behind Aislene, she heard the strange accent again. She was getting used to it and could now understand most of what she said. "Please excuse me for a moment." She replied before heaving again. "Ooh, I finally got a full sentence out of you. Try not to faint again." Aislene realized she was being teased. This stranger was making her out to be a fool. "You think I wanted to?" She remarked, the nausea was slowing down enough that she could speak. But it did hurt. She could feel the girl smirking at her from behind. When Aislene finally finished, she limped back to the girl who had again turned back. "Why don't you drink some water? It may help." Leaning down by the river, Aislene took a sip of the surprisingly sweet water. She plunged the rest of her head within and gulped in as much as she could. She came back up and swallowed quickly before doing so again. She repeated four times before finally satisfying her thirst. "You drink like a deprived dog." Irritation perked up with Aislene, but she ignored the bait. "You never answered my question before." Looking back up at her astonishing eyes again, Aislene resisted the urge to get lost in them. "That's right. You decided to take a nap before I could." Frowning, Aislene waited for an answer. "Why don't you tell me your name first? Seems only fair." Sighing, she worked through the logic in her head. "I guess you're right. My name is Aislene." Looking away, the girl seemed to think for a moment. She didn't seem to reach an epiphany or realization. "Last name?" She asked. "Clairivayl. Aislene Clairivayl." It had been a long time since she said her last name, nobody really cared, and she never needed to use it. It felt new and different than what she had remembered. The girl finally nodded. "Right then. My name is Fiadh, no last name." Aislene racked her brain for any information on this girl. She wasn't familiar with the name, and nothing came to mind. "I have more questions." She said. "Save it. First, you'll tell me why you're here and how." Fiadh adopted a presence of fear and aggression. Her looks were misleading. It was crucial not to forget what she did to that Cybien, the supposedly most dangerous thing to run into. The chances of surviving a Cybien attack were almost zero. You could get away from dragons, kelpies, and lions if you were smart or strong enough. But the count of people who've killed Cybien's or even survived encounters with them could be counted on one hand. Fiadh was dangerous. "Before I tell you anything, vow you won't kill me." Fiadh smiled. "Smart one. Fine, I Fiadh vow not to kill or harm Aislene Clairivayl today if she answers all of my questions truthfully." The loopholes in her vow were massive. If Aislene didn't tell the truth and couldn't get away before the end of the day, she would very likely be killed. "Your turn, missy." Aislene hesitated shortly before continuing. "I, Aislene Clairivayl, vow to answer every question Fiadh asks me today truthfully." A heavy air weighs around them, distorting the trees and cliffs in view before it's instantly gone. With the vow sealed, Aislene waited for Fiadh to speak. "Okay, missy, first question. How did you get here?"

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