After dozing off many times, Aislene noticed that despite the long moments of doing nothing but sit around. The sky had not dimmed, nor had the sounds of life stopped. It was an Unending afternoon for seemingly all creatures. The waiting was beginning to make her impatient. Ever since Fiadh had walked into the stone structure, she hadn't once caught even a glimpse of her. Enough time had passed for her to grow hungry, but all the plants around her were foreign. If they were poisonous, then all of what she'd gone through would have been for absolutely nothing. Choosing hunger over death, she knew that finding food would be inevitable. And with the lack of guidance and an exit, she wouldn't make it very long. She felt stupid for going into this house. Anybody would've known to never accept a strangers invitation into such a strange home without knowing what was inside. This place was a trap that she had willingly walked into. Sighing in her hopelessness, she felt a fleeting tingle floated over her shoulders. Turning quickly, she finds nothing touching her slender shoulders. But the feeling hadn't left. The cold chill remained to discomfort her already uncomfortable body. Looking up into the canopy, a mysteriously shining light above was almost entirely concealed. The farther the tree's trunk reached, the harder it was to see. The leaves rustled slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a sudden movement. Quickly hidden by the darkened branches. Squinting to see, she focused her attention toward a single spot where she'd seen the movement. Nothing. Letting out a sigh, she turned away to spare her neck from further twisting. The tension hadn't left, and the cold sensation spreading through her hadn't gone. When her eyes opened, she saw a great elk in the distance. Realizing it was Fiadh, she called her over. The deer glanced at her, and an expression of exasperation washed over its face. Trotting over, Fiadh neared her while taking her somewhat human form again. "Finally found you. Why'd you go running off the moment you stepped in?" Aislene adopted an incredulous look of disbelief. "I ran off? You're the one who wandered away before I could even take a step inside." Aislene snapped. She was sick of the confusion and the enigmatic act of this irritating being. Fiadh's eyes widened somewhat, from shock to anger, to amusement, to gratification. Her face was a perfect picture of her thoughts and feelings. "Well then. It looks like you've got a mouth. You ought to watch it. Else you'll say something you'll regret." A wave of power washed over Aislene. The sheer presence of this creature was so powerful it made her shrink back in terror. She regretted her words, yet they still held. "Well... You did leave." She muttered. Fiadh laughed inwardly to hide her enjoyment of Aislene's reaction. "Make sure you learn from your mistake. Not many people will be as lenient as me." Turning away, she put a hand to her hip and smiled childishly to lighten the mood. As her aura began to subside into a hidden danger, relief flooded Aislene's heart once again. "I think you've done enough wayfaring. If you can accomplish even following me, then I'll take you to our original destination." After her fancy words, Fiadh silently waited for Aislene to respond. "Where are we going then? And what is this place?" Though she knew the question was pointless, saying nothing may've served to vex Fiadh further. "Didn't I tell you to save your silly questions? If you're coming, then you'll find out. So why not just wait and see? And this place here is called the Stone House. Don't try and commit it to memory. It won't stick no matter how hard you try. It's one of the many perks of this place." Her logical answer had a mixture of sensical thinking and a smug immaturity that often accompanies a child proving their point. It was quite unbecoming of such a mature-looking young woman. It both annoyed and calmed Aislene's demeanor. If Fiadh was acting childish, then she wasn't threatening, which was the safest outcome. Using the tree for support, she stood up slowly and moved her limbs around the best she could before looking toward Fiadh for guidance. As if to say with her eyes, "Let's go." When nodding in reassurance, Fiadh smiled and began to move. One step after another, she quickly outpaced Aislene to a point where she'd lost sight of her several times. Just before she would stop to call out to her, Fiadh would appear again further ahead, waiting. As this obnoxious pattern went on, they got closer and closer to what appeared to be a giant, oddly shapen tree, leaves and branches jutted inward and close-together. It'd be easy to hide something within its coverage. But the nearer they approached, the higher and higher it seemed to reach, from a distance where they'd begun, it was only natural to underestimate the massive structure's true size. But up-close, it was much more intimidating. Lost in her reverence, she lost sight of Fiadh. This time, she remained hidden. Serving to anger Aislene, who thought that Fiadh was quite inconsiderate to her injuries, indifferent. Before getting the chance to call out, she entered into a shaded space underneath the bough of the giant tree. She hadn't realized how close she'd gotten, but at least the walking had ended. Staring up and into the endless branches that completely hid the entirety of its trunk, a loud thump sounded next to her. Frightened by the sound, Aislene turned to see a hooded figure hunched over, pointed in her direction. Its body was mostly covered, though eight long spindly claws stuck through two baggy sleeves. Face concealed by darkness. The creature stared at her. The bright cloak was yellow and nothing else while a chilling clicking sound echoed off the trunk of the tree. A step taken forward, succeeded by another, and another, and another, and another. Closer and closer, the creature crept, making no other noise than incessant clicking. When it was two steps away, it stopped. Standing there, and watching she froze with fear. Running wasn't an option, neither was fighting. Calling for help seemed suitable, but her lungs had closed, and no air could enter. She reacted as any animal would, a terrified and injured little rabbit cornered by a fox with no options. Freezing was a bodily function that, in some cases, would aid in protecting or preventing one from being harmed or going into danger. Clicking, clicking, clicking, clicking, clicking, clicking-. Like a cicada, the droning sound had finally ceased. Two heartbeats and then a massive roar. The creature pointed its revealed snout to the sky and released the loudest cry of an animal she'd ever heard. It lasted ten more moments, and then it stopped. Closing her eyes and ears to shield herself, she kept them closed for a while. Sobbing, she waited for the cries to end without realizing they already had. The darkness of her closed eyelids stopped her from seeing where it had gone. But when she again opened them, it was nowhere to be seen. Gone like a sparrow in the treetops. Looking around, no sign of it appeared. After vanishing, she pulled her legs close and sat in the fetus position. Scared, alone, injured, her luck was going to run thin eventually. And then she would die, nobody would know, and nobody would care. Thinking back, she'd never once done something of value in her life. All she had was middle-class adulthood full of uneventfulness and a past so broken she wished she could forget it. Only remnants of a person could survive such ordeals, and the only thing to remain in her was survival and instinct. That thing just now was evil, and if it came back, then she would certainly die. Through a will to live and an animal's primitive desires. She'll be born anew. She whispered to herself unintelligible words while thinking it better to die forgotten to continue living that pointless life back in (TBD), ruled by the royal family who've had the privileged birthright of talent and wealth all their lives. They could never understand the harrow of her past days. Continuing to serve that place for no reason was the equivalent of climbing into your coffin as a child. All she knew now was living. She would live, and she would use her life meaningfully. She would get out of here, and she would find somewhere far, far away from (TBD). Thinking ahead as though she was going to live was so arrogant, yet it felt refreshing. Knowing the life you seek to live will be better than the one before, and the one now filled her with an unfitting joy irrelevant to what just happened. It would come back. It will come back. Soon it'll be back. It's just biding its time. But she won't be there to welcome it.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.