Chapter 5

The plains of a new world

As the sun set in the distance all they could do was look at it without knowing what the night of this foreign land would bring. Howls could be heard in the distance, even so they could only wait it out. But none of this really mattered for one another as they were finally able to be together.

This was the only thing going through Auros' mind. They were finally able to be together without having to worry about anyone else intruding. For the first time in a while he felt happy not just because he was with her, but because he finally found an escape to the place he used to call home.

To her nothing mattered, for once she was able to be with him, not having to worry about anything but him. Auro is everything for her, he has always been there for her no matter what. He was the last glimmer of hope she had left. He was Aamailes sole reason to keep living on.

“Auro it’s kinda chilly out isn’t it”

“Yeah it doesn’t even feel like if it were spring at all”

“Even all the trees have little to no leaves or flowers of their own”

“The grass is brown and little leaves that are left on the trees are an orangey color”

“Just like if it was autumn”

“Yeah...”

“Auro!!.. Look at the stars… Wow they look so cool”

“A meteor shower… It looks so… beautiful”

“Auro?”

“Sorry I got distracted”

“I guess this isn’t all that bad”

As the night passed by, the star filled sky lit up the field that was once filled with beautiful flowers and now there's nothing left but dead grass. The cool breeze surrounded them, as the branches rustled in the wind the little leaves and flowers left on the tree fell to their feet.

“Auro...I’m kinda tired...I’m just going to… ”

“It’s alright, I’ll stay up and keep a lookout”

The night was silent, the only things that could be heard were the occasional cricket or a howl in the distance. Everything was calm, Auro sat next to Aamaile as she was sound asleep, he couldn’t but notice how beautiful she looked. She was so peaceful, so much that he didn’t mind not sleeping just to protect her.

“I guess I finally found the one”- He thought to himself as he looked back into the distance

“I wonder if one day i’ll understand why I was brought to this place or what this place is...”

“It’s your paradise”- A voice said from behind the tree

“Huh...who are you...”

“That's not important at this moment...”

“Well then what do you want with us...”

“I just wanted to see you… both of you”

“Look we don’t have anything to give you so just go away... ”

“Don’t worry I know that...”

“Huh then does that mean… you saw how we got here...”

“I’m sorry but no… by the time I found both of you, you were passed out under the tree”

“Ahh I see… So you being here does that mean there’s people nearby?”

“Not exactly...”

“Ok, so this place is...”

“As I said this is your paradise”

“What do you mean exactly”

“It’s your paradise, is what I mean”

“Then why is it so bleak...”

“I’m not so sure about that myself...”

“Well, then why are you here...”

“...”

“Hey are you still here....Hey… hey”

His eyes opened, the sun was rising. A reddish tint covered the land before him. Wind blew in his face making his hair cover his eyes. He could still feel the pain in his chest, but something bothered him about what he heard. Could it be that he was dreaming, but when did he fall asleep.

“Auro, are you ok? It looked like you were having a nightmare... ”

“Oh did I wake you, sorry”

“No it’s fine, I was already awake”

“Oh...”

“Ykno Auro I’m kind of glad that I woke up before you, I finally got to see you sleep like a little kid hehehe”

“Hey that’s not funny”

“Hehehe”

“By the way, did you hear that voice last night too?”

“So you also heard it”

“Yeah I did, so i'm not the only one”

“All I can remember is “This is your paradise”. ”

“If I think about it I guess that’s the only thing I can remember”

“This is your paradise”, what could she mean by that, what was she doing in this place, how did they both make it here and if there is anyone around them. All of that went through their mind. As they wondered what the future held for them in this new world, only none to them as their paradise.

“A paradise, a world full of wonders, everyone has one, everyone has an imaginary world, better said a perfect world where everything is surreal and nothing goes wrong… and yet look at this place, how can this be anyone's paradise”

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“Hehehehe I don’t really understand you Auro, you’re impossible to read hehehehe”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I can never predict what your about to say, you always say the most random things”

“Well I guess that’s true”

“But I guess you're right, how can this place be anyone's paradise”

“Well let’s make the best of what we can after all we finally got our wish of being away from the people who make our lives a torture”

As the day went on the heat from the radiant sun got more unbearable, it wasn’t helpful that the majority of trees lacked leaves. It became more and more noticeable to them if they were going to go on they had to find a close by civilizacion or they wouldn’t even make it for a week.

“Auro, Do you think there might be any people nearby”

“I’m not sure of that myself, even though the trees lack leaves it looks that the forest gets even more dense to point we can’t see the other side of it”

“Eventually we are going to have to venture out through it and see if we can find anything, especially food...”

“Talking about food, I’m getting kinda hungry myself hehehe...”

“Same here, but will it be safe to leave now, especially when we don’t know what dangers await out in the rest of this place...”

“Hehehehe Aamaile you’re sounding more like a logical person than I usually do...”

“Wha...wha… I ju..just..ummm”

“It’s fine after all we do have to change to be able to adapt to this place...”

“Yeah hehehehe...”

“Hehehehe...”

“I guess time has really took it’s change on us”

“But that’s a good thing isn’t it”

“It really is...”

“Hehehehehe”

“Hehehehehe”

As the day went on they prepared themselves to venture through the forest and beyond the land they once used to know. It’s now gone and the little land that was familiar to them will now be abandoned, to be able to set foot past the barrier of trees that protects them from the outside world. Once again they will set foot for freedom.

“Well then shall we go?”

“Before that lets at least say goodbye to the cherry blossom tree… after all it's the only thing we have left to remember our world...”

“Do you really want to do that? I mean we went through he-”

“I want to do because we are finally free”

“Well then, Auro, let’s say goodbye to our past lives”

“Well then.”

As they stood up from where they were sitting, they were both anxious to see the outside world. As they approached the tree, Auro felt as if he was going to faint from the anxiety. He slowly placed his hand on the hard rough bark of the tree and put his head on top of his hand.

“Goodbye world that once held us prisoners”- he said in his head.

As he raised his head against his hand he felt a sharp pain from his head once he was fully able to see…

“Where am I”- He thought to himself

Around him was a deep forest, giant trees surrounded him, a deep hazy fog spread all throughout the whole forest limiting the visibility. It was dead silent, not a single bird could be heard, as he took a few steps back to take a good look around him all he could hear was the sound of leaves crunching beneath his feet as well as the echo.

“Aamaileeeee!!!!”- he screamed but to no avail, there was no response

“I can’t see anything with all this fog”

The fog appeared to go various meters high, it was too thick to see through and yet the only thing he could see was a lonely path that appeared to go deeper into the forest. The great amount of trees and their size made it hard to tell how deep in the forest he was.

“I guess this is the only option I have left”

As he walked following the path the noise of the leaves and branches crunching beneath his feet could be heard echoing throughout the whole forest. As he looked back he could notice that the path was being swallowed by the fog as he walked. Dead grass and leaves surrounded him throughout the path.

“How long is this path and where does it lead to?”

The path got darker and darker as the tree canopy grew larger and larger covering the little sunlight there was left. Stones began to mark the path as the amount of light lessened. It looked as if the path was man made.

“What in the...”

As he reached the end of the path the light from the sun submerged the area, A clearing in the forest was there. Giant boulders marked a circle around a pedestal. The area was full of life, beautiful green grass, flowers and small animals littered the area and in the center of everything there was a pedestal.

“To think there would be so much life in such a small clearing in the trees”

As he approached the pedestal the small birds took flight, the sunlight centered itself on to the pedestal. At the center of everything there was an ancient rune with writing on it and just in front of it layed a…

“Sword???”

“What in the… what is this sword doing all the way out here...”

“I see you made it all the way out here...”

“That voice don’t tell me… you’re that voice I heard in my dream”

“You’re a smart one aren’t you...”

“Is that meant to be a compliment???”

“Of course....”

“Well it didn’t come around as one”

“Hahahahaha you're a funny one...”

“Well then what do you want with me ”

“Isn’t it obvious...”

“What is that supposed to mean??”

“Read the pedestal...”

“Why...urghhhh.... Fine, “Thou traveler who has found theirself upon this world, one day you will need this to free this world from the...from the hell it’s stuck in”, what is this supposed to me mean, hell it’s stuck in ”

“Figure it out for yourself… You already have the pieces, put them together...”

“Whoever you are, you’re insane”

“...”

“Hey, Hey HEY!!!I'm not done talking, Hey!!!”

“Fuck it then, I’ll do it”

He approached the sword, he took a hold of it with his right hand, He attempted to pull it out of the stone and yet it wouldn’t budge, no matter how much strength he used his attempts were useless. His right arm wasn’t enough. If he wanted to free the sword he would need to use his other arm.

“Why isn’t it budging, ughghghhh”

“Do I really need to… no I can’t what if...”- He thought to himself

“I’ll just have to keep trying no matter what I can't let that happen”

“Come on just budge already….ughhhh”

Everything around him became dark, as he kept trying he could feel his body getting weaker and weaker. He knew he couldn’t keep this on for long, if he did, he would most likely have to resort to his final plan. If anything he wanted to avoid it.The cut on his chest would make it even harder. His body wouldn’t be able to take it. Not in this state anyways.

“Why aren’t you budging already….ugghhhhhhh”

“Why, why and how did I end up like this...”- He couldn’t stop thinking to himself

“If I give up now where would I go, I have no clue where I am and much less as to where to go, the outrageous amount of fog wouldn’t help either. I have no other choice than to keep trying and pushing on”

As he felt his body weaken even more he debated if using his other arm was worth the complete risk he would be taking. If something were to happen would he just rott there never to be found.

“I guess this is the only option I have left”

As he moved his left arm towards the sword's handle he could feel the sharp pain near his shoulder. He also felt the wound in his chest begin to bleed out. The pain eventually became unbearable and yet he kept pushing forwards until he…

“Finally, ahhhhhhhhh”- as he screeched in pain he was finally able to grab a hold of the sword.

He pulled on the sword as much as he could, he could finally feel it move. As he heaved the sword from its stone, he could feel his left arm get destroyed as the little muscle tissue left near his shoulder began to rip and tear. A sense of accomplishment filled him but at the same time a sense of regret as he fell to the ground, as his body had finally reached its limit.

“Huh…. where…. am I”

“Welcome….Aamaile”