The dark emptiness slowly filled with light. Glowing strands weaved their way around Lorelei, shielding and separating her from the cold void. At first, she thought in fear that they were building a cocoon to trap her, just like the dhrowghost had done with Rish and Rasha. But she was wrong.
As if knitted by a masterful hand, the thin strings began shaping a new world into existence. Silver flowers bloomed beneath silver trees, with silver leaves fluttering in the newborn wind. Sparkling blades of grass covered the ground like a soft carpet, gently brushing against Lorelei’s bare feet. A stone-throw away, small waves rippled against the walls of a decorative pond.
At the edge of the pond sat a lone woman. Her free-falling hair reached up to her waist and the cut of her attire was reminiscent of the gowns the Binshi dignitaries wore - a mid-chest, sleeveless jacket over a flowing gown with sleeves shaped like doghobble bells. Though bare of decorations, there was an air of regality surrounding her.
The woman lifted her head, smiled at Lorelei, and waved, her tranquil and inviting face beaming like she was meeting an old friend.
Everything looked so calm and welcoming, but despite that, or maybe exactly because of it, Lorelei shuddered and took a step back. Something seemed… wrong. From the impeccable rows of unblemished flowers to the unnaturally soft grass, everything was too perfect. And that strange being sitting by the pond… There was something unnerving about the woman’s looks. Her features were somehow familiar, although Lorelei could swear she’d never seen her before. It was like a long-forgotten memory, leaving only fragments behind; the remnant of a dream after one awakens. But even more disturbing than her looks was the light surrounding the woman.
Lorelei swallowed hard, her tongue sticking to her dry mouth. Just like everything around, this woman was woven of silver. No, rather… She was the source of all the radiance. Straining her eyes, Lorelei was able to see thousands upon thousands of sparkling strands coming from where the woman’s hand touched the pond walls - the strings of a spider waiting for its prey.
“You seem hesitant.” A crisp melodious voice startled Lorelei, making her shrink back even more. “There is nothing to be afraid of. No one will harm you here under my watch.”
“Easier claimed than proven,” replied Lorelei, gathering her courage.
She straightened her back, although her knees still traitorously shook. Luckily, her dress was long enough to hide them… Dress? Ice shackled her body as she realized that her clothes were also made of light, their cut identical to the ones worn by her mysterious captor. The light that was the source of everything…
Frantically looking around, Lorelei’s fears were confirmed. The only speck of color in the sea of whiteness was her own body.
As if reading her thoughts, the strange woman raised her voice again.
“Due to the gods’ quite perverted sense of humor, one travels between the realms only in their truest form. I thought you might feel uncomfortable standing naked in the presence of a stranger, so I decided to assist you. After all, you aren’t a Binshi and haven't been taught how to conjure a garb-”
“Travel between realms?” Lorelei interrupted her. “Am… Am I dead? Are you a messenger of the Father of Light? A Saint?”
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“No, you are not dead. Not yet, at least. Whether you’ll stay alive is up to you to decide, little sister. After all, I am breaking some important rules and some even more important promises I’ve made to give you a choice...”
“Enough!” Lorelei yelled, her body shaking like a leaf. Beneath the fear, a new feeling started to sprout - burning, overbearing, all-consuming. Her nails dug into her skin. “Stop playing with me! Who are you? What is this place? What is your connection to Sir Yanosh? And what do you want from me?”
“What makes you think I’m connected to that dead prophet?”
“He is the only one who calls me ‘little sister’.” Lorelei squinted, allowing the anger to consume her. She was tired of being played with. Of being kept in the dark. Be it gods, demons, or mortals, she wasn’t going to participate in their games anymore. If they wanted to kill her, exile her into the Realm of the Damned… so be it. “Enough empty words. It was you who dragged me here so speak clearly. Answer my questions or begone!”
The white woman blinked at her, her sparkling eyes becoming huge. Her beautiful face twitched and then she bent over, a crystalline laugh filling the ghostly garden.
“Oh… My… Yani was right! You really… are a peculiar one. I admire your bravery, little sister. It is the blessing of the ones who’ve never gone against the will of the gods… or know the pain of eternity. But I like your fire. Yani was right to save you, although you might hate him for it soon.”
The woman jumped from the pond’s edge and in a blink was an arm’s length away from Lorelei.
“Little sister Lorelei, in the name of my husband, Yanosh of Star-path Valley, I welcome you in the World Between Worlds.”
“Y-Yanosh’s wife?” Lorelei eyed the woman from head to toe, her mind slowly fitting the puzzle pieces.
Of course, she knew that thin, slightly snub nose. The shape of the face and the eyebrows too. As a gust of fresh wind blew the woman’s hair, for a moment, a grown version of Shana appeared before Lorelei. This woman was a spitting image of Noah’s ward, although the little Star-gazer had inherited her father’s eyes. Her mouth too was the one of Yanosh, and although Lorelei had never seen the girl laugh, she would bet that the Kush-turgan’s dimples had been passed down to his daughter. But even with that, there was no doubt about the identity of the woman before her.
“Lady Orhana…”
“I’m no lady, but otherwise - yes. It was about time we saw each other in person… so to speak. Forgive me, my powers are too weak so I can offer you only this simple dream.”
“So… I’m really not dead?”
“You are not dead yet. But you are dangerously close. As I said, I’m not a shaman and my powers are meager. If it was a normal dream, I couldn’t have materialized this shape or this place. Nor could I have talked to you as clearly.”
“I…”
Lorelei was silent for a moment. She was about to die. Her mind played with the word. Death. She was going to cease to exist. But would it even matter? All in all, her existence had no greater meaning. She was just like a child’s drawing in the sand - there for a fleeting moment before a wave came to wash away any traces of her presence. But honestly, she never expected it to be otherwise. Sure, Saya and Rish would be sad. Milly too. Her master? If he knew, he’d mourn, but only the winds knew where his travels had taken him. And Noah? He might be sad for a short time, but he’d probably overcome it quickly. He was a warrior, a ruler. Encountering and delivering death was ingrained in his life.
For a moment there was a prick in her heart but she ignored it. Not thinking about it made everything much easier.
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, marveling at how real the whole act felt. The previous fear and anger slowly subsided, replaced by the numbness of acceptance.
“I see.” Finding her voice again, she lifted her head. “So be it.”
“No!” Orhana suddenly grabbed her shoulders. Her touch was like a splash of cold water, chilling Lorelei to the bone. “That’s why I summoned you. You can’t just give up like that. Not before knowing everything. Not before you understand what is at stake. Even if it means that you would hate us… I can’t let you go without telling you the truth. Without giving you a real choice.”