Anara was tired.
She didn’t know how much longer she could keep living like this. She sat on a precipice - legs dangling over the edge - and watched the dying world that stretched before her eyes. She was lucky to have made it this far. The outskirts of Yucai still clung desperately to the bounties of life, and it had been a long time since she had seen green grass and farmland that remained untainted. She let nostalgia wash over her as she enjoyed the sight - it reminded her of her home in another world, surrounded by trees and wildflowers. She leaned backwards and looked up at the clouds. She had gotten used to the sight of gloomy gray skies over the years, but the sun shone down upon her and the rest of the green lands that remained.
She thought back to that day. The day she found herself stranded in Yucai. It had been such a long time ago that her body had reached maturity in that time, but even amongst all the fighting, the running and all the horrors that she had dealt with to this day - she still managed to remember what happened the day she came to Yucai. Summer holidays, sitting inside the library back home with her nose in a good book. All the while - ignoring the sunshine beaming down on her through a window. It was just an annoyance that hindered her reading, so she closed the blinds. Now, many years later - she was sat outside bathing in the sunshine, hoping to suck up every last drop she could. She chuckled, and reached for one of the apples in her backpack.
“It’s a lovely sight, isn’t it?”
Anara smiled. “It sure is.” She replied without a thought. She swung her legs a little, and took a bite of her apple. It took her a few moments to realize she wasn’t alone. She swung around quickly, her fists raised. With one apple in her right, and her backpack in her left - she was ready to take on whomever it was that had snuck up on her. A familiar sensation crawled over her skin. She strained her ears, and all she could confirm was the distinct absence of sound. She racked her brains - the many places she had seen, the phenomenon she had encountered - what kind of evil had taken her by surprise now? Further and further back she reached into the depths of her memories, only to be reminded once again of the day that she had arrived in Yucai. She searched her immediate surroundings. Did she just imagine what she heard? She took a step forward, and got her foot caught on a nearby tree root. She tumbled forward.
“A-Are you alright?” said the voice, meekly.
Anara swore. At least it was the wrong direction for tumbling head first off the cliff side. She rolled over onto her back and looked at the canopy overhead. In one of the trees, she saw a dark shape. She sighed. “What are you, and what do you want from me?”
The darkness shifted uncomfortably. Anara squinted - she could definitely make out some resemblance of a human form, But couldn’t be sure. It was weird - she didn’t feel like she was looking at something that was dark, but rather something that resembled the complete absence of light. A deeper black than she could comprehend. An abyss she found herself getting lost inside.
“S-stop!” the voice cried. Jumping own from its perch in the upper branches. “You mustn’t think about it Ana!” it said, taking Anara by the collar and shaking her hard. The darkness raised a finger and drew a rune into the air. It glowed for a moment, and then Anara fell into a deep sleep.
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She dreamt of her arrival in this world.
When she awoke, she was greeted by familiar sounds and smells. She turned her head in the direction of the kitchen, recognising the figure of King cooking dinner. She stretched, yawned and wiped her eyes as she sat up in bed. "I'm really sorry I didn't recognise you back there." she apologised. "I guess travelling Yucai made me start thinking like Yucainians as well."
"I'm just glad you're back." King replied softly. He turned towards her, smiling. "What did you see, Ana?"
Anara lifted herself out of bed and onto her feet. "There isn't a lot to tell, in truth. This world is slowly dying, with The Dark Lord Rhazien's Kingdom at the center of it all. It's been slowly creeping outwards, sucking the life out of everything that it touches."
"That is… not good."
"Yeah. It doesn't harm the people, but it's slowly making the land inhabitable. Watching the colour slowly drain from all the plant life around you… is unnerving to say the least." She continued, making her way over to the kitchen. She continued talking as she reached into one of the cupboards. "And the skies too. The sun? Gray. Lifeless." she retrieved a couple of dishes and a set of utensils to eat with. "We're lucky to be on the edge of the realm, here…" she thought out loud. King looked at her, a puzzled look across his face. Anara looked as if she was troubled by something, but he did not want to press her for more information. He was just happy that his only friend had come back home after such a long time. He watched as she placed everything on the small table in front of the fire.
"Ah, you know, you look different, King." she continued, sitting down in her chair. "You look as if you've aged with me."
The Forgotten looked slightly taken aback. "I did not know that I could do that." he admitted. "There are many things about myself that remain a mystery." King turned his attention back to the food, and started dishing it out.
"I'm sorry about earlier, King." Anara said, her face downcast. "I don't know why it has gotten harder for me to try and remember you." she admitted. King smiled gently at her.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"It is okay Ana, really." he said softly. "Everything is fine now."
Anara pouted. "I suppose… but thinking about you being alone all over again." the girl sighed deeply, picking up her now dished food. "It really upsets me. You may have accepted being forgotten, but I haven't."
"It is the natural way of things."
"Since when has anything about me been natural?" the girl hastily replied, still chewing her food. "I'm not from this world. I can see you when literally every other person in this realm doesn't even know you exist."
"That is just the way things are."
"Yeah? Well, it sucks."
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"This stupid curse better not kill me." The woman muttered under her breath. As she peered into the cauldron, she inspected the contents briefly before making additional adjustments. As she added the final drops of Elderwood sap, the doors to her chamber were flung open. For a moment a look of pure rage crossed her face, but when she saw who it was, she rolled her eyes and sighed.
"It's getting closer, you know?" the newcomer smiled at her. "Did you finish it yet, Nao?" he let the doors slam behind them, and Nao tutted.
"Ceitra, is it beyond you to not be a boisterous ass?"
Ceitra approached Nao, a playful smirk on their face. "But I thought you liked my boisterous ass." they quipped, wrapping their arms around her. Nao closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders. She enjoyed the feeling of Ceitra's deep, rumbling voice against her back. She inhaled deeply, and opened her eyes once more.
"Feeling better, Nao?" Ceitra asked with a low voice, leaning into her ear. Nao shivered momentarily before getting annoyed again and shaking them off.
"Oh, fuck off with your nonsense. I need to concentrate right now."
Ceitra took a few steps backward, and bowed deeply out of her sight. A lover they may be, but they were still a subordinate nonetheless. Nao raised her hands above the cauldron, and focused her attention to the movements of mana around her.
This was only the first step. Slowly, she expanded her attention to the mana outside the room, then the castle. Then the Kingdom. And then the entire realm. Some parts were calm, others were hellish and chaotic. In its current state, she accepted what it was, and her place inside of it.
She paused and peered into the cauldron once more. She moved her hands and fingers in deliberate and practised motions, inhaling deeply once more. "Sublimate."
The concoction bubbled, and from those bubbles, vapor formed. Carefully, she directed the vapor to merge into the mana around her, and slowly worked outward. Through the entire room. Through the castle. And then finally, the rest of the Kingdom. Outside of the Kingdom, she felt disturbances throughout the rest of the realm. The mana was becoming unstable. Violent. She quickly shut herself off from it, and returned to her physical self.
"We're safe again for a few more years, I'd say." she said, nonchalantly. There was a low rumble, and the ground shook for a few moments before settling. Ceitra raised an eyebrow and Nao turned her attention back to them.
"Oh, don't give me that look. The rest of the realm can die off for all I care."
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After the two playfully argued over dinner, they sat outside and watched the sun set. King didn't seem all too thrilled - it was a normal occurrence for him - But it was rare for Anara, who travelled the realm frequently, to see it in such bright, vivid colours. The stars too, were different from those she knew from her own world, and she found herself asking King to tell her stories of the great heroes who ascended from the realm to overlook Yucai as stars in the sky. After some time, the two became drowsy, and went to sleep.
Anara and King lay together in bed. She had woken early, and didn't want to move in case she woke King up as well. With her back pressed against his chest and his arms around her, she felt safe. Even the cold, which she had complained about as a child, comforted her. She closed her eyes slowly, hoping to sleep for a little while longer.
And then, a low rumble could be heard. Anara bolted upright, waking King in the process. "Ana…?"
Before she could say or do anything however, the earthquake hit in full force. The dwelling shook violently around them, throwing all manner of objects out of cupboards and off of shelves. Bookcases toppled, furniture too. King held Anara close, shielding her entire body from anything that could hurt her. After a few moments, it died down, and everything settled.
Ana broke free of King, and bolted for the door, "It's happened again?!" King followed after her as she flung the door wide open and ran into the clearing outside where the Monolith stood.
The sunlight slowly dimmed and the blue sky lost its colour. Anara looked up at this sight, completely dismayed. King looked nervous.
"A-ana lets just… go inside and have breakfast, okay?" He asked meekly, holding out a hand.
"Are you serious?" Anara spat, pushing his hand away from her. "The world is dying and you want breakfast?! I can't actually believe you right now. You know if it wasn-"
"Ah," King interrupted, and pointing behind Anara. "Something is happening."
As Anara turned, she saw the Monolith was glowing. She had not seen this since she first arrived in this world, after King had found her. The topmost section of the monolith shone brightly, and after a short moment, the carving disappeared.
"The spider is gone?" Anara thought out loud, tilting her head.
King shuffled uncomfortably behind her. He could see that the carving was gone as well, however, he never saw a spider on that section of the Monolith at all. In the beginning when Anara has first arrived here, he saw that the rune for 'Emptiness' was carved upon it instead. As the years passed, he watched as the carving slowly morphed into a depiction of Anara. He never shared this with her, because he was scared that it may frighten or upset her.
"Actually, wait." Anara stopped for a moment and inspected the Monolith in it entirety. "That was the last section! The one below it - the one with the beast - I noticed that has disappeared yesterday as well!"
Anara was bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet. "I'll grab my journal!" she exclaimed, dashing back into the dwelling.
King sighed. "And I suppose I will make breakfast."