When Elysha opened her eyes, she found herself in the same familiar forest where she had regained consciousness. This time she was surrounded by mist, but despite the silvery haze, the sunlight filtered through the dense trees and cast a soft glow on the forest floor. The air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers and the soft rustling of leaves.
She sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes and took in her surroundings. It seemed like a dream, but the trees seemed real and yet unreal at the same time. The room where Elysha had slept was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was as if the forest itself had become her bedroom.
Confusion overcame her; she did not understand where she was or why she was here. The little girl turned her head around, looking for signs of her guardian's cottage residence, but found nothing.
Despite the seconds of confusion, her mind came to a conclusion: Perhaps this forest was her new home, and Elder Merakia was her guardian and caretaker. It seemed that the forest had always been her home.
Elysha rose from her comfortable bed and dropped to the soft forest floor, her bare hands, legs and feet touching the grass and dirt. She reached for her bed to support herself as she stood up, her silver hair shimmering in the hazy sunlight and her white, flowing dress billowed in the soft breeze.
She blinked her eyes, took a deep breath, and felt a sense of curiosity and spirit coursing through her veins. The feeling of the unknowable seemed endless, and all that surrounded her was the realm of the possibilities for her to explore and discover the wonders that awaited her.
Without any further thoughts, the little girl took her first steps and went forward to venture the area.
As she walked through the forest, Elysha noticed the playful spirits that entered her line of sight, the same glowing wisps of light that had danced around her before. They swirled and twirled, painting the air with their vibrant colors. They beckoned her, inviting her to join their dance.
Elysha reached out her hand, and the wisps of light responded. They playfully danced around her, weaving through her fingers and forming creative patterns in the air. It was as if they were telling a story—a story that was interesting yet incomprehensible to her.
After a moments play, the girl said goodbye to the spirits, and with each step she took, the forest slowly grew more alluring to her eyes.
Amidst the wonders of the forest, Elysha walked through paths that led her to landscapes she had never seen before. She was fascinated by what she saw, almost as if these places seemed familiar, even if her mind did not register these landscapes as such.
As she walked on, a butterfly fluttered around at some point and caught the little girl's attention. Its wings were white and shimmered like a bird’s feather. The flying insect hovered in front of her view and then flew off into the distance, as if it had taken on the role of guiding her somewhere. Elysha watched, then nodded her head and followed after the fluttering creature.
The white butterfly helped her explore through the mystical woods, further and deeper, until she reached the point where her eyes widened: the sight of the grove where she was when her guardian found her.
The girl paused, and before her lay the white field of flowers that adorned the scene, and in the center stood a lone willow tree. What struck her most, however, and gave her a sharp chill, was the figure of Elder Merakia standing in front of the tree, blurry and out of focus, but still recognizable. She could almost vaguely make out her smile before she turned her face towards the tree.
“Elder Mera…” Elysha’s mouth moved as she entered the grove, and with her initial steps, she noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere.
The air seemed to be filled with a deep abstract quality, and a soft, hazy, ethereal glow illuminated the surroundings. She could sense a presence, as if the forest itself was alive and watching her every step.
“Elder—”
A wind suddenly blew past her, and she shield her eyes with her hands. She watched as Elder Merakia's figure moved toward the tree and disappeared into the abstract haze of the surroundings. The trunk of the tree that stood behind her opened and expanded, like a door that released a bright white light from an unknown destination.
Drawn by the allure of the unknown, with the guidance of the white butterfly and her curious nature, Elysha walked toward the bright opening that emerged from the trunk of the willow tree. The bright light bathed her in a warm and inviting glow, inviting her to step through and see what lay beyond.
When she crossed the threshold and entered the other side, the brightness of the light faded, revealing a landscape that unlike anything she had seen before. A breeze brushed Elysha's face as she stood at the edge of a wide meadow where white flowers swayed in the cold wind, and the cloudy sky was dull and mysterious.
Elysha felt the pull of its essence as the white butterfly flew into her field of vision again and beckoned her to follow it across the meadow.
As the insect fluttered along, the little girl noticed a soft, melodic humming with each step she took and looked down to see that the flowers were emitting these musical tunes, somehow almost as if they were whispering to her. The harmonious melodies blended with the breeze, creating a symphony that resonated through the air.
While Elysha listened to the sounds, the white butterfly disappeared into the abstract haze of the surroundings. She paused in her movements when she saw someone standing near the spot where the butterfly had disappeared.
The person looked like a child, about Elysha's height, and their silvery hair swept against the wind, while their facial expression was hidden from view. The child looked very familiar to her—so familiar that it seemed uncanny. Elysha's eyes widened as she realized that the child looked almost exactly like herself, standing in the same white flower meadow that surrounded them.
Elysha said nothing, but watched with a mixture of confusion and shock. The heavy blur of the identical figure was the only difference separating them, and she still doesn't understand why there is another identical figure of her standing in front of her.
No, she doesn’t want to know.
The white butterfly reappeared from the abstract haze and approached the false version of herself. They noticed the butterfly and even extended their finger to interact with the fluttering creature. That is, before turning to Elysha and showing her a blurred out, almost faceless face.
“...!”
Like an omen of impending danger. Although Elysha was disturbed by the existence of this abstract figure, she took a step forward against her will, and then another, until she was standing right in front of the false child.
The air became still, and the melodic hum of the flowers faded into an eerie silence. The blurry, almost faceless child radiated an unsettling energy that sent a shiver down Elysha's spine. She couldn't move her mouth or physically display her fear, but only stood frozen and wait to see what the faux child would do next.
After a silent moment that felt like a long time, the false child reached out and positioned their hand on Elysha's face. She could barely see her false self saying something to her, but she couldn't hear anything at all.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
And after that, everything in Elysha's field of vision turned into nothingness.
~ ❈❇❈ ~
When the sun rose the next day, Elysha reluctantly woke up in her more than comfortable bed and heard the birds chirping outside her window.
‘Sound of… birds?’
Half awake, the child languidly contemplated the room she was in, still unaccustomed to her surroundings, looked at them closely, and then slowly rose from the bed. Elysha rubbed her tired eyelids and attempted to reflect on what she had experienced in her dream.
‘A forest… and…’
She tried to pick up the fading fragments of her dream, as if the elusive fragments were slipping away like morning mist. The sounds of the soft, melodic hum of the flowers and the sight of white butterfly lingered at the edge of her consciousness, teasing her with their indeterminacy. The mystical forest, the ethereal glow, and the abstract flickering images resonated as vivid, elusive sensations.
That was all she could vaguely remember as Elysha sat absent-mindedly on the bed before her eyes fell to the floor, which consisted of a hardwood flooring and a fine carpet. She could almost have touched the carpet with her bare hands when more birdsong could be heard from outside her bedroom window, snapping her out of her musings.
*Chirp*
Elysha turned around and saw a faint stream of light through the curtains, and her eyes gleamed with interest to see what lay beyond the window.
She then turned her head again to the other side, slowly in motion as she slipped out of bed and touching the floor with her bare foot, then with the other bare foot. And then...
“Ah—!”
Elysha fell to her limbs; her knees and hands touching the fine carpet’s texture. Like a toddler learning to walk, she tried to get to her feet, but her effort was rather feeble.
‘Why can’t I…?’
Elysha remembered the last time she had fallen to her knees and then had to be carried by her guardian. Her eyebrows drew together a little as her right hand grabbed the edge of the bed with a hint of strength and tried again to get up.
After a few failed attempts and stretching her arms and legs, she clung to the frame of the bed and carried herself over to the window to the curtains, where the sparse sunlight that fell through the slit attracted her.
Elysha pulled open the left drapery panel and a flood of sunlight washed over her, momentarily blinding her senses. After adjusting her eyes again, blinking away the disorientation, she saw the vast luminous scene in front of her.
Her gaze widened, and her breath hitched—as if she were overwhelmed by a feeling that seemed so strangely beautiful and illusory—something that seemed like an unknown world between her and the windowpane.
To her, the sight that met her eyes was like a picture of a greenhouse garden, a painted illustration with lush green leaves and colorful flowers. The trees stood drawn together, their branches intertwined, forming a dense green mass in the background from which splashes of flowers stood out. The sunlight illuminated everything in bright shades of yellow and green, bringing out the colors vividly and making everything seem delightful and lovely.
"What is this place?" Elysha asked herself outwardly as she gazed out at the forest. “I wondered…”
As she touched the glass with her bare hand, a series of feelings flooded through her like a bolt of electricity: Excitement, impatience, curiosity—all melded into a cauldron of unfulfilled discovery.
Elysha gritted her teeth on her lips. It was as if, for the first time since her awakening, she was captivated by a feeling she had never felt before.
“I-I…”
Tears flowed from her eyes as she clenched her fingers and looked at the landscape before her. She felt as if something had born inside of her—an inexplicable longing for the world beyond the windowpane.
“... Want more…”
*Creak*
Elysha turned around and met eyes with Elder Merakia as she enters the room.
The lady quickly hid her concern when she saw the tears on the little girl's face, smiled gently and said, "Good morning," she greeted softly, her voice carrying a nurturing tone, "I didn't expect you to be up so early. I had hoped you had slept well since yesterday."
The child blinked and clung to the curtain, half to hide behind the drapery and conceal her unwanted expression, half to think of a response to her guardian. The memory of being carried into the room by her remained fresh on her mind. A hint of shyness crossed her features as she thought about her response.
Sensing the child's hesitance, Elder Merakia straightened her posture, the air of wisdom and authority emanating from her. She chuckled softly, turning to her reflection in the mirror. "How interesting," she mused, "what is there to fear in me? I may have become much more beautiful than yesterday, but now is not the time for such vanity. Instead, I should focus on fostering a quiet life with my dear pupil."
She gave her reflection a proud smile before turning her gaze back to the child and continuing, "Anyway, there is no reason for you to see me as a threat. I am here as your caretaker and teacher to look after you and impart knowledge about this world."
Elysha, still unable to find words, wiped away the remaining traces of tears before loosening her grip and slowly opening the curtains to reveal her face, turning her gaze to the Elder Merakia.
"There you go, now you look like an angel when the light comes out of the window." The lady clapped her hands and complimented her. "You have a very lovely face."
Elysha did not respond, nor did her facial expression change. Instead, she looked to the ground and tried not to show any hint of bashfulness on her face. She mustered a soft, barely audible response.
“Th-Thank you…” Her voice broke off, the unaccustomedness of verbal communication evident in her expression.
Elder Merakia smiled, "You're welcome," she replied. "Now, come. Let us sit together on the bed. I have a surprise gift for you."
Elysha followed Elder Merakia's lead, her steps slow yet willing. She settled down next to the lady on the bed, and a mixture of curiosity and interest flickering in her eyes. The feeling of trepidation from earlier began to dissipate and was replaced by a mixture of relaxation and anticipation of the surprise to come.
Elder Merakia reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box. She extended it towards Elysha and said, "Open it.”
Elysha's eyes widened with surprise as she took the box into her trembling hands. Her fingers delicately unlatched the lid, revealing a sight that took her breath away—a necklace made of silver chains, attached with a stone in the shape of a keyhole. The design was strikingly familiar, reminiscent of the stone that had slipped from her grasp just the day before.
"This is—!" Elysha's voice trailed off, her gaze shifting from the necklace to her guardian. Surprise and wonder danced across her features, her mind racing to grasp the reason for the sight of the object before her.
Elder Merakia offered an explanation. "It is the very same necklace you held when I found you," she revealed, smiling. "Fortunately, I noticed that you had dropped it, and so I instructed my companions to retrieve it and return it to you when the time was right."
Elysha's eyes widened, her astonishment mingling with gratitude as she struggled to find the right words to express her emotions. The necklace had a mesmerizing allure, and her gaze lingered on the stone, drawn to the growing connection she felt with it.
"Do you like your gift?" Elder Merakia asked.
Elysha nodded, her voice momentarily escaping her. Carefully, she took the necklace out of the box and held it up. She watched as the keyhole-shaped stone swayed gently, its silver chains catching the light. The sensation of every detail captivated her, drawing her deeper into its design.
Elder Merakia's smiled at the little girl’s reaction, and she placed a hand on her shoulder. "The necklace is yours, dear child," she affirmed. "It is a precious token, a reflection of your innermost sentiments. I want you to cherish it and fill it with your wishes and your dreams, and the emotions that dwell within you during your journey in this world. That is my request of you."
Elysha listened and nodded, the weight of the stone felt heavy, filled not only with her sentiments, but also with the profound significance of this moment.
She clutched the necklace tightly in her hand. "I understand," Elysha murmured, gratitude resonating in her words as she continued. "Thank you... for this precious gift."
The little girl looked into her guardian's eyes, seeking to discern the emotions reflected on her expression. In response, Elder Merakia offered another quiet and subtle smile. "That is good, I'm glad you like it.” She said, nodding gently with lowered eyes. “Here, I'll put it on you.”
She reached out and held the necklace while Elysha pulled her hair upwards to reveal her bare neck. With deft movements, Elder Merakia placed it around the child’s neck and connected it together.
Elysha's fingers brushed against the stone, tracing its contours; a feeling of familiarity and connection came over her as she felt the weight of the object just under her collarbone.
Elder Merakia's gaze lingered on the necklace, admiring the way it adorned the child. "There," she remarked, a smile danced upon her lips. "It complements you well."
Her guardian walked over and opened a drawer, from which she pulled out a spare set of towels. She turned to Elysha and said, "Now then, it's time for me to help you get ready for the day."