Blinking rapidly to dislodge the tears that had unknowingly formed in my eyes, I finally woke. Not to the world in those strange memories, nor to the desert as I was expecting. I woke to a world of white.

  The white stretched as far as one could see, and well past. Stretching infinitely it held not a drop of color. There was nothing that filled this white emptiness, I was the only thing there with any form of shape or color. As the eary quiet pressed in from all sides I sat up in panic.

Looking around, I realized I was on a small patch of white marble, though it seemed to drop into the white nothingness as if it hadn't exsisted in the first place a short distance from my body. Looking at it warely I pulled my knees up away from the edge, sending sand off my pants and onto the white floor with a small rustling sound that seemed to intensify in the still air around me. 

   Shocked by the realness of the sand I stared at it, unsure what to do. Suddenly realizing the unsureness of where I was I pulled my knees tighter too my chest and whimpered. I was... scared. I didn't know what to do. My mom was dead, and now, I was pretty sure I was dead too. Is this what the afterlife was like? Nothing but an endless white void of emptiness, where you drifted all alone? Shivering at the thought I put my head on my knees as I wrapped my hands around my legs.

  Within my sudden stillness, a womans voice that seemed to speak from a multitude of mouths at once called too me. The quite yet thunderous voices held power, and a softness that made my heart ache to be held by them.       

''There's no need to despair my child, you're not dead yet.'' 

Startled at the beautiful voices that seemed to caress me like a loving mothers, my head snapped up as I wildly looked around in growing fear.   

''W-Who's there! Show yourself!''      

I shivered violently as gentle laughter flowed around me, for some reason scared of the overly loving feeling I was getting from it.   

'' Child, there's no reason to fret, I'm right in front of you. Though...'' A frown seemed to creep into the motherly voices.'' You don't need to be scared of me child. I won't hurt you.''

Squeezing my eyes shut I ducked my head back into my knees. A part of me not wanting to see what could possibly exist in such an empty place.

  This woman -whoever she was- was wrong. I wasn't scared, I was terrified. And I wasn't sure why. What was wrong with me? I've never been this scared in my life, not even when my mother was leaving me all alone. It was strange, I was certainly afraid of the current situation, but what I was feeling was a bone deep dread. For the past or for what the future held I wasn't sure. But it was forboding, and I couldn't stop shaking.   

''I-I'm sorry. Im not normally like this. I don't know whats wrong with me.'' Confusion and fear coated my voice heavily. Hearing this, the floating voices seemed to sigh, but it was too faint for me to tell.          

'' It is my fault little one. This place brings out ones inner self, and you my child, are terrified of all that has happened too you, and all that will.'' A warm breeze brushes by as she continues. ''And I'm afraid this is only the beginning of your journey. Much hardship lays ahead of you my child, and I cannot save you from it.''     

My head snaps up at the last part, it mirroring the exact words my mother told me before she passed. I could no longer feel the warmth against me, and I still did not see this woman claiming to be in front of me.         

''What do you mean? Why can't I see you?'' I asked in desperation.   

''That is not for me to say little one. You must discover that on your own.'' She says.

I frowned in confusion. ''But I--'' 

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''Think child. Why did you come here?'' She commands softly.

My hands fisted in my pantlegs as I struggled to remember where 'here' was exactly. ''I don't know. I don't even know where I am.''      

A moment passed in silence before the motherly figure spoke, sorrow heavy in her voice. ''Oh child, I'm sorry. I only wished to show you how the world as you knew it came to be by using your ancestors memories, but it seems I've confused you instead.''  

 My eyes widened in surprise. ''Wha-''    

 A strange yet comforting breeze gently flows by at my obvious distress, blowing my disleveled and sand coated hair back from my face, siliencing me as she continued to speak.       

  ''Do not worry little one, I shall explain everything too you.''

  At this, I perk up warily, my attention fully cast on the woman's voice drifting around me. The voices hummed quietly in discontent as I waited.''But first, let's do something about those primative eyes of yours, shall we?'' I stared straight ahead in disbelief. What did she just say?   

  Not believing it possible, a light brighter than this white void suddenly flashed into my eyes. ''OW!'' I cried out, blinking my stinging and watering eyes rapidly I looked around with my now fuzzy vision. As it cleared a shape began to appear in front of me. A tree even taller than the ones in the other girls memories stood a few feet in front of me, its branches and bright green leaves rustling in a wind I could not feel as it glowed with a golden light. Shocked, I sat there and stared as the glowing light that surrounded the tree began to pulse as the woman spoke fondly.

''There, isn't that better?'' I blinked at this.

''Uh, you're a tree.'' I couldn't help but stare.

   Another silience seemed to stretch, making me think I insulted her before she finally spoke.

''Well... I was hoping with your bloodline you'd be different, but I suppose it was too much to ask for someone like you to see my true form. A tree will do for now.'' 

 ''Woah, woah, woah! what do you mean like me?'' disbelief shot through me at that. Who did this woman think she was?! It's not like I wanted to see her as a tree!

 ''Nothing child, I was not meaning to offend you. I was simply referring to your lack of belief.'' The voices sounded amused as they spoke, which pissed me off greatly.  

   I glared at the tree, my fear withering in place of my anger.

''Belief in what exactly? What could there possibly be for me to believe in? The unfairness of life? Certain death? The greater power that will safe us all?'' The marble underneath me cracks as my anger seems to spread from me in a tangable force. ''There is nothing that warrents my belief, not now, not ever. So take that belief shit and shove it, O' Great Tree-ness, 'cause I couldn't care less for it.'' 

  My anger dripped venomessly from my words, revealing to the owner of the voices more than pictures could about the horrible suffering in my life.

 No matter what my mother told me of a greater power, I never believed. I carried no faith for that which would abandon me. My life felt cursed, but I'd be damned if I let it control me forever. It was my life. MINE. I would change it. And the world along with it.

The woman pitied me, but she was not without her own reasons, nor anger. And time was running out. The white nothingness around me seemed to expand and contract as a low rumble sounded through its depths.

   ''Do not take me lightly child. I am caring, but far from forgiving.'' The tree pulsed brighter in rightous anger. Her many voices growing ominously with it.

''What your ancestor did to that world of yours is beyond forgivable. He brought upon it ruin, and ended its connection to life itself.''

  I paled and hastly stood, fear taking over once more as the plateform around me began crumbling away from the force of her anger.

''Your family was blessed by me, and held powers in order to protect the Pasaules Varti that I left in your care, allowing life to blossom on your world un-hindered. But your ancestrial Grandfather got greedy. He craved power more than anything. He sought to control life itself, and with his selfish decisions lead that very world you so femently curse for its unfairness to its very death.''

I whimpered as the white beyond my ever decreasing plateform pulsed and ebbed,  looking to swallow me whole in its fury.

''I know why you've come too me daughter of Sheira and Lorv, and though you've done not but mock and scorn me, I shall not place my anger for your ancestor upon your head. I will grant your wish, but what you desire will not come easily. You will be tested, and I shall measure your worth. Do not fail me child, or I will end you.''

  I looked to the tree in terror as the entire white void started shining brighter by the second, the feeling of it closing in around me strengthened as the pulsing tree became less and less visible behind the blinding light.

 Filled with dread and feeling as if i've done something horribly wrong, I whispered shakingly to the woman, my voice filled with fear.

''What are you?'' 

 Suddenly the last bit of plateform crumbles underneath me, sending me falling into the white oblivion below. Just as the light rushes forward and envelopes me I hear her voice as a singular, as soothing as rain upon the parched earth, brushing by my ear as if on wings. Its tone commanding yet gentle once more.

   ''I am Riishi, the Life Bringer. Remember me well, child.''