Yours, Eternally

Twenty-Seven

"Close your eyes." Alice instructed, before I felt a warm hand gently placed on my forehead.

Before long, a scene popped up in my head, depicting a village; countless huts made of straws and wooden planks. The giggles and laughter of children were as clear as the blue sky that hung overhead. The innocence that they possessed as they ran about, chasing the clouds as the wind blew in their hair, brought a smile to my lips.

"What you see are from my memories."

I was all alone, yet, I could still hear Alice's voice. It was bizarre and slightly creepy; like a backstory that movies often displayed. Except that I could feel everything, the soft grass pressing against the soles of my feet to the sun that warmed my skin. In truth, I could not believe that this was happening. My mind was unable to catch up to the idea of what seemed to me as a living fantasy.

"This is where I live, Ava. This is my people, the tribe that I was born into." She added, while I continued strolling through the village, following the stream that seemed to sparkle under the sun. "Each of us possess different gifts. It isn't like the things you see in the movies. We just possessed a little more talent than normal humans. They were nothing of the flashy sort."

And there, I saw a few others in a field, their lips moving as they watered the ground. Before long, what was sown was seen sprouting from the soil. Though it did not grow to be a giant tree, it was still a fascinating sight to behold.

Meanwhile, there were others, men that appeared to have the strength of ten, packed into a slender body.

"This is absurd, Alice." I proclaimed while opening my eyes, finding this a little too far-fetched. "Gifts? Powers? What next? Wizards and goblins? Or maybe even trolls?"

"I know that this is a little hard to believe. But just give me a little more time." She pleaded. "It will all make sense."

I huffed in defeat. Nonetheless, I doubt that knowing the existence of little magic would hurt me. Afterall, I was indeed transported back in time.

"Fine." I replied, before closing my eyes once more as I felt her palm return to my temple.

"Before I continue, there is something that you should know about this tribe, Ava. Apart possessing these gifts, my people are also blessed to have a long life. No, we are not elves or some mythical creatures. We are very much human. We bleed and die if we are hurt or killed. The only difference was our heart. It is what sustains us, enabling us to live millenniums on end. But that alone was our downfall."

Just as I thought that this story was getting way out of hand, the scene shifted. In came soldiers, dressed in their heavy armour, spears and swords, storming through the village. Torching every house as they marched by.

The screams and shrieks of women and children howled through the night air as the village men went out in nothing but garments, to fight against metal; a battle that was bound to be lost.

As if it could not get more horrifying, the sword that was passed through a man was dragged upwards and along his chest.

I clenched my fists against my top as I heard the chilling wail and cry for help. A help that could not be answered.

As I witness the soldier stare coldly at the man who was about to meet his end, he bent down and inserted his hand through the sternum, eliciting an even sharper and piercing cry of the man that was soon silenced after the soldier had gruesomely ripped the organ out of the man's chest.

There was no remorse nor any sign of guilt from that soldier, except the blood of the innocent that he had tainted upon himself.

The same was conducted to what was left of the villagers. All the woman and children met the same fate, until there was nothing left but bodies that strewn the once green and beautiful grass, a bloodbath.