Serpent In Love (🔞) - Completed

18. A Snake's Wonderful Dreams

In a heavenly clearing with its sparkly stream nearby, appearing surreal and dreamlike, I stand beholding a harmonious scenery in nostalgic silence.

Before me, about ten metres or so from where I stand, eleven equally beautiful young maidens are seen lively talking or laughing in small gatherings while engaging in leisurely activities.

From reading books to each other while sitting on a swing of the nearby tree, to sitting on rugs sketching the scenery, to braiding flowers' crowns, to frolicking by the chuckling stream.

All the while, blissfully enjoying each other's cheerful company.

Every girl is as enchantingly beautiful and distinctive in her exquisite beauty and appeals as the next. In fact, except for their hair colours - all ebony black (like mine) and crown-braided, I knew, even without checking, that the colours of their almond-shaped eyes are differ from one another's--comparable to the eleven pairs of distinct gemstones. Not surprisingly, I even knew the youngest maiden's eyes' colour are of crystalline emerald.

Truly, every maiden is an embodiment of rare bewitching beauty yet encapsulated in child-like innocence. To me, they all appeal like earthly beauties in virginal white chitons, varied by designs, fitted with gold belt.

I watch them.

Not as a stranger, but as their kin and a part of this endearing scene of familial love and kindred harmony.

My younger sisters...

...My immortal family.

This thought comes to me without any surprise.

Together, my sisters and I are Gaia's twelve gemstone daughters.

Acknowledging this truth about myself, my heart basks in blissful nostalgia and serenity from the overwhelming feeling of homecoming.

One of my sisters, the youngest, put her book down on the swing before getting up.

She strides over to me with a warm, welcoming smile on her enchanting countenance.

Her name is Emerald. Her gem-like eyes are the colour of her soul and birthstone; emerald.

When she comes within three metres, I smile back. I can't help myself, she's just so precious to me, being the baby of our family. And, it's known amongst us that behind that face of unparalleled beauty, lurks a mind as sharp as a honed blade.

It is also well-known between us sisters, that Emerald is a gifted war tactician. In my immortal past's memory, I recall her defeating Beillaur, the reincarnated primordial God of War in her first life's summon to fight as earth's guardian--

--Emerald hugs me when she reaches me, "Welcome home, Amber," she says, after I return her warm embrace, "even if it's only briefly..."

"Thank you, Emerald...it's good to be back. To see you...and everyone."

Emerald steps aside to stand on my left. She turns to face the same forward direction as I. After taking a hold of my left hand in her right, she asks, "Are you ready for the fight?"

"Fight?" I ask, turning to look at her even though I knew exactly what she meant.

"Uh-huh," she hums, looking sideway at me for a brisk moment, her warm smile never leaving her face. "...It's why you're here, is it not?"

"..." I have nothing to say or feel toward the terrifying impasse I feel regarding my grim situation. More to the point, exactly how or where do I even begin...? Feeling even more depressed at my own failure to find answer to my trouble, I turn to stare forward again. I keep my glum silence in fleeting hope that Emerald could sense my inner struggle and shares with me her knowledge and wisdom about battle strategies so I can draw from to tackle my woe--