Shatter Me Twice

I

RHEA
I awoke in my room, the early morning light casting a golden hue through the single window. The simplicity of my surroundings was comforting-wooden walls, a rough-hewn bed, and a small table with a single chair. The air was filled with the scent of pine and damp earth, a reminder of the forest that encircled my solitary home.

Rising from my bed, I dressed quickly and stepped outside. The sky was a brilliant expanse of blue, untouched by clouds, stretching endlessly above the treetops. My house, the only structure in sight, stood as a solitary guardian of this vast wilderness. It was a modest dwelling, with moss-covered stones and a thatched roof, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

I walked into the forest, my feet crunching softly on the fallen leaves. Despite the apparent emptiness, I felt an unexplainable pull, as though something awaited me far beyond the horizon. The trees towered above, their canopies creating a cathedral of leaves, filtering the sunlight into dappled patterns on the forest floor.

As I ventured deeper, I saw a hill in the distance, its peak beckoning me. The climb was steep, but my determination unwavering. Reaching the top, I found myself face-to-face with a majestic tree. Its trunk was wide and ancient, its bark gnarled and etched with the passage of time. The branches spread out like arms reaching for the heavens, adorned with leaves that glimmered in the sunlight.

Curiosity drew me closer. The leaves were inscribed with strange symbols, an angelic language that seemed both familiar and foreign. Intricate drawings adorned the bark, telling stories I couldn't quite decipher. I reached out to touch one of the leaves, but as my fingers brushed against it, it burst into flames. I flinched, watching in shock as the fiery leaf fell to the ground.

My gaze followed the leaf's descent, unable to look away. As it touched the earth, the ground beneath me began to lose its color, fading into a transparent veil.

The earth trembled slightly as the leaf finally settled. The roots of the tree seemed to grow, diving deeper into the soil. I felt as though I no longer existed, merely a spectator to this profound revelation. The ground beneath me vanished, and I began to fall.

Darkness enveloped me as I descended, the sky and forest disappearing into an abyss. I kept falling, surrounded by an endless void. There was no up or down, no sense of time or space-only the sensation of perpetual descent into the unknown.

"Rhea!!! Rhea!!!," Odessa's voice echoed through the air, urging me to emerge from my slumber. I groaned, reluctantly shifting to the side and slowly opening my eyes. Stretching my wings and elongating my neck, I stood up and sauntered to her. "Hangof's called for you." she informed me.

"Hangof can wait; sleep cannot. Even immortals require rest, and it's not every day that we find solace," I retorted, as I plucked a ripe apple from a towering branch, its luscious aroma filling the air as I savored each bite. "One might assume that immortality grants an eternity to pursue our whims, alas it does not," I remarked.

"It is expected, we are not wandering immortals," she agreed, her voice tinged with a sense of purpose.

"And as we are incapable of being idle, it is imperative that you take these provisions to the training ground and see Hangof without delay," she firmly instructed, as she tied the final knot securing the supplies. I gazed at her for a lingering moment, a mixture of annoyance and admiration crossing my features, before collecting the two bundles of supplies. Each item carrying a weight that extended beyond its physical form.

The sun casted a golden glow upon the landscape, highlighting the vibrant colors of our realm. A realm known to walkers as the New Earth.

Above the Guardians of the Veil, the celestial hierarchy ascends into unfathomable heights, where gods and goddesses reign over various Heavens and the depths of Hell, each with their own dominions and responsibilities beneath the dwelling of the creator.