Ethereal Fall [Undergoing Major Editing] | #Wattys2016

Prologue [edited]

The girl opened her eyes to find herself emerged in a liquid substance in a giant, cylindrical, glass container, her arms hugging her knees tightly to her chest as if she was protecting herself from...something. Her long midnight hair floated like a fan of darkness around her head, teasing her face with feather touches. Her pursed lips added to the mark of fear on her visage.

Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

Straightening her legs and arms in a way not unlike that of a magnificent butterfly unfurling its wings, she felt something prick at the back of her head. Features relaxing into curiosity, she instinctively reached up, her fingers coming away with a smear of something the color of a rose at the pinnacle of springtime, blossoming and scattering its delicate petals.

The liquid was tainted.

Squinting in an effort to reach the world beyond that glass wall, the view from outside the container was hazy. In fact, everything seemed hazy. A fog clouded her vision and thoughts, spurning the mind that so desperately reached back into the depths of memory but couldn't push through the everlasting mist.

Who...? Where...? Why...?

These were all questions that arose to the surface. But strangely, even when her whole mind - her whole past - was a blank slate, neither panic nor fear overtook her. Not even the fact that she was completely naked shook her. The girl floated there, eyes dull and glazed over, feeling...nothing.

Suddenly, the liquid drained out from underneath her, a swirling whirlpool exiting through a tube attached to the base. As the level dropped, her hair deflated and hung in soaked strands around her face like glossy seaweed, her feet gently floating down as the glass parted like open doors.

Finally... Finally, the girl could see, but no joy warmed her nonexistent heart.

The first thing she saw were two cloaked, winged figures floating towards her. Draped all in white, they emitted a blindingly pure light that made her blink. Their brilliant halos filled the room and thus making it impossible to focus on anything else. Not human, she registered impulsively.

"How about her, Xapham?" one of them asked, gesturing towards her. "The long black hair, the height, the frame... Seems similar, don't you think so?"

Xapham's eyes scanned her up and down, something crossing over his features that made his expression soften. "You're right, Michael. She's too similar to be anyone else. This is her. Asteria."

"A...ste...ri...a?" the girl repeated the syllables. Touching her lips, even her own voice seemed alien to her. Soft and sweet, but croaky, making her throat feel raw.

The men stiffened.

"She speaks," Xapham whispered gruffly. "She wasn't like this before. This is quite unexpected."

"It's a sign. Maybe this time..." Michael extended his hand towards the girl and chanted something under his breath.

She felt an invisible gust of wind lift her off of her feet, a certain warmth encasing her in a halo of light. Arching her back and closing her eyes, she felt the warmth pulse through her body, awakening her veins and exciting her nerves. Her skin was immediately dry, her hair hanging in sticky locks. Thick red drops fell on the ground with plopping sounds. But a shiver went up her spine - an icy cold finger, almost electrifying - when something buzzed in her head. The buzzing was gone as quickly as it had come.

The girl opened her eyes and blinked at the two winged men, turning her head to stare at her surroundings.

"Hello, Asteria." The girl turned back as she saw the edges of Xapham's lips curved upward. He held out a hand. With no hesitation, she reached out and took it, clutching her free hand to her chest. He lifted her hand, helping her out of the container. "Welcome to Ethereal. You might not be aware of it yet, but you are dead."

✧

Hi everyone!

So again, very special thanks to MadelineSane for the title and the inspiration XD

The first few chapters may seem very boring, but please keep reading on! The excitement will start around Chapter Five, so at least stick around until then! Hopefully I can pull through to the end with this one!

Until next time, please remember to...

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