STYGIAN CIRCLE™ : The Distinct Descendants ©

CHAPTER I

•FIVE YEARS LATER•

"Urgh..." Waking up, I grunted while trying to reach my temple with my right hand. Her eyes were heavy but still she tries to open it slowly. Oh my, my head hurts. Looking around, she realized she had slept defenseless beside a wondrous oak tree. She scanned herself. Oh, mother! Its roots are humongous than any other trees in the surrounding--covering her that she wouldn't be easily seen where she was right now. But she also observed that there were also small roots enveloping her skin and clothes. Mostly she was covered by leaves and small soft roots, leaving the clothes as undergarments because it was slashed due to the smallness of the clothes. Or maybe because of her bigness?

What? Where am I? She was confused. She shook her head a little but it doesn't make her remember anything and it only added tons of pain in her head.

She inhaled-exhaled fully to recuperate but tries not to make any sound as she was not aware of where she is.. The air felt familiar and the smell of the forest was familiar. But all of this she was seeing, she haven't seen it before.

How this was possible? How did I get in here.

She tried to focus on her thoughts, trying to remember what happened. But as she tries to use her mind, her head was increasingly feeling a pain. "Ouch!" Rubbing her temple in a careful way, she heard something moved not far from where she is.

She asked herself while intertwining her both hands to calm the shaking. Something? No, someone. She thought.

Somebody is watching her. She can feel it. Shivers run down her spine but she have to be brave. She knew she had to.

"Show yourself! I'm not afraid of you, whatever you are!" There's a hint of fear in her shouts but still kept her little bravery. She reached for the roots to help her get up. She found it hard to stand up as her left feet is almost buried in ground. In the ground? Oh no no no. Using all of her force, she pulled it with the help of the big roots and still holding it to balance herself as she felt sore all over. "You coward monster!" Trying to hit some nerves. She didn't know why she said that but she needed to see who or what it was than to wait for the predator to just lunge on her. But to her surprise, nothing happened.

"Oh! You wanna play hide and seek, don't you little sissy?" Sounded mockingly. She's not like that all the time but its her way to calm herself down from any feelings she doesn't want to show off. But the truth is, she really is afraid and doesn't want to make her predator laugh because of her face.

Another crushing sound from the left part of the deep forest, its almost twilight and she's freezing from the cold air brushing her almost naked body. "I know you're in there somewhere...". She tried to move away from the roots but can't go any further. Breathing heavily, while scanning the area of the dark forest, a jolt of pain smack her head inside causing her to lose her balance. Her legs and feet felt like she haven't used it for decades. I'm falling... Felt like it happened before.

She cupped her head. Her eyes was now shut heavily, like she's going to faint. She reached for something to hold onto to stop her from falling hardly on the ground but there's nothing. Only a whoosh of air she felt then a warm hard arms circled in her waist and a rough but gentle hand held her searching hands.

After that, the darkness filled her vision.