The Warriors Of Aeledge~A New World

Hearth

I don’t know how long I laid there. I don’t know what time it was. I don’t know how I will get out. Every single inch of me ached with pain. My brain kept replaying the memories of my dragon ride again. Again. Again. And again.

There was no sky above me, just leaves and branches. Leaves and branches that were the color of silver and of the night sky. With little flowers on them that looked like stars.

I knew I had to get up soon. I couldn’t just lay there and be a lazy bum. Plus, the others were going to get worried. Especially since my dragon was steering towards the Moon Forest a.k.a the one place you shouldn’t go in but you go in anyway.

I decided that I had enough reasons to get up and somehow get out of the forest so I moved my left arm to press myself up. Except, abruptly a shock of hot electric pain bolted through my arm. I immediately fell back down and nearly blacked out again.

I bit my lip as I nearly burst into tears of pain. I turned my head slowly and saw my arm was bent in a funny angle.

Perfect. Just perfect. I’m stuck now with my broken arm and potentially my broken everything in the dangerous Moon Forest with no way out.

Suddenly, I heard the ground yawn. Wait, the ground doesn’t yawn. Also, the ground doesn’t have fur on it.

My immediate reaction would’ve been to jump off, but with every single thing in my body basically broken I obviously couldn’t. So, I just layed perfectly still as I felt the thing I am on rise and start walking. Each time it took a step, my body slid closer and closer to the edge. I still clinged on, since if I fell, the creature would definitely notice me.

My good arm managed to hook onto a spike on the skin which of I originally thought was a tree.

I moved my legs and found that they worked just fine. Except for my right ankle, it felt a little sprained but it was nothing compared to my broken arm. I stood up, leaning on the spike for support. I glanced at my moving surroundings, nothing jumped out at me as an escape. Until, I saw a hugumous mushroom sprouting out of the ground.

Even though I doubted that I could make the jump to the mushroom, I prepared to jump. However, the creature solved one of my problems as it stopped right beside the mushroom and leaned down.

Unfortunately it created another problem for me. Gravity. The fur on the beast did absolutely nothing to help me.

It’s now or never.

I jumped. I tumbled on the soft mushroom and nearly fell off. Pain blared up my left arm but thanks to adrenaline it was in the back of my mind. My nails dug into the mushroom as the rest of my body just dangled there, suspended.

My arm was already getting tired, I need a new plan. I glanced down and I saw at least a 10 feet drop. I instantly grimaced, I don’t need a broken leg off my bucket list.

A shadow loomed over me. I blinked, realizing the air just grew more humid.

I gulped and glanced behind me. Two different colored glowing eyes were staring at me. One silver like the moon and one bright gold like the sun. Holes, like little craters patterned themselves on the face of the beast. Yet, seeming so cold, the air around them sizzled and smoked.

I was struck cold by this magnificent yet dangerous creature. It huffed at me, as if expecting a different reaction. All I could do was stare, which was probably why I fell.

I blinked as I felt my hand losing its grip rather quickly. I immediately attempted to get a stronger grip. Too late.

Soon enough, I was falling again. Except, this time I didn’t tragically land. This time I was tragically suspended in the air by the beast’s jaws. Its teeth sank into my shirt and held me there like a rag doll. Its breath singed the ends of my hair as it began to walk through the forest.

I stayed silent as the beast dragged me nearer and nearer to the heart of the Forest. I frowned as whispers began to ring in my head. Soon enough I blacked out into the abyss of visions and memories.

~

I woke up to find myself in the dreaded place again. The place abided to no laws, especially to gravity. The abyss around me mimicked the image of a night sky. As I looked at the world upside down I felt myself being pulled. Even though I didn’t want to follow the tugging, I had no choice. A glowing white orb floating lazily toward me. I knew the procedure already. I opened my palm and at that moment I noticed how scratched up it was. The orb seemed to deliberately go to my damaged palm. I shrieked as it burned onto my cuts. Immediately images flashed before my eyes.

A young man that looked like of Asian ancestry was walking through the forest. You would’ve passed him as a wannabe explorer by the way he dressed but as soon as you looked into his eyes you’d know he wasn’t just an explorer. One of his eyes was silver as the moon and the other was golden as the sun. The marking of a Rem’s parentage was placed on his cheek. It had quite an intricate design.

He pushed back some bushes and his eyes landed on something in the middle. A flower. The Lunar Blossom.

The Lunar Blossom wasn’t really a solid object, it kept morphing between multiple swirling petals and one almost close to solid flower. Powerful aura surrounded the blossom, even I wanted to touch it. Fortunately though, I was restrained since I was just taking a peek into the past. Having no power whatsoever in what destiny has already decided.

The poor man on the other hand had no restraints, his expression turned dazed as the powerful aura had reached him. He stumbled into the middle of the blossom, into the middle of the storm. An immediate reaction was triggered. Ghost petals swirled rapidly around him, angry voices echoed in the area.

His face spasmed as if he was snapped out of his trance. He looked afraid, fur began to sprout throughout his body. White silky fur.

He fell onto his knees as he screamed in agony. Tears fell down his face as craters deepened into his skin. Spikes erupted from his back, ripping his explorer outfit. The storm of petals grew even more furious and rapid around him. I couldn’t even see him anymore, all the evidence I had left of him being alive was his screams.

Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of the storm. The light formed into a woman. She had long black hair. Her skin was white as snow and her eyes were the color of midnight. A simple white dress was her outfit, yet she seemed so much more sophisticated. And so much more dangerous.

Black inky tears stained her face as she stared at the storm, unfazed.

She suddenly looked directly at me, her mouth not opening but I heard her voice loud and clear.

Kaopid Harku. Anrka janso eithen.

    Soon enough the memory ended.

~
    I woke up. I recognized where we were. It was close to where the explorer had turned into a beast. Abruptly, the beast dropped me and sat down, staring down at me. I sat up and realized my arm didn’t hurt as much. I looked down at it and saw it was wrapped in ooze and giant leaves. It was still sore but at least it wasn’t in pure fiery agony.

    I glanced back at the former man, “Thank you.”

    He nodded and suddenly got up to walk again, looking at me with expectation. I, too, stood up and walked alongside him.

    Soon enough we reached the heart of the forest, feet away from the Lunar Blossom.

    A woman was sitting in the middle of it. She looked so calm and peaceful that I began to doubt that she was actually calm.

    She opened her eyes and smiled, “Hello, Santos..I have been waiting for you.”