The Witch's Tale

Chapter10: Slumber

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The boy had been ensnared in a deep, restless slumber for two long weeks. His dreams were a relentless cycle of terror—haunted by visions of witches, piercing screams, and excruciating pain. Each night, the same enigmatic figure appeared: a young girl with shimmering silver hair and eyes of a hauntingly vivid purple. Her presence in his dreams was both mesmerizing and disturbing, adding to his growing sense of dread. His head throbbed as if it were being sawed, and his chest felt as though it were being weighed down by an invisible burden.

But then, a fleeting moment of clarity pierced the darkness. His breathing gradually steadied as he began to perceive the world around him. The soothing sound of birds singing and the gentle caress of a soft breeze against his skin slowly roused him from his troubled slumber. With a jolt, his eyes fluttered open.

The boy's gaze swept across his surroundings, and he found himself in an unfamiliar, yet enchanting environment. He was lying in what appeared to be the interior of a massive tree. The walls were alive with vibrant, colorful vines that seemed to pulse with an ethereal glow. Soft, dancing lights illuminated the room, casting a warm and magical ambiance.

As he took in the surreal beauty of the room, the boy realized how parched his throat felt and how famished he was after days of unconsciousness. He carefully rose from his resting place, feeling the weariness in his limbs. Determined to find some water and perhaps a sign of someone who could explain his situation, he ventured out of the room.

The hallway beyond was equally mesmerizing, lined with intricate, glowing patterns that shifted and changed as he moved. However, his search for water and answers proved fruitless—he encountered only emptiness. The silence of the hallway was occasionally broken by the distant rustling of leaves and the faint hum of magic, but there was no sign of any inhabitants.

"Am I still dreaming?" he murmured to himself, unable to shake the sense of disbelief. The reality of his surroundings seemed too fantastical to be true. He had no recollection of how he ended up in this magical place or what had transpired since that night of torment in his dreams.

The boy's mind raced with questions and uncertainties. He needed to understand where he was, how he had arrived, and what the strange visions meant. As he ventured further into the enchanted hallway, he hoped to find answers and perhaps a clue to unravel the mystery of his sudden arrival in this wondrous, yet bewildering world.

The boy staggered to a nearby table where a pitcher of water sat. Desperation drove him as he reached for a glass and gulped it down in one breath. He continued drinking, glass after glass, until the parched sensation in his throat was finally relieved. As he set the empty glass aside, he began to feel more at ease.

Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of chattering—soft, rhythmic voices. His senses sharpened, and he turned to see a girl with piercing purple eyes. The sight of her triggered an immediate surge of pain. His head throbbed violently as though it were being crushed, and he slumped to the floor, groaning in agony.

Sera's eyes widened in shock and concern. She rushed to his side, her voice trembling with worry. "L-Luca! You're finally awake, what's wrong?!" She reached out to hold him, but he recoiled, pushing her away with a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Who are you?! Stay away from me, you witch!" he shouted, his voice laced with terror.

Sera stepped back, her heart breaking at his words. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. The boy's reaction was a painful reminder of the disorientation and amnesia that had overtaken him.

"I'm S-Sera... don't you remember me?" Her voice was filled with sadness and desperation, hoping for some flicker of recognition.

The boy's pain was too overwhelming for him to focus on her. He continued to groan, clutching his head as if trying to fend off the agony.

Seeing his distress, Rori, the Radish Elfin, swiftly moved to his side. With a gentle, calming gesture, he began casting a soothing spell. The air around them shimmered with a soft, calming glow, and the boy's pain gradually subsided. His breathing steadied, and his tense muscles relaxed.

Sera watched anxiously as the boy's expression softened. Her heart ached as she saw the pain fade from his features, replaced by a tentative calm. She moved closer, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Luca, I know this is all very confusing right now, but you're safe here. I'm here to help you."

The boy looked up at her, his confusion and fear still evident. Though the immediate pain had eased, the fog of his memory and the strangeness of his surroundings left him disoriented.

Rori offered Sera a reassuring nod, signaling that the worst of the pain was over. "Give him some time, Sera. His memories might be foggy, but he'll start to piece things together."

Sera's gaze was filled with a mix of hope and determination as she watched Rori help the young boy—Luca—back to his room. Once he was settled, Sera turned her attention to the kitchen, her mind heavy with thoughts of Luca's condition. She decided to prepare something comforting for him, hoping that a warm meal might help ease his transition into this new world.

As she chopped vegetables and stirred a pot of simmering broth, her thoughts drifted to the painful memory of Luca's awakening. The sight of him in such distress, unable to recognize her, had cut deeply. The possibility of him forgetting her altogether was a wound that wouldn't easily heal. Sera's heart ached as she imagined the depth of his confusion and the gap in his memories.

She was eager to understand what had happened to him and why his memories were clouded. The urge to ask him directly was strong, but she feared that probing too soon might cause him further anguish. The thought of seeing him suffer again, especially when he was already so vulnerable, was unbearable.

As she stirred the soup, she found her eyes welling up with tears. The saltiness of the broth, mingling with her own tears, made her realize the depth of her sadness. She tried to stifle her sobs, murmuring to herself, "L-Luca will not like a salty soup..."

Sera wiped her tears away and took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. She added a touch of herbs to the pot and carefully adjusted the seasoning, determined to make the soup as soothing and comforting as possible. As she worked, she clung to the hope that, in time, Luca would remember her and their shared past.

With the soup finished and its warm aroma filling the kitchen, Sera prepared to take it to Luca's room. She wanted to be there for him, to offer him comfort and support in any way she could. Despite the uncertainty of his condition and the fear of what the future might hold, she resolved to remain by his side, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The young boy's eyes tracked Sera as she entered the room, a bowl of steaming soup cradled in her hands. The sight of her stirred an uneasy discomfort within him, an echo of the nightmares that had plagued his slumber. He instinctively turned away, pretending to be asleep, as if the act of ignoring her would shield him from the unsettling reminders of his past.

Sera's heart sank as she observed his reaction. The boy she knew—vibrant, kind, and full of life—seemed to have been replaced by someone cold and distant. The contrast was painful, and the warmth she once associated with him now felt like a distant memory. She struggled to reconcile the Luca she remembered with the one before her.

"Sorry to bother you," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I just cooked some soup to warm you up. I'll leave it here for you. Make sure to eat it before it gets cold." She placed the bowl gently on a nearby table, her movements deliberate and careful.

Luca didn't respond. The silence that followed felt heavy and filled with unspoken words. Sera stood for a moment, her eyes lingering on the boy. The absence of any acknowledgment from him was a stark reminder of the gulf that had grown between them.

With a heavy heart, Sera took one last look at Luca and quietly turned to leave the room. Each step she took felt like a step away from the person she once knew and towards a future uncertain and fraught with challenges. Her heart ached as she closed the door behind her, leaving Luca to his solitude.