To See Each Other Again

ACT I

My name is Joy and I am a simple adventurer. I had been on a journey for quite some time in search of my family. I've been hopping from town to town, city to city, even dimension to dimension. But I've been stuck in this one dimension, in a little farming village where I've come to love the people. 

I had always been able to locate weaknesses in the fabric of space-time that I called rifts and used that to travel to different dimensions. However, the last rift I had used must have been unstable that it affected me greatly. Since my arrival in this dimension, I have not sensed any rifts that I could use. Perhaps I had pushed myself too much. So I have been stuck here.

The one reason I had decided to stay in this little farming village was because of the legends and rumors that I've heard during my stay here. One of which is the rumors that in the forest nearby, there's a way to access the Land of the Fae. In the Land of the Fae, mysteries abound, and miracles can happen. You could stay for a day there and end up a hundred years later in the future. Magic is abundant in the Land of the Fae and I believe that is what I need to be able to see rifts again and continue my journey. 

However, I had been wary of pursuing my search for the Land of the Fae. If not careful, there was a possibility of being trapped forever or losing your memories. I was not afraid of the prospect of being trapped forever because I still believe I'll be able to find a rift to escape. However, the prospect of losing my memories...my only guide to find my family...it scares me. It makes me feel like I'll simply be a shell of my former self. I can't let that happen. 

But, as if being mocked by the universe itself, I had ended up in the Land of the Fae. While exploring the forest one day in search of herbs to sell to the local apothecary, I had heard someone sobbing. When I found where it was coming from, I saw a little girl with blond hair and bright blue eyes. She reminded me of my eldest son when he was younger that I couldn't help but ask what she was doing in the forest. She told me that she had been playing and lost her doll in the forest and that she couldn't find it anymore. I asked her to lead me to where she had been playing and we would look together. She led the way and when we reached a clearing, I had noticed I was alone standing in the middle of a circle of mushrooms, an echoing laughter surrounding me. I instantly recognized it from the stories that I've heard as a faerie ring.

I was in the Land of the Fae. 

I looked around not straying far from where the faerie ring was but I saw no way of returning to the village. I was completely unprepared for this. All I have were my memories of the rumors and legends, the stories that I have heard at the local pub regarding people who have attempted to look for the Land of the Fae...and my memories of my family to keep me going. I huffed, annoyed but determined to get out, whether it be back to the village or into a different dimension. 

To make progress, I had decided to walk in one direction and see where it would lead me. There was one thing in common that I remembered from the stories of people who had been able to come back from the Land of the Fae: they had a local guide that warned them about Taboos, things you shouldn't do in their domain. I was sure I'd encounter someone one way or another. If ever, I'd see if they would help me.

I felt small as I walked among the trees towering above me. The leaves of the trees were close enough to make the surroundings dimmer but let enough light pass to see the ground. Glowing mushrooms attached to the trunks of the trees also helped in making the surroundings visible. I kept seeing things at the corner of my eyes. Like figures peeking behind bushes then running away once I turn my head. I'd hear a giggle after, making me sure that I wasn't alone.

I didn't know how much time had passed since I had began walking but I was starting to feel tired. Unfortunately, it seemed like luck wasn't on my side as I felt a drop of water land on the top of my head. I looked up and saw that the sky had turned gray and soon enough, it had started raining. I was about to run in some random direction to search for shelter when I heard someone call out for me.