Where am I?

 

I remembered, I was adrift to the void.

 

Until I woke up underneath the stars; I was lying on the dark sand and hearing the sound of ocean waves clash against the rocks repeatedly without end.

 

I sat up, my eyes wandered around, searching. My heart feels like it was missing something. 

 

What am I searching for?

 

My feet are sinking on the dark sand, as I approach a transparent wall that splits the space between the ocean and sand. Its colorful mirage attracts me like a moth and fire.

 

I unconsciously stretched my hand to it, touching it, but felt emptiness.

 

Why is it so familiar?

 

The moment I stepped a little inside that wall, it me to a brand new dimension. When I opened my eyes, there were tall buildings. The dark night was filled with colorful light and cars seemed to pass me by as I stood there, watching in awe.

 

A hand grabbed me by the shoulder. I turned around and saw a man, with dark brown hair, and a pair of blue mysterious eyes. The solemn look on his face gave my heart a harsh beating. 

 

What is going on?

 

"What are you doing? Come on!" he urged me.

 

He pulled me by the hand and ran. As crazy as this may sound, I can feel some familiarity with his touch, gaze, and voice. I followed him to a nearby alley. 

 

From the way he breathed as he ran with me in tow; I know he was afraid and panicking. 

 

"You have to survive, so you can bring me back again."

 

To bring back someone again? What does he mean?

 

I tried to open my mouth to ask, but I could feel the lump on my throat as I saw myself in the reflection of the building near us.  My yellow dress was torn; blood stained my hands and arms, my hair was  disheveled and I had too many bruises on my body.

 

I stared back at my own reflection. It had a sad but cold expression. Its eyes were tired from being helpless.

 

The man made a hand gesture in the air and the space around me split into two. It's the same mirage; I can't find my voice to ask how and why he is doing this. He stuffed his leather bag into my arms and pushed me inside the transparent wall. 

 

I can hear myself shout "I promise” even though I didn’t know what he meant.

 

I saw him smile one last time and mouthed something back.

 

I woke up feeling the dread of uncertainty and bewilderment.

 

Where am I?

 

The dark sand on my feet is washed away by the ocean waves.

 

How long have I been standing here? What is this weird place?

 

This domain was covered in a dark mist. I can't see anything ahead except a scarlet light. It was like a beacon of fire in the middle of nowhere.

 

I dragged my feet,  pushing forward to follow the red light, until I stepped on to something. I tore my eyes away from the light and picked it up. It was a leather bag with sigils and runes. 

 

What is this?

 

Inside contained a double edged knife and little vials that had dark colored liquid inside.

 

"These are potions!" I exclaimed, being confused on how I would know that.

 

My hand trembled as I read its contents in an unknown language. 

 

As I was rummaging through the leather bag, a red light flashes from a distance. It was calling upon me, begging to be followed. 

 

It must've meant something. 

 

The determination in my heart arose from nowhere. I willingly abide by its wish to be fulfilled.

 

I ran as fast as I could; I could feel the breeze of the calm ocean in my face while my feet sank on the sand.

 

I hear myself plead for something that I don't even know. The desire to hope something is there like it is as natural as breathing, like a forgotten melody in an orchestra that I keep hearing. 

 

A dark tower sat in the distance as I got closer to the scarlet light. I ran out of breath as I approached the large dark wooden door. I hear myself spout the unknown letters and symbols that were engraved on it. Soon, it opened on its own.

 

The sense of familiarity was enough for me to help myself inside. The sigils on the wall helped to illuminate the place with crimson color. Vines are hanging from the wall and herbs are scattered around the room.

 

As I tried to advance on an obsidian table that sat in the middle of the room, the dark runes seemed to be alive and triggered something on my head that it began to hurt. I dropped to my knees, screaming in agony. 

 

Memories flood back on my mind like waves.

 

"They are coming for us, mistress." a husky yet familiar voice urged me to look up. 

 

It is the man from before. It took me a little glance on his deep blue eyes for me to know that it was really bad this time. I sighed, standing up from my wooden chair. 

 

I walked towards him, my hand found its way to his dark brown hair, caressing it. 

 

"You should leave, Pierce." 

 

He frowned, eyes were turning into slits as he replied with a hard tone "I won't leave you, no matter what you say."

 

"They will kill both of us," I silently whispered.

 

He chuckled a little, "Even if I die, you will always bring me back."

 

I sweated tons on the memory, my head spinned and I out. 

 

The moment I woke up, all I could feel was the cold floor. I stood up and tried to recall it again. In my head, a voice screamed for a cauldron. 

 

My eyes fixed its gaze to the dark cauldron behind the obsidian table. My feet moved on its own; running around the room, while hands were rummaging through shelves of herbs and vials. My hand grasped a book and I approached the cauldron hastily.

 

As soon as I poured the cauldron with potions, limbs of animals, and herbs; the mixture stirred on its own. Images sprouted from the concoction. My eyes studied them closely.

 

I saw myself and him, running hand in hand. It felt like my soul left my body and merged on that scene.

 

He pulled me closer to him as we hid in the forest.

 

"In the next city, I can use my portal to let you slip on that realm."

 

My mouth stood agape from his statement. 

 

"H-how did you?—" 

 

"I practiced it for many years. It was my only gift for you, for taking me under your wing.'' 

 

His smile melts my heart. My tears slowly watered the grass beneath me and I silently wept.

 

"The way you looked at your painting of that tower, I know how much you missed your home."

 

"B-but without you, it isn't a home anymore." 

 

I choked back my sob that was threatening to come out.

 

He held my chin up, wiping my tear pooled eyes with his thumb.

 

 "Don't cry. I served you for a thousand years yet I never once saw you smile. Why would you let me see this? Why do you shed tears in my presence? Am I not worthy of your smile?"

 

I was about to open my mouth when a light descended from the sky. I blocked it with my palm, deflecting it. A thunderous boom filled my ears as we were blown away by its might. 

 

Blood oozed from my mouth as I cursed. Looking back at my shoulder where Pierce was lying on the ground in a distance, though unharmed, my heart still beats frantically with panic. I soon broke into a cold sweat when a figure dashed on my way. 

 

"Lily!" Pierce shouted anxiously.

 

 The man flicked his wrist, trying to bind me with his vines. The moment it touched me, I could feel my movement become sluggish and my breath was ragged. He poisoned me.

 

The warlock grinned in satisfaction. He chuckled as soon as he saw me spat a handful of blood on the ground. Unhurried footsteps soon followed.

 

I need to think, fast!

 

I chanted a forbidden spell, trees withered from my touch as I the life around me. The parasitic essence gnawed the flesh on my arm and left nothing but bones, causing my body to be momentarily inhuman. The poison that he inflicted was temporarily gone. 

 

We were at least eighteen feet apart, I cast a look on Pierce who understood my intention, creating a small portal in front of me and behind that warlock. I stretched my rotting hand inside and pressed it on his shoulder that soon withered.

 

He screamed curses and hexes as he held my hand from his shoulder, countering my magic. He was stronger than I thought. 

 

The curse spreads fast. Half of his face rots instantly. As fast as it was to him; mine aren't getting slower either. From my arm, shoulders and neck; I can feel the burn of his curse. I gritted my teeth in pain, taking back my hand and turned around, taking Pierce up along the way.

 

"You should've been dead, your kind was an abomination to this world and must be eliminated at all cost!" I saw him get down on his knees, exhaustion seemed to take over his body as he crushed a crystal that emitted bright light that stretched up in the skies.

 

"Turn back Lily! You know you can't stay on this form for too long!"

 

"I can't! If I turn back now, it will be the death of us!" His trembling hand clings onto my shoulders like he was gonna lose me. 

 

We run fast, approaching the city. No one can see us as we run like a wind. I sniffed, I need to find a graveyard, only there we can have a chance. A chance for us to escape.

 

A rotting flesh caught my attention, there must be somewhere nearby. I'm turning back to normal, I need to hurry before they catch up to us. 

 

We stepped up on a small graveyard as I returned back to my normal self. Exhaustion seeped into me as I whispered for time to stop. We were in an enclosed space where humans can't enter.

 

I grabbed a dagger from my waist; cutting my palm to drop blood to the mud. I whispered to the spirits of the undead, my mind becoming hazy as I summoned them. 

 

"They will be here soon. They must be thinking that we stopped here to prepare for an ambush. Let's go!" 

 

He nodded at me and carried me in his arms. We  ran to the other part of the city, as if we were chased by the moon. My mind was becoming blank from fleeing for hours.

 

He let me down under the tall buildings.  The dark night was filled with colorful lights. Cars passed by as I stood there like a ghost, watching in awe. Pierce turned around, using his night luminescent pearl to find where he can pry open a portal from that dimension. 

 

I was lost for a moment, until he pulled me back to this harsh reality. His hand was on my shoulder. 

 

"What are you doing? Come on!"  

 

He dragged me with him. 

 

"You have to survive, so you can bring me back again."

 

I can smell those filthy warlocks chasing us. They can't hide their scent in this city.

 

I pulled his hand, making him look back at me. I smiled a little.

 

 "I thought we had more time." 

 

He was taken aback with the smile I gave him. His lips are quivering. His eyes were red from trying hard not to cry as he held me in his arms, pressing our foreheads together. 

 

"I'm sorry." I cried uncontrollably, my heart was breaking for our love that hasn't even started but is already on the brink of demise. 

 

"This is just a little sacrifice, Mistress. Don't fret about my death, my life belongs to you." 

 

He kissed my temple and turned back. He made another hand gesture to create another mirage.

 

Before I lost all my power, unbeknownst to him, I made a red knot on his little finger. If I were to summon him again after waking up in this world, no matter how far he is, I will still find him. It doesn’t matter how long.  This is the last magic that I can cast. 

 

"Even if I die a million times protecting you, if anyone asks me, I will still choose to do it again." 

 

He stuffed his leather bag into my arms, his deep blue eyes that were as calm as a lake stared at me. 

 

"No matter how long it takes for you to summon me back, I will wait." 

 

He pushed me into his transparent portal and bid me goodbye with his sad yet hopeful eyes.

 

"I promise, I will find you again."

 

Before the portal could swallow me, I saw his smile and heard him say:

 

 "I love you."