Chapter 4

| Chapter 4: "Lost in the Forest of a Broken Time"

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In the quiet town of Saxordis lived a girl named Alleia Lystaria Zoaria Morafel. At fourteen- now fifteen, she was a ninth-grade student at Vintage Elixiere Academy—a dreamer with a head full of wonder and a heart tethered to mystery.

On the day of her birthday, the day she forgot was a holiday, she mysteriously awoke in a foreign place - encountered a guardian of a garden, witnessed terrifying soldiers hunt off wild beasts, and saved a path that would startle her with its ability to speak.

And at present, this girl - Alleia - explores the forest she is currently stuck into in search for food and people. A clue perhaps to give her an idea of her way back home or to simple ease her weary heart.

The existence of the forest itself was oddly soothing but still did not hide away all forms of uncertainty.

Being a girl alone in venture in this unfamiliar place, there was no complete assurance of safety at all.

Anything can happen anytime and she might as well encounter dangerous things and creatures but she tugged her heart under her sleeves. She pressed her jacket tight, its hood loose on the back and she leaped from one rock to another.

She even dared to climb up the trees to get a better view of the place but failed in sighting any trails or roadways.

It was getting hard and the sky was getting dark.

Another night spent in this forest may not be the same as her first night and she intended not to welcome it unprepared.

Alleia was no ordinary child so to speak. She grew up spoiled with care, love, and attention not by her parents alone but - most importantly - her six sisters who devoted all their love and wellwishes for her.

Alleia was also a child of adventure and explorations. She was brilliant for her age, curious, and a burst of sunshine and spirit both in body and mind.

She grew up mastering skills of survival with her adventure enthusiast mentor - her Dad. She learned much knowledge from books and stories through her mother. And all the other things that the world could offer her for growth and learning, her sisters filled her in.

As she takes a step deeper into the forest glades, her thought once again ventured back past time. She pictures her sisters again on their family table all laughing and in harmony. She recalled the last time her parents called from another country and promised to send her a gift on her coming birthday.

Home - a simple word but it holds all of the world together for her.

And now she continued her way, trying her best not waver in doubt or fear of whatever is set before her. Though uncertain and unexpected, she set her food forward and her will on a brighter light before her.

She recited the words her father always used to say to her: "Alleia, be strong and be courageous. No matter what happens, there's a heart inside of you that is stronger and much greater than fear and doubt that may taunt you. You're a very special child. Don't let this simple things scare you and put you down. Rise~ You're meant for greater heights. Something lives inside you. Something that transcends through time. That's who you truly are~ Never ran away from it~"

Alleia slapped her cheeks lightly — her way of snapping herself back to sanity and focus. It was to encourage herself despite her current circumstances not to fret and think this though.

Her parents indeed raised her well and she knew crying or worrying won't get anything solved at all.

But before she could grab hold of the next branch she was climbing on to, her footing slipped and she knew in an instant that the fall would lead her to a dangerous end.

Oh, no~ Did I got too ahead of myself?

Thinking that I will be alright as long as I keep believing and living those words from dad?

The wind was chilling than it was before as Alleia's heart grew cold with the thought of what might be the end that might be soon be taking her life falling from that tall tree she was aiming for the top.

Dad~ Mom~ I guess it was too much for me to aim to reach that top this time.

I tried.

The air was dry as if it made her chest feel light as she descended from that height and onto a seemingly tragic end of her life.

Tears unconsciously escaped from windows of her eyes as she finally took sight of the ground covered with vibrant greens and leaves that unearthed the autumn season as if it had meant to be waiting there as her deathbed.

It happened instantly.

Alleia closed her eyes as if finally committing to her final fate.

But everything turned awfully silent in the darkness she chose to behold after shutting her eyes from the world life.

Did I finally die for real?

The rush of air vanished. Silence replaced the scream that never left her lips.

There was a flickering flame that was making a noise nearby until more sounds resurfaced.

When she opened her eyes, the forest was gone — replaced by a sky bleeding embers.

What she saw next muted her ability to speak for it was far beyond her imagination and a sense of consciousness of the things she was forced to see unfolding right before her.

She was lying on the ground - it might be the same ground she actually fell to but it was cold and dark - lifeless with ashes all over.

The tree she was climbing just earlier stood behind her - ablaze and marred as if screaming in agony.

Alleia couldn't fully move her body convincing herself that it might be because of the fall but she still dared to get up anyways.

And there before her - it all became even more clearer to see. The scene came to full view - a horrid and terrifying thing to see for young girl as Alleia herself.

Not very far at the distant, she saw a place - more like a kingdom of nobility. It was a scene as if taken from those medieval story books she used to read - except this was more life-like and real - as if the very image of stories came to life before her.

And what made it terrifying to behold - the kingdom was drowning in a sea of fire. Flames scattered everywhere devouring everything on its way.

Both living and non-living trembled before it and everything that resisted and dared to flee never had the chance.

Alleia stood, both feet glued on the ash-coveref ground. Her heart throbbed in anxious and loud beatings as if it was wanting to come out.

Her chest began to feel tightening as she pressed her hand against it.

Alleia was set in a trauma never she once to receive in her whole life. And as the scene continues to unfold, as the fire continues to engulf everything it could, Alleia trembled not only in spirit but in body.

"Wha- What is this?" Her voice shook and she couldn't name what else she wanted to say.

Her was glued on the ground unable to take a single move.

Then she saw them - people screaming and crying and fleeing for their lives but we're soon silenced but these men she couldn't visible make of.

Yes, that's when the next horrible truth caught up to her.

What she was witnessing was an assassination - not only by a small group of people but by an entire kingdom itself.

And there at the center of the kingdom - supposedly it's heart - was a castle already torned down and destroyed.

And with it, Alleia saw this figure of a man - cloaked in black raiment, eyes like coal and with wings like ashes. The figure had slain the old man that seemed to be the reigning monarch of the kingdom.

The scent of smoke clawed at her throat. The ground trembled beneath her, cracking with each fall of burning debris. Screams filled the air — hundreds, maybe thousands — all blending into a single, endless cry.

And along with the king's death, everything else fell to ruin - not one stone above the other. Everything became dusts and ashes that transformed the kingdom into a barren, ash-filled wasteland.

Alleia woke gasping, the taste of ashes still in her mouth.

But as her trembling hands reached the forest floor, she couldn’t shake the question—

Had she dreamed it… or remembered it?”

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...~•AerixielDaiminse•~...

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