After practicing tirelessly for a day and a half, Mella was resolute in her determination to start a fire, her eyes bright with a mixture of hope and grit. Rufian, tilting his head in confusion, perked up beside her as the chilling temperatures threatened to overwhelm them both. As she struck the branch against the rock, a flicker of hope ignited within her—the first spark danced to life. With renewed vigor, she pressed harder, and soon small flames began to flicker and grow, casting a warm glow in the encroaching darkness.
Mella could hardly believe her eyes; joy erupted across her face as she leaped up and down in celebration. Rufian, feeling her excitement, jumped alongside her, barking happily as they both danced around their newfound warmth.
"Yahoo! Rufian, we did it!"she shouted, raising her arms triumphantly into the crisp night air. But suddenly, a rumble echoed from both their stomachs, accompanied by a glance of embarrassment as they sheepishly looked away. Rufian barked again, a questioning tone in his voice as if to inquire about their next meal.
"Oh, that's right!" Mella exclaimed, suddenly remembering the backpack slung over her shoulder. Inside lay a treasure of food she had scavenged from their previous shelter—a hearty mix of meat, rice, and vegetables. The delicious aroma wafted into the air, stirring her appetite. "It still smells pretty good! Let's dig in, Rufian!"
The two devoured the food with reckless abandon, their hunger overpowering any semblance of table manners, until they both lay back on the cool ground, thoroughly stuffed and satisfied.
With a contented sigh, Mella gazed up at the night sky, where stars twinkled like diamonds scattered upon dark velvet. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeves, trying to dispel the fatigue settling in. But then, a soft whine broke through the stillness, pulling her attention back to Rufian.
"I know, Rufian. I miss them too,"she murmured, feeling a constriction in her chest. Tears began to spill down her cheeks as she recalled the warmth of her home in the village, surrounded by her family. "We will find them, no matter what, okay, Rufian?" With the cherished book pressed against her heart, adorned with enigmatic symbols and foreign script alongside images of her lost village, she vowed to uncover the mystery behind their sudden disappearance and reunite with them once more.
Rufian padded closer, seeking comfort, and together they nestled beneath the flickering warmth of the newly lit fire, finding solace in each other's presence as they faced the uncertain night ahead.
The fire gently flickered into embers, leaving only wisps of smoke curling from the campfire. As dawn's light crept in, the two adventurers stirred, rising from their slumber to quietly gather their belongings and embark on their journey anew.
Mella stepped forward with Rufian, whose soft white ears perked up in curiosity. Suddenly, she found herself unable to move, as if they were ensnared in some invisible grip while the world around them whirled by at a dizzying speed. They stood suspended in a breathtaking tapestry of various worlds, each more fantastical than the last, a swirling blend of the past, present, and future. The beauty of it all was enchanting, almost overwhelming. Mella felt herself drifting away from Rufian, fear knotting her stomach as she reached forward, terrified of a gaping black hole that loomed nearby, resembling a monstrous maw waiting to devour her. Just as panic threatened to consume her, a hand clasped around hers. WE WILL BE TOGETHER FOREVER MEL.
In that instant, the universe snapped back into focus, and everything returned to normal.
What was that?Ah, my head hurts.
Rubbing the back of her head, Mella blinked against the brightness and looked ahead. There loomed a city, tantalizingly within walking distance. Yet, something was undeniably strange; the birds flitting above didn't chirp but conversed in a melodic language, moving about with an uncanny grace reminiscent of humans. Disbelief flooded her senses, and she shook her head vehemently, smacking her cheeks to rouse herself from what felt like a surreal dream. Just then, the birds took flight, and her gaze shifted, widening in shock as she spotted a boy with striking white hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Stay away, you hear me?"she screamed, instinctively falling onto her buttocks as she clutched a stick for protection, scooting backward.
The boy crawled toward her, his expression playful as he barked in jest, then licked Mella's face, his laughter like a gentle breeze.
"Rufian, is that you?"she questioned in astonishment.
"Bark," he replied, his voice eerily similar to that of her furry companion.
What happened to you?
A smile crept over Mella's face, the oddity of the situation beginning to settle in. Taking his hand, she suggested, "There's a city down the road. We can probably find you some clothes, and surely there's someone who can help you return to your true form." The strangeness of their journey felt almost comforting as they walked hand in hand.
True form, huh?
As they ventured down the path, Mella caught sight of some clothes fluttering gently in the breeze, hanging out to dry. She felt a surge of spontaneity; in her village, such offerings were often free for all. Quickly, she snatched up a blue shirt and a pair of shoes for Rufian. Once dressed, she tilted her head, pondering his appearance. Her brow furrowed as she realized they shared the same height, the peculiar alignment of their worlds deepening her intrigue.
Mella could hardly believe her eyes as she stood in awe, rendered speechless by the astonishing world unfolding before her. She clutched Rufian's hand tightly; despite his limited grasp of language, he barked like a dog. Yet, somehow, that bark brought her a sense of comfort amidst her rising dread. She paused in her footsteps, captivated yet terrified by the city sprawling out in front of her. Creatures strolled about on two legs, resembling humans yet undeniably otherworldly, each more bizarre than the last. Tremors coursed through her hands; these were the very monsters that haunted her nightmares, now made flesh.
Kneeling on the cobblestone ground, she pressed her palms against her ears, shutting her eyes tightly as she wished fervently for the nightmarish scene to vanish, convinced that she must still be ensnared in a surreal dream.
"Do you need help, little girl?" The sweet, gentle voice cut through her panic like a warm ray of sunlight, drawing her attention.
Mella lifted her head slowly, feeling an unexpected warmth wash over her, yet the words were foreign to her ears. As she met the gaze of the creature from which the voice emerged, her eyes widened in horror. The sight of a being adorned with elegant horns sent her stomach into a knot, and she gagged, tears streaming down her cheeks as she turned to flee.
Desperately searching for assistance, she dashed towards the nearest creature, only to be met with a succession of unsettling visages that made her heart race. In her panic, she stumbled and fell, the rough ground biting at her skin. The horned woman hovered above her, an uncanny smile brightening her face.
"Hi there, you must be wanderers," she declared, her tone oddly reassuring. This time, much to Mella's astonishment, her words resonated with clarity. "You dropped your bag."
With trembling hands, Mella reached for her bag, her gaze darting warily back to this enigmatic figure. She forced herself to mask her fear, her voice barely above a whisper. "Wanderers? Where am I? What is this place?" As Rufian barked anxiously in the background, she clutched the bag even tighter.
"How intriguing! Your kind should be able to pass through the thrust hole," the horned woman responded, her nostrils flaring as she savored the peculiar scents lingering in the air.
Rufian's stomach growled ominously at her feet, underscoring the tension of the moment." Swup!" His eyes shimmered with a captivating azure, and his silvery hair radiated an ethereal beauty. Upon his forehead rested a delicate gem, adorned with a subtle symbol that could easily escape notice. In a fleeting moment, it shattered and fell, unnoticed by all.
Did Rufian just speak?
....
.....
...........
.............. .
"What was that? Did someone deliberately break the ancient seal and contract forged over a millennium ago?" A young woman stood waist-deep in the churning ocean, the waves lapping at her legs as she gazed into the horizon. Her skin shimmered with intricate symbols that pulsed softly, casting an otherworldly glow in the twilight. Her majestic wings, delicate yet powerful, drooped behind her, creating a stark contrast against the darkening sky. Shadows etched the mysterious markings on her face, shoulders, and back, hinting at her deep connection to forces beyond comprehension. Her elongated, pointed ears peeked out from beneath her flowing, dark hair, framing her striking features. The gossamer fabric of her almost translucent dress fluttered gently in the brisk sea breeze, intertwining with her essence and the watery world around her.
"This is not good; they will not take this lightly at all. The seal, spanning an unimaginable 100,000,000 years, has been shattered," she whispered, her voice a mixture of dread and urgency.
At that very moment, each superior across the realms felt an unsettling disconnection, as if an invisible thread had been severed, signaling the approach of catastrophe. As they craned their necks to the heavens, a small but foreboding crack marred the once-stable fabric of the sky, echoing their collective fear. They understood the dire significance of this fracture; it was imperative to mend it before the fragile peace their ancestors had fought to establish unraveled, threatening to plunge their harmonious existence into chaos, riots, and warfare—devastation they had painstakingly avoided for countless years.