Hazy mist began to form from her surroundings, cloaking every inch of the room. Before gradually receding.
Nothing happened.
What? But it worked before! Confusion clouded her thoughts as she scrambled for answers. Was it... the language?
Determined, Linda repeated the ritual—this time shifting from modernized English to Loenese.
Yet the results remained unchanged.
She was met with a failure once more, emotions began to stir. Consumed by fear, loneliness, and lost. Linda knew that the attempt is a gamble, producing varied results, that would conclude in either her return or a disaster.
Regardless, even if it's an illusion or not, she was willing to embrace it. It wasn't carelessness—no, she knew better than that. But clinging too tightly to caution wouldn't yield the outcome she needed either.
With her attempt ending in a failure, she felt the impact of it. No way to return, no clear path home... no certainty that she'd ever see her parents again.
A hollow silence filled the room as she stood still.
Perhaps… it was never truly dependable to begin with, she mused, attempting to cradle herself in a fragile reasoning.
Her gaze fell upon the hand-mirror. Blank and distant, she stared, yet her thoughts rippled restlessly.
What do I do now?
How will I survive?
I want to go back.. I...
Her weakening body slid down from the wooden door, her knees pulling up to her chest, arms wrapped tight.
The hand-mirror slipped from her grasp, landing with a faint thud against the wooden floor.
Droplets of water cascades formed from her eyes.
Mom... Dad...
Soft sobbing sounds of a woman echoed across the room.
Linda was just an ordinary worker, a secretary, of a company that doesn't even gain that much revenue. A woman of no remarkable background, and could only hope to provide for her parents.
Yet circumstances pulled her into a strange world, filled with cults, insect people, and replicas of others.
At that moment, she heard a high pitch tone yet gentle sound.
Meow~
Lifting her head, she saw a black feline, its green eyes distinct from its black furred body.
Curious, the cat tilt its head towards Linda.
Raising her hand, Linda wiped the tears from her swollen eyes before saying in a brittle voice, "I'm sorry Falacy.. I don't have any treats"
Falacy is the name of the black cat Selina have nursed to health from this couple of months. Though the details of how Selina met the feline remained shrouded by mystery, Linda knew of it through her emotions.
So the memories earlier are still a piece.. Linda thought, slightly stabilizing herself.
The cat's head returned upright, no longer curious towards Linda.
Thinking that the cat had lost interest in her and will eventually leave the room. Instead, it rose from its place and walked towards her, rubbing its soft fur against her skin.
Linda was stunned for a moment, before deciding to accept it.
"Thank you" she muttered, stroking the cat's fur with her hand.
The tranquility and serenity of the night made her emotions gradually subsided, she no longer felt fear, lost, and alone. Instead, it was replaced by a peaceful presence of the quiet room.
Meow~
At that moment, she felt the world became rigid and illusory, as if the reality is shattering around her, the next instance, she opened her eyes.
She saw the lavish room once more..
!?
In her stupor, her head turned to where the cat stood. Finding it sleeping peacefully under her company.
When did I fall asleep? she wondered, her gaze now settled ahead.
With her emotions now calmed. A certain teaching from Selina's mother resurfaced from her mind.
The world contains a variety of languages, which includes but not limited to, Loenese, Intisian, Dutanese, Highlander, and many sub-languages. But one category in particular caught Selina's attention, the language of the nature.
This category of language was invented by Hermes. Her mother warned her of learning it and that is why she disclosed it. She gave Selina an example of the language's words without fully teaching her, providing her a way to recognize and avoid it.
Linda's thoughts stirred, If I can learn it, and translate the prayer using it, maybe this time...
She felt the similar uncertainty once more, driving her into an illusion that might conclude in either danger or disappointment.
But to her, this is the only way she could pressed on... With a purpose even if it's an illusion.
Then, the black cat resting beneath her legs suddenly stood up.
It lock eyes with Linda for a moment, before striding off towards the dresser.
Does he want to show me something? Curious, Linda took the antique mirror from the floor and followed the feline animal.
The black cat leaped on top of the dresser, meeting the gaze of the reflective mirror. It sat right beside a black covered notebook.
Upon arriving at the mirror, Linda saw the gorgeous Selina once more. Her river white hair flows gently over her supple shoulders, her crystalline eyes reveals watery droplets, and her flustered face made her seem like a frail damsel.
What am I doing? Making this beautiful lady hideous with my crying... she mused, letting out a soft giggle before completely wiping off the remaining tears.
After tidying herself, her eyes turned towards the black cat, staring blankly at Linda. Next to it was the black notebook she have read earlier.
Selina's diary? she wondered, placing the antique mirror right next to the black covered notebook.
Meow~
Does he want me to read it? But didn't I already reach the end entry? Confused, she took the black notebook over her chest, and began examining it.
It still features a rough surface, with no remarkable design, a plain black notebook.
Her finger reached the edge of the diary, skipping each entry, and finally arriving on the page where she saw the unsettling statement.
"Everyone will die, including me"
What's the meaning of this sentence? She wondered, rattling her mind in confusion.
Selina have never encountered any abnormal events, except for the recent months.
But Linda was unable to discern anything from the hazy memories, she could only remember Selina's emotions along with the haunting events that have transpired from the past months.
Turning her head towards the feline animal. The cat stood still, gazing back at Linda.
Does he want me to turn it over? She wondered, touching the edge of the page with the tip of her finger.
The next second, the page with an eerie sentence fell from the diary, landing on the floor. The diary now features the entry, continuation from the last two that Linda have read.
So it was just a teared page? Realizing this, she began reading the discovered entry.
"January 1, 1349
I was offered by my parents a marriage proposal. Engaged with the son of another aristocratic family, named Deimsfel.
It felt somehow natural, yet why would I agree to such a one sided wedding? Nevertheless, I chose to accept it, my parents should have a reason for it..."
Selina's engaged?
Linda was stunned. Coming into this world with her future already secured.
I wasn't even ready for a relationship yet!
Skimming the page and turning it onto the next, Linda resumed her reading:
"February 4, 1349
From these past few week, I felt that my mother and father became distant towards me, like how we used to chat together during dinner, now they're constantly excusing themselves with the reason of being busy.
Is this a part of growing up? I guess it's inevitable.
But they would also, occasionally discuss certain things that I pick up for most of the time..
Conversing about members, gods, and beliefs. I hope they're just being faithful towards the Evernight Goddess"
The Evernight Goddess was one of the seven orthodox gods being worshipped by the churches around the world, disclosed to her by her mother when she was a child. But her mother also informed her of evil existences capable of responding to prayers.
With this in mind, Linda's heart felt heavy for Selina. Muttering in a low voice, Hopefully.
Arriving at the next page, the following entry made her scalp tingle.
Smudged with a black ink and dried water, it reads:
"March 6, 1349
The day of the wedding have arrived, I found my parents... lying beside an altar"