Chapter Two: The Day I Lived
The woman took the girl’s hand.
The feeling of falling suddenly stopped and they both hovered together, midair. The woman blinked, studying the girl.
She was young, maybe fourteen years of age, with deep brown, almond-shaped eyes. She had bronze skin and long hair the color of hickory that cascaded down her back. From under her hair poked long ears that ended in a sharp point. She wore an immaculate pink and white dress.
“I’ve got you, don’t worry.” The girl smiled.
“Is.. is this the afterlife?” The woman asked, her voice hoarse.
“No, you’re still alive. Barely.” She added quietly, frowning at the woman’s chest. She looked down, and saw the blood staining her robes. “But the good news is I caught you in time. What’s your name?”
The woman opened her mouth to answer, but realized she didn’t know. “Uhhh….”
The girl winced. “Ahh. Memory loss isn’t uncommon. Sorry about that.” She glanced up and down the woman’s body, where her eyes landed on her wrist. “Alitheia? Does that ring a bell?”
The woman furrowed her brow. “Maybe? I’m not sure.” She studied her own wrist. Sure enough, the word Alitheia was there, along with the symbol of a small flame above it. “I guess it’s close enough to a name.” She shrugged.
Alitheia.
“Well, Alitheia, you’re going to wake up in a moment in a different world. The magic there will heal your wounds. Unfortunately, you won’t remember this, or me, but you’ll be safe there.” She gave another comforting smile.
“What? Where? Why won’t I remember? Who are you?”
She gave a shrug. “It’s known as Loka, I’m not sure, and… just someone who helps out.”
“Do you have a name?”
The girl gave a wistful smile.
“Yeah. I’m Mairosa.”
———
Alitheia opened her eyes to the flickering torchlight, and immediately shut them, clutching her head. She groaned a bit as she sat up, and remembered the wound on her chest. She looked down. It was gone.
She was on some sort of old stone bridge overlooking a pool of water in a massive cavern. There were torches lining the bridge, which curved upwards, so Alitheia did what made the most sense and followed them, careful as to not fall into the dark water below. After a few minutes, she could see bright light reflecting off the stone walls of what appeared to be a final turn, and sure enough, stepped into the sunlight.
Blinking, she let her eyes adjust to the light and she scrutinized the scene. The cavern behind her was in the side of a mountain, which appeared to be apart of a larger mountain range going off mostly to the left. To the right, she could see a coast, and boats docked near a small village that the pathway in front of her led to.
With nothing to lose, she began to follow the path, setting off towards the village. Inside the cave, she was only able to hear the echo of her own footsteps and the gentle waves lapping against stone, but out here, the sounds were beginning to become too much. The seabirds cawing above her as they rode the whistling wind, the roar of the ocean and a nearby creek, bells coming from the village as she approached, and eventually, the sounds of voices.
Taking the final turn into the village, no one seemed to pay much mind to the woman wearing blood-stained robes. In fact, there were a few others with blood on their clothes. Alitheia winced. What kind of place was this?
“Welcome to Loka.” A small voice, behind her, said with a sigh. Alitheia turned.
The girl who had saved her, Mairosa, floated there about an inch of the ground, her form wispy and transparent. The woman blinked.
“I thought you said I wouldn’t remember you.” She said. Mairosa stared at her, dumbfounded.
“You… can you see me?!” She asked incredulously.
“Uhhhh, yes…? Am I not supposed to?” Alitheia furrowed her brow.
“Uhh… well, no one has until now. This is so exciting.”
“Are you a ghost?” The woman asked
“No. Ghosts are stupid. Always wandering around aimlessly.” She laughed.
“What are you, then?” Alitheia pressed.
“Well you wasted no time in getting into the existential questions.” The girl observed.
“You look ghostly.” The woman pointed out.
“Do I? Hmm. I suppose that makes sense. I’m not a ghost, though.”
Alitheia blinked. “Hang in, did you say ghosts are stupid?”
Mairosa shrugged. “Most are.”
“You say that like they’re real.”
“They are.” She grinned. “What’s next, are you going to say endermen aren’t real?”
“What in the nine Hells is an enderman?”
The girl laughed.
“Um… excuse me, Miss, who are you talking to?” Alitheia turned to the voice. It belonged to a woman with long black hair and blue eyes, wearing a crimson coat over a white blouse and a white and blue skirt.
Alitheia looked to Mairosa, who shrugged. “No one else can see or hear me, as far as I can tell.”
She looked back to the woman. “You can use telepathy to talk to your town members. Do you want me to show you how?” She asked kindly.
Alitheia blinked. “Uhh… town? Telepathy?” She asked hoarsely.
“Ahh.” The stranger smiled knowingly. “You’re a newcomer, huh?” Alitheia nodded. “Well, welcome to Loka. My name is Arc. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Uhh… Alitheia. Thank you.”
“She’s my cousin’s wife.” Mairosa mentioned, and Alitheia shut her eyes tightly as a pounding headache overtook her.
“Are you oka-” Both Mairosa and Arc began to ask but were interrupted by Alitheia.
“Arc, Queen of Anubis. Married to Kaph Alduin-Talongon, King of Anubis, Prince of Auru, Son of- of.. Tee? And Jedoi? And you’re… you’re the daughter of-” The words flowed from her painfully but began to subside, as she lost the train of thought she had been forced on. Both women stared at her.
“How did you know all that?” Mairosa demanded.
“I thought you said you were new here?” Arc asked, furrowing her brow.
Alitheia rubbed her forehead. “Some-someone told me. About… a couple of people.” She lied. Mairosa gave her a look.
“I… see. Well, my offer still stands if you need anything. Just let me know.”
Alitheia realised for the first time she was speaking to a Queen, and one who was offering her help. She gulped. “Thank you, uh, your majesty?” She gave an awkward bow.
Arc laughed a little. “It’s no problem. Just let me know.” She said again, and began to walk off.
Before she knew it, Mairosa was in her face. “What was that?!” She asked, a hint of both suspicion and excitement in her voice.
“I have no idea, but before I answer questions, you need to answer some too. I am so lost. What is going on?” She asked. Mairosa sighed.
“Follow me.” The transparent girl floated off a little ways from the town center, and gestured for her to sit on a nearby rock. Alitheia obliged.
“I’ll start at the beginning. A long time ago, there was a man named Asymptonic…”
