"Oh one who sorrows I see you have fallen again, haven't you"
I stared at woman-tree thing in a daze, my mind a fog disbelief. Her form half woven into the tree illuminated faintly.
"What are you-"
"There is no time to explain my being" she interrupted
"I cannot hold this form for long in my current location and night will fast be approaching"
She said as if her mind were split in between spaces.
Slowing raising her skeletal hand she pointed behind, each movement she made echoed of crackling, like snapping brunches.
"I suggest you head west "She said.
I blinked, my throat tight "Who are you?" I insistently inquired
"You may call me Avaline The Everblooming" she said, a sigh escaping her lips followed by a brief flicker of disappointment.
Before I could press further, she plunged her other hand into chest, her body rippling like static water disturbed by stone. My stomach lurched as she withdrew her hand clutching a fist full of what seemed like gold dust that sparkled with an unnatural tint.
oh, I'm gonna be sick, I thought, bile elevating to my throat.
Without warning she blew the dust towards me. it hit me like a swarm of molten sparks, immolating my lungs as I gasped. Choking and clawing at the air my blood began to boil, vision swimming and my breath left my lungs
Cough! cough! cough!
"What the hell-" I wheezed. The gold dust felt like it was burning me from the inside out
I dropped to one knee trying, crying, praying to catch my breath but it only seemed to make the relentless inferno worse.
Then, as suddenly as it began, in an instant it all went silent. My lungs were clear with a peaceful like air from a sea breeze lifting the crushing weight from my mind that went unnoticed.
what a way to make someone sober
"What did you do to me?" I said catching my breath while clenching my neck
Avaline's gaze softened, though her form began to fray, her edges dissolving like ash in the wind. "You smell no blood, do you?" she responded.
She was right. The oppressive, haunting stench of metal was gone replaced by crisp scent of forest
"You expect a thank you for nearly killing me or something?"
She remained silent and began to wilt yet her beauty intensified like a black rose bleeding into a deep crimson red.
"Travel west" she murmured, her voice dimming "it's safer"
"Wait!" I shouted, desperation hanging in every word "where am I? what is this place?"
Her eyes stormed with secrets and searching for the right words to say "A world far beyond that from whence you came and a world cradled by our enemy" She murmured before crumbling into dust.
Gone
What remained of her scattered by the breeze. My mind was in storm of questions, confusion and fear as I could not stop shaking
what the hell did she mean? I questioned. Being petrified wasn't an option. I had to continue moving and though trusting a woman-creature that I just met felt like gamble with my life, I had no better leads.
West it is
I trudged back to the pond, its glowing fish still darting beneath the surface, their movement casting ripples that seemed to mock me. As I neared the water, I caught focus of my reflection and froze. My eyes were sharp and dark as midnight ink, an unnaturally stark contrast to my normal muted hazel eyes. Although the change in eye colour was unnerving, it didn't bother me as much as my neon green long-sleeved shirt and black pants that screamed "easy target," but now wasn't the time to dread over my poor fashion choices.
Past the pond and into the forest it was pretty clear that I wasn't close to anywhere that could be considered normal on earth. And the small walking spider like mushroom on one of the faintly glowing trees was a testament to to that.
I hate spiders and mushrooms but having them be combined into a small twisted creature is down right despicable
hours passed, each step felt like a chore. I really should have focused on leg days. My boots were caked in mud and didn't make my any job easier. My clothes dried mostly as a result of wringing them out for drink, but every drop strengthened my growing thirst that made swallowing a betrayal and everything breath like sand sandpaper digging at my throat. The world narrowed to a single primal need, water.
I had walked to far to go back to the pond but I was strongly considering retracing my steps
Then, I stumbled upon an opening in the trees revealing a clearing and the smell of roasted meat engulfed me, forcing my stomach growl making me realize that water wasn't the only thing I needed.
But my primal desires were quickly stalled by the gruesome sight of corpses, mangled and lifeless coupled with the bizarrely neatly placed camp equipment in area. The uncanny contrast of the site increased my fear but my hunger and thirst won the battle of reason.
I crept towards the campfire my eyes locking onto a metal canteen resting on one of the bodies. I grabbed it and my hands trembled as I tested what was inside.
water finally.
I raised the canteen above me and gulped down the water inside. My eyes closed in enjoyment of this moment. (I wonder if the meat tests any good). Before I could open my eyes I felt a breath on my neck accompanied with slight clicks of a harrowing growl. My body became rigid, petrified like moulded a statue and my eyes remained closed with the canteen above me still poring all its liquid. The water run down my face, which was sculpted with what would either be terror or piece.