Alexandra stood in a place that seemed unfamiliar to her; part of her understood that this isn't the world she used to live in, that she's in a dream. But part of her convinces her that this is a real life.
The desert winds tugged at her veil as she climbed the last rise of sand, and then it appeared, so vast and impossible she almost forgot to breathe. The city rose out of the cliffs like it had been carved straight from the bones of the desert itself.
Towers crowned with domes shimmered in the sunlight, tier after tier stacked higher and higher until they vanished into the haze. Arches, spires, and bridges laced the air above her, as though the city floated on its own shadow.
She stood there a moment, staring. From afar it had seemed like a mirage, a trick of heat and distance, but now the voices carried to her, soft echoes rising up from deep within the walls.
Black-robed figures moved slowly across the dunes below, the sand almost immediately swallowing their footprints. The faint smell of spice drifted in the air, carried by the dry wind, promising markets and mysteries hidden within the maze of stone.
Her heart quickened, the city in front of her looked grand, and she didn't have any memories of the life before this, before she stood in front of this city. The thought should have frightened her, but instead it filled her with a strange calm, as though the city itself had been waiting for her all along.
The gates opened without resistance, their massive arches dwarfing her as she stepped into the shade. At once, the air shifted, cooler, alive with voices and the rhythm of countless footsteps echoing on stone.
She walked deeper, and the people noticed her. Robed figures paused in their business, merchants fell silent mid-call, and children froze mid-play. Eyes, hundreds of them, followed her every step.
But there was no hostility in their gaze. Instead, a wave of reverence seemed to ripple through the crowd, like a current of air bending around her presence. Whispers spread in a language she somehow understood, though she could not recall ever learning it. Words like 'the one returned' and 'the bearer' slipped through the murmur, brushing against her ears like fragments of prophecy.
A fruit seller bowed deeply as she passed, lowering his head until it nearly touched the ground. A group of veiled women pressed their palms together and raised them skyward in silent prayer. Even the guards, armored and stern, did not move to question her but instead stepped aside, their spears tilting in salute.
She touched her chest, confused by their worship, but a strange warmth pulsed beneath her skin, as though something within her answered their faith. The city streets stretched endlessly before her, lined with towering stonework and shimmering banners that caught the desert sun.
And though she could not remember who she was, however, the way she walked inside the city, moving around the street, it seems she knows well enough who she is and what she is.
Her step brought her in front of a sight so breathtaking it made her stop. Rising high above the city, a colossal tree spread its branches wide, its leaves a green crown that seemed to touch the clouds.
The tree was not growing in wild soil but from the heart of a grand, circular temple of white stone. Its roots intertwined with the ancient structure as though both had been born together, one feeding the other in eternal unity.
The temple stood at the end of a great stairway carved into the mountain itself, each step broad and smooth, polished by the countless feet that had walked them before her. Golden ornaments glinted in the sun, catching her eyes like fire, while banners of deep crimson swayed gently in the wind. People filled the steps, dressed in flowing robes of amber, ivory, and gold, all moving in rhythm as though guided by the same unseen purpose.
Above the arching pillars, a great ring of gold encircled the temple's highest gate, and within it rested an emblem of the tree itself, radiating light as though the sun had been caught and tamed there. The air hummed with energy, sacred and alive, as if the world tree breathed life into the city with every rustle of its leaves.
She felt the weight of stares upon her once more. People on the stairs turned toward her, their movements slowing until the path became still. Murmurs rose, soft yet filled with awe, and then, like a tide breaking, the crowd parted, clearing the way for her.
And before she walks to the temple, a woman who looks younger than her comes closer to her. Her robe flowed behind her like a whisper of storm clouds, its pale fabric catching the sun and bending it into liquid fire. The cloak framed her body, parting just enough to reveal the elegant curve of her waist and the long line of her legs.
She moved closer, and the world seemed to hush. Every jewel that adorned her, a chain draped across her hips, the bracelets ringing her wrists, and the heavy gold resting against her collarbone, sang softly with each step, a music only the desert wind could play.
Her hair, dark as midnight silk, spilled freely over her shoulders, swaying with her stride. The sun kissed her skin with a glow that made her seem both untouchable and intimately real. Her eyes caught the light, steady and unflinching, and in that gaze lay something unspoken, an invitation, a promise, or perhaps a warning.
She's truly beautiful, undeniably so, yet it's not just beauty that drew the eyes of those around her. It's the way she carried herself, every gesture imbued with grace and sensuality, as though the desert itself bowed to her presence. Closer she came, each movement deliberate and fluid, as if she had danced this path a thousand times before.
"You're back." Her voice is like a melody in Alexandra's ears, soft and lilting, like the first notes of a song she had always known.
"Yes… I'm back." The words slipped out before she could stop them. Nothing she did felt like her own choice; it's as though she's watching herself from a distance, a silent audience to a film where she and this woman played the only roles.
"Are you alright?" Selena's hand reached for hers, gentle and warm. The moment their skin touched, Alexandra's breath caught; the touch itself made her feel that the reason she's alive is because of this woman.
"I'm fine… Selena," Alexandra whispered.
The name left her lips with a strange weight, both foreign and familiar. Always the same name. Always the same woman. Beautiful. Graceful. Unchanging. The only constant in the blur of everything was that Alexandra could not remember the moment she woke up; only her name lingered in her mind.