Anomaly of Thra

I don't think I'm on earth anymore

The sound of Onica's voice echoed in Helen's ears. A warning? Warning for what? She was still uncertain about her situation, despite what she'd seen, her head shaking in disbelief. Her anxiety and stress-induced delusions couldn't be freaking supernatural. Then again, how the hell did she end up here in the first place? She felt like she was spinning as her mind raced, trying to keep up. It just couldn't be.

"So I'm obviously dreaming." Helen let out a small chuckle, her disbelief palpable in the air. When the blonde buried her face in her hands, Onica's eyes widened for a moment. "So let me get this straight? You're some little elf called a 'gel-fling' of this sea-fan clan, right? And you have psychic powers, see the future, right? So tell me, how did I get here?" Her laughter grew to a squeaky and feeble pitch as she looked back up at Onica's sincere expression. The truth of her situation was weighing on her, making it harder for her to deny it.

"So if I'm not on Earth, then where am I? And how?" she asked in a trembling tone. "You are on Thra: the home of the Gelfling and Podling, where our great Lords of the Crystal reign. Here the brother suns rise every day, and sister moons hold vigil every night," she extolled. "As for your question of how, I believe the Song must have ushered you into its melody." Helen's growing confusion was palpable as she listened to Onica explain. Podlings? Lords? What the hell, this place had three moons too? "Excuse me, Song?" She said, trying to understand what music had to do with this. "Are you telling me someone sang me here?"

Every time Helen circled the thought, she only became more and more perplexed. "In a way, yes," Onica said softly. "Our world lives and breathes by Song. Some can hear it, some can not, but each one of us carries a tune. They all come together to create melodies, from the notes at our beginnings to the ones at our time's end. This harmony helps the Song to thrive." As Onica finished, Helen thought hard. Although confused, she grasped the concept had to be like the circle of life. "I'm—I'm not on Earth, am I?' she timidly asked. Onica blinked at this. "Ear-th? What's that?" She asked, leaning forward. "It's my home, my planet..." Helen's voice trailed off as the world came crashing in. "Oh God, oh God—" she gasped while clutching her hair tightly. She was stranded. Marooned in some vaguely medieval-era land on an entirely different planet altogether.

"How? Why me?" Sure, she always dreamt of experiencing something fairytale, but it all was just that: Fantasy. Make-believe without consequence. Escapism from the mundanity of essays, long hours, and grocery store runs. Why couldn't it just stay a dream! Onica's brows drew together as she hurried over, plucking Helen's hands away. "Please, you'll hurt yourself. I apologize for overwhelming you," she said, placing a reassuring hand on one shoulder. "I don't think you ever told me your name?"

"Helen, my name's Helen." The blonde trembled as she tried to steady herself. Her mind raced as she still tried to make sense of it all. "What are you, Helen?" Onica asked, eyes wide at the thought of talking to something from the stars themselves. "Um‌, I'm a human." Onica tilted her head at this 'hoo-min'? The foreign word felt just as strange as the others on her tongue. "Yeah, close enough," Helen sighed, rubbing her eyes.

"You came from the stars?" The Sifan said in a dreamy tone. She had always been interested in stargazing and mapping. "I guess..." Onica frowned at that. While she was sure her clan would be laid-back in its interest thanks to era-ianem, but others, especially the Vapra, would cause an uproar. Who knew how the Lords would react, or how the Mariner would once she came back from her voyage?

"Helen," Onica's voice is getting serious, making Helen blink. "For the time being, keep what we talked about between us." The gelfling's grim expression made Helen pause, despite her confusion. "Don't worry, I won't," she assured, understanding the situation she might be in if she told anyone. "Though I am more worried about—"