The Mark of Aether

Another world~ Part I

Cries and ear-piercing yowls crashed against every trunk, carrying fear to my poor heart. I watched as everything turned to a blur, a mess of dark colors spreading in front of my eyes, before light appeared.

A few miles further, and from the other side of the burning tunnel, I saw the forest coming to an end. This hell coming to a closure.

But before we could reach it, the ground cracked. The mustang jolted and jerked, shaking me and my insides. The shadow held me tightly, his arm encircling my waist, his head drawing close to my ears. He kicked, and his horse went faster.

"Whatever you do, don't let go,'' he whispered as I clung the nails of one hand into the flesh of his forearm, the other holding his. The horse shot with speed that could bring light to shame, a high nickering filling the air surrounding us. I clutched the shadow's hand tighter, feeling his muscles twist as he pressed me against his powerful chest before everything seemed to break.

Time passed agonizingly slowly as the horse jumped over the crater, hanging in nothing but air. The sounds lingered, wailing too slowly. Too painfully. The arm around my waist tightened for seconds, adjusting my sitting before the horse pitched.

I wanted to scream in horror, but I couldn't find my voice. The scene underneath my eyes made me want to curl in some corner and never leave. There was nothing. Nothing but sheer death.

Over meters of darkness, we jumped, and with the landing, time functioned properly again.

Either my sense of time betrayed me, or the thin line of existence rippled and froze as we jumped. And finally, we were out. The mustang kept galloping until we reached an uprising hill. With nothing but a blink of an eye, the weight behind me vanished. As I turned to see, I saw the man standing near the exit, his fire roaring from his hands.

Every creature that dared to follow us plummeted to its doom. The angry growls that reached me like nightmares turned scared and deseperate as they fell to their Maker. More cries. More yells, and then, they stopped.

Whatever was inside was too wise to keep getting out. The steed stopped, the birthing sun casting gentle rays of light upon the silver around it. Gold bathed us, biding a calming morning to the rising lands. I breathed a mighty sigh.

From the altiplano, I could see field of blooms adorning the earth, streams, and some small houses lining far away. But none of it matter. None of the beauty cloaking me mattered.

Because all I could see was the shadow striding straight towards me.

His hood was swept back, revealing the face of a young man, much younger than what I imagined. A twenty-something-year-old murderer. His face looked like an art piece crafted by angels. Fathomless blue eyes were lined with thick long lashes, wavy brown hair, so dark it was almost black, crowned his head. His face hard and chiseled, and angry. A look I didn't dare to discern lingered in his eyes. And he was looking at me.

I went still.

Seconds, that's what it took him to close the gap between us. Heavens knew how he got me off the horse and gripped my wrists together. His other hand was holding the same knife he gave me, folding it between his fingers. Everything was ready to kill.

"Who are you, and what have you done that every cursed creature in there wanted you dead?'' he demanded, his voice low and urging.
All bombs went off in my head.

"What?!'' I gasped. I was mortified.

"I am not kidding. Answer me for your own sake. Did Lysithea send you? How did she make you cross the borders?''

"I-I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know any Lysithea, either. I don't even know what the heck this place is and how I even ended up here!''