tw: sharp teeth, mentions of death, darkness, evil
No one would save me now. Unfortunately, I didn't know that long ago, so Long-ago me did something idiotic and possibly deadly.
Long-ago me went into the Forest.
It was hardly a miserable day, but it couldn't be described as lovely either. The sun shone, but the wind pulled at my hair and made me trip and fall into the fountain.
(Idiot, I think now, of course the wind didn't push you into the fountain. That was all the Forest. And Them.)
I stood there for a moment, dripping wet and embarrassed. Thankfully no one was there to see me.
(But there was! I seethe. They were watching all along.)
I blow out a frustrated breath, intending to head home, have a nice warm bath and a cup of tea, and forget this ever happened. Instead, I stayed for a minute longer.
(Why couldn't I just have gone and got that tea right there and then? Why did I have to wait?)
Then I heard the voice. It was whimsical and soft, like a fairytale or a lullaby.
And it was coming from the Forest.
My mother had forbidden me from ever going into the Forest. She told me stories of the dangers that lurked there and the children that had died in there.
(With good reason)
I, being the idiot I was, stopped, and listened to what the voice was saying.
"No blood will be spilled, no tears will be shed. No nightmares for small children asleep in their beds." the voice sang. I shivered, an eerie feeling replacing the whimsy and loveliness from before.
But I kept walking towards it. The voice got louder and more menacing as I neared it, and I realized the words had changed.
"Gather round, no spirit found. Trust in death, in this broken ground. Let no lies be told, for the truth is..."
The singing stopped as I entered the Forest.
There was a woman there, and her beauty was unimaginable. She had skin like a sunrise- I could see the sun rising right by her collarbone. It was orange and pink and lovely. Her hair was a mass of delicate curls and fluffy twists, and it appeared to be made of pink-tinged clouds.
Beside her stood 3 other women- one of a Forest, one of Trees, and the last of Midnight. How I knew this, I did not know.
There must be more. I thought desperately. More of these lovely people. There must be one of Animals and one of Dreams and one of Light. There must be millions. I need to see them.
The Sunrise woman smiled at me.
(Didn't you see her teeth, sharp as knives? Didn't you see her eyes?)
"What do you wish, Iklana?" she asked.
I did not ask how she knew my name. (Fool.) Instead, I said, still quite mesmerized, "I wish to know your name."
She paused. "We are the Earth-Ones, meant to heal or break the Earth as we please."
(Why didn't I see?)
"You are beautiful," I whispered.
"So are you, Iklana. But not like us."
"Not like you."
"Would you like to be like us?" the Midnight woman asked.
My eyes widened. It seemed impossible. Absolutely impossible. (No. No. No.)
"Yes." I breathed.
The Tree woman stepped forward, her arms like graceful brown roots, her eyes intelligent and youthful at the same time.
"What is your name?" she rasped.
"Iklana. But..you know that." I frown slightly.
"Iklana." the woman said. "Iklana. Thank you."
Then she began withering. She fell to the ground in a mass of roots and dirt. Midnight followed, but towards the sky, becoming stars and darkness. Forest became the same as Tree. Now it was me and Sunrise.
Me. Me. Me.
The word echoed in my head as suddenly- I grew dizzy, almost sickly. I leaned over and threw up.
"What's- happening?" I managed to say.
Sunrise glanced away. "Shush. It will make the process worse."
(It hurts still.)
I tried to think but my mind was broken.
Don't go into the Forest, Iklana. People die in the Forest, Iklana.
Iklana died in the Forest, Jon. She's gone.
But despite those terrifying thoughts, I don't die.
It seemed like a century had passed once I finally felt stable enough to speak.
(I can't cry.)
"Sunrise?" I said hesitantly.
No one answered. I looked around and found myself facing a mirror.
Jet black iron is the only thing that separated it from the Forest. I walked forward, but stopped dead in my tracks as I saw my reflection.
(But not like us. I should've ran away then. I should've ran away long before that)
I was like them. My dress had turned to feathers of the darkest black, my skin had turned the palest white, and my face-
I reached up to touch it. It felt the same, but now, a black heart stained my left cheek. I realized my once-brown hair had turned darker, and it felt lighter. Wings of black graced my back, cold feathers rustling in the wind.
I was like them. I was an Earth-One of Ravens.
"No." I whimpered. Sunrise had appeared behind me.
"Didn't you want this?" She said slyly.
"Not like this. I'm..."
She smiled sweetly. This time I saw every single one of her sharp teeth. "Who are you?"
Iklana. Iklana. Iklana. "Raven. Earth-One. Meant to heal or break the Earth as I please." I say quietly.
"Yes." she gave a satisfied nod and I watched as two more Earth-Ones arrived. This time they were of Animals and the other of Dreams.
"Raven, I don't suppose you know this yet, but the earth permits only three other Earth-Ones to walk each day and night." she stopped talking for a moment, giving me another smile, "I do so hope your day to rerise will come soon."
That was the last thing she said as I fell away into nothing but a pile of jet-black feathers.