A long time later
I entered the dark forest and it's branches welcomed me in. I sensed a human being in these woods, one of great power and determination.
Who is it? I thought, my curiosity grew. I ignored the ball of emptiness in the back of my mind.
I'm better than it, I reminded myself. My time alone in my dimension had helped me meditate out of the emptiness.
I counted 400 more steps until I finally reached an overlooking brown cottage. There were cobwebs in the cracks of the house, and it looked old but lived in.
With hesitation, I crept forward quietly, trying to spot any living being that inhabited this place.
But before I got far, a click sounded under my feet. Immediately, six giant golem-like earth creatures appeared in a flash and surrounded me.
"What?!" A small shriek escaped me, even as I tried to keep my composure.
An old lady wearing a light purple scarf and a black witch hat suddenly appeared next to the golem in front of me. Her face squinted in disgust as she saw me.
"What are you doing in MY FOREST?" She shouted with fury in her eyes. "Tell me your name or I'll have my familiars rip you apart!"
I stood up tall and tried to look regal. "I am Irene. I trave-... traveled around the world bringing peace to the lands. I stumbled upon your forest here, and I want to know more about it."
I was indeed quite interested in the dark place, it's roads twisting and turning, cross forks every 50 steps. It seemed like a maze.
The witch still looked furious, so I attempted to backtrack, "Although of course, if you do not want me here, then I will leave."
I stepped backwards, eyeing the forest golems behind me wearily.
Suddenly the elderly witch spoke again, "Wait, you are Irene? I have heard about you. You have brought good to many villages and creatures have you not?" Her light blue eyes dug deep into mine.
"I thought you had disappeared from this world," she continued.
I nodded, trying to ignore her piercing stare and concentrate on her crackly old voice, pure white hair, and plain gray shirt instead.
"Good, then you are not like those other disgusting humans. They are harmful to nature, and they don't care about anyone besides themselves."
I didn't argue, for I, myself, have seen people like that throughout my journeys, but I also knew that there were many people who cared deeply about the world.
The witch continued, "My name is Hyria, and I have a favor to ask of you. Please come inside." She gestured to her ancient looking house.
With a snap of the witch's fingers, the golems went back to hiding in the shadows around the front of her cottage.
I quickly followed her inside her house, eager to be away from the witch's familiars.
As we walked inside of the witch's tower, I noticed that Hyria had almost a defeated air to her. She did look very elderly and old, but I believed no amount of time would cause someone to completely give up on life.
Hyria turned to face me and answered the question I had in my mind.
"I have lived for over 600 years. My appearance, believe it or not, has not changed drastically, but my mind has oldened and wandered"
I stared at the witch with newfound respect. "600 years? That is a very long time. How is that even possible?"
Once again, she fixed her sky blue stare onto me, and I looked away. "You forget I am a witch my darling."
She motioned for me to sit down in a chair, and I waited patiently as she hurried to pour a cup of tea for us to drink.
After a minute, Hyria sat down opposite of me and drank the tea she had made with a contented sigh. Then she finally responded. "Indeed it is a long time. And this is where my request comes in."
I looked at her, worrying for a moment that she was going to ask me to stay with her the next hundred years of her life.
But instead she said, "In my lifetime, I have had many people stumbled across the heart of the Sacred Forest, as you have."
I nodded slowly, wondering where this was going.
"So I would like us to come up with an idea to keep people out." Hyria finished. "Humans are filthy and cruel, and care nothing about the world. I want absolutely nothing to do with them."
I tried to have no disrespect as I said, "The Sacred Forest is already like a maze. It took me a long time to move through it. Surely there is no need to make it even harder to get to the center."
Hyria stared daggers at my face. "I want NOBODY getting in, besides myself when I am entering and exiting the forest."
Although her voice was worn and old, her tone still sent shivers down my spine. "Of course then. I'll think of something." I said peacefully.
I still wanted to do good to the world, even if I was losing my own emotions.
The witch's tone immediately changed and she smiled. "Thank you... Irene. May the gods praise you for this."
This could be a chance to test out the true limits of my powers. It could be a chance to show Hyria that life is worth living, no matter how long she lives. And maybe I could make a new friend, because after all, Hyria seems like a person worth knowing.
1 Month Later
Harnessing my power through my relic, I pushed out one final burst of energy that twisted through the trees of the Sacred Forest.
The tall beings trembled and shifted once more, then they settled down to the ground, their roots seemingly untouched.
I did it. It is done. I thought with happiness and disappointment at the same time.
Hyria stood behind me, a small smile on her face, but sadness clouded her grey blue eyes. We both knew what was coming next. My eyes filled with tears.
The witch opened her arms, and like a child, I ran to them and buried myself in her scarf. It smelled like the beautiful oak woods that surrounded us. Whispering, delicate, and dreamy all at the same time.
I felt emotion again.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I have completed my task here. The forest has been enchanted by us. Now no one except someone with great determination will be able to reach your home."
I concluded my last sentence on a small smile, but Hyria only nodded and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"Irene, please let me go with you... at least part of the way. You've done so much to help me, and I will forever be in your debt. Thank you."
I smiled hopefully, exhilarated by the fact that Hyria could come along for my journey. But the thought instantly vanished. The world needed me... and, Hyria despised the world.
"You can come with me to my dimension. Then we must part ways I'm afraid." I lifted my eyes to meet hers, and we both nodded.
I started the enchantment.
Feeling around the clearing, I felt where there was a gap in the air. I found it and cast my energy onto it.
I locked on. And I pulled. My relic shivered along with me.
The air ripped open into an oval shaped portal, and I saw the familiar reaches of white quartz surround a unique symbol on the ground. It was my dimension, my home.
I looked back at Hyria and extended a hand to her. I felt rough edges grasping around my skin, and we walked through to the other side, hand in hand.
The crust holding the portal up shivered violently. It crumbled and shook until it got smaller and smaller, then with a zip, the whole portal disappeared. The link between the two realms broke.
I stepped forward, feeling Hyria's hand slipping through my fingertips.
"Hyria, I must go now. I cannot remain here any longer."
Hyria was silent for a second, then she blurted out, "Irene, don't go. Please, you're my friend." The pain on her face was unmistakable.
I took a step onto the lifted stairs leading into the giant white palace ahead of me. I didn't look back.
"A part of me lives here, in this world, in the forest we created, and I do believe the protector of that forest... is you."
I smiled where she couldn't see my face.
I made a good friend, and I wasn't going to lose her like the others.
I'll see you again one day. Thank you for letting my emotions heal a little.