Eldaria

Chapter Two: I still don't know where I am

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting on the ground next to an unnaturally huge tree surrounded by other reasonably-sized trees and bushes, but I know that it’s been long enough for me to conclude that this is the most realistic and time-consuming dream I’ve ever dreamt. But only one thing dominated my thoughts at the moment.

He left me. He left me.

Alone. In these creepy woods. With nothing to get me by but my willpower and hatred for this alien place. Especially that Peter Pan wannabe.

Ooh if I ever see that guy again, I have half a mind to knee him in the crotch and see if he can still fly straight.

I have more pressing matters to worry about though so I should save my homicidal and revenge fantasies for later.

So far, I have established a few things although they’re pretty much nothing. At least I got my wits sorted out a little:

I don’t know where I am. The last thing I remember before this circus act was me setting the alarm as usual and thinking about the material I’ll be studying for our midterms and then eventually falling asleep.

I am doing my best to remain calm because I get a migraine when I’m too stressed. I should be allowed to stress out because I got whisked away fantasy or sci-fi style—I’m not sure which one yet—but I’m smart enough to know it would do me worse if I do. The best thing I usually do to calm myself down was recite the periodic table without singing the catchy song that helped me memorize it. But I don’t think I can focus enough to do that. I find myself repeatedly saying “Where am I, what should I do.” Like a mantra. I must look like a scene straight from a psychological horror movie, rocking back and forth, arms wrapped around my knees and muttering under my breath.

The first and only contact I ever made with an intelligent being since coming to (although I think it’s too generous of me to consider him that) was with that psycho who LEFT ME TO DIE. LITERALLY. I swear I’m normally placid but I will not hesitate to rage on him. I could do that right now to help me loosen up but it would be a waste of energy without an audience.

Maybe if I go back to sleep, I’ll wake up in my bed, and all this will just be a bad dream.

Sounds like a plan. Not a good plan but the only one I could muster with my weary and wary mind. It’ll be safer to stay close to the tree which I can try to scale in the hopefully scarce event of danger. The trunk has some peeled bark that are strong enough for me to anchor my feet and hands on for climbing.

I let myself fall sideways with my arms still clinging around my knees, hugging them closer, making myself smaller and less in touch with this foreign place. I squeeze my eyelids shut as tight as I can, willing myself to fall asleep with the sheer power of determination and desperation.

But of course, I can’t fall asleep. I’m too tense and scared to let my guard down like that. What if an animal creeps up on me?

And as if on cue, the bushes to my right rustle ominously. I flinch to a sitting position, my hands on my sides, pressing against the ground, ready to spring and flee up the tree.

Before the bushes could move a second time, I’d already grabbed for the nearest bark, deciding I shouldn’t wait to see what it was before attempting to climb to safety.

I could feel my body vibrate and my ears ring with adrenalin that I didn’t even hear if something emerged from the foliage.

I was hopelessly looking up at the first nearest branch I could find but it was meters away and probably impossible for me to reach. I feel tears welling up in my eyes and my fingers stinging with splinters. My feet were slipping and I close my eyes, about to resign to my fate. I’m about to die kicking myself for not thinking about climbing the smaller trees instead.

“Hey-!” Someone behind me shouted.

I feel my back collide with strong arms just mere seconds after my hands and feet lost contact with the tree trunk. My eyes startle wide open and I see that I’m suspended in mid-air for the second time since waking up here, except this time I wasn’t hanging all fours down by my shirt. This time, I was being carried princess style.

“You okay?”

I look at my savior’s face properly and I almost poked him in the eyes. He looked a lot like psycho Peter Pan who left me. Same jet-black hair and sky-blue eyes. I couldn’t make out the rest of his features because his face was shadowed,

“Y-Yeah.” Was all I could say after being saved from another near-death experience by falling. At this point, nothing surprises me anymore. I’ll take what I get.

“Do you have a name?”

Of course I have a name. “Uhm. Hannah.”

“Okay, Hannah. I’m going to put you down. Do you think you can stand up?”

I consider it for a moment and shake my head no. My strength has left my body after the adrenalin crash so I don’t think I have it in me to even stand.

“Okay, I’ll just have you sit on the ground then.” He floated down and kneeled to place me on the ground gently.

I mutter a timid thanks as soon as I settled down. I have a thousand questions to ask him but before I could ask one, he beat me to it.

“I take it that you’ve met my brother earlier?”

I whip my head up, instinctively sporting a scowl at the mention of that gremlin. That explains the similarities.

“You’re his brother?” I don’t mean to but I hear the venom dripping from my voice.

I didn’t miss the amused quirk of the corner of his mouth as he appraised me the same way his brother had. What are the chances of me running into the brother—or more accurately—the brother running into me just some several minutes apart?

“If you mean Sora then yes, I’m his brother.” He smiled, still looking unsure what to make of me.

“How did you find me?” I demand.

“Sora told me. You’re pretty hard to miss. He was more worried about you than he let on. Apparently, you both didn’t start on the right foot.” He crouched down in front of me, maintaining eye contact. I appreciate his gesture of good communication but I was still generally suspicious. And hearing that gremlin named Sora actually had someone check on me didn’t sit right just yet. I was still a little sore from our spat. Although, I have to admit in retrospect it might have been my fault. Maybe he was actually nice.

“He told me you tried to jump off that tree?” He said, pointing up the gigantic tree. I followed the line of his finger and I felt nauseous looking at how far up the tree went and that I’d really tried to bungee jump it without a bungee cord.

“Hey, it’s fine. He also told me you were lost and confused…” He must have noticed how horrified I looked, “and obviously not from around here”, he finished.

“If he knew all that then why did he leave me alone?” I pout shamelessly.

“I have no idea. He just told me to find you.” He shrugged and levelled me with a perplexed stare.

I fluster under his gaze. “W-What is this place?”

“That tree,” he points again, “is the Tree of Life. We’re on Neutral grounds,” he points to himself, “I’m a Glider like my brother. We commune with the wind," he tilts his head in thought, "I honestly don't know what to make of you. Sora probably thought so too, that's why he passed you onto me."

"I'm not from here." I stressed.

"Yes, yes. We know that much. But what are you?" He wonders.

"I'm human." I tell him, already expecting he doesnt know what I'm talking about.

"A human? Never heard of that race before."

"Your brother said so too." I sighed in defeat.

"But there's not much difference in appearances, except that you're a female. Am I right? I don't mean to assume your gender." He raises his hands up in question.

"Yes, I'm female." I almost laugh. Gender identities are just as relevant in this alternate universe.

"Alright. Uhm. For the meantime, let’s get you somewhere safe. I know just where to take you. I know someone who might just be able to answer any questions you have.”

He stands up and reaches for something inside a satchel he’d been carrying on his back, “Here, it’s a bit chilly up there when we fly, you’ll need this.” He hands me a thick cloak made out of fur, “Good thing I had that with me.” He smiles reassuringly.

I take the cloak with shaky hands. I ponder quietly as I stare at it.

“What’s wrong? I know this is all sudden, but you can trust me. Uhm, I don’t know how I can prove it to you, but-“

“Why are you helping me?” I cut him off. I may come off as rude but I can’t be bothered with pleasantries at the moment.

He didn’t seem to mind my interruption as he smiled all the same, “Because you really look like you need it. Sora would’ve done that himself but he said you didn’t trust him. I figured I should give it a shot. He looked upset for some reason.” He regarded me with wonder again.

“Maybe he was guilty for leaving me.” I mutter almost just as guiltily. We did go off on the wrong foot. I shouldn’t have lashed out on him like that, even though I have my panic-induced euphoria to blame.

“Must be. He’s normally really nice. A real charmer.”

I couldn’t help but let out a small smile, remembering my first impression of him. He did seem like a ray of sunshine. I kind of feel bad for not giving him a chance.

“Oh, is that a smile I see? Did you think my brother was nice after all?” he snickered.

“Sorry, I just feel bad. I may have been a jerk to him earlier.”

“A jerk?”

I shook my head, “Never mind.” I paused in sudden realization, “Oh yeah, I never got to ask for your name.” I looked up to see him already hovering above me with a hand outstretched.

“My name’s Aio.” He grins.

“Welcome to Eldaria.”