I do not remember what happens next.

When I regain my consciousness, I am laying on the floor in the middle of the forest. My mother's body is three feet away from me, still dead and unmoving. I look around. The creature who killed my mother is long gone. In front of me is a dark shape on the ground, with flakes of ash swirling from it, like it is burnt with something very intense. There is a circle around me of dead trees, their trunks so brittle and dried like the very moisture coursing through their roots have been sucked dry. No flowers are alive, all of those who remain are withered and brown. The birthmark from my shoulder is not in pain, but my heart has gained a wound that can never heal.

I crawl towards my mother because the strength on my legs has not returned yet. I stroke her face and kiss her cheeks for the last time. I spend time digging a shallow grave for my mother's final resting spot. She deserves so much better, but I have none to give. I place seashells on the grave to mark where I have buried her, kissed the ground for the last time, before finally walking away.

My dress is tattered and in ruins, but the silk bag that my mother has given me seemed to survive the perils of last night. I take my mother's scabbard for her sword, and her shield is able to contract into a smaller disc, much to my surprise, and so I am able to place it inside the bag without a problem. I do not want to go back to our house without my mother to welcome me home, but I know that I have no choice for I need clothes and food for my long travel away from the village. I arrive in my room to quickly change into a simple white dress that goes above my knees, which is but a long cloth that I wrap around my body several times before securing with a belt. I gather all the fruits that I find in the house, what little silver and coins we have, and my mother's favorite book from her bedside table because I cannot bear to part with my mother's memory. When I decide that I am ready, I shut the door to our hut for the last time and left the village without looking back. I am planning to go to the nearby ports to go to Aerwyna, for it is my mother's last wish and I have nothing else to live for.

The journey to the ports is not easy. I run out of food three days into the journey. My water runs out two days later. I keep walking towards the north because it is the general direction to the nearby city. I spend nights at the side of the road sleeping and shivering under the cloak my mother has given me. My periods of sleep are always plagued with nightmares. I see the creature ending my mother's life over and over again, and my screams of sorrow echoes until the moment my eyes open and I go through the motions of a life without her. Tonight, however, is the worst dream of all. It transcends a nightmare for it is so surreal, and I find myself in the middle of the forest alone, surrounded by a thick fog that makes it hard to breathe.

Lira.

A voice calls out, echoing through the branches of trees. I look around but I am unable to see anyone because of the thick fog. I take a step forward, trying to bat away the dense air in front of me.

Lira.

"Who is there?" I call out. I see no one. I am alone. I think the voice is calling from my right. I turn towards the voice and started walking. "Where are you?"

Lira. Come here.

I keep walking, squinting my eyes to see what is in front of me but alas, the fog is so dense that I can barely see my hands when I stretch them out for me to see. I notice I am wearing a long dress that is in a color that looks like seafoam; I see glitters through the fabric that looks like little iridescent pearls. I have never seen this dress before, nor do I remember having such a splendid clothing in my wardrobe. My feet are bare, and although I see my toes dig inside the soil of the ground, my skin feels nothing but a slight pressure.

Lira. Come here.

The voice sounds closer now. I hear its faint echo around me like the afterthought singing of sirens in a cave. Its melodious response is so alluring that I find my mind going back as my feet walk faster like they have a mind of their own. I still do not have any idea of where I am going but I know that I have to come to whoever is calling me.

I walk and walk and walk, my rhythm never faltering as my feet continue to take one step in front of the other. I feel like I am in a trance. This is when I realize that it really is a dream, for I do not feel any pain even when I have been walking for what seemed like hours now. The further I walk, the more I can hear a distant rumbling. The air begins to smell purer, a hint of salt in the air, and also a hint of something otherworldly that I cannot put my finger on. It smells like a place where humans have not been to. The scent of humans, their life force and essence, is nowhere to be found.

I stop and look at where my feet have taken me for what seems like forever. It is as if I blinked and woke up from a light nap. Disoriented, I look around and I gasp softly. I am near the sea. Why am I here? So strange. The sea looks so calm, but looks a little off, it's like the waves are in a repeating pattern of push and pull to the shore, but I hear no waves crashing on the rocks nor the trickling of water. My thought and observations are interrupted by the mysterious voice but this time, I feel the tremors between each letter, and the air around me shifts into something electric that pulls the hairs on my arm taut with tremendous power.

Lira. We meet at last.

I turn around and see the silhouette of a woman. I see the outline of long hair and a long dress before she steps closer towards me and my mouth opens with surprise. I immediately take a step back. No matter how you look at her, it is clear that she, it, is not human. The creature in front of me stands a foot taller than I making me crane my neck upwards in order to gaze on her face. I can tell she is a meant to be a woman wearing a flowing dress of blue and green. I look at her feet and notice she is barefoot, just like me. I look at her face and notice her eyes are white, like the milky white eyes of a fish, with no iris at all. Her hair sways behind her in its gray and silver glory as if it is floating, or flowing under water. Her nose is pointed, sharp and upwards, in a way a human's nose can never be and her teeth. Her teeth are what attracted my attention most of all. They glint, bright and white, in the dark but they are sharp and very pointed like a shark's. I shudder and take another step back. Whoever the woman or creature is in front of me, is as beautiful as she is not human. Her beauty pulls my gaze outwards and stills me in my tracks, just like when a beautiful lion is hunting for its prey.

She looks at me. Calmly. Coldly.

Are you afraid little one? The creature in front of me suddenly speaks up, making me flinch. I do not see her mouth open and I do not hear her voice. She talks like in a normal conversation but does so inside my mind. She smiles, and I see her razor-sharp teeth entice me like a silent predator begging for attention to kill. Do not be. My only business with you is to talk.

"W-Who are you?" I ask but did not move from the spot I am standing on. She does not seem to mind as her face lights up and she tilts her head slightly to the side.

Taniwa.

"What are you?" I ask again, my voice getting stronger. I am more curious than afraid. She moves towards her right and bends down. I do not see her take a step. It is as if she is floating on air. I squint at what she has in her hands and see it is only sand.

You can say I am an immortal, a nymph, the youngest of my kind. She closes her eyes, shifting the sand beneath her palm so tiny particles fall slowly to the ground. I have lived for thousands and thousands of years, and my life is intertwined with the water for we are born on the same day.  Do you know why you are here, Lira?  She turns and looks at me, her eyes seem glowing under the starless night.

"How do you know my name?" I tilt my head in confusion. A nymph born on the same day as water? What a strange dream.

You are not dreaming, my child, she suddenly speaks again. She answers my internal question as if she is reading my mind. Not in the sense you are used to. It is true I visit you in your subconscious, but everything you see in front you exists as I do. I am most definitely real.

"Why have you come to me?"

You and I are connected, my child. You owe me your life.

"How?" I ask, perplexed. I have never seen this woman before. How can we be connected? How is it possible for her to have saved me, or for me to owe her anything?

She looks at me in the eyes for a moment, intently, her gaze never faltering. I feel my pulse quicken. Her eyes seem cloudy, but her stare has a way to make me feel like she is digging her way through every cells and molecule in my body. It is as if she can see right through my soul with a passing glance, and I am unnerved at the sheer command her gaze seems to have.

There is a story of a castle, a lost crown, and magic. It starts with laughter and hope but it ends with betrayal and tears. It is a story of a land far away but close to your heart. It is a story about a place shrouded in mist and full of secrets, where people live among the clouds and tall towers. It is a story of a grieving woman and a powerful goddess, and it is a story of the makers of the world and their weakness. This story is about your death and your beginning, Lira, and it is the connection that ties me to you.

I shake my head in confusion, at a loss at her words. She speaks in riddles and metaphors that I do not understand. A kingdom? Goddess, towers, princess, and clouds? I have no idea what she is talking about and I tell her so. Taniwa merely shakes her head and smiles gently. If it is meant to be comforting it does not do its job, for her razor-sharp teeth only serve to remind me of her inhumane characteristics. Can I even trust her? Or is she another evil creature like the one who killed my mother?

I am not an asura, she answers my inner thoughts again. An asura is a human in their past life who have turned their back against life and embraced the darkness. I have never been human. I am older than time, but none the wiser, I am afraid. It is smart to be wary of strangers, Lira, but we have met before and I am no stranger.

"Why have you come to me?"

I come to you to give you a warning, and my condolences for your mother. She is one of mine, and she has served me well. Do not worry, for she is with me now in my palace. I come to you to give you advice. Once you wake up, your story begins. Your path takes you to the music of rain, so make sure you hold tight and follow the pull of the currents. The mist will serve you well, and believe in yourself for your power is within. Use it wisely. She takes a step closer and presses her cold hands to the side of my face.

Be very careful. A lot of sacrifices have been given for your safety, Lira. Therefore, a lot of sacrifices will be coming from you. I feel her push me into a deeper slumber and I attempt to stay conscious, for I still have many questions. She pushes harder.

All will clear soon. Rest well, Lira. My mind turns black and she vanishes to leave me to sleep under a dreamless night.

_________________________

A/N: Chapter 3 is out, yay! I was inspired (procrastinated) to update early. She finalls meets Taniwa! People who remember my first story should remember her, since I actually used lines from TFW to go with the same traits. Idk about you but if I start dreaming of a lady that has hella sharp teeth I would flip. the fuck. out. Then again, maybe I won't bc I don't really remember my dreams. Do other people actually remember theirs or do they just lie about it to act cool? 

P.S. Please vote and leave a comment for feedback! Tell me what you think, complain about your demanding boss, describe your plans for the future -- I'm open to all and I would love to hear it. Good night! <3