2 Land Of Tall Mints And Cold Sugar
"....."
"....."
That poison....that really hurted mother....you could at least pick one that does not cause pain.....
I stand in a black space. It is quiet. To quiet. But what I found strange is that I am warm. It is because I thought when you die, it'll be cold, dead cold, like in the movies. Also, since I am a ghost now, I should be cold, so why am I warm?
*Humming Of Light*
"Hmm?"
Is this the part where I go to the Spirit World? Will there be floating fires? Wandering ghosts? Demons? ...Wait... I don't think demons be in the Spirit World. Am I getting the world's mixed up?
The light in front of me gets brighter. I close my eyes and block them with my hands.
*Loud Humming*
....
There is silence for a moment. After ten seconds, I hear chirping.
*Chirp, chirp*
*Croak, Croak, Croak, Croak*
I lower my arms and open my eyes slowly. My eyes slowly adjust to the brightness.
"....this isn't the Spirit World....."
What I saw is completely out of this world.
There are tall mint trees, the color of red and white that twist and spin to the top with red and white flowers, with hanging plump pink fruit topped with sugar. The ground is covered in piles of sugar. The bushes is a big purple plant pot of seeping orange liquid that smell like sour candy. The pot is swarmed by honey combed shaped yellow bugs. Above me, the night sky is purple covered in galaxies of stars and moons and....cotton candy clouds.
"I don't understand. What...?"
There is no way.
It can't be.
I, a shunned orphan for seventeen years, gets to come to a place like this? This is like a dream. It has to be.
"What is going on?"
I look around.
Same scenery all around.
*Growl*
My stomach? That is my stomach?
That means I am alive.
.....
"What happen to me?"
....
"I might as well look around then..."
I then move forward, heading to a place I know not. After a eighteen minutes of the same scenery, I came to a hill overlooking a town.
The town is small and is beside a big lake surrounded by the Mint Forest. It is made of blue hard candy and topped with large logs of red liquorish as roofs. The street lamps emit white light, shinning on the streets of ginger bread and sidewalks of placed pink ginger cookies. The windows is dark. People must be sleeping. I hope there are some that is awake.
"Should I go? I don't think it is safe...."
....
I ponder.....
....
"I'll just....go then. But I don't think the people will talk to me about where I am since it is night, especially with a stranger such as I..."
I build up my courage with deep breaths. After two minutes, I head down the hill in a steady pace, trying not to act suspicious....even though I am anyway.
I wander the streets, looking for a person to talk to. I came to a building that look like a church. The door is open, letting it's light spill on the sidewalk and the street.
*Voices*
People.... hopefully they can talk to me. More so with my language.
I peek in carefully, trying not to make a sound.
There are seven people dressed in golden and white robes, kneeling before a big statue in front of them. The statue is a young man that look about my age, have a mask that look like a beak and the eyes of a fancy bird with a purple jewel on the forehead. He has his hands apart and has his face lifing upwards, as if sending their prayers to heaven. He is dressed in noble attire with shoulder armor and gloved hands. He has hair that reach to above his shoulders and is nearly trimmed and not wild. What is he? He looks important to the people.
"Oh, Akelios, the God Of Harmony, and Child Of The Divine Nuan. Bless this land forever more with life and bliss. Purge out the pain, hate, and envy from our hearts. Please give us a sound and a peace mind, and release the hurt and sickness from our bodies."
Akelios? So, there is a Diety here?
"Purge out the evil from this land, and bring harmony to the world that you cherished. O Akelios, please answer our prayers. Anyuac."
"Anyuac."
After they bowed, they smile and began talking. They look rather friendly. Very friendly.
....
I hope Akelios don't mind me coming in....and them.
Okay, here it goes.
I slowly wander in, quiet as a mouse. I came close enough where they won't jump and hit me with fright. I swallow and say two words.
"Excuse me."
The two girls in front of me turn around and squeal. The rest of the group did the same thing.
....
Am I ugly?
No, I couldn't have been born in this world as ugly. This world is beautiful, even a nobody like me fits in. So----
"He's sooo cute!!"
"He's adorable!"
"Aaaww, he is like a floating whip of cream!"
What?! No. No. That didn't make sense. Me, cute? That is impossible. And what do they mean I'm like a floating whip of cream?
"Aaaaaww. He looks confused."
"So cute."
"He has wonderful purple eyes."
M-me? Wonderful? Y-you really mean it?
"....I'm wonderful..?" (Cooing Shyly)
"H-he made a sound!"
"Haha, I guess he like the comment."
"Come here, let me see you, haha!"
"Huh?!" (Ha?!)
I look behind me then look back at them.
I point to myself.
"Me?" (Hm?)
He then chuckles and beckons with his hand.
(Whimpers shyly)
I slowly move to him and clasp my hands together.
What.....
Before I had time to react, he put his hands on my cheeks and close his eyes.
?
After ten minutes, he pat me on the head.
"No wonder, he's a baby. We may as well keep him here in Frost Mint for a while until he reach Very Rare."
"I see, he is Not Ready, after all."
....
Why is everyone so worried all of sudden? What is with the cooking terms? I'm not food.
"We have to call him by his Soul Type name until a experienced Witch or the Soul Caravan picks him up."
....
They make me sound like I am dead. But, I am alive..... right? Their hands are able to touch me.....or they are..... exorcists.
"Poor guy. Not knowing what world he born into. I hope he find a good Witch instead of those disgusting ones. The lot of them!"
Hm? What do she mean?
"Oh those....."
"Those Witches that treat them nothing but as food. Well, they are but---"
"As non-living things. Exterminate them or abuse them as punishment, turn them to Burnt Souls with Negative Ideas, abandon them when they are to much trouble---"
"Being so hard on them without giving them proper rest."
"Those slave drivers!"
"Those poor Sweet Souls...."
....
Witches.... Witches?! They are in this world? And .... Sweet Soul? The way they said it..... I'm a Sweet Soul? And..... I'm going to suffer again? I.....I don't want that life. Not anymore. But....My mother....she gave me this life.....what should I do?
(Whimpering Sadly)
*Squeeze*
Hm?
*Squish, Squish*
My hand? Is someone asking me something? What do they want? Strange though.... it is soft....too soft....
I look at my hand.
?
....
?!
I pull it back and look at it.
What?! Wh-what is this?! This isn't my hand! It 's not human!
Instead of my pale scared hand, it's a small hand with little fingers. My arms is chubby but small and fit. I feel my face. It is also squishy. It is slightly bigger than my past head. My purple eyes are bigger. My nose and mouth are small. My belly is small yet slightly round, and my legs is the same size as my arms.
My hair? Hair?
I reach to the top of my head.
*Squish, poke, poke, pull, stretch...stops*
"I think.... he sees that..."
"Yup, he's----"
(Uuuuwaaaaaaaaa!!)
I'm A whip of thick cream?! A squishy thing that will get picked on?! Why? Why, Why, WHY?!
"Come down, come down."
"That proves that he is indeed a Not Ready."
"Poor baby..."
"Yup."
The guy who patted me stop me from moving around in a panic.
"It's okay. We'll help you find a good Witch to raise you."
(Cooing sadly)
Really? You'll help me?
"Just don't go outside the gates. There are Gluttons out there. You'll get eaten."
....
(Wwwaaaaaaaaaa!)
Not only there are Witchs, there are monsters too? I-I came to the wrong world. This world isn't for me. No little thing like me can survive out there. I'll - I'll die! No. Nooooooo!
Suddenly, my body heats up and my body is covered in black fires.
"His eyes."
"They turn yellow!"
My mouth open wide and----
(Bellowing Screaming)
The church is shaking like a earthquake is hitting it. Stuff begans to topple over. Lamps on the walls shake as if they are going to fall over.
"Come down!"
"Stop him!"
"Guys, what's going on----that's---"
"Valurrin! Help!"
I-I need to get out of here! I can't stay. These people are scared of me now. I'm such a screw up.
I then fly to the door to leave while my screaming came to an end.
I have to leave. I have to.
*Crash into something*
"Whaaa!"
(Aaa!)
I then crashed to the ground.
What the.....?
I pull on something. It felt like....clothes. Nooo. Did I bump into someone? I'm the worst!
I then get up and try to fly away when something grab me from my legs.
"Hahaha, you're not going anywhere, pal."
He got up and then hold me by the neck of vanilla and lemon cream.
No! No! Let go of me! Let go!
I frail around trying to free myself.
(Screaming and yelling in protest)
"Shhh."
I then felt something warm and soft on my face. A warm and comforting hand is rubbing at the back of my head. He is holding me to him. He held me from the back and caress the back of my head. Like a child.
My eyes widen from the unexpected gesture. I then relax and grasp his clothes tightly and sink in.
(Whimpering)
"Shhh."
I stop whimpering and calm down.
(Cooing softly)
He held me as he enter the church.
I can feel his emotions. He is happy. Very happy. And .... relief?
"Valurrin!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am."
"But, you are inexperienced."
They all look at him with worry.
"Hehehe."
The worshippers look at him with confusion.
"I know how to raise him. He'll be fine."
He look at me with his brown eyes.
(Trills in confusion)
I cock my head to the side.
He smiles.
"He'll be just fine. He'll grow up to be a fine Ruler. I know he will."
"R-ruler?!"
"Valurrin?"
He look at me and chuckled.
"I have to go. I have a child to raise."
He then turn around and walk down the stairs. He walk down the west street to the gates of the town. The winter air pick up, waving his red shawl along with it. Snow began to fall. That scented cold sugar called snow.
He lowered his head and hug me closer.
"You finally came back. After these long years, you finally came back to me."
He then rub my head.
"I will now fulfill the wish of raising you to become the High Lord. Nothing will separate us. I will protect us. I will save everyone....even if it means of us being hated. I will do it for our Creator. Even Akelios can't stop us."
He then hug me closer, as if protecting me from something sinister.
"The Child Akelios is wrong. We aren't cursed. We are here first. It was him and The Heaven Mother who bring these Souls here. It was them that drive us out from our homes."
He sighs, trying to relax.
"Don't you worry. We'll prevail.....we'll prevail."
The snow fall in many, becoming heavier. The young man pass the gates, walking on the white path and entering into the Mint Forest.
My eyes become heavier and my body relaxes it's grip.
My breathing steadies, becoming softer.
"Goodnight, Phelemon."
