Chapter 2: Forgotten Temple

"Magic?" I questioned, confused by the old man's words. "I suppose I've been read books about it and occasionally my captors would speak of it as though it was an ancient practice lost to time." As I responded to the man's question, I maintained a cold and detached tone, my gaze still wandered across the scenery.

"Hmm, well, you know, not all magic is lost. In fact, every living person has the potential wield magic, with proper study and teaching of course." the old man explained, a hint of sadness hidden behind his words. "I remember when wizards and witches were common, you would see them everywhere, even prestigious schools once existed to teach and nurture magic. Like me I'm from a old magic school that no longer exists." he explained again sadness more potent in his voice this time.

I remained silent, trying to envision a world where everyone possessed the power to destroy towns, and kingdoms, murder even, and get away with it all. "What happened?" I finally asked, my curiosity overcoming my caution, though I still didn't fully trust the old man's intentions because why has he saved me and what will he do with me, I'm a filthy slave girl. My gaze was still fixed on the scenery watching the now setting sun, its colors painting the horizon, signaling its fall as the moon prepared to rise.

The old man also pauses and looks to admire the sunset briefly before turning back to me and suggesting, "Let's stop here for the day and set up camp. It's getting dark and will be night soon, and we don't want to run into any unsavory characters on the road, not that I couldn't handle them of course." He laughs, clapping his hands together at his own joke.

The old man then guides the horse into the forest, weaving through trees and shrubs, going deeper within the woods. After a short ride, the horse halts in a small clearing, the horse then comes to a complete stop, the old man then jumps from on top the horse and with a loud "Thud." He stands, dusts himself off, stretches, and rubs his bottom, letting out a contented sigh at the end of it all.

I watching the scene unfold stare emotionless shortly following after and hopping off the horse, still wrapped in the blanket he lent me back in the prison. The old man after seeing that I'm good reaches his hand into a small pouch on his horses saddle and grabbing out two small objects, he then opened his hand walking closer to me revealing a toy tent and a toy campfire which he suddenly throws into the center of the clearing.

Confused, I walk closer to see what the old man will do with these miniature items. He begins to twirl his large stick in the air, then stops suddenly pointing it down towards the two items, giving me an excited glance he backed up. Moments later, the tent and campfire start to expand, gradually increasing in size until they come to a halt, the tent full in size and the campfire already ablaze with log chairs.

"That, my dear, is one of the many tricks up my old sleeve," he said, rubbing his nose, amused by his own cunning. I ignore him walking and sitting down at the campfire, after that some time passes as it grows darker and darker, I was lost looking into the flames when the old man walked up "It's not nighttime yet, but I've already set up a defensive barrier magic around the clearing, I will know if something or someone enters, so don't hesitate to get some good rest tonight. Though I think ima go tuck in early tonight, tomorrow, I sense, will be a busy day for us," he exclaimed, his back turned as he walked into the tent, closing the door behind him.

I remained by the fire, drawing near for its warmth, simply admiring and gazing into the flames as they danced around and all over the wood, consuming it, creating coals that crackled in the heat—a very soothing sensation all around, the same soothing sensation that I had long lost and never dreamed or thought I'd feel again. I stayed there, motionless, admiring the fire until exhaustion overwhelmed me, realizing this, I began to struggle, attempting to walk to the tent as fatigue took hold.

Upon opening the tent door, I was immediately greeted with the sounds of the old man's snoring. I sighed, shaking my head in disapproval, before reluctantly stepping inside and closing the door and as i turned around I was met with the unexpected. From the outside, the tent appeared small and cramped so i expected a very uncomfortable night, but inside, it was massive. I began looking around the tent quietly as to not wake the old man, I figured out it had two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a dinning area but with no furniture to accompany the kitchen nor dinning room.

I enter and peek into my room to find it's a small and plain room, with a modest bed and little window with a set of clothes about my size laid upon the bed. I gaze at the clothing, unsure how to feel. I sense I should be grateful and joyful, yet I'm overwhelmed by an extreme emptiness inside. I'm unable to express any emotions, feeling like a shell of a person, trapped in my own mind and suffocated by an internal sadness.

I grab the clothes from the bed and place them on the floor, I then collapse onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow. Tears stream down my face silently, my mouth remains quiet, and I use the pillow to wipe them away. I remain there, tears soaking into the pillow, paralyzed, the weight of sadness pressing down on me until exhaustion finally takes over and I fall asleep.

Awakened by the sounds of chirping of birds and the sound of rushing water from outside the tent, I stir. Confused by the sound of streaming water as i saw no rain through the window, I push myself up to sitting, then into a standing position, and groggily make my way to the bedroom door. Opening it, I'm greeted by the smell of something delicious cooking over a fire stove in a pot.

My mouth waters and my stomach growls, the scent intensifying my hunger. Temptation and curiosity battle within me as I turn away, sighing, and step out of the tent before I succumb to the smell. As I exit the tent door and close it behind me, the sound of water ceases, and suddenly, the old man appeared right before me, giving me a startle. He seems pleased with himself, as if he's accomplished something noteworthy.

"Please, my lady, don't misunderstand, but I spent this morning searching for a water source and a possible bath location for you. With no success, I thought a way to get you clean," he explained excitedly. "Come now, let me show you," he said, walking towards his large stick propped against the tent, it soaked in water.

He picked up his stick and looked back, gesturing to follow, I followed the old man curious. Then we approached a large tree, the old man levitate himself, and placed his stick on a branch. I was in shock watching the elderly man in his 70s fly, I rubbed my eyes not believing what they were seeing. To my surprise when i opened then again he was still flying, the old man uttered some words while waving his hands around, a second later and steaming water began to flow from the end of the stick's. I cautiously extended my hand under the water testing it and was met with a pleasant surprise by the waters warmth.

The old man fly's back down towards me and asks "How's the temperature?" I nodded in approval. "Good, that settles it then. You can take a waterfall bath here that i just created, and I'll finish preparing lunch inside the tent," he said, beginning to walk towards and entering the tent upon arrival. My stomach growled again when he spoke about food.

To be extra cautious, I searched for the nearby area around for smaller dead trees that have already fallen and carriable by me. Finding two perfect ones, I dragged them back one at a time and arranged them in a formation so I can drape my blanket over them, creating a makeshift screen in case the old man attempted to peek at me. Taking off the gross garment, I glanced at my scars before stepping under the water, immersing myself within the warmth. It felt wonderful, another sensation I had longed for.

After thoroughly rinsing and scrubbing away the mud and dirt from my body, I Chiyoko was finally clean for the first time in nine long years, that equaling half my life. I dried off with the blanket, wrapping myself in it after as I then remembered about the clothes the old man had left for me last night and that I placed on the floor before falling asleep. Heading towards the tent, I entered, greeted by the same delicious smell from the pot, that smell made my mouth water again. The old man sitting on his bed, spots me, smiled and began walking towards me and began to speak.

"Well, how was that, little lady? And if you didn't notice, I left some extra clothes for you on your bed before i fell asleep last night," he says, walking to the fire stove and stirring the pot a few times before tasting it. "more salt I think," the old man mumbled to himself before pinching his fingers together as salt comes out and into the pot.

I bow to him slightly, expressing my gratitude for his kindness, and then turn around opening and enter my room to actually look what the old man gave me. It's an assortment of clothing that look very different from what I'm used too almost like adventurers clothes. Without complaint I close the door, and I change into the outfit.

The old man gave me a black shirt with brown tight pants and more black shoes and socks. Only after getting full dressed do I look down and realize the shirt is small, this made it so my breasts looked massive, giving a little shimmy, I shake my head and sigh, leaving my room with the want of eating whatever the old man cooked up in that pot.

The old man looks at me and claps, "There, all clean and in prop—" he stops mid-sentence, his gaze falling on my arms and hands, covered in scars. He looks down "It was quite dark in that cellar, and I wrapped you up, so I never noticed those," he says, his tone turning sad.

I lift one pant leg to show him my leg, which is also scarred, and he gasps, turning pale at the sight. "I'm so sorry, my dear, that this has happened to you, but I can promise you on my life that you are safe now, and you should feel that way when you are with me," he says his tone turning more serious.

The old man then begins to ladle the contents of the pot into two bowls before waving his hand in the air, tossing a toy table onto the floor. It begins to grow into a full-sized table with two chairs accompanying it. He gestures for me to sit and join him. Without hesitation, I rush to the table and take my seat across from him, lacking any manners, I grab the strange bowl-stick utensil and start scarfing down the food. 

"My, my, someone was really hungry. Eat up, I made plenty, but try to slow down—you don't want to get an upset stomach and have your stomach reject the stew. Also this food you're inhaling is called stew, by the way." He says, chuckling to himself as he watches me eat, I stop eating and glare intensely at him, my crimson red eyes piercing his. The old man quickly looked down and began digging into his own bowl, silence fell over the tent, other than the obvious sounds of chewing and slurping, we both just enjoyed the meal in silence. 

The old man shivered slightly again after i glared at him, he then smiles. "Now that I can get a proper look at you, my dear, you might even rival the queen of this land in beauty, dare I say," he says, being lost in his thoughts.

As the old man finished up his lunch before I did randomly he throws both items on the ground and they both disappear without a trace. He then winks at me and then started to head outside closing the door behind him, I ate another bowl after he left not knowing when I would be fed again. I too after finishing my stew threw the items on the ground and watched them disappear into thin air.

I left the tent and saw the old man beginning to pack up his camp I, driven by boredom, wandered deeper into the forest. I walked and walked staying close enough to see the tent, my feet began to hurt so i sat down on a stump of wood. I zoned out becoming detached until "help us," a child like voice whispered to me, it spooked me, it seemingly like it was coming from within my own mind.

I searched for its source looking around but not leaving my wooden stump. "help us. Help Us. HELP US!" The plea intensified, driving me to cover my ears, "HELP US. HELP US. HELP US. HELP US!" whatever I did the voices didn't stop until they did. Silence fell sweat dropping from my face, and I felt a strong urge and need to venture further inwards.

Succumbing to the mysterious urge, I followed the feeling as it led me deeper and deeper until I was confronted by a towering, eight-foot tall shrub wall extending beyond eyes sight on both ends. The urge grew stronger as I put my hand to the massive wall, as my flesh touched the shrub it opened up like a door revealing a temple in pristine condition made from marble and gold. A massive door parallel to me.

I look at the temple from head to toe examining it and the surround area, I then spot a plaque on the left side, I decided to walk up to the plaque looking down at it, the text is in a unknown language to me. I rub my finger over the unique text before turning back to what seems to be the front of this forgotten temple

'How has this remained untouched and so beautiful?' I pondered to myself. 'Wait, what??? My thoughts are clear again??' Confusion took hold because I've been unable to hear myself think properly and clearly since I was enslaved and shipped for away from my homeland. I was deep in my thoughts for the first time in almost a decade, until fear flooded over me, my breath became shallow, sweat dripping before a hand grabs my shoulder.