06

AWAKENING IN THE UNKNOWN

My eyes began to slowly open, struggling against the resistance of my weary vision. The world around me was a blurry, indistinct haze, until finally the fog began to dissipate, and my sight became clear. I immediately realized I was in a completely different place, a place I didn't recognize. Majestic trees rose around me, enveloped in a white, icy mantle of snow. The air was sharp, and my skin tingled in response to the intense cold. I realized, with a jolt, that I wasn't dressed appropriately to endure this unexpected situation.

As I tried to adapt to my new reality, my eyes turned to my adventure companion, Haru. He lay on the cold ground, immersed in a deep slumber. His figure twitched slightly from the discomfort caused by the cold, and I felt the urgency to awaken him.

"Haru, wake up!" I pleaded with intensity in my voice, leaning over him. His drowsy expression gradually faded as he struggled to awaken. Startled, he quickly sat up, looking around for answers.

"Where are we?" he asked, his voice trembling and filled with confusion. I felt a pang of irritation at his question. After all, it should have been me asking that. But before I could express my indignation, we were interrupted by a deafening roar echoing from the heart of the dense forest ahead.

Startled gazes met, sharing mutual fear. Moving cautiously forward, each step was a challenge on that inhospitable terrain. Then, like lightning, something whizzed past me with astonishing speed. A sharp, swift pain coursed through my cheek, and the palm of my hand was stained crimson. The scratch was superficial but enough to indicate the presence of an unknown and terrible threat.

Turning around, I was confronted with a sight that made my heart freeze. Haru stood motionless, trapped in terror, as a colossal creature loomed before him. It resembled a lion, but with huge wings stretching out in an imposing arc. Horns adorned its head, and its eyes, an intense red, seemed to burn with wild fury. I found myself paralyzed, unable to move or reason in the face of the threat that loomed over us.

In a moment of pure desperation, Haru cast me a frightened look, almost pleading for help. But before I could articulate a word, an act of unimaginable violence unfolded before my eyes. The fierce creature dove towards Haru, its jaws opening in a lethal strike. The sound of impact and the ensuing crimson blur left no doubt about my friend's tragic fate. His face was instantly torn apart, and a shockwave reverberated through me.

My pupils dilated as my mind emptied of any coherent thought. A void of pure terror and desolation settled within me. However, before I could be consumed by darkness, I noticed a figure in swift motion passing before me. Time seemed to slow down, allowing me to see every detail of that fleeting occurrence.

With a single strike, the anonymous figure felled the fearsome creature. I didn't have time to discern features or characteristics, but I witnessed the dexterity and impressive strength with which they acted. Before I could fully comprehend what had transpired, my body could no longer endure, and I fainted, succumbing to exhaustion from the intense cold and the intensity of the events.

Upon awakening, a sense of peace enveloped me. I slowly opened my eyes, and as my awareness returned, I realized I was lying on a soft bed. I looked around, confused and disoriented, and then heard a soft voice filling the silence.

"You're safe, my dear," the voice said, echoing in my mind. My gaze turned to the source, and I beheld a woman of incomparable beauty. Her white hair cascaded over her shoulders, accentuating her deep, mesmerizing blue eyes. Dressed in a tight black outfit that accentuated her striking elegance and presence, she emanated an aura of mystery and power.

I remained still, in awe of her appearance, but also anxious for answers. Who was this woman, and why had she saved me? My question was promptly answered as her eyes locked with mine, a glimmer of recognition illuminating her gaze.

"Your eyes are beautiful," she murmured, her voice filled with a strange familiarity. "They resemble mine." Her observation left me perplexed, unable to discern her true intentions. Was it a compliment or a deliberate change of subject?

Moved by a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, I questioned again why she had intervened to save me. Her response was simple but enigmatic: "I just wanted to." The words hung in the air, leaving me even more confused about her true motivations. Perhaps I would never fully understand this enigmatic woman, but something within me whispered that I had encountered her somewhere, at some past moment.

To be continued...