Into the Unknown

In the presence of the frail old lady, the motionless trees swayed and danced, as if in a macabre festival. They moved to the eerie music of the wind flowing through the forest creeks and whispering between the trees.

Densely packed fog clung to the air, shrouding the surroundings in a mysterious haze. Strange anomalies moved about in the mist, their twisted forms adding to the unease. The unnatural landscape, with dead trees and withered bushes, instilled deep fear and trepidation, warning of lurking danger in this unknown and potentially hazardous land.

Cautious, my mind still reeling from the life-or-death situation orchestrated by my uncle, I was consumed by fright as I contemplated the fate of myself and the village. What had happened while I was unconscious? Were my uncle and the others safe?

Pushing aside those troubling thoughts, I turned my attention back to the surroundings. Leaves of an almost black hue littered the ground, and rocks bore gray stains from the touch of the fog. The atmosphere exuded an otherworldly yet sinister aura, seemingly drawing forces of evil toward it. In this eerie environment, I couldn't help but question my own potential for darkness.

The hunched lady began to move towards me, each step taken at a terrifyingly sluggish pace. Her gnarled and twisted hands remained eerily still, resembling branches with malevolent energy. As she advanced, the fog beneath her dissipated, but no sound accompanied her contact with the ground. Her eyes were concealed by a long towel flowing down to her waist, bearing a conspicuous embroidered seal. One eye, partially visible through the cover, intensified the unsettling impression.

Unnerving whispers echoed from all directions, causing further unease. The raspy voice of the old lady, devoid of emotion, added to the sense of ambiguity surrounding her. Her translucent figure seemed detached from the physical world, enhancing the eerie atmosphere that enveloped us.

Once again, the fog retreated from her presence, and the wind and dancing trees fell silent. She drew nearer, her unwavering gaze fixating on me with an indomitable strength that halted time itself. Her haunting presence seized my emotions, engulfing me in a whirlwind of anger, happiness, distrust, loneliness, and various other feelings, flooding my senses.

Finally, the ghostly old woman came to a stop a few meters away from me. Her hands remained frozen in their gnarled state, while her eye continued to stare at me, its intent veiled in mystery. Lost and despondent, I questioned my very existence in this bewildering place, where everything seemed distorted and obscured.

Exhausted and confounded, I struggled to make sense of the impending events. The soft, alluring whispers lingered in the air, foretelling imminent danger and casting a shadow of uncertainty. I pondered the motives behind this unsettling encounter, considering the possibility that the old lady communicated through enigmatic riddles, her own peculiar way of conveying messages.

The moonlit fog at our feet illuminated the path, leading me away from the lady's enigmatic presence. Fear gripped me tightly, rendering me momentarily immobile in anticipation of the horrors that awaited. The grotesque spectacle before me was unbearable, and I longed to escape its clutches.

"Enzo... The whispers old left forgotten... followed by fire... and death... lost nowhere found..." Her creepy voice reverberated through the forest, coming back to the spot where I stood. As more time passed, the idea of dying early came to mind, and the thought that I might perish in an undiscovered place haunted me.

"What do you want?" I asked in a stammering voice, mustering the courage to speak.

"I seek nothing that harms you... not a speck of dignity or soul inside you... What seeking means to me is the liberty to roam home and free," the ephemeral voice echoed in reply.

"I don't have the liberty you seek, nor the freedom or judgment to allow you to break free from here. I am just a kid," I complained, countering her reply.

"But you, child, have the capability... potential... ability... powers... that can allow me to remember the world from the outside," she replied as her long, gnarled, twisted arms furled into a fist and quickly opened her palm. I saw the outside world, where I lay on the ground, the area where I fainted after the sudden explosion caused by my uncle. Pain and disappointment washed over me as I recalled the scene that preceded my arrival here.

"I know nothing about that extraordinary prowess of mine. It seems you have been watching me from here. I... I will try to help. However, answer my questions: Where am I?" I managed to regain my composure, realizing that my body was separated from where I stood. Does that mean I am dead, or is this the spirit of my human body? Whatever it is, it would be insightful to learn about this place and what it could be.

"If that is the condition for... liberty... then I shall comply... This place is called the Foundation... Your Foundation... The Cradle of the Lost... Attracted by the energy through the air that lies between the Foundation... led me here... take rest... shelter... help..." The voice continued to refract from the absence of sound. Her whispers reached my ears as I listened attentively. Honestly, her voice that kind of breaks is annoying. It seems she does this because speaking continuously causes the voices to echo around the trees, crack on the rocks, and bounce through the air, making the sentence incomprehensible.

"The Cradle of the Lost nurtures and protects the lost, offering surrender to the host that presents themselves as saviors and messiahs, guiding the forgotten, lost, and unjust." That is interesting... I don't know how to react. I didn't expect to encounter something so mystical.

"Knowledgeable, as expected..." Compliments are taken, I say to myself as this ghostly lady acknowledges me.

"That won't be possible. The Cradle, forged of sins, was sealed and hidden by the Seven Voices that govern the states of humanity. How does it relate to me?" Confused by the sudden development, I questioned her, to which she readily replied...

"Whisper... Allow yourself to hear the loss and learn to whisper... powers surge as Everthorn grows undeniably powerful and unstoppable... Accept, and you shall receive aid... deny the opportunity, and be bound to consequences..." She replied in a warning state that seemed to discourage my dissatisfaction and denial.

"I do not believe that such enticing power would be inside of me. Besides, in this case, if I 'were' the holder of such power and you entered 'my' domain, would that mean that you shall become my servant and dominion that would serve me and a companion that would grow stronger along with me?" I gently waved my hand, trying to dismiss the thought that I thought would be impossible and would be unnecessary.

"To abide by the rules... and regulations pertaining to the abode of the Whisperer, I shall follow this tradition... However, the host that hopes to shoulder my burden shall prove that they must be willing to risk it all in death... In that case..."

The pressure around her changed, and the fog that surrounded the air retreated back from the woods, seemingly afraid, pushed back by the sudden air pressure that she emitted. Her grotesque hands formed into blades that seemed to be able to cut trees with ease.

At that moment, I knew I had messed up. I had let my guard down in response to the sudden aggressive initiation of the old lady. I made every anticipation on what would be done in order to survive and live another day and possibly be released from the Cradle of the Lost.

As the old lady's hands transformed into menacing blades, a shiver ran down my spine. The air crackled with anticipation, and the tension between us escalated. I braced myself, unsure of the extent of my own abilities and how I could possibly stand against this supernatural adversary.

The silence of the forest seemed to amplify the impending clash, punctuated only by the distant rustling of leaves and the faint whispers that echoed through the air. The weight of the moment hung heavy, suffocating the atmosphere with a mix of fear and determination. Time seemed to stretch, elongating each passing second as we stared each other down.

My mind raced, desperately searching for a plan, a strategy to outmaneuver the old lady's spectral presence. But uncertainty clouded my thoughts, and doubt gnawed at my resolve. The odds were stacked against me, and the outcome of this encounter felt uncertain and treacherous.

Yet, deep within, a flicker of determination ignited. I couldn't let fear paralyze me. I had to trust in my own potential, whatever it may be, and find a way to protect myself and those I cared about. This fight, however unexpected and unbalanced, would be a test of my resilience and resourcefulness.

With a deep breath, I took a step forward, my hands trembling but my spirit unyielding. The old lady mirrored my movement, her eye fixated on me with an intensity that sent chills down my spine. The moment of reckoning had arrived, and as the seconds ticked away, I braced myself for the clash that would decide our fates.

The tension between us reached its peak, a palpable force that seemed to bend the very fabric of reality. In this eerie and unsettling realm, the battle was about to commence, and both of us stood on the precipice of a life-altering confrontation.