Chapter 22- A smack of reality

 A dream is just,

a nightmare with lipstick.

~ Unknown.

***

 Elvera approached the tower and saw it more clearly. And realized it was a rounded tower, rather large, but with perhaps three stories rising to its battlements. The windows were lighted. The lower portion of the building was shrouded by trees.

 Since when was a tower like this built? Elvera thought to herself, as the development here was new to her. Little did she know she had been transmigrated.

 Out of the thick copse of young oaks, losing track of the tower, she emerged from the forest. Elvera yawned. Her body was losing it. She needed to find a place she could rest for the night.

 On her way out, Elvera came across a young lady of perhaps the same age or a bit younger and stopped her. "Sorry, excuse me…" Elvera called and the young lady turned to look at her, her eyes questioning how strange Elvera dressed and appeared.

 "Yes, how may I help you?" The young lady asked politely, her voice soft like lullaby.

 "Do you know the way to Xerox?"

 "Xerox?" The lady questioned back, and her brows drew in confusion. "I have never heard of that place before…" she added.

 Elvera was surprised. Xerox was a common place known by all. She shook off the feeling. Maybe this lady is a new villager or doesn't remember. "Okay, can you lead me to the Order, please? I'm not well versed with this place,"

 "Order?" she questioned back again. "Sorry, I still don't know the place." She said.

 Elvera scratched her head in frustration. What is going on? Even the Order? Something was so not right. She had that feeling. It curled her stomach. Everything was entirely different. The buildings, their dressing, even with the way they conversed.

 A sudden question popped into her head one she couldn't bring herself to ask. But it was clear. Something wasn't right with this place. The people. The world. It was strange.

 But she did nonetheless. "W-what year… is this?" It barely came out as a whisper.

 The lady looked totally confused about this stranger's question. Who in their right mind isn't aware of the year they existed. Feeling slight uncomfortable, she answered. "We are in year 2000."

 "2000?!!" she screamed hysterically. Her whole body suddenly becoming alert as the earlier tiredness vanished to fear. No, no, no! This cannot be happening! She yelled in thought.

 Does that mean she had traveled from the past to the future?! What was she even thinking! She had traveled into the future!

 This is really bad! Really, really, bad!

 Meanwhile, the lady suddenly flinched when she heard Elvera's outburst. She was right after all. Something was definitely wrong with the stranger. With the way she spoke, and her weird dressing, she concluded.

 What reason would someone scream over a year they had lived upon? With a shaky head, she asked, "If you don't mind me asking, Milady, where do you come from?"

 Elvera was cut off from her unwavering thoughts and thrown back with a question she had not thought about until now. Where she come from? "I'm from…" she found herself battling with words. Would it be smart to dodge the question and play dumb? She thought it wise to herself. "I'm from Decrodx!" she responded with faint enthusiasm.

 And she bought it. The lady drew her brows in confusion. Strange, she thought. "Decrodx?" she returned. "I have never heard of a place like that before…" she said, trying to remember any name of sort. But she nodded.

 "It's in the northern part of…" and she saw a name carved at the top of a wooden stall. "… windmoult." She replied. Windmoult?

 "Ah…" The lady responded with a short smile. "I have heard of the kingdom but I have never been there before." She chuckled. "No wonder those continents you mentioned sounded strange to me. I am from Talamasca. I mean, you are in the kingdom of Talamasca…" She said, her voice died at the end especially when the strange lady she spoke to seemed lost in her own world.

 Elvera's eyes lingered in search of her environment. Her eyes widened. That reminded her! She touched every part of her cloak for something that had gone missing. But it was with her, secured safely beneath her cloak. The Book! She had left it! Right there in the forest after it had smacked her face. Oh no! Her face paled at the realization.

 "Are you alright?"

 Elvera turned to face her almost immediately, causing the young lady to push her head backwards in reflex. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it at the same time.

 The lady gauged Elvera's expression very carefully. Should she be worried?

 But Elvera turned to leave. Her head was a mess. She cannot afford to lose that Book. The life of her Kingdom, her people, it depends on her and that Book! She was at the stage of breaking down.

 "Milady, I don't think it wise to go roam about by this hour. This is the time, night creatures feeds on preys…" Elvera heard her speak. Night creatures? Elvera looked at the sky. It was indeed dark and seemed late. But her eyes returned to where she emerged from.

 Sensing something was amiss, she asked, "Did you forget something?" especially when the strange lady kept searching her cloak.

 Was it that obvious?

 They heard the rustling of leaves and both froze; alerted. Elvera could hardly breathe. There was no way they could have followed her here without the Book. But it was just the breeze. And she released a short sigh.

 "You seem stranded-"

 "Can you please show me the way to the nearest inn? I need a place to stay for the night." Elvera questioned immediately. Right now, her body was on the verge of collapsing. Since it was already late, Elvera thought it wise to go in search for the Book before dawn tomorrow as she doubt no one would even recognize it when the sky is dark and penetrating. She gave herself that benefit of doubt.

 "That would take about an hour and few minutes by road if you manage to catch the carriage going by this hour. But I doubt you will, considering how late it is." She said. "Here is mostly not an open area." She added.

 Elvera shoulder dropped. Her head becoming dizzy.

 "You can stay with me for the night." The lady said, taking Elvera by surprise. "It's already late." She added with a small shrug.

 "But-"

 "Not to worry," The lady cut in, thinking she was about to refuse her proposal due to the inconvenience. "I don't mind. And you must be exhausted. Taking Windmoult is a far journey."

 Oh… Elvera thought.

 Elvera gave a short smile. "I hope I'm not going-"

 "Like I said, not to worry. Once it's daylight," and Elvera obliged without much option left.

 It is fairly impossible for anyone to take note of anything considering the time frame for anything of worth. To her credit, without that Book, it was impossible for the Dark Lichs to find her. And with that thought, she sighed in relief for the nth time. At least, not until she finds what she needs to.

 By dawn, she would heed back to the forest and retrieve the Book, find a way to return to her time and fix her misdeeds. She would save her people and rescue her kingdom.

 With a deep breath, she smiled. One that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you."

***

A/N; Please make sure to vote for me using your power stones and drop your comments. Do keep them flowing. Happy reading! ^.^