What Is This Place? - Kaede

After travelling through that endless void I found myself all alone, in what appeared to be a broken carriage of some kind. Blood was everywhere, the bodies around me reeked of rotting flesh that I found myself struggling to breathe. It reminded me when I stumbled upon... "Yui." That is when I heard foot steps coming towards the carriage. "Could they be the ones who attacked this carriage?" Instinctively I raise my hand from within the ruined carriage, covered in blood, towards the sound of the footsteps. The blood around me starting to move towards where I was reaching with my hand, the blood creating several spikes around me as I wait for the steps to get closer. "What is happening? Am I doing this?".

?: "Is anyone alive in there?!"

It was a voice that sounded like an old man, speaking a language that was foreign to me, yet I could understand it. "What was going on? Why could I understand this foreign language?" I had so many questions but before that, I have to deal with this person.

Kaede: "Don't come any closer!"

I speak in his language as if it was natural to me, and his footsteps come to a halt before the carriage. The carriage is blocking my view so I couldn't make out what he looks like, the blood spikes around me still floating, like a cheetah waiting to pounce on her prey.

?: "It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you. I just stumbled upon this carriage of yours and wanted to check for any survivors"

His tone of voice sounded sweet and very sincere. Feeling like I can trust his words, I try to sit up from the carriage floor, the blood spikes falling back into the pools of blood as I let my hand down before peaking my eyes through the cracks of the carriage's broken door. I see the person that was talking to me. He was wearing a tattered robe, almost looking like he was homeless, along with his grey hair. Noticing my gaze, he smiles in my direction as he raises his hand, giving me a wave like he was trying to say hello.

Stumbling out of the carriage, I notice that my left ankle is broken. The pain coursing through my body as I crash out onto the dirt path. We were in a forest. Looking towards the man as I lay there on the dirt I could see him running towards me. "Was I deceived?" before I had anymore time to think about it, my vision went dark as I lost consciousness.

Upon waking up, I saw a wooden ceiling. The atmosphere felt warm as I looked around, the wooden walls were illuminated by the sunlight coming through the windows. My ankle that was broken now wrapped up in some kind of bandage, the pain was still there but was definitely better when I came out of that carriage.

?: "Ah, you're awake"

Spooked by the sudden voice, I bring myself to a seated position a top of the table I was laying on. The old man from before was sitting on a chair nearby, staring at me with a far too happy smile on his face that it looked creepy.

Kaede: "Who are you?"

?: "My name is Silas. Sorry for bringing you here abruptly, but I wanted to make sure we were in a safe place to treat that ankle of yours"

Looking down at my feet once more, I see my ankle was bandaged well, before looking back up towards him, calming myself if only a little as I let out sigh of relief.

Kaede: "Thank you for treating my ankle. Why were you in the middle of that forest?"

Silas: "I was contracted to find out what had happened to that carriage you were in. It didn't reach its destination in time so I went and followed its path. That is where I found you- Sorry what was your name?"

Kaede: "Kaede"

Silas: "Kaede? That's quite a unique name. I was astounded when I heard you in that carriage. All those bodies and blood, I could of sworn no one would have survived."

Unique name? To me the name Silas was the unique one. In fact I don't think I remember anyone with a name like that back home. Home... Yui. That's right. I killed myself when I stumbled across Yui; there was so much blood. I didn't want to live anymore, with the last person I cared about had gone. "Could she have also come here?". My eyes lit up at the thought of it. I go to get up from the table, planting both my feet on the ground as the shock of hitting the ground sent pain shooting through my broken ankle up my leg, as I try and hold myself up against the table.

Silas: "Hey hey! You should take it easy young lady, Your ankle is-"

His words cutting off short as he left me with a shocked expression. Following his gaze, my eyes looked down towards my left leg that I held my hand on, creating a white fluorescent glow in the palm of my hand. Moments pass as the glow from my palm subsided, along with the pain from my ankle. "What was that? It, doesn't hurt". I wonder to myself as I try putting more pressure on my injured ankle, to my surprise, the pain was no longer present.

Silas: "Healing magic..."

Healing... Magic? The word magic stuck out in my mind, as I try to understand. It was true that the pain in my ankle was completely gone, something that would be impossible from my known knowledge of the world.

Kaede: "Magic?"

Silas: "Yes. You possess healing magic, which is apart of the light magic family. It is very rare. Did you not know that?"

I shake my head, I didn't have a clue what any of this meant. Light magic? Then what was that before in the carriage? Was that also light magic? I highly doubt it, it looked far too ominous to be called anything such as light.

Silas: "Did you're parents not teach you about magic?"

Kaede "..."

Memories flood my thoughts as I remember running out of the house, not even saying goodbye to them. Sure I hated them at the time for not accepting Yui and I's relationship, but they were still my parents, they really did care about me. Tears start to build up in my eyes before slowly sliding down my cheeks. Silas noticing this, stayed silent, as if he knew he crossed a line.

Silas: "I'm sorry..."

Without saying anything, I move away from the table, tears still in my eyes as I walk around the house; Silas watching me from his chair, still looking apologetic. It sure was a comfy home with the sun coming through the windows, giving the wooden walls a warm feeling as I continue to walk around. It seemed like the area with the table I was on where Silas is also sitting is the lounge, so this must be the kitchen; seeing counters and what looks to be an old fashioned oven, almost like a furnace.

I could hear Silas getting up from his chair as I continue to look around, until I walk into a bedroom. The mirror I saw upon entering the room, reflecting my appearance startled me. I looked like I was around 4 or 5 years old as seeing Silas towering behind me made me feel especially insignificant. I was wearing some sort of black dress, with my platinum blonde hair seemed to have carried over to this new world, but my eyes... They were a bright, scarlet red, like the blood I saw when I was in the carriage as the light shone upon it and... with Yui.

Silas: "Your eyes... They're also quite unique, where did you say you were from?"

Kaede: "Far... Very far away..."

I walk further into the bedroom, seeing the bed I find myself unable to hold myself back as I crawl up into the bed, as my tears finally comes out from my eyes, staining the pillow. Yui... Silas seeing me in the bed comes up and sits on the edge of it.

Silas: "Hey. If you like, you can stay here. At least until your old enough to handle the outside world"

Kaede: "..."

I snuggle up in the blanket, clenching my hands around it, giving a subtle nod. I have no clue what this world is like, and the fact that magic exists here terrifies me, more so that I can't seem to control it.

Seeing me make up my mind, Silas gives me a gentle smile like he was satisfied with it before leaving the room. He seems trustworthy enough, and If he wanted to hurt me, why would he go out of his way to bandage my ankle? He turns off the light, leaving the door open as I continue to stay in bed, thinking of the memories I had in my previous world, my memories with Yui. "If I came to this world does that mean Yui is also here?" Asking myself that, I feel myself filled with determination as my tears come to a halt. "But why do I even remember? Will Yui still remember?" Doubts start floating around in my head trying to fight them off, not letting those thoughts sway my determination. "Yui. I'll find you, wherever you are, I'll find you."