The Magic of Aurora

Following the unsettling disappearance of Vermilion and the entire building, she drifted in and out of consciousness until recently, when she began to slowly regain awareness. However, she found herself immobilized on the floor, her mind swirling with a multitude of thoughts.

'I can't remember... What happened?' Vermilion's thoughts raced, a jumble of fragmented memories swirling in the darkness.

'There was light... blinding light. But then... nothing...'

Each breath felt like a laborious effort, the weight of uncertainty pressing down upon her chest.

'Am I alone?' she wondered aloud, the sound of her own voice a feeble attempt to dispel the suffocating isolation.

Images flickered in her mind's eye – faces, voices, fragments of a life she struggled to grasp. 'There was someone... a girl,' Vermilion mused, a thread of recognition weaving through the fog of her memories.

'Who is she? Why can't I remember?'

The distant chirping of crickets broke through the silence, a symphony of nature echoing in the darkness. Vermilion strained to recall the significance of the sound.

'The sound... It's becoming clearer, louder... I remember it... It's... it's... crickets!'

'Why is there such a cacophony of cricket noise today?'

'Today...? When have I heard this noise before? In a small unit... A small unit I shared with...'

"CARMELLA!" Vermilion's voice reverberated through the space as she jolted awake.

Gasping for breath and surveying her surroundings, Vermilion realized she was still confined within her unit. The room remained enveloped in darkness, save for a faint glimmer of light seeping through a crack in the window. Crawling toward it, she exerted all her strength to pry the window open.

Peering outside, Vermilion's heart skipped a beat. "Oh dear... Where in the world am I!?"

Before her eyes lay a surreal scene where the entire building she was in perched precariously on the edge of a cliff, almost atop a mountain. Gripped by fear of the dizzying height, she hastily shut the window.

"What did I just witness!? Am I really on top of a mountain?! I can see the peaks of other mountains illuminated by the moonlight!"

"This can't be... It's impossible... I was in Kothern! In Luthernza! In the slum! And..."

"The tank! Right! The tank! I was hit by a tank! Its shell exploded right in front of me! But... How did I survive!? Or did I...? Am I in the afterlife depicted in the storybooks? A realm where the departed gather..."

Vermilion grappled with the incomprehensible situation. Opening the window once more, a fierce gust of wind swept into her unit, confirming with chilling clarity that she and the entire building teetered on the cliff's edge.

Lost in thought, she faintly discerned footsteps echoing from the outside corridor, intensifying her fear. Summoning all her strength, she attempted to rise but faltered, crashing back to the floor with a thud. The noise immediately drew the attention of the approaching figure.

"Oh no! I've made too much noise! The footsteps... They're stopping right outside the door! Could it be the soldier?! Did I even lock the door?! I have a terrible feeling... I don't think I did..."

The door creaked open, and a large hand extended inside, pushing it further ajar. A tall man stepped into the unit, his left hand grasping a formidable weapon. Vermilion and the man locked eyes, both remaining silent. Fear and nervousness etched Vermilion's face, while the man wore a look of bewilderment and confusion.

Breaking the tense silence, the man inquired, "Are you a human being...t?"

"I... I don't know..." Vermilion stammered.

The man pressed on, "Is this your house? I mean, this entire building..."

"Just this unit... cough..."

"Where did you come from then?"

"Kot... cough... Wa... Water..."

"Water?! Hold on a moment! Where's the water..."

Scanning the room, the man located a water pitcher. "This one? Are you hurt? You can't get up, can you?"

"I've lost all my strength... I can't even feel my legs..."

"Let me help you drink... Erhem... Would you mind if I touch your shoulder...?" The man asked cautiously.

Vermilion shook her head.

"Alright... Er... Would you mind if I touch your mouth...?" he asked, seeking permission once more.

Again, Vermilion shook her head.

"Okay, easy... Just lean your shoulders on my legs, and I'll pour this slowly..."

"Okay..." she acquiesced.

The man's hand slipped, causing all the water to cascade directly over Vermilion's face. Despite the mishap, she seemed to have recovered slightly.

"Hey, lady! I'm so sorry about that! I was really nervous... I've never had close contact with any female before..." 

"It's okay... I'm fine... Thank you for helping me..."

"Where did you say you're from again?" 

"Kothern... Luthernza."

"Seriously!? How did you manage to get into Jervalae? I thought they closed all the borders recently..."

"Jervalae?! The country I heard about in the news! How is that possible?!" Vermilion exclaimed.

"You seem more shocked than me... And what's with this tall building? How did it suddenly appear here, along with you?"

"I really have no idea... I was in Luthernza... Soldiers attacked us, and then a tank shell hit me... When I regained consciousness, I found myself here, with my house..." 

"I was patrolling around then I suddenly saw this building emerge. I've checked every unit, every floor, and you're the only person I found..." the man added.

'Could it be similar to what happened to me before? My power somehow teleported me to other places when I was in danger...' Vermilion pondered silently.

"Um... I think we should get out of this building first... It's quite unstable here. Don't forget, we're on the edge of a cliff..." the man suggested.

"Yeah... I noticed earlier... But my legs are still 'out of service' at the moment..."

"Well... If you don't mind, I can carry you down..."

"I don't mind at all."

"Alright... Just get on my back and hold onto my shoulders... Ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay... One... Two... HWAPP!"

'He's so strong! Just carrying me effortlessly with his left arm!' Vermilion observed and marveled.

"What floor is this? I didn't count when I came up here..." 

"It's the twenty-first floor... It's incredibly dark..."

"Twenty-first... You're right, I can barely see anything... I shudder to think what would happen if we were to fall down these stairs..."

"The worst-case scenario would be both of us meeting our demise... Hmm? What are you carrying in your right hand?"

"I'm carrying... How could I forget about this!? You're sharp! Could you do me a favor?" the man responded.

"What is it?" Vermilion asked.

The man reached into his right pocket and pulled out a lighter. "Just light this up for me!"

"Alright, but will this small flame be enough to illuminate our path?" Vermilion wondered.

"Obviously, not by itself. But with my little buddy here, it'll do the trick..." the man assured her.

He ignited the unique-shaped axe he was carrying with the lighter, and its blade burned brightly, instantly illuminating their path ahead. The length of the axe surpassed even the man's own height.

With the axe ablaze, Vermilion finally got a clear look at the man. He had dark blue short hair, was taller than her but shorter than Rosseaulyn. He appeared to be dressed in a dark black suit reminiscent of a combat uniform.

"Wow! It lit up completely and instantly! What... What is this?" Vermilion exclaimed in amazement.

"It's an axe. Not a torch, that's for sure," the man replied with a hint of amusement.

"Indeed," Vermilion agreed, still marveling at the unexpected light source.

Vermilion examined the axe closely, captivated by its artistic shape and the fiery hue of the burning flame. The aurora-like flames dancing around the blade resonated with her in a way she couldn't quite explain.

"It's so beautiful... And cool... It looks like something intricate was crafted onto it..." Vermilion remarked.

"It's a metal skull head, meant to intimidate enemies."

"It's unlike any axe I've ever seen... How did you make it flammable?" Vermilion inquired.

"This axe has been passed down through my ancestors for thousands of years. But the mechanism that makes it flammable remains a mystery. My father never explained it, and he's since passed away." 

"I see... You have no idea either?" Vermilion asked.

"I believe it's something to do with the material it's made from."

"Weapon? I thought it was just a decorative axe for chopping wood..." Vermilion admitted sheepishly.

The man chuckled. "You're quite interesting! Many enemies have seen it as a harbinger of death, while you thought it was just an ordinary woodcutter's axe!"

"Please forget what I just said..." Vermilion replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Here we are! We've reached the ground floor. I'll take you to my place first."

"Wow! That was fast! It only took like five minutes to reach the ground!" Vermilion exclaimed.

"I'm faster than most. I train rigorously every day in the mountains."

"That explains why you're so strong... Just like Ayukawa."

"Ayu... Kawai (Cute)???" the man repeated, puzzled. "What kind of name is that?"

"Hahaha, it's Ayukawa. She's living with me and is someone important to me. She's very strong, just like you!"

"Not bad... At least you have a companion..."

"What do you mean? Are you living alone on top of the mountain?"

"Yes."

"Where's your family? Or your friends?" Vermilion pressed.

"All gone. As for my friend... I'm not sure. My family was killed during the war between Kothern and Nisaeria many years ago..."

"That means... You're from Nisaeria?" Vermilion deduced.

"Yes. Actually, I was truly living alone until recently... There's a guy staying with me. But it's a little complicated."

"A guy?" 

"Yeah, I believe he's a Kothern soldier." 

"A Kothern soldier?! Hold on a second! Just put me down first! I can't meet any soldiers from Kothern! They might kill me!" Vermilion panicked.

"No worries, he's been unconscious for many days. He was badly wounded and hasn't regained consciousness yet. Maybe you could come and take a look, perhaps you'd recognize him since you are from Kothern!"

"Well…" Vermilion hesitated.

"No worries, I'll guarantee your safety. By the way, what's your name?"

"Thanks... My name is Vermilion... Vermilion Yeleona!"

"Young-Ho! Geun Young-Ho!"

"Yang-Horr? Sorry for my bad pronunciation..."

"It's Young-Ho! You can call me Geun if you like, I don't mind."

"I'll just call you Geun until I can pronounce your name properly then..."

"As you wish."

"This world has so many interesting things... Even the names... Different pronunciations, different words, and different cultures..." Vermilion remarked.

"Now that you mention it, I never noticed before. I guess I've been in the mountains and jungles for too long. Ah, here we are. This abandoned temple is where I live." Geun explained.

"It does look dilapidated from the outside..." Vermilion observed.

"The condition inside is totally contradictory to the outside. Just like your house. I really admire how the older generation maintained this temple and made it last until this day." 

"Wow... This is the first time I've seen a real temple... Although it's dilapidated, it still looks so spectacular and magnificent..." 

"I'll bring you inside, and you'll understand what I mean... And here we go, I'm going to put you down... Take it easy..." Geun said as he gently lowered Vermilion to the ground.

"Thank you. It feels so warm and cozy inside here! The outside is so freaking cold..."

"See? As I told you. I love this place. Wait a second, let me get a blanket for you," Geun offered.

"Thanks a lot," Vermilion replied gratefully.

Vermilion surveyed the interior of the temple, taking in its grandeur. The hall stood at least 25 meters tall, adorned with towering statues of goddesses on either side. As she examined more closely, she noticed a figure sleeping behind a wooden partition.

"There you go! This one is for you! There are many daily necessities here that are still usable. I guess they were left behind by the previous occupier." Geun remarked, handing Vermilion a blanket.

"Wow! So warm... Erm... Geun, the person behind the partition..." Vermilion started.

"Oh, he's the one I mentioned earlier! Let me remove the partition, and you can take a look to see if you recognize him. Although I doubt this world could be that small. Erhahaha!" Geun chuckled.

Young-Ho removed the partition, and the dim candlelight slowly revealed the person who had been unconscious for days. As Vermilion caught sight of his face, her expression shifted to shock, and she recognized him instantly.

"No way... Captain Raynolds!" Vermilion exclaimed.