1: Back to the past

"Sistine, please pack up. I'm set to leave".

"Hang on a minute, I'm almost done". Sistine replied her best friend, Kyla, from the red room . "I'm heading straight to the museum right after this.....You know the usuals. He! He!". Sistine annoyingly giggled.

"I guess this is my punishment for being friends with a historical freak" Kyla complained, "Just hurry up".

A few minutes later, Sistine sprang out of the room in excitement. Kyla stares at her with disgust as she sees how happy Sistine is to go to the museum. With immediate effect, Sistine grabbed Kyla's wrist and together, they left the hospital building. Both of them were medical doctors working at the 'Ao Denver's Hospital '.

"Sistine, I'll call a cab".

"No need, I love a good walk to you-know-where. He! He! He!".

Sistine walked alongside her best friend in the whole world as they both grew up together. Life with Kyla had always been the best thing that happened in her life. Without her, the world would be meaningless. They walked side by side, drowning themselves in nature's beauty. Before they realised it, they were at the museum's gate.

"We're here". Sistine took a deep breath.

"Yeah! Let's just hope we don't accidentally walk through Heaven's gate and meet a masked woman wearing a hat". Kyla teased.

"Heaven's gate? Masked woman? What are you even talking about?". Sistine was confused, but then again, she felt familiar with it.

"Seriously?" Kyla smirked, "You used to rave on about seeing Heaven's gate and a masked woman, back when we were younger".

"I remember no such thing. Now come on, I've got browsing to do".

' I've never heard those words before....but somehow I feel connected to it '. Sistine thought to herself.

Kyla waits in the gallery room as usual, while Sistine walked through the hallways, looking at paintings of the past. She suddenly found herself in a different part of the museum which she had never been to. She walked closer, squinting her eyes to see deep into the paintings. They gave off an intriguing scent.

She noticed that they were all paintings of past kingdoms and it's rulers, but then again....so different from the ones she's seen so far. She finally gets close enough and slowly reaches out to touch it. As soon as she came in contact with it, she heard a faint voice saying: You are the tree. Sistine immediately lets go of the paintings. So many memories flowed through her head in a flash, leaving her in severe headache. The memories were loud, they hurt like hell, she soon found herself falling to the ground.

"SISTINE!!!" Kyla screamed from behind.

A few hours later, she regained consciousness, only to find that she was laying on her bed in her house. She was greeted by two pairs of eyeballs staring blatantly at her. Her mother gave a sigh of relief.

"What was that all about? You scared the hell out of me". Kara, Sistine's mother, cried out. "I'll go get you some water to drink". Kara left the room in a hurry.

" I'll also get you something to eat". Kyla said. But as Kyla was about to leave, Sistine pulled her back.

" I've hit rock bottom ".

"W...What?!". Kyla was so confused.

" I'm gonna be gone for a while, take care of my mum while I'm gone". Sistine sounded so weird. "Don't worry, I will be back". She finally gave a warm, gentle, assuring smile as she closed her eyes, leaving her body lifeless.

"No! No! No!". Kara had overheard their conversation. "It's happening all over again. The last time, her dad and I were forced to erase her memories of the last coma, using hypnosis. Now...Am I going to lose my daughter again?!!". Kara cried out.

" So that's why she never recalled anything, you his this from her. But,..... I'm going to trust her. Don't worry, she will be back.....She MUST come back to us". Kyla assured, forcing herself to believe Sistine would be back.

Sistine found herself awoke in a dark, vast world. It was like a void where nothing existed. The only thing she could see was herself, wearing a glowing white dress. Then she suddenly heard a voice.

"What did you see in those paintings".

"Paintings?..." Sistine tried to remember. " I saw a perished kingdom, chaos between prince brothers, a nine tailed fox who had gone rogue, probably killed,...and ...and ...I saw a woman wearing a mask and a hat made of pine needles, standing beyond a gate.....A strange bright gate".

" I can't tell you everything you need to know, you'll have to find out yourself. But you're about to go on a long, painful journey. Change that past and you shall be free. I'll take you back to the past, five hundred years ago, but you don't need to worry, I'll help you along the way without you even realising it. If you're ever in need of something, just remember: You are the tree. Goodluck!". The voice told Sistine, leaving her puzzled.

And with that, Sistine found herself deep below a clear river. She swam up to the surface and found herself in an unfamiliar area. More to it, she was wearing a hat made out of pine needles, and a veil which covered her face, except her eyes. She couldn't understand anything, flashing back on what the voice had told her left her even more confused. So she came out of the river and pulled away the hat and mask.

"This place looks like that kingdom I saw in my memories. Could it be.... I'm actually back to the past?".

( Beyond The Horizon)

Gatekeeper Rou: That cunning Sharman Kira is back. What does she plan this time?.

Gatekeeper Lu: ( So this was her plan all along). I'd love to see her brilliant plan unfold. This seems interesting.

(She smiled).