Black Dot

Wherever Agatha looked, all she could see was darkness. Heavy chains weighed down her weakening wrists. Deafening silence surrounded her. Each passing minute brought more cold. She felt as if her entire body had been covered in ice, the chill seeping into her bones.

In the overwhelming darkness and silence, Agatha wondered if she was still alive or if this was some form of death. But every time excruciating pain surged through her, she knew she was still alive, still breathing, albeit barely. She clung to the little life she had left.

She had no idea how long she had been in this state. An hour? A day? A week? A month? Time had lost all meaning. She slept and woke to the same scene, as if she were stuck between two eternities.

Occasionally, she felt tiny feet scurrying across her skin, sharp and tingling. The faint squeaks of mice were her only confirmation that she was still alive, though barely.

Agatha tried to open her weary eyes, but the blindfold was so tight she felt them numbing. She tried moving, but her body screamed with pain at every attempt.

She felt so weak. She couldn't remember the last time she had drunk water or eaten food. She had forgotten what it felt like to be thirsty or hungry. Even her back ached from prolonged sitting. Whenever she tried to lie down, a solid wall blocked her. She felt caged, held hostage, like a helpless animal trapped in a small, suffocating, wet box with only three little holes.

She had also tried to shout, but no voice came from her dry, sore throat. Sharp pain pierced her whenever she tried to swallow, as if she were swallowing broken glass. It hurt so badly she would rather die.

But nothing was more painful than remembering the tragic fate of her parents. They had died right in front of her, at the hands of people they trusted. And she had done nothing. She had failed to save them. And now, she was failing to save herself.

So many questions haunted her, but the answers were out of reach. The questions buzzed in her mind like flies, and the pain throbbed inside her like a second heartbeat.

The darkness was so unrelenting and long that Agatha no longer knew if she was asleep or awake. Then, the ground under her bare feet shivered intensely.

A feminine voice echoed around her. It was her Auntie Isa, calling her name.

But that was impossible. Auntie Isa had been missing for weeks. That was why Agatha's father was always away, searching for Lorelei's sister, who had been mysteriously abducted.

"Aggie…" Agatha heard Auntie Isa whisper.

Agatha wanted to scream that she was there, that she was alive, but only silence came from her mouth. She began thrashing and wriggling. She felt the cold wall behind her and, with her chained feet, kicked the front many times until it made muffled noises. She hoped it was enough for her Auntie Isa to hear.

"Aggie…" the voice called again, hushed this time. "Where are you?"

Agatha soon felt the liberating sensation of fresh air. The walls began to fall away around her. Then, warm hands caressed her, and the blindfold slowly lifted from her eyes.

It was blinding for a long while, then total blackness. Finally, a delighted voice filled her ringing ears. "Aggie," said Auntie Isa. "You're alive…"

Agatha was still adjusting her vision. Even the dim light seemed too bright for her eyes, causing them to hurt.

"We have to be fast," said Auntie Isa. "We have no more time."

She quickly released Agatha's arms and feet. That was when Agatha realized she had been imprisoned inside a box.

Agatha's body ached as she was suddenly stood up by Auntie Isa. Noticing the pain, Auntie Isa observed her body, which was covered with bruises and wounds.

As a Fae, Agatha's wounds would normally heal on their own. However, because she hadn't eaten, her body was too weak to heal itself. Soon, Auntie Isa carried her, as she couldn't walk properly. The whole place was dark, but there was a small flickering light nearby, allowing Agatha to see her former cell in its entirety.

There were many metal cages around, with skeletons scattered everywhere. They were in a cavernous dungeon filled with whips, dusty walls, and endless chains hanging from the ceiling and strewn across the ground.

A small hole in the wall near Agatha's cage became their guide. Agatha and Auntie Isa crawled inside and traversed the passage out of the dungeon. It was challengingly small, but since Agatha was a child and her Auntie had a small frame, they managed to fit through.

Agatha's body was in pain with every movement. But determined to escape, she forced herself onward. Her head collided with the low ceiling in the darkness, but she continued crawling, with her Auntie motivating her from behind.

It seemed like an hour before they finally crossed through. Agatha knew they were in a hurry. Even time was their enemy. She was terrified but also angry. She wanted justice. She wanted answers. She wanted the truth. She wanted revenge.

They remained silent even after escaping Eva's palace.

Agatha didn't speak even as they rode the awaiting horse and navigated the dense forest. They traveled the entire night without rest until they reached a shore. The waves were calming. Without hesitation, they boarded a small wooden boat hidden near a large stone and navigated through the vast darkness of the sea.

It was just the two of them in the boat. It was quite small, making Agatha fear they might drown. The salty wind stroked their cold cheeks and whipped through their hair.

"Change your clothes first," Auntie Isa said, handing Agatha a shirt when she saw that her current clothes were torn. Even though Auntie Isa was also marred with dirt, she still prioritized Agatha.

"Aggie…" called Auntie Isa. "Eat after you're done." She pointed to a small sack beside them, filled with fruits and breads.

"These will only last a week, so we need to fish the next day after we rest to make them last longer until…" Auntie Isa trailed off, looking toward the horizon and sighing heavily.

Auntie Isa started paddling, and the boat sped up thanks to the sail and the wind blowing towards them. Despite this, she remained tense. As the sun rose straight on the horizon, she worried they might be easily seen.

Agatha cleared her throat. "A-Auntie…" Agatha finally spoke, tears streaming down her face.

Auntie Isa looked at her, seeing the tears forming in her eyes. She hugged Agatha tightly, like a mother's embrace.

"I'm sorry," whispered Auntie Isa into Agatha's ear. "I'm sorry I'm late. I'm very sorry, Aggie…" Her embrace tightened.

"M-my mom… my dad…" Agatha couldn't continue as she felt her heart about to burst. More tears fell on her cheeks.

Auntie Isa hushed her. "Please don't stop, Aggie," she said in a soothing tone. "You have to be strong. We're going to be safe. We're leaving. We'll go somewhere else. Far away from all this. Somewhere safe. To a place they'll never reach…"

Despite the assurances, Agatha sobbed, overwhelmed with emotions. Auntie Isa let her cry out her heart's desire. Tears streamed down Auntie Isa's face too, her expression as soft as the morning light. She really resembled my mother, Agatha thought.

Agatha nodded as she wiped her tears, trying to calm herself. She looked back at the island where she was born and raised. For the last time, she took it in, etching it into her memories, the good and the bad.

"Mom, dad… we're leaving," whispered Agatha. "I'll live as I promised. Please guide us. Give us strength to move forward. I'll love you always, in every way…"

As one of the islands of Etherealis began to fade into a mere black dot in the vast sea, Agatha's vision slowly darkened.