A Place That Doesn't Look Real

"Descend... to ascend?" I muttered, staring at the two of them. "But that's... a hill. I mean, shouldn't we be climbing, not going down to—"

"—to the hole they say is a suicide spot?" Charlotte cut in, too impatient to wait. "Yeah, yeah. But Rose... we don't have ten years for you to think it through. Coming or not? If not, stay here. We're going down."

I opened my mouth, startled. "Wait? I haven't—"

Before I could finish, she shoved me into the hole I wasn't even ready to dive into.

"HEY—!!!"

My body fell, then plunged downward in free fall.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

My scream echoed into the open sky. The world spun.

Darkness...

Then a point of light.

Then brighter.

And— I was falling from the sky.

But as I neared the ground… gravity slowed. I floated like a feather from a branch.

I screamed again, "Aaaaaa!"

My feet touched the ground. No pain. No injury.

"Eh... what just happened?" I asked in confusion, opening my eyes. I landed. Gently.

Charlotte was already behind me, dusting off her clothes.

"Told you, right? Don't be scared. You'd be fine."

Charlotte's voice came from behind me, annoyingly smug.

I turned— and SMACK!

My right hand landed squarely on her head.

"Aiish, you!!! Don't you dare do that again! That was so scary, seriously?!"

Charlotte raised both hands, wincing dramatically. "Oww, okay-okayyy… I'm sorry... Mercy, O mighty hero. I just... wanted to make it thrilling, you know…"

I huffed, but couldn't stop a half-annoyed smile. In the distance, I spotted Isabella flying alone. She gazed toward a small house nestled on the hill.

She said nothing. Her hands smoothed her dress as she looked at the tip of her wing, as if seeking calm. Her eyes were full of hope... and worry. Her face was serene, but something was weighing on her mind.

Charlotte looked at Isabella, then nodded slowly. "She'll be okay," she murmured, this time without her usual teasing. "I hope."

Isabella turned to me and smiled softly.

"Let's go in. He's inside. But I need to tell him first. Just a moment."

Charlotte looked at me and nodded, then strolled toward a shady tree at the side.

"This'll be hard to explain, so it'll take some time. Let's rest over there."

I nodded, still dazed, and followed her.

"So… this is Terravane Hill? But… how?"

"It is," Charlotte replied seriously, looking at me. "If you don't believe it, just look over there." She pointed to the edge of the hill.

She lay down under the banyan tree, sinking into the cool grass. But I… I stepped toward the direction she'd pointed.

The wind greeted me. Gentle. Cool. But not piercing.

I walked, slowly. Unconsciously holding my breath.

In front of me, the sky stretched endlessly. Thin clouds rolled in the distance. Wide rivers twisted like giant ribbons, flowing from highlands that looked like the courtyards of heaven. The edge of the world? An ocean shimmered at the horizon, merging with the sky.

Birds circled the hill, so close I could hear their wings. They welcomed us. Dancing above our heads. Their sounds mingled with the distant murmur of a waterfall behind the hill, creating a harmony of nature I could barely believe was this place doesn't look real.

I stood frozen. Unmoving. Speechless.

Then, slowly, a single tear slipped down my cheek. Not from sadness. But from disbelief—that a place like this truly existed.

"So... this place is real, huh?" I whispered.

The sound of wings fluttered behind me. Isabella.

I quickly wiped my tears and turned with a smile. She stopped not far from me and pointed at a small house in the middle of the hill.

"Right now… he's struggling to grasp that you're really here. But if you want to meet him directly, you can go inside."

I nodded,

"Alright. Thank you for everything, Isabella.

I turned my head, staring at the house. The small house stood alone at the end of the stone path, its roof mossy and its walls aged by time. The air around it felt heavier. No sound came except for the rustle of leaves reluctant to touch the ground.

I stepped slowly closer. The door was unlocked. Slightly ajar, as if waiting for someone bold enough to enter.

I stepped in quietly, trying not to make a sound. There was someone inside. His back was to me—tanned skin, a muscular torso with no shirt, and messy hair falling to his neck. His hands rested behind his head, motionless, like a living statue.

"I know I'm not welcome," I said softly, "but I need to talk."

He shot me a cold look.

I swallowed the nervous lump building in my throat. "I didn't come here by accident. I came to warn you. Gaelvorn... this place... it's going to be the site of a major conflict sometime soon. I know it sounds insane, but I—"

I pulled the book from my bag and opened it, its worn pages—read just the night before—spread wide between us.

"This isn't an ordinary book," I continued. "It records what's going to happen. Many things haven't happened yet, but they will... if we don't do something now. I—I came here to try and stop it. I want to talk. To work together."

He slowly turned. His face came into the dim light filtering through the window—he stepped toward a hook on the wall and slipped on a thin black robe.

I tried again. "I'm not with Dominatus. You probably think that, but—I'm not even from—"

My voice broke.

He had already walked past me, out of the house without a single word. I followed heavily, trying to catch up, trying to stop anything from slipping away before I was truly heard.

At the edge of the hill, he stood. The wind tugged at his robe like fractured wings.

I stopped a few steps behind him.

He spoke, without turning.

"Outsiders like you have no right to set foot in this sacred place."

His voice was quiet... but it struck harder than a scream.

I couldn't answer. His words froze my lungs.

And before I could breathe, he stepped off the edge—and jumped.

But his body didn't fall. Instead, it rose, as if the sky itself refused to let him go. The wind twisted around him, lifting him up, and he vanished into the white mist.

I stood alone. My hand still gripped the book, but it felt like I was holding a weight I could no longer carry.

I hadn't expected his reaction to be like this.

My steps were heavy as I left the little house—steps that made no sound, as if even the ground fell silent with me. The wind on Terravane Hill had once brushed my cheek, but now it felt distant. Empty.

I returned to the place where I'd first set foot on this hill. Amid tangled grass and roots, I stood frozen, replaying his words.

"Outsiders like you have no right to set foot in this sacred place."

His words were cold, but that wasn't what stunned me. It was how he said it. As if I had never belonged anywhere.

Soft footsteps approached from behind. I didn't need to turn to know it was Isabella. Her wings gave off a gentle rustle, like leaves kissed by fog.

She didn't ask anything.

She just stood beside me, then slowly took my hand and guided me away from the stone path. We walked in silence until we reached an open green field—where grass rose to our knees and the scent of fresh earth filled the air.

Isabella sat down first. I followed, knees folding beneath me, letting my body fall slowly. The weight on my shoulders was too much to carry any longer.

But even silence brought no relief.

I lowered my head, staring at the ground. Not knowing what to say. Not knowing what to feel. Everything was a blur. Purpose, courage, even logic. All vanished the moment that earth wielder's sharp eyes looked at me like I was nothing but dust.

My voice was barely a whisper.

"Can you leave me alone?"

Isabella turned, a bit surprised. But she didn't say anything. She simply nodded, then stood and spread her wings. A moment later, she was airborne—flying away, leaving me in complete silence.

I opened the book again.

My fingers trembled as they touched the cover. Then I flipped to the last page I'd read the night before... but before I could focus on the lines, a single tear fell onto the paper, blurring the ink slightly.

I covered my face with my hands.

I couldn't take it anymore. If all of this was meant to prevent destruction... then why did it feel like I was punishing myself?

Memories from three years ago surfaced again. Regrets left unresolved. Wounds still unhealed.

I couldn't do this.

I couldn't bear it alone.

Couldn't be the only one who knew what was coming and had to carry the burden alone. Especially after today... after being rejected before I could even speak.

I don't know when I started drifting off.

My eyes were too heavy. My body too tired.

The book remained open on my lap. The wind gently turned the pages, but I didn't notice.

I fell asleep on that green field—a stranger, carrying a secret, slowly losing herself.