Chapter 126 — Parallel worlds
Meanwhile (Aria's side of the story, continues)...
Aria felt herself being pulled into the endless loop, the other side of the void unfolding around her like an infinite abyss. The blue mist swirled, wrapping her in its cool embrace.
As she fell, the sensation was unlike anything she had ever experienced. There was no wind rushing past, no sense of speed, just a slow, dreamlike descent.
Her consciousness began to waver, thoughts becoming fragmented and distant. The edges of her vision blurred, the mist seeping into her mind, making it hard to tell where the world ended and she began.
She reached out instinctively, but there was nothing solid to grasp, only the endless blue haze that swallowed everything.
Time seemed to stretch and warp, moments blending into one another. As she fell, her mind grew hazy, the world around her fading into a blur.
She braced for a hard landing, but it never came. Instead, she felt cool, gentle hands reach out from the mist, catching her softly.
They lifted her, cradling her weightlessly, and carried her away. She couldn't see who or what held her, only sensing their presence through the fog.
And then everything was gone.
***
Selene snapped her eyes open.
She looked down at her new body, staring at Aria's hands, feet, baby bump. She moved her fingers and toes as the witches watched with awe filled eyes, open with reverence.
They were gathered in a circle around her after rescuing her from the pit.
But Selene completely ignored her. It was as if they were invisible to her.
The witches' murmurs grew louder, tinged with confusion and curiosity.
She paid them no mind, her gaze distant as if seeing through the veil of time itself.
Their whispers died down to an awed silence. They watched, breathless, as Selene rose to her feet. Her movements were clumsy as she slowly adjusted to the motion of her new body.
The witches exchanged nervous glances, their earlier reverence now tinged with confusion and anxiety. Without a word, Selene began to move, her steps measured and precise.
She walked with an air of regal grace, her presence commanding the attention of all who saw her.
Her path was clear, her destination certain…Aria's birthplace, the abandoned healers' village.
The witches, though bewildered, dared not question her. They followed in her wake, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation. The ruins of the village loomed ahead, shrouded in mystery and shadow, as Selene led them into the unknown, her purpose as enigmatic as the night itself.
When the witches pulled her out from the pit of the dark dimensions, they did not anticipate such a reunion when she awakened.
***
On the other side ( David's side of the story) -
David excused himself from Ester, leaving her as confused as himself.
He knew he needed to keep searching for that one thing bugging his consciousness.
With a furrowed brow and a mind clouded by fragmented memories, he made his way through the crowded marketplace.
The market was alive with color and sound. Vendors shouted the prices of their goods, their voices a chorus of offers and enticements. Stalls overflowed with exotic spices, their scents mingling in the air. Cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron created a heady perfume.
Vibrant textiles in rich hues of crimson, emerald, and gold fluttered in the breeze, inviting buyers to reach out and feel their luxurious softness.
All gathered from lands far and distant.
Children darted between the stalls, their laughter adding a light, joyful note to the symphony of the marketplace, scanning the various items on display.
He noticed a group of women haggling over the price of dates, their animated gestures punctuating their words.
Men discussed the merits of different livestock, their voices deep and earnest. making the air shimmer with heat.
Suddenly, David bumped into someone, jolting him from his reverie. He turned to apologize, but the figure was already moving away, a cloak billowing around her as she ran.
"Sorry!" David called out, but the woman did not slow down. He caught a fleeting glimpse of her face. As she moved, a faint blue mist seemed to trail behind her, shimmering in the sunlight.
A memory stirred in David’s mind, vague but insistent. That blue mist…it tugged at something deep within him, a half-remembered dream or a fragment of his past...or was it the future?
He knew he had to follow her.
He pushed through the crowd, his eyes fixed on the retreating figure. She was fast, weaving through the market with an agility born of desperation. David’s heart pounded as he chased her, his breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps.
"Wait!" he shouted, but she did not turn around. The market seemed to close in around him, the noise and chaos intensifying with every step.
He dodged a fruit vendor, nearly upsetting a basket of pomegranates. The vendor cursed at him, but David barely heard it. His focus was entirely on the woman ahead.
She turned a corner, disappearing from view. David rounded the same corner moments later, his eyes scanning the narrow alley.
There she was, slipping through a doorway at the far end. He quickened his pace, his feet pounding against the cobblestones.
As he reached the doorway, he hesitated for a moment. The building was old, its stone walls weathered and crumbling in places. The door was ajar, darkness spilling out into the sunlight.
David took a deep breath and stepped inside. The interior was dim, lit only by a few narrow shafts of light that pierced the gloom. Dust motes danced in the air, disturbed by his entrance. The blue mist was here too, faint but unmistakable, a spectral guide leading him forward.
"Hello?" David called out, his voice echoing in the stillness. "I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk.”
For a moment, there was silence. Then, a voice answered from the shadows…soft and trembling.
"Why are you following me?”
David peered into the darkness, trying to locate the source of the voice. "I saw the mist," he said. "It…it triggered something in my memory. Please, can you tell me who you are?"
There was a rustling sound, and the woman stepped into a beam of light. Her face was partially hidden by the hood of her cloak, but David could see her eyes…deep and filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
"You can't fool me!" She suddenly cried out, turning to face David with wild eyes. "I know who you are! Ragnar, you devil! Always chasing me, tormenting me…”
She backed away, fear and anger contorting her features. "Stay away from me! I won't let you hurt me again!”
David stopped in his tracks, confusion clouding his features. "Ragnar? No, you must be mistaken. My name is David."
Her eyes widened in fear, and she backed away, her hands trembling. "No, you can't fool me. You look just like him. Those eyes, that face… it's him!”
“Please," David said, his voice gentle but urgent. "I'm not Ragnar. He was my father.”
But she was shaking her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're lying! You're just like him. I won't let you deceive me."
Frantic, David reached out to her, his hand trembling. "Please, look at me. I'm not here to cause any trouble. I don't know what trauma my father inflicted on you or what is your relationship with him. I don't even know you. Can I at least get a name? ”
“ Nooo! I am not giving you anything anymore. I have you all that I had but you played me, Ragnar. I won't let anyone play me again! ”
The woman's scream shattered the fragile silence of the dimly lit room, echoing off the worn stone walls.
David recoiled instinctively, his heart racing as he watched her back away, fear and anger contorting her features. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Before he could say more, she suddenly gasped, a desperate look crossing her face. In a swift motion, she reached into the folds of her cloak and pulled out a small vial.
Before David could react, she uncorked it and blew into the vial with force. A faint blue miasma billowed out, swirling around her and then rushing towards David in a chilling gust.
Instinctively, he raised his hands to shield his face, but the miasma seemed to penetrate through, enveloping him in its icy embrace.Then, as quickly as it had come, the miasma dissipated into the air, leaving David standing there, bewildered and unsettled.
He glanced around the room, but the woman had vanished. The only evidence of her presence was the lingering chill in the air and the echo of her words in his mind. "I won't let you hurt me again…”