The memory ended like a fading dream, and Lyla found herself sitting on her knees in the forest, which thankfully had lost a large amount of fog. The eerieness was no longer a haunting sensation. Instead, it loomed quietly between only distant trees; but it was still there.
Lyla breathed deadly as her eyes opened to the real world once again. Or, was it really? Lyla couldn't really be sure anymore. Nevertheless, the young lady stood to her feet again, wobbling on her feet, still in a bit of a daze as she processed all of that. Now, she knew why Steve was so insistent that she keep the amulet. She now knew it's importance to him. But, why her? Yeah, they were old friends, but, her? She just couldn't shake the one-word question out of her head. 'Why?'
But, she HAD to keep going. Even knowing it's value now, Steve was more important than it. It would be better to keep the actual friend, over a basic token of their friendship. Determination like a revving engine, Lyla sprinted back down the path. She was nearly there. Just a few more minutes, and she would reach where she had dropped the amulet. ..Why had she even dropped it in the first place? It was a stupid move. She knew it was valuable, she had heard people saying that many times before. I guess she just didn't really understand it herself until she remembered why it was so important. But then that just brings back that last nagging question once again. Ghaa! Why?!
"Lyla!" The young lady stopped abruptly, recognizing that younger, feminine voice instantly. Curiously, she turned swiftly to her left, seeing none other than (Y/n)!
"(Y/n)?.." Lyla tilted her head, a smile growing on her face. Immediately, she remembered the mirror, and a pale color brushed over her expression. Was her own sister.. only an illusion? To test this, Lyla warily stepped closer, completely blocking out her younger sister in her moment of pure chatter. She was only about twenty blocks away, and when she stepped closer, she was ACTUALLY closer this time! A little more convinced, Lyla paid more attention to whatever her younger sister was going on about with a massive smile on her face. It almost seemed as if she was talking about.. some kind of adventure, but Lyla's head was full of too many questions to actually listen properly.
"Lylaa.. Hey! Lyla! Are you okay?" (Y/n) snapped her older sister out of it.
"(Y/n), h- how did you get here?.." Lyla asked curiously.
"I honestly have no idea! I was just standing around the castle and-"
"So you were still in Herobrine's palace?!" Lyla ran up to her little sister, grabbing hold of both of her wrists in a worried and definitely protective way. "D- did he hurt you?- What did he do?- Are you okay?- Do I need to call a doctor!?- Are you bleeding under your dress?- Wait, a dress?- Why are you wearing a dress?- Were you forced to wear it?- Did you have to wear a really skimpy one?- Were you threatened in any way?!-" Her mouth was finally covered by (Y/n)'s hand when she got annoyed. Yep! She was real.
"Geez, Lyla, you worry too much. No, I am not hurt. I am actually perfectly fine. Herobrine has been the perfect gentleman." (Y/n) said, shocking Lyla out of the ballpark.
"Okay, now I know something is wrong! Was it a love potion?- Did he ever give you some kind of strange tasting dri-" Again, Lyla was stopped by (Y/n).
"No. No love potions. He just changed." She said, a smile on her face. Lyla just couldn't believe it. "I can explain if you want.." (Y/n) offered, walking over to a log and sitting on it. Lyla began to follow, but then stopped. She was in a hurry! Steve! He was in trouble. She couldn't just let him die, just so she could sit and chat with her sister, who they had left to find in the first place. Taking a long look at her younger sister: seeing her beautiful dress and wonderfully done hair, Lyla worried she wouldn't be able to see her again.
"(Y/n).. I... I have to go. I need to save someone." Lyla told her sister, a sad but urgent expression on her face. Then, she turned quickly and walked several steps before-
"Save someone? Who?! Let me help!" (Y/n) said, standing to her feet.
"No!" Dz! Lyla said sternly, turning and sticking her hand out toward her sister for some reason, though her head was still looking in the direction she had been walking. "..I need to do this alone..." She said, much quieter that time. There was absolute silence behind here. Usually, her sister at least made some kind of comment, or something! Slowly, Lyla turned her head, finding only empty forest behind her. Impossible.. she was just there. Was she really just another illusion?..
Her heart began racing again with the idea. She finally shook her head. Surely not. Something else must have happened.. Some kind of magic. Maybe Herobrine teleported her back, or something. If so, then she still had the same destination to head towards. Shaking her head to snap herself out of it once again, Lyla turned and ran further down the path. After several minutes, she slid in her worn shoes to a stop, and dug her hand into the mixture of leaves and dirt right before her. Within seconds she was holding her amulet once again. Finally! Lyla hugged it tightly once again. It's bright blue glimmer reminding her of the best friend she ever had.. besides (Y/n). No one could replace that lass!
Quickly, Lyla stood back to her feet, and booked it the way she came, amulet tight in her fist. She wouldn't let that friend die. Her panting grew harder, and those noises from before continued.
Dzzzzzzz...
Dzzzzzzzz..
Dzzzzzzz.
She still had no idea what the sounds were, nor what they meant. 'Noises, stop. Please, just stop. Whatever you are.. just, stop!' She thought in her head, but, that obviously didn't help. They just sped up more and more.
Dzzzz.
Dzzz..
Dzz!
"Lyla!" A voice caught Lyla in her moment of pure fear. Her heartbeat slowed down, and so did the noises. They eventually completely faded as she stopped running, turning to her left to see... the two she expected least of all.
"Mommy.. Daddy?..." Her mouth curved into a smile, heavy panting calming down instantly. They both just smiled at her. Without any thought this time, she ran off the path immediately, collapsing into their arms.
Her father had a short heard as well as short hair, while her mother had pretty long hair. Both of them looked only a little older than she last remembered them; and both of them looked overjoyed to see her again. Tears joined Lyla's eyes as she let out the pain she had felt for so long. All those fears, worries, doubts, etc. She didn't want to leave. She just wanted to be with her parents once again.
"Mom, Dad, where did you go? W- why did you leave?." There was a pause, before her father answered.
"Lyla.. we never wanted to leave you girls alone.. We, we thought... We thought.." But, there was no real answer.
"We are not sure if you would believe us.. Our trip wasn't supposed to be long." Her mom said.
"But, where did you go? And why did you not return?.." She asked, finally pulling away from the two, a somewhat broken expression on her face.
"Sweetie.. we never made it back, because-"
"Ugh! Just stop trying to explain yourselves already!" Lyla snapped at the two, for a reason even she didn't fully understand. Just, their faces.. they were the faces of liars. As much as she wanted answers, she also.. just didn't. "I bet you two aren't even real." She grumbled. The two looked surprised, but made no attempt to pursue her otherwise. Scoffing and turning the other way, Lyla turned and ran back to where she should be going.
"Wait! Lyla!"
"Lyla, wait!"
"We can explain!!"
"We have answers!!"
The two shouted as the young lady ran, but she blocked the voices out, tears streaming down her face. Why.. why must she be tormented like this..? Why now? What is so special about right now?. What is so special about these illusions.. these tests? Whatever they were, she didn't care for them anymore. She didn't care! Why be so stuck in the past when there is clearly a future ahead of you?
That sentence floating through her head, it made her stop. It made her almost fall over. Almost drop the amulet. 'Why be so stuck in the past when there is clearly a future ahead of you?..' That's it.. That has to be it! Lyla just needed to look ahead, instead of back. She just needed to keep moving forward, and stop worrying about everything in her past! 'And what future do I have?' She asked herself.
'A bright one..' A part of her own mind answered herself.
'With who, what, when how-?' She asked no one but herself.
'Steve.'
'-The heck?! Oh, as a friend. Of CoUrSe!'
'And (Y/n).'
'Yes, please!'
'And Herobrine.'
'Wait, what-!?'
'Whenever, and however, you make it happen..'
'...You mean, I have control over that?..'
'When did you not?'
'Well, I guess, duh! Hey, wait, I thought I was just talking to myself!'
'...Good point. Good point. I'll just be off then..'
'Wait, I'm confused..'
'Good-byeeeeee!'
'...Oookaaayyy, bye.'
At the end of that.. whatever it was, Lyla stood back up to her feet, no longer determined to save her friend, but also her own future. She sprinted off once again, this time.. no detours to delay her any longer. She was finally ready to face the real trials ahead.