I open my eyes.
For a moment, I question my surroundings, forgetting all the things that have happened for a moment of bliss. Then, reality flushes into my mind and I am left with the same emptiness as yesterday.
I get up from the muddy ground, feeling mud sticking to my clothes was all I can focus on for a small moment, then I realize something more concerning.
The pond is gone. Completely dried up, no water in sight. It wasn't just the pond, the once blossoming area in front of me was dead. The greenery was gone, replaced with decayed forms of the once blooming flora.
I'm in pure shock, what happened here? What did this?
I stumble back and feel multiple grains of what feels like overgrown grass caress my back.
I turn around and find an overgrown area of vegetation. The grass reached to almost my height, the trees were wrapped in a blanket of jade colored moss and animals seemed to take every empty spot of the overflowing landscape.
My head starts spinning, what is going on?
Suddenly, I came to a realization.
The ring.
I look down to examine the ring and find yet another profound discovery.
My body was healed, completely.
My once boney hands and arms were full of fat and muscle. Veins stretched over my forearms, leading up to my arms. I admire what I can see from my view of this new body. I clench my fists, feeling this newfound strength was yet another distraction from the cause of all this, the ring.
Ignoring my new reinvigorated body, I look at the ring.
It looks the same, there was nothing different about it.
I realize that just staring in awe at it wouldn't tell me anything, so I weigh my options and realize the only thing I can do that would tell me anything is to take off the ring.
Will it reverse all the effects that I've witnessed? Including the healing my body went through? Will I die if I take off this ring?
These questions float in my mind as I go to take off the miracle object.
I brace for my potential death. This might be the worst decision I can make...
My left hand slides it out of my right middle finger until it's in my left palm.
Nothing happened, I look around and see all the effects still there.
I exhale in relief and put the ring back on my right hand.
So, what do I do next?
My instinct is to use this new body to escape this forest while I can, who knows how long these effects will last. There's a chance it won't last forever, in that case I need to get to somewhere that will have people to help me once I revert back to my frail body.
As I go through potential plans in my mind, I hear a voice.
"You've gone through a lot, haven't you?"
A female voice speaks to me, from her one sentence, I could sense her genuine worry and concern.
I look around after quickly noting her tone, attempting to find the origins of the voice.
I look on both sides of the contrasting landscape; scanning every place where someone could be hiding.
She's nowhere to be seen.
"You won't be able to find me out there."
I ponder her statement for a few long moments until I come to a sudden realization.
It's one shock after the other.
I look down at the ring.
The voice lets out a small giggle that ringed throughout my mind.
"So you found me?"