I woke to the sounds of birds chirping in the distance and rustling trees swaying in the brisk wind, the cold morning air dry and crisp. I had slept while Jiya kept watch. She'd decided that it was much too dangerous for both of us to simply sleep in the open.
I looked around and the light from the sun that filtered through the trees did nothing to carry any warmth.
I undid the sleeping bag and sat up, looking around my heart sank.
She, was nowhere in sight.
I had expected this.
I hoped I was wrong but... I had a feeling.
After all she never promise me that she would stay.
Still, "Jiya?" I tried hoping to hear her reply I tried again a little more loudly this time "Jiya?!" nothing.
I was right.
It still hurt though.
I stood and walked over to the fire pit examining the charred remnants of wood that was left.
I was sad but more than that I was angry, at myself mostly but the angrier I became and the more I suppressed it the more I noticed strands of something barely visible on the air.
I knew what this was.
I inhaled slowly then exhaled.
"Dan is movement, two opposing moving forces creates friction and friction creates heat." Simple enough so I concentrated. There's no fire to pull from so I only need to create my own.
Dan and Dan then hou to concentrate the heat onto a single point.
This should work, as the theory was pretty sound.
Concentrate.
With my anger the strands in the air moved slowly towards the fire pit, then bright flashes in quick succession I pulled more on my anger and more and more but ultimately...
nothing happened.
The strands floated away before disappearing completely.
I bit my lip causing a small trail of blood to leave a distinct coppery taste in my mouth. A tear drop fell regardless.
My anger was fading and there was now less and less to cover my sadness or hide my tears.
"Go-on. Everyone leaves me."
"Poko."
"Jiya."
I tried remembering my family but the memory got more muddled the harder I tried.
Even my own family.
Everyone leaves me.
The urge to cry welled up and it was all I could do to suppress it, even if barely.
I... lalie... was alone again.
Yes the dumb girl who thought that things would change even for a little.
Why would things get even the slightest bit easier for me?
Subconsciously I really wanted her to reappear the way she always did but I knew this wasn't going to happen.
Looking up, I spoke strongly but calmly to no-one, " Do you enjoy my pain?"
"I'm gonna leave." I offered and then "Jiya... my dragon queen, you've made your choice. I hope you're happy with it."
***
The forest had a silent bitterness to it, something about its stillness amplified everything that had happened before.
How was it that spending only one day with some one could do this to me? It seemed all too wrong, her scent and shy smile filled my mind even though I wanted none of it.
The way her small pointy horns poked through her hair but never really seeming dangerous at all.
The way she teased me.
It all just made me bitter.
I'm gonna get to the bottom of this, the reason I was brought here, the identity of the monarch, why my memories are like this and maybe... where Jiya went.
I'll uncover the mysteries of this island and I'll stop who ever it is that's responsible from doing it to anyone else.
Soon enough I found a path in the forest that was barely noticeable.
I had to climb over the low limbs of a large tree blocking me to get to the beaten path. It really wasn't much more than a dirt trail to be honest but this was proof and it rekindled hope in me like a small fire.
This meant that people were here. Maybe this leads to Jiya's home?
I shook my head in an attempt to get rid of the thought, "stop thinking like that. Stop depending on her."
Grow up, she abandoned you. If you keep doing this to yourself you'll never make it out of this mess alive.
Just focus on the task ahead.
I slapped my cheeks in order to 'wake' myself up.
It hurt, but it worked.
Looking up and down the trail I arbitrarily chose a direction and went with it.
***
It wasn't long before I realized that something was a bit off. The path seemed seemed to continue on winding and winding however what I noticed wasn't the many turns that I had made but rather the order.
You see I'm certain I took more than 4 right turns but I never once looped back onto the path.
Something here was strange.
I looked at the path, before continuing I wanted to be sure that I wasn't just going in circles, not that it really mattered since I was already hopelessly lost. I just needed to be sure I was actually going somewhere.
The path seemed like any ordinary one.
Nothing really stood out, except...
"The hell??" I was absolutely sure that wasn't there before!
It was a large rock-face, it glistened in the sunlight that filtered through the trees, Reflecting various colors from its innately deep black surface.
What is it? It seemed cool to the touch and it's smooth surface felt so much more calming that I smiled without realizing.
"What are you?" I stated mostly to myself not expecting anything by way of a reply in the least.
Nothing. I wasn't disappointed, it was just a rock. A strange looking rock but a rock none the less.
I felt compelled to touch it again.
Again the feeling poured through me this time much stronger than before.
This felt familiar and the feeling only grew stronger, I wanted to take it. I wanted it all.
But the the sheer magnitude of the giant rock almost dissuaded me.
Almost.
I quickly tried sitting in a lotus position and leaned back against the large rock, the feeling slowly coursed into me and I could feel it filling an empty inside me, something that had been empty for so long. My breathing became deep and slower.
The feeling of sleep pooled over me, the trees overhead swayed in the wind. It was a little while before I realized what had happened.
I looked around unsure of where I was. The immediate area was dark and windy, a foreboding feel weighed heavy on the air.
"You," the voice surprised me so much that I yelped before turning to face it, ithe voice belonged to a child. She sat on a stone chair. The chair seemed to be made of the same material as the rock from before.
The little girl peered at me a dangerous look in here eyes.
One that made me cautious.
"why did you disturb my rest?" she asked leaning her head to the side examining me with a cold stare. "And why do you, a human possess my 'hou' and 'Dan' precepts? answer carefully because if your answer doesn't satisfy me then don't blame me for not granting you a painless death."
The air became heavier.
It pressed down on me forcing me to my knees.
I know this, its undoubtedly Dan and hou however on such a magnitude that it felt like it would crush me at any given moment!
What do I do?