What time is it? She was lazy to get up to go to work today. Her forehead wrinkled when her nose inhaled the smell of pillow tread.
She opened her eyes.
"Where am I? What is this place? I was kidnapped?" Annabella screamed.
She realized that she was not in her house. She gets up from the bed.
The walls were made of unpainted red bricks. Not only that, there were even trees radiating from the air holes. The only light source to illuminate the room she lived in. A single bed and a mirror were all that were found in the room.
Her body was viewed through the mirror. A yellowish-white cotton shirt. It was not like the t-shirt she always wore. Her size was also twenty times that of her thin body.
"I'm wearing clothes that belong to an elephant?"
The pants were also bigger than her size. Not like jeans, not like leggings, not like track pants...
"Eh? There's no door? Did the villain who kidnapped me doesn't have enough money to build a single door?"
Her feet stepped towards the wide-open yard. The hinges were not there. The villain who kidnapped her must be stupid.
Ah, never mind! What mattered was that she could save herself. Annabella was already ready to run out.
Thump!
Annabella fell flat on her back on the floor.
"Ouch! It hurts!" She complained of pain when her body was slammed against a hard wall. She got up. Her hands brushed the dust that was stuck to her.
"Why am I here again? Shouldn't I have gone out already?"
Her hand scratched her head but didn't itch. It was strange when she was still in the same place. She tried once more but the result remained the same.
"Why can't go out when there is no door?" She kicked the door to relieve her temper. with her foot.
"My foot hurts."
She was already stubbing her toe because of her sore foot. She approached the wide-open space again. Her ring finger tapped her chin as if thinking of something.
"There are no walls. But why can't I get out of here? Why do my feet hurt when I kick them? Why? Why and why? Arghh! I'm so depressed!"
Annabella pressed her face against the wall she thought was transparent. She felt like a pantomime statue. This is what is said to be the eyes released but the body is still confined. She looked around to see if anyone could help her.
"Someone! Help me!" she screamed.
Not long after, a man wearing a coat with rather strange clothes while holding a spear-like tool made of iron came over to her. The clothes he wears are iron-plated, and armor.
"Are you the criminal who kidnapped me?" asked Annabella when the man stood in front of her. But the man did not answer her question.
She could see the man's mouth twitching as he read something she didn't understand. A glowing circle appeared in the room occupied by Annabella.
"Stand in that magical field," the man directed.
Annabella followed the man's directions without much question. She stood in the center of the field. In the blink of an eye, she was outside the room.
"Teleportation! Great! Can't you do it one more time?" pleaded Annabella with an adored face.
"Come with me," the man said dispassionately.
Annabella spluttered. Steps were set to follow the man. She had time to see the area where she was locked up. There were many more rooms there. The people who lived in these rooms were not crowded. You could count them on your fingers. This place is like...
"What's the name of this place?" asked Annabella.
"Prison."
"What, so I'm in jail this whole time? What did I do wrong? I didn't do anything!" snapped Annabella.
"You'll find out later."
They walked through a large, wide hallway. Glass containers containing flames floated in the air to light the way. Annabella was amazed to see it.
"We're here," the man told her. They came to a large doorway.
Annabella looked up to measure how tall the door was. It was taller than the Statue of Liberty. The large door opened wide. The man accompanying her pushed to let her step inside.
"No need to push me!" Annabella fumed.
As soon as she stepped inside, the huge doors closed on their own. She was almost gobsmacked at the state of the room. A chandelier adorned with gemstones sat in the center of the room. The carvings on the walls were made with gold and silver powder.
Her eyes couldn't escape looking at the state of the room regardless of the prying eyes. Is she dreaming again?
"Welcome to Sylvania," said a voice that was very melodious in Annabella's hearing.
Annabella wondered where the voice had come from. She was the only one there.
"Up here."
She looked up. Annabella could see four people sitting on chairs. The setting of this room was like a court but very different from what she saw. She could see a very elegant woman smiling sweetly at her. She smiled back at her.
The large doors opened once again. Andrew and a woman stepped inside. They bowed slightly to the four people up there as a sign of respect.
"What is your reason, Elite Knight Andrew?" a man asked. He looked fierce with a mustache and sideburns growing on his face.
"She is in danger. So, I must save her, Lord Brandon," Andrew replied.
"You know the consequences, don't you?" This time a young man of Andrew's age spoke up. He had light blonde hair, light green eyes, and a pair of slightly pointed ears.
"Yes, of course."
"So, why did you bring her here when you know the rules?"
"Because of me, she got hurt."
"Your answer is not acceptable. She needs to be killed. Otherwise, she would be a threat to our world," broke in Lord Brandon.
"But she is only a girl who knows nothing, Brandon! Have mercy on her!" The graceful woman refuted Lord Brandon's decision.
"Even if she is an innocent human, she needs to be abolished, Veronica. Rules are rules." Lord Brandon raised his voice firmly.
"I agree with Brandon" An adult man who had been silent finally spoke up.
"Astal! Do you agree with Brandon too? It's not fair to him," Lady Veronica said. She was disappointed with her other expert.
"He has his reasons, Veronica."
"But Lord Astal, her healing process while being treated at the House of Healing was very extraordinary. The wounds on her body healed within two days. If it was an ordinary human, they wouldn't have been able to survive that long," said the young man in the circle of the four.
"Erlen, it's not a miracle but just fate," Lord Astal replied.
"Andrew, you should know the truth. It did not happen as you termed it. Erlen was unable to persuade the other Council members," Erena whispered next to Andrew.
"I believe in Erlen. He's my friend."
"I have made my decision, Lord Andrew Cranel. Kill her or she will spend the rest of his life in prison," broke in Lord Astal.
"But..."
"Wait, wait... You're talking about me, right? Please tell me what happened because I'm still confused. Let's say this is a dream," interrupted Annabella who could not stand the situation.
"What is your name?" asked Lady Veronica.
Annabella frowned. Her questions remained unanswered. "My name is Annabella."
"Annabella, you are now in Sylvania. A magical world that may seem like a fantasy to you but is a reality. You are not dreaming," explained Lady Veronica.
"How can you see us?" asked Lord Astal.
"Err, it started on a safe and peaceful evening. Suddenly I was attacked by a werewolf."
"It was a Demon." Andrew corrected Annabella.
"Anything goes. After that, he came to my rescue in strange clothes. He's said he come from Pennsylvania."
"Sylvania." Again Andrew corrected Annabella's words.
"At first, I reminded him that he was an insecure ghost. But, one night..."
"Demon attacked me. At the same time, she was at the scene," Andrew continued.
Annabella snorted when Andrew finished her story. In addition, the story had been modified.
"The real story?"
"Yes, Lord Astal," Andrew replied confidently.
"Very well. We'll continue tomorrow." After that, The Council walked away.
"Is that all? What am I going to do?" asked Annabella curiously.
Andrew approached Annabella before the guards took the girl away.
"I will save you. Trust me."
"How can I trust a strange person like... It hurts to know?" angry Annabella when her forehead was flicked by Andrew.
"If you speak like that again, be prepared to spend time in prison for life."
"Alright!" Annabella continued to walk out following the bodyguards who accompanied her.
"Why didn't you tell them the truth?" asked Erena.
"It was not a suitable time."
"Lord Andrew Cranel, Lord Astal wants to meet you," reported a guard.
"He already knows," said Erena.
"I feel the same way about that."