Muffled human chatters were coming from every direction with the occasional sounds of a train above her.
Is this First Realm? The smell of grease and dust filled her lungs as she wandered around the street, her eyes skimming over the rather simple buildings around her. She glanced around and sees people of all kinds dressing in fabrics of grey, brown, and red busying themselves in the streets and purchasing items from the stores. Occasionally passing pedestrians would take a second glance at her after they had walked past, which she found quite interesting until she overheard the conversation between a couple when she was taking a short break under the rim of a little shop.
"Did you see that girl?"
"Where do you think she came from?"
The girlfriend took a quick glimpse of her. "I can't think of anywhere else other than the desert in the Oasis Realm that could have produced a filthy creature like that."
The two broke into laughter and resumed their walk, yet their words stung like needles.
Were they talking about me? She stood up from the shade and watched as the couple faded in the distance. Her mouth hung half-open as the astonishment took over her. Am I the creature they were talking about?
The answers to her questions seemed self-explanatory.
She took a step, then paused. Were they all looking at me because of the same reason?
The muffled chatters before now sounded sharp and clear—every single word seemed to be directed towards her, piercing her like invisible arrows. She looked to the side, where a group of children of all kinds played with a leaking water bottle.
She reached out a hand, but before she could say anything, their parents stared at her furiously as if to scare her off. After a mumbled apology, she moves away from the shade.
The air felt exceedingly stuffy as she wandered deeper into the city. Despite the heavily polluted clouds and the overcrowded buildings around her, the thorny tower was still visible everywhere she went.
She thought she misheard it when a scream came out of an alley behind her. Her steps paused when the scream sounded again. What a desperate scream.
A voice in her head whispered danger, yet her legs were already moving. She peeked cautiously into the alley, and as her eyes searched for the source of the noise in the dim light, something splattered onto her cheek. At the same time, she had finally spotted the person, or rather, creature.
He was kneeling, begging, and banging his head on the ground in front of three other creatures. His back, where he used to have bee-like wings, was bloody with two deep cuts.
"Please spare me…please…I'll definitely pay the bill next week." His voice was tiny like a mosquito.
The other three creatures stared at him; their eyes hard to read as they stood in the shadow with their arms crossed. None of them said anything as they watched the poor man bleed.
Her eyes widened at the sight. Before she could scream, a hand covered her mouth and dragged her away.
"Shush!" It was a girl's voice.
The arm that grasped around her neck loosened as she struggled free. The scream in the alley sounded again as she stared at the purple-haired girl in front of her.
The purple hair girl stared back at her in annoyance. "Why are you dressed like this? And why would you try to interfere with the hoodlums?"
It took her a minute to understand what she just said. "I don't know."
The stranger rolled her eyes and turned around, proceeding to walk off. "Try not to get yourself killed if you keep this up, I dare you."
"Wait!"
"What?"
She hesitated for a moment. "I can't remember anything. I don't know anything."
"And?" The girl flicked her hair impatiently.
She stayed silent for a moment and then smiled faintly. "Nothing." It seems ridiculous to seek help from a stranger.
The girl eyed her from head to toe and frowned. In the distance, the scream was replaced by silence.
She could feel the girl's intense stare. Her head lowered to avoid eye contact with the girl as she fidgeted with the corner of her tattered shirt. With a quick glimpse at the girl, she saw the doubts and uneasiness in her ember eyes.
"Come with me," At last, the girl sighed and took her by the wrist.
After moments of realisation, she smiled and nodded as they entered a vacant alley to their left.
"What's your name?" The girl asked as they turned around the corner into a narrow path.
"I can't remember"
The girl looked at her in disbelief, her hand tightened around her wrist. "My name is Amina."
With one last turn to the left, they arrived at a wooden door with a golden bell hanging on the top.
Amina released her hand and searched for the key in her pocket. The sun was setting, making the already dim alley even darker. "Go in."
She took one last glance at the darkening sky and then stepped into the warm light.
As she inhaled deeply, scents of cinnamon, wax, sugar, nutmeg, cumin, basil and a mixture of numerous spices tickled her nostrils. The subtle smell of ink and paper was also notable among this harmony of scents that tell a story of its own. Shelves on both sides of her are filled with books—some worn out, some good as new.
A dim lamp hung lazily from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a hazy warm glow. Underneath the shelves are wooden crates filled with jars of herbs and condiments, as well as bottles of common seasonings
"So, you don't have a name?" Amina asked.
She shook her head.
"You don't look like you're lying." Amina mumbled as she ties her purple hair into a ponytail, "Well then, I'll just come up with a name for you until you remember your name, sounds good?"
She nodded.
Amina took a glimpse at her silver hair and added. "How about I call you Sylvia?"