"Help…someone…. anyone….. help... please.... It's cold." Enveloped by darkness, her vision succumbed to the abyss as her consciousness ebbed away.

Weak and powerless, her voice shivers.

"Help!!" She used all her strength to shout at the top of her lungs as a last-ditch effort. Alas, her efforts were futile, as she couldn't even hear her own voice. "Hel…"

In the end, she lost her consciousness in the unknown.

… 

Hm… hmmm… hmm.. hmmmm…

Amidst the expanse of time, a distant melody woven by the hum of an enchanting voice akin to a goddess stirred a sleeping consciousness in the abyss.

"Who?"

…

"Where?"

…

"Hel…p." The words struggled to emerge from her quivering lips. 

Undeterred, she clung to the unwavering belief that a source of hope awaited within this boundless darkness. 

"I'm he…re." The words lingered a mere echo of her unyielding desire; if only strength coursed through her limbs, she would look for hope. Alas, her whole body remained locked, frozen in place by an invisible grip.

Hm… hmmm… hmm.. hmm…

Faint but growing steadily stronger, the melody… drew closer. Yet, what can she do other than wait?

… 

How much time slipped away? Was it mere seconds? Or did minutes stretch into hours, days, weeks, perhaps even a year? The passage of time remained a riddle, wrapped in the enigma of her plight.

But she did not need to wait for long. A distant sound of crackling fire reaches her ears in the encompassing darkness. Gradually, the chill that had settled within her body began to wane as if being replaced by the warmth of the unseen flames. Ahead, a faint ember emerges, casting a delicate glow in the otherwise obsidian surroundings.

The melody receded into silence as the flames surged, making way for a gentle whisper that caressed her ears. "Come..." The emergence of a hand followed, emerging behind the towering flames. 

Together with the flames' dance, the chill that held her body captive gradually dissipated, ushering a gradual rekindling of her strength.

She eagerly extended her hand toward her saviour's outstretched hand. A spark of excitement illuminated the depths of the abyss she had long sought to escape. 

"Wake up." Her saviour's warm palm enveloped hers, pulling her towards the towering flames that promised an escape out of this dark abyss.

…

Gasp!! 

She woke up with a violent gasp, her lungs screaming for oxygen as though they had been submerged in icy water. Her heart raced, and her eyes flew open to a world obscured by shadows. Disoriented and trembling, she couldn't remember where she was, or why her chest felt as if it had been crushed. Panic gripped her like a vice.

"Oh? … You're finally awake…" As the moments passed, the murky fog of sleep began to lift, I realized I was nestled in a woman's lap.

A lady of breathtaking beauty, her hair was a cascade of golden strands reminiscent of royalty. But her eyes will hold anyone captive, glistening orbs of pure gold, radiating an emphatic warmth that penetrated her very core. 

Confusion surged within me as my eyes met her golden eyes. A maelstrom of emotions swirled like a tempest.

The beautiful lady's delicate floral scent filled the air, and the soft touch of her fingers against my cheeks only heightened my disoriented state. Questions tumbled through my mind like leaves caught in a gust of wind, and the world around me seemed to blur as I sought to unravel the mystery of this puzzling encounter. 

"You must be very confused right now. But… how much do you remember… your name, your face, your family,  your world… Do you… remember who you are?" The lady bombarded the me questions. 

"I am…" 

Stumped… I couldn't think of an answer.

"I am…"

Who... 

.....Am I…

Arghh!!

Out of nowhere, a sharp pang seized my head as if thousands of invisible lightning bolts had erupted inside me. The world around me blurred momentarily, replaced by a throbbing ache that resonated with each beat of my heart.

My thoughts scattered like shards of glass, fragmented and unfocused.

Instinctively I brought a hand to my temple, hoping to quell the pain. Alas, the pain was relentless, a vice-like grip that refused to release its hold. 

I closed my eyes, seeking refuge from the onslaught of pain, and tried to steady my breath amidst the tumultuous storm raging in my head. 

"It's fine,"

Amidst the torrent of pain, a delicate touch graced my forehead, a soft, tender kiss from the lady whose presence had enveloped me.

It was as if her lips held a magical balm, a soothing elixir that eased the throbbing pain with an exquisite gentleness. 

The sensation spread like a warm embrace, radiating from where the lady's lips had met my skin. In that ephemeral moment, the pain seemed to recede as if to surrender to the lady's enchanting touch. 

A sense of comfort washed over me, and for that fleeting instant, the lady's kiss transformed the agony into a memory, leaving behind a feeling of serenity and solace.

"As always… fate… is…so cruel…" The lady shook her head. 

"But it doesn't matter, as long as you remember who you are. You won't lose everything." The lady comforted me with her words.

I stared into her golden eyes and asked. "How?" 

"Let's start with how you look." She said softly, her fingers gently guiding my chin upward. With her encouragement, I slowly rose from her lap, my balance wavered a few times, but she made sure that she always caught me in her arms. 

I felt a curious mixture of reluctance and intrigue. As I shifted my eyes on the surroundings, I was drawn to the ground I was lying on, where a cold, crystal-clear puddle of water had formed, reflecting the enigmatic surroundings beneath our feet. 

A sudden realization came to my mind. My gaze ascended to the lady herself, and my breath was caught in my throat at the sight that met her eyes. The lady's scarlet gown clung to her form like a liquid silk. The dress bore the telltale signs of being drenched, the fabric clinging to her as droplets traced their way down, leaving a delicate trail of moisture. The scarlet dress was the kind worn by royalty, or even the queen herself, adorned with regal elegance. Its vivid colour stood out against the backdrop of the towering trees that reached toward the heavens. 

The forest seemed to hold its breath as if in reverence to her presence, the rustling leaves and whispering wind serving as nature's courtiers. 

"Take a look." Her hand gestured at me to look in the puddle of water beneath our feet.

Questions danced in my mind like fireflies, trying to find answers in the puzzles before me. 

Why was the lady wearing such a grand dress in this unfamiliar forest? How did the puddle form beneath us? How did she save me in that dark abyss? Why can't I remember anything? 

Yet those questions hopefully will have their own answers later. Because right now, all I want to know is to remember what I looked like. 

The lady watched me gradually lean closer, my face descending towards the crystal-clear puddle of water. Ripples spread outward,  distorting the reflection, until my features came into view. 

"This is… me?" 

I reached out with a trembling hand and gently traced my fingers along the reflection in the cold, clear puddle. My fingers met the softness of my pale white skin. My long pitch-black hair cascaded like a midnight waterfall; yet in its inky depths contrasted with something unexpected. As my fingers grazed my face, I brushed a peculiar single strand of silver-white hair, letting it cascade down alongside the endless expanse of darkness, akin to delicate snowflake, glimmered like a tread of moonlight. 

My eyes, though, were the most captivating. They were a mesmerizing shade of silver-white, like twin moons set against the midnight sky, possessing an otherworldly beauty that seemed to pull at the very essence of one's soul. They held depths of wisdom and mystery that dried my youthful appearance. My pale and pristine lips framed this visage of ethereal allure. 

Yet, all these contradictions were overshadowed by the stark reality of my attire. 

Damp rags clung to my body, barely qualifying as clothing, resembling the tattered garb worn by slaves of a bygone era. 

Confusion gnawed at my senses…

The lady extended a graceful hand and gently lifted my chin. Her touch was as tender as a whispered secret as she peered into my eyes. 

"Do you remember anything?" The lady inquired, her voice as soft as a breeze rustling through a field of wildflowers. 

I gazed into the puddle and stared at my own reflection, but the face that stared back was still a riddle, its features veiled by the shadow of forgotten memories. 

With a hint of sadness, the lady nodded as if understanding my silent response. Her voice carried both compassion and curiosity as she asked. "Would you like to know your name this time?" It was as if offering a lifeline to help me reclaim my lost identity. 

My eyes lit up, with a hesitant nod, I acknowledged my desire to know my name. Yet,  confusion still etched lines across my face as if grappling with the puzzle of how could she uncover this missing piece of myself.. 

"Don't worry," she reassured me with a gentle smile playing on her lips. "Remembering our names is often the easiest part. Discovering our lives on the other hand, can be a treacherous journey or a breeze depending on our luck." 

"Our?" My voice trembled with curiosity and a sense of growing connection as if the word held the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding them. 

"That's a tale for another time," She deflected my question, focusing on the matter at hand. "If we have time, let's discuss it once we've discovered your name, shall we?" 

Reluctantly I still nodded my head, I should do this one at a time.

"How can I know my name?" I hurriedly inquired. 

"It's quite simple," she uttered. "Just think in your head 'status' and you'll uncover it yourself." she answered.

I chimed, "Status?" She nodded, encouraging me to proceed. However, it isn't as simple as I thought, since my mind is cluttered with a myriad of unanswered questions.

"Closing your eyes will make it easier, especially for those new to this." She suggested as if drawing from her own experience.

Following her suggestion, I shut my eyes and focused my thoughts.

Status!!

In a matter of seconds, ethereal words materialized out of the surrounding darkness. I opened my eyes, and there they remained, suspended in the air like a revelation.

Name: Wynter 

Drifter Level: 0

Health: 20  Mana: 10

Attack: 10 Defense: 5

Strength: 5 Agility: 5

Constitution: 5 Spirit: 5

Experience: 0%

This is… my name? I paused and questioned myself if this is really my name. 

Yet… why can't I remember a thing? "Wynter…"