"She is dead! That vile vixen is finally dead!"
"I heard she died a horrible death and you know who was the executioner? It was her sister Ayra who ended her life."
"She deserved everything she got. That perverted temptress is probably having tea with the devil already."
The treacherous evil witch was dead sending a wave of comfort across the continent. Meanwhile, the so-called perverted temptress was floating in the dark abyss with no care in the world.
The abyss was a place of darkness and silence, where nothing existed but the void. It was a place where souls went after death, to be forgotten and erased by time. It was a place where no light could reach, no sound could echo, and no life could thrive.
But for Circe, the abyss was a breath of fresh air. It was a place of peace and freedom. She had been drifting in the dark abyss for what felt like an eternity. She had no sense of time, space, or self.
This place was perfect for her. She had no attachment to the world or anyone in it anymore. She had no desire to return, nor to be remembered. She did not need light, nor sound, or life. She floated in the abyss, feeling nothing but the power of her soul. Circe lay with her legs crossed at the knees, feeling relaxed and comfortable. She closed her eyes and smiled. She was happy, in her own way. Circe did not care about the past or the future, about the pain or the loss, about the justice or the injustice.
While she lay there counting sheep something suddenly caught her attention. A white light, faint and distant, shining in the darkness. She felt a strange curiosity, a faint attraction, a vague recognition. She decided to move towards the light, to see what it was. Circe thought it was time to step into the light and die completely, to end her existence once and for all.
But as she approached the light, she realised it was not what she thought. It was not the light of death, of oblivion, of peace but something familiar.
"Oh, it's you. How disappointing," she said staring at the white light that was a fragment of her mother's soul. When her mother died her grief-stricken self captured as much of her soul as possible and using a spell she could speak to her mother but her mother's soul fragment had no memories. This was one of her companions in life and she was a little surprised to see the soul fragment here. She lay back down with her legs crossed at her knees while swinging her foot playfully. "You made me lose count. I thought I was going to step into the light and reincarnated or whatever comes after that," she said in a playful tone.
"You can't step into the light yet. You have unfinished business," replied the light while moving closer.
Circe laughed out loud finding it hilarious. What unfinished business? She had no desire to go back whatsoever.
"You have seriously gone crazy. I am not going anywhere. I like it here," she said while shooing the white light with a dismissive gesture.
"You can't stay here. Go back," said the voice in the light speaking with increased urgency. Circe's lips twitched and she turned her back to the light, her ghostly form shimmering in the ethereal glow.
She crossed her arms on her chest and said,
"I will just wait here until I can reincarnate or something. So unless you are here to keep me company you can leave."
Suddenly something unseen and powerful latched onto her form. A force tugged at her, compelling her towards the radiant light. Circe's ethereal essence quivered as she resisted, but the unseen force was relentless. With a sudden jolt, she was yanked into the blinding brilliance of the light.
For a fleeting moment, her eyes were blinded by the radiance, and then darkness swallowed her once more. The abyss reclaimed its tranquillity as Circe's soul vanished, leaving behind only whispers of her defiance lingering in the air.
***
Circe's eyes shot open as she groaned softly, the sound muffled by the confined space. Grogginess clung to her as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. A second ago she was relaxing in the dark abyss but now she was in this place.
Her finger suddenly brushed against something smooth, the sensation sending a shiver down her spine. As she explored further, the texture of silk met her touch, and then the unmistakable form of a human body.
Her heart jolted as she traced the contours of a shoulder, a neck, and then an Adam's apple. Panic surged through her as she half rose, only to meet a jarring impact at the back of her head.
"Dang it! Ah, that hurts," she exclaimed as she sucked in cold air. Stars exploded behind her eyelids as dizziness overtook her, leaving her disoriented in the suffocating darkness.
It was then that the truth dawned upon her—she was confined within a coffin. Shock immobilised her, her mind racing as she struggled to comprehend her nightmarish predicament. She was trapped, entombed in a coffin, and the darkness pressed in on her, suffocating her with its oppressive weight.
She suddenly felt a warm trickle on her lip. She reached out to touch it and rubbed her fingertips. She was probably having a nosebleed from hitting her head.
Circe was confused and didn't know what was happening but she had to get out of there first. Struggling greatly she moved her other hand currently resting on the corpse's abdomen while apologising, "Sorry for the disrespect. I will be out of your hair in a second." She placed her hand near the corpse's face and with both palms pressed against the coffin she raised her body and tried to push the coffin lip open. A pain shot through her back as she pushed against the coffin lid but she persisted. Her blood from her nosebleed continued dripping down the corpse's face staining it but Circe couldn't see anything.
After struggling a bit she finally gave up. She lay back down breathing heavily. Her body appeared weak and frail for some reason. "My apologies," she said again squeezing in to lie at the side of the corpse that was icy cold. Half her shoulder lying on the corpse she raised her legs and began pushing the coffin lid.
The coffin lid that hadn't barged an inch before opened slightly and the boulder that was holding down the coffin lid rolled closer to the edge.
With one more push, the boulder came tumbling down smashing into pieces as it hit the ground.
Circe lay down limply her chest rising and falling rapidly as she laughed softly. She pushed the coffin lid open and climbed out of the coffin that was on a raised platform. Suddenly her foot was hooked by something and she came crushing down to the floor. With a loud thud, her lips kissed the ground as she exclaimed in surprise.
"Ah!... What terrible luck," she murmured as she rolled up and sat on her butt. She racked her fingers through her hair as she looked around curiously.