KIMORA'S MIND ∞ TRANCE
While she was unconscious, Kimora could see herself alone in the woods again. She looked around, but saw nothing other than tall evergreen trees.
She looked behind her to find an old abandoned hut. She started walking to it with the thought of getting shelter, but halted on her tracks when she remembered her curse. Her curse would probably destroy the hut, and she'd have nowhere to stay.
She sighed, standing on a spot with folded fists. She heard a noise behind her, and she gasped.
She started trembling madly as her heart knocked out of her chest. Not knowing what to do, she picked up a stone and turned fast to hit whatever it was, but she met an old woman instead.
She gasped again and threw the stone off with a shocked look.
" I'm so sorry old one, I almost hit you with a stone. I thought it was a wild animal, please forgive me." She said all at once, then knelt and touched the old woman's feet, placing her head on them.
The old woman stood transfixed on a spot, dazzed and amazed. She just smiled and patted Kimora's head gently.
" Get up, beautiful girl. You were only trying to defend yourself." She said, and Kimora stood back on her feet.
" Thank you, old one. Is there anything I can help you with? Why are you alone in the woods? It's dangerous for you out here." She said concerningly.
" And that's the same for you, my Dear. We both can't be out here because it's dangerous for both of us." She said, and Kimora pressed her lips together.
The old woman chuckled at Kimora's silliness and cuteness.
Kimora didn't return the joy. Her face remained sad and disturbed, which made the woman stop laughing. She just couldn't get why such a gentle and kind soul like hers would be miserable.
" Why are you sad my dear?" She asked.
" Sad? I'm not sad. I'm okay." She said and tried to hide it with a smile, but the smile was too fake.
" Don't worry, I know what'll cheer you up. Come into my home and let me treat you as a guest, it's over there." She said, pointing to the hut from earlier.
" I'm fine, old one. Also, I don't wanna destroy your home." She said as politely as possible, rubbing her arm nervously.
" But you can't, Kimora. You're in a vision." She said, and Kimora's eyes went wide.
" How'd you know my-"
" Your name? I'm a white witch, and you're in an enchanted forest." She revealed, and Kimora's eyes went wider.
The old woman took transformation on her spot, turning into a beautiful young lady who was a bit taller and mature than her. Kimora's jaw dropped next, she just couldn't control her expression.
" Call me Amber, and close your mouth." She said, and Kimora shut her mouth with a gulp.
" Wow. You're a witch." She muttered surprisingly, and Amber smiled.
" I want to help you, Kimora. You have such a good soul, I can't just resist the urge to help you." She said.
" Wait, how are you gonna help me?" She asked curiously.
" You're a special one, Kimora. You have a great destiny, and a marvellous journey ahead of you. Your tale of life is such an interesting one to know about." She said.
" Then tell me all about it." Kimora replied.
" Your future is as bright as a blooming flower under the rays of the morning sun, spreading its petals so beautifully. But then, not everything good lasts forever. The flower gets shrouded by darkness, and becomes weak in just a few moments. It dies afterwards, and then it shrinks. The roots become evil and possessed, cursing the soil it dwells in. The curse spreads and affects other plants, even to the tallest trees and forests." She narrated, and Kimora's face became so worried.
Amber held her shoulders with a worried look as well, gazing into her eyes seriously.
" Kimora, you're that flower. You must overcome the darkness that may come to try and overtake you, and you mustn't let it win. If you decide to let it take over, you might not have a happy ending." She muttered gravely, and Kimora could feel her heart breaking and goosebumps attacking her skin.
" A great evil might befall everything around you... and you're the only one that can vanquish it... It's your destiny. You must remain strong and fight back. Overcome the shadows that lurk around you, and you'll be free from your curse." She told further, and Kimora blinked fastly and started sniffing.
A tear fell from her eye, and she started crying uncontrollably.
" How'd you know I had a curse?" She inquired emotionally.
" Just the way I know your name. I know everything about you." She answered, then gave a lovable smile and left her shoulders.
" Just turn around, and take the path back to your place." She said, and Kimora did as told.
She quickly turned back to ask another question, but Amber was gone. All that was left was a heap of flowers on the spot Amber was standing before.
" Accept your destiny." She heard a gentle voice telling her, and she closed her eyes deeply on her spot as gentle tears ran down her face.
PRESENT ∞ EUPHORIA INSTITUTE > SUPERNATURAL REALM
Kimora started slowly twitching her eyes in bed. The morning sun pierced through her eyelids, and that forced her to wake up.
She opened her eyes to find herself in a room that she wasn't familiar with. Celestia and Diane were there, standing and watching her with interest.
She sharply sat up, looking at them with surprise. She felt something wet on her face and touched it, turning out to be tears. She must've cried in her sleep.
" Who are you guys?" She asked, and Diane held her head with a sigh.
" I hate this part." She said, going to another part of the room.
" I'm Celestia. I'm a mermaid, and I saved you from drowning in the ocean yesterday. You fell in while I was swimming." She told the truth straightaway, and Kimora made a confused face.
" What?" She exclaimed.
" She's a human, Celestia. She won't believe you." Diane said, sitting on a reading table while reading a book so focusedly.
Celestia grabbed a glass cup of water and made to bend it with her powers, but the water didn't even move. It seemed like her powers weren't working.
" Why are my powers not responding? I just used them yesterday." She muttered, struggling hard to move the water, but nothing happened.
Kimora just stared speechlessly.
" Please, why am I here? It isn't safe for me to be here. I need to leave." Kimora mentioned, standing up.
" Well, you can't leave. If the headmaster sees you, we'll both be covered in our own blood. You don't wanna see how that ends." Celestia said dead-seriously, and Kimora froze.
" You don't understand... I can't be here. I need to leave. Something terrible might happen if I stay here any longer." Kimora said and made for the door.
She only touched the door knob when she stopped and felt terrible aches and pains all over her body. She looked down only to see blood, bruises and scars on herself, and her forehead was even bleeding.
" Please... Just calm down. You're hurting." Celestia said calmly, and Kimora reluctantly left the door before walking back to sit on the bed.
" I don't know why my healing powers aren't working, if not I'd have healed you up in a jiffy. Something's not quite right with me." She told, looking down at her hands.
She went over to Diane's reading table and took a potion from it, then returned to Kimora.
" Drink this. It should heal all your wounds." She stretched it to her.
" But how do I know it isn't poisoned?" She asked.
" Just stop delaying and drink it." She said, and Kimora reluctantly snatched it from her.
She looked at the blue bottle skeptically before opening it. She stared at it for a while, then closed her eyes tightly and drank everything down in a single gulp.
She set the bottle aside and started noticing some weird feeling in her body. She looked down and saw all the injuries disappearing without a trace, and her eyes widened.
" They're... Gone." She muttered with awe, feeling so fresh and new.
A gong rang in the distance, signalling the start for the Assembly. Diane and Celestia exchanged anxious glances.
" The Assembly, it's time already." She muttered.
" But we can't leave this girl here. If anyone finds her in this room, then we're doomed." Diane said.
" Then what are we gonna do?" Celestia asked.
" You're the one who wanted to bring her here. You manipulated me into agreeing with you to bring her. I don't even know what she's doing here." She accused.