There was once a young girl who was known for her modesty and helpfulness in her village. Unfortunately, she lost both her parents and siblings at a very young age due to the plague, leaving her an orphan. A shaman adopted her, but after only a few years, the shaman also succumbed to illness and left the young girl alone to fend for herself in a harsh world. Despite the many challenges she faced, she remained compassionate and helpful towards others. People referred to her as Hinaya, which means "someone who resembles a bright fairy".Her pale complexion set her apart from the other village girls, earning her a reputation for being unusual. The elders saw her as a color from another world. Her long, lustrous, and straight hair bestowed upon her a lively and vibrant aura. Looking into her eyes, one would find the vast and nostalgic hues of autumn, granting her auburn eyes a unique allure when the sun's rays pierced through the windows of her soul.Every day, she assisted the harvesters in gathering the best wild berries from the mountain's peak, destined for sale in the town's central market of the nearby town. The village she lived in was famous for growing some of the most delectable berry varieties in the kingdom. However, due to the village's remoteness and distance from the capital, they remained oblivious to the war unfolding at the border.On a gloomy day, invaders overran her village, slaughtering the inhabitants. Amidst the turmoil, a young shepherd boy led her to a concealed path toward the dead forest. Legend has it that this somber woodland was once the abode of witches, lying adjacent to the neighboring town. The fate of the town's former dwellers remains a mystery. The only certainty is the peril that awaits any human soul daring to venture into it.Hinaya discovered herself on the trail alone after an invader killed her companion.. Though she knew finding shelter was important, she couldn't bear to leave the shepherd boy behind. However, she eventually summoned the courage to continue towards safety, glancing back one last time before persevering through the gloomy and difficult trail. She persisted until the very last of her breath, until she finally collapsed under a large Siar tree at dusk, ending her suffering.The young woman wept until a lone tear dropped onto the root of a tree. Darkness and silence wrapped around the lifeless forest, providing a haven far from her pursuers. The merciless ones who had chased her had vanished, leaving no trace. As she gazed upward, the Siar tree above her began to glow, and a swarm of fireflies emerged from it. They gently settled on her shoulders, their light casting a soft glow on her face and the entire area around her.A loud, fading scream echoed throughout the lifeless forest as the Siar tree engulfed Hinaya, resembling a vast quicksand swallowing people whole. She braced for what she believed were her final moments, prepared to embrace death, but instead of darkness, she was met with an immense orb of light, and then all went blank.She woke up in the middle of a serene and solemn place that felt familiar. She was still beneath the same Siar tree, its bright and glistening flowers and leaves swaying as if whispering to her. Realizing it was already daylight, the once gloomy and musty dead forest had transformed into a colossal field of spring flowers. Hinaya was taken aback by the sight before her and briefly thought she might be dead, as the scene resembled what people called paradise.A young girl sits under a tree, feeling dazed. She is unable to comprehend what happened to her and is replaying the sequence of events in her head. She wonders if it was all just a dream or an imagination she used to cope with the nightmare she experienced. Tears stream down her face as she cries, unsure of what to do next.All she felt was thirst and hunger, realizing she had to move to survive.But what if I'm already dead? she asked herself. As Hinaya was lost in thought, she suddenly noticed the kingdom's guard on their horses approaching her from a distance. At first, she was unsure if they were real or just an apparition. However, as they drew nearer, she realized they were indeed approaching her. One of the guards came up to her and inquired if she was feeling alright. Hinaya checked herself and found that she was unscathed and in good health.As she looked at the guard, confusion was written all over her face. Surprisingly, the guard reciprocated her confusion. The rest of the guards exchanged glances with each other, as if trying to figure out if there was something amiss with the young lady."Can you see me?" she asked solemnly, as the guard dismounted his horse."I am certain that my eyes are not deceiving me, my lady," he replied, removing his hat. He attempted to approach her, but she shrank back with a bewildered expression on her face."Are you a local resident here?" asked the older-looking guard among the group. Despite all the eyes staring at her, she managed to prove that she was not a apparition to them, nor were they to her. "May I know the name of this village?" the other guard asked. "We are visiting this spring field for the first time, and according to our map, there is no such place near the river."The older guard stopped his comrade from asking the young girl too many questions. He suggested they let her rest first, as she might be one of the refugees from the attack. They lent her a dark serape to ease her trembling from the wind and rechecked their map to see if there was a record of a colossus spring field near the river of Vaganouj village, where the young girl grew up. Hinaya drank the water the guards gave her and kept observing them while recalling her encounter. From the moment she escaped and found safety under the tree until the ball of blinding light wrapped around her when the tree devoured her, she still couldn't fathom what it all meant.She recalled the memory of the dead forest and the legend of the Siar tree. The forest was once a part of a town that was believed to be infested by witches. It was a terrifying place, devoid of life, and lacked the beauty of the spring fields they had seen. Hinaya believed that the Siar tree, standing not far away from them, had magical powers that caused the illusion.Hinaya decided not to speak any further with the guards and instead remembered that there was another village she could go to. The village was called Naraiana and it was a large village located next to Vaganouj. As far as her memory served her, there was an open trail that would take her to the village if she followed the path from the foot of the mountain. For Hinaya, it was better to start her new life in the village rather than return to the land that once provided her shelter but now only left her with dark memories.She gazed upward once more, admiring the Siar tree. Its amber blossoms shone like a vivid sunrise, and the leaves rustled in the wind, as if beckoning her to dance. The daylight filtering through its branches sparkled like crystal, almost as if it wished to speak to her."Pardon us, young miss, for the interruption, but your family might be searching for you. We can assist if you wish to look for them as well," one of the guards interjected, halting her musings. He extended his hand, inviting her to accompany them. Naturally, the guards were there to search for any casualties due to the attack, and ensuring her safety was a necessity.This time, Hinaya made up her mind to stay near the tree. She needed to understand what had happened to her, and from what she could grasp, only the tree towering above could explain everything. Had it not been for the guards' arrival, she might have already discovered how to communicate with the tree or received an answer. "I'm well, sir. I think I'll take it from here," she declined politely. "But do you know what happened to Vaganouj?""The town was heavily damaged by the invaders, and unfortunately, many of the townspeople lost their lives. However, there may still be some surviving members of your family in the town. Most of the survivors were relocated to the imperial capital temporarily, while the land is being repaired. Our king has captured the invaders; fret not, young miss; you are now safe," replied the young guard.She steadfastly refused. After numerous attempts to persuade her, the guards provided her with water and a morsel of food. She informed them that the next village was close enough to reach in a few hours, which the guards confirmed with their map as evidence of its existence. They proposed to accompany her to the village, but Hinaya assured them she could proceed alone, falsely claiming that a relative in the village knew her and would take her in.Once she confirmed they were out of sight and she was alone, she reached out to touch a flower. To her surprise, an unopened hibiscus suddenly burst into bloom, its petals flaunting vibrant colors. She gazed at her hand, an astounded smile spreading across her face, as she realized this was no ordinary occurrence.She paused for a moment, her mind racing with thoughts and emotions. "It seems my intuition was right," she said softly, almost in a whisper. "I can't believe it - I must be dead." As she turned to face the towering Siar tree, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. It was a sight to behold, with its strong and sturdy trunk, its branches reaching up towards the sky, and its vibrant green leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. But as she gazed at the tree, a deep sense of sadness washed over her. She looked down at herself and sighed. "What have you done to my once-beautiful self?" she asked the tree, almost pleadingly. It was as if the tree had taken something from her, something that she could never get back."It will not answer," she whispered to herself, bluffing. "I just hope I'm not using my imagination to cope with death or worse, that I'm already at death's door. I really don't know what happened to me. Please help me... to understand, or at least to know why you saved me."The myth of the forest she had once heard was now coming to life before her eyes. The existence of a mysterious, vibrant tree standing in the midst of a dark, lifeless forest was indeed true, as were the witches. Their rituals and sacrifices were not merely stories but actually existed. The result of their abuse of power led to the town's denunciation and may have caused the birth of the dead forest.Hinaya was completely drained, both physically and emotionally. She found solace in leaning against the trunk of a towering tree that stood nearby. Despite its grandeur, the tree couldn't help her out of the trap that she felt stuck in. She didn't know how to start her life over again. Grief devoured her heart as she reminisced about the young shepherd boy, the elders who had cared for her in their humble hut, and the children she had played with while drawing water from the well. Hinaya knew that life would never be the same again, and the thought of never tasting the wild berries she had once cultivated made her heart ache even more. Everything had changed; she was now utterly alone, with no family or support.As she sat there, alone, she couldn't help but cry. Hinaya's tears were a sign of her exhaustion. Overcome with sorrow, she fell asleep, curled up on the ground.As she drifted off, a vision appeared before her - a flashback.The tree that she was leaning against gave her its history. In her vision, the tree was revered by a group of women clad in white cloaks, offering prayers. They encircled the tree, bowing in unison towards it. At the center stood a very young girl, likely around the age of 12, distinguished by her blue cloak amidst the white. The memory was vivid, and Hinaya could almost feel the energy of the women's devotion to the tree.The air was thick with the scent of burning wood and the sound of chanting filled the clearing. A group of men, their faces twisted in rage, marched towards the women in white cloaks. One by one, they lunged forward with bolo knives, their blades glinting in the firelight as they struck the women. The young girl in a blue cloak crouched behind a tree, her heart pounding in fear. But she couldn't escape their wrath - one of them spotted her and drove his knife into her foot, making her cry out in pain.Through Hinaya's wide, unblinking eyes, she watched the horrific scene unfold as if it were her own memory being replayed. The young girl, her face twisted in agony, was engulfed in flames alongside the other women. Their once-white cloaks were now stained with blood, the very same liquid they had been forced to bathe in. The people, their faces contorted with glee and madness, held their bolo knives high and let out triumphant screams.Her eyes fluttered open, and she immediately felt the wetness on her cheeks. The dream was still fresh in her mind – the ancient Siar tree towering over a bustling village, now overrun with dark magic and sacrifices to appease the witches who inhabited it. She sat up, knowing that her encounter with the tree had been real, and the legend was indeed true.Hinaya's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden burst of light as the tree in front of her lit up. A swarm of fireflies danced around it, their tiny bodies creating a mesmerizing display. The already bright daylight seemed to intensify, making the light from the tree even more blinding. Hinaya shielded her eyes with her hand, trying to make out what was happening amidst the dazzling spectacle before her.As she stood under the tall Siar tree, a gust of wind suddenly swept through, rustling the leaves and enveloping her in its cool embrace. She felt the branches sway and heard the creaking of wood as the wind grew stronger. Leaves and small twigs began to fall around her, covering her hair and clothes in a chaotic pattern.As soon as the tree began to speak in a deep voice, Hinaya dropped to her knees. "I am the doorway to the Prime Realm," it intoned. "And I have chosen you to be my host of this doorway. You are now the Sorceress of the Doors.""I can grant everything that you and any human heart desire. The power now is in your hands to open all the realms of this world. Take good care of me. Use my magic to your liking."Then, at once, the light was gone. It came back to its usual facade—just a lively Siar tree.The word "power" echoed in her mind as she gazed in awe at the tree before her. Her eyes were wide and filled with wonder, but also tinged with doubt. Did she truly deserve such a gift, being nothing more than a humble peasant? Taking in the vastness of the spring field before her, she couldn't help but imagine how it looked before it was abandoned and left to ruin. The memory of the vision she had seen when she hugged the tree still lingered in her mind, haunting her with questions. What really happened to those women who had once lived here? What kind of ritual did they perform, and for what purpose? As she reflected on the past, she realized that it no longer mattered in the face of her newfound abilities. All that mattered now was how she would use this power for the good of humankind, and she vowed to herself to do so with all her heart and soul.