Fragments of Light
NEIA:0 - Dawn of Initialization
The sound of water drops from afar.Drip, drip, drip.Soft ethereal instrumentals play in the background. Slowly, her eyes open. In front of her, flowers made of crystal gleam - purple, pink, and white. They grow beautifully, climbing all the way to the ceiling, their light flickering like distant stars.Cyuuneia lies still, her breath shallow. Crystals. Just crystals. She blinks, her vision adjusting to the gleaming surroundings, but her mind remains foggy, distant. She reaches out to touch the ground, full of faded green grasses and crystal like dirt as the cold surface beneath her fingertips sending a shiver up her arm. "Why can't I remember?"She tries to recall what came before. But there's nothing. Only an aching dryness within, like a petal wilting under an unforgiving sun. Her chest tightens with the faint memory of loss.She closes her eyes once more, desperate. This time, she focuses, forcing herself to remember.Fragments. A glowing flower. Its image flickers in her mind, fragile, like a dream slipping away. Perhaps it's the key to everything that's lost.Her eyes flutter open again, the faint glimmer of something different catching her attention. An opening - a mirror of water, rippling gently. Beyond it, she senses a presence. The air feels heavier, like a silent call pulling her forward.Her arms feel frozen, stiff, as if she'd been asleep for months. Slowly, she rises, each movement strained. She catches her reflection in the water - unfamiliar. Her hair, now longer, cascades in deep shades of purple, flowing into her dress. Bare feet meet the crystal ground. Her pulse quickens. "Who am I now?"Her hand flies to her neck, her heart pounding.She sighs in relief. The necklace remains. "A piece of the past, still mine."A star-shaped necklace, delicate and intricate, rested in her palm. Its golden center gleamed faintly, framed by thin silver lines tracing the edges of the star. The metal was cool against her skin, grounding her in the unfamiliar stillness of the cave. She held it tightly, as though the necklace carried a memory she couldn't quite reach, a soft tether to something real in this ethereal space.The racing thoughts in her mind began to quiet. Her pulse slowed, the familiar touch of the necklace offering a small sense of relief. She breathed in deeply, steadying herself. It was as if the weight of the unknown was, for a moment, less daunting.She slowly rose to her feet, unsteady. Her body still felt heavy, as if the cave had drained her strength. As she tried to adjust to the strange surroundings, her gaze fell upon the crystal flowers. They weren't just beautiful-they were alive, each petal pulsing softly with light, as if carrying whispers of forgotten secrets within.A subtle warmth stirred in her chest. "What are you?"Tentatively, she reached out and brushed her fingers against one of the petals. Instantly, it brightened under her touch, the light inside responding to her as if recognizing her presence. Cyuuneia's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening. The cave felt more alive than ever. She let a quiet smile slip onto her lips-just a flicker of something familiar.Encouraged, she stepped closer to another flower. This time, her fingertips met the soft surface, and tiny sparkles of light dusted the air. They floated upwards, shimmering like faint stars. "Are they responding to me?"Slowly, Cyuuneia walked among the flowers, each step more confident than the last, her bare feet pressing lightly into the smooth crystal floor. She continued toward the shimmering mirror of water that rippled softly ahead. It felt like an invitation, a beckoning from whatever lay beyond.Her hand reached the surface of the mirror, and the ripples widened, swallowing her reflection. A soft tug pulled her forward, and with a flash of light, the world around her shifted.She blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness. When the light faded, she found herself in a new realm-a forest of towering trees, each branch adorned with more crystal flowers. The air felt fresh, yet it carried the same subtle hum of mystery as the cave. It was as though the world itself breathed along with her, waiting for her next step.Then, a soft sound pierced the quiet. A faint rustling, somewhere in the distance, sent a shiver up her spine. She froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her senses sharpened, every nerve on edge. "What was that?"She hesitated, her mind torn between caution and curiosity. Should I turn back? But deep within, something pulled her forward-a silent call she couldn't ignore. The uncertainty weighed heavy, but the urge to move on was stronger. Slowly, she took a step, her feet light, as if the ground beneath her might vanish at any moment.The air around her shifted, growing colder, denser. Whatever lay ahead wasn't waiting for her-it was calling her, drawing her closer, pulling her into the unknown.
CHAPTERS
