Quiet and still. A gentle breeze caressed each strand of my hair in peacefully serenity.
As my vision gradually cleared, I realized I was standing in the middle of a vast, desolate plain. There was nothing but white sand—neither warm nor cold to the touch—despite the blazing sun above and the giant mountains range surrounding this endless expanse.
My head tilted upward, taking in the towering peaks that stretched from my feet into the distance. Each frozen summit challenged the clear blue sky until only the zenith remained visible. It left me completely lost in awe within the tranquil atmosphere of this realm.
My feet moved hesitantly. I stared down in silence until, quite suddenly, crimson pigments began to scatter beneath my feet.
I blinked in surprise before taking wider, more confident steps. The red sand spread further, kindling my curiosity.
Shhh-shhh…
I crouched down and began digging with my hands. It wasn't just red—shades of soft green, pink, and yellow emerged once the hole reached wrist-deep.
I scooped up the sand again. One handful, two handfuls, three... Oh, wait.
Something felt wedged between my fingers—something slightly larger than a grain of sand. Slowly, I shifted my full hands as if sifting through a sieve.
Soon, my curiosity was rewarded as the sand slipped away, leaving behind small grains of gold. Real gold!
"Wow... I'm suddenly rich!" I whispered with a chuckle, staring at the sparkling yellow glow in my clasped hands with sparkling eyes.
A quiet chuckle escaped my lips. A wave of delight washed over me, so much so that I ended up sitting flat on the sand.
I didn't know how long I admired my discovery, yet I had no desire to take it with me. I couldn't pocket it. The plain itself whispered that truth through the rustle of windblown sand and the passing white doves above.
That was when I realized I was merely a guest invited to witness its grandeur and wonder.
Perhaps that was why I stood up, released the golden grains back to the earth, and began to wander. Yet the further I walked, the more a quiet dread settled in.
Compared to those colossal mountains, I was no more than a single snowflake drifting onto their peaks. I felt impossibly small, completely powerless before them. I also began to notice how utterly lonely this plain truly was.
Why was I the only one here? Was this realm so vast that no other souls traversed it?
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Perhaps the universe decided to be kind enough to answer that silly question, because out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a white figure walking calmly beside me.
His pristine, snow-white robe swayed gently with each step. That was all I could discern—only up to his shoulders, as a radiant light deliberately veiled his head and neck from my view.
Yet I felt no shock, no fear, and no threat. I simply kept walking at a leisurely pace beside him. His presence felt neither entirely strange nor familiar.
Even so, a quiet corner of my heart rejoiced at the comfort of his company. A soft smile touched my lips.
For some reason, the stillness felt much warmer with him by my side—so much so that I ceased to notice anything else…
SHIVER!
My eyelids fluttered open as the serene vision dissolved into silence. The familiar ceiling of Grandma's room greeted me once more.
It seemed I hadn't returned to the mortal world just yet. Pale moonlight served as the sole source of illumination in the dark. My body felt heavy and exhausted.
As I tried to sit up, I realized once again… that I wasn't alone. Sitting in the armchair by the window was Syllain.
He looked entirely at ease, holding a black book in his hands, seated sideways so the moonlight fell across the pages he was reading.
"You slept for far too long," his voice came out flat, stripped of emotion. He didn't look up, his eyes remaining locked on his book.
I merely nodded slowly, though my mind churned with questions about how long I had actually been out.
Silence blanketed the room once more, letting the soft hum of crickets fill the hush, transforming the cold atmosphere into something warmer and more comforting.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, watching my feet dangle slowly. My mind was far too weary to process everything that had transpired.
I was back here with Syllain by my side, while that white-robed figure felt strangely close to my heart. Could that figure have been the embodiment of my guardian angel?
Moments later, he closed his book with a quite thud. He turned to face me with a faint smile—a smile that felt both strange and oddly reassuring. Our eyes met in a silent exchange of emotions I couldn't quite name.
Syllain rose from his chair and approached the bed. He leaned down slightly, resting the back of his hand against my forehead. His touch was cold, yet somehow it sent a wave of warmth to my cheeks—especially as his sharp gray eyes searched my face, assessing my condition.
"Don't worry," he whispered, his tone gentle and soothing. "You are safe now."
Syllain settled down beside me. The ripples of the mattress interrupted my reverie as he reached for the jar of candied nutmeg lying on the corner table and opened it on his lap.
However, instead of handing the jar to me, he picked up a piece and brought it right to my lips. Though startled, I opened my mouth and accepted the bite.
Syllain didn't pull his hand back immediately. His thumb pressed gently against the candied nutmeg on my tongue for a brief moment before lightly brushing across my lower lip.
"You are hungry," he remarked quietly. It wasn't a question, but a plain statement of fact. After a beat of stillness, he finally withdrew his hand and let me chew.
I scoffed at him in my mind. Yes, I am starving, so hurry up and send me back to my world so I can eat in peace, you cursed phantom!
"This place... will become your sanctuary," he whispered, as if effortlessly reading my thoughts.
I stared at him, but he offered no further explanation. His hand rose to stroke my head, that faint smile never leaving his face. His gaze felt genuinely tender, yet undeniably lethal.
"Rest now. Until we meet again."
FLICKER!
My heavy eyelids snapped shut. My body felt drawn into a warm, weightless abyss—free-falling through a sea of swirling stars.
Silence deafened my senses until I crossed the threshold of the mortal realm, rushed back to pull my wandering soul back into my physical shell.