Latens Paradis [Arc 1]

     It was easy to see the signs of winter. The air was crisp, many leaves had either lost their color or vanished completely, and a white blanket of clouds would cover the sky most days. It was a time of bonding, of looking out for each other during ice-cold weather, of staying warm and cozy by the fire. A soft pitter patter of icy rain cascaded down branches onto an umbrella made of a holographic veil. Through the translucent veil, was a soft green color that broke the dull brown and gray surroundings. The faint warmth of breath filled the frigid air. A call arrived and was answered swiftly; opening up another hologram in front of the receiver. On the other end of the call was a woman with crimson red hair tied back loosely, whisking away enthusiastically at a mixing bowl.

     “Hey Yun! How’s today's trip going?”

     “Hi Mom, almost everything’s been picked up. I just need to grab dried dandelions from Nettie”, Yun said with delightment. Nettie was an apprentice who often took on the front end work of the Fleur Press, a shop local to Eos Bay that specialized in dried flowers and loose leaf teas. She was a bit older in age; old enough to be a mother or aunt, but was young in heart. She reminded Yun of her own mother in ways. Yun particularly enjoyed seeing Nettie whenever she had a chance to stop by. Yun could walk in and forget her version of reality, even just for a few minutes.

     “Wonderful! Well, I’m still deep in the baking trenches. No matter how much I try, I swear there’s even more to do,” Aeris sighs, hiding her hyperbolic woe behind a smile. “When you get home, I’m afraid there won’t be any time to relax quite yet”.

     Manual labor is something Yun was no stranger to so this wasn’t any issue for her. “Ah, that’s okay! I’m sure we’ll finish in no time if we do it together”, Yun said through a smile. “I’ll come back as soon as I can”.

     After ending the call, Yun hurried down the cobblestone path into the downtown area of Eos bay. The town was simple yet charming; nested along an ocean with breathtaking views and warm waters. While small, it was lively and bustling with neighborly faces. As many did in Illephia, people spent their days honing in on their own specialties and building small businesses out of their craft. That’s how many made their living. Creating elixirs and medicinal potions, translating and transcribing ancient languages, or teaching and passing down their magical knowledge, among much more. Yun was well-acquainted with the townsfolk, often helping them out with their businesses if they were short-handed, or purchasing goods for her home.

     Arriving at the Fleur Press, Nettie and Yun each said their hello’s and got down to business. “Are you here for anything in particular Yun?”, Nettie asked.  “Yes, I actually need a couple ounces of dried dandelion please”, Yun said.

     “Sure thing, dear!”, Nettie said, walking back to her assorted jars of dried flowers and herbs. Gently placing the dandelions neatly into a small bag, Nettie asked, “Would this happen to be for the Harvest?”. “It is! It’s the last thing I needed to pick up actually. And I’m so relieved. We started prepping early this time but here we are rushing until the last minute,” Yun let out a long sigh. She placed the remainder of her change on a small counter tray.

     Rustling through her register, Nettie continued the conversation, “Oh, you and Aeris must be expecting a large crowd. I heard attendance is going to be crazy this year. Probably the biggest one yet!”.

     The Winter’s Harvest was an annual celebration held to commemorate cultural diversity among different species, taking place in Pernrith; a large village town in the mountains. Many would attend to stroll through the aisles of street vendors, eat unique foods, play games brought from far places, to enrich themselves in the lives of others, and enjoy company. Yun and her mother, Aeris, attended the Harvest every year as vendors, bringing along Eos Bay specialities and educational stories about humans and their history. Their booth was always quite popular, as seeing a human anywhere was very rare. So naturally, many were interested in learning about the ancient customs of The World Before.

     Because of their reputation in the festival, Aeris and Yun would prepare weeks in advance. Aeris would take care of things at home while Yun would run errands in town; gathering and purchasing ingredients for baking and materials for handcrafting items. 

     “Yeah, I’m trying to mentally prepare myself. But I’m more excited than anything else. It’s the only time I really get to leave town”, Yun excitedly smiled.

     “Well, don’t push yourself too hard. I know how much you love to help but please, remember to take care of yourself. I’d hate for someone to find you lying in the corner of an alley again”, Nettie chuckled, albeit a little sternly. She knew Yun took herself too lightly and sometimes Nettie’s words would go in one ear and out the other. But she always hoped Yun would take her advice to heart.

     Keeping the mood light, Yun said, “Ah, you’ll never let that go will you? It was only a few times and I was just taking a little break. I’ll be fine, there’s nothing to worry about”. Her smile persisted.

     And there it was. Yun’s habit was to cast herself aside for everyone else. At least Nettie could count on her to be consistent. “Alright~ Well you’re older enough now that I can’t really boss you around. At least we have Aeris for that”, Nettie giggled, handing the small bag of flowers. “Be sure to say hi to her for me!”

     “Of course!”, Yun said, placing the bag into one of her other many shopping bags she collected throughout the day. “Thank you Nettie~ Hope you enjoy the rest of the year!”. With the last of errands checked off her long list, Yun began her return home. And rather hastily; eager to drop her heavy load of items and warm up after hours of chilly weather. Although she had constantly intruding thoughts of relaxing for the rest of the evening, Yun reminded herself her work would continue until they finished all their baking sweet breads and cookies, and small intricate vases and bowls made lovingly by Aeris. Aeris would throw and shape while Yun painted and decorated. It was exhausting work compared to the rest of the year but it was always rewarding to see the smiles of those who visited.

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     After what seemed like never-ending preparation, it was finally time to set out for Pernrith. Everything was packed neatly and loaded into a small white truck; courtesy of another friendly Eos Bay local. Yun and Aeris themselves did not own any of their own transportation so their traveling adventures were sparse. One would be right to assume they were thrilled; maybe even desperate and clawing at the chance to see fresh views and make new memories.

     Vehicles and other means of transportation were not common in Illephia, as mass production did not exist. Most would travel on foot or animal, or not at all. And those who did have a vehicle used it for transporting goods, making deliveries, or traveling for business. Most, if not all vehicles were refurbished from old, disrepaired ones, and brought back to life by highly skilled repairmen. And with all things in Illephia, transportation relied solely on magic and hovered down magic-infused roads.

     The trip to Pernrith was only a few hours drive. Aeris and Yun set out mid-day to arrive in the late afternoon to set up shop. The drive might have been a bit long but it felt quick compared to the countless days of preparation. Driving inland through winded hills and forests, they were excited to finally make the journey. Of course, the work wasn’t over; they discussed their plans for setting up their table and all the minute details of where to place certain things and what they would try to push selling. The conversation eventually steered into what they were looking forward to the most during their time in the festival. “I’m getting tired of all this business talk,” Aeris groaned, quickly finding a way to change the subject, “So, Yun, what are you looking forward to the most this year? I bet I can guess what it is, huh?”.

     Every year, the highlight of the Winter’s Harvest was the coalesce parade. All kinds of species would showcase the best of their culture through elaborately decorated floats. The parade was the ultimate symbol of unity and community. And Yun was one of the many who looked forward to seeing it the most. However, her reasoning was not only to appreciate and enjoy the spectacle but to jot down every detail she could about it. One of her biggest passions was learning about all kinds of magic and magical beings, and she loved recording all her thoughts about it in her many journals. Usually, she only had the chance to learn from books or online archives but this was the one time she could see it all in person. One would think she would be satisfied from so much excitement, but it only fueled her hunger to discover and understand more. To constantly try reaching an unattainable idea that maybe she could one day be like them too. 

     “Yep! I brought a fresh journal with me too! I finished binding it last night after work. It’s not my best but I wanted to bring lots of clean paper to write everything down”, Yun said, revealing a small leather book weaved with a ribbon closure - a signature of her handmade journals.

     “Whaaat~ It looks just as great as all your other ones! No one could ever make things like you”, Aeris exclaimed, always taking pride in her daughter's creativity and ready to defend it whenever. “Ehehe, thanks Mom”, Yun said with a small giggle, believing the compliment to only be surface-level due to her deeply rooted insecurities. Not even the highly confident Aeris could make her truly see herself as anything but average in all ways. Brushing it off, Yun asked, “And I can guess you’re looking forward to the mille-feuille?”. “Ahhhh, you got me. My stomach’s already growling. As soon as we get there, I’m going straight to Asu Perdia!”, Aeris said, determined to make all the delectable sweet treats hers.

     It was tradition for Yun and Aeris to visit Asu Perdia, a bakery exclusive to Pernrith. It was 700 square-feet of heaven with rows and rows of freshly-made delicacies. Lovingly created and adorned cakes, puddings, danishes, cookies; anything sweet that the mind could think of, it was there.

     “Oh my god.. I forgot!” Aeris suddenly blurted out. 

     “What!?”, Yun asked, worried at what they could’ve possibly forgotten. They went down the list several times before leaving.

     “The door! We forgot to lock the door. Ahhhhh, of all things…”, Aeris facepalmed. “Well, we can’t turn back now. We’re already halfway there”.

     “It should be okay. No one really comes around the home anyways since we live outside town. And if someone did notice it, I’m sure nothing would come of it. Everyone is so honest”, Yun did her best to reassure Aeris. The last thing they needed was to arrive in Pernrith stressed out. Yun was right though. Everyone in Eos bay was neighborly and always looked out for each other. If anything, they’d watch over the church while they were away. Yun just couldn’t believe out of everything on the to-do list, that was the one thing she didn’t write down. Oh well. Now wasn't the time to worry. They wanted to enjoy the ride, wherever it took them.

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     “Thank you so much for stopping by!”, Aeris said, handing a small bag to a customer as they walked away. “Ahh~ It just doesn't end~”, she sighed, “At this rate, the bakery will close before we get a chance to stop by..”. The sun was low and night was quickly approaching. The sky shaded everything with beautiful glows of pinks and oranges. On a normal day, this would be the que for everyone to return home and settle in. But of course, not during one of the biggest events of the year. And a busy year at that. “I really hate to ask this but since there’s not much of a choice… Yun, would you be willing to go pick up some things by yourself?”

     “I wouldn’t mind but…”, Yun hesitated, thinking of their tradition and wanting her mom to go with her. “I know~ I wish I could go too. But we could really use the extra money”, Aeris said, with a look of disappointment. Yun noticed her frustration. “I’ll take care of it then, no worries at all! I’ll be back before you even notice. Maybe they might even accidentally throw in some extras in there for us, hehe”, she softly chuckled, trying to lighten Aeris’ spirit. “Ahhh, thank you Yun! You’re a lifesaver!”, Aeris said, pulling Yun in for a celebratory hug.

     Stepping away from the table, Yun began her walk to Asu Perdia. It was only a few minutes away so her mom wouldn’t be missing her too much. Snow fell softly, feathering the sunset-lit sky. The snow here was more dry and light compared to the snow in Eos bay. Yun felt like she was almost floating through fluffy powdered sugar, on her way to a sweet paradise. She knew she was nearing the bakery when she caught the scent of warm baking bread. Heading inside, it was just as bustling as the rest of Pernrith. People were shuffling around, deciding which of  the many beautiful treats to pick, and a small line had already formed at the register. Yun thought it was best not to waste any time looking and grab their favorites before it got too busy. She wouldn’t want to make her mom wait more than she already had. “Crema catalana, milk tea buñuelos, cinnamon cream puff…”, Yun mumbled to herself, gently placing the pastries into a basket. “And lastly, frosted berry mille-feuille for mom”.

     A sudden and loud explosion was heard a short distance away. Yun thought, “Fireworks?”. It was dark enough, so it wouldn’t be surprising to hear them. But Yun swore she heard faint screams. It could’ve very well been cheering. Looking around at the other patrons for confirmation, no one seemed panicked or even seemed to notice anything odd at all. They continued looking through cases and talking amongst themselves. Yun still had a weird feeling but dismissed it after seeing everyone’s lack of reaction. Maybe she was just tired after a long day. After paying and grabbing the goodies, Yun returned back outside. The weird feeling was still lingering. Yun, again, looked at the buildings around her, at the sky, at other passersby. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Yun’s exhaustion was confirmed. “ Maybe I should head to the lodge and rest after dropping these off with Mom”, Yun thought to herself, “The parade isn’t until tomorrow and things should be slowing down now so I wouldn’t be missing much tonight”.

     Returning back to their booth, Yun was a little shocked to see the crowds were still there. But the energy was winding down and much more relaxed compared to the liveliness a couple hours earlier. She decided to stay and continue helping to avoid Aeris getting swamped in her absence. Aeris had just finished chatting with a customer as Yun greeted her. “Hi Mom! Sorry it took a little bit, they were really busy. But I should’ve seen it coming, hehe”, Yun giggled a bit nervously. 

     “Oh, hi sweetie! Don’t be sorry. I’ve been so busy, I didn't even notice you were gone. Where was it that you went, dear?” Aeris grinned sweetly.

     Yun was caught off guard by the question and didn’t know how to respond, “Um… Asu Perdia… you don’t remember?”. 

     Still grinning, ear to ear, Aeris said, “Hmm? Of course I remember, dear. Don’t be so silly!”. Softly chuckling and turning to sort through random items. Yun was quickly growing concerned but tried to brush it off, “Okay, well… I brought back mille-feuille!”, rustling through the bag and pulling out a container. “I know you’ve been waiting so long so why not enjoy some right now? I’ll take over while you take a break”.

     “Oh no, I don’t need anything, dear. Why don’t you have some of that… What was that thing again? Millie… hm..”, Aeris continued pointlessly shuffling through stuff with a smile.

     What… was… going on..?? The uneasy feeling Yun had earlier came back and was stronger than before. The way Aeris was behaving;  her tone, her eerie smile, the way she was mindlessly trying to look busy. A pit grew in Yun’s stomach. She must’ve been standing frozen for a second too long. Just long enough for Aeris to take notice.

     “Is something wrong, dear?”, Aeris asked, her smile somehow widening more than it already was.

      Dear. Sweetie. Endearing nicknames Yun was not used to hearing. Factoring that in along with the completely out of character energy of her mom, she knew. This was not Aeris. Almost under her breath and in a shaky voice, Yun asked, “...W-who are y-”.

     Bright, jarring flashes of crimson red abruptly covered Yun’s vision. Chunks of flesh ripped opened and littered the table and its surroundings. Yun’s heart stopped. She couldn’t make sense of what was what. Aeris’s body was stretched, pulverized; reduced to a nonsensical mess of limbs and muscle and bones. Completely frozen and terrified at the sight of her only family being ripped apart right in front of her, Yun couldn’t do anything but close her eyes. Her face and clothes littered with splattered blood. Aeris’s blood. Her legs buckled and she fell to the ground from the shock.

     The illusion was broken. An invisible veil that hid reality slowly faded away and revealed the terror Pernrith had been under. The starry night sky turned to a burnt and blazing red. No longer filled with song and banter but roaring flames and blood-curdling screams. 

     A figure dressed in a long white coat and hood appeared several feet away. Their head and face completely concealed by a large black mask with the shape of a dragon. They seemed to be unaware that Yun was nearby as she was hidden by a large pile of what was their table. Yun held her breath, not wanting to give away her location. The figure began walking toward her. In a panic, she looked around, desperately trying to find an escape. Yun saw the remnants of a destroyed float a couple yards away and crawled behind it. The float was a perfect place to hide for now. Yun couldn't stay forever though. The figure was quickly approaching. With no choice but to keep moving, Yun peeked from the other side and noticed the figure was facing the opposite direction. It was her chance to run. Run as far away as she could. But she stopped herself when she overheard a conversation between the masked figure and another equally menacing figure.

     They began talking about their search for something in particular. Something Yun had only heard mentions of in legendary stories passed down through generations. The two masked figures were looking for a Varallian or at least any remnants of one. Varallian's were angels and highly regarded as one of two of the ultimate deities of Illephia. But they were extinct for over 300 years. Why would they be looking for a Varallian? And why here?

     "There is no doubt about it. We've successfully infiltrated this realm and found a suitable location for our first attack. We are one step closer to taking back what belongs to us".

     "But we haven't found any signs of a Varallian. Do you think it'll slow us down?".

     "This realm is full of deceit and false hope. If any still exist, they surely will find us first. It will only be a matter of time before one presents itself. Until then, we'll continue our work".

     Yun decided she had heard enough. It was time to leave and get help. Or at the very least, try to. She had no idea what she could possibly do alone. Yun was terrified and confused but was determined to try. Slowly creeping away, her footsteps were quieter than a mouse. She somehow found her way to the edge of town; leading to the forested mountains. She was suddenly left with the decision to stay and possibly be killed, or venture out into the woods for help. Before she could decide, the shock had caught up to her and a dizzy feeling hit her hard. She felt the urge to vomit and covered her mouth, desperately hoping for any kind of relief. She couldn’t help but keel over and throw up out of pure stress. Dripping from a cold sweat, no amount of holding back could keep such pain from spilling out. 

     So much anguish and grief in a matter of minutes. What was meant to be another joyous year of celebration was ruined by a dangerous and unknown source. How did this happen and why? What kind of person could have done this? If it even was a person? Yun’s mind circled through these thoughts a mile a second. She struggled through the pain but knew she had to get up. She wasn’t out of danger yet. Shaking, she stood up and pressed forward into the snow-buried forest. Unknown to her, someone noticed her as she left and slowly followed her.

     The night was long and brutally cold. It offered no relief, no end in sight. Yun had hoped to see shelter or someone who could help. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, she realized how ridiculous it would be to find someone out there, especially during winter in the middle of night. She was beginning to lose hope. Her body and mind quickly grew exhausted and ill; dragging her down further into the deep snow. She sensed someone had been following her for some time and knew she had to keep pushing herself regardless of what she was feeling, regardless of the pain and trauma. She pushed all the way to a steep cliff, meeting a dead end. If she stopped now, whoever was following would catch up quickly. She knew she had to climb and began to reach up to grab any ledge she could hold onto. But all her energy had been used up from the many many minutes, possibly hours, of wandering through endless trees and snow. A loud snap of a branch was heard not far behind her and she jerked her head around to see a distant dusky figure. It was moving right towards her, at a steady pace. She could feel her heart jump faster and faster and a rush of adrenaline came back. If she didn’t go right now, she was dead. She turned back around and found her footing on the rocky and jagged wall. She could physically feel the presence of the figure coming closer and closer the higher she got. Being terrified was a double-edged sword. On one side, it gave her the strength she needed to push herself but on the other side, she was distraught and not in the mindset to make the clearest decisions. She was so desperate to get out of this nightmare. She felt like reaching the top of this cliff would be her saving grace. If she could make it, there was no way the danger following could reach her. And she was so close to reaching the top. She was right there.

     But one wrong step changed that.

     The final step she needed crumbled beneath her foot. And with it, all her assurance and hope. Plummeting down 30-feet, Yun sustained multiple injuries and fell unconscious. Before blacking out completely, she fought for one last peek of the world before her anticipated demise. She saw blurry glimpses of a masked woman, beautifully dressed in blue, calmly walking towards her. In between moments of darkness, suddenly the bright glow of light and muffled noises filled what was left of Yun’s senses. In her final attempt to stay awake, she saw a large dark figure with glowing eyes overshadow her. In her mind, she was screaming out in resistance before her body finally gave out completely. Then nothing.

      It was easy to see the signs of winter. The night was quiet and cold. The only thing heard was the low howls of the bitter wind. Freezing ice continuously fell and covered anything in its path. It was not forgiving or merciful. It was a scarce and barren wasteland of barely existing. If you weren’t careful and dealt the wrong hand, it would destroy you; as it did with everything. The end to all things. The final chapter of life.