The Other Side: A Second Chance

Night loomed over the world as the sun dipped beneath the mountain horizon, leaving the world to only bask in the colorful light of Enora's two moons. Yet even then, the thick canopy of the Heinland forest made everything nearly pitch black. Even with my elven eyes, which usually served well in the dark, I struggled to make out the winding vines and sticks lost in the underbrush that could easily trip me.

I moved with haste. My heart was beating heavily in my chest, and the static and steady beep was growing louder and louder with every subsequent step forward. Despite the cold, sweat formed on my brow as my hands and legs shook. Visions of my nightmare flashed across my mind.

Why do I hear it? This can't be real.

"It isn't real." I replied to myself.

But it feels and sounds so real. The static, the beep. Am I really just in a coma?

"Don't be so foolish. You're distracting yourself; focus on what's in front of you. You heard, Isa, that this forest is filled with fae. You know, faeries, pixies, sprites, and alps. Beings of trickery and deception."

That doesn't make it any less horrifying.

"Just keep that piece of cold iron on you, and don't panic. That'll only get us killed."

Us?

"Bah, I'm really driving myself crazy now."

The steady beep echoed in my eardrums as I clambered up the side of the mountain trail. My legs were aching as I assumed I was about halfway there. Behind me, I could no longer see the campfire light or hear my family. I wasn't entirely sure if I was going the right way, yet part of me was confident.

Yet I heard it as I clambered over a fallen tree in the path. Over the static and beeping, a distant, hollow howl akin to that of a wolf. I froze up on the log, clutching it tightly. It sounded very close.

"What are you doing? Keep moving." My mind raged.

There's a monster out here. A dangerous one. Mother said there were timbewolves. I gulped.

"Yes, there is, but standing still is only going to get me killed. It's best that I keep moving." My conscience reasoned.

"I'm going fucking crazy," I said out loud. "I'm actually cracked."

"Perhaps I am, but talking out loud is going to give you away. Keep moving."

Once again, I heard the howl; it sounded so unnatural. A ghostly sound mixed with scraping bark on a tree. I shivered, hopped off the log, and continued to move at a much faster pace. I whimpered nervously as the howl received a response, except this time somewhere off to my left.

"They've caught our scent. My mind began to wander. Double it, Luna. Keep moving. We won't be able to see them within the underbrush; just don't stay in one spot too long."

My heart began to race, and I whined as I began to pump my little legs faster.

How the fuck would I know that? I never read about timberwolves. How would I know they're after me? Maybe that was like a mating call.

"Just trust me, move! You don't want to die again, do you? What if you don't get a third chance?"

"Fuck me!" I whined as the path began to meander to the left, and I followed the trail. I was nearly tripping as I rounded the corner and caught myself on a branch. I panted heavily as I took a second to breathe.

"What are you doing?! Move!"

"I need a breather." I gasped. "I need to catch my breath."

"We don't have time. The pack is moving in on us as we speak."

"How do you know that? How do I know that?" I grasped the side of my head. "Where did this other voice come from?"

"As fun as it would be to try and get to know ourselves, we don't have the time. Get moving, or else you'll be turned into fertilizer."

I cursed and pushed myself forward.

"You're almost there. There are about a dozen yards left. Once you reach the clearing, that's when they'll attack. Run like hell."

"Excuse me?"

"They're laying an ambush. There are three of them. No, four. The Alpha is watching far off."

"This is definitely not me thinking this..." I spoke. "Wh-what if I don't go out there?" I shook. "What if I turn back?"

"You cannot do that. Not anymore. If you turn back now, the rest of the pack will converge for the kill."

"So, I'm fucked!"

"No. Stop panicking. Move to the cave. Trust me. You'll make it, and you will live. But only if you run. Now move!"

Tears streamed down my cheek, my legs wobbled, and my heart was beating so fast I thought it'd burst. Biting my lower lip, I cried softly. "I--I don't want to die!"

"You're not going to die. Trust me."

"H-How?! Who are you? You're not me!"

"I am you; now move! They're going to kill you!"

"I shouldn't have come out here. I shouldn't have come out here!"

"For all the love there is to be, Luna Ashflow, move!"

My little heart began to thump in my ears, drowning out the static and beeping, and my breathing became ragged. I couldn't take any breaths. I couldn't breathe. I was going to die. I fucking killed myself before it even happened. Why did I walk out here? What did I hope to gain? I'm dead. I'm going to be ripped apart by fucking wolves because of some childish curiosity. I threw it away. I threw this new life away.

"DUCK NOW!"

My conscience screamed, and without thinking, I dove to the ground as a massive, looming mass lunged over me. My shoulder struck sticks and dirt as my legs flew over me as I rolled onto my back.

The ground shook and trembled as I found myself staring up at the stars. RUN, FUCKING RUN! The little voice in my head screamed as I rolled onto my stomach and stood up shakily. I looked back, and my eyes widened with abject horror.

It was large. Probably about the size of a stallion. Its outer shell was made of thick tree bark overgrown with moss and vines. Nowhere I could see was this thing made of flesh; only wood and other organic vegetation vaguely created the silhouette of a large wolf-like creature. Its eyes, a sickly green, I could see dripping from its makeshift maw riddled with sharp stick-like teeth was an oozing, almost undulating sap.

I'm going to die, I thought.

"Only if you stand there like an idiot. Run!"

The wooden construct of a beast raised its head and unleashed a soulless howl, and I screamed as I cupped my ears and ran for dear life. I could see the clearing up ahead, yet one more fallen log blocked my path. Behind me, I could feel the ground quake as the monster began to chase.

"It's going to pounce! Dive to the left, and immediately begin crawling forward!"

Whatever this little voice was that sounded like me, I chose to put my trust in it as I dove to the left. My belly scraped against the cold mud and unmelted snow, and my nice dress immediately became ruined as I began to army crawl. Which was perfectly timed as a second timberwolf dove through the bushes and landed right where I had just been!

"Get up and run! I'll let you know when to dodge again!"

I wailed and ran, my legs burning. I continued pumping them forward, jumping over the fallen tree. My knee scraped and gashed itself against it as I failed to clear it, and I tumbled forward. Face cracking into stone and grass. I yelled with pain.

"Get up, get up, get up!"

I moaned and crawled forward before pushing myself to my feet. On the looming cliff face before me, I could see the cave entrance, yet to my left, about one hundred feet out, the third wooden wolf broke through the tree line and began to beeline right for me. Behind me, the two other wolves began to flank around. I had nowhere to go but the cave.

"Run!"

I cried as I began to sprint as fast as my little legs could carry me. Seventy feet, fifty feet, and thirty feet. It was gaining on me. I was only about a few feet from the entrance when the little voice in my head bellowed.

"Jump!"

Like a baseball player running for home, I leaped forward into the cave entrance just as the sharp, wooden claws gouged my back. Hot, searing pain shot through me as my vision flashed white and red as I tumbled into the cave.

"Crawl, crawl! You're almost there!"

Ignoring the agonizing pain in my back, I vigorously began to pull myself over the rocky floor of the cave as the ferocious barking and howling behind me intensified as the wooden monstrosities attempted to force themselves through the entrance, which, thankfully, their wide frames were too big to fit comfortably through.

Yet that didn't mean they wouldn't try.

The sound of snapping wood caught my ears as one of them pressed and forced themselves in. I was only about ten feet or so into the cave, and I turned away and began to pull myself to my feet and limp away.

"Don't worry. They'll try to get in, but I can assure you they can't."

I moved as far from the entrance as I could, about thirty feet back, and eventually, the wolves pulled away and all fell silent, save for my whimpers and moans. As the adrenaline faded, I crumpled to my hands and knees. My dress was now soaked with blood and mud, and I could feel the warm trickle moving down my back and arms beneath the fabric. I pressed my head into the floor and began to cry.

Everything fell silent—the little voice in my head, the static and beeping. All vanished as I wailed; the adrenaline, the pain—all of it shook me as I sobbed. Never in my life have I felt so utterly horrified and alone.

I was a fool to come here; what was I thinking? This isn't some silly anime or anything; I have no powers. How the fuck did I survive?!

I moaned and lightly thumped my head on the floor as I sniffled and sobbed.

"You are no fool; I was the one who deceived you into coming here. This isn't whatever you just thought, nor is it fictional. This is all very, very real." The little voice returned, yet the voice that sounded like my own transitioned into something else. It sounded like a man; their tone was elegant yet emotionless.

"Do not wallow in pity or fear. You did well."

"The fuck, you mean I did well?!" I cried out, hiccupping over my voice. I wiped the tears from my eyes; my left arm felt limp. I could move it, but doing so caused great pain. "You manipulated me! I almost fucking died; I'm injured… I'm alone… I want my mom! Dad!" I screamed out.

The little voice fell silent, and as I quieted down, it spoke up.

"You did well because you're alive. And that's all that matters." The voice fell silent once more. I could hear the sound of the static and the heart-like beep returned. The little voice returned once more, the once emotionless tone taking on a more calming sound. "Your family most definitely heard the noise up the mountain here; they would've checked on your tent and noticed you were gone. They'll be coming here shortly."

My heart skipped a beat. "Then they're in danger!"

"No, they are not. Your mother and father are most formidable; a small pack of timberwolves will easily be dispatched. I say this to ease your fears; you will not die here, Luna, and I do apologize for the injuries you sustained."

I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "Wh-who are you?"

"Who I am right now is entirely irrelevant; I just need you to listen to me. Though, for the sake of giving you a name, you can call me "The Master"."

I hiccupped and said, "Th-that doesn't sound ominous at all."

"I've helped you thus far, haven't I?"

"You helped me by luring me to a pack of wolves!"

"Wolves that failed to eat you. If you had come up here without my guidance, you would surely be little elf pieces right now."

I sniffled and nodded. "I-I can't argue with that…" I winced as the wound on my back began to throb.

"Once again, I apologize for the injuries you sustained. From what I can sense, they are not life-threatening. Your family should reach here before anything becomes dire; however, you are still capable of moving and coming to meet me again."

"Again?" I blinked. "I've never talked to you before till now." I shifted to my feet and wiped my eyes; the tears just kept fucking coming.

"Long ago, we did." The voice of the master said.

I blinked. "Are you the reason why I'm here right now? By that, I mean… alive again?"

"Answering that question is something I do not have the time or patience for. Now that I sense you're standing, I would like for you to proceed to the back of the cave. A hole should be visible that you can squeeze through."

"How about you answer my question first?" I growled.

"I refuse to answer the question because I know it'll only raise more questions. Now, please, proceed to the back of the cave."

There's no pleasing you, is there? I thought to myself.

"Do remember, I can hear your thoughts." The master responded.

Great, then that means I have no more privacy?

"For now."

Feeling as if I had no choice, I began to limp over to the hole. The cave was long, but not wide. The walls were slick with condensation, and the bases were lined with rubble and sharp rocks—stalagmites, if I recall.

The cave began to shift a bit to the right, with the ceiling becoming lower as the floor began to decline. My knee, which I gashed against the log, seeped blood down my once-white stockings and into and on my boots, making each step slippery. Yet as I carefully ventured down, true to their word, a hole could be found against the back wall.

One that is just big enough to fit me and some.

"Uh…huh…" gulped. "I-I don't have to crawl through that, do I?" I asked out loud, as a nervous shake was present in my voice. "L-Like it's going to open up to reveal a passage?" I didn't want to crawl into that tight space, even with my small frame. What if I got stuck?

"You will not get stuck." The voice replied.

I gulped and glanced down the hall; even with my improved night vision compared to my past life, I could not see what was beyond. Yet, I could hear the static and the beep of the heart monitor, which was the loudest it had been.

Hey, voice… master? I thought.

"Yes?"

Since you can hear my thoughts and all, do you also hear the static and beeping?

My conscience fell silent for a moment, almost as if the voice had paused to think.

"As a matter of fact, I do." The voice replied slowly.

Do you know what it is? Am I going nuts?

"This I can answer; it's your internal fears. A phobia that is being triggered. It's trying to distract you. Ignore it."

I took a deep breath, feeling a little relieved. Yet a bit of skepticism remained as I glanced at the hole. Once again, I felt as if I had no choice. Shifting my body, I climbed into the hole, my body quaking with fear once more as I began to squeeze my way through.

Thankfully, the hole wasn't that long. Only about seven or so feet I wriggled my way through before coming out the other end, yelping as I flopped into icy water. I panicked for a second but stopped when I realized it was only a few inches deep.

"Fuck, I'm soaked…" I groaned as I pushed myself to my feet and glanced around the eerie darkness. The static echoing louder along with the beep made it almost impossible to think as I bit my lower lip.

"Excellent. You're almost there. Proceed to the right; about ten paces forward, you'll hit an abnormally smooth wall." The voice instructed, and I followed.

Sure enough, as I waded out of the water and onto the smooth ground, I reached a smooth wall. Yet it wasn't entirely smooth. There were etchings on it. I couldn't make out what, though I knew it wasn't natural.

What is this? I thought.

"A structure. An old tower that once resided here. That much, I'll say. Follow this wall to your left and keep your hand on it. Eventually, you'll find a gap."

I nodded and did as I was told.

Voice: Why did you choose me? I asked. Why not speak to Varis or my parents?

I continued down the cave, my hand grazing the smooth stone wall.

There was silence for a moment. As said, we met once before. "I've answered this in the past."

So why don't I remember? I thought.

I have my reasons. The voice replied as my fingers dipped into the aforementioned gap.

I stopped, though. Being secretive isn't best when trying to form trust, I thought.

"Again, I have my reasons, and I told you. Answering questions will only raise more questions. The less you know, the better. Believe me when I say you and I are on the same side. In a mutual relationship, you help me, and I help you."

Ah, so I'm helping you? I smirked, and I heard the voice sigh.

"Yes, you are." The voice sighed softly. "Now, press your fingers into the gap."

I hesitated for a second before taking a deep breath and shoving them through the slit in the wall. I felt them press against a stony surface, which then sank with my fingers. A loud click echoed throughout the chamber, and soon the wall cracked and began to part. I stumbled back as pieces of stone and dust sprinkled down from above. A blueish-white light blinded me.

I shielded my eyes, and as they adjusted, I saw what looked to be a staircase, riddled with pieces of broken metal and… Bells?

Ascend the tower, and we'll meet again.

"What the fuck…" I muttered as I shifted past the broken debris of iron and copper bells, which clanged and stumbled down the steps.

As I stepped through the doorway, the chill of the cave vanished. The air became stuffy, and the static and beeping noises continued to assault my mind. Mixed in was a ticking clock to the cacophony of noise.

Grabbing the railing, I began to climb my way up the dimly lit steps and gasped when the stone door behind me began to shut.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I screamed and began to run back down.

"Do not worry; you're not trapped here." The voice said, "Keep going up."

I panted nervously and whined before turning around. "I'm dreaming," I said. "This has to be a dream."

"You are not dreaming. This is all very, very real, Luna Ashflow."

I gulped as I began to climb the steps, careful not to trip over the many broken bells. "Why are there so many broken bells here?" I asked out loud.

"Failed recreations. They are harmless, as long as you don't trip on them."

"Recreating what? Church bells?" I asked as I reached the first platform of many.

"It is nothing that concerns you." Said the voice.

"So bloody secretive." I sighed as I continued up the second set of stairs.

This continued as I rounded what seemed like over a dozen stairs, the pile of shattered bells piling up more and more until finally, I reached a metal door.

I panted softly, my thighs and busted knees aching. My wounded back and arm throbbed heavily, and my head was screaming with the migraine that brought on the incessant noise that's been plaguing me.

"The door is unlocked. You can enter."

I straightened up, grabbed the metal handle, turned, and stepped inside. Warm air instantly greeted me, along with the sound of howling wind, a beautiful night sky, and two gorgeous moons. Radiance and Andoria are much larger and closer than ever before. In front of me, a massive, black bell damaged along its base due to the missing pieces I noticed hung aloft above an altar.

Yet what stood out to me was the gentle piano music I heard coming across from the other side of the altar. As the metal door shut behind me, I flinched and stepped forward, noticing the open windowpanes allowing air to flow through and revealing a gorgeous vista of rolling plains and mountains. Yet there were no ordinary mountains or planes; this wasn't Oren. This wasn't Heinmarr.

Where the fuck am I?

The pleasant piano music ceased. "Welcome to the Infinite Twilight." I heard the voice, except it was no longer in my head. Across from me, I saw a dark figure rise from behind the piano, an androgynous being draped in a black cloak from head to toe, the hood concealing most of their face, revealing only their pale mouth and chin.

Raising their arm, the sleeve fell back to reveal a delicate pale hand gesturing to the scenery before us. "My prison and home."