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/Turn.../
Dale turned his head to face his mysterious savior, the voice in the room.
"...?"
'What…'
But there was no one there.
"Don't be alard, we don't an any harm." The elderly voice said as it noticed Dale's confusion
Strangely enough, the voice was coming from the sa place, right in front of him.
Yet… There was nothing there.
No unique sounds such as the sound of breathing and clothes fluttering.
No Slls, the air was completely still...
Nothing.
Looking around once more, he noticed another strange thing, this room had no windows.
And it was bizarrely well illuminated for the single source of light it had, the small firefly lamp above the bed.
"What… Are you?... And this place?"
"This is… The ho of an old friend." He replied calmly, his voice echoing around
It gave Dale a slight headache as if he was speaking directly to his mind.
"Why am I here?"
"Because otherwise, you wouldn't 'be' anymore."
"...?"
Dale's confusion was increasing, and so was his creepiness of this situation.
He really wanted to leave but just as he was creeped out by the voice, he felt weird about the door.
It could wait... For now.
"It seems this situation requires so… Explaining."
"I... Would be happy for that." Dale said with a nod
"We've been watching you, Dale, for a rather long ti, ever since you first stepped into this forest."
"Our first eting might've been odd, but do take into consideration our circumstances, few can talk with us, much less see us, sothing not even you can."
"..."
'Then what are you all? He avoided the question, no... He blatantly ignored it.'
"Before, your situation was really dire." The elderly voice said with so concern
"With your heart destroyed, you successfully landed a blow on your foe, but it escaped, foiling your first way out of that predicant, leading us to this eting."
"So you started a desperate and aningless struggle, yet, that bought you ti, just enough for our voice to reach you once more."
"Your struggle muddled your mind, forces that did not belong to you threatened to consu it, and they almost did, more than once."
"Finally, the circle beca whole and the Ritual was finished as the predator devoured the prey, yet you failed in retaining consciousness…"
"But you are not to bla, you are not to depreciate your own efforts."
"Resisting that intense pain… Would not leave you uncharted, it surpasses what any were ant to experience, even across lifetis."
"However, if you were not conscious, the process would fail… So we brought you here, a place within but not."
"If you cross that door, you'll return, but not to what you expect."
"Take this mont of solace and return once your mind has rested, this is all we offer."
"In here, it can be healed."
"..."
Dale was silent, he didn't know if he should trust the voice… The voices.
But they did save his life, there were many reasons as to why they could do so, both good and bad, though for now, Dale decided to remain.
He still had questions, and as long as he had them, he would remain.
Either way, his headache had indeed reduced severely, and if he were to spend a few more minutes around, he would be back to before he felt all that pain.
So soothing he even started to forget how it felt...
"You refer to yourself in a plural manner, who are 'we'?" Dale asked with a frown as he looked at his hands
"Hum… What point is there to explain a color to a blind person?" The elderly voice added after it thought for a mont
"But that is no answer... An excuse for the lack of talent and skill."
"... We are more than one, individuals, but acting as a whole… For as long as we are in agreent."
"Not a hive, but more of than a group, beyond Human concepts, though not far from it either."
"We gaze upon the forest and wait, that's all."
"... Why help ?"
"We asked ourselves this question too, before, and after."
"But I would say… Impulsiveness."
"What started with one overstepping their boundaries cascaded to many, an interest in the one that struggled."
"And even... Boredom."
"Our lack of cohesiveness also led to this result, as we are also not in agreent regarding the current state of the forest."
"Most believe it to be natural, the course of life, a process of change, a period of transition... But a minority believed that it was not."
"Though they had their own visions of what was natural, and that in itself was... Artificial."
"From those that could not make a choice, very few stood in the middle, agreeing with both sides but unwilling to take a step in either direction due to their own beliefs and circumstances."
"That would be us."
"I particularly wasn't interested in interfering, though I hope this doesn't co as an affront to you, one of the Humans."
"I wish to end this disagreent, as I prefer the calmness, when the forest produces its song, undisturbed."
"But I also wish to see it transform, for it to produce a new song, not better, not worse, just new."
"So I aided you, that was all."
"We require no gifts or exchangeable products for this act, take it as a sign of appreciation for soone that possesses the will to challenge sothing beyond themselves."
"As through challenge, one may evolve, an intrinsic part of life."
"Your courage to delve this deep and to be willing to endure self-mutilation, even if for the sake of power was… Enlightening."
"We've seen many like you, but those left for their own journeys long ago, it's always interesting to see those fighting against the very forces that made them whole persevere and to witness a new aspect of the world we previously thought impossible, or even, never thought of before."
"After all, isn't it all part of creation? Through beings like you, we may witness that we were never ant to be."
"And that is the biggest gift."
"..."
As Dale heard the elderly voice, he started to have an inkling of suspicion, the reason why he may be able to hear them, what these beings actually were.
"Are you guys... The Old Spirits?" Dale asked bluntly, unwilling to tap around the bush
"How blunt, yet unusual, to see a Human that still recognizes the term." The Elderly voice added with so surprise
"Had it been another, I would have said no, but you spoke with purpose, You know what an Old Spirit is, at least, you have suspicions."
/Silence.../
After a period of montary pondering, he continued.
"Few of us still remain, most left in pursuit of the ones they believed to be the true children of nature."
"They were foolish, but I respect their choices."
"All were born from nature, be it them, us, or you. Their actions are their own and should be respected and understood, so I have been pondering about for ages."
"I stood opted to stay, the ones around being conceived after to fill the spots left behind by the ones that departed, so they cannot be called Old…"
"Nor New." He said with a slight chuckle
"...?"
'For so reason, Dale felt strange, as if sothing had voiced its displeasure, almost palpable.'
'He could feel it in his skin, a strange sense of…'
"Hum… It looks like our ti has co to an end." The voice said with a tinge of disappointnt
"The separation of mind and body cannot be maintained for long, especially as you move away from our area of influence."
"Wait! I still have many questions!" Dale asked as he felt sothing tugging at his body
"The Ancient Elves, their reasons for departing, the past, the Karkavan, and their promise!"
If I can I would also like their blessing…
"We know, your kind has always been one to seek out sothing, be it a materialistic desire or an ideal, even if it leads to the destruction of another." He replied in understanding
"It is no wonder most tend to dislike your species, as destructive and unpeaceful that it is."
"But what is a group if not an assortnt of individuals? As even upon the waves of change that drive many to single-minded thought, so choose their own paths, and as such, those deserve to be seen and judged individually."
"Our talk today has been highly entertaining, Dale."
"Seek the truths on your own terms like the ancestors that paved your current self..."
"Human."
/Creak…/
The door behind Dale opened, and he felt a strong tugging force pull him into the light on the other side.
He tried to resist, but he quickly lost his footing, and without anywhere to grab or place his foot on, he was easily dragged outside.
And for a mont, he saw several outlines of people gazing at him from within the room.
"... I can see you all…" Dale said as light covered his vision and body
"... You do." The elderly voice added in an amusing tone
…
/Gasp!/
Dale suddenly opened his eyes, this ti, he knew where he was at a glance.
His bed at Illia's Inn, the old room he was used to logging in and off every day.
He was back.
…
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