Whispers Beyond The Shore

After bidding farewell to Naylith and the villagers, she followed the path one of the men had pointed out. The air was still, and the trees swayed gently as if waving her off. The chirping of birds gradually faded, as though the forest itself was whispering: her real journey was about to begin.

Several carriages passed by on the same road. She approached a driver who bore the signs of constant travel and asked kindly,

"Where are you heading?"

He adjusted his sun-worn hat and replied,

"To the town of Liri, but I'll be passing through Nemora first."

She nodded with relief.

"May I accompany you to Nemora?"

He smiled and gestured to the seat beside him.

"Hop in."

She sat down, and silence settled over the road. They didn't exchange much conversation; only the creaking of the wheels and the crunch of gravel accompanied their journey. As time passed, the outline of Nemora appeared in the distance—its tall buildings rising proudly, pulsing with life in stark contrast to the stillness of the quiet village.

She thanked the driver, then merged into the bustling crowd, pulling her cloak tighter around her. The city was loud: merchants shouting, children laughing, scents of food swirling in the air.

She clutched the pendant and whispered to it amid the noise,

"The map... please, where's the shop?"

The pendant glowed faintly, and a small shimmering map formed before her eyes—a magical trace pointing toward a store located on the outskirts of Nemora, tucked within narrow, winding alleys.

She sighed and continued walking cautiously, watching faces and avoiding stares.

Suddenly, a plump woman with a warm smile and kind eyes stopped her and hugged her affectionately.

"Eirelyn! Where have you been? You vanished all of a sudden. I was worried sick!"

She froze for a moment, then forced a smile.

"I went to see... a relative."

The woman raised a brow.

"A relative? But you once told me you were an orphan..."

She hesitated, then quickly said,

"I meant a close friend."

The woman studied her face for a moment, then smiled again.

"Come eat with me, you must be tired."

She replied politely,

"I'm sorry, I need to open the shop. It's been closed for far too long."

The woman chuckled and shook her head.

"Still the same Eirelyn—always working. I just wish you'd rest for once. Anyway, I'll stop by tomorrow for the usual potion."

Her eyes widened.

"Which potion?"

The woman looked puzzled.

"The forgetfulness potion. Don't you remember? I haven't slept without it since..."

She paused, then gave a sad smile.

"Never mind. I'm just glad you're back."

Eirelyn wiped her brow.

"Phew... barely got away with that..."

She continued on until she finally found the shop. It looked dusty, abandoned—like it hadn't been opened in a year. She tried to push the door… it wouldn't budge. She looked for a key, but the lock seemed strange. She studied it closely.

"This shape... it resembles the pendant."

She removed it and pressed it against the lock. It glowed and slowly, the door creaked open.

She stepped inside, greeted by the choking scent of dust. It felt like the air itself was trying to push her out.

"Only nine days? It feels like it's been shut down for a year..."

She set her things aside and began inspecting the space. The tables were coated with thick layers of dust, the shelves groaning under years of neglect. Opening the storage room revealed only old-fashioned cleaning tools.

"Hah, no vacuum cleaners here..."

She grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor, wiping bottles, shaking dust off the corners. Each movement felt like it was releasing part of this place's buried past.

When she finally finished, she collapsed into a chair, exhausted. But her eyes caught a small wooden door in the back room.

She stood up and approached. She pushed it open—it led to a stone staircase. She drew the curtains closed, lit an old lantern, and descended.

At the bottom, there was another door—no lock, no key. Just symbols carved into the wood.

"What is this?"

She tried to push it. Nothing. The symbols were strange, indecipherable.

She focused her energy. She didn't have much magic—just a small orb of light. She placed her hand on the door and pushed with all her might. After a long struggle, the door finally gave way.

Inside, she found another cellar. Potions, glassware, magical instruments, and a thick book covered in dust.

She opened it. The writing was neat, organized—unlike the chaos of Sarenia's book.

She scanned pages describing potions: for forgetfulness, remembrance, love, sleep, fertility, hypnosis...

Then she stopped at the forgetfulness potion.

"Excessive use forbidden. May cause permanent memory loss."

Her eyes dropped to the bottom of the page—names of clients. The woman's name was first, marked with symbols indicating excessive, repeated use.

She closed the book and climbed back up, shut the back room door, and then—

The bell above the shop rang.

She turned swiftly to see a tall, handsome man with crimson eyes and dark brown hair.

She greeted him nervously,

"Hello. How may I help you?"

He froze, eyes wide.

"Eirelyn? It's me—Kaelon."

She froze.

"Kaelon... I didn't expect you to be..." she trailed off quickly, masking her tension.

He stepped closer, his face filled with disbelief.

"You disappeared for ten days—without a trace. And now... you don't remember me?"

She lowered her eyes.

"It's just... a lot happened. My memory is hazy."

He asked, voice filled with concern,

"What happened to you?"

How could she explain she wasn't the Eirelyn he once knew? She stammered, then said,

"I fell from a high place. Maybe hit my head... I don't really know."

"And how did you remember the shop?"

She pointed to the pendant.

"The map."

He stared at her, long and hard, then said,

"Will you come with me to a nearby café?"

She nodded gently.

They left the shop together. She'd left the door open.

"You forgot something, it seems," he said, his tone unreadable, perhaps still not believing she truly didn't remember.

She gave a nervous laugh and quickly shut the door.

They sat in a quiet café. The silence between them was heavy.

At last, he said,

"I know you're confused, but... we've known each other since we were kids. We grew up in the same orphanage. You always told me not to hit the other kids—even when I was defending you."

Her face looked stunned... she remembered none of it.

On the way back, Kaelon bid her farewell. He looked at her with an expression that hovered between pain and reflection. Then he hugged her, briefly. She froze, confused.

"Don't disappear again... without a trace... you scared me," he whispered.

"See you tomorrow, Eirelyn... okay?"

He walked away as her cheeks turned pink.

As soon as she closed the shop door behind her, she let out a breath from the long, exhausting day. Then she felt a cold draft slip through a crack in the back room door.

She descended again—she hadn't finished exploring earlier, thanks to Kaelon's arrival. There, she saw another door she hadn't noticed before. It was open.

She entered.

Inside... a massive mirror.

"A mirror? Here? Did Eirelyn care about her looks even in her cellar?" she muttered sarcastically.

She approached.

Her reflection smiled... then suddenly slammed its hand against the glass from the inside.

"LET ME OUT!"

She staggered back, horrified, but the reflection held a steady gaze.

"You're not Eirelyn. Who are you?"

She hesitated, then the words slipped from her lips without thought:

"I'm not her."

The reflection smiled slyly.

"A lost soul, huh? Set me free and I'll return you to your world. I know the way."

She paused, then asked,

"Who are you? Why do you look like Eirelyn?"

The reflection feigned sorrow.

"I'm part of her—the part she refused to acknowledge. She locked me here because I screamed. Because I reminded her of what she did. I only ever wanted freedom."

She felt a tug of pity, and stepped closer… reached toward the glass.

The reflection smiled eagerly.

But suddenly, the pendant pulsed with a red light and released a lightning-like burst at the mirror.

She jumped back as the reflection shrieked,

"NO!"

The face twisted into pure hatred.

"THAT DAMN PENDANT!"

She fled the room, dashed up the stairs, slammed the door, her heart pounding.

She collapsed near the wall, trying to catch her breath.

Then she reached for the attic ladder, climbed up to the upstairs bedroom.

It was beautiful. A window opened to the stars.

Memories from her old world returned—betrayal, exploitation, bullying. Her naivety had made her an easy target… and even now, it still did.

She collapsed onto the bed, gasping with sorrow, and drifted into sleep from sheer exhaustion.

In the morning, she woke early and began attempting to brew the forgetfulness potion. She failed again and again, but after three hours, finally succeeded.

She murmured,

"Not bad… at least for that woman who came yesterday... what was her name?... Ah, Kirena."

She set the potion aside and began organizing the shelves. On the surface, the shop looked ordinary—bread, fruit, milk… but the cellar held many secrets.

The bell rang. A boy entered, arms full of goods. He handed her the parcels, and she gave him a few coins.

He asked,

"Are you alright? They say you lost your memory."

She nodded, and he asked,

"Do you remember my name?"

She faltered, then shook her head.

He smiled gently.

"My name is Sylv. Don't forget me this time."

She nodded with a soft smile, and he waved before leaving.

Not long after, Kirena entered.

"The potion, please… I didn't sleep at all last night."

She handed it to her. The woman said,

"Every night I see him… my son. Died in front of me. Your potion is the only thing that silences his voice."

Eirelyn remained quiet, feeling sorrow for her, watching her leave.

Then, a masked man entered. His voice was rough.

"Bread. That's all."

She nodded and stepped inside. When she returned, he was gone.

But a wooden box sat on the counter.

She opened it... a doll. Its head severed. Blood around it. Pierced with needles.

It looked like her.

Beside it, a note:

"I don't know how you came back to life… but this time, you won't escape death... again."

The box dropped from her hands. She stepped back, reaching for her neck.

"What… is this?!"

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