Gima Therei- Willow series

Trapped beneath the collapsing cathedral, Willow's heart raced as she desperately carved her way through the wall of ice with her flaming dagger. With each strike, she felt the blade pulling at something deep within her, fueling its power to cut through the ice with newfound intensity.

Debris littered the ground around her, adding to the chaos of the crumbling building. Willow's breaths came in ragged gasps as she worked feverishly, driven by the primal instinct to survive.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of relentless effort, Willow carved away enough of the ice to create a small hole through which she could escape. With a surge of relief, she crawled into the opening, determined to make it out before the entire structure collapsed around her.

But fate had other plans. In the next instant, the cathedral came crashing down with a deafening roar, sealing off the entrance to the hole Willow had dug. Trapped once again, Willow's heart sank as she realized the enormity of her predicament.

Surrounded by darkness and the weight of the rubble above her, Willow fought against despair, searching desperately for any glimmer of hope. With her flaming dagger as her only source of light, she knew that her only chance of survival lay in finding another way out of this crumbling tomb.

Summoning every ounce of strength and determination within her, Willow braced herself for the daunting task ahead, knowing that her will to survive would be tested like never before.

***

Trapped beneath the weight of the collapsed cathedral and encased in a block of ice, Willow faced a dire predicament. With her options dwindling and her energy waning, she knew she had to act swiftly to ensure her survival.

Focusing her resolve, Willow weighed her options carefully. Carving through the ice seemed like the most direct path to freedom, but with her energy already depleted, she feared she wouldn't have enough strength to reach the other side before it was too late.

Burning the rotted wood behind her presented its own risks, but it offered a chance to create an opening through which she could escape. With the flames of the dagger flickering dimly, Willow knew she had to conserve what little energy remained within her.

Gritting her teeth, Willow made her decision. She would ignite the rotted wood and unleash the fiery blaze that would hopefully provide her with an avenue of escape. With a deep breath, she focused her willpower, channeling the last vestiges of her strength into the blade.

As the flames erupted from the dagger, licking hungrily at the dry wood behind her, Willow felt a surge of heat and energy course through her veins. With renewed determination, she pushed against the confines of her icy prison, feeling the wood give way beneath her fiery assault.

The air grew thick with smoke as the flames consumed the rotted wood, but Willow pressed on, driven by the desperate need to break free. With each strike of the dagger, she felt the barrier weakening, inch by agonizing inch.

Finally, with a resounding crack, the charred wood gave way, crumbling to ash and revealing a small opening through which Willow could escape. With her lungs burning and her muscles aching, she clawed her way through the debris, emerging into the cool night air with a sense of relief and exhaustion washing over her.

As she lay panting on the ground, surrounded by the remnants of the collapsed cathedral, Willow knew that she had narrowly escaped death once again. Gathering her strength, she pushed herself to her feet and limped away from the wreckage, determined to leave this harrowing ordeal behind her.

Willow laid on the ground outside the fallen cathedral and let her thoughts run wild as she rest her eyes upon the night sky.

"There's two full moons tonight I guess I'll be seeing mother" Willow said to herself.

After laying for a while Willow sat up and stared at her hometown in the distance and the forest that surrounded it and kept her form the world outside for these years. Sometimes Willow looked at the forest and remembered the day she learned the truth about it and the times before.

***

Willow was young and it was one of the rare days she got to spend time with her mother. Willow and her mother had a strange relationship. For as long as Willow could remember her mother had always been there but at the same time she wasn't. Willow didn't see her mother every day or whenever she went home. Willow would only see her mother and days of a full moon, for three days on nights of a twin moon, and for 2 weeks during the celestial eclipse. That had never changed In all of Willows life except for a few exceptions. Willows mother would always be there on her birthday and would always be there if something was wrong with the house. Willow never understood why her mother wasn't always around but she grew to appreciate the time she did have with her mother especially after talking to the orphans and telling them about it. One day while Willow's mother was brushing her hair while she hummed a tune to a song Willow didn't know Willow asked about the forest that surrounded the town. Mother's voice turned serious and she stopped brushing Willows hair. Mother turned Willow around and looked in her eyes. They studied each other, Willow had long black hair that faded into purple tips, smooth amber skin that seemed to almost glow, and crimson red eyes that shown with the wonder and naiveite of a child. Willow's Mother looked muck like an older version of her daughter besides some key details, she had the same amber skin and crimson red eyes. But instead of naiveite her eyes held the care and adoration of a mother. She had red hair that matched her eyes that ended with white tips. 

After a while of staring at each other Willow's Mother finally spoke. "What is my name Willow?"

Willow looked at her mother with a hint of confusion but answered her nonetheless, " La'Talia Winsley but Terry calls you Talia."

Willow's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at her mother, La'Talia. The transformation in La'Talia's eyes, shifting from crimson red to a brilliant white, was mesmerizing. Unbeknownst to Willow, her own eyes mirrored a similar transformation, changing from their usual crimson red to a radiant purple.

In that moment, Willow saw something she had never seen before—a light glowing in the center of her mother's body. The light was a kaleidoscope of colors, each hue blending seamlessly into the next, creating the most breathtaking sight Willow had ever seen. It was like staring into the heart of a rainbow, each color more vibrant and pure than the last.

"Beautiful," Willow whispered, her voice filled with awe and wonder.

Despite its dazzling beauty, there was something about the light that tugged at Willow's heart. It seemed a little dim, as if it was not shining as brightly as it should. This realization stirred a deep sense of concern within her.

"Well, I La'Talia Winsley say this as your mother, never venture into the forest until the day of your departure. The trees are sharp as knives, the creatures are vicious, and the darkness will swallow you whole. It's a place where only the bravest and most foolish dare to tread."

The day of departure was the day La'Talia would deem Willow old enough to leave Meretic and travel the world. It was a day both of them had anticipated with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. For years, La'Talia had prepared Willow with stories of adventures—tales of triumph and failure that were more than just bedtime entertainment. They were lessons, wisdom passed down through the ages, preparing Willow for the world beyond their small town.

La'Talia would sit by the fire, her eyes glowing with a light that seemed to reflect the flickering flames. "Once upon a time," she would begin, her voice weaving magic into the air, "there was a mother who put her child of forbidden birth in the care of a banished princess. The child grew strong and wise, guided by the princess's love and the mother's distant, watchful eye."

Willow listened intently, absorbing every detail, every nuance. These stories were more than just legends—they were fragments of her own history, pieces of a larger puzzle that made up her identity. La'Talia's voice would soften as she spoke of the child's bravery and the princess's sacrifice, her eyes often distant as if she were reliving the memories herself.

"And then there was the group of adventurers," La'Talia continued one evening, her voice taking on a more vibrant tone, "who defended a village from an army of stone warriors. They fought with courage and unity, each one bringing their unique strengths to the battle. It wasn't just their physical prowess that won the day, but their bond, their trust in one another."

With each story, Willow's dream of traveling the world grew stronger. It wasn't just a dream—it became something akin to a self-imposed destiny. She saw herself in the stories, saw the reflection of her own potential in the heroes and heroines her mother spoke of. She wanted to experience the world, to forge her own path and create her own tales of triumph and failure

Willow wanted to ask her mother about the light in her body but decided against it as her thoughts drifted to the dangers of the forest.