The Whispers of Eldoria - A New Beginning (Elara's POV)
"Jusko, ang lamig!" I zipped up my worn-out hoodie, trying to shield myself from the biting wind.
Dito sa laylayan ng Whispering Woods, ang buhay parang laging naka-winter mode, kahit kalagitnaan ng summer.
Ako si Elara, a certified "probinsyana" from the outskirts of what used to be Eldoria-ngayon, isa na lang siyang malaking "Before & After" photo na puro "Before."
Ang tanging memento ko sa "After" life ko?
Isang luma, parang antique na locket na suot ko simula pa noon.
Ang mga tao sa village?
Akala nila, baliw ako.
Kasi ako lang yata ang gumagala sa gubat na 'to na puno ng creepy whispers at shadows.
"May engkanto raw diyan!"
"May multo!"
Pfft.
Mas scary pa nga ang bills ko kaysa sa mga multo nila. Naghahanap ako ng herbs, pang-benta sa palengke. Kailangan kumita, 'no.
Pero tonight?
Iba ang vibe ng gubat. Parang may nag-set up ng fairy lights na color blue sa gitna ng mga puno.
'Hmm, may nag-viral content na naman siguro?' I thought, half-joking.
Habang papalapit ako sa source ng light show, nag-iba ang pakiramdam ko. Hindi na siya parang random lights, it was pulsating.
Parang may heartbeat. Na-feature sa gitna ng isang ancient looking tree - as in, super ancient, yung tipong kasama pa sa Jurassic Park - ay isang istatwa.
Hindi ko maintindihan ang material, pero ang glow niya? Parang isang galaxy na kinulong sa bato.
And it was radiating from a crystal sa yakap ng istatwa.
My locket suddenly felt warm. Hindi lang warm, as in hot. Parang may nag-init ng microwave sa leeg ko. Nag-travel ang init sa veins ko, a sensation I've never felt before.
Parang may invisible string na nag-uugnay sa locket ko at sa crystal.
Parang may nag-vibrate sa loob ko. Curiosity got the best of me. My hand, as if on its own, reached out.
The moment my skin touched the crystal,
WHOOSH!
It was like being hit by a train of memories that weren't mine. Flashes of crumbling cities, faces screaming in silent agony, a giant shadow eclipsing the sun. It was too much, too fast, too terrifying.
I recoiled, heart pounding like a drum solo. The crystal's glow flickered, then vanished, leaving me in the eerie darkness.
That night, insomniac ako. The images, the heat from my locket-it was all too real. This wasn't just a random herb-picking adventure anymore.
The whispers of Eldoria?
They weren't just in the trees.
They were in me.
And I knew, from that moment on, my life was officially not boring anymore.