Everything was in darkness.

Blearily, she realized … it shouldn’t have been so. It was so difficult to bring forth her last memory, but she knew, knew that it had been light that flooded her senses, not dark. What was the last thing that happened? Chaos … was defeated. The more the memory came into focus, the stronger her heart pounded in her chest. She remembered the cries of Chaos as he fell, she remembered turning to her friends in unexpected elation, so happy that tears threatened to spill over – the cycle broken at last. There had been a surge of light and then …

Nothing.

Aria came to slowly, eyes fluttering open as the feeling came back to her limbs slowly. She hissed out a breath, closing her eyes as quickly as she had opened them, disoriented. Her body ached, not in pain, but as if she had been running non-stop, exhaustion tugging at every edge. Her fingers twitched, staff safely in her grip. The mage took a moment to steady her breathing, focusing on different things around her in order to bring down the fast beat of her heart. The comfortable weight of her staff against her fingertips, a soft wind against her cheek, the occasional rustle of a leaf.

Finally, she took the chance to open her eyes once more. The world around her was dim, but not completely darkened. The ground she was sitting on was mostly dirt, with the occasional stone and patch of sad, wilted grass. The trees she saw were mostly without leaves, those remaining dried and ready to fall at a moment’s notice. Their branches were twisted and gnarled, more so than any tree she had seen before. Aria glanced down at herself finally, noting she was none the worse for wear, her robes in order and seemingly unharmed. There was a solid, cold weight at her back – just one of the trees.

She brought a gloved hand to her head, leaning into it for a moment as she slowly glanced around. Where … is everyone? the mage wondered, softly chewing at her bottom lip in concern. Nothing in sight was familiar. Curious and concerned, Aria got to her feet slowly, using the tree behind her for balance as she dared to look around a bit further. She saw no sword, no armor, no fellow mage’s robes. And the air was so still, so quiet … hardly a sound on the wind. A familiar, icy feeling was trying to settle in her bones – fear. Aria swallowed a lump in her throat, daring to call out into the woods.

“Setro…?” She tested the familiar name, looking around as she took hesitant steps forward into the unknown, “L-Laurelin..?”

No answer came from the empty world before her. Aria continued onward, her boots barely making a sound among the bare trees, her gaze darting about as she searched for her friends. The more she moved, the more the air around her seemed to become oppressive. The white mage was well practiced at sensing magic, and the atmosphere of this unknown place was intensely dense with such. It was practically choking, like attempting to breathe through water. She clutched her staff closer, still disoriented in heart and mind, confused and exhausted. Slowly, that terrible, cold feeling seeped deeper.

I’m alone.

Alone. How long had it been since she had truly been alone? Aria had stayed close to her companions during their long journey, and loathe as she was to admit it, she had grown stronger because of it. She flourished around others, her purpose was helping people … Suddenly being in a place completely devoid of those she cared for was startling.

“Anyone…?”

“Alone.”

Aria whipped around, red eyes wide as the remnant of the word left her mind.

That was not her voice, but she’d heard it in her mind so clearly.

“She’s all alone.”

The mage stopped, feeling the adrenaline of panic beginning to rush through her veins. There was nothing around her – just stones and dirt and the remains of a courtyard – but she could hear the voices. Otherworldly and strong. Aria attempted to collect her wits, but before she could even grasp such a thing, the fragile wisps fell through her fingers as a dark being appeared before her suddenly. The ghost made a horrific noise, and another such noise suddenly rang from behind her as well. Caught off guard, Aria screamed, eyes wide as she pathetically thrust her staff before her.

It did nothing to the spirit, but it gave her enough courage to run. And run she did, boots clicking against stone as terror invaded her every sense, drowning out reason and logic. As she ran through the courtyard, passing crumbled headstones, the rush of water became suddenly clear. Aria stopped at the edge of the water, her head whipping to find the next possible escape route, but finding she was cut off in nearly all directions. She ran toward the base of the waterfall, her back to the stone, the dark spirits drawing ever closer.

“No one to protect her.”
“All alone, defenseless.”
“No friends now.”

Aria slid down the stone, landing on her bottom as she screamed, shaking her head as she held her staff close. Trying to hit them hadn’t worked, and why would it? Instinct screamed to her that she knew what to do to defeat them, but terror had gripped her so tightly as the ghosts drew closer, their mocking words louder and louder in her ears. If her friends were there … powerful black magic, strong fists, a triumphant sword--

An unfamiliar voice broke through the horrible words that deafened her. Aria toward the sound, her red eyes panicked and terrified, as a man approached. He was more tanned skin and muscle than anything, his large sword raised as he threatened the spirits. She remained frozen, hands gripping her staff so hard she feared it would splinter. The spirits regarded the interloper for a moment, as if deciding what to do next.

Suddenly, the cackling of the spirits roared louder than the waterfall as they vanished from sight – leaving the two humans in a, certainly temporary, peace.

Aria’s hands trembled as she fought to catch her breath, hanging her head as she tried to collect herself before acknowledging the man that approached, quietly muttering as shame sunk in, “Th–thank you.”