Neighboring Lands

Forgive Me Or Not, I did What I Must

When my eyes open, the cave is still dark, even though it feels as though I slept for hours. Unraveling my arms from around my legs, and lifting my head from my knees. Peering to my left to the cave entrance I notice the snow seems to be suspended in the air, with no movement from the outside world whatsoever. Cautiously I stand and make my way over, a hand clutched over my heart as my stomach knots in anticipation. My boots skid on the ground as I come to a sudden halt, studying the outside world; the clouds are not as thick as when I first became lost, the crystal-like snow suspended in mid-air. The light seems to glisten off of the pillow like flakes, the trees still, tuffs of snow hovering above the ground; halted as the wind tried to carry it away.

With a slow step, my foot crunches into the waiting snow, sinking until my leg is consumed up to my knee; another step follows, dragging me out of the cave. As if the magic has been lifted the wind starts to howl once more as the snow starts to fall in a slow rhythm. Turning my head in every direction, I slowly step back into the cave; all movement ceases once more.

"Strange," I breathe to myself as I make my way further into the cave. 'What should I do now? Go further in? Or take a chance and go out to find my way back?' I think to myself as I weigh my options. 'What would Wild do? He was always so rational...then again Zelda was more fun. Twilight would also vote to rush forward into the deep dark unknown of the magical cave...actually all of them would.'

With my mind being made up, I start to make my way into the cave, deeper until the darkness takes over. One of my hands drags across the rough interior of the cavernous cave walls, the other slapping around at the air in front of me; my feet drag across the ground to prevent me from tripping or falling into a hole. The scraping of my skin and boots across the rock is the only sound around me; my steady breath fighting the anxiety I feel back.

I see it before I hear it, the glowing seafoam green of the Wisp, the childlike laughter soon following the visual. I find myself rushing to meet up with the beacon before all goes dark around me once more; just as my fingers threaten to brush across the spirit. My frantic eyes blink, colorful spots dancing across the blackness, until another Wisp spirit binks to life a good distance in front of me; the boy's voice echoes around me as I am beckoned forward.

"Follow. We will lead you to where you belong."

Frantically, I shuffle my feet over the warm stone, hands scratching across the rough cave walls as my breath comes out in uneven puffs. "Back home?" I reach the spirit, only for it to disappear and reappear further away.

The voice I hear is a young girl, possibly close to a teenager, "did you ever even have one? Or were you just occupying space?"

I stumble over my feet as I come to a brisk stop, "excuse you?" I ask incredulously.

"Where would your home be?" The voice calls out to me.

My eyebrows furrow as I turn her words over in my head, starting to approach once more; yet slower than before. "With the ones I care for and love," I state almost angrily as if the question was obvious.

She has the audacity to laugh at me, "and when would that be?"

I freeze once more, now face to face with the small glowing creature; able to make out its fire-like body. "What do you mean by that," I demand.

The Spirit circles around my body in an almost playful manner, as another, joins it; fluttering through the hair that hands over my shoulders as if it were a waterfall. "You have," she starts, only to be cut off by the voice of the boy.

"Ones you care for and love," he pauses to allow her to finish.

"Scattered throughout time. So tell us, when would your home be?" A spirit stops in front of my face, causing me to look at it cross-eyed.