Enigma

Into the unknown

Haerin's grandmother moved with an almost frantic energy, her words a babbling in indecipherable murmurs. It reminded Haerin of the days when dementia had clawed at her grandmother's mind, rendering her unable to recognize her kin. 

The disconcerting familiarity of the scene sent a shiver down Haerin's spine, as she stood amidst an endless, seamless expanse of blinding white. To assure herself of her physical presence, she pinched her arm—painful and real. There was a rapid thudding of her heart, and for the first time, she felt the icy fingers of fear clutching at her.

Her grandmother's voice broke through the veil of her thoughts. "Ah! There it is," she declared, beckoning her granddaughter to follow. With those words, she strode into the whiteness, vanishing from sight. "Hurry up, my dear," her voice called from the other side.

With trepidation, Haerin followed, emerging into a space entirely dissimilar to the previous. This realm was an unending void, draped in absolute darkness, where silence reigned with a profound weight. Blinking, she observed glimmers resembling stars in a midnight sky, spherical masses akin to planets, and an isolated speck that triggered the realization that she was suspended in the air.

This can't be... Is it...

"It's a paradigm of space" her grandmother confirmed, her voice an anchor in the boundless abyss. "You are in a state of Omnis, it's like an elevated level of subconsciousness that allows communication between the living and dead but most importantly helps to pass on information."

Haerin's brow furrowed with perplexity.

"Look around. This is the galaxy within which Earth resides, housing millions of planets. It all adheres to the laws of science and the four major elements, orchestrated with purpose. Waters flow in unison and, life flourishes. This harmony extended to the ten planets that once bore life, now dwindling to only three due to an encroaching darkness."

Haerin listened intently, endeavoring to grasp the magnitude of what she was witnessing.

"However," her grandmother continued, "there comes a time when the laws of science falter, and the equilibrium is disrupted. That's when those gifted with the unique ability to defy science step in to restore the balance—the Kalnazaars, they're called. This process transpires in a counter-dimension of each planet called—Nibium. When a planet is destroyed in the Nibium, the repercussions echo into the real world, ushering in calamity."

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on Haerin, though it all still seemed absurd. She nearly scoffed, but the stern and concerned gaze of her grandmother silenced her doubts.

"Those deaths you've seen," her grandmother explained, "they won't be the last. They are an omen—a sign that Kazuha the dark Kalnazaar is in the Nibium of Earth, gradually dismantling it."

Haerin's mind struggled to digest this revelation. "I'm not sure what I can do with this information, Grandma. I possess no special powers to save Earth, let alone myself," she admitted with a mumble.

"The girl you had tied to the chair, however, does," her grandmother responded.

Haerin's frown deepened. "She is a Kalnazaar?" The memory of the lady's remarkable abilities when confronted by the creatures resurfaced.

Her grandmother nodded. "Indeed. You must help her. She needs you, Haerin," her grandmother implored. "I only ask that you put aside your stubbornness for once and listen. Can you do that?"

"I don't know." Haerin said, "I'm close to finding those that destroyed our home grandma, all this time I've looked this is the closest I have come."

"Dear, that should be the least of your worries," her grandmother held her hands. "We are in a better place."