June 16, 2014
XXX Country

IT WAS a dream. That was Elise wanted to make herself believe. Aricson's bloodied body kept on frequenting on her mind like a broken record. Her fingers clutched the black feather dangling in her neck. Everything was too real to be considered a dream.

Her eyes scanned the room as she lay on the velvet sheets that she was used to. Her bedroom was filled with a mixture of fragrances of herbs and dried plants. Her laptop was in place and even the stacks of books beside it were not moved.

It was hard to believe she had been missing for almost three months when everything remained the same.

Her door was pushed open and her mom appeared carrying a tray of breakfast.

"You're awake. Are you alright now? Should we go back to the hospital?" her mom fussed over as she put the tray on the bedside table.

"It's okay, Mom. I've been staying there for three days already and nothing's wrong. I know my body," she replied but the memory of her return sprang in an instant. 

After witnessing Aricson's tragedy, she appeared right in their house's backyard. She remembered the loud sirens of the ambulance and the incoherent words of her parents before she lost consciousness. It was only this morning when she woke up and learned that she had been out cold for two straight days.

"Elise..." her mom called.

She turned her head toward her. "Yes?"

"I made an appointment with the psychiatrist this afternoon. Do you want to go?" her mom treaded the words very carefully.

A long exhale left her mouth. She didn't need therapy. What she needed was to know what happened to Aricson.

She tugged the blanket and faced the other direction, trying to hide the complex expression making way on her face.

"I'm okay, Mom. I'm just tired. Just give me some time to rest. Please."

"I understand. Make sure to drink your medicine after eating, okay?"

She bobbed her head and waited for the door to click. She sat up and rolled her sleeves. She hopped out of her bed, trying to verify it in the mirror. She noticed it when she changed earlier but she wanted to deny it.

However, no matter how many times she looked, there was really nothing. Her birthmark was completely gone.

June 19, 2014
XXX Country

THE DAYS were meant to pass ordinarily but everyone was walking on eggshells with her. Edward and Ethan, those pesky brothers of hers seemed to have flipped in a full 180.

Their smirks of mischief were nowhere to be found and they stared at her with strange looks. Then there was Evelyn who she almost did not recognize. Her little sister only knew the color black but in just a span of months of not seeing each other, her wardrobe choice had transformed into a rainbow.

If not for her mom, she would have thought she was sent into an alternate universe instead. That theory would not probably be far off. If another world existed, maybe an alternate could too.

Elise continued to crush the herbs. Aside from the names, most herbs were the same in Elith. Only that they had more variation and those with magical effects.

'Lord Gutsavious has probably received my research notes at this point, right?' she thought to herself. She forgot to confirm with Gerald if he did send it before she went out with Faylinn and Aricson that day.

'Aricson... Ah, stop it, Elise!' She wanted to knock herself from recalling but she could not forget his whole appearance soaked in blood.

"—Elise."

She heard her name and spun on her heels, only to see Edward with a dreary face.

"What is it?" she asked while resuming to bray the mixture in her hands.

"Who is Aricson?"

All movements halted, even she forgot to breathe for a moment.

"How did you know that name?" she questioned, her voice holding a tremble she desperately needed to hide.

"Answer me first. Is he the one who kidnapped you?"

'This, again.'

"Edward, how many times do I have to explain that I wasn't kidnapped," she stated, full of frustrations.

"Yeah, right. As if you really had a vacation for three months in the middle of nowhere without informing us. You're too much of a workaholic to even think about it," Edward retorted.

She put down the pestle. As much as she wanted to lie, her family knew her too much. The first spout of it and they could tell in a glance she was deceiving them.

Elise had the option to tell them the truth but telling them would only drive them to see her as a crazy person. Which, in her opinion, was worse compared to when they thought she was kidnapped. If such news spread, continuing her residency at the hospital would be a pipe dream. The law stated it was fine but her credibility would plummet. 

"Believe whatever you want, Edward."

"I won't stop bothering you until you tell me who he is."

Knowing that they inherited the same streak of obstinacy from their mother, he did not doubt his word. She set aside her equipment before replying, "I had a relationship with him during my vacation."

"Be serious, Elise."

"I am," she said and made her way to leave the room.

She needed a breath of fresh air but Edward trailed behind her.

"You're really pushing that narrative?"

"Why not? It's the truth," she snapped back.

"You're not a good liar, Elise."

'If he only knows...' Her lies seemed to work on everyone in that world.

The two reached the backyard while Edward was nagging on her side. This was the most talkative that he was ever since she came back but Elise simply ignored him. Suddenly, a small object was rushing towards her.

"Careful!" Edward wrapped her in his arms. A thud was followed by his groan.

"I'm sorry!" Evelyn's voice came around.

Edward separated from her and she saw Evelyn, together with Ethan, approaching them.

"Oh it's just you, Ed— Elise, did you get hurt?" Her big eyes filled with worry.

Without her black hood, her face had been much clearer. Evelyn's pasty skin had improved and the healthy flush made her look like a regular cute kid.

It was funny how her little sister was acting like she was older than her but months before, she was the most spoiled brat Elise had ever known. The corners of her lips tilted. She patted her sister's head who had become more sensible for some reason.

"What are you doing, Ethan?" Edward picked up the object. It was a diamond-shaped metal. A thin gap was in between and there was visible smoke emanating from it.

"The experiments should only be done underground," Edward reprimanded.

"It's Evelyn. She said she wanted to test it out—"

"Hm? Why are you all gathered here?" Her mom's voice disrupted Ethan's excuse.

At once, the four of them looked in her direction. Their dad was next to her, holding packs of groceries in both his hands.

"I'll go inside first," her dad said.

That was another weird thing. She had always been close to both of her parents. She had no favorite but she preferred her dad's way since he was more lenient. Though, these days, her dad never talked to her unless it was important — which was practically nothing but a bunch of greetings and how are yous.

He had always been carefree but it was obvious he had been avoiding her when she badly needed to talk to him. She wanted to know about the sword but when he could not even look into her eyes, how could she?

"I'll go too," she said and chased behind him.

She arrived at the kitchen where her dad was putting away the food inside the refrigerator.

"Dad?"

Her face wrinkled when he jumped out of his feet just from her voice. 

'Why is he so jittery?'

Her dad cleared his throat. "What is it?" he asked but did not bother swiveling on her side.

"What's wrong, Dad? Why are you avoiding me? It's weird, you know." she said, crossing her arms.

"I-I am not—"

"Dad, it's painfully obvious. Anyway, I just want to ask if what happened to the sword?"

It had been bugging her all this time. She had not heard anything about it. There were no reports of a missing artifact from the museum nor lawsuits for our family. It was as if the sword had not existed in the first place. It completely disappeared just like her birthmark.

"What sword?"

"The one during our trip to the museum? There was a sword displayed there. I remember touching it and the alarms ringing."

A sigh broke out from his lips. He finally faced her and with a seriousness that rarely passed his face, he spoke, "I'm sorry. This is my fault."

One of her brows shot up. "Huh? What are you apologizing for, Dad? I'm just asking what happened after that?"

"No. I deserve to be blamed. I should have made sure the security cameras were working. In the first place, if I did not bring you to the museum or left you alone, none of this happened. You wouldn't be suffering from all—"

"Wait a minute, Dad. What are you talking about? Are you referring to the kidnapping incident again? Didn't I say I was not? I may not tell you the truth but I promise you nothing bad happened."

"You don't have to force yourself, Elise. You can blame Dad." He drew nearer and put both his hands on her shoulder. His eyes looked straight at her, full of contrition that was naked on his irises. "It is my fault that I failed to be a parent and did not protect you."

The wrinkles on his face became deeper. It was as if she was back after she had an accident in her rebellious phase again. Her parents blamed themselves back then. Nevertheless, this kind of attitude reminded her of another person.

"You don't have to hide it, Elise. Every night we can hear you. It breaks my heart that you have to go through something so difficult because of my careless mistake—"

"Stop it, Dad. You don't have to feel sorry," she interrupted once more. "I'm fine. Nothing's wrong with me so why can't you treat me like before?" 

She wanted to understand why they were behaving this way but no one seemed to want to talk about it. How could she return to her own normalcy if they were acting differently?

Her brothers had been more silent, her sister had turned into a new leaf and her parents treated her like she was cracked porcelain that would shatter any moment.

"How can I not feel sorry? After you came back, you've been having nightmares and hallucinations. If the doctors hadn't injected you with anesthesia, you wouldn't have stopped. Your mother consulted a psychiatrist and you might be suffering from a traumatic disorder. It is best that you..."

Her dad's tongue was suddenly let loose. He continued his absurdity but she had already stopped listening.

'What traumatic disorder? For god's sake! This is becoming over the top!' From all she knew, she had just come back from another world and nothing was amiss aside from the recurring memories from time to time. There was no way she was suffering from any trauma.

"...I did not want to tell you this but it's not only me who thinks that you are getting worse. It is best that you are aware—"

"Honey, that's enough." Her mom arrived with a straightened lip. "Don't mind your dad's words, Elise. I brought some potted herbs. I sent Ethan to deliver it to your room. You can go check it."

At the mention of potted herbs, she was immediately distracted. "Okay. Thanks, Mom."

The talk with her Dad was quickly put in the back of her mind. She could not prove herself otherwise so she could just show them that she was fine all along. Nothing was wrong with her.