A Secret Journey and an Ancient Legend

South Creek awoke once more, yet her eyes did not open to the familiar confines of her bedroom. Instead, she found herself cradled in someone’s arms, moving forward. The distinct, damp scent of the forest permeated the air, carrying with it a sense of profound moisture. Though South Creek struggled to open her eyes, only darkness greeted her.

“Where am I…”

“Awake already?”

That voice, familiar beyond measure, belonged to Elise. Unbeknownst to South Creek, Elise had carried her out of the village at some point and was now traversing an unfamiliar path.

“Where… is this place?”

Confusion clouded South Creek’s vision. Only moments before closing her eyes, she had been drifting off to sleep beside Elise in their bed. How had she awakened in such a strange, unknown location?

“Didn’t I tell you?” Elise’s voice held a playful lilt. “I’m taking you somewhere special, a secret base.”

Elise, at this moment, was utterly unlike her usual self. She had shed her customary maturity and composure, replaced by the vibrant energy of a youthful maiden. Her long, flaxen hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her priestess robe was not the usual loose-fitting garment. Instead, she wore a cinched robe adorned with lace, a style South Creek had never seen, which elegantly accentuated her graceful figure.

As South Creek surveyed her surroundings, everything seemed shrouded in a hazy gloom, making it impossible to discern anything clearly. It was then she realized that dawn had yet to break. Upon closer inspection, she perceived they were ascending a mountain path, surrounded by towering, verdant trees. The scene invoked a peculiar sensation in South Creek, as if she had stepped into another dimension entirely.

“Can you walk on your own now? I’m a little tired from carrying you all this way, little sister.”

“Mhm.”

Nodding, South Creek gently extricated herself from Elise’s embrace. Her shoes sank slightly into the soft soil beneath her feet. Lingering wisps of mist still clung to the forest, and the air she inhaled carried a distinct coolness.

“Sister Elise… why did we have to come here so early? Couldn’t we have waited until daytime?”

“South Creek…” Elise’s voice softened, becoming a low murmur as she gazed towards the indistinct sky, her hands reaching out as if to grasp something unseen. “In all these years, have you truly never witnessed a sunrise?”

“Huh?”

South Creek gasped in surprise. Though she couldn’t fathom why Elise had suddenly posed such a question, she swiftly sifted through her memories. To her astonishment, she realized a startling truth: she had indeed never once witnessed a sunrise in her entire life, not since she could remember.

It wasn’t that South Creek lacked interest. In fact, years ago, she had often tried to rise from bed before dawn, eager to witness the sun’s grand emergence with her own eyes. Yet, she had never succeeded. In this world, the demarcation between day and night was remarkably subtle. The sky would transition from bright to dim almost imperceptibly, never displaying the fantastical hues of dawn and dusk so vividly described in storybooks.

“Today is a perfect day. If we’re on the mountain, we just might have a chance to see the sunrise.”

“…Has it been a long time since Sister Elise saw a sunrise too?”

South Creek’s half-understood question was met only with a smile whose meaning remained elusive. Elise continued to lead the way, South Creek following close behind, their hands intertwined as they journeyed onward.

“Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I told you a story.”

“…A story?”

For some reason, South Creek felt that Elise was acting strangely. Not only had her demeanor shifted dramatically, but her conversation topics also seemed to leap from one to another with bewildering speed.

“The legend of the Hero of Dawn… I don’t believe I’ve ever finished telling you that one.”

“But her stories are simply too numerous, too vast… it feels as though I could speak for an entire day and night and still not recount them all. It’s quite a dilemma.”

As they ascended the mountain, the surrounding mist began to dissipate. Several shafts of light gently touched Elise’s face, casting upon her a veil of pristine white.

“I truly, truly am so happy, little sister, that you made this decision, to follow your heart… Do you know, when I look at you, I sometimes see a shadow of someone else?”

“To think I’d ever utter such sentiments. South Creek, you’re growing up, little by little.”

“No, I’m just—”

Struggling to accept such praise, South Creek hastened to protest. However, she found Elise had already retreated fully into the depths of a past memory. A faint smile graced her lips, yet her eyes were subtly moistened.

“How many years has it been? Ten years… such a long stretch of time, long enough for one to let go of so much.”

“South Creek, would you allow me to confide in you? To tell you a unique legend, known to no one else?”

“A unique legend…”

Though still striving to grasp the profound meaning behind Elise’s words, South Creek nodded in agreement, seeing the earnest hope in her sister’s eyes for the first time. Perhaps something deep within her own memory was subtly stirring her heart.

“Yes, I want to hear it.”

And so, the story began.

[
“O Hero of Dawn—with your sword, cleave a path for the morning light—”

“Cross mountains, ford rivers, traverse forests; the sun illuminates your way, stars and moon bear witness to your journey.”

“O Sincere Hero, the sword in your hand has never strayed from its purpose.”

“You vanquish vicious monsters, purify defiled lands, visit the fae forests—but where does your true path lie?”

“Has the blade, wielded for salvation and hope, already been stained with blood?”

“With a body forged by a thousand trials and an unyielding will, is the answer to your journey already buried deep within your heart?”

“Accept the will of the gods, wield the blade of all beings; a will strengthened by bonds is harder than any substance.”

“O Ardent Hero, may you follow your own heart, dispel confusion, and sever the thorns that block your path.”

“How can a sword no longer wielded for justice bring light? Even living in endless night, there will always be those who yearn for the dawn.”

“Believe in the path you have chosen, and simply press onward.”

“O Valiant Hero, believe your sword can bring dawn to the world.”

“Bearing the hopes of all, you shall be invincible.”

“Does this long journey hold its true meaning? Does the answer you seek truly exist?”

“Therefore, at this moment, make a promise for the destination—”

“One day, we shall meet again—that shooting star which pierces the boundless night—”
]