"H-hello?"

Silence

A young woman couldn't help but fidget her fingers nervously. She turned her head to the left and right as she walked into the empty void of nothingness. She felt she's been in this white space for a long time.

"Ahh—"

Her sky-blue eyes trembled at the small squeal she heard near her and quickly turned her head in the direction of the sound.

She widens her eyes in surprise to see a young child right across her face floating. It curiously stared at her in wonder as it perked its face in front of her.

[Oh! You're that apostle!]

The child happily clapped its hands at the sudden realization that came to its head.

The young woman's pupil shrank in shock. She fearfully stared at the child who found out her identity by only looking at her for a few seconds.

'How...'

[Don't worry~ There's nothing to worry about as I am similar to you but also different!]

It giggled as the child twirled in the air and stared at her while it was upside down.

She slowly took a deep breath, placing her hand against her chest.

"Hooo..."

Finally able to calm down, she calmly placed her right hand on her left chest and bowed slightly.

"Azalea's creator's apostle, Ash K. Sullivan, at your service."

Ash gently raised her head and stared at the white transparent-haired child in front of her.

"If I may be so rude, where have I been placed at?"

She politely spoke as she could feel a strong aura and a powerful one from it.

'It.'

The pronoun for the child is currently strange. But as the creator of the world's apostle, she can identify the life of the creatures and she currently felt nothing but death from that being.

"Hmm..."

It smiled so sweetly that you couldn't help but blankly and admire the innocent-looking child.

The child lowered itself down as they slowly walked in front of Ash. She couldn't help but inwardly swallow her salvia.

[Well, we're in a place of your inner consciousness...]

"My inner consciousness?"

Ash doubted her ears and looked around the space once again. She was sure the last time she entered her inner consciousness, it wasn't as empty as this one.

And there wasn't even a child she created as strong as that one.

Able to read her thoughts out, the child chuckled as it floated once again and touched her forehead with its index finger.

[I'm not a being created by you. As I said before, I am similar to you yet different.]

'Similar yet different?'

She frowned as she thought deeply at the meaning that it was trying to divulge to her.

[Though I want to speak to you longer... We don't want to keep them waiting don't you also think so?]

The child placed its hand on Ash's left shoulder and pointed in one direction. She widens her eyes as the scenery slowly morphs into another space.

The void that was filled with nothingness is now full of mist. The once clear space turned into a table with 12 seats one chair at the very front of the table and the other at the end.

She blankly felt something under her to found herself seated on the right side of the table. She couldn't help but gape at the situation that was slowly but blurry revealing itself.

She quickly covered her mouth as she felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to the owner. It was that child who was seated by her on her left.

Although there was a misty barrier between them, she could identify it by its small silhouette and sheep-like ears popped out from their bob-like short white hair.

Ash opened her mouth to speak but immediately shut it. She wasn't able to convert her words which made her freak out at the inability to speak.

'I need to calm down and look around before I panic.'

She took a deep breath and exhaled. She finally was able to see her surroundings as she moved her head away from the child.

There were three other beings in front of her. One seems to be shaped as a female and the other is a male.

She stared intently towards the third one but went blank. She couldn't identify them immediately.

The third one was hard to identify based on their gender as she could feel and see them blending with the mist like they were one.

"Oh! It seems a new one is brought in?"

The female across from the child clapped excitedly, jumping from her seat. The male pulled her back onto her seat.

"Don't be like that! You might've startled her..."

He softly spoke in anger to her as if nagging. She pouted in annoyance at his lecture.

"Whew..."

At least she didn't feel any danger as the female and male seemed friendly and had a conversation.

"...Hah."

The female sighed in frustration but immediately went back to a happy-go-lucky smile.

"Please call me 'Lia!' And you can call him by the name 'Drew.'"

Lia pointed to the man sitting by her as she whispered to her. It's amusing to find her trying to whisper to her from this distance.

She was lucky to be able to have her enchanted senses even in this place.

"It's an honor to meet both of you, Lia, and Drew. Please call me 'Sha.'"

Ash slightly bowed her head in response. She decided to use a pseudonym in this unknown place.

"Wow! You are truly just like how your name is described to be."

Lia admiringly stared at Ash in approval. Ash smiled slightly. The child by her side smiled cutely as she raised her voice toward her.

['Mei' is the name I go by!]

Ash blinked her eyes and nodded her head. She couldn't help but look at the third one by the seats in front of her who hadn't introduced themselves.

Lia able to notice her gaze, waved her hands in reassurance. She smiled and opened her mouth.

"They don't have a name but they go by 'Eve.'"

"Oh."

Ash nodded her head in understanding and moved to the head of the table. She flinched slightly at the void-like stare that was gazing at her silently.

She didn't know why but she felt the need to obey and respect this being that she gazed at without any question. A noise caught her by surprise.

"H-huh?"

She looked at the being who was giggling in this tense situation and surprisingly saw Eve staring at her.

"(*＾ワ＾*)"

She looked at the unknown emoticon that unknowingly brightened in front of Eve's face which surprisingly seemed to be a mask if she were to look at it correctly.

'How odd...'

Out of the worlds she had traveled to, she could guess only a modern or a high-tech timeline would have these kinds of masks.

The world she is in right now is Azalea, a world with little to no science being highly developed. Only magic even though it's little.

[Welcome.]

Her hand shook at the magnificent voice that was brought upon them and bowed her head.

'Damn it...'

Out of all things, having to compose herself was her best stability. But now she isn't sure as she was constantly being shocked in this situation she is placed in.

She gritted her teeth in frustration and straightened herself on the chair. She didn't want to look bad here as she noticed the calm and normal atmosphere of the people that were seated there.

"It's an honor to hear you speak to us after hearing our worthless interactions."

Lia raised herself with the other three who were seated and bowed down in respect. The being in the front seat nodded slowly and waved their hand to sit back down.

The four sat down in unison after just that wave. Hearing the noise being tapped against the table by the being, the five gave all their focus on their next words.

Having their full attention on them, they slowly opened their mouths in response.

[Let the tales, once again, begin.]

 

 

AKS