On My Way

R I X E N The slapping of water against rock roared in such ferocity yet offered a sound of rhythmic tranquility. "That is a difficult question, one that I’m not quite sure how to answer. Not even I know exactly how I managed to get here." I began, trying to think of how to explain my arrival in the Rift to the mare. It had been a while since I tried to recall that night in detail, and the memories came back to me in fragments.  My mind was flooded with images of walking in familiar land, a meadow, if I remembered correctly. The soft grass crunched down beneath the weight of my hooves, then sprung back up again behind me as I went. It must have been night, for I was surrounded by darkness, save for the moon. The moon was full and the land was bathed in moonlight. The cold beams of light shone down upon my pale skin, illuminating my shape in the darkness. For some reason or the other, I had not been able to sleep, although I wasn’t sure why. The reason could have been because I was unable to find a sheltered place to rest, but it was most likely because my mind was restless. My herd had been destroyed several months earlier, and I had taken to wandering in hopes of finding a place to call home. Though I longed for the sense of belonging that a herd brought, I was also afraid. I feared that the same fate would befall me if I found another herd, and for that reason, part of me hoped to stay alone. My mind was filled with troubling thoughts, as it had been every day since I lost everything that I knew, and what was left of what I loved. I was restless. And so I walked. Eventually, the grassy meadow came to an end, and the forest began. I don’t know why, but something within my said to keep going and I followed my instinct. The trees swallowed me whole. They were tall, and so densely packed that they blocked out the comforting light of the stars and the moon. It was dark, so, so dark. Not to mention cold. The biting air made my skin tingle, as if it were being pricked by thousands of pins and needles all over. It was not painful, instead quite ticklish and pleasant. A moment later and the blood was rushing through me, bringing a wave of warmth and energy with it. I remember feeling very strange, dizzy even.  I could remember the voices.  Eerie voices whispering in my ears, flooding my mind. Though I tried desperately, it was impossible to discern what they said or who the words belonged to. The whispers beckoned me closer and I could not help but follow my ears. It was as if there were invisible strings attached to each of my legs, slowly dragging me closer to the origin of the chilling sounds. I lost all control of my body but my hooves were still moving. The trees cleared up to reveal a moon-bathed clearing. In the center, illuminated by the moonlight, I could see that the ground parted to reveal a black teal mass. The whispers were louder now. They rang in my ears, but still I could not make out what they said. This may be grasping at straws, but I do believe that they were saying "come closer."  Then I was falling. The world spun around me and I could not begin to describe to you what it felt like to fall without knowing where you were going; without even the reassurance that at some point, you would hit the ground. For all I knew, I could be falling forever. My mind spun. Was I dying? I lost track of my senses. I lost track of time. I lost touch with my body, unable to feel my limbs, unable to cry out in shock or fear or whatever indescribable way I was feeling. Everything was a rush. A blur. A stillness. All I perceived as the world fell away behind me was ...darkness.  The next thing I knew, I lay covered in scrapes and bruises, surrounded by luminescent trees that I had never seen before. I was in the Rift. "Some kind of portal brought me to the Rift." Was the only explanation I could offer. That was so much easier than trying to explain how the events of that night had unfolded. If Kiada's journey to the Rift had been anything like mine, then she might understand. Continuing to gaze across the water, my eyes resumed their thoughtful expression. How captivating the ocean was. It was the great unknown that fascinated me so. The unfathomable deep... dark and dangerous, foreboding and unconquerable. On the surface the sea was beautiful and even graceful, but beneath its shimmering surface contained immense mystery.   "Talk." they heard me singing and they told me to stop quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock

image credits || coding credits