Lior woke up again from the same dream. Her chest was heavy, her breath fast. She sat up, gasping for air, her hands gripping the blanket.
Just like the night before—no change. The dream stayed the same. The feeling stayed the same.
She looked around her dark room. The walls felt close, the silence too loud.
Lior stood up from her bed, her feet touching the cold floor. She walked, not with purpose, but with a quiet surrender. The night air clung to her skin like a forgotten lullaby, and each step felt borrowed, as if her body moved while her soul lingered elsewhere.
The world around her blurred—trees whispered in languages she no longer understood, and the stars above blinked like distant memories trying to reach her.
Lior didn't know where she was going, only that her feet knew the way. Her breath steadied, but her heart remained unsettled, like a drum echoing in a hollow chest. She was not herself, not fully. Something inside her had slipped loose, and now it wandered ahead, pulling her toward the edge of knowing.
And then, the gate.
Tall, rusted, and crowned with thorns of time, it loomed before her—the entrance to the abandoned kingdom of Hollow. She stared at it, unmoving, as if the gate itself stared back. The silence between them stretched long and deep, until something—soft, ancient, and aching—called to her from the other side.
She stepped forward.
The gate creaked open without resistance, as though it had been waiting. Inside, the palace rose like a ghost from the earth, its bones made of stone and sorrow. Moonlight spilled through shattered windows, casting silver veins across the floor. Lior stood before the king's chair, its velvet faded, its crown forgotten. And there, in the hush of the throne room, something stirred within her.
A feeling. A flicker. A memory not quite hers, yet deeply familiar.
She wandered, drawn by echoes. The palace unfolded around her like a dream she'd once lived. Hallways curved like questions, and doors opened with the gentleness of old friends. Then, a room—a room that felt like a heartbeat. She stepped inside.
The bed was soft, impossibly soft, like clouds stitched by longing. Lior lay down, her body sinking into the warmth. The walls held her like arms, and the silence hummed a lullaby only she could hear.
And for the first time in many nights, sleep came not as a thief, but as a gift.
When morning came, Lior awoke with a jolt. The room around her was unfamiliar—walls draped in faded velvet, the scent of dust and forgotten time thick in the air. Her breath caught. She sat up abruptly, heart pounding, eyes wide with confusion.
She stumbled from the bed and ran, panting as though she'd trespassed into a sacred, forbidden place. The corridor outside was dim, the silence pressing against her ears. Her steps echoed as she moved, faster and faster, deeper into the castle's shadowed halls.
Then she saw it—a portrait, crooked on the wall, half-swallowed by ivy and age. She stopped. Her gaze locked onto the painted eyes, and suddenly, pain surged through her skull like lightning. She collapsed, clutching her head, gasping.
Voices—fragmented, haunting—slipped into her mind like whispers through a cracked door:
~~~~~~~~~~
"Luma chase me…" It was a child laughing
"Here I come, princess…" a voice of a woman who seems to be having fun with the child
"Aro is coming—to both of you… rawrr…" a man's voice who seems to be joining the fun
"Luma, Aro… what is happening?" the child asked, scared
"Hide my child. Don't let it catch us…" It was the woman, her voice was protecting and shaking
"Shhh…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lior curled into herself on the cold stone floor, tears spilling freely. She didn't understand the pain, the names, the fear—but it felt real. Ancient. Hers.
When the storm inside her calmed, she bolted from the castle, running as if something unseen chased her. Her feet carried her blindly through the woods, until she collided with a figure. She screamed.
But arms caught her—gentle, familiar. She looked up.
It was her mother.
Lior clung to her, sobbing, as though her mother was the only anchor left in a world unraveling. Her mother held her close, whispering soothing words, and led her home.
Now, Lior sat curled on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, trembling. Her parents and older brother stood nearby, watching her with silent dread.
her mother, the wife leader, Eiravess, looking at Lior, tired, worried about what happened to her daughter, "She seems so scared…" her mother commented
Her father, the current leader of the hollow, Veydran, looking at her in her miserable state, said, "Where did you find her?"
Eiravess looks at her husband, "I found her running from something, I cannot see."
"Mother, do you remember what Grandfather said before he passed away?" It was their first child, Auren Very
The statement of Auren made his parents confused and puzzled. Then they remember. And exchange strange looks with each other
"It can't be…" Eiravess said in a low voice, not believing
She walked towards Lior, sat down beside her daughter, and combed her hair. Lior looked at her mother and hugged her
" We heard you last night. As if you are in trouble, what happened?" Eiravess asks Lior, worried
Lior stared at her mother in shock, with big eyes, but she looked away and shook her head, doen't know how to answer, "I don't know, mother. Things happened," Lior answered in a crying tone of voice
"What things, Lior?" Auren asks and looks at his father
Lior let go of her mother's hug and sat down properly. Her family knows her, and when she speaks about it, they know that it's not just simple bothering
"Mother…" she began, "Why am I both light and black magic? Who am I?"
Her mother looks at her father, before answering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a deep night. The wind outside howled softly, brushing against the wooden walls like a whisper. Inside the small room, Eivaress cried out, her voice sharp with pain. Sweat rolled down her face, soaking her hair, her neck, her gown.
"Push, Eivaress, push. Your child is near…" the Doula said, kneeling at the foot of the bed, her hands steady, her voice calm but firm.
Eivaress gritted her teeth, her body trembling. She gave one last push, her scream echoing through the room.
Then silence.
The baby slipped into the Doula's arms. But there was no cry. No sound. No movement.
The Doula blinked. Her hands, once sure, now shook. She looked down at the tiny body in her arms, pale and still.
"Why… why isn't she crying?" Eivaress asked, her voice weak, her chest rising and falling fast.
The Doula didn't answer right away. She gently rubbed the baby's back, tried to coax breath into her lungs. Nothing.
Eivaress sat up, panic rising in her throat. "Let me see her. Please…"
The Doula placed the baby in her arms. Eivaress looked down at the small face—so perfect, so quiet. She touched the tiny fingers, the soft cheek. Still warm, but lifeless.
"No… no, no, no…" she whispered, rocking back and forth. "Wake up, little one. Please… just one cry. Just one sound…"
But the silence stayed.
The earth was damp. The grave was small, barely the size of a basket. Eivaress knelt beside it, her hands covered in dirt, her eyes swollen from crying.
She placed a small blanket over the mound, the same one she had sewn months ago, dreaming of the day she would hold her baby close.
She spoke softly, her voice shaking. "I waited for you. I dreamed of your laugh, your little hands, your first steps. I gave you my breath, my body, my heart. And now… I have to leave you here."
She pressed her hand to the soil, as if trying to feel her child one last time.
After the grave of her daughter, Eivaress still in pain, always in her room. Sulking about the passing of her child. Then her Father and husband came inside, comforting her
"Just let me be alone…" Eivaress said as she feel presence coming inside the room
"Eiva, I will leave for a while. I will go somewhere…" Her father, the leader of the Hollow said
Eivariess didn't look but just nodd. The leader look at Veydran and give a smile. That gives command of leaving everything to
Osric left the hollow, to meet an old friend. He journey going to the tribe of her friend. Just like them forgotten, but his friend came from one of the elements. His tribe cast of punishment by the King and queen as they make mistake
Osric arrive at the tribe, and they welcome him with kindness
"I'm sorry for the death of your grandchild…" the leader of the tribe said as now they are sitting at the small open house drinking tea
"Thank you Ravik…" They talk for a long time
Days had passed before Osric decided to go home. He once journey again, walking as usual , going back to Hollow
Day and night had passed and Osric still journey. But one night as he camp, under the tree, in the middle of the night, a bright light shine that woke up Osric
He look at the sky, and he saw a light, falling down so fast. Osric chase it and when it was about to reach at the ground, it began slowly like a falling feather, slowly touching the ground
When it touch the ground, a bright light shine and followed by a child crying. When the light, gone , a child was there crying helplessly, cover only with one white cloth with a name on it
Solastra…
Osric go near and stared for the strange child . Then he look up at the night sky, looking for a clue for what it was then a voice from the wind whispered
'Take care of her. Name her as she is your own. Protect her as we are far. We will get her as time comes by…' then the voice gone, no trace
Osric picked the crying baby but as Osric held it, the child stopped crying. As if the child know that the man was holding her was the one who save her
Osric reach his home, the baby was on his arm, playing in his black long beard. People was shock who was the child, but he didn't say anything and just bring to his house
As he reach her house, Eivaress who is still longing for her child, immediately go near to her father and get the baby as if it was hers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~end of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Grandfather doesn't know where I came from?" Lior asked softly, her voice unsure as her mother finished the story.
Eivaress nodded, her eyes gentle. "Yes, Lior. But listen to me—no matter where you came from, you are my child. My daughter. My life. Do you understand?"
Lior looked at her mother and smiled. She had always felt something different inside, a quiet question. She wasn't sure before, but now… now she knew the truth. And still, her heart felt full.
As she grew up, Lior never felt left out. Her parents never treated her differently. They loved her, protected her, and made her feel like she truly belonged.
One afternoon, while the sun was soft and the house was quiet, her older brother Auren sat beside her.
"Always remember, Lior," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you are my sister. My only sister. No matter what happens, I'm your older brother. I'm your roko."
Lior smiled sweetly. "Of course, roko…"
Auren grinned and gently messed up her white hair. Lior laughed and grabbed a blanket, throwing it over his head. She jumped on him, making him tumble back, unable to see anything.
"Hey! I can't see!" Auren shouted, laughing.
Their parents watched from the doorway, smiling and laughing at the playful fight. The room was filled with joy, the kind that only comes from family—real, chosen, and strong.
Auren tried to pull the blanket off his head, but Lior was already climbing on his back, giggling.
"You're under my spell now, roko!" she shouted, pretending to be a powerful sorceress.
"Oh no! Not the spell again!" Auren laughed, crawling across the floor with Lior clinging to him like a tiny warrior.
He finally rolled over, pulling the blanket off and grabbing a pillow. "You want war, little sister?"
Lior gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"
Auren smirked and tossed the pillow gently at her. It hit her shoulder, and she fell back dramatically. "I'm defeated!" she cried, arms wide, legs sprawled.
Their parents laughed louder now, leaning against the doorway. Eivaress wiped a tear from her eye, smiling at the sight of her children—so full of life, so full of love.
Veydran chuckled. "Should we help them?"
Eivaress shook her head. "Let them be. This is their world."
Auren helped Lior up, brushing her hair back from her face. "You're strong, Lior. But I'm still your roko. I win."
Lior stuck out her tongue. "Only this time."
They sat side by side again, breathing fast from all the laughter. Outside, the sky was dim, the sun hidden behind thick clouds, just like place is forgotten. Shadows filled the room, soft and quiet.
And in that moment, everything felt still—safe, not because of light, but because of love that held strong in the dark.