A figure watches her from the dark as another speaks of souls split by time...And when the mist clears for a heartbeat, she sees a face she thought she lost— not knowing if it's real, or just the lie she longed to believe.
~~~~~
"I don't know that," the woman admits. "All I know is that you are an Aokma. But, as you mentioned, you've seen me before—so clearly our paths are connected.
She pauses, thoughtful. "You said you were transported here, correct?"
"Yes… and it's not just that," Ahmaya says, her voice trembling. "It's not my face. I only realised it tonight…it's not my body."
"On the first day, while changing clothes, I noticed something was off—alterations in my body—but I was so stressed already and ignored it.
But today… I saw myself in the mirror. It's not the face I had. It's not me."
The woman nods slowly. "That's possible. I was just about to say—if you time-travelled here, your body couldn't have come with you. The body cannot travel through time… but the soul can."
"My soul?" Ahmaya lifts an eyebrow, startled.
"Yes, the soul," the forest spirit replies with a heavy sigh. "Our bodies give us a sense of time. The world we live in— our body keeps us connected to it, but the soul has no boundaries. The soul can travel anywhere at any time. Still, we usually can't follow it—because our soul is enclosed within the body. However, we can learn to leave the body and travel where we desire."
"So… my soul travelled. And now I'm here, in an unfamiliar body?" Ahmaya's voice is laced with confusion and desperation. "But how did I end up in this body? Please… tell me more."
"I am not sure," the spirit answers "If you're travelling within the same world or timeline, your body can still stay connected—you can return to it whenever you choose. But if you cross into different dimensions or intend to remain there… then you'll need a physical body to exist in that world.
But you know none of this, do you?"
Ahmaya groans quietly, clearly distressed. "No… I didn't know anything. You're the one telling me all this."
"What about your parents? Were they both Aokmas? Didn't they ever speak to you about your powers?"
No," Ahmaya answers softly. "My father wasn't an Aokma, but my mother and her side of the family were. They always told me that I, too, am an Aokma, like my mother and my grandmother. My father always supported that. They were such… normal parents," she says with a bittersweet smile. "I had no idea the word 'Aokma' meant something so deep."
The woman gently places her hands on Ahmaya's shoulders in comfort. "It is okay. I will make sure your soul returns to where it belongs. You'll meet them again."
Ahmaya smiles faintly through her tears. "Even if I return… I won't be able to meet them. My mother disappeared. My father… he's no longer alive."
"That's unusual," the forest spirit whispers, her face suddenly tense.
"Listen—if you never learned anything and don't know your powers, it means someone else used their energy to send you here. That's rare. Whoever did it must be incredibly powerful. You mentioned a tree… the sandalwood tree. Perhaps someone used it as an intermediary to send you."
Ahmaya's voice sharpens. "Then send me back. The same way someone sent me here."
"I'm sorry sis. I can't. I don't have that.... power."
"So what do I do now?" Ahmaya snaps, frustration rising in her tone.
"Calm down," the woman says gently. "We need to find out why you are here."
"Yeah," Ahmaya replies, her voice becoming a bit calmer now.
"By the way," the woman says, smiling faintly, "my name is Ayani."
"Okay… fair enough."
"Yup."
Suddenly, Ayani freezes. She doesn't move her body, only rolls her eyes sideways, scanning the dark behind them.
"Why are you here again?" she asks coldly—speaking to someone behind her.
Ahmaya turns—but sees no one.
Only darkness.
But then—she hears it.
A low, male chuckle echoing softly through the trees.
"Who are you talking to?" Ahmaya asks, but Ayani ignores her and starts speaking to the unseen man.
"Get out of my territory," she commands sharply.
Suddenly, a shadow emerges from the darkness, taking form. Ahmaya stirs in deep fear and shock as a shadow transforms into a body in front of her.
"Oh, is this the same girl—the one who was with that boy, crying in front of you?" the man says, stepping closer and eyeing Ahmaya with unsettling interest.
Ayani turns and replies coldly, "She is human."
"A human at your base? That's new," he remarks with surprise.
"That is not your business. I have already warned you not to come near me or my region. But, you and your master can't comprehend simple language," Ayani says with a smirk. "Oh right, of course, that's why we are up here, and you are down there." She points to the ground, her voice laced with fury.
Ahmaya grows anxious; she has no idea what they are talking about.
The man's expression twists in rage. He flicks his hand, blows onto his palm, stiffens his neck, and then releases a powerful gust of air with a scream that hurls Ayani across the forest. She crashes hard against a tree.
Ayani groans but stands. She brushes the dust off her clothes, then raises her hands slowly, almost elegantly. Green light shimmers from her palms as she fixes her gaze on the man.
She sends the glowing light straight at him—it strikes his chest and lifts him off the ground, trapping him mid-air. Ayani ascends, her body hovers at his level.
"Go back. Calm your master," she says coldly. She claps her hands, and the force drops him like a stone. He scrambles to his feet and vanishes into the trees.
"I'm sorry for…." Ayani begins.
"What was that?" Ahmaya interrupts, her voice edged with fear.
"Let's go. I'll take you back to your hut," Ayani says, reaching for her hand.
Ahmaya jerks her hand away from hers, "Don't touch me. You're dangerous."
"I'm not. I was protecting us….my trees, and you."
"Who was he?"
"He's from Pataalok (netherworld)."
"Pataalok is real?" Ahmaya asks, stunned.
"Yes. And they're dangerous."
Ahmaya exhales, then takes Ayani's hand, she doesn't have any other option but to trust her.
Ayani nods, before returning her safely.
Ahmaya struggles to sleep through the night, her mind overwhelmed. She wants to ask Ayani a hundred more questions, but fear holds her back.
The next morning, Rupomoi brings her breakfast. But before she can finish, the man from last night appears suddenly. He places his hand on her head—and everything goes black.
.
Ahmaya's head throbs with pain. She struggles to open her eyes. After much effort, she finally open her eyes, she sees a woman sitting beside her. Familiar. Loving.
"Mom!" she gasps.