Aura - Holy Power of Mana: Heart of Light
Jan 15 22:04:18 2005

What am I doing, anymore? Everything I've ever done was a
mistake... maybe I'll just stay here, and no one will ever
find me again...

Is that what really want? We know, feel pain, but give up
soon? We not want...

... ... Why not? All I've ever done is bring gloom into
this world... searching for a reason why I'm here, only to
realize I wish I never was...

Well, why no ask us? Never ask dryads for help, but we
always here, always watching... more than friends. We
feel what Aura feels... flow of mana, connect all beings
at heart...

Show... me? What... I don't understand...

It's okay... we show. Try no hold secrets, no more...

A blinding flash of white obliterated the consuming darkness
that Aura felt herself hanging, floating within, only to
open up an image inside her consciousness that she'd never
before laid eyes upon. A large village laid out before her,
people of varying kinds running back and forth, doing their
daily chores, work, and the like that most people do. Before
Aura could even begin to wonder what was going on, a piercing
infantile cry rose above the erstwhile clamor of the village,
and a few of the nearest villagers dropped what they were
doing in order to race off towards a hut in the far back,
leaving her more or less alone. Aura just stood there,
dumbfounded.

What is this..?

You ask.. we trying show you, what not know. Go see..!

Hesitantly, Aura moved to take a step forward, but instead
found herself pulled toward the foreseen building in a rush
of wind, and she was suddenly standing in the doorway,
directly before a large crowd of people. Upon a bed within
the cottage interior, a young woman had apparently given
birth, her face sweaty from the exertion as an older woman
laid the still-crying baby at her breast, but an obvious
smile etched over her tired features as she spoke.

"Nana... it's a baby girl, isn't it? Where is my husband?"

The older women grunted something in response, shaking her
head.

"He is not here. Fancy him being off tinkering with his
gizmos when his wife has given birth! The Goddess will
not be pleased with this, I can assure you. Hmph!"

She woman in bed sighed, lowering her eyes to the quietened
child upon her chest.

"You can't be so hard on him, nana.. I understand how
important his work is to him, and you should, too..."

The woman called 'nana' merely folded her arms over her,
a haughty sort of look in her green eyes.

"He's not even from this village, is he? I still wonder
myself how you could've gotten mixed up with someone
like him. An outsider, even. Goddess bless, it's silly."

The mother gave a short sort of chuckle, cuddling the child
tentatively as she thought for a moment before speaking again.

"Tomorrow, when I feel better, I'll take my daughter to
receive the great tree's blessing... I would go tonight,
but I feel as though I can hardly walk... But still, I'm
happy enough. Will Arthur be home soon?"

"Who knows, with that man? But I hope so. We both know
-you're- not the who'll be making dinner tonight!"

As Aura watched in amazement, she only grew more and more
confused. Without fanfare, a tiny little dryad popped into
existence atop her head, settling down in her hair.

Still not see? We not blame Aura.. lots to see, lots!
Only see part, still more...

Frowning, Aura started to protest with a question. However,
her dream (or so she thought of it as such, being caught
between worlds) had other options, as the atmosphere around
her began to fade away in a dimming mosaic, until the familiar
blackness surrounded her once more...