Chapter 2

48 million miles from Planet Earth…

White lights blinded Camilla's vision, as her body seized up to a harrowing intensity. Shrieks can be heard throughout the cabin growing louder by the second.

She felt her skin burning from the overpowering heat, and when she thought she couldn't tolerate it anymore, like a firework, the plane exploded and its remains dispersed into space.

Camilla couldn't believe her eyes everyone had turned into shadow-like creatures, barely shaping their human form. In a flash, she was sucked into a seemingly bottomless pit resembling that of an animal’s gut—as though she had been devoured by a huge monster.

She had been falling for quite some time as darkness surrounded her, and even a faint light gave her relief when she saw an opening below. When she landed on her bottom with a thud, all feelings and emotions came flooding back to her senses as she laid down on the ground. Her clothes have been destroyed by the explosion while her flesh, blood, and bones had morphed into dust-like particles resembling desert sand.

She was breathing heavily from everything that took place. It all happened so fast that she hadn't a moment to think about any of it. She felt weak as her body cooled down and her dust turned to skin. She raised her hand to touch her face, but her fingers haven't molded yet and she fainted from the ghastly sight. As bare as a baby, she laid curled up on the grass-covered ground, while fully regaining her human form.

*****

Yvedra, Land of Stones

A cheer erupted from a crowd gawking at the sky when darkness enveloped their surroundings as the last piece of the sun is eclipsed by a huge dark sphere.

The celebration marks the 120th Black Sphere festival when the sun reaches its peak and is covered by a dark sphere turning day into night. This spectacular phenomenon only happens twice every one hundred years, a day of darkness and a day of light. Due to its rare occurrence, it is considered one of the most important events of this land by its people, as it is not only a wonder but a sign of their goddess’s grace as well. Hours after it disappears the terrenes grow in plenitude, their seas full of fishes, and mines brimming with gold, silver, and copper.

This planet is named "Devia" after their god, "Deviashtra, the elemental goddess of the Universe divided into four kingdoms." The kingdom of Movako, also known as the "Land of Gold," is home to the Emperor and his family, occupying half the size of the globe and monopolizing most of its resources, while the other three kingdoms share the remaining lands and seas. Rendor, the "Land of Silver," is home to mostly nobles, scholars, and knights, while Endra, the "Land of Brass," is home to the majority of merchants and laborers. Lastly, Yvedra the "Land of Stones”—least of the ranks—is the home for most slaves.

Hierarchy and status are everything in this place. It bears quite a similarity to 18th-century Europe but is much wealthier. The lands are surrounded by massive mountain chains and lush hills which seemed untouched despite being influenced by human activities. Blessed with rivers, streams, and lakes as well, every region is sure to prosper no matter how small.

As the day finally sets in, a slave girl named Vega was happily conversing with her friend while trotting across a field towards their home, when they spotted a mysterious-looking woman lying naked on the ground. Vega was alarmed but worried as she tried to scan her injuries, she took off her cape to cover the woman's body while her friend ran to the village for help. It wasn't long before they arrived and she was carried off to Mervyn's hut, a slave healer.

Though Meryn was very skilled, she couldn't easily tell what was wrong with her since she had never treated anyone with an appearance like hers. Meryn tried questioning her but she keeps coming in and out of consciousness.

The healer spent a great deal of time and energy tending to her wounds as she figured out the woman's skin is burnt.  She busied herself preparing a concoction that she believed would restore the woman's body to health. She made her drink the mixture then dressed her just enough to hide her nudity.

The woman was none other than Camilla, her body in a state of shock. Her pale clammy skin turned cold despite the scorching weather. Her shallow breaths indicate that she's barely hanging on. To simply put it, Camilla is suffering from a third-degree burn and if she hadn't been found earlier she would have succumbed to death.

The sun's size in Devia is about five times larger than that of Camilla's world. Her earthly skin therefore could not withstand the sun's heat and radiation from this distance, even for a short time, thus she burns easily. The potion had created a protective layer camouflaging her olive skin and hair which made her look as normal as everyone else's except for the fact that she is of a completely different color from head to toe.  

Devians have genetically gray-colored skin, varying only in shades. They didn't need any kind of protection for it, since their gray pigmentation creates a defensive layer that naturally resists heat. Though like a soothing balm, it helps them alleviate any kind of discomfort. So for Camilla,  it may appear to be a feat of magic.

When the woman finally relaxed in her sleep. Mary proceeded to cover her in a mint leaf blanket for more comfort and left her to recuperate.

Camilla slowly opened her eyes, letting out a huff as she takes in her surroundings. She breathes in the unfamiliar air, fresh and kind of sweet. She raised her hand and eventually cried as she remembered the pain of being toasted under the sun as she lay motionless, alone, and helpless.

But her hands are all healed now, not a sign of being burned. Covered in leaves, she smelled of mint and wood. She felt no pain, and her body is strengthening—slowly and steadily. Who could have treated her to such an excellent degree? Only God she thinks.  For a moment, she thought she must have died, when a voice rang out, drawing her off her thinking.

"O umkan avhi sekhan?!" (Oh, you're awake?!)

A strange woman stood before her eyes, with black-white striped hair, dark gray skin with the face of an elf, and an hourglass body, she looked stunning! Everything about her seemed human apart from her ears and skin color, which she thought must have been painted.

"Wh-what?"

'But what on earth is she saying?’ She mused as they kept looking at each other.

The woman spoke again, "Akhma Meryn aje sekhan birna?" (I'm Meryn, and you are?)

Camilla befuddled, just stared at her when she spoke again in a language she couldn't discern. Her eyes grew wary as the woman lifted a sharp object from a nearby table and approached her.

Fearing for her life, she sprung from the bed and rushed out of the room, ignoring the woman's shouting which she couldn't understand anyway. She ran out only to face more people so similar to the woman she just managed to escape from.

"H-how...w-what—”

She slowed down as she looked around, all eyes on her as people started to crowd in and whisper among themselves. Everyone looked strikingly the same apart from the color of their hair and eyes, and shady skin.

They just watched her as she walked aimlessly, like a lost child searching for its mom. She halted her steps, her mind boggled.

'Am I dreaming?’ She couldn't stand the curious stares, and all the unanswered questions clouded her mind. Thick enough to block her perception, like heavy rain on a sunny day making her feel sick. Her head ached from the anxiety rising in her, causing her difficulty in breathing. Listless, she tried to keep calm but her vision blurred as she dropped to the ground—passed out.

Meryn ran to her side and was able to hold her before she hits her head on the hard ground. She had no idea the girl would freak out when she was just trying to help her.

Earlier, she attempted to converse with the new patient to get to know more about her history, but she doesn't seem to want to talk. When she noticed her injuries have healed up, she took a stone blade to remove and replace the young woman's bandages as she kept trying to speak to her—telling her to take it easy.

The next thing she knew, she was shoved and the girl ran off. She tried calling for her, but she never looked back. The young lady might have recovered from her wounds, but she still seemed frail. Worried, she got up and went after her. Fortunately, she arrived in time.

*****

Like running waters, years kept going by. Camilla had learned to adapt to this peculiar world. She came to know more about the country and the town she was found in. She made a new life for herself and was quite popular among the locals.  

Camilla's arrival caused a stir among the people for a time. The strange angular visage, appearance, and character set her apart from the others. But eventually, they warmed up to her. After all, she comes from a completely different world that no one knows about except her.