Nivera became aware of her existence much sooner than other witches.
Curiosity, not for the reason behind it, but the beginning, which she was not part of.
A fully grown female magician with a great blank at the front of her mind. No story, no special necessities regarding survival, or even a sort of hook to pull her interest. Only a giant ball of light that would never cease. With no clear regard of time. Or position in space, since her surroundings had little elevation. She was lost and alone.
Her eyes followed the shadows of birds she could not touch. Her desire for finding salvation made flying her very first purpose.
She soon lealized her limitations and regardles, and she came to find out things about herself. She had the power of making spiraling rings of water elevate and dance around butterflies but not the knowledge regarding the anatomy that naturally comes with a volant animal. How could a creature lift itself without propulsion? How could it remain above standing on nothing. Her feet could only abandon the ground while being supported by something already above ground. Such as the branch of a tree, a swing, a chair. Her lack of understanding regarding such a simple matter to such a small being was simply humbling. With many questions in mind, knowledge was now the purpose of her existence.
She began her traveling in the search for answers when she found herself before infertile grounds. Her inquisitiveness drove her upon the land the sun could not reach. The greens she had grown accustomed to faded away as she approached giant trees with no end. The clouds above hid their green crowns, leaving behind a dark and ghostly forest.
A smell similar to spoiled fruits rushed, breaking the very still fog. With the complexion of a child, white wood covered with green moss and lichen. A thin layer of rotting cloth. Menacing wide black eyes. Leaned on a giant tree, observing.
Nivera, driven by the tension, backed away before stepping on said grounds.
The boy stared in silence as she remained sitting on dead grass, looking at him, exited, intrigued, hopeful.
As time went by, she dropped her guard and only rested on the ground next to the unknown forest. With time, she realized he had left, as if he had only approached her to keep her from stepping in. The thought of a territorial being filled her with joy. Understanding his nature made it easy for her to provoque an interaction.
With the courage of a very ignorant person, she ran into the forest holding her breath in, expecting being attacked or chased away. Instead, she felt a crushing weight in her guts. The painful and debilitating drainage of life itself held on her throat, pulling into the dirt as if she could immerse in the dead solid ground. She withered away as the boy landed on her side. With his small body, he dragged hers towards a white piece of cloth. As he lifted her body off the ground, her clenching figure released air softly. He dragged the lifeless body towards the sun, where she could slowly return to her original color.
There, the sun burned his skin as he acomated her body. The boy sat on his side of the ground, waiting for her to open her eyes so he could part ways. It was his job, after all, to protect other landers from that forest. He already knew what compelled them to try and reach for the portals, but being so reckless was unusual.
When she opened her eyes, she looked around, searching for him, and there he was under the shadows of the trees, staring as he had before, emotionless great eyes.
"Are you mad at me now?" She said on her side with her arms between her thighs.
He only stared, tilting his head as if it was heavy, she could not understand. How could he dare stand a second in that hellish land.
"Do you know where the others are? Or is it only you and me? " She said in a soft voice, hoping he would say something, wishing he could speak at least.
He stood up and turned away, signaling he would once again disappear.
Without a thought, she grabbed on the dirt and stood as fast as she could, running in once again.
He ran towards her, and only when the light touched him did she notice the black ink dripping from his arms. It was as if his soul was leaking out. He had a tired expression. He was rotting away. Her trembling legs gave out as he pushed her out.
"Stay out!"
"I'm sorry!"
"Leave it, just go,"
"But don't go, please, I don't want to be alone."
He squinted his eyes and let out a sigh. "How come you're alone, I have seen the others. They shouldn't be too far."
"I can't find them," She said, expecting another benevolent act from him.
"I can't stay here. There are other stupid people. "
"Then teach me how to stand on that side without dying."
"Why would you want to do that? You can easily find other witches. This is not the land for you." He said, looking away.
"If you let me, I'll help you, I can do many things, I can guide the sunlight into your forest. I'm sure it's scary being in the dark." She said.
"How would you do that?" he said with an unusual high-pitched voice.
She grabbed a handful of dirt and blew it in the air. A storm of loose dirt surrounded her in the form of a tornado. As it cycled faster, the flowing dirt began to turn white. In it, he could see his reflection for the first time. He was unaware of it but could tell it was him. He had the form of a lost child, rotting and pierced by a growing tree.