Twelve years ago, when I was eleven, I discovered something called Nulia Paptolius.

Nulia Paptolius is a flower, used to heal, kill and sometimes do magical things, unexplainable things, things that would completely knock you off your wagon and you wouldn't even know what hit you. 

As I was only a young child I wasn't sure of it then but I had just found the rarest, most valuable thing and as I soon realized it had capabilities that are still unexplainable to this day. I remember that day, the day things started looking brighter, I was being chased be an angry pit bull (I think it was) and found myself somewhere I'd never been. Running down some old cracked stone stairs I ended up at a crossroads... Years later I went through the other path leading to a place called 死亡高峰, some locals told me it read 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗸. Tragedy, pains me more than I could express, hit between the lines of an old wooden gate. I wish, so much, that I could take back that evening, if I had just walked away maybe everything could be normal. I wouldn't have to go through the tears and the pain, maybe life could be... ordinary... but is ordinary even real? 

Through that old gate everyone feared, including me, for good reason. Rumor had it that gate lead to many disappearances and some unfortunate deaths, whether the victim being a tourist or photographer seeking recognition for photographs nobody has ever taken, or just trying to find out more about the area by snooping the most dangerous part of the woods and starting fires never to be put out.

Luna Marina, my daughter. At only seven years old had the most amazing spark in her, how I wish it lasted. Luna was my companion, she came with me everywhere and helped me through my husbands death even when she was dealing with it herself, she knew how much I loved her father. She had the kindest heart... 

She came with me through that gate, as much as I wish she didn't, she did and it was all my fault that she had to suffer the consequences as much as I did. "What is this place?" The innocence in her voice was overbearing, so sweet yet I'm corrupting her with my crazy ideas, "We'll soon find out." I said with curiosity in my voice, I remember thinking of the saying 'Blind leading the blind' would work in this situation. We walked through the gate to find a gorgeous river, so unpolluted, almost magical. A bright splash of blue contributing to this beautiful rainforest-like terrain. Walking across a bridge painted cherry red lead us to a dead end. Being furious at myself, I walked only about a quarter of the way across the bridge to find the water shining with the most beautiful glow, almost magnetizing. I had to take a better look. Walking down a spiraling decline of wooden stairs, I found myself looking at the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I remember thinking this shouldn't be blocked off from the rest of the world, although it was too beautiful to let anybody mess up. I sat there with Luna for hours, staring, wondering how the glow of the water was formed. As I was mesmerized at this mysterious river I didn't notice Luna running off to investigate. "Luna!" I screamed as if my life depended on it realizing this place isn't known for being the safest place especially for seven year old's. Moments later I could hear small footsteps running down a spiraled staircase, "Luna!, are you alright?" I screamed. She gave me a look, with fear in her eyes and turned away to point at the gate and said "It won't open". Slowly the fear drifted away after realizing she's only a small child, who am I to assume she can open a giant gate by herself. "Oh honey, its just a big door". She gave me a confused stare as I walked up to it and placed my hand against the door handle, "see-" I pulled with so much force that I was belted back and fell on my butt. Sitting there confused, staring at the door and then back at Luna, then getting up and giving it another giant tug, I realized that it's really not going to open. 

There were some locals out the other side of the door I could see through a small crack, I screamed out to them, "Help!, I have a child with me!" There was no reply. The locals didn't even give the sound of my voice any notice at all, not even a glance towards where I was. "We're stuck, mommy.", I took a deep breath and reassured Luna that everything would be okay. Moments later I realized the glow of the water slowly fading away, and as I backed away, terrified, I found myself slipping over some dirt and falling down a deep ditch leading to nowhere. "Help!" I screamed with doubt anybody was going to hear me, but trying none the less. Luna looked at me for a short moment until she burst into tears, looking at Luna with pain in her eyes made my heart break, all I wanted to do if comfort her, make her feel loved like she deserves. I brought her into this and I'll get us both out.

A while later I woke up covered in dirt, "Luna!" I screamed, wishing and praying that she was okay. I walked around the ditch a little more and started to realize I didn't remember going to sleep at all. The last thing I remember was Luna standing at the edge of the cliff of which I fell, crying for my safety. I called out to her several times and there was never any reply. All I wanted was to see if she was okay. I found my way up an extraordinarily large slope and about half way up I found something. Something different, something unique. It was a stone and it had such an amazing glow to it that I knew that 'this for sure is something you wouldn't find just anywhere'. Making my way over to examine the stone I discovered there was an entire cave full of them, it was the most magical thing you'd ever see. The stone was a greenish color, it shone with a glowing bright green hue whenever the light hit it. Moments later I heard a thump, "Who are you?" I heard a voice coming from inside the cave, a mans voice, and I had nothing but an empty shadow to match it.

-End of chapter one-

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