Chapter 2: Outer space
As Rani watched the rock, she couldn't believe what was happening. It was transforming before her eyes, morphing into a glowing white crystal with shimmering rainbow surfaces. But that wasn't the most shocking part. The rock started to emit a strange, white, glowy crystal dust, which began to slowly encircle Maya's nearby water bottle.
Suddenly, the dust rushed toward the water bottle, causing it to glow brightly for a few moments before returning to normal.
Maya, who had been lost in her thoughts, pulled out the thing from Rani's leg and reached for her water bottle, took a sip. She had no idea what had just happened, but Rani knew that something was wrong.
Rani began to jump up and down, trying desperately to get Maya's attention. But Maya was too absorbed in her own thoughts to notice.
As she finished her drink and gathered her belongings, Maya suddenly felt a heavy weight in her stomach. At first, she tried to ignore it, but it was soon replaced by a searing pain that made her sweat profusely. The cold weather did nothing to cool her down as she clutched her stomach in agony.
Maya tried to pack up her things, but her pain became unbearable. Her stomach twisted in knots, the world began to spin around her, and Maya felt herself losing consciousness.
She had no idea what was happening to her or why, but she knew that it was something terrible.
As she fell on the wet grass, her mind raced with the promise she made to her sister. "I can't break my promise," she whispered to herself, feeling helpless and alone.
The wind, which had been invigorating earlier, now felt like a knife, cutting through her body and draining her energy.
"I can't hurt my parents," she thought, her lips parched and her complexion fading fast. "I'm sorry, everyone," she murmured, feeling her world slip away from her. That was the last thing she remembered, and then everything went black.
Her entire being turned cold; her entire universe crumbled, and she lapsed into a coma. Everything around her appeared to be silent, and time seemed to have stopped.
Even though it appeared to be the "calm before the storm" at first, suddenly everything started to change, and before long, Maya was actually surrounded by turmoil as opposed to silence.
When suddenly a cloud-like vortex began to appear on the surface of the ground where she was lying, she appeared to be under a large, blue, and dark cloud of thunder. There was a loud roar of thunder surrounding her. Rani was so afraid that she was running back and forth.
Suddenly, the most shocking and unimaginable thing happened. The vortex that had ensnared Maya began to float through the air before shooting straight up into the sky and soon into space.
Rani stared there in disbelief since Maya was no longer in the position she had been in only a few seconds earlier; in fact, she had vanished entirely, leaving only her belongings behind.
And then, just as suddenly, the vortex vanished, leaving Maya floating alone in the vast expanse of space. But she was not alone for long.
In the darkness, a kaleidoscope of light erupted around her, bathing her in a rainbow of colors. The lights swirled around her, merging with her body until she radiated a blinding white light, surrounded by sparkling crystal dust.
Yet since Maya was in a coma, she was unable to understand what was happening right now or what was more about to happen to her.
Instead of looking like a human, Maya now resembled a unique, previously unseen creature. It was not wrong to state that she died as a human. She had no idea that she would lose her human identity one day or that her happy, content, and peaceful life would devolve into complete pandemonium.
***
"Dad! Have you managed to get hold of her?" Hoor asked with a worried tone as she hurriedly walked down the stairs.
Father sighed, "No, Maya isn't picking up her phone. But don't worry, she will be home soon," he reassured her.
Mother's tone was sharp, "Soon? Look at the time, it's getting dark outside. Where could she be?"
The tension in the room was palpable as they all anxiously waited for Maya to return. The phone continued to ring, echoing through the quiet house, but there was no answer.
Suddenly, Hoor noticed someone approaching the house, "Look, it's Rani. Maybe Maya is with her," she exclaimed with relief.
But their relief was short-lived as they saw Rani standing alone outside, bewildered and confused. They all rushed outside quickly.
Rani stood alone in the front garden of the house, her head hung low, and her mane was blowing in the wind. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching, and lifted her head to see Maya's father walking toward her.
"Rani, my dear, what are you doing here all by yourself?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.
Rani whinnied softly, but the father's mind was already racing with terrible thoughts. "Where is Maya?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Rani tried to explain, but of course, horses couldn't speak. Instead, she nudged her nose towards the nearby water bottle that she had brought with her, the one with Maya's name on it.
The father's heart sank as he picked up the water bottle. "Maya's water bottle," he whispered to himself, his eyes welling up with tears, and he then put it aside.
Mother looked at Rani, trying to make sense of the situation. "Why are you alone? Where is Maya?"
Rani whinnied again, but it only added to their confusion and despair. "Why won't you tell me?" she cried out to the horse.
"Where could she be?" the father muttered as he searched the deserted streets. He looked around for any signs of his daughter, but the silence was deafening.
"Don't worry honey, please! I'll find her," he reassured his wife before leaving her side. He could see the pain etched on her face, and it broke his heart to leave her like this. But he knew he had to find their daughter before it was too late.
Hoor watched as her mother collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "Mom! Mo-! It's all right, just be patient!" she pleaded, trying to comfort her. But her mother's words sent a chill down her spine. "I can't let this happen again..., I can't let this happen again..."
The memories came flooding back, and Hoor knew exactly what her mother was referring to. She was just a baby when it happened, but the aftermath of that incident left an indelible mark on her family.
As she watched her mother struggle to stand, Hoor felt a surge of anger and frustration. Why did they have to go through this again? Why did they have to live in constant fear of Maya being lost?
Maya's father had traveled far and wide, searching for any sign of his beloved daughter. But as the sun set and darkness engulfed the land, his hope began to fade.
He climbed up the mountain, his heart pounding with fear and worry. His mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened to her. As he searched desperately for any trace of her, his eyes fell upon her bags, which were filled with food and her phone. But there was no sign of Maya.
"Maya!" he cried out into the darkness. "My daughter, where are you? Please come back to me." His voice trembled with emotion, with tears streaming down his face.
As he realized the truth of what had happened, his heart broke into a million pieces. How could he have failed his daughter like this, again? He fell to his knees and sobbed uncontrollably.
Hours passed as he searched, but all he could find was Maya's bag. He stumbled home, his steps heavy and his heart heavy with grief.
The man's body slumped with exhaustion as he trudged down the street, his eyes downcast and his shoulders hunched. The only sound accompanying him was the quiet, mournful weeping that escaped his lips.
As he shuffled along, his gaze fell upon his tattered boots—a pair he had bought with his beloved daughter Maya when she was just a child. His heart clenched with a painful ache, and he couldn't help but recall the memories they shared together.
"Dad, these boots are so cool! Can we get them for you, please?" Maya had begged, her eyes wide with excitement as she held up the footwear.
He had chuckled at her enthusiasm, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Of course, my dear. Anything for my little girl."
But now, as he looked at the shoes that once held so much joy and happiness, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of loss.
Finally, he gathered himself up, barefoot, the boots clutched tightly in his hands. With a heavy heart, he continued on his way, his footsteps heavy and slow.
Just then, dark clouds began to gather in the sky, as if even the heavens themselves mourned for Maya's absence. And then, the rain began to pour down, heavy and relentless, drenching him to the bone.
He looked up at the sky, letting the rain wash away his tears. "I'll never give up on finding you, Maya," he said with determination, as he clutched the bag close to his chest. The rain continued to fall, a never-ending cascade of sorrow.
When he arrived home, his wife and daughter eagerly awaited Maya's return. But when they saw him return alone, their hearts sank. Hoor ran to her father, her eyes filled with tears, begging for any news of her sister.
But all he could do was stare back at her with dull, lifeless eyes. The pain was too much for Maya's mother, who collapsed from sudden chest pain.
The house was filled with the sounds of cries and grief as if the weight of the world had descended upon them. Laughter and joy were replaced with despair and misery. Maya's absence had shattered their world, leaving only emptiness in its wake.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone