Well... it's been a couple of days sihat moment. I don't want to talk about it, you know? But I have to, after all, you o know what happened.

  *sigh*

  After Ki finished her work, several hours after she'd sat me in that chair, I got one of the lo, heaviest lectures I've ever received in my entire life. And I couldn't even say anything because I had nothing to say.

  The lecture started from that day when I began my “mischief” with the puddle, going through times when I would eat dy on the sly, and theailing each of the times I would leave for the ekus corral. Normally Ameli always apanied me at these times, but after she was ordered that she could no longer do so, sneaking away had been my only option. Hehis was the straw that broke the camel's back.

  After hearing Maki lecture me, I was taken to Dad's office, where he and Mom were waiting for us. I was metaphorically pced in the ter, while Ki and Mom took turns scolding me equally. Dad just silently looked at me with a somewhat disappointed look.

  That erhaps worse than the scolding from both my mothers.

  It was another couple of hours before, after a long discussion, a unanimous agreement was reached. Most of the punishment I was to receive was an agreemeween Mom and Maki, with Dad only tributing a single point.

  Starting the day, and for the 3 months, I would be escorted ALWAYS by Ameli and two other maids who Maki would choose. I would still have some freedom to go wherever I wanted around the mansion, but I had what could be sidered a “curfew” during the day. The advantage was that I noermission to go with the ekus. It was Mom who proposed that idea, and that was the reason it took them so long to agree since Ki didn't approve of it, and Dad didn't have an opinion.

  The clusion was that I was allowed to go, but nothing else. I ot go to the Nidary or ehe corral. I pet them through the fence, and run perpendicur to it, nothing more. And only for an hour. Very restrictive, but it would only st the 3 months of the punishment. O is over, I am allowed to ehe barnyard and the Nidary as long as I am apanied by Ameli or someorustworthy, such as my parents, Zenya, or even Sarka, although that will only be the case when she es home year. And, once I'm old enough, it seems, supervision will no longer be necessary.

  Now, what I didn't want to happen happened just before my “trial” was cluded. Dad, who had been silent most of the time, spoke up to add a single punishment.

  10 spankings.

  Yeah...

  Maki was surprised that it was Dad who suggested it, and Mom just nodded immediately. Unfortunately for me, it was the only point in the whole discussion that they instantly agreed on, as if it had been a no-brainer.

  In clusion, I would be punished for three months with an escort, have limited freedom to go with the ekus, and receive 10 spankings on my ass. And, as a final threat, to make sure I didn't get any funny ideas, I was warhat, if I didn't ply with everything, the punishment would be doubled, going from 3 months to 6, and I would receive 20 spankings.

  There was iation.

  Wherial” was over, Dad was left finishing up some things from his work, Mom went to dinner, and Maki took me back to her offid... there I received that part of my punishment.

  It hurt. It hurt a lot.

  Did I cry? Of course I did, damn it. I ced on her p and spanked harder than I expected. My ass ended up burning all night!

  As soon as it was over, Ameli took me to my room while I calmed down, ged my clothes and, after a light dinner, I was sent to sleep immediately. At that point, doing that was the best thing even for me. I didn't want to see anyone or be spoken to. I didn't even want to listen to Ameli after it was all over.

  The day, and until today, everything has remained just as I was told. In the ms I go on my walks, escorted by Ameli and the two new maids, Aleira and Maeka.

  Aleira is, like Ameli, a Valven, only she is older than my maid, and with more experieaking care of children, as it seems she already has some of her own. And Maeka is an Ofiuken. A race I met for the first time. Long story short, they are like reptilians, with mailian parts. Even their faces are more like the head of a shough much shorter. If I had to say it, I'd say she's surprisingly cute. Of course, from the point of view of someone who likes reptiles.

  Things hadn't ged too much other than that. I still had my m walks, and my lessons with Ki and Zenya; although both were much stricter with me from that day on, and iernoons, I was free to do whatever I wanted, which meant that, from time to time, I could go visit the ekus during the time allowed.

  I had just returned from my visit to the corral and was strolling around the garden taking advantage of the fact that we were close to the beginning of summer. Clear skies, and bright days. Thankfully not as hot as in my previous world.

  In your face global warming.

  I walked slowly through a part of the garden that I used to visit frequently tely. Of course, Lan was with me. Sihe rains had stopped, my panion was uo get dirty, so I began to take her outside with me more often.

  As I was enjoying the day, with my three escorts right behind me, and a stuffed bunny held fortably in my arms, a small fsh in the sky caught my attention. At first, it took me a while to figure out what it was, but the longer I looked at it, the more terrified I became.

  “What the fuck...?” I muttered as I tried to prehend what I was seeing.

  Something was happening to the sky, and that was not only not normal, but it was something I had seen before, although not from this point of view.

  When I first met Sathalia she expio me the situation this universe was in, showihat off-p image, I felt it was impressive as well as terrifying, but in a way, it hadn't affected me as it should have. The view I was having now... made me uand what was really going on.

  I saw how the sky was rapidly tearing apart, f a huge rift that split the sky pletely, revealing a deep darkness within. It was as if a huge invisible sword had cut the sky with a ssh, and it was getting bigger and bigger as time went on.

  I felt weak the moment that thing took up the entire sky, I let go of Lan ao my knees on the ground, gasping in absolute terror at the sight of that image, feeling as if we were on the brink of extin, stripped of all hope or salvation. It was like seeing the real end of the world with my own eyes.

  “Young dy, what happened, are you feeling sick?!”

  I could hear Ameli's desperate voiext to me, trying to get me to react. I looked away from the sky to find the three maidservants with worried and anxious faces.

  Why are they not the same as me, are they not terrified by what was happening?

  “U-up... the s-sky!” I shouted to them, and the three of them looked up, searg from pce to pce, but instead of looking frightened by what I was seeing, they looked fused, as if they were uo see anything strange or different.

  “Young dy, there's nothing in the sky, are you sure you saw something?”

  “What did you see, young dy?”

  Aleira and Maeka asked oer the other, looking at me worriedly. I didn't know how to ahem. Was I the only one who could see it? Being the only one able to see something so incredibly terrifying... and knowily what it meant was one of the worst feelings I'd ever had. It underscored the purpose of my mission, but it also made me feel incredibly small, so... weak, and powerless.

  Ameli couldn't seem to see anythiher but still decided it didn't matter. She hugged me gently, trying to e as she stroked my back. Soon after she started, the sky slowly returo normal. The rift slowly closed until it disappeared as if everything I'd seen had been nothing more than an illusion.

  My head was a mess. I was so terrified and lost that I could do nothing but g shakily to Ameli a her as help me calm down. Dozens of questions had formed in my mind. Could I do anything against it? Could a simple “anchor” stop something so absurdly terrifying? It was as if I wao stop Jupiter's giant storm by pg a finger-sized stone in its path. That's how unreal my situatio.

  How... am I supposed to solve something like this?

  I had to remain in my maid's embrace for a long while before I could regain my posure. Aleira approached us when I finally broke away from Ameli's embrad handed me Lan, whom I hugged tightly immediately.

  “Young dy, what did you see?” asked Ameli.

  I sidered for a sed telling her exactly what I saw but quickly dismissed that idea. Not only would they not believe me, but on the very slim ce that they did, it would be a real disaster, both for me and for everyone who inhabited this mansion. I decided it was best to lie to them. It was the best thing for everyone.

  “I saw a very rge bird, and I remembered a nightmare I had,” I said, feigning some fear in my void hugging Lan tightly. It wasn't hard to fake something I was teically already feeling.

  The three maids breathed a sigh of relief, although they remained somewhat tense. Aleira owards Maeka who immediately went somewhere. Ameli picked me up off the floor and said, “If there really is some giant bird flying around here, it would be best to return to the mansion. It may be nothing, but it's better to be cautious.”

  And so, I was taken back to the house, while a warning was given to the guards to keep an eye on the sky, looking for any rge birds. The response seemed too much of an overrea, but taking into at that in this world monsters seemed to exist, as well as animals more dangerous than oh, perhaps being a little cautious was not out of pce.

  Later that evening, after dinner, I took a bath. Zenya joined me this time, fortunately, more rexed and less strict with me. Enough to py with me ih. Soon after, feeling a bit sleepy, I was taken to my room for an early night. My little bunny was waiting for me in bed, ready to protect my dreams and fill me with fort. I needed a good night's rest, free of anything scary or plicated like what I had experiehat afternoon. I couldn't help but remember what I saw, though. That thing was the scariest thing I had ever seen, but I couldn't say what was the worst thing about the whole experience.

  I don't even know what to feel more terrified about, the fact that I couldn't see anything there, or the fact that I seriously couldn't see anything there.

  A nice sleeping paradox, I know.

  The fact that I couldn't see anything should be reassuring, but, the fact that there was nothing there put my mind tiving terrifying ao the unspokeions. Was there really nothing there, or did I not see anything because I wasn't able to see anything there?

  ...

  Or, was it because whatever might be there didn't show itself?

  The thought made me even more anxious. Too much lovecraft could be detrimental to reination. I shook my head and hugged my Lan tighter. I just wao sleep, and take my mind off it all. Just have a peaceful sleep and...

  “Now where the fuck am I?” I asked aloud, as I surveyed my surroundings, fused and somewhat fearful. I seemed to have fallen asleep without realizing it.

  I was almost certain that as long as Lan was with me I would never suffer from nightmares again. A silly superstition, but sometimes you o believe in things like that to keep from falling into the abyss.

  At least the pce wasn't the same as always. That dark and scary version of my old house was traumatizing. This time it was a bnk space, albeit a limited one. I could see a certain invisible boundary to the pce. Teically I couldn't see it, because it was, well, invisible, but I had some certainty about the approximate size of that space.

  I moved around the pce, cheg every piece of furniture, looking for something out of pce, and waiting for something to happen, but everything was strangely still and quiet.

  The fact that everything was silent and peaceful was, to a certaient, uling, which did nothing good to my growing ay, making me look almost paranoid at every pce wishing something would happen a not. It had already been too stressful a day for my liking.

  “Wely little mortal.”

  A deep melodious voice echoed throughout the pce, echo upon echo. Instead of being surprised, I began to smile as I reized that voice. Instantly I felt my whole body rex and the ay disappeared. I was so relieved and happy to hear her again.

  “Sathalia!” I shouted with joy and began to look around for her until I saw a glow f to the side. The gigantian I had known before I was reborn had shrunk to the average size of a grown woman. We looked about the same height, which fused me for a sed. But I decided to ighat thought. I rao her and hugged her without even thinking about it. I was so, so happy to see her again, that I simply fot about everything else.

  I heard her wonderful ughter in my ears as she hugged me back. “I'm happy to see you too little one.” Her voice was so f that I felt all my worries disappear pletely. However, a small part of me, the logical part, was tellihat my current as were improper and disrespectful, something I slowly began to agree with. Feeling a slight heat on my face, I decided to step away from the Goddess, who didn't ge her beautiful smile at any moment. I couldn't help but keep blushing, nervously averting my gaze as I thought about what I should say .

  “You don't have to worry so much, let alone feel so nervous.” She said in a soft tone. She took a few steps away from me, in the dire of the chairs I had seen earlier. “e, join me so we talk more fortably.”

  Sathalia walked gracefully to one of the chairs and, with the same level of elega down, motioning for me to hurry and do the same. Quickly, I ran to her and took the seat across from her.

  On the previously empty table, a whole tea set appeared along with some snacks and sweets. They didn't look particurly expensive or fshy, but they certainly looked tasty. I didn't know what to do as I admired the tea appearing in my cup without me notig. I tried to csp my hands together oable, but there was no room, then did the same in my p, but I felt even more awkward than before. It was as if I didn't know how to a front of her.

  “You look nervous.” Sathalia suddenly ented. I shifted my gaze to her and appreciated her f smile. “I was hoping this kind of reception would help you rex. But it seems to have had the opposite effect.”

  Sathalia's smile dimmed after that ent, and I couldn't help but feel guilty about it.

  I shook my head, thinking about what I should tell her. “it's just that I... I've been having nightmares tely.” I said, unfortable about bringing it up. But, something told me that it might be the right thing to do at this point. “It's...plicated. I'm a little afraid that all this, running into you again is... you know, the start of anhtmare.”

  Sathalia picked up the cup in front of her, filled with a liquid that looked and smelled like a delicious tea, though I couldn't identify it. She drank slowly from the cup, with a fihat my family could hardly replicate. Maki included.

  “Nightmares are the maions of fears, pain, and sadness, which are being tained within the hearts of mortals and of which they are sometimes unaware,” Sathalia expined in a motherly tone. Her gaze, filled with a wisdom that only a goddess could show, met mine. “I know, my little ohat you have been carrying something very heavy.”

  “I don't know-” I tried to refute her, but was immediately interrupted.

  “Little one. I know well what you've been through and the scars on your heart.” I shuddered at her words. I felt naked in front of her gaze and, I didn't know what to do, think, or say. “There is still fear in your heart, fear towards your family.”

  “...”

  “Don't worry, you get through this, I have full fiden that. Believe it or not, you've already taken the first steps.” She pced her hand on my head aly stroked my hair. “I'm sorry for making you think about something so difficult,” Sathalia said, her voice with a hint of guilt. I couldn't help but feel frustrated.

  “Not at all, it's just... it was ued. I just...”

  “Shh, it's okay, leave it for now. My iion was for you to be aware of it, and that goal has been aplished. Once you wake up, you'll have plenty of time to think about it.” Sathalia suddenly lifted me from my seat and pced me on her p, taking me by surprise.

  When did she get bigger? No, was it me who got smaller?

  “It's been hard on you, so I want you to take this opportunity tet about everything else, rex and, really rest. lenty of time, little one, and you should take advantage of it.”

  I thought for a moment about her words. It was true that, up until now, I hadn't been able to rest. stantly w about whether I'll have anhtmare, and what happeoday... I really o take my mind off all that.

  But...

  There were questions I o ask.

  “Sathalia?”

  “Tell me little one.”

  “Why me?” I asked as I looked her straight in the eyes. After what I had seen that afternoon, what little fidence I may have in myself had almost pletely crumbled. Was there really no oer?

  “Hmm. Why you?” Sathalia repeated the question, closed her eyes, and began to hum as she seemed to pte her answer. “My answer remains the same, little one. You were the only one who decided to listen to me all the way through, the only one who, despite how absurd my words might have seemed, decided they were worth sidering.”

  “But... what's so special about that?” I said, totally frustrated and annoyed. “What am I supposed to do against something like that?”

  Sathalia began to ugh, in a small chuckle, that instead of annoying me or making me feel like she was making fun of me, I felt a certain happiickle my ears and pced a smile on my lips. “My sweet little girl, being special or not is pletely irrelevant. Besides, I never asked you to face those cracks.”

  “It's...that's true, but I-”

  “Little one. I didn't want someone special, or someone who only thinks about aplishing their mission, or who follows my every word as if they were absolutes. I just wanted someone willing to help me sincerely.”

  “But...”

  “*sigh* of course, there was something else that I didn't tell you that time.”

  “My child, when I saw you for the first time, I saw a soul that was full of pain a. You were someone who o see somethier, to live somethier. That's why I wished you were the one who would listen to me because the only thing I could give you as a reward for your help was a sed ce to live the life you deserved to live, to have the happiness you deserved to have and a family that deserved your love. That's why I was so happy when you decided to listen to me and agreed to help me.”

  I didn't know what to say to her, had she thought that much about me?

  “Besides,” she added with a smile. “You are someoh great knowledge. You uand very well the hings that e your way and, on top of all that, you work from your heart. Not out of obligation or because it's your duty. You do it because you want to do it, and that really makes you special in my eyes.”

  “Do you really... do you really think that about me?” I sobbed, as Sathalia's arms ed around my body, cradling me in a motherly embrace.

  “Of course, my dear. Those are my sihoughts.”

  I cried into her embrace feeling an indescribable warmth envelop me.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I repeated over and over as my tears soaked the goddess' dress. Her heartfelt words had taken deep root within my soul, and while I 't say my fear had disappeared, at least I could feel a little more fident.

  After a while, I mao calm down, and stepped out of her arms, only to be treated like a child under her motherly care. Sathalia wiped my face with a handkerchief made of a cloth that was unrealistically soft and offered me some of the sweets she had made appear oable. They were, not ironically, divine.

  “Perhaps this is a bit sudden and... inopportune, given the versation we just had, but there is something I o talk to you about.”

  Sathalia's expression turned serious, and, although it still felt rexed and warm, a slight tension began to form.

  “Is it... something bad?”

  Sathalia sighed with some sadness but shook her head. “It is, and at the same time it isn't.”

  I tilted my head in fusion, about to ask her what she meant, but before I could, Sathalia waved her hand and... showed me again the crack I had seen that afternoon.

  “This one wasn't caused by the current situation. At least not pletely.” I looked at the s the goddess had summoned in front of us and it was very different from what I remembered.

  The first time Sathalia showed me that image, the rift was a couple of times rger than the p. What I saw was much bigger than both stars bined. It felt like that thing could swallow the whole system. And there was certainly something very different. The violet rays, the clouds of dark gas, and the spatial distortions that I could see before were o be seen. It was literally as if something or someone had cut through the fabric of space/time.

  “As you see, although simir, this is very different.” I felt a shiver as if I could somehow guess what was ing. “This was not created by the tearing that is affeg this universe.”

  “W-what does that mean?” I couldn't hide the nervousness in my voice, and it was made worse by Sathalia's hesitant expression.

  “...I'm sorry, little ohere's something I didn't tell you when I asked for your help.” Sathalia hesitated. The goddess hesitated to tinue her words. That was not a good sign.

  I g tightly to her, not wanting to hear whatever it was she hesitated to say, but I k was something I couldn't not know about. Sathalia took my a as if I was encio tinue, even though I didn't wao.

  “In every universe, there are legends and myths in the various civilizations that speak of something that lurks and creeps through the void. For earth it was called Tiamat, Apep, J?rmungandr. For Silia, it has been known as Kavrathul, Thalvast, Voruthar. But to us Superior Ohat entity is called Yhavoth, The Unfathomable Devourer.”

  FivesZeta

  [colpse]and bi with the image of the fragmented sky from the movie "Spiderman No Way Home", and you'll get an idea of ??what it looked like.

  Now, I want to say 2 things. The first, I'm sorry, I always fet to his world. I did it in Chapter 1, but I always fet... Silia, this world is called Silia.

  The other thing I wao say, what do you guys think of the new cover? I spent a whole day between many images trying to choose ohat looked good and showed Tya in her early years. While it's not Tya as a 3-year-old, I feel like it's Tya at this stage of her life. I liked how it turned out, that's why I put it right away, sorry for doing it this

  Remember that any doubt gestion you want to make, I'll always be reading the ents, so don't hesitate to ent! All your opinions are important to me!

  Thanks, and see you week!