Chapter 60: Chapter 60

Marietta P.O.V

A sweet fragrance was reaching my nostrils, urging me to open my eyes. My head was hurting a little but enough bearable to open my eyes.

Wait... Sweet fragrance...

I opened my eyes and when I looked at my surroundings, my eyes were almost bulged out of their sockets.

"Where am I?" I whispered to myself.

I was sitting on a bench under a Yoshino Cherry tree. No better to say that I was occupied in Yoshino trees. Everywhere around me were trees and the sweet fragrance was coming out from them. White and paled pink petals were falling with the breeze and it made the whole scene so mesmerizing.

"It's beautiful. Isn't it?" I snapped my head towards the direction of the voice beside me.

"Where I am? Who are you?" I asked her and she smiled at me.

She was wearing a pink and white long skirt with a golden scarf around her neck. Her white and golden hairs were tied in a loose pony and her eyes were shining like a sparkling sun.

The memory of that night when everything started appeared in front of my eyes. When everything messed up. When I entered an unknown life of me.

"I wish you rule on 2 worlds. I wish you become the Queen of 2 worlds." She repeated those words and my heart skip a beat.

"You know everything from the start, right?" I said, looking at her shiny eyes.

"When you know everything then why aren't you taking the first step?" She questioned me instead of answering.

The breeze blew, making the petals dance at the rhythm of the wind.

"What?" I asked her confused.

"You know where to go, you know how to go, you know what is it, you know how to get it. Then... Why aren't you taking it?" She said and all words felt foreign to me.

"What are you saying?" I said almost frustrated.

"Do you know, what is the most important thing in doing something important?" She asked as the wind caressed my cheeks. Flower petals fell like rain.

"Hmmm... Its decision making?" I said.

"The moment when we decide that now we are going to make it and change everything. Like when you promise to yourself that this time you're gonna earn it. Because the moment when you decide something... it changes everything." I added.

That was something I learned from my life. Because of the moment when I decided that I was going to find my brother's murderer, the real culprit, everything changed. The moment I decided to be a princess of the crystal world to save them from Annabella, everything changed.

I changed.

Things around me changed.

And this is life, change is life, nothing remains the same forever, everything and everyone changes one day. That's why I change...

"Decisions and changes are both connected and very important too. But I'm asking about the most important thing and that is a step." She smiled.

"Many people decide a thousand of things every day but only a few can do it. Do you know who they are?" She asked, looking at me with her warm smile and shining eyes.

I didn't say anything, I just looked at her. She smiled.

"The one who not only decide but also take step towards it. A first step then another then followed by many steps. A first step is the most important thing to do." She said.

"Decision making is not enough unless you take a step too." She said.

"Are you saying that I'm not taking steps?" I asked. Because I thought I was taking all necessary steps.

"Taking steps is not enough. You have to take the right steps too. You can't archive anything unless you take the right steps on the right path towards the right direction." She said.

"Two-steps and right-steps. The answers to all your questions are as simple as this." She stood up abruptly. I didn't follow her move. My mind was in some calculating mode. She was saying that I was not taking the right steps.

"Wait......" She cut me by gesturing her hand to stop.

"You know what it is and where it is. So, just take two-right-steps." She said and looked at me with a threatening look. That caused me to shiver.

She stepped towards me that now she was hovering over me. Her shadow overwhelmed me and before I could say or do anything she gripped my neck.

Air knocked out of my lungs at her action and in a moment, I was struggling to get out of her hold. My magic and powers were not working. The blackness was threatening to trap me.

"Remember, Two-steps." I heard her saying before darkness enrolled me.

I opened my eyes to found darkness around me. I released a breath that felt like I was holding for so long. Embracing myself, I lit up fireballs with pyrokinesis. And my already confused and frustrated state took a skyrocketing speed.

"What the hell?" I cursed loudly getting up from the cold floor.

I was again standing at the start. In front of me were two ways, going in the darkness. On both sides, rocky-curvy silver walls were going upward with no signs of the roof.

"Oh great! I'm again standing at the entrance of the maze but how did I come here? Wait... Am I talking to myself?"

I internally slapped my forehead. As I gazed around at my surroundings again. How did I end up here?

'Two-steps and right-steps.' The voice of that mysterious old lady echoed in my ears.

Was it a dream or a vision?

Two-steps... Well, honestly talking, there was nothing on two steps' distance. As the only two ways in front of me were at least ten steps away, and even the entering gate of the maze which was closed now, also at five steps away from me.

And the walls, they were......yes two steps away. I trudged towards the right side wall and tried my very best to examined the rocky shape in the dim light of fireballs for any clue but to my luck, I gained nothing.

Exhausted but with hope, I marched towards the left side wall, and without wasting time, I began to examine it.

Time was slipping from my hands and I didn't even have any idea what was happening outside.

What was I even looking for on walls?

With that question, I stopped and stared at the wall. I felt a burning ball in my throat and frustration. What if I won't succeed? What will happen then? Who will stop Annabella?

I unconsciously touched my neck when my hand came in contact with something. I jerked it and it ended in my hand. It was the pendant that Isabella gave me which......which could help me. But how?

I stomped my foot frustratedly on the floor. I wanted to scream in annoyance and frustration. I wanted to cry but instead, I stared on the floor.

How could I be so stupid? God! What a dumb princess I am?

Two steps meant two steps. It was as simple as this. Like we couldn't take steps on the wall, of course, we took steps towards the direction we wanted to go but we took steps on the ground. We walked on the ground with the help of our two feet.

I simply just had to take two steps. That's all.

Without wasting more time, I walked back towards the entrance which was now closed with a stone, and taking a deep inhaled, I took two steps and looked carefully on the floor.

At first, I didn't make anything out but when I bend on the floor and traced my hands on the surface. I felt something like a pattern in a particular shape.

Directing the fireballs in that direction, I found a little diagram on the ground of a snake. My mind immediately went towards the pendant Isabella gave me. Without thinking further, I placed that pendant in it and it fixed perfectly.

I looked around suspiciously for any movement but when nothing happened my heart filled with disappointment. I stood up and stared at it when I felt slight movements on the floor. Which soon converted into a strong earthquake.

The whole place trembled and I couldn't help but fell on the floor on my knees as a sharp pain aroused in them. The whole area trembled like a mixer mixed its items. Small rocks fell out of nowhere and hit me either. Ouch! It hurts!

I bent on the floor covering my head. After some good 1 minute, it fell calm. I looked up and my breath stopped and I froze.

In front of me......

"What is that?" I gasped.

It was a mixture of colors in the form of clouds or maybe smoke or maybe fog. What exactly was it?

There was a huge golden crown frame door standing in front of me with all glory. The way inside was nothing else but colorful smoke and there......there was it!

The sound which always froze me in my nightmare, the sound which became the clue of Annabella's weakness. It was reaching my eardrums and coming from inside that fog.

It was the same rhythm.

The same melody.

And I don't have enough time to praise the music and whatever instrument was behind this gate. So, without thinking further, I entered the colorful smoke.