My morning stretch relieved me of all muscle fatigue.

  Yawning, I repeated my morning routine.

  Stranding up to trudge past the shattered wardrobe mirror, I almost immediately passed out; my vision turned bck as the world spun around me.

  Hurriedly pnting my hands on the bed to stabilise;

  "That was close..."

  -Are you okay?-

  I flinched.

  "No."

  -I see-

  I smiled.

  -Good girl-

  "Thank you, mother."

  Clearing my head, I got back up after allowing my anaemic body time to adjust. Once in the bathroom, I continued my routine, cleaned up, changed, and left the bathroom.

  Mother stood before me.

  "Good morning, sweetie. Feeling good?"

  -Feeling bad?-

  "Yes, mother."

  Then, I turned my head to my mother. "No, mother."

  Her slender fingers rustled my hair and massaged my scalp, soothing my melted brain.

  "Good girl."

  She leaned over to me with love dripping from her eyes, "You won't be a bad girl today, right?"

  I hoarsely answered, "Yes, mother."

  -My eye is there; can you pick it up for me?-

  "No problem, mother."

  I leaned over, picked it up, and handed it to her.

  -Thank you-

  "No problem, mother."

  She nodded at me, "Come, let's have breakfast." Csping my cold fingers, she pulled me to the blindingly bright terrace, with peace flooding my veins. Smelling the scent of greenery drifting along today's warm breeze, I gazed upon the view beyond.

  The shimmering ke, the distant mountain range.

  Enjoying today's weather, I listened to her speak to me, whisper in my ear with dreadful goosebumps.

  -Who do you do it for?-

  The answer to that is obvious.

  "For the one I love, mother."

  "Oh? Who is the one you love?" Mother asked.

  "Sister."

  Her hand pushed me towards the seats. "Good girl."

  -Not the same as us-

  ...

  -Whore-

  ...

  -Sweetie, what are you?-

  ...

  -Help-

  ...

  -Forgive-

  ...

  "I am me, mother."

  I answered.

  And mother curiously stated, "What would you be if not yourself?"

  I didn't have an answer to that, so I shook my head, "I don't know, mother."

  "I see..."

  Tapping her chin, mother promptly said, "No worries, sweetie, my perfect Alora can solve anything, right?"

  I scooped a spoonful of my favourite soup.

  Rejoiced in the tastes.

  And:

  "Yes, mother."

  Repeated.

  Again and again.

  Over and over.

  I repeat.

  Repeat.

  ...

  ...And I continued to repeat.

  Day after day.

  Week after week.

  Month after month.

  Like a doll.

  My strings were plucked, and the limbs followed; my vocal cords were requested, and they responded.

  But.

  Sister.

  I pled.

  Sister, I want to see you.

  I begged.

  Sister, are you okay?

  I hoped.

  Have you not become what I have become?

  ...I don't want this.

  ...Not for you.

  ...Never for you.

  ...Please, do not become me.

  ...Never...

  ...Not the one I love.

  I pray.

  -----

  Today is my birthday.

  According to my mother's words, I am approximately 100cm tall at the tender age of 5 as of today.

  "I know." Sighing, I shook it off and rolled off the bed. As usual, the shredded bedding and tattered debris were slightly annoying to get past, but this was for the best.

  Picking up the clean, familiar floral white shirt, long dark pants, and underwear from the ground, I went for the bathroom. Stepping past the half-broken bathroom door, I took my time to clean myself up and return to the bedroom.

  Drying my hair was a hassle, it extended beyond my shoulders whilst curling slightly at the bottom; I want to cut it.

  Again, mother stood before me.

  I no longer had to extend my neck as much to get a clear look at her, but I digress.

  "Good morning, sweetie! Today is your special day!" Mother's smile shone brighter than usual, a rare occasion only spotted on this yearly day. She lightly cpped out of habit while reaching for my hand.

  "Shall we go now?"

  While I reached for that hand-

  Ouch!

  -a familiar burn singed my body from the inside out, but it's okay.

  Grip.

  After enduring that, I took mother's hand.

  "Good girl, you are well and truly perfect, right?"

  I smiled back.

  "Right!"

  Nuzzling my cheek with her own, mother's joy was palpable today; understandably so.

  Today was my day.

  The day we've been waiting for.

  A day I've been looking forward to...?

  My awakening.

  "Let's go then, shall we?"

  "Yes, mother!" My voice, too, echoed with a slightly brighter tone, a rare scenario.

  Hand in hand, silent step after step. My small frame followed after mother's luxuriously crimson-dressed body; my small frame followed the trail of golden leaves embroidered onto the translucent cape upon her neck-

  We headed to the bedroom door.

  ...4 years.

  I haven't gone anywhere but where I deserved for these 4 years.

  Today will be the day that changes.

  Today, I will be awakening.

  ...The smile on my face spread.

  I'm not an idiot.

  The smile dug into my skin, almost creepily carving my facial muscles.

  I know; I've always known.

  The hand I hold.

  How can I not know?

  And the hand that holds it; my hand.

  Perfect.

  That word, when you think of it...

  She couldn't be any more correct; I am perfect.

  As perfect as mother.

  "Sweetie, would you like to know where we are headed for your awakening?"

  "Yes, mother."

  She looked down at me. "It's where you've always wanted to be."

  ...

  ...Finally.

  I smiled back at mother, "Perfect, mother."

  She returned it with a deeper smile. "Perfect indeed, just like you, sweetie, right?"

  "Yes, mother!"

  Mother's fingers interlocked my cmmy set of petite fingers, then she grabbed the doorknobs:

  And twisted.

  The door opened.

  I took a deep breath at the view beyond the boundary;

  Life.

  I whispered, "That's right..."

  People.

  I muttered, "I know..."

  Before I could contempte any further, mother pulled me onwards, into the vast hall, into the gold-inid room, into the ballroom, into the limelight beneath chandeliers, round tables filled with foods, wine, and all the sorts;

  The eloquent red carpets covered the floor, providing the atmosphere with a sense of solemn wealth.

  Enveloped in long-lost sensations, I almost struggled to keep up with my mother's steps.

  All around this ballroom were gentlemen in suits, gorgeous dies in dresses; wealth, money beyond what I considered fathomable drenched this pce. Their voices quipped with political intrigue, attempts to form ties, and the underlying war of words to gain the upper hand wherever possible.

  This is where I ended up for my awakening.

  But.

  This is also not where I ended up for my awakening.

  For before my eyes was a 'gss' screen.

  A transparent sheet separates me and this ballroom.

  I pnted my hand on the 'gss' and the touch of the material was almost gel-like—something I hadn't felt in years.

  "Sweetie, come here."

  Mother guided me around the exterior of the ballroom, toward the transparent version of the grand staircase leading to an overhang that overlooked the entirety of this luxurious location.

  We climbed up the copy of the staircase beyond the veil; in an almost mirror-like situation, the true staircase was to my left whilst I was hovering in thin air to the right of it.

  The voices behind us began to fade away from this height.

  We rose, higher and higher.

  Like a staircase to heaven, into the colourless void of this gss void; beyond the wonders of life...

  "Do you know what this staircase is called, sweetie?"

  My grip tightened. "No, mother."

  She curled her index finger around my palm, teasing me as she led me onwards.

  I know.

  "Guess."

  Of course, I know.

  "Our staircase, or her staircase?"

  Mother giggled after hearing my question, she continued teasing my palms as she answered:

  "Her staircase."

  After a deep breath, almost as soon as we reached the end of these gss stairs...

  "Blessing; the Staircase of Blessing."

  It won't be long from now.

  "Good girl."

  We arrived at the top.

  Overlooking the ballroom, we stood behind the forefront ptform to oversee the people below—we stood behind the Altar of Blessings, within the gss void, within the walls of the ballroom.

  But we stood not on the Staircase of Blessing, nor did we stand within the Altar of Blessing.

  "Then, sweetie."

  ---

  The Mistress gazed upon the crowd of lessers standing below the overhang. Her frigid eyes carelessly strolled across them, uncaring of their existence. Instead, her eyes glued themselves to the grand entrance of the ballroom;

  Onto the massive doors patterned with golden leaves.

  Meanwhile, as the Mistress prepared her carefully selected words...

  ---

  I observed the hordes of vishly dressed men and women.

  These are the people of its Domain.

  The Domain of Light.

  A nd where they can freely bask in the radiance of light, grow countless flowers and enjoy the wonders of life. Grow their pockets, indulge in pleasures and the vanities of noblemen of old.

  A nd not void of light but a nd where the light remains.

  I don't know, nor do I understand how this is the case. But one thing is true:

  This is the only location in the world with a 'sun', the Aurora.

  But.

  As I mindlessly pondered these things, mother finally put her words together; she brought me back to reality.

  "Answer me this."

  She pointed at the ground, our colourless gss ground, the void we stood upon beyond the veil of life.

  "What staircase did we take?"

  As soon as she asked that question, a heavy bell rang across the ballroom. The hordes below were silenced as they turned their eyes to the grand entrance. A set of aged butlers stood beside the doors with grips on the handles.

  Then, these aged butlers opened their mouths to announce her arrival.

  And I answered;

  As the one beyond shone with vibrancy; with rejuvenating life;

  As we stood here, beyond the veil; in the dreary, colourless void;

  "...The Staircase of Curses."

  Mother continued;

  Their voices echoed across the ballroom, and as the sound was about to reach my ears:

  "Then where do we stand?"

  I balled my palms, tightly clenching my mother's hand.

  "The Altar of Curses."

  The w of this world.

  There is no such thing as magic, aura, mana, or those odd fantasies I learnt in my past life.

  Merely Blessings and Curses.

  For all Blessings, there must exist a corresponding Curse.

  However...

  "Greet the Gaze of Heaven!"

  Booming vibrations shook my body.

  "The Light of Blessings!"

  The ballroom rushed with energy as roaring voices echoed the greeting.

  "The Pure One!"

  She entered from beyond the grand entrance.

  The most beautiful girl of them all.

  Light refracted off of her waist-length, gently waving snow-white hair; simple yet elegant golden ornaments studded the pure hair. A fluttering, voluminous golden dress cut from the softest of fabrics trailed behind her;

  Her steps were solemn whilst her heels ccked across the surface of the ballroom.

  And.

  In the middle of it all...

  Crackle.

  Were the bzing golden eyes sizzling with blistering fmes.

  "Welcome the Curseless One!"

  ...For all Blessings there must exist Curses.

  But she had none.

  A hand ruffled my hair.

  "The ritual shall be finished soon, sweetie."

  "Then, and only then, will your perfection finally be complete."

  ...I know

  "Yes, mother."

  But my eyes didn't move from my sister's.