The Fringe

I am leaving." Ezer said. 

Leaving to where? Did he live in this world? 

"Where do you live?"

Ezer gave Lilia a complicated look and didn't answer right away. "The same place we made our deal."

Lilia thought about it for a minute. The place they made the deal was clearly her house from her childhood. From the memories she had available there were no such homes in this world. There wasn't even technology. 

Ezer must have seen the question in her eyes so he elaborated. "I reside in the Fringe. It's not in this world. Naturally with a part of me in you,  you can access it, you just have to think of it."

Lilia was a bit shocked to hear this. She had access to another world. Then what was the point of living here? 

Lilia was a bit eager to visit that place again and possibly never leave. 

"But it's but it's not a place to stay for long. Your human soul will eventually fade from there."

His words were like a bucket of cold water. So it could not be turned into a home. She wasn't exactly ready to give up a new chance at life. It seemed that she would have to figure or a way to live in peace in this one. 

Ezer walked over to Lilia. He wrapped his slender fingers around her wrist. His hand was cold to the touch and it sent shivers down her spine. 

She liked looked him, a little surprised but was attacked by a sudden feeling of vertigo. The world around them changed. 

She was suddenly standing in a field of green grass that reached her hips. Warming rays of sunlight met her skin but there was no sun to accompany it. There was the powerful sound of running water. And not too far off there was a pavilion-like house.

Ezer did not release her wrist, instead her pulled her to the home. They stepped out of the grass and onto moist soil. Here, the source of the water sound could be clearly seen. 

Votra who had been following along them suddenly said. "As expected the Great Lord surely knows the places with the best heavenly blessings. This will be a great place for Master's development."

When they arrived at the open house, a thought formulated in Lilia's head. How was this the same place as her house. Ezer must be playing with her. 

Cautiously Lilia asked. "What happened to the home we were first in?"

"Destroyed." Those words were said so final. 

Destroyed? What about her family pictures? 

"It's gone?"

"Things tend to escape the fall."

Lilia started wide eyed at Ezer's back. 

Yan noticed something was wrong and asked, "Mommy are you ok? "

Lilia fixed her face just in time for Ezer to glance back. "I'm fine. I'm just looking at this place. What is this Fringe?"

Votra became completely excited. She spoke in one breath.  "Master let me tell you. This place is only meant for the supreme beings. It is the place where heaven and earth meet. The place where one can access the trillions of worlds that the Highest One is always creating. The energy here is the best that one can find. Time is infinite yet void in this place. One can forever be at peace here. And with me by your side and the energy from this place your cultivation will be a force to be reckoned with."

Lilia only caught the piece about time being void and best energy. 

"How long do I have to stay here for morning to come?"

"About 15 days," Ezer responded. 

Fifteen days? That was half a month. What was she supposed to do with half a month? 

"You can use the time to train your core and cultivate." Ezer responded as if he could read her mind. 

Lilia could not hide her displeasure. She wanted to leave this place but she felt it was not an option with Ezer's words. 

Cultivation it would be.

Ezer released her hand and walked up two steps to enter the structure. He didn't look back at her. He instead took a cross-legged seat on one of the low divians and closed his eyes. 

 Was he meditating? Lilia scoffed. Her brought her here barely giving much of a welcome or a show. Despite her rough years the people she met still had manners. 

She turned away from him and headed to the river. She saw her reflection. There was no trace of sooth from her recent fire run in. She was instead dressed the same way she was when she first saw Ezer and her hair was cut short again. This was an interesting phenomenon. Before entering she was dressed in an old sift dress and plain robe and had long unkempt locks. 

Yan who was still in her arms said, "There are stars in the water!" His whole body was reaching for them. 

Lilia set him I'm down and kneeled next to the water. There were star-like balls of different colors and sizes were glistening. Lilia reached her hand out and grabbed a small light blue ball. It was like air that dematerialized. But from the wisps lightening began to crawl up her skin.