Chapter 4: The Collapse
977 years earlier…
A light breeze brushed Maz awake, triggering her brain. Maz couldn't get up much less see. Everything, everything felt so fuzzy. Maz tried to move, but she couldn't. Wriggling on the ground lashing herself on the dirt ground till she finally brought herself to sit.
Maz squinted upwards, at her surroundings. They felt like they were… moving. Circulating around her, the environment spinned. Maz tried to keep up, jerking her head around and around, panting and losing her grip on reality, still the forest would not let up. The once peaceful trees that Maz loved and played through all day turned into a nightmare, one she hoped would end, and never return. Maz hauled her body to her feet, slowly and slowly trying to assess the damage on her leg. Nothing broken. No part of Maz was hurt, so she tried to look around, hoping to see something, but nothing stood out except for the castles' field. Empty.
Just then a cry sounded, piercing Maz's ears, "Maz! Maz! Please help! Please! He-" The screams were cut short, Maz looked around wildly, finding the source of the sound. Towards the forest.
Maz scrambled into the forest, hoping it was not too late. Even with the bad eyesight, she ran. Maz leaped over logs, and rocks, trying to find him. Maz felt like she was getting close so she turned up the speed, dashing through the forest.
Maz caught her foot on a log and tumbled to the ground. The dirt splashed painting Maz's face with specks of brown, and a cut across her calf. Birds chirped, branches swayed, the wind whistled, creating a sorrowful song for Maz, surrounding her, encasing her, driving Maz to a collapse.
"Mundo!" Maz screamed, "Mundo!" Maz started to cry, "Mundo! Where are you! Mundo." Maz sobbed, her sobs deafened, she felt defeated, finished. She dropped to her knees, letting the nightmare sink in.
"Mundo." Maz weakened, "please Mundo. I'm sorry. I have failed you." Maz sat there, crying and crying, laying on the cold grass.
Just then, Maz heard that ring again, the constant ring trying to tell her something, and Maz realized that she was alone, and nothing could change it.