Yumeka's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Yumeka pressed her trunk against the worn wooden door of the healer's hut. Inside, someone whimpered. The sound came again and again, like a trapped bird beating against glass. She had traveled three days through the Cryptidia swamps to reach this place. Her goal was simple: help the person inside sleep without nightmares. She pushed the door open with her shoulder. A young woman sat curled against the far wall, dark circles under her eyes. Empty tea cups covered the floor. The woman's hands shook as she looked up at Yumeka. "Another healer," she said, her voice flat. Yumeka unrolled a woven mat from her pack. The celestial pattern caught the light from the window. "Not a healer," Yumeka said. "I'm here to teach you something different." She stepped onto the mat and bent forward, stretching her trunk to the ground. The woman watched. "Your body holds the fear," Yumeka explained. "We need to let it out." The woman stood slowly. She stepped onto the mat beside Yumeka. Together, they began to move.