When I was in middle school, I used to write a great many stories. I dreamed many dreams and let my imagination fly away to distant horizons. There were no limits to where my imagination would soar. I dove into the darkness and dankness of a swamp hideaway. I traveled to prison cells and the art of medieval mastery. I wrote of beauty and love and the wonder of meeting someone completely different from myself.

Alas, I lived in the stories I crafted. I lived in the stories that I read time and time again. I never wanted to leave behind the mystery of the childhood imagination.

But as the years rushed onward, I started to forget the wonder I used to have. I started to lose the power to imagine those worlds I used to live in.

The past few months have been difficult for me. Very difficult indeed. My mind has been crowded out by a great many responsibilities. So many worries seek to overwhelm my heart and soul. I cannot contain the pain.

As I've been searching for meaning once more, I came across a story. A story that I always remembered to be a favorite of mine. It's called "The Dark Forest of Mayrealland." I wanted to share that story with you.

It has been adapted from its original version, but the meaning is still the same. The childish wonder, and the wisdom of someone much older than her years, is still apparent. I may miss those days of old, when I wrote stories galore and allowed my imagination to soar, but I still have these treasures.

Now let us explore that dark forest together, and travel to another world. A world of dreams. A world of imagination. A world where we can rediscover what is most important.

Thank you for your time. I hope you like it as much as I do. :)

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The Dark Forest of Mayrealland

The day I spent in that dark forest changed my life forever. I learned many things from the ones I met that fateful day. And now I wish to revisit those memories, and return to that forest which taught me so much. I want to visit the mystical ones and to see the triacs and the lavics again.

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“How did I get here?”

Darkness swirled around me as I tried desperately to see where dreams had placed me. Far above my head, a dense layering of tree branches blocked all view of the sky which I thought to be my anchor in the world. Thus, the forest which surrounded me existed in a world of darkness that seemingly stretched on forever.

“How did I get here?” I repeated once more--as if the loneliness which sought to engulf my being could be disbanded as a result of mere repetition.

In an instant, and much to my surprise, a shimmering figure appeared within my line of sight. It glided towards me on wings of lace and whispers. When it came within reach of myself, the creature touched my forehead gently with its glittering hand. A feeling of lightness shifted through me and a voice began to echo within my mind. “You have a lesson to learn before you may return to your world,” it whispered.

“What is this lesson?”

“That I cannot reveal, for the time is not right and the company not gathered.”

“Very well. Can you at least explain where I am?”

“Yes. You have been placed in Mayrealland. It is a world of dreams wasted and decisions made too hastily.”

“And what of you?”

“I am simply a mystical one, a messenger for those of the council. Now, if you would please come with me, there is much that must be accomplished before you are presented to the triacs and the lavics.”

The creature then grasped my hand. Together, we floated through the trees towards a destination unknown.

Along the way, we met another inhabitant of the dark forest. Its bug-like features captured my interest and its voice represented another form of strangeness. The creature introduced itself as a djayna. The best way to describe its appearance is to compare it to a dragonfly, but larger, and much darker in color. Upon its head rested a halo of purest light. Its strange manner entranced me for a little while as I sought to understand the meaning of what the mystical one had said to me.

As I pondered these thoughts, another creature emerged from the brush where the djayna nested. Its appearance was like that of a small rabbit with a crown of gold floating above its brow like a little halo. The creature spoke up then, directing its attention to the mystical one at my side. “Lil, the master wants us now.”

“Very well,“ the mystical one replied. “Please tell her that I have a visitor with me who requires her especial attention.”

“That is fine, “ the creature returned. Then it looked at me. “Hello, stranger. If you would like to know, I am called a lavitic. I am a cousin-creature of the lavics and have been given the responsibility of escorting you to the next checkpoint. Please follow me.”

The mystical one let go of my hand, and I stepped forward hesitantly. “Before we move on, do you think you could explain to me what is going on here?”

With compassion in its eyes, the lavitic simply said, “I am sorry but that is out of my domain of expertise. Now we must be going before we lose all control of the situation.”

The djayna and the lavitic then led me to a large clearing in the midst of the forest. Looking up, the trees still formed a roof above our heads, but a certain special kind of glow seemed to emanate from the plants which lived within the clearing. As we entered, we were greeted by a creature that looked a lot like the lavitic; the major difference being that the creature also had wings. I came to the conclusion that this must be a lavic, as it seemed to possess a sense of command over all of the creatures that I had met up until that point.

Our group was soon joined by a couple of bird-like creatures which seemed to exude an aura of compassionate leadership. The creatures introduced themselves as triacs before taking wing again to announce our arrival. “Welcome Creema, “ the triacs sang. “We pray that you may finally be able to understand the purpose for coming to this place as we gather to discuss the events which led up to this point in your life.”

Addressing the other creatures that were beginning to gather in the clearing, the triacs sang out, “Let all of the high court come to attention.”

The branches of the trees soon became quite crowded with all manner of strange creatures gathering for the meeting. I felt their individual eyes burning into the deep crevices of my skin as I stood with the triacs and the lavics in the center of it all.

Suddenly, two strange bumps began to protrude from my spine and view of the ground below disappeared from my vision. My dark, worn attire was replaced with a white robe of brilliant satin. “You have been called to this assembly in order to understand that which has been kept hidden for many months.”

I remained silent as I wished to know what the triacs could mean. “Many moons ago, you first fell in love with someone that you imagined would always be your own. Sadly, as the months passed on, you became distracted by strange things and you lost sense of the specialness of this person. You began to take her for granted and never sought to understand that of what she meant to you and what you meant to her. You gave up on her, and she began to do the same. When the dark days set in, you decided that that was the end. You couldn’t continue on in a relationship where you felt as if you didn’t matter anymore. Where she didn’t matter to you.”

“Little did you know that that was not the end. She still loved you, and deep within, you knew that you still loved her. You had loved her once to the point that something more was to be desired. But when you wished to ask her the final question, you suddenly disappeared. All was lost. It seemed as if nothing could be restored.”

“We gather here to tell you that that is not the end. That there still is time. Please return to her. To the love you still share.”

The vision began to fade. The creatures left me then.

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Tears rolled down my face as I began to understand what had happened. I awakened from the dream. My love was still there, sleeping soundly. It had been many years since our wedding day, and yet it was in that instant that I began to appreciate her more. I loved her like my own being. I couldn't stand to lose her.

And so I set out to make things right. To make her understand what she still meant to me. She never knew the truth of the matter. She never knew what I had realized in that forest. She never knew that I had ever disappeared. That I ever thought to disappear.

In the end, I still remember Mayrealland. I’ve always thought about its inhabitants and where it exists in the grand scheme of things. I came to the final conclusion that Mayrealland only exists in our imaginations. It is a place that can only be accessed through dreams and apparitions. It is a place of lonely endeavors and strange encounters. Maybe someday I will return, but that would only be in the most dire of circumstances. If a decision is to be made, then maybe that is where we should go. But we cannot know unless we try. And we should not go unless we absolutely need to.