GLORIA (ENG) Follow story

The boundless Asaltos Hills in the east of the Kingdom of Yunitah were a paradise harboring nature’s most delicate details. Sometimes the rustling of the wind and at other times the chirping of birds would break the silence of these hills. However, no matter what happened, the Asaltos Hills always embodied peace and tranquility. Any eye that gazed upon these hills would be filled with awe at the magnificent beauty. Especially with the first light of dawn, the green mantle of Asaltos would seem to cloak itself in a golden texture.

Gloria sat enchanted by this landscape. She was only twenty-one years old, but the experiences she had lived through had turned her into a mature-spirited artist. She had left her home before dawn, walked along steep paths, and finally reached her usual spot in the hills. This place was one of her favorite spots: a small clearing under the shade of an oak tree, overlooking a vast view of the plains. From here, she could see both the depths of the mountains and the valleys in a single frame.

It was early in the morning, and the sun was about to rise. Gloria’s orange, curly hair gleamed with a golden glow as it met the first rays of the sun. She not only saw nature with an artist’s eye but also felt it deeply. That’s why she came to the Asaltos Hills early every morning, spending hours working to capture the landscape’s grandeur on her canvas.

That day, the weather was unusually calm. Gloria found it strange that there wasn’t even a slight breeze; there was always a gentle wind in the hills. The sky was clear and cloudless, and as the sun rose, colors danced on the horizon in countless shades of gold and orange. This filled Gloria with a peculiar sense of peace, yet also with a faint unease. Her heart seemed to sense that something was about to happen.

Flocks of sheep slowly grazed in the valley, occasionally lifting their heads to look around. Gloria dipped her brush into the paint and stood before her canvas, studying the scene in front of her. Every detail imprinted itself on her mind, and her brush danced on the canvas. Her eyes examined the light falling on the flowers, the wind weaving through the leaves of the trees, and the rugged outlines of the mountains. Every brushstroke seemed to be an expression of her admiration for nature.

When Gloria painted, she would lose track of time. She would detach from everything, living only in the world of colors and shapes. But today, she found herself constantly glancing over her shoulder, listening to the silence around her. There was a void within her; nature looked more beautiful than ever, yet she sensed a deep sorrow behind this beauty.

That morning, she deeply felt the unease within the silence. After a while, she put down her brush and ran her hand through her hair. When she looked at the painting she had created, she noticed something that reflected her current state: it was different from the many landscapes she had painted before. She had used gloomier tones than usual, and the shadows of the trees were deeper and darker than they actually were.

For a moment, Gloria put down her brush and looked up at the sky. The clouds were moving slowly, but there was no wind. This strange nature had made her feel uneasy. Perhaps she was feeling the lack of something to fill the void in her life. Her eyes drifted back to her canvas; despite having captured this enchanting moment of nature, she didn’t feel a sense of satisfaction.

As she focused on her canvas, bringing life to the details with her hands, a group of horsemen appeared in the distance. Without realizing it, Gloria turned her gaze toward them. The man leading the group sat upright, his horse’s mane flowing with the wind, and was a young man. Her heart raced for a moment, but she quickly averted her gaze and returned to her painting. This was nothing out of the ordinary; soldiers from Sherton often passed through the Asaltos Hills. Yet somehow, this group had caught Gloria’s interest in a way she couldn’t explain.

As the horsemen approached her, Gloria couldn’t suppress the wave of excitement rising within her. She picked up her brush again, but this time her hands were trembling. An emotion she couldn’t identify had taken hold of her. It was something she had never felt before. Her heart was pounding as if it would burst out of her chest, and at the same time, she was trying to understand the reason for this feeling.

Although Gloria wanted to focus on her painting, her eyes kept drifting back to the distant horsemen. One of them, in particular, caught her attention. The young man, who seemed to be the leader of the group, was giving orders to those around him, skillfully guiding his horse. But at one point, this young man turned his gaze towards Gloria. When their eyes met, Gloria took a deep breath. It was as if the world had stopped for a moment. This gaze had created a bond that delved deep into her soul.

When her eyes returned to her canvas, she could no longer focus on the painting. The young man’s gaze had disrupted all her thoughts. The unease inside her had been replaced by an indescribable excitement. At that moment, she felt that she was on the brink of a great change in her life. Perhaps this was the person who would fill the void in her heart.

Hours passed, and the sun continued to rise. Gloria packed up her canvas, carefully cleaned her brushes, and took her painting with her. Her thoughts still revolved around the young man. She couldn’t find the words to explain this feeling, but somehow she knew that he would leave a lasting mark on her life. As she began walking back to the city, the wave of excitement within her had not subsided. She didn’t understand what it was at that moment, but she knew that everything would change in the future.

As she walked, the young man’s face remained in her mind. She tried to decipher the meaning behind that gaze, thinking that this encounter was not a simple coincidence. While one part of her mind kept questioning this encounter, another part wanted to follow the feelings within her.

As Gloria descended from the hills toward the city, her heart was racing. A new chapter was about to begin in her life; this chapter would deeply affect her soul, perhaps leading her down a path from which there would be no return. Yet, she was not hesitant to take this step. Her artistic soul felt an irresistible pull towards this new adventure.

When the day ended and Gloria returned home, she began to see the young man’s face repeatedly whenever she closed her eyes. This face appeared constantly in her dreams. And at that moment, perhaps unknowingly, she had taken the first step into the greatest adventure of her life. The Asaltos Hills were no longer just a place to paint but also a sacred place heralding the birth of a love story that would resonate deeply within her soul.