"Welcome to the Paraiso, Ysavel," Aaline said before opening the huge green door.

Behind that door is a beautiful paradise. In front of us is a huge mountain fall. Beside the mountain falls, there are huge and tall beautiful trees, and in every tree, there are a number of birds singing a harmonious melody that is calming to the ears.

Below the trees are beautiful flowers of all sizes and kinds. It looks like what I've seen in the animated movie Rio. When blu and his family came back to the Amazon forest. The view in front of us is like that but better and.. real.

"Wow! Ysavel, this is how your Paradise is? This is amazing." Aaline jumps on happiness. She then runs towards the mountain falls. "Soiartze, look!" Aaline waved her arms to us. "There are fishes in here, and they pretty much look alive. And oh, look, there are flowers. I have never seen something like these again."

I look at Aaline dumbfounded. I never met someone who is excited and enthusiastic when seeing something like this. Although the view in front of us is really breathtaking but Aaline looks like this is the first time she saw something like this.

Soiartze gently smiled at me. "Sorry about her. Aaline is such a child at heart. Also, she's been here for almost a decade now. She grew up in a bustling city and has never seen a place like this in her whole life. That's the reason why she looks so happy because of this."

I shake my head at Soiartze. "Aren't we all child at heart? I understand her. You don't need to worry. My reaction would be like that too if I weren't used to seeing nature like this."

"You like nature?"

I nod my head at her. I walked towards a big stone and sat on it. "Nature is one of my sources of inspiration. If I feel too drain writing something. I would pack up my clothes and would stay a day in a forest. Sometimes I would even camp out there."

Soiartze nods her head and walks towards the direction of another bigs stone that is a few steps from mine. She sits on it and looks at me. "I understand you. I have a way of recharging my inspiration too. But unlike you, I only binge watch a movie or series of my favorite actress."

"I guess every artist has their own way of recuperating their energy."

I look at Aaline, who is currently splashing the bunny with water. "Can I ask you a question?"

Soiartze glances at me and nods her head before she looks back at Aaline.

"You said Aaline is already staying here for almost a decade now. What do you mean?"

Soiartze sigh and look at the sky. "We're all the same here, Ysavel. A struggling artist who wants to be known to our industry. So, when the opportunity comes knocking to us, we accepted just like you did. But we didn't expect to end up in here." Soiartze sadly said.

"All the same? What do you mean, Soiartze?"

Soiartze scoffs. "They probably haven't told you anything, right? They still did it. They thought by giving clues. We'll figure things out. But they forgot that we're not a full pledge artist. We cannot comprehend things that they want us to understand."

I frown after hearing Soiartze words. I'm more confused because of her words.

"As I said, we're all the same, Ysavel. You, a struggling writer who wants her work to be published. Aaline, a ballerina who wants to be the main dancer of an opera but even how much she trained, she remained as a background character. And I, Soiartze, a small time actress that even if I have a beautiful face, I couldn't still land a good role. We're all the same, Ysavel. We're struggling artists."

I didn't know that's their story. I thought they are good at their forte. But I still don't understand one thing, how did we end up here.

"Ysavel! Soiartze! Come here! You should see this!" Aaline shouts at us happily while pointing her fingers at something.

Soiartze immediately stands up and walks towards Aaline. I followed her behind. I'll probably ask her questions later. It's probably better to enjoy this moment first. Who knows when will I have this kind of peace after I get back to the fictional world.

Aaline, Soiartze, and I play for hours in the Paraiso. We swim, eat fresh fruits, and played with some furry animals.

"I've never been this happy after almost a decade. Thank you Ysavel," Aaline rest her head on my shoulder.

I gently shake my head. "No, I am the one who should thank you two. My head has been hurting since the moment I came here, but you two help me unwind."

"We're just like you, Ysavel. We're confused too when we first came here. I was so confused when I saw myself outside the window dancing as the main dancer in a play. I thought I was hallucinating." Aaline whispered.

Soiartze laughs. "What about me? When I first came here, I was totally freak out. I thought the female villainess kidnaped me. So when the door opened, I immediately throw the chair of the study table to the first person who entered the room. Imagine the pain senior Marione felt because of me. I was embarrassed to her after that. Even now, I couldn't look straight at her eyes."

Aaline laughed at Soiartze. "Oh, yeah, I remember that. Your introduction is quite unique, don't you think, Soiartze?"

Soiartze just laughs at Aaline.

"How about you, Ysavel? I heard from Earl that you almost touch the thing outside the window. It's a good thing you didn't touch it, or else you'll be forever stuck in this world just like us." Aaline said.

"Stuck in this world? I heard the Virtuose said that to me, but they told me that if I let the fictional world collapse, I will be stuck in this world forever. What does it mean?"

Aaline sigh. "You still don't know?" Aaline raised her head and looked at the sky. "We're all spirits from the real world, Ysavel. We're all artist that is struggling with our forte. This world, Kosmos Metaxy, exists because of the spirit like us. I don't know what item is linked to you, but that item chooses you because of your desire. The desire to be like one of those known artists. But that item from this world cannot grant a wish without you offering something in exchange for your dreams to come true."

"But if you failed to do what you are tasked to do and if the fictional world you are staying in collapses because of you. You will become an official people of this world then, Kosmo Metaxy," Soiartze continued.

"What do you mean by this world exists because of us?"

"Let me guess, Virtuose Pearce already called you an idiot, right?" Aaline asked.

I nod my head as a response. How could I forget Pearce? That rude, sarcastic voice.

Aaline laughs afterward. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, but Pearce sometimes can really be rude. But to answer your question, this world exists because of our desire. Our desire gives power to this world and even to the Virtuose. This world creates an item that will link to a person who has the utmost desire to be an artist. That item will feed on our desire. They said that this world helps struggling artists to become a real artist, but I don't think that's how it works. This world feeds on our desires so this world can exist so that the Virtuose could have power."

"This world find struggling artists to help them become real artists? Is that the reason why I am in my novel? So, it means I'm not the only one who is experiencing this?"

Soiartze nods her head. "Yes, you, Aaline, and I and the rest of the people living here experienced what you are experiencing right now. Even Earl. Actually, Earl is like you. He's also a writer, and the item link to him is also the book."

I now understand it. This world exists because of our desire. The reason why I am living in Csille's body is because of this world. I don't know if I'm dumb or I was overwhelmed when I was talking with the Virtuose. But I only understand it by now.

"Wait, the Virtuose said that when the fictional world we are staying in collapsed, we will be then stuck to this world. Does it mean the fictional world you're staying in before collapsed?"

Both Aaline and Soiartze nod their heads. "Yes, the Virtuose doesn't understand how difficult it is to just stand on the sideline and watch things progress to something worst. That's not what they understand. We tried to be in character, but it difficult to see the people you started to connect with struggle with things you know will happen. In the end, we failed on our task, and it resulted in the fictional world to perish. And now, we're forever trapped in this world," Aaline said sadly.

"So does it mean that if I failed to be Csille Lauretré, then I will be stuck in here too? But what about the promise they said that I would be a writer? What about the people I left behind?"

Aaline shakes her head. "Yes, if you failed to be Csille, then you will be stuck in here too. Just like us. And the people you left behind in the real world? They will forget about your existence. I don't know if the Virtuose explains things to you, but when a spirit from the real world failed the task given by the item, then their existence in the real world will cease. It's like the price we need to pay for all the fictional lives we endangered."

"I could never go back in the real world? But what will happen to those fictional characters? If we live in here, what about them?"

Aaline shakes her head. "Dead. Once the fictional world collapsed, all the fictional people living in there will die too."

I was dumbfounded when I heard it. I thought they would be stuck in another world like me. "They would die? But why did we live even after the fictional world collapse? Don't they have another world they could live in? Just like us?"

Soiartze sigh. "Ysavel, we're different compared to them. We are real people. We didn't exist because of a book, a play, a movie, or something. Their existence is based on the arts we made. The world they are living in is based solely on that story. They are part of the fictional world, Ysavel. When their world ceases to exist, then their existence will be erased too. We didn't die because we don't belong to the fictional world. We cannot die in a world we don't belong, Ysavel. That's why we didn't die and was stuck in here."

So if I failed to be the villainess of my novel, then it means all the people I cared for in the Vrawyth Kingdom will die? Prince Fraser, Princess Paislee, Rufus, Brother Pascal, the Count, and the Countess will all die?

Aaline clings to my arms. "Don't worry, Ysa. I'm sure you could succeed with your task. Just don't stray far away from your character and don't get too attached to the other characters."

Soiartze nods her head. "Aaline is right. Just don't get too close to the characters around you, so even if they get endanger, it wouldn't be difficult for you to just watch at the sideline."

"Do I really need to do it? Don't I have any other choice?"

They both shake their heads at me. "Ysavel, we already made our choice when we accepted the item. And the only choice we could do is to be in character, or we will lose everything in the end. Take a look at us, Aaline, and I will never get back to the real world. We cannot see the people we left behind. We cannot be the artist we want to be. The worst thing is we lost all the people we cared for in the fictional world. It's a dead end for us, Ysa. But you, you still have a chance. Just don't fell in love with the male lead or any other characters. Just like what I did, or else it would be a dead end for you too."