04. Mystery Of The Forest

The sun is about to hide beneath the horizon and I am now standing at the fields as I watch the sunset on its own. The rookies went home and I was left alone. A smile beams in my edges as I think of what goes by earlier, "I will be having my practice tomorrow," I whispered and began to step my feet into the sandy field.

I once more glance at the target and had a grip of the bow, I look straight and sighted for it. I held the bowstring, preparing my fingers to let go of the arrow as I gasp for air.

Archery has been my preference. It gives me a calm mood and I often uses it to reduce my anger or grief within my chest.

As I let go of the arrow, it directly darted toward the target and I sigh in relief upon witnessing how it pierced through the center. "Not bad at all," I whispered and a smirk escaped from my edges.

Mayhaps I must go home and assemble myself for the night's lantern exhibition.

As I have my departure, I notice a silhouette from afar. The butts aren't distant from the forest I used to stay in. Out of my interest, my feet hasten to tail the figure of a woman. I could evidently glimpse how she headed her way toward the woods.

I do not want to overthink about it yet I can assure you that it is one of the inmates from the dungeon. "But no,"

I silently followed her and my eyes widened upon witnessing how she halted from walking and faced the falls as it roughly springs down the riverside. "Who is she?" I muttered and as I was about to step my feet forward, I flinched in horror as my eyes grew even wider. I barely gasp for breath considering that I accidentally stepped into a twig.

"Is anybody there?" The lady spoke and I hastened myself to crouch on the ground. I know her voice.

"What is she doing here?" I mumbled.

She is a bit hesitant, and so I peered at her and hid behind the huge tree. I was confused the moment she began to sing a song.

'Waters gently flows,

Springs began to fall,

Midnight has approached,

Moonlight shall shine, look,

Behold, an offer shall be made!

Crimson blood that tastes sweet,

The heights shall look beneath,

And the gates will open, heed!

She cast an enchantment and I felt dizzy as I beheld a strong illumination. "What is she?" I carefully peeked behind the bushes as I tried to focus my sight on her.

I fell on the ground as my lips parted in awe, staring at the river streams as they brought an illuminating spark. Lorelei opened her arms, and she was afloat in the thin air, and the fireflies coated her entire being. "Let the gates be open!" She asserted and as she landed back on the earth, she looked different.

"... I shall go to the East Mount," I heard her muttering, yet before she could even turn her back to depart from the place, I hastened my way to confront her.

My feet rushed toward her, and I clenched my fist in annoyance. This lass, what is she? I threw a glare at her the moment she sensed that someone was staring at her location. "What are you, Lorelei? And where do you come from?" I questioned yet she did not respond.

"Answer me!" I blurted out and tried to grab her attention but when she fixed her sight on me, I stepped back, astounded by her appearance.

Her hair becomes as white as the snow, along with her purest irises. A huge wing appeared on her back and I saw how she flinched in pain due to how it spreads wider behind. The drop of blood from behind dwells among the ground and it causes the flowers to bloom and produces various kinds of it. My eyes rounded upon seeing a dagger on her grip, I thought she was going to stab it to me but she lightly sliced her arm with it and her crimson blood poured out and fell on the clear stream. It creates a portal, and I felt numb as I stared at her figure.

"What you witnessed will never be remembered, Terra. Keep it as a dream," she whispered, and in a blink of an eye, her countenance changed as she flew toward me.

My sight was coated with darkness as her lips touched mine, it does not feel soft at all yet the opposite is what I could totally sense. I could feel the thorns which pricketh unto my edges, and blood rushed out. I could no longer see anything, and I barely breathed because of the pain I felt.

"Sleep tight, Terra…" she whispered and her voice sounds like a melody in my ear, along with how the river flows its rhythm in my hearing.

In a glimpse, I felt my body fall into the ground, and a strong wind dashed from above. I was left lying on the grass as the flowers commenced to embrace me with their leaves.

'Lorelei… what are you?' I could no longer gain the strength to open my mouth, and only darkness remained in my sight. Is it my end?

The heavy downpour hit my bare skin and as I opened my eyes, I hastened to gasp for air as if I had never breathed like before. My sight wanders and I behold the beauty of the woods, "Why am I even here?" I muttered as I tried to move my body, I felt the pain and I touched my lips upon sensing that it was tearing apart.

"My lips are bleeding," I appear to be surprised, yet terrified upon recognizing that I am alone in the middle of the forest, soaked and from a deep sleep.

I attempted to get up, and once more I began to roam my sight and wander my feet into the tingling grass. I behold the pretty flowers which I often found withered, yet it blooms its fragrance petals. I found the river stream and so I dashed into it and felt the cold water.

"What a relief," I uttered and leaned my back on a rock and decided to close my eyes for the meantime as I let the rain hit my countenance.

'I wonder why I just found myself here sleeping?'

I sighed and let my body go with the water flow, it felt relaxing, it calmed me.

"Terra!"

Is someone calling me?

"Terra Elliot!"

"She is none to be found, sir. What shall we do?"

"Stroll around the woods! We must find my daughter!"

"Where are you, Terra?"

My body became even weaker than how it felt, I could hear the voices of the soldiers and even if I wanted to open my mouth to yell for help, I could not. It seems that no voice wishes to come out of my lips.

"Sir! I have found her body!" My eyes were half open and I beheld the face of a man. I felt how he gently pulled me out of the water and rushed his way to check my breathing.

"Mademoiselle! Are you doing alright? What has gone to you?" He asked and I kept my mouth shut, not responding to his question.

The other men also went forward to see my situation, I kept still until I saw the face of my father. Anger could be displayed on his countenance as he glared at me, 'This is not a time to scold me, Father, I am still confused about how I got here.'

"What have you done, Terra? We have been looking for you for almost three days. What happened?" He checked my face and I saw how his eyes widened in surprise.

"Let us come back home for you need a long rest, you made me worried, my daughter," he helped me get up and he carried me in his arms. There I felt so safe around him, I smelt the costly perfume he often used and as he carried me out of the woods, I let myself have a moment to take a nap.

I woke up once more, laying on my bed and I saw the face of Sage Williams—reading a book beside me. "It is good to know that you are finally back, miss." She uttered and proceeded to flip the pages of a thick book on her grip.

"What day is it?" I gazed at the window frames and the plain curtains were at their sides, I hastened to get up and attempted to look outside yet Sage harshly pulled me back and so I crouched on the bed.

"You failed to witness the lantern show off together with the Prince. Everybody thought that you escaped, you have gone missing for three days, Terra." She responded and for the first time, I saw how she threw a glare at me.

"What did he say?" I felt curious about the Prince's reaction, he must have probably been disappointed because of my absence. I should make things up, and let him know what happened.

"He did not utter anything but perhaps he is worried," she replied and continued skimming the book in her hand. I let out a sigh and comb my hair using my fingertips.

"I apologize for my sudden disappearance, I did not even know how I got there. It feels like a dream to me," upon what I muttered, she dropped her book on the floor as she hastened her eyes to stare at my complexion.

"Probably the witch from the forest took you," she paused for a moment and abruptly pulled my hair which caused me to scream in pain. "Your soul must have been taken by the witch, you appear to be someone different, are you not Terra Elliot?" And I gasped in horror when she took a dagger from her satchel.

My eyes widened as I froze on my location, "What are you thinking, Sage?!" I hissed at her and moved back, avoiding her presence. Yet once more, my scream filled the four corners of the house the moment she grabbed my arm and roughly wounded it with the weapon in her hand.

My blood gushed out and I flinched upon the sting I felt. I took a cloth and wrapped the fresh wound on it, I glared at her and yelled. "Are you going to kill me?!" Out of frustration, I harshly grab her hair and reach for her neck, strangling her to death.

"If you wish to kill me, then I will never let you do it!" I yelled once more and tightened my grip yet she was too strong to kick my stomach.

"I did not dare to end your life, Terra! I did that to test if you are really alive!" She yelled back and before I could even attack her again, my father showed up and pulled Sage away from me. His feet recklessly walked toward me and he calmed me down.

"What are you doing, Terra?" His question made me feel bad, why does it seem that it is my fault?

"Ask her!"

"Sage, what happened?"

The lass hid the dagger and lowered her head, "... I wounded her just to confirm if she is still alive, Captain." She retorted and I rolled my eyes out of annoyance.

"She did wound my arm," I commented and lifted my branch, he took a deep breath before calling for his assistant.

"Go get the aid kit, Sage. I would like to hear your reason later. Right now, you can go downstairs after this and prepare a meal for her." She bowed down her head and took the kit on the shelf, she handed it over to my father and she left the room and went downstairs.

I sat on the mattress after I calmed myself. "Terra, how do you feel?" My father, Theodore asked. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.

"Let me see your arm," he gently held my arm and he took the aid kit and cleaned the wound. I watch him doing it, and my heart feels overwhelmed, it has been years since the day we have been so close. He never did this again the moment he began to work under the authorities, and that makes me feel lacking in his presence.

I miss my father…

"Father, I heard her mentioning the witch from the forest. What does she mean to say?" I spoke, and he momentarily paused and glanced at me.

"Is that the reason why she harmed you?"

"Sure it is, I could not comprehend why she did that," I responded. He nodded his head and proceeded to put a bandage on my cut.

"I will let you know about it, Terra. You need to rest first so you can have your breakfast, later on, I need to talk to her about it." He stood up and placed the kit back on the shelf, despite his serious aura, I could still sense how he cares for me. I felt grateful.

"Thank you, father…"

He turned his back from me and led his way toward the doorway, he went downstairs and left me alone in my room. I carefully positioned myself to lay down and as I stared at the ceiling, I tried to recall the memories about the forest yet it only brought a stinging pain in my head.

"What are the mysteries behind that forest?"