Everglow

Chapter 12

 The rain had stopped by the next morning, and as I looked out of the cave onto the forest, I saw how truly beautiful these lands were. The sun was rising in beautiful oranges and lilacs over the horizon, lighting the sage trees in a beautiful glow. It felt more peaceful than it had the first few days we had touched the land. I found myself wishing that I could stay here, looking at this view, peaceful and silent for eternity. I felt the serenity flush through my body as I dragged in a breath of fresh air. 

"The only thing that could make this any nicer-" I began, muttering to myself as I glanced at the view ahead of me. 

"-Is some really good vodka," a voice interrupted from behind me, voicing my precise thought as I smiled gently, turning to look at Milo in the quiet of the morning. Our breaths let out little white clouds in the crisp air, synchronised as he stood to look at the view. 

"Over that ridge there, I'd say about 5 miles in the distance, lies a beautiful spring. It is the opening to the lands of the Necromancer and I believe if we set off soon we should make it before nightfall and set up camp," He hummed softly, pointing in the opposite direction to the one I had been looking out to. I tilted my head curiously, catching the glow of the spring at such a distance, though only just, wondering just how he could see it. 

"Don't underestimate the blood that runs through your veins Wolfie, can't you feel the pull?" He whispered in my ear, so close that it sent a shiver of cold down my spine. As I closed my eyes, imagining the landscape in front of me, I allowed myself to connect with the land. I could feel the vibrations of life that ran through every atom, and the magic that existed in their bindings. From this, I could see thread begin to emerge from my feet. My own was a tightly bound rope of brilliant midnight blue, with a depth and richness I could not comprehend with vision, tightly wound with a beautiful, fine silver string, dancing lightly around it. Milo's own was a deep midnight blue too, that poured from his feet the same as mine to ebb forward. The lines seemed to glow brightly, following the path that Milo had suggested ahead of us. 

Opening my eyes, I released the breath I didn't realise I had been holding shakily, looking up to him with a frown. 

"How did I do that, how can I see that?" I asked him slowly, rubbing my eyes which ached slightly, the paths still lying before me now despite me looking clearly around. He chuckled at me and slung an arm lazily around my shoulder once again. 

"You're home Wolfie, that's why and your soul has a beautiful colour too, like the night sky, it's taking you back to where you need to be," he whispered in my ear as I took in the colours that spilt out of each and every person in the cave, all of them stretching in different ways to signify where they truly belonged. I knew he was right, nodding my head as I slung my backpack on, looking expectantly at the others. 

"C'mon, let's set off, it'll take us a long while to cross the ridge so we'd better set off now," I shouted to the group, setting off along the stone path that had been carved in the side of the mountain. This place was as precarious as it was beautiful, however, and I had to remind myself of this as I looked back to the group. 

"You go ahead Milo and I'll keep up the rear," I said as I allowed him to skim past me, looking down at me as he did, he smirked. 

"You want to be rid of me that much Wolfie?" he chuckled softly as I rolled my eyes, allowing the rest of the group to pass us by so that I was the last in the line, Marigold in front of me stumbling over the rocks. 

"Hey, Marigold, why don't you use your wings, it might make this part of the journey a little easier?" I enquired as I watched her stumble over another rock, worried that she was about to fall off the ridge's edge.