SOULS INTERTWINED

Chapter 29: Bloomsville

Thank you,
For showing me
How it feels to love
~ Adhevin

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Ayan was running in a route completely hidden in the thickest of forests and was too focused on carrying Adhevin and making sure none of them bang into a tree and die. Bella was navigating using the map and running in the front with him and Amalia in tow as they ran deep into the western forest of Célimène.

It was about an hour or so from the time they started but due to their speed they had crossed a good distance when Bella suddenly stopped. "We are here" she announced. It was clear they had arrived but where is the question.

Around them was a huge mountain range, some of them kissing the sky in a serene scene and there was nothing other than animals and all shades of green and brown around them. They were currently on a particular mountain that was covered with a unique sort of tree that bore baby pink buds of some rare and unseen flowers that has yet not bloomed. The sound of gentle water running sounded from close and cold pleasant air surrounding the place gave it an ethereal feel.

"Bloomsville Palace" Amalia reads out what was written or suddenly appeared on the map in Bella's blood. The place certainly had charm and an air of calmness and peace but Ayan was burning to know why the map had led them to the middle of nowhere and also why the former king had it hidden.

"Give me the map" Ayan took the map from Bella's hands after he lay Adhevin down near a rock and started twisting and turning the map to see if there was anything useful on it.

Amalia went near her brother as Bella sat down with a hand on her wounded shoulder under one of the beautiful trees which she had never seen before and sighed as her shoulder stung once more. She used one of the bloodied hands to balance herself against the tree as her head spun a bit due to blood loss. If her brother saw this he will get more agitated than he already was so she silently turned to adjust herself away from her brother's sight.

But as if nature itself wanted to announce her bleeding self the place where her blood dripped onto glowed a faint red as the tree visibly absorbed the blood on it. Bella was gaping at it when the tree slowly shook as if a strong wind had hit it and slowly one by one the flowers started to bloom. Bella just stood there trying to absorb what is happening.

By now Ayan and Amalia noticed this phenomenon and witnessed how the red travelled the tree's trunk as if it was transparent and how the once baby pink buds bloomed into flowers as black as a moonless night. With occasional gold stripes on them the black flowers bloomed on the entire tree within seconds and this spread to the nearby trees as if the forest was connected by some invisible artery pumping Bella's blood in them and slowly the entire mountain stood out with a unique shade among others. She had no idea a place like this existed in Célimène and judging by the expression on her brothers face she knew he had no idea as well.

"Isabella, what did you do now?" Ayan side eyed his sister who was obviously doing a bad job at hiding her wounds.

"If I knew I would tell you"
"..."

Amalia who was observing the scene saw another happening. "Guys look" she pointed out towards the walls of the mountain that looked like an ordinary vine covered rock a few seconds ago but now the vines slowly retreated and the rock opened like a invitation saying them to get in and follow it's tracks. Without questioning for reason Ayan directly carried Adhevin inside and the other two followed him. As soon as they arrived inside the rock slid back into place cutting off light in the cave.

Within seconds a soft light came from above the so called cave which lit the place up enough for the three to finally look at it properly. It was fit to call the place a palace rather than a cave since it had a big hall with couches and various paintings hung on the walls.