The Forest Chronicles

Chapter 11

 Luminos slid the letter into the leather bag on the horse's saddle. "Get this where it needs to go," she demanded. The horse and messenger trotted away, nodding before they did so. The gemstones on the dirt pathway lit up as she stepped on them, they bent and shone to her will. It was easy, being the goddess of stones, crystals, and mushrooms helped with it.

When Luminos was young she was cast out for "being different." Her siblings had the same abilities, sure, but they didn't look like how she did. The stone skin, black sclera, sky blue eyes, hair of the same colour, claws instead of fingers...everything about her was different and "monstrous." She hated it. Luminos hated almost everything, except revenge. "'Forgetting is simple,'" she heard the mortal Victoria say, "'but revenge is much more fun.'"

"Mother," she said, "Father, Brother, Sister, I am so sorry for what I have done..." Luminos wiped a tear from her eye. "...I should have already burnt you all ages ago!"

...

As soon as Victoria had the time to work while Jason and Alexander ate breakfast...knock knock. Two knocks interrupted Victoria's work. "Vampire, get the door!" Victoria shouted. "Yes, my lady!" Benjamin rushed out of his room and opened the double doors.

It was a person about 5 '3. They had white hair with Blood Rose red highlights, eyes the colour of Tiger's Eye with heart pupils, their skin was similar to Benjamin's but only slightly lighter.

"Koibito!" Benjamin smiled."Benji!" Victoria perked up at the mention of Benjamin's sibling. "Tree?!" She stood up. Victoria laughed. "Haha! Hello again, old friend! Now, remind me, what colour is your blood again?" Victoria grinned. "I don't like Victoria very much now!" Koibito hid behind Benjamin. "There's nothing to fear!...Or is there?" She asked, darkly. She smiled again. "I am simply joking around, old friend! But, please, answer the question."

"Why should I..?" Koibito peeked out from behind Benjamin. "You should because I used to be your master and I also literally have the contract that your brother signed owing his life to me! Also because you are a guest in my home!"

Jason stood behind Victoria, attempting to sneak up on her. Victoria sighed. Now she stood a foot away from where she stood, also a foot closer to Benjamin and his sibling. She chuckled as Jason fell to the floor...or almost fell. Alexander caught him. "What?-" Jason was confused. Alexander and Victoria had teamed up to mess with him. Yay, he thought.

"I apologise for the small inconvenience, tree, but, please, for as scary or threatening I have seemed, I simply wish to know for science," that made Koibito slightly relieved. "And you will not be cut open for an experiment." That made the relieved feeling vanish swiftly.

"Please make sure she doesn't eat me," Koibito mumbled. "I won't- eat you?" Benjamin asked. "Nevermind," Victoria said, "I think I have a vial of it somewhere." She shrugged. "Tree, how long shall you be staying in my manor?

"Maybe a week..?" Victoria nodded. "Understandable. Vampire, have you heard a word about your sibling staying before today when they entered?" She asked. "No, my lady. I have not." Benjamin replied. "It's a short notice because I was getting chased by nymph hunters." Victoria sighed. "Literally five laws have been passed by both Knolas and the Gelum Plains. Each," she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Did they say why they were hunting you? There's many different reasons for each hunter."

"They said it was because I'm not 'human,'" they replied. Victoria rolled her eyes. "I bet most of them weren't either," Jason said. Victoria nodded, "humans are rare around these woods, yet not the town." She paused, "well, Equus might have a healthy dinner of flesh tonight. Do you mind if he sniffs you?"

"Who's Equus?" As soon as his name was mentioned for the second time, Equus flew from the second story down to the first. Koibito screamed bloody murder...and also like Benjamin. "AHHHH- Why do you have a Dust Creature with you?!" It yelled. "Equus is a new ally of mine," Victoria explained. Equus sniffed Koibito's hair. He blinked. "He's found the hunters' scent. Not human. Most likely Argus."

Koibito stepped away from Benjamin and Equus. "So, who are the humans?" It asked. "Hi! My name is Alexander Evergreen!" Alexander waved. Jason held his hand out for them to shake it. "Jason WitherLeaf, heard of my mom Ali? She's a witch and is famous in ShadowLark." Koibito shook Jason's hand. "I've heard of the WitherLeaf legacy," it said, watching Benjamin open the doors for Equus to leave.

"So, what are you two doing here? And why did Victoria- Lady Knolas, speak about Knolas freely?" Alexander smiled, "we know about Knolas and we're a part of the Great Sphinx Prophecy!" Koibito almost choked on air. "The Great Sphinx Prophecy?" They asked. Alexander nodded. "Yeah!"

"You mean the one that goes like

two humans, one of divine descendancy, one of royalty, have been forgotten by everyone except their parents, are special.

A demigod who has dealt with loss for their entire life, is special.

A witch that has powers of a god yet is mortal, is special.

A nymph that has been helping nature since they were born, is special.

A shapeshifter who would give up everything for their family, is special.

Together the six will save the entire world as most know it using the power of the sphinx?"

Alexander blinked a few times, confused. "Jason, your parents told this to you as a bedtime story?" Jason nodded, sadly. "I know, it's not really story material, huh?" Alexander face-palmed.

...

"So, Koibito," Jason began, "I heard that you survived the fire of Knolas. How are you still alive? Horokoro potion?" Koibito shook its head. "Nope! I'm a nymph, and we can't age really, we can choose to if we wish and-"

"Can you die?" Jason asked. Victoria cracked her knuckles. "Yes, they can, if their root tree is killed, they will perish quickly and easily. Which is a reason most Nymph Hunters like to keep them alive or kill them swiftly if they already know where the tree, flower, or any root plant is."

"Why isn't your hair green?" Alexander shouted out. Koibito chuckled, "I'm a red and white carnation nymph, so my hair is coloured differently."

"Why isn't it like Evaria's?" Now it was Jason who was curious. Well, he always had been, but he kept quiet or tried to. "It's rude to ask someone why their hair isn't like someone else's!" Benjamin yelled, he was going to say something like "who's Evaria?" or "Evaria? Is she another member of the quest?" but he knew who Evaria was. "You mean our-"

"Favourite green-house deliverer has arrived with Alopex!" A familiar voice declared.