The Great War

VII

"Okay so Lilium, like I said you'll go talk to the old folk, see if they'll cough anything up. Theo, love, you'll search the school grounds. See if you can find anything. I'm gonna look around in Ophelia's old cabin. Okay?" Theo reluctantly agreed and kept close to my side as we all left the apartment.

𖤐

I part ways with them both at the fountain, the town was smothered in a thick sheet of fog, you can't even see below your calves. It was the thickest fog we've ever had. We usually only ever got fog during darker hours of the night. It was only about 7:20pm.

I make my way through the thick forest surrounding town, my flashlight tightly grasped in my hand as I weave it around my surroundings. I felt a deep pit of anxiety the closer I got to her cabin. It got colder the further I got from town. My flashlight flickers before going out.

"No, no, no." I spew out and slap the bottom of my flashlight until it stops. I let out a sigh of relief when it lights back up. I begin to approach the cabin again, my heart racing and my hands clammy.

The doors already cracked open, unsurely I gently push it open all the way. A small light coming from inside a bedroom, the door shut and covered in cracks and small holes. I hesitantly approach the door and touch the rusty old doorknob. It was burning hot yet it didn't hurt.

I twist open the door, my eyes widen as a blaze of hot air hits me in the face, the entire room burning up in golden flames. "Shit!" I slam shut the door quickly and rush to the front door to leave, only for it to be slammed in my face.

"Who're you?" A disembodied voice whispers in my ear, a menacing undertone to it. The voice was soft but rough, definitely feminine.

"I'm sorry— I didn't mean to intrude." I feel something, or someone, cup my face and warmth making my cheeks rosy.

"Ophelia..." The voice suddenly links together into one soft angelic woman. Her hair is a soft rose gold pink and her skin a soft brown. Her eyes are a milky white as they trace over my face. "You look so different yet feel the same."

I shake my head softly feeling terrible I'd have to tell her I'm not Ophelia, "I'm sorry, but I'm not her. I'm here to help though."

The woman's face fell as her eyes lost all of the short-lived happiness, "You can't help, no one can. The damage is done. You're wasting your time, child." She steps back from me and walks further into the cabin.

I rush after her, "No, you don't understand—"

She let out a growl and spun around glaring at me, "No, you don't understand. You don't know who did this, who caused this all. You aren't her. You are a mortal child." The more she spoke the closer she got to me, she stops an inch from my face, staring me down.

"He cannot be stopped. So just go back to your pathetic mortal life and live it out until you die."

I grab her wrist and tug her down to my level, she was almost as tall as Cora was, "It's my turn to talk now. I've seen them, I've seen her, I saw what happened that night. I lived it through her. I am the only chance you have at the moment. I am the last piece of her that you'll ever get. I'm not giving this up."

She sighs and stands straight again, her dress wisps out around her like fog. "If you wish your fate to be this way, be my guest young one. I will not stop you. Nor will I help you."

I glare at her, "Do you really think they'd want this, for you to just give up? Ceres' trying. They all are. If you don't do it for my town, or me. Do it for them, it's the only chance they have."

She seems to freeze up at the mention of her lover, "She's alive? You've spoken to her?"

I nod and smile, "She's stuck somewhere, I need all the hands I can get to help me get them here. Then we can prepare for the rest."

She nods, and steps closer to me, "Fine. For her, I'll follow you. I'll help." I grin and mentally do a little happy dance. I pull my phone and call Theo.

𖤐

"I haven't been inside the town in years. Not since the schools fire."

I furrow my brows. "Really? Where'd you go?"

She looks down at me with hooded eyes, "My own world, I created a safe space for myself when the fire happened. It's how I got out. I tried taking them all with me when I did it. But I wasn't strong enough..." She trailed off at the end, closing her eyes. Her face pinched up in sadness.

"I'm sorry for what happened. You didn't deserve it, none of you did." She nodded and looked up at the fairy spewing water.

"I'll try and repay my debt to them when they return, or I return to them." I nod softly, not knowing what else to say to the woman.

"Daphne!" I look past the fountain seeing Theo and Lilium walking towards us. Liliums eyes dart up to the tall woman next to me. To be fair, Smilla did look like a goddess.

"This is Smilla,"

Theo looks up at the new addition, unsure of her, he subtly grabs my hand and pulls me closer to him and further from her. "What'd you guys find out?"

Theo reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out a locket, "Found this under some rubble in the school."

I gently took it from him and examined it. "Maybe it's Ophelia's?"

Smilla butts in and takes it from me, dangling it in her palm. "No. It's Faiths."

I look up at her confused, "Who?"

Smilla gives me a side glance as she gives the locket back, "She must've sensed something was wrong that night. Lost it in a panic or something alike."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Smilla sighs exasperatedly, like my question was some kind of hassle. "Another person for you to find, Ophelia's mother, Faith, she went missing when Ophelia was a young girl. No one knows where she went. Clearly she was there sometime after that night."

I look at Theo and Lilium, before sighing. Great, more work for me.