Lost in Ibalon (How I Disappeared): Rise Of The Enchantress Book 1

The Tall Man

My sight grew lazy that I tried to clear them with my hands. I felt a little dizzy. It's like clusters of ants are playing in my sight in black and white. I kept my eyes closed, waiting for my head to ease the pressure. It all went away a few seconds later. My dizziness eased, the slight blinding of my sight cleared and even the gale around came off with it. Even the trees stopped their animated leaves. But there's something moving in the side of my eyes to my left.

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I don't know either him or what he is doing there. But I have this funny feeling. The air gives chills down my toes, but it was warm in the skin. The pyut sound of the bird is echoing through the line of woods by our side. The last light of the sun that afternoon disappeared and that was the time when the spiders emerged out of the leaves to spin their home. I was in the small garden just at the edge of the forest near the house. I can even see the smoke belches off from the trees surrounding it. Perfect time. . .

It has been months since the hunting began, but it seemed that the spiders had vanished. It feels like they know it is coming and they left. I tread carefully under the mango tree, peering at every leaf. The tree was still young, not even a flower grew from it. A few gales made its way there making the trees swayed. My sight grew lazy, so I tried to clear them with my hands. I felt a little dizzy. It's like clusters of ants are playing in my sight in black and white. I kept my eyes closed, waiting for my head to ease the pressure. It all went away a few seconds later. My dizziness eased, the slight blinding of my sight cleared and even the gale around came off with it. Even the trees stopped their animated leaves. But there's something moving in the side of my eyes to my left. In a rambutan tree a few paces from where I was, a tall man was standing.

He even docks under the rambutan tree. He wore a robe like dried moss and had long hair with the ends vanishes at the back of the hood. He also has a staff, like twisted roots making him look even taller. For some reason, I could not take my eyes off him. I just can't. Why? What's he doing there?

"It was just here." He murmured looking at every leaf and branch intently. He crouched to make himself room under the tree but looked above searching for something. How long has he been there? Is he looking for spiders? No...That would be ridiculous. He was like a few years younger than my father. He went further up, burying his head in a few clusters of leaves. From that I'm sure that he was indeed looking for spiders. The Rambutan tree does not yet have fruits.

"Rommel lad, would you come here?"

I just stood there in shock. How did he know my name? It was the first time that I saw him. Who is he? He was not moving at all, so I slowly went near him. Dead twigs and dried leaves crackled on my every step; somehow, it's making me nervous. I was a few paces from him, and I was even surprised at how tall he really was. And there I saw how old he was for his darkened hood came out a bundle of black beard. But his skin was not that wrinkled. He was indeed a few years younger than my father.

"How did you happen to know my name?" I asked and he froze. He slowly appeared from the clusters of leaves and looked down at me. He had dark eyes, and it is shining for some reason. It was I guess, because of the fading light.

"Why? Did I call you?"

"You did, yes." He went out of the shade of the tree brushing his beard.

"I called him..." he murmured eyes wandering by the woods. "And what is your name lad?"