Loving the Dead

Chapter 15

When I woke, I opened my eyes to a blinding light. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, my body aching in all places.

"Annora! You're awake! We were worried sick!" Said Zahara, giving me a bear hug.

"Hi Zahara." I said. She let go of me so I could stand up from the bed I was in.

"Hello Annora, how are you fee-" but before he could finish I cut him off. "Where were you? You were there one second and then gone the next. I was stuck in that forest for hours with so sign of help, fighting off Belmiro and insects that almost suffocated me to Death. I didn't have my powers and only had my fighting skills." I said breathing hard, my face heating up as I turned away from his gaze.

"Annora I'm terribly sorry I didn't fully mean for this to happen."

"What do you mean by "fully" meant to happen? Did you want this to happen to me?" I asked my voice rising.

"No Annora. You need to listen to me. This was a test to see how strong you were and if you could withstand enemies not on the physical world. We all know you can fight them but this was a skill to see if you knew how to react with these kind of situations. And you did wonderful." Aiden said with a smile.

I blew up.

"What didn't you warn me? You had me scared out if my mind knowing I have never faced anything like that before!" I said almost screaming.

"Annora we needed to see how you would do without your powers. If you weren't strong enough without them then that means you didn't have a strong enough spirit, and that isn't good because all these spirits look up to you as their leader, not just someone who happened to be privileged with powers who is actually just a coward." Zahara said, intervening.

I sighed. "Ok. Who is Belmiro? Is he real?"

"Yes he is very real, and very dangerous," said Aiden warily. "It was true, all that he said, but someone had to fulfill the role of taking care of the dark spirits. Belmiro used to be a kind spirit, but when some of the first Spirits put him in the role of herding around the dark spirits, his soul had become darker and he isn't kind to anyone anymore. He will be tied to the role of herding those souls forever, until he withers away to nothing."

Belmiro wasn't bad at all. Just a soul gone bad.

"Ok then. I think I've had enough of the Spirit World for now, can we head back?" I asked, my whole body aching.

"Of course sweetheart, we can just after you meet the last Keeper, and don't worry, this one is kind." Zahara said, walking over to me and putting an arm around me.

We walked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, and I really took in everything around me. The sky was blue when we had first came, but now it had turned to a dazzling light purple, still no clouds to be seen. We walked in an open valley, the forest off to my left. The grass was a light pink, and plants of all kinds were everywhere. Spirits of all shapes, size, and color were everywhere, roaming where ever they wanted. I saw children playing with little green rabbits, and adults riding blue giraffes. I even saw trees walking as if they had human legs. The sight was magnificent.

"Ok Annora, we are here." spoke Aiden. We stopped, and a women emerged from the ground as if she was part of it, and stood up. Her skin was a dark green, and eyes a magnificent dark purple. Her raven black hair feel down to the back of knees, with leaves and flowers entwined in them. Her dress was branches of a tree twisting around covering her whole body.

Aiden stepped forward and gave a small bow to the lady, so I did the same. "Annora, this is Marlow. She is the keeper of the Plants. She is one of the Earth and isn't usually in physical form, so this is a rare occasion to meet her." Aiden said smiling.

"Greetings Annora, I am Marlow. It is a honor to meet you. I am glad you are the chosen one to watch over and communicate with the Dead. " Marlow said in a light voice, full of kindness.

"It in a honor to meet you too." I responded, smiling.

"I'm sorry Marlow, but we can't stay for long, Princess Annora here has had a rough day. Nice to see you again." He said, and and we all gave a bow again, and we headed out, Marlow waving goodbye as we walked back.

We arrived back at the entrance and just before I stepped through Aiden stopped me.

"I would like to do one more bonding with you before you leave. You get have a choice of one of the Keepers to combine with your spirit and have help whenever you are in need. They will always be connected with you. The cycle runs every two lives, and I chose to bond with Alistar during my lifetime, so you get to bond with Marlow." Aiden said.

"But what if I don't want to bond with her? Not to be rude or anything."

"What do you mean Annora? Who else would you bond with? I chose Alistar so you get Marlow." Aiden said with a puzzled look on his face.

"What about Belmiro?" I asked.

Zahara and Aiden exchanged looks, and something passed over Aiden's face. Something that looked like fear.

"Annora no one has ever bonded with Belmiro, he is a dark spirit now, never to be brought back. That is not a good idea." He said.

"It was all your fault Belmiro had become that way in the first place! I could help him turn back!" I pleaded.

"Annora! Do not say those things!" Zahara said, a look of surprise on her face.

"It's alright dear." He said to Zahara. He then turned back to me. "Annora no. He will only cause destruction and will not help you at all. You need to bond with Marlow. She is a kind and powerful spirit that will help strength you."

"But I can bring him b-" But before I could finish Aiden cut me off. "Stop right there Annora it is not happening. What makes you think you help him after all of your past lives not being able to?" He asked.

"Because I can see the light in the darkest of places, unlike you." I said, and turned around straight through the portal.

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I swam back to the surface and arrived back on the beach. It was evening and the orange sunset settled on the horizon.

I was gone for almost a whole day. I hope no one noticed I was missing.

I walked back to the castle and made sure no one saw me. Just as I was opening my door to my room, I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

I slowly turned around and saw Jacob standing there, his arm folding across his broad chest. My heart sank to my feet.

"Annora where have you been? I searched everywhere for you and I saw footprints down to the beach that never came back out. I thought you drowned..." He said, trailing off.

"I'm terribly sorry Jacob, I did not mean to worry you like that." I said and I stepped into his arms giving him a hug, the warmth wrapping me in blanket.

He sighed, and put his arms around me. "I'm just glad you're not gone, but you still didn't answer my question. Where were you? You couldn't have been underwater." He said, and I stiffened. Jacob backed away and held up shoulders looking into my eyes. I stared at me feet.

"Annora, what is going on? You've always run off to the ocean but you have never actually swam and never came back. That's not humanly possible." He asked.

"I can't exactly tell you Jacob." I said quietly, my head still down.

"Annora, you can tell me anything." He said with a smile as I met his eyes. I wanted to tell him so badly.

"I'm so sorry, but not today." I said and I broke away from and ran in my room locking the door behind me, and fell on the bed. I fell asleep with the image of hurt all of across Jacob's face.

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