The Angel's Nature

Chapter 19

Cosmo's wings were there again, reminding him of the incident in the village. He didn't know where he was about to go, but he dared to pass through the forest with a chance of stumbling upon the village. He simply no longer cared. Not about Archer or Kelly. He had started doing this for Ivy, and he would keep doing it for her.

He looked down as he walked. The branches creaked under his feet, and he ignored it. The forest had to end somewhere, and he would get there. And then, somehow, he would write that letter. They needed to know.

"Cosmo, Cosmo!"

It was a worried shout, somewhere from the middle of the forest. At first he assumed it was Willow and kept walking. The second he thought about it, he realized it was Archer. But that made no difference.

Then the call repeated.

"Go away!" Shouted Cosmo. Archer came running and held his hand. He jerked it away and ran forward, but was soon caught.

"It's me, Archer."

"I know."

"They're going to kill you."

Cosmo stopped, stunned, then kept walking.

"Where are you going? It's dangerous here!"

He swallowed the iron taste of guilt and held the wings in. They were forming a hump on his back, and he hoped that Archer didn't notice them. He didn't want to notice them himself.

"I'm not going to the forest. I'm going to see what's beyond."

"Alright. Where's Willow?"

Cosmo ran away, his wings breaking out again. He didn't care if it was dangerous to fly. Hovering above the ground, he saw the end of the forest nearby and rushed towards it as fast as he could, making sure he would get there before the wings faded.

He fell to the ground in a messy heap. Cosmo wondered if all of his bones were okay. Looking around, he noticed he was lying on sand. The layer was thin, and something resembling stone by touch was beneath.