Kingdoms Rise

Eighteen

They reached the Forest just before sunset the following day. It would take them past nightfall to find Sicily. At first glance it looked no different than the wood on the outskirts of Vianna. But the deeper she ventured the more she could sense the difference it in; she could see the glimmer of magic—taste the sweetness of the magic. In the distance she could hear the small giggles of the fairies that dwelled in the Forest.

Her expression was awestruck. Fallon laughed at her reaction. "You've never seen a forest before?" he teased.

"Of course I have," she snipped, "but there's something ethereal about it, something that makes it wholly different than anything I've seen."

"This forest is unique in it's own right. Like the temple we passed, it's sacred to Asonia. They believe it is the core of there magic, blessed by the Mother herself. If there was one place that Mother walked, it's here."

She was so lost in the beauty of the forest that she didn't respond to Fallon until she asked, "Where's the Will-O'-the-Wisp?"

"You have to want to see Sicily, think it—not with your mind, but your heart. It will now when to come," Fallon answered.

The others trailed behind them at a distance, keeping quiet and alert. Once they neared Sicily they'd leave her and Fallon to continue the rest of the way. Fallon would follow remain with her for as long as he could. Mae had to go to Sicily alone, meet with the nymph alone. She knew she should be scared, but her exhilaration kept fear at a far distance. She was ready to get her magic and help more than she could without it. She was ready to be than a liability.

She thought about how much she wanted to see the nymph, why she wanted to see her. She thought everything that drove her here, everything that led up to this very moment. She waited for the Wisp to appear, but it seemed that it wasn't coming. She hoped it'd come soon; she didn't come all this way for nothing.

The trees began to thicken the farther they entered. And soon it was dark, the coverage so heavy no sun shone through, and yet there was light everywhere. Luminescent plants took foothold along the trees and grass, they looked like splatters of paint they way spread around in small clusters.

A lightning bug flew toward her, she laughed in amazement. Fallon mutter how often he forgot that she was once mortal. Such simple things to them, were extraordinary to Mae.

A group of lightning bugs now fluttered around Mae, more slowly gathering around her. She opened her arms wide to let them land on her. A few glowing butterflies joined the lightning bugs. They landed on Mae and took flight again, alternating with the others. They seemed drawn to only her, like some light shown in her and they had to follow it.

A brighter light emerged from the beyond a distant tree. The bugs dispersed in a matter of seconds, seemingly frightened of whatever made its appearance. The ball of light approached Mae.

"The Will-O'-the-Wisp," Mae breathed.

Fallon inclined his head toward the others, seeming to say that they would be back as soon as they could. They each nodded in return. Fallon and Mae began to follow the Will-O'-the-Wisp.

As they walked out of sight of the rest of the group, Mae spotted a single flower. It was a beautiful bell flower, glowing like the butterflies that landed on her earlier. That flower was a symbol of home, a symbol of belonging. This forest now felt like she belonged somewhere, and it too felt as though it belonged. The trees seemed to lean closer to her, tried to get some whiff of home from her, almost as though they were bowing. It was an odd sight but she kept charging forward as the grass parted to let her through.

She looked back to see the flower one last time before it was gone from sight, but it was no longer there. Looking forward again, she saw it. It had moved in front of her—it was guiding her. She thought she had known home, had felt what it was like to have a home, to be at home. But this was—this was home felt like: guidance and belonging.

Fallon seemed to have not noticed the bell flower as it continued to keep ahead of them, or of the trees and grass leaning and parting for them. Mae could feel the fairies in the trees watching with wide, curious eyes. She could them rustling in the leaves, scrambling across the tops of trees to keep pace with her.

It wasn't long before the Will-O'-the-Wisp stopped before a thick line of trees. She looked to Fallon for confirmation. He dismounted his horse and helped her down from her mare.

"You'll be on your own from here," he started, "I'll stay right here. Shout if something goes wrong."

She nodded before taking his face in her hands and kissed him gently. She smiled before following the Wisp through the line of trees. The fairies stopped following, gathered patiently in the treetops. The trees and grass stood still, as if holding their breath. And yet she did not feel scared at their stillness, their hesitance. Maybe she should though...

She clenched and unclenched her fists to release a bit of her nervous energy. She had imagined this very moment, meeting the fairy that had battered for her magic for some unanswered reason. She wasn't only here to take back her magic, but to get answers. If anyone could supply her with answers, it would be Sicily. Fallon didn't know about her plan for answers, she didn't really have one, and that realization was just now hitting her. People battered their magic for answers, and she wasn't about to let go if hers once she got it back.

She broke through the tree line. And stopped short. She stumbled, nearly falling over with the force of her abrupt stop.

A hole of mud replaced what should have been a thriving pond.

The pond was empty—drained.

Mae's heart sunk.