Aɪᴛʜᴇʀɪᴏᴜs

Chapter 5

The sky looks different
when you have someone
you love up there.

                              - unknown

Florian
| Florian forest |

Third person POV

The silent forest echoed with gruff shouts of desperation, "Hello, Is anybody there!?" were the only words yelled by a fair number of warriors, each spreading far and wide throughout the forest, from the heart of the forest to it's borders. Having a rather immature unspoken competition among them of who's the loudest, by which if they would have been underlings of another kingdom they would have been walking straight to their doom for not focusing on the task at hand.

They were holding fire torches as the scorching sun was at it's peak time of setting down, it's rays seemingly vanishing from thin air leaving only the traces of it's prosperity on the board green leaves. The once forest, filled with warmth was now being crept by coldness, creeping in like beautiful waves.The soft petals spreading with colours, furl ever so slightly closing; hiding their beauty and scent appreciated by all. The parent animals hold their world; their baby's in their embrace lulling them to death's daughter, sleep. Grateful for how they're still alive. Whereas the creatures of the night prepare themselves for their survival and hunt, killing intent eyes blown open, senses alert to their fullest.

The men were starting to get anxious, as night was about to befall. But don't misunderstand, they're not worried for their safety, as they're much well-informed, equipped, supported and experienced regarding the forest of their childhood, but for the man who has none of those, the one they're seeking for.

"Any luck, Jackson!?" inquired a melodious fruity voice, his voice falling down a few octaves at the end of his words due to the weight of worry hanging on his mind and partially because of all the desperate shouts he so wanted to be heard by the man they're searching for.

"No luck so far, Jin!" answered the said man, Jackson. Standing on top of a jagged boulder. "Well call out to me as soon as you find any clues!" shouted back the man named Jin with disappointment lacing his voice, "Aye-Aye captain!" shouted back Jackson, saluting shortly. Holding down a snort after seeing the 'I'm so done with everything' look on Jin because of his halfwit reply and lazy salute.

Even if they didn't want to, the two men were conversing through loud shouts as they were quite far from each other, if they were to talk It would seem as if they were trying to listen to themselves rather than wanting their companions to listen to them.

Unknown POV

I Gazed up at the sky as night fell, the blue haze of the day lifted to reveal the stars. These stars light up the sky like snow-flakes in the night, yet appear still, like a beautiful painting. They're the promise of life in the darkness. The whole night sky was a vastness holding the wishes, prayers and hopes of the people who still believed in them.

My eyes were in search of a particular star which after landing on, brightened up, it was my grandma; who I oh so dearly loved, I don't know how I recognise it every time but there's this feeling, this bond pulling me, assuring me, that my grandma is right beside me, guiding me through ever nook and corner of the path I walk. Grandma.... I miss you.

I stood there not moving an inch, my eyes shining from the moonlight, each one of my breaths coming out as white puffs of clouds passing through my black mask slowly. After a moment of deep emotions, feeling a sense of warmth springing from the cold I walked forward in search of the required herbs.

Just then I heard a very faint voice, a voice which I could recognise anywhere. "Jinnie hyung?" I whispered inaudibly, white puffs following the name through my plump lips across my mask and out, My ears zeroed in on the voice, lips sealed and eyes narrowed, slight wrinkles forming between my eyebrows due to the concentration, after a few moments of clouding all the other surrounding sounds and focusing on that one voice I could make out the faint words of 'hello' and 'anybody there' and by now I was sure that the owner of this voice was for sure none other than Jin himself. The worry and urgency in his voice made me extremely concerned.