I Am Where You Are | Mystical Flowers#1 (Ongoing)

Chapter Fifteen

Sunlight streamed in through the hole in window, spreading out through the room. I opened my eyes and rubbed them, feeling exhausted. I looked down and saw that Viva was still on my lap, sleeping soundly. I didn't get up, not wanting to wake her up. I looked around, looking for Archer. He was nowhere to be seen. I examined the carvings on the table instead, intrigued by how they kept moving. I ran my fingers across one particular carving of a man and a little boy. The little boy was playing with his ball, while the man watched him from afar. The boy turned around, as if he sensed the man's presence. The man lunged at the little boy, dragging him away into a cave. I ran my hands over another carving. The boy had been with his mom, walking along with her as he held her hand. Suddenly, he disappeared. It was almost like he faded away, and the mom was left walking alone, her face mournful. As soon as the little boy disappeared, all the carvings on the table started moving in rapid motion, all at once. Changing stories, thoughts, actions. One person's action changed everything.

What if that little boy hadn't turned around? Would he still be with his mom?"
I shook my head, wondering what would've happened if Aerys hadn't turned around. Would she still have been with Archer?

Just then, I heard the front door open and tensed, thinking it was some sort of crazy demon like the old woman. Archer walked in, looking messy and disheveled. I let out a breath, relieved. He saw me looking and raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing outside?", I asked, gesturing toward his dirty clothes.
He paused. "Just...planting", he said, looking abashed. I laughed. "Well, you are a forest spirit after all. Why can't you just wave your hands and let the magic do all the work?"

"Because it's more fun this way", he said, putting the shovel away. He looked more human in that moment. So...normal. I watched him walk toward the bathroom, but quickly turned away when he saw me watching. "I'll be back..", he said, and I thought I heard a smile in his words.

* * *
The fairy started to stir as her wings fluttered to life. She opened her eyes and looked at each one of us, smiling. "You are all brave. Rumelda would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for your courage and strength." Then she turned to me. "Thank you. I've been trapped here for longer than you can imagine. It's been hard, but you saved me." She bowed her head the same way Viva had. I bowed my head and saw Archer doing the same.
"We need your help... I've only known about this magical world for a short time, and.." I couldn't find the words to go on. The fairy nodded and I could tell that she understood.

"It's okay, dear. I understand that you're new to all this. However, there is one more thing you should know. The prophecy is a very important part of what you should be doing. Misinterpreting it would only prove to be disastrous. So, be careful."

Her face turned grave and I nodded slowly. She smiled. "Good. As for your mother, well, she was the brightest kid I ever saw. You're a lot like her." Her voice broke and she looked away, her eyes brimming with tears.
I looked down, trying not to cry. "Did you know her?", I asked. The fairy gave me a kind smile. "I did. She was stronger than any gwerick her age. Her powers just kept growing stronger till she couldn't control it anymore. That's what made her run out of the castle gates. Her destiny was to defeat the dragon and she went in search of it, thinking she was ready. Sadly, she wasn't."  The fairy paused, her face clouding over with the memory.

"What's a gwerick?", I asked, confused. The fairy looked up then, giving me an odd look. I saw her turn her head toward Archer sharply. He looked down. "So you haven't told her yet?", she asked him, her voice icy. He shook his head. "I thought that it might be better to hear from someone wiser."

She sighed. "It's not about how wise you are, but about telling her the truth. She was supposed to know as soon as possible." She turned toward me and beckoned me to her.
I approached her nervously, not sure what this was supposed to be all about.
"Lisa, I know you're confused, and that's completely understandable. You should know that your mother was a brilliant woman. She hid all of this from you just to protect you. However, Rumelda now knows about your existence. She even knows where you live. It's not safe anymore, and the more you know, the better."

I looked at her, afraid of what she was going to say. She put her hand on mine, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"You won't have to worry about anyone hurting you. For one thing, we're all here to protect you. Archer, especially. As for the other, your own powers are strong enough to protect you. You, my dear, are a gwerick. Just like your mother was. It means that you have powers that can be frightening as well as enchanting. We do not know the extent of your powers yet, but I think it may be stronger than your mothers ever was. You have the ability to create and recall, as far as we know, but the longer we wait, the stronger your powers get. Which means, the stronger your scent will get. I hope you understand, Lisa."

I nodded, awestruck. The fairy let go of my hand and walked over to the window.
"There's another thing that you should know. Your powers are capable of consuming you. They can create, but they can also destroy."
She looked at Viva and tilted her head, examining her. She looked back at the fairy, unmoving. The fairy went over to Viva and placed a hand on her head, looking into her eyes. She closed her eyes and a few minutes later, opened them. Viva was left with a gleaming black star on her forehead. She bowed her head, her great wings flapping. The fairy looked at her a second longer, and then nodded.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave now. I should get back to the Fairy Realm and inform everyone about all that's happened so far. I hope to see you soon. If you want to see me, just tell the goblin at the gates. He'll let you in."

"Wait! Who should we say we came to meet?", I asked.

She smiled. "Tell him you want to meet Queen Helena." With that, she closed her eyes and slowly faded away, leaving a mist of blue smoke behind.