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

Chapter Twenty One

I didn't have much to pack, so I didn't have to worry about having a lot of stuff to carry. As soon as I walked into the room, I saw Viva sitting on the bed, wide awake.
She looked at me fiercely and it felt like she'd heard what I'd just been thinking.
I watched as she flapped her wings and shook her head.

I walked over to her, putting my forehead against hers. I looked into her eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry.."

I walked over to the window and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds gathered all around, indicating that it would start raining soon. If I left now, he wouldn't even know.
I started to walk towards the door, prepared to leave, when I felt a tug on my t-shirt. I turned around to see Viva standing there with her head bowed.

I patted her on the head and started to leave again. She snorted and flapped her wings, bobbing her head up and down sharply. I looked at her for a moment, and she sat still.
"Do you want to come with me?", I asked.

She snorted, bowing her head again.

"Very well, then." After a pause, I added, "I must be stupid to leave like this. Then again, I would be stupid not to take you with me."
Viva cocked her head and stared at me, her eyes twinkling like she understood.

I laughed and turned towards the door. "Let's go." I walked out slowly, making sure not to be loud. Viva followed suit, trotting along carefully.
We reached the front door and I stopped almost abruptly. I could feel Viva's sharp breaths against my back as we stood there in the darkness.

I looked back one last time before leaving. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. I sighed.
Good. I can leave in peace.
I opened the door and stepped outside just as it started to rain.

* * *
The forest looked darker when it was raining. The first thought that came to my mind was Archer holding my hand in the rain as we ran to his cottage. I cursed.
It's been only a few seconds since you stepped out of there. Give it a rest.

The rain fell with great force, soaking us in no time. Viva looked completely at home in the rain as she flew into the sky, disappearing from view in a few seconds. I was scared she wouldn't come back, but as soon as I'd thought that, she came back, landing in front of me. She shook her head and drops of water fell onto me.

I laughed, but stopped when I saw wisps of red smoke in the forest. The trees were closer together there and they didn't cackle and shake like before.
The wisps dived in and out of the trees smoothly, disappearing every now and then.
I walked forward cautiously, determined to find out what they were.

Just as I stepped forward, I heard a twig crack under my foot. The sound echoed across the whole place and the wisps all disappeared at the same time. I tensed, expecting danger.

Several seconds later, they reappeared, heading our way. I gasped and Viva drew me closer to her, pulling me under her wing.

The wisps got closer still, glowing brighter as they did. I looked at them from in between the feathers on Viva's wing, trying to get a closer look. Viva snorted and the star on her forehead shone brightly. The wisps seemed to notice the star on her forehead and started to slow down.

They were a few feet away from us when they stopped, staring at us. That's when they started to change. Red smoke curled around them like rings of fire, giving them a human form.

Their flames fell away to reveal three young girls, each one dressed the same. The only thing different about them was their hair.

The first one had white hair.
The second one had black hair.
The third one had silver hair.

They stepped forward, one at a time, cocking their heads at us in unison.
The white-haired girl suddenly laughed a tinkling laugh.

"Who do we have here? A gwerick?", she asked, clapping her hands in excitement.
The second girl with black hair stepped forward next, examining me.

"Indeed, sister. What's more, she seems to look a little lost." She looked at me like I was something to eat. I curled into Viva, shaking from the cold and fear.

The third girl stepped forward, but remained quiet.
The other two girls looked at her in surprise. "Linea, do you not have anything to say to our guest?", the white-haired girl asked.

The third girl smiled. It wasn't a sweet smile, like that of an old lady's. It was one that sent chills down my back. She looked at me while licking her lips.
"Less talking, more eating", she said, and I shivered.

Viva tensed next to me, holding me close against her. I suddenly wished I was back in the cottage. My instincts told me to run for it, but I stayed where I was, frozen in fear.

The other two sisters smiled at their sister and nodded, agreeing.
"Ooooh, I cant wait! Let's dig in, girls."
They turned their attention to us and I watched as they bared their teeth, looking at us viciously. Viva closed her eyes and waited.

"Viva, what are you doing? Let's go!", I said, trying to move away from under her wing.
She fixed me with a stern look before going back to closing her eyes.
The sisters kept advancing towards us, their hands and legs turning into talons and claws.

Thunder boomed above us and I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow.

The wisps were less than a metre away from us, when they stopped. All of them turned their head towards something to the left of us, and I looked up at Viva to see her smiling. She looked down at me with kind eyes. I looked to our left, confused.

Archer stood in the rain, looking at the three sisters furiously. He snarled at them and took a step forward, raising his hands. I looked back at them and saw their menacing smiles start to fade away.

Lightning struck and his eyes glowed fiercely. "No one touches her."