No Matter What

Chapter XX

The Enchanted Woods was a place unlike any other. The trees were green, like you would expect. They were healthy trees. The rich green color reigned the place. But its atmosphere, that was the most unique. The woods were envolved by an iridescent cloud. When Arthur and I reached the bottom of the mountain, we saw it was mist."This place is incredible!" Arthur said.I looked around. Everything changed. For some reason, the trees were purple. And for some reason, I thought that was hilarious. I laughed."What is it?" Arthur asked, laughing as well."The trees look funny," I replied."Oh yeah!" he chuckled, "They're blue!""What? I see purple.""That's so weird!" we both laughed until we had tears in our eyes.I started to feel a sense of vertigo. When I moved my head, so did the world, it seemed. Arthur and I twirled around until we were dizzy and watched our surroundings zoom by us."This place is weird," I said, "What are we doing here, again?""Something... About your mom..." Arthur tried remembering, "Let's dance!"He took my arms and pranced around happily, humming a song. He guessed when he saw the stream. We ran to it. "Whoa! It's so clear!" I said."I know, right?"The water was green. I wanted to put my hand inside. I rolled up my sleeves and submerged both of my arms. The water made every one of my cuts sting and I returned to myself. The water was blue, the trees were green. The colorful mist made reality slowly fade away. I would not let it. I stuck my arms in the water one more time."You're being funny," Arthur laughed."Arthur, don't breathe!""You're so silly!""Arthur, seriously! Come back to me. Don't breathe in the mist." I stuck my arms in the water again. Pain.I slapped Arthur in the face."Ow! Why'd you do that? Whoa. The trees are green.""Yeah. It's the mist. We can't breathe it in."We put our sleeves against our noses."Okay. We need to get out of here. Fast," I said."Agreed. We need to find the mystical mushroom."I looked around. It was nowhere to be found. I decided to go up one of the trees. Arthur held on to my bag and I climbed. I sat on a branch and scanned the woods."Oh. My. God!" I exclaimed."What?" Arthur yelled from the bottom, "Do you see anything?""Yes! Two of them!"Not too far from where we were, I saw the mystical mushroom, and wandering around it, eating a bush, was the lost pegasus, Neptune."Neptune!" I yelled. He couldn't hear me. I went down as fast as I could and took my bag from Arthur."Gwen, wait up!""I found Neptune," I said."Neptune? Wait. Neptune?! The lost pegasus?!""The one and only!""How do you know it's him?""How many dark blue flying horses do you know?""Yeah, but, I mean, how do you know it's not an illusion? These are tricky woods.""Only one way to find out!"We ran over rocks, under branches, past color-changing leaves, which we tried to ignore. We would constantly pinch ourselves to make sure we weren't dreaming.The mystical mushroom was big. It was bright red with a few white spots. Many bites had been taken from it. I ran and took a piece. Arthur ran and got Neptune. "Poor thing must have gotten disoriented from the mist," Arthur said, caressing the pegasus' mane."Arthur!" I said, smiling, "We have all of the ingredients!"Arthur smiled and ran to me. We spun as we embraced. My mother would live. I would save my mother."C'mon, let's go take Neptune home then go save your mother," Arthur said.We climbed onto him, me at the front. I whispered the directions into his ear. He flapped his wings and we went up. The Enchanted Woods got smaller until it was only a small green circle.I did not close my eyes this time. I saw the miniature mountains, the dot that was The Oracle's cabin, the stroke of blue paint that was the Moon River. Every place I had been to passed under us. I even saw Michael's herd of pink sheep resting on the grass. Finally, we landed in Fairyland.Without further ado, the queen was informed. Phoebe flew to us with an impressive speed."Gwen! Arthur!" her blue eyes squinted when she smiled, "NEPTUNE!"Neptune galloped to her, she hugged him tenderly. "Oh, guys! We are truly grateful to have met you. Under terrible circumstances, but for such a great good!""We got all the ingredients, Pheebs!" I said."Oh, you did! That is so great! Your mother is saved!""We should get going. The trip is long and we have to get walking if we want to get there in time.""You have got to be kidding me. You really think I'm going to let you, two of my best friends, travel all that way by foot? No! You are flying there. As fast as possible. You're riding Uranus. Guards!"Phoebe prepared Uranus for flight and we said our goodbyes."Please, do keep in touch," she said, tears rolling down her face.We waved as we flew again on the fastest pegasus. We flew over the Travelers' Inn, over Teribo Town, and the extensive Haunted Forest. We lowered as we flew closer to the village.We flew over the gates, past the Cathedral, over the Great-hood hill. I could see the farmhouse as we flew over the serpent tree path. We swiftly landed in front of the house. I jumped off and ran to it as Arthur whispered the directions back to Fairyland to Uranus.I sprung open the door. There she was. My mother. I teared up at the sight of her."Oh, mother!" I ran to her bed and knelt by her side, holding her hand as tight as I would the pendant of my necklace."You're alive, mom, you're still alive! I came to save you, don't worry, you're safe now."Arthur came in, also emotional."Did you get all the ingredients, child?" the medic asked."Yes. Yes! Oh, yes! Here, here, take them," I handed him my bag. He looked inside. He took out each one."I will prepare the potion," the medic said, sadly."Is everything alright, sir?" I asked him."What? Oh—yes, yes it is."He did not convince me. He was obviously pained by something."Gwen," he said."Yeah?""You sure you want to do this? No matter the cost?""I told you, no matter what. What else would I go through, anyway? I'm back. No more adventures," I chuckled. He seemed even more disturbed.I started to worry."Is that what was crossed out?" I asked, "The cost?"The medic nodded as he put the ingredients together. He collected it in a flask and handed it to me."I'm telling you. I would rather die than lose my mother.""Very well, then. Drink a sip then have her sip it."I did so."I really hope you meant what you just told me," said the medic.I looked at my mother, her eyes lit up. Color came back to her cheeks and her black bumps leveled down and became peach. Her wounds all healed and she became visibly stronger."Gwen?" Arthur said, "What have you done?"She was saved. My mother was cured. I laughed, overcome with joy and relief. I laughed so hard, I started coughing. Coughed so hard, I vomited. Vomited so hard, there was blood. I felt the process of my mother's sickness developing in me in an accelerated progression of symptoms.I finally understood the cost of using this magic to save a life. That life had to come from someone else. I looked back at my life and decided that I would have done it all again. I would have still gone through all I did because I would do anything for the people I love. Everything. No matter what.THE END.