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

Chapter Twenty Nine

Archer stopped talking and looked at me. I turned away, trying to hide the tears in my eyes.
"I..um..did all of this really happen?", I asked.

I had my back turned to him and felt him come up behind me as he spoke.
"Yes", he said and his voice sounded like it was coming from a distance. I felt his hands grip my elbows gently from behind, turning me towards him.

"It happened....a long time ago. Kaelin...he was obsessed with Ravena. In a way that was completely unhealthy, as you can tell. It made him crazy. No ones ever seen him since that day. No one knows where he went."

I shook my head at him, looking into his eyes. "It happened a long time ago.. but it still happened, didn't it? Nothing can ever change that. Whatever anyone does, however much we think about it or wish that things were any different, it's not possible."

Archer took my face in his hands. "No one can change the past, Lisa. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't."
His palm was warm and rough against my cheek. He smiled at me, but I could see the hurt in his eyes. We had both been through a lot. We'd both lost our parents to the consequences of living in a world that wasn't even ours to begin with.

"You miss them, don't you?", I asked, placing my hand on his. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Everyday. Every second I've ever lived since then. I miss them everyday, Lisa." He paused, then looked away.
"Especially my sister. I didn't even get to say goodbye..she-she just vanished..like she'd never even been there.."
His eyes filled with tears and I put my head on his chest and hugged him. He held me against him gently, and I could feel the depth of his hurt. He ran his hands through my hair and kissed the top of my head.
"I'm glad you're here, you know? There's just something about you...", he murmured into my hair, his voice trailing away. I smiled at that.
I looked up at the skies and my smile faded. It was only noon but it was growing dark.

"Archer, we have to leave."

He raised his head and looked confused for a second. His eyes widened as he realised what I meant. "The flower...lets go", he said, stepping away from me. Viva stood a little away from us, watching. I ran to her and noticed that her wounds looked a little better.

"Does it hurt?", I asked, and she snorted. "You'll be alright in no time."
Viva flapped her wings and gave me what looked like a smile. Archer walked up to us and looked at her wounds.

"They're a little better, but we still need that flower. We should leave right now. Come on."

I nodded and turned to Viva. "All right there?"
She snorted and started to walk ahead of us.

Archer looked after her, smiling. "I guess we'd better follow the leader. She knows the way."

* * *

A few hours had passed and we were still walking. Archer looked ahead of us, his eyes focused. I felt anything but focused. I wasn't sure if I could keep walking for much longer.

"How much farther is it? I don't think I can walk for much longer...."

Archer looked at me for a second, gripping my hands tightly. "Not much longer...we're almost there, Lisa."
I was surprised that Viva was walking ahead so confidently. At a glance, it didn't look like she was in pain, but I knew better. She didn't want to be a burden.
It was surprising to me how well I knew her by now. It's like I didn't even have to think about what she might be feeling. We were connected somehow. I smiled. What would I do without her?

The skies were almost completely dark by now and we were still walking.
I sighed, wiping sweat from my forehead. "How long are we going to keep walking like this? Are we even close?", I said, looking around me. The forest suddenly seemed quieter than it was supposed to be. The trees were completely still and the wind blew gently.

"We're here."

I looked at Archer and blinked. "Wait..really?"

He smiled. "Really. See it for yourself."
He gestured toward the north, where the forest was denser. Viva stopped walking and turned to me with a gleam in her eyes.
She flapped her huge white wings and grunted. I didn't know if it was from pain or excitement. Maybe both.

The forest looked inviting for some reason. It was like it was begging you to go in. Explore it. Get lost in it. I started to walk toward it. All I wanted to do was get in and see what was inside. I wanted to explore it. The trees swayed rhythmically, as if they were welcoming me. I reached out, wanting to get to the forest as soon as possible.

Lisa.

I heard someone calling my name. No, I won't answer. I need to get to the forest. No.
I walked faster, till someone whirled me around, shouting in my ears.

"Lisa! Can you hear me? Lisa!"

I shook my head and looked at the person who was shouting at me. Archer.
I blinked, my vision clearing.

"Oh, christ. What was that for?", I snapped at him, rubbing my head. God, I had a headache from all that screaming.

"Lisa, you were in a trance. Don't lose focus. The woods can do that to you. Don't let your guard down. Ever. Understand?"
His voice was firm and fierce.

I nodded my head, still a little shaken up from it. "Yeah..yeah, okay. Sorry."
He stepped closer to me, putting an arm around me. "Don't apologise. It's not your fault. I'm sorry, too." Then he turned me towards the woods.

"On a more positive note, we're here. Behold, the Treelow Woods."