I followed the same path again, wary of straying, mimicking my steps from the night as I searched for the scent drifting past the threshold.
I stood, dazzled and puzzled by the confusing view caught by my vision. The mossy boulders of the dark gap pointing towards no end had disappeared without a trace.
However, I could still feel the presence of her soothing mana. The nature all around me dazzling and shining with life. Only her mana could achieve such a miracle. My mind emptied, and I struggled to think rationally. No amount of reasoning could help.
"Zerius? I've come to see you....." A whisper left my mouth in hopes it would reach her.
"Zerius?" Again
"Zerius?!" And again, but no reply echoed in my head.
Was she asleep, and did she even sleep?
Suddenly, shimmering cherry petals spiralled around me, weaving a canopy overhead. The gentle wind tousled my hair, and my breath grew light, almost fading into the air. With a blink, the noises from the dangling beads welcomed me, the fresh sweet scent of hers ran through my nostrils, and those hollow whites greeted me with a smile. As usual, the dazzling and exquisite beauty of hers put me in an alarming state. My heart felt as if it would rupture at any given moment, and the time had begun slowing down for me. My eyes couldn't shift any side beside her. She breathed out with her usual voice, a voice that was too radiant to belong to the earthy surface.
"Have you called for me?" Smiling she added.
"Yes...."
"Happy that you choose to visit me."
"I promised I would....you don't seem to be surprised?"
She gave me an unknown smile, an action I couldn't comprehend with.
Next, she raised her finger toward me, the jewelled beads of her cosmic cloak glinting and swaying in harmony with her every motion. With my swaying emotions unfilled and dangling, she lent me her words.
"She informed me....that you would come...that your curiousity must be satisfied."
Oh. Did I really seem so desperate?
My ears flushed, and my eyes lowered, feeling slightly embarrassed. She assured me that it wasn't a matter to be ashamed of, yet the feeling lingered away. Not everyone is perfect. Of course, I'm aware of that.
Dermis is outspoken and works with instinctive.
Kyoko has little self-esteem and has a few demands.
Tremious has a strong ego and self-belief.
I had always thought myself untouched by flaw, yet as the elders warn, curiosity is a silent killer, a skill that I didn't appreciate in myself.
My head dropped, and my eyes dazed with hers.
"Dearest one, mind following me?"
"Ah! Yes..." I spoke, trying to shake off the thoughts.
Her chamber only went further in, into the depts beyond the darkest nights, to a point I couldn't question for an end to come. The only light I could detect are from the silver-shone hair and glimmering whispers of her scattered glistening mana. The little purple-pink dots and greens dancing with life. My eyes wandered around her place, and again, the curiousity of mine was bought out.
"You.....control the nature?"
She let out a chuckle, and that made me wary of her. Her soft breaths continued, and her graceful movements halted to a stop as she began facing my way, yet unable to meet my stare.
"You never seen someone like me, have you, my dearest one?"
"Haha....as you said."
Her lips curved more than before, and her eyes filled with warmth. She blinked her white lashes, closing and opening them at any given instance. Her actions bevelled me, her demeanour was so smitten, it defied existence itself.
"More than control, I care for it. I'm not the only existence like myself you see, I have five - no four siblings who carry similar gifts to serve this world."
"So....what are you then?"
"The caregiver of nature, you can see why nature blooms the most in this region. My mana is distributed to them. Does that satisfy your curiosity, dearest one?"
"Amazing.....!"
If it were another, disbelief would follow. But she - how could I not trust her? A majestic soul like hers was born for a duty such as this. Finally, my face had grinned since the heavy eagerness left my veins.
"What satisfaction do you wish for my dearest?"
I paused and felt my breaths getting heavier. Was it alright to ask without any consent? Nevertheless, my mouth worded out before I could think twice.
"Kyoko? This place is wary and foolish towards her. What may have been the cause?"
She fell silent, the warmth in her complexion fading in an instant; her hesitance was clear in her posture, and the deep frown stole a touch of beauty from her face.
"You are an observant child as much, I believe. What do you think, dearest one?"
Memories of many coincidences followed through my head, those moments where I had been alerted by her awareness on the concealed knowledge and the depiction of fragments into the future. I've questioned it a million times in my head, yet the answer could only be heard from her mouth.
I spoke without meeting her eyes this time, clutching onto my side back with a hint of nervousness for about what to come next.
"The truth often hides behind a series of rare coincidences,"
"That's your observation, dearest one?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong."
"That would be silly."
My face jolted up to confirm the truth in her eyes. No, nothing. The truth to be revealed from the ancient wisdom standing before me.
"The child is gifted, let you tell you her tail. One that is filled with a gift so precious that it had become a curse."