Chapter 108 - Rowin’s Memory

A tree branch fell and got the attention of of girl.

"Hey Meriad, watch it; it missed me by an inch."

They continued to bring down branches from a ten-foot tree; by putting their hands out and pulling them away.

"Now they would have enough sunlight to grow, Guide?"

Meriad turned to see Guide on his knees. She got closer and saw an energy spiral coiled around a plant. As the spiral rose the plant grew a few inches and bloomed a flower.

"You seriously have to teach me how to do that."

Guide got up, and as they were about to leave, Meriad heard a noise. She turned in the direction of the noise.

"What is it?"

Meriad looked up and quickly turned around.

"We have to leave now."

Meriad pulled him by his hand, and as she ran she flapped her wings. After a while she was off the ground, Guide kept looking at what they were running away from. Dangling he looked higher.

"Hey, it's those giants, what do you call them..hue me."

"Human."

"Guide, flap your wings."

"You know they might not be as bad as you think."

They flew into the hollow of a tree and waited for the human to leave. Guide flew to the edge of the hollow and watched the human leave.

"Guide get down from there, it might see you."

"That might be a good thing, maybe if they knew we live here they might be more careful if they come around."

Guide shouted and Meriad hid.

"Stop it, it's not your decision to make."

Guide turned and saw Meriad hiding.

"Hey…hey…human."

Guide continued calling laughing every Meriad flinched when he called.

He pulled down twigs to get the human's attention. The human turned around when a twig hit him on his shoulder. He looked up and bark dust entered his eyes. He tripped and hit his head on a rock.

All of a sudden Guide was quiet. Meriad looked at him and climbed to see what he was looking at. The moment she was up he flew away and Meriad followed. They landed on a tree branch miles away from him, and from there they watched.

"What are you doing, he is going to wake up."

After a while Guide flew to him, landed on his chest walked for a while then flew to the philtrum.

"There should be wind coming from him, I think he is dead. I killed him."

Meriad flew down to him, it's not your fault.

"It's too, I hit him with a branch and killed him."

Meriad looked around and didn't find any branches.

"Guide, look around this couldn't have killed him. Humans are more resilient than that."

"I don't know how I did it but I did, and we are standing on the proof. Wait, this can start a war between the humans and fairies."

"That's absurd, a war over one person. They kill millions of trees and we don't go to war."

"It's possible, I hear they kill each other over resources."

"Fine but why with all fairies, you are a pixie, why involve the others."

"I don't think they know the difference and I'm not sure they will care if they knew."

"We can apologise, so they know it was an accident."

"Yes, but we have to give them a peace offering. A gift to show how sorry we are. But what can we give them?"

"I like flowers, if someone gives me flowers I'll forgive them, even if they broke my wings."

"Yes, I like flowers too but I don't think humans care for flowers. They like to smell like flowers though."

Meriad and Guide coated the body oils creating a fragrance that invited all kinds of animals. Using branches they wrote sorry and planted plants to deter animals from disturbing the body.

The humans came like the intended, sorcerers of all calibre conducted their experiments. They could not figure out how the body was kept in stasis. A man named George believed it was the work of fairies but no one believed him.

To prove to his village, he searched the woods in hopes of finding a fairy, he one day stumbled onto Pixies going about their business. He hid behind a tree and watched them work, they jumped from flower to flower. Each time they jumped, pollen fell and other pixies collected them.

George tried to catch one to prove to his village he was right. He jumped and caught one and the others fled. He opened his hands to peek through the opening; he was met with a small explosion of dust which knocked him out.

Ryan woke up drenched in sweat.

"Another weird dream?"

Lawhey asked from an opposite cage near him.

"Where is my necklace?"
Ryan asked as he looked on the floor in his cage. He got on his knees and swept his hands around.

"Hey buddy calm down, I have not seen that rock around your neck for months."

Lahey said but he ignored him. After searching for a while longer he stopped.

"I must have dropped it before we came here."

He mumbled then started pacing. There was not enough space to pace, he took two steps in one direction and turned around. Doing the same in the opposite direction.

"Helton…Helton, he is freaking out again."
Lawhey said as he tossed stones into Helton's cage.

All the while Ryan mumbled.

"It could be anywhere."

"His episodes are getting worse."
Lahey said to a still sleepy Helton.

"That rock was originally Rowland's?"

"Rowin, yes."

"His brain is being flooded with Rowin's memory."

Helton said rubbing his eyes.

"Hello my most priced possessions"

They heard and they all kept quiet.

"It took longer than I expected but I finally found a buyer. Did you hear that, someone is willing to pay back-breaking money for you."

Ryan tried grabbing her hand when she pointed at him but he was electrocuted. She opened his cage door and Ryan crawled backwards. She walked slowly towards him, he was then electrocuted it got worse the closer she got.

Ryan tried going back further but there was nowhere else to go. After a while, she got out of the cage.

"Bring them"

She said and a group of men dragged Lawhey, Helton and Ryan out of their cages. Collars were placed around their necks. They were like really strong magnets. They were attracted and repelled by each other. They attracted at almost 2 metres and repelled when they were less close. The collars kept them in an even-spaced queue as they were escorted away.

They joined and a larger group, among the larger group, was Shoto. Immediately Lawyeh saw him he charged at him, but the collar yanked him before he could lay a hand on him.

He then noticed there he was also wearing a collar. Their collars then linked with the others creating a much longer queue. A group of men led them through caves. One led from the front while the other led from the side.

Meanwhile, other men carried Misty in a palanquin behind them. All of a sudden a prisoner's collar fell. He looked around to see if anyone noticed.

He quickly ran when he noticed the guards were ignorant.

"What are you looking at me for, go after him"

Misty said and two of the guards chased him through a much larger tunnel.

Other collars start to fall of randomly. Lawhey and Helton were part of the lucky few. Ryan followed them as they escaped, he still had his collar on.

"Oh for god's sake, I've told you to get to check the collars before transport."

They also chose a tunnel at random and ran as fast as they could. After running for about 30 minutes, they were stopped.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Lawhey said immediately he saw Shoto. He ignored him and kept walking but Shoto grabbed him. He ran his hand over his head and wiped off blood.

Shoto pointed at bones all over the ground.