Although this was only a ploy, Antenela spoke from the heart. She truly did miss her father and wanted nothing more than to be reunited with him.
Back when things were still normal in the mainland Antenela lived with both her father and her mother. Her father was a herbalist and her mother a stay at home wife, she was their prized possession for different reasons.
Sheyla, now known as the mainland forest spirit "Nymph Sheyla" saw her as a means to a new beginning, that is; she wanted to conjoin the spirit world and the material world into one and she sought to use her daughter as the key mark.
Her father on the other hand did everything to ensure she was in good health and continuously educated her about herbs as he wanted her to succeed him as the village's caretaker one day.
The village adored the man, if he wasn't curing them of illness he was providing them with healthy foods and condiments on a daily basis. Even though all villagers had access to the mainland forest, only he was skilled enough to manipulate the herbs and roots of the vast biome into meaningful resources which could be consumed by people.
It wasn't long after he had established a vocational school for aspiring herbalists and phytotherapists that a huge turning point arrived which would change the lives of all the villagers forever.
Persistent heavy rains caused vegetation to grow excessively rendering the forest almost inaccessible and too dangerous to venture into, but this wasn't the end of it.
A new herb grew unsighted, deadly in nature; once plum it would spout contagious seedlings which had a detrimental effect on humans.
Since the only able herbalist was now shorthanded and his quarters overflowing with sick patients each day, an endemic occured.
Desperate and out of options the palace commission released a statement that they would be commencing plans to mow the forest down and destroy the herb, but they wouldn't leave it at that. The resulting space would be used as ground marks for industrializing and creating a mining site.
The villagers, consumed by a fear for their health and their lives had no other choice but to accept the decision, one woman on the other hand opposed it.
Sheyla.
Unable to sit back and allow the forest to be chopped down to nothing she realised that it was time to begin her own plans to unite the two planes (physical plane & spiritual plane) and have spirits co-exist with human beings.
The mainland forest was an important piece in this prospective unison because it was a sacred land already housing a spiritual effect that no one knew off but her.
She offered her daughter a pendant which would help regulate her abilities once they kicked in, but as soon as she got the hang of her spiritual abilities the pendant would only serve as way to amplify her powers.
Sheyla then went on a mission to stop the commissioners whilst also attempting to unify the spiritual and physical plane, to do that she'd have to be in the heart of the forest and activate her powers there, opening a gate to allow other spirits to enter which would assist her with the process of unification.
But just getting there would prove to be an insurmountable challenge as she was found and halted attempting to leave state premises with state owned transportation and stolen reconstruction plans in her possession.
With the realization that a number of guards were left battered and bruised in her wake she was detained on the spot and an investigation was conducted.
The results of the investigation proved futile, she was charged for treason and the authorities found enough evidence in her home to arrest her for witchery.
They wasted no time in indicting her and putting her on a trial that her daughter was forced to watch from the sidelines.
Because of his importance to the village and the community, Sheyla's husband sat on a panel of executioners and delivered the final decision which declared that his wife be executed by law.
It was a difficult decision for him which lead to many sleepless nights, but if he hadn't made it then he would've never been able to see his daughter again, the head of commission would've ensured of it.
Later that day the 'witch of the mainland' - Sheyla's new title, was taken to the mainland forest by officers of the palace guarded by anti-toxicity gear.
They took her right to the heart of the forest, where she was tied to a tree right beside the toxic plant.
She instantly fell ill, suffocated and asphyxiated in no less than two hours.
Sheyla died a painful death, but it didn't last long, her body seeped into the forest and her soul became one with it.
Soon she resurrected as the forest spirit with the forest embodying the beauty of her homeland and serving as her new body.
Now bound together the forest was under her control and she sought to take revenge on the mainland populace and claim control of their land as well, of course she'd have to get her daughter out of harm's way first.
Using the pendant that she gave her, Sheyla contacted Antenela and lured her into the mainland forest. Once she arrived, Sheyla foretold a terrible event that would take place in a matter of days, she told Antenela that it was the only reason she called her to the forest; for her safety.
Terrified for her father's safety Antenela immediately ran back home hoping to save her father and warn everyone.
But it was to no avail, the village had been completely wiped out by the time she had returned and her home was no more.
The entire mainland had been decimated by a gigantic acid flood leaving no survivors, not even a single body in sight. Only wreckage and debris from what used to be homes of the residents remained.
***
'Despite the flood, there is no evidence that my father was actually killed, in fact it is very likely that he may have escaped before it occured.
Since that day it has become my sole objective to find him and with the book in my grasps doing so would be no easier than taking candy from a baby.'
Antenela paused and looked at her colleagues, she continued with her act but she was aware that they all needed to participate in order to make it viable.
'I apologise if i may have come off the wrong way, but that is what i truly desire.'
'No, don't worry about it'. Franck played along.
'We all yearn for something greater than ourselves deep down.'
Antenela smiled, she was glad that he especially was on board.
'Well, that's a relief. If it wouldn't be so much trouble, i'd like what to know what it is that you two truly desire from the book as well, Robert? if things were different, what would you wish for?'
*Sigh.
Reluctantly, he cooperated.
'Well i guess it'd have to be my partner Julian. We planned to rule the world together back then... in a good way of course.
In highschool we always had the best experiments at the science fair, and when we were in college we worked on a prototype which we believed would change the world.
Unfortunately, the greatest thing about Julian was also the worst; he pushed himself too far, and one night while working late he forgot to turn the radiator off.
Too weary to go home, he slept at the office.
The next morning i came to work and the place was surrounded by police officers and firefighters, the entire building had burnt down.
I spotted a body covered in a sheet being transported to an ambulance on a stretcher and i rushed there and got inside. I'd never been that terrified before in my life, and when they lifted that sheet i felt my heart sink.
They told me he was long gone, he burnt to death overnight.
I guess maybe that's why i turned out the way i did and sought the book for selfish purposes back then.'
Robert's story was heartfelt, once again it was evident that like Antenela he wasn't lying, adding to an already convincing performance.
Or so they thought, Franck was just about to up the ante and add a little drama.
He looked touched, cornered in fact. Like he had been keeping a huge secret this entire time and suddenly he felt obligated to tell it to them and it wouldn't be part of some act, rather something earnest which he had hoped to keep to himself until they had found The Book of Silver Thoughts.
Potentially this was something which could derail the travellers and have them rethink every step they'd taken up till this point.
As sweat rolled down his temple, he stammered.
'I lied about everything.'