When the young travelers thought the village looks beautiful from the distance, there were not fully aware of how it was even more captivating in a closer look.
The village splits in two as it parted for the wide road, consisting of golden bricks that shine so brightly under the heat of the sun. The houses are clean and well kept, with their white wall with the occasional presence of hummingbird vines. Its red flowers bloom against the concrete walls, spreading the sweet scent of nectar. While the tiled roofs are painted with a bright shade of red.
As the young men finally stepped closer, the people gasped. All of them looked almost like humans, with big innocent round eyes, button-like noses, round faces, colorful wings, and oddly designed dresses.
They look nothing like the small winged creatures, they appeared to be outside their realm.
Out of a sudden, the busy village took a halt. The fays are just standing in their places as they stared at the unexpected visitors… or to be more precise, intruders.
After a moment of silence, the people started scurrying away in a panic. Wooden doors slams shut, glass windows locked… all the while the fays peeked through the edge of the windows. Staring the young travelers with a subtle buzzing and sharp hushes.
They recognized him from the stories, yes they can't miss those features. Purple eyes, black raven-like hair, pale skin, toned body, but most importantly… the wielder of the subterranean sword.
"Leave us you murderer!" a man's voice shouted from inside the house.
Darius clenched his jaws, it's not like he can blame them. After what he did to their kind.
Of course, he can never run from his past. And to think that he was foolish enough to think that his crimes will be forgotten… much less forgiven, was almost embarrassing.
Changing a month of your life does not guarantee salvation.
"What are they…?" Brennan wanted to ask, he was dying to know. But the solemn look in Darius's purple orbs compelled him to stop.
Darius could only clench his teeth, he should be used to this by now. Fear, anger, disgust: he had dealt with it all. In every passing moment of his life, he never had the chance to be like everybody else…
Because he's the slave of the witch of the Dead Swamp.
"Leave!" the people started shouting. Still too scared to step outside their houses.
"Let's go," Darius said with eyes as cold as the winter storm.
"S-sure," Brennan followed behind worried about his friend.
As they walked along the path, Brennan had to bite his tongue ever so slightly. To stop himself from asking any stupid question, that he believes… might hurt Darius.
Alas, the silence overstayed its welcome… Darius unable to bear the thought of Brennan's growing suspicion, decided to speak.
When they finally reach the outskirts of the village, away from the loud noise of the fays. Darius stopped in his tracks...
With a long pause, he hesitated… thinking about what to say.
"You don't have to say anything," Brennan began.
"You don't owe any explanation about your past or what you did before. If you want to keep it a secret, I don't care. All I know is that… you did what you had to. That's how cruel life is, we are forced to do horrible things just to survive. So I will not hold that against you."
Darius turned to look at Brennan, his eyes wide from shock.
'This man…' he couldn't even think properly. Because he was expecting something else entirely…
"Let's go, we can't let Lady Wilson wait for long. She might end up hurting the poor changeling." Brennan said before walking ahead of Darius, placing a hand on his shoulder as he passed him by.
Magnificent…
That was the only word the young travelers could describe the world tree. Its massive trunk was so big it could easily fit a city in its stump if ever cut. Its roots are growing in every direction, spreading itself beneath the earth. Its branches and leaves, spreading high up in the sky. Like a giant canopy that covers a portion of the sun.
In awe, Darius touched the root of the world tree.
Suddenly, a golden light beamed in from of the travelers. Shining brighter and brighter forcing them to cover their eyes.
"Who are thee and why did thou come here?" the voice asked in a gentle yet stern manner.
Opening his eyes Darius's breathe tangled in his throat, standing before him is a beautiful woman with golden hair and crystal blue eyes. Porcelain white skin, slender figure, pointed ears, and perfect face adorned with rose-like lips. Behind her is a set of butterfly wings in the shade of gold, while she wears a pure white dress.
"Titania…" he mumbled.
"Correct it is I… now answer my question or I shall bring thee to thy knees." She threatened, her eyes sparkling under a dangerous light.
"W-we…" Brennan bit down his tongue as he pathetically stuttered. Titania… the Queen of the fays can be considered a goddess. And with so much magic within her, she can easily kill them both.
However… Titania had sworn off violence. To fight will mean breaking an ancient oath.
"It's quite saddening, that the world tree is guarded by a powerful being who can't even fight… should the world tree fall. So as everything it touches." Darius bluntly said.
Titania looked at Darius with unamused eyes, 'He knows…' she pondered.
"Exactly… which is why the world tree does not need protection. No one will be foolish enough to try to destroy the foundation of this world." She stared at Darius straight in the eyes, her crystal blue orbs looking down at his very soul.
"Now, why did thee come here?" she asked in a deadly serious tone.
"We are looking for a fairy, they took a child from a human family and left a changeling," Darius explained.
Upon hearing this, Titania could only sigh, long slender fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose.
Suddenly, the air around her changed.
"I apologize but I have no control of such situations… I can't control everyone's actions, while the laws forbid it… most can just slip in and out unpunished." She said shaking her head.
"You need to help us, surely there's away. Maybe someone saw the culprit." Brennan said. "There's a village just ahead of the archway, if someone came through, there has to be a witness."
"Fear not, I shall help you in every way possible. But I have to say, I'm quite impressed this is the first time anyone ever came here for such reason."
"I-it's our duty," Brennan uttered.
Titania placed a hand in the root of the world tree. As she closed her eyes, the breeze blew, the leaves danced against the wind, the grasses shook, the flower bloomed.
'The Queen has sent a message,' the wind howl as it passed Darius's ear.
"Everything is connected… just like a woven clothe," Darius mumbled remembering a line Ravana once told him.
"I can sense a faint smell of rainwater and damp soil in you," Titania told Darius.
Immediately, he grew wary. 'She can't find out.'
"It feels like I know thee, tell me thy name," Titania demanded.
Darius remained silent, causing the Queen to sigh.
"What about thee?" she turned to Brennan instead.
"Oh! I" he was flustered, a dark blush creeping in his face, surprised by the sudden attention. Brennan completely missed Darius's signal not to tell Titania his name.
"B-Brennan. My name is Brennan, your majesty." He replied.
As soon as she heard his name, Titania turned back to Darius.
The Fay killer, now she remembered.
He was said to have killed so much of her kind before. To offer his master their blood.
Anger swelled in her heart, but it was soon washed away by the crashing waves of pity. Because she knows the reason, she had heard about it.
The poor child was taken and enslaved by the witch of the Dead Swamp. He eventually grew up knowing nothing but cruelty and pain all his life.
No wonder her scent still lingers in him.
"Tell me, how does freedom feel like?" She asked her voice laced with pity.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
Silence filled the air, the atmosphere was tense and brimming with sorrow.
Until Brennan broke decided to speak.
"Your Majesty how come it is so easy to meet you? In the human realm, we will have our heads cut off by now."
Titania chuckled, her voice sounded like pure honey-smooth and sweet. "It's because humans think so highly of themselves. A golden crown atop the head and they think of them as gods."
"But that aside it was not my choice to meet thee. There's a barrier around the world tree. Thus the only beings that can meet me are those powerful enough to destroy the barrier or those who are allowed to enter by the tree itself." The Queen explained while looking at Darius.
"And it would seem that thou art the latter. The world tree allowed you to enter because it trusted thee."
"I wonder…" she mumbled the last bit as she stared at Darius.
'What future do thou hold?'