"What exactly do you plan to do? My love, I have met you as a man of this century. What sort of white sorcery? Your plan is still beyond me. The wind just won't whisper a thought from you." Bergen entered the hut and quickly asked this to the woman who was sitting in a wooden chair and was facing her many entities.
Elena had her wand placed on the table as she leaned back. "I will tell you," she responded calmly.
Bergen heaved a sigh and went towards her, grabbed another piece of settling equipment and sat on it. "But when? I heard you ever since we were in our dimension. Now that we're here. What exactly is your plan?"
Elena stood up and took a book inside her average size chest, which was both made by her own hands. A book with thick cover in a brown shade, yellow tainted sheets inside and she written words and drawn things only she could understand. Not even Bergen does, that is for sure.
"Do you see this?" Elena asked and showed him that book she took.
"Of course, my love. It's in plain sight." He said and uttered philosophically.
Elena did not mind, his man is always like this after all. Nothing new. "What I meant is, do you know what this book contains?" She asked in a different spectrum.
Bergen stood up and traced towards her stands. He gently touched the book's cover with his index finger. "I know. It is a book filled with your strange spells and magical blisters. Which I find very bizarre at times, however, it explains you. So tell me, what does it get to do with your plan?" As he exclaimed this, his eyes stared intensely into Elena's.
Elena was not bothered by it still. Despite the serious conversing. Her man is somewhat odd in his own behaviour. "You said it yourself. Spells. With this book, I have taken down every idea that I created. Since the creator refuses to help us with this, I did it myself. I know all the things I'm doing, Bergen. And I mean, everything!" She plopped the book on a flat surface, her heavy table. Opened it and pointed to a page.
Bergen furrowed his brows when he glanced where she was pointing at. "What does that mean? Is that some sort of neck—" he was cut off by Elena.
"When I mean everything. Even your mastery is put to use." She continued.
There was silence between them. Bergen stared at the page, asking himself. 'My mastery? What mastery do I even have?'
But as soon as Elena cleared it out for him, he become to comprehend it further.
"It is an ornament. Nothing better to last than an ornament. Invisible spells won't work with this curse. It needs time to create, but what time do we need when we got it all in our hands, am I right?" She let out with a more confident behaviour.
Bergen was mesmerized. She did not reveal her plan and explained all of the queries that he might have implored to her. Bergen smirked at the woman's humour. He would never be on a level with her. She is far more strong and wise. It is sometimes hard to understand her but he is loving this part of his wife.
"You're right." He replied with a smile. "I may not know about what this ornament can do. But, I think you never did underestimate my skills indeed. Now that I think about it, is it fate that time led the both of us to meet?" He swiftly grabbed the woman over his waist and pulled her close to him.
"I beg your intrusive hands but there is no time for sweet talk. You know everything is fate, my dear. Even a white witch like me did not see your arrival in my life. You were the reason why I restored my faith in humanity after all." She reasoned out and instead of escaping his man's grasp, she embrace him.
Oh, how sometimes this man can make her feel so loved.
"My pleasure, love." He responded and had sudden surprised when her wife was all touchy with him. But, he thought about something. "Talking about time, I am actually afraid of the future. Seeing myself old while you remain your young complexion. I am certain that a time like that will come." He muttered close to her ear.
Elena felt the sadness lingering in his voice. She knows that it will happen. Loving a human after all was a risk itself. Which in fact, she took and accepted.
"Even so, we are together and nothing matters more. We have our daughters with us, love. We will manage." She filled the void and lifted his man spirit.
She succeeded when a smile escape his lips. Nothing could make him feel more pleased than the mere sight of his woman. "I love you, Elena."
"I love you most, dear Bergen."
EVENTUALLY, their daughters grew up to be such wonderful young adults. Their face has changed their form and structure, their voice turned elegant, their adorable manner was lessened and the innocence faded away. They just recently knew about them inheriting their mother's kin.
Both Lyzelle and Zynthia turned out to be white witches. Bergen never hated that fact. They were immortals but were not invincible. They still can take hold of their lives.
He was currently hammering metals and shaping them when the two went toward him.
"Father, you always occupy yourself with these metals you somehow found in the depths of the forest. Even after adoring the wilderness, do you think this is fine?" Lyzelle was the one to ask that. She always has been the curious one.
Zynthia on the other hand was waiting for him to respond. She was the calm type and does less talking. No one would ever think of what goes into her mind but her sister.
What they both have in common are their bravery and confidence. It never paves the way to no use. It is what they obtain from their loving folks.
Bergen plastered a grin. He just finished his hammering session and went towards the two.
They were in an open space filled with tall trees and dried leaves on the ground. The rustling and waving of the leaves from above their heads were heard. The two were sitting on a log, mending their hair braids as they wait for their father's response.
"You two, take a look at this." He called to them while walking to their position.
Lyzelle glanced at him. As soon as she saw what his father was holding, she immediately stood up and her eyes brightened. "Ornaments? What are those? Necklaces?"
Zynthia was amazed but contained her emotions. "Who are those for?" She asked eventually.
Bergen lifted the edges of his lips. "Can you guess?"
The two looked at each other. "For us?" And blurted out at the same time.
"Yoy got that right!"
Lyzelle burst into a burst of laughter while Zynthia giggled and shook her head. They just can not imagine that their father has still been cackling the same statements ever since they were still youngsters.
"You have created that for a while now? Has it been years? You even patiently searched for metals you can find or generate in this land. But, just perdure to this day and now that we have grown. Is this the only purpose you are giving this to us?" She asked with an arched brow above her eyes.
Bergen was worried. "Do you not like it?" He asked in a lower tone. Suddenly, he was sad to hear that from his daughter.
Lyzelle immediately heads to him. "Of course, not. Both of us are very honoured. It appears that it is very special and it even has-" she glanced at the ornaments intently. "Has a leaf carved onto it? What a beautiful thing." Her eyes sparkled just by staring at it.
"It's true, father. We are very happy indeed." Zynthia added.
Bergen retrieved his sadness and turned it into a smile. He was relieved to hear that. "That's good to hear, you two are very special to me and your mother. This ornament is not only a mere ornament but it is magical." He exclaimed.
"Magical? Now that you say that, does it have the power to create life? As white witches, did mother plan to also served as this for our very first usage of the spells? Is it? Is it?" She asked very excitedly and giddy.
Bergen chuckled. "Not to create life, my dear. But to resume one's life."
"Resume one's life? What do you mean?" Zynthia asked.
"Well, you see. Do you remember the creature I told you about when you were just a little girl, Lyzelle?" Bergen inquired of her.
Apparently, Zynthia does not remember it anymore. She was too young at that time.
"I do." Suddenly, she embarked on the topic. "I actually did some light reading on mother's book, see if it was true."
Zynthia giggled and sighed after. "You call that light?"
Lyzelle shrugged. "Well, in terms of preferences. It was indeed light for me. I never understood my mother's texts and letterings so I never found out about it. Now that we are here, do you care to tell it to me, father?"
"Ah, Lyzelle. Always so mindful. But, of course, I will tell you." He went to sit beside his daughter, Zynthia, and tapped the spacious log, asking for Lyzelle to settle down together with the two of them. Lyzelle followed and fixed her dress before sitting. "This necklace is not just any ordinary necklace. It took us long to figure out how we should mend it. That creature needs it and it was your mother's purpose to create it."
Somehow, these ladies find his explanation quite vague and blurry to comprehend.
"Mother's purpose as a white witch? To cure that unknown creature?" Lyzelle raised a question.
Bergen nodded.
"Why, isn't that making it us our purpose too? Father, is this why you are giving this to us?" Zynthia was now curious too. "How about you? Won't you help us?"
Berge cleared his throat. "Father's getting old day by day. After you reach your adult phase, you will stay in that way and no one would ever notice it other than your relatives and the ones closest to your heart. You see if you would open your eyes. Your father here is just like these trees."
"Just like the trees?"
"Indeed, darling. It grows and grows and as it ages, its growth stops and it weakens. Its roots deplete, the leaves scatter to the ground, and the branches fall down."
Lyzelle got his metaphoric phrase and her eyes drooped. "Are you casually saying to us that you will soon disappear?"
"Father, please don't you ever leave us."
Both of his lovely daughters had a dash of tears escaping their eyes as they embraced him side by side.
Bergen smiled. "Just remember, if I ever leave this world. You are not alone, I will be one with the forest and you could always feel my presence lingering through the wilderness. Father loves you both the most in this world. We both do, me and your mother."
With his gracious and humble voice, fled across the air, a glimmer of hope went across their hearts. From afar, Elena was watching and a teardrop from her eyes.
It was then that she knew, no matter what happens. His man will always be on her side.
-
"The sky... Hues... Thee shall follow the traces of shallow blues. Till then... Till then? Till then, what?"
Ambroz who was lying his head down on the ground with a bunch of leaves spreading outside his cave. As he stared at the midday sky, uttering those phrases and pissed him off.
"Why was I asked to read and get by heart with those words? What is the importance of reading? I don't get that white witch." He complained and groaned in a disturbance.
He sat down and ruffled the top of his head. His nape began to warm up as the day bypasses him. "Where is that fabric?" He roamed his eyes around and found not a single soul of it. "What a knucklehead. Where did I place it now?"
He stood up and head inside the cave just for immediate checking. And there it was lying beside his bow. "And of course, I place it there." He sarcastically said and heaved a hard sigh. "My head's rusty now. Ageing really does affect my brain."
He was tying his hair when he went out and his ears whiskered and wriggled. He heard some noises and whispers from afar. His brows arched and his hands dropped after clamping his hair with the hair.
"Who are these young people?" His hand tilted upon asking this. His odd abilities cane rushing through his mind. "I can sense Lyzelle and Zynthia but apart from that, this tinge of footsteps. I don't know any of them. Should I follow them? Bergen might like this hook of information." His childlike behaviour switched and he started climbing trees after trees. Jumping and using his claws to grasp on the branches.
He was just like some people said. The master of the forest. Other than saying it with bad intentions. These people named him that after seeing him in action. Almost all the vicious animals in this forest fear him. Even sensing his shadows, they know he was mad or not.
Ambroz located the two. They were not far from his cave but their distance is a bit further from their village. With the tree branches covering his sight, he still saw Lyzelle with an expression of irritation.
"You are just a coward at this point!" She exclaimed.
Ambroz was curious. 'A presence of cowardice? Who is this?'
Lyzelle was very furious with a certain man. Turns out this man was from the other side. And Ambroz was finally realizing it that Lyzelle, just now, had the boldness to withdraw from his father's grasp.
"Hmm, my, my, Bergen I can finally throw you this couple of pieces of information. Maybe, he will reward me with some delightful meat, huh?" He said and playfully smiled.
Lyzelle looked at this man with her furrowed brows.
"I'm not a cowardice, Zelle."
"Really now?"
"I'm not cowardice but I'm also not a man of any sort of noble Lord to flaunt my skills or any of my mastery. I'm just an ordinary man, a commoner, I suppose you could say that." He sighed and this man sat on a pile of leaves.
Lyzelle sat right next to him. "Well, you could start your confidence from me." She advised and the man gaze at her.
Ambroz had a hunch that this man might fancy him.
"I have just met you and you wish for me to go to your father? What for? We're not even any of sort." The man chuckled and shook his head.
Lyzelle suddenly was flustered and avoided his gaze. "H-huh? Is it so wrong to introduce a f-friend of mine?" She responded almost stuttering every single word she say.
'Well, now that I am seeing it first hand. I guess Lyzelle fancy this man and not the other way around.' Ambroz thought from afar.
"A friend, huh? Am I allowed to even say that?" The man lowered his head.
Lyzelle cleared her throat and raised her courage to touch the man's chin and make him look into her eyes. "Of course, you can. I'm not such special kin for you to create such a huge fuss. We're the same as you may say, a commoner."
"Those eyes are not from a commoner, young lady."
"My eyes?" Lyzelle blinked a few times.
"That's right your eyes. Their... Alluring? I-I don't know."
In the glimpse of the moment, Ambroz saw their faces only a few inches away and he had to do what he should do. He decided to climb down and make a noise.
The man heard the crunching of the leaves and it distract him from that moment. "What was that?" His voice almost cracked.
Lyzelle who was almost kissing him said, "Probably some bird."
"Bird? It was footsteps, Zelle! Footsteps!"
"On, don't be such a kid, Hayden."
"A kid? You know how deep this forest goes and uh— ah!! It's a caveman!"
That is just heading straight into the bait. Ambroz revealed himself and Lyzelle facepalmed.
"Ambroz! You could have gotten my signal?" She frustratingly said and mashed her face with her hands.
The man, who he thought was named Hayden just now hid behind Lyzelle and was peeking through her side. Lyzelle then signalled him to get out and stand straight.
Hayden leaned close to Lyzelle's ear and whispered. "Do you know this man? He seems dangerous."
"I can hear you loud and clear lad." Ambroz went and walk toward the two.
He was over two feet taller than them and he stood there like a tower staring down and making his neck numb. He stared into the man's soul and Hayden almost gave up on his knees. Ambroz narrowed his eyes and looked between Lyzelle and Hayden.
"Don't you think this is a risk, Lyzelle? Knowing your father is sometimes set along with his pride and defensive conduct. What will you do if I tell him you made a friend from the other side, huh?" He even lowered and bent his upper body to lessen the distance between his face and the frightened man.
Lyzelle groaned and sighed. "He is a caveman, Hayden. Well, anyways. Hayden, this is Ambroz, he is a long friend and acquaintance with his mother and father. And Ambroz, this is Hayden. My uh... Friend."
Ambroz stared at her and she knows that he already has a hunch about what is going on between them.
"P-pleasure to meet you, s-sir." Hayden even bowed ninety degrees.
"So?" But Ambroz asked Lyzelle, raising a brow.
"I will tell father. You do not have to go ahead of me. Hayden is not who you think he is nor what sort of people are from the other side. They are all kind to me."
"And your sister Zynthia." Ambroz connected with Lyzelle's sentence.
Lyzelle's eyes widened and the two of them stared at each other upon her gasp.
And this, "How did you know all of this?"
———————
ABYSSCESS