/Erick
The town had changed, the outskirts gaining new roads, new connections. Yet there still were deserted, forgotten paths. Less groomed, since not many took the steps through these ancient groves. But still in existence.
This same path I once walked, to discover the old lady, with much to tell on the top of the tree. Birds cheeping, tall grass rustling softly from the wind – these things did not change. Although, how much time has passed by now?
Some parts grew more trees, some became fields, yet one mighty tree stood untouched. Its slightly bared roots are still coloured in red, although not as bright now. The Color reminded me of rust now.
Now the climbing part.
I came close to this tree, grabbing onto the trunk, pushing off, then getting upwards. Slowly. The branches were small stoops, at the beginning, very hard to hold on. A tricky tree even years later. After a while the branches began, making it slightly easier to climb.
Well, if I did it once, I can do it again! The tree is the great challenge and a great achievement.
I felt at some point that I'm somewhere half way up. I sat on a branch, holding on tightly, looking out. The wind was notably rising, gusts were quite harsh. The view through the branches - a town seen even to its outskirts. I don't even want to look down. It was too goddamn high up. Even the birds were on the branches lower, not all the way up here.
I looked up - endless branches and still a good climb up.
Well, looking at how the greens of leaves are up there, seems like the Keeper is still alive.
Oh my, just remember to not look down. Just look up. I thought to self, as I kept climbing.
/Niko
Wings fluttered heavily. My body was exhausted.
Feet touched the flooring made from years of tree branching, right after that the weight of the wings pulled me and I fell to my knees. Wings flopped down with a thud. Black blood ran down the feathers.
Once again practising this was a great feat in itself. Recalling this to fly, when I am well off hurt after all that madness. Eh…
I rubbed my forehead, heavily breathing, trying to keep it together as the pain was keeping me close to fainting.
I heard the steps from inside a caving of the tree. An old woman came towards me.
"Ha!" - She exclaimed sarcastically, almost laughing, - "You still alive?" - She slapped her knee and laughed.
I grunted in pain, slowly getting up from my knees and walking towards her, noticing a chair nearby to rest in.
"You sure know how to receive guests." - I remarked.
"You look like shi-it!" - The old woman was a ball of sarcasm right now. Unable to contain the joy and laughter.
"That should be obvious enough, Anne. You're still the royal thorn in the rear?" - I sat down on the chair, leaning forward, as the black bloodstained feathers shed off, the black goo along with it.
"You're spilling forbidden shithole magic all over the place." - Old Anne pionted with finger at the black blood and falling feathers. That was oozing around into a liquified gore fest. - "You better clean up all this mess after your stupid self. Yuck-yuck-yuck."
"Anne, just bring me some tea, will you?" - I was dreadfully tired, yet even in this situation her remarks feel friendly.
Anne clicked her tongue and went into her home. After a few minutes that felt like eons, she eventually brought out a kettle with cups, placing them on a table that appeared in front of me. Being the keeper on top of "Mother Tree" had its magical perks.
"So, what shitstorm brings you here this time?" - Anne poured the liquid in cups, pushing one towards me.
I took a cup and downed all the contents in one go. The cup was refilled again and again, until this dreadful thirst that felt suffocating left me. That's when I could reply to her.
"Ha-a..." - I breathed out in relief. - "The main problem child is being stupid again."
I looked at Anne. My feathers and last bits of the wigs started to sizzle and burn, then fell off completely. I felt the ripping skin sensation through all of that, but hey, use magic - have to pay.
"You mean Rose or the other one who seeks you?" - Anne tapped her foot.
"The one who seeks me. He brews up a storm." - I let out a sigh. - "He just... I don't know. He's being the problem child again."
I shook my head, as I was trying to just not go into too much of a detail.
"And besides that, he most likely pushes this war." - Anne clicks her tongue. - "Another war... Do you think you can manage that? You ain't so almighty any more."
"I'm not sure. I need to. Not like I'm given much of a choice." - I tiredly reply.
Anne shifts the tea cups on the table, then gets up to pace around.
"So the king wants power, the emperor is on wits end, the oracle is close to taking over, your student is becoming a problem child and what? You are once again doing what?" - Anne glances at me. - "You are again fighting for all the wrong reasons. Not that I'm not grateful you gave me life by making me the old hag of Mother Tree, but you sure need a reason to make better decisions, dear."
Pfft… This made me laugh. Her nagging is just so nostalgic, so home-like. Even with all those years as we were apart, the bond we made when it was the time of… Of… I shook my head.
"I've known you since you were a small child. This bold sarcasm never dies, does it?" - I smiled at Anne.
"It will never cease to exist! It'll burn like eternal fire!" - Anne gave a witty remark - making us both laugh out loud.
"But seriously, with this war on the horizon, you have to retrieve your powers." - Anne walked over to me, placing her hand on my shoulder.
"Meaning that I'll have to face them again." - I placed my hand on top of Annes.
"You'll have to break their curse. You can't keep them in the dark. They need to know. Just like you gave me back my memory, just like you took it out with Serra. That's a thing that you have to do." - Anne gave my back a soft pat, then walked over to the edge of branched flooring, looking at land beneath.
"Even though you suffered for us in many battles since before King Leon, it's not something you can escape. You have to make Maddy proud by taking all that pain. She knew you could do it. For all of us."
I sat in silence. Mulling over this all. One thing was the war, then there's also the thing that's not giving me any rest - missing memories. I do recall a lot of things, but some holes are burned out in the memory. And I can't manage to find what I'm looking for.
"I still remember how we all were friends. I still remember how we fought against the festering darkens in the Land of Spirits." - Anne turned to look at me. - "Have you found your lost Light?"
Something snapped inside of me at the mention of Light.
"Ah!" - My eyes watered, I felt a soft smile show on my face. The sense of something so close, so loved and warm, yet choking me, as if even crying wouldn't help but just make it bleed again. - "Right, my Light..."
"I assume no." - Anne shook her head, then clicked her tongue. - "You better not cry, once you gain back what you lost."
"Not in the case of my Light. Never." - I felt that the Light would not make me feel this endless pain. Maybe the sorrows surround this Light, but I… The love that's also about it would never…
We spent time reminiscing about the times of when I found Anne, how I helped her and almost raised her. How the times got us cornered and as she was on the edge of death, I made the pact with the old Mother Tree owner and made Anne the new Mother Tree keeper. To not lose her.
Loss was out of the option, as it felt suffocating for some reason back then…
"Stay the night. You must replenish your powers. The upcoming struggles will be real tough." - Anne pulled out a warm blanket from a crack in a tree branch.
I took a blanket and gave a nod. Staying here was a good option. Warmth, protection and some sense of being back home. The chair under me became a bed-like shape, for me to lay down.
My body was exhausted and the idea to get rest was a good one. I felt almozt dozzing off, as I heard Anne say this…
"You better find Light and also - never let that problem child find you." - Anne went to her bed. - "You are what keeps our existence."
/Erick
I'm already out of breath. Sweat dripped from my eyebrow, as I pulled myself up onto the thickest branched out point. The size of this little field was still impressive. In the back sat the Old woman - the keeper and protector of the Mother Tree. Then I looked a bit around, noticing Niko, wrapped in a blanket, sleeping next to the keeper.
I pulled myself up and onto the floor, as I crawled a bit more in, then laid on my back, catching my breath. This damn tree is no less of a challenge, than it was once before. Impossible and hard achievement.
"Tea?" – Keeper smiled at me.
"That would hit the spot, so yes please." – I got up, caming closer to the little table with tea cups.
Old Anne poured me a cup of tea made from herbs and tree juice. This mixture gave the greatest result of getting healed and back on track with the body. Feeling of replenishment and nourishment fulfilled was really a needed thing.
"Sweet child Erick, Tree gives you its blessing, just like the forest of this part of the mountain. Be careful when encountering evil forces." – Anne looked at Niko, - "You on the other hand - you already know what needs to be said. Once you're ready - get off my tree. I don't need any freeloaders here."
Anne shook Nikos' shoulder, waking her up. Groggy and tired - was what I felt from looking at Niko. Anne gave a large cup of tea to Niko, then went into her home in a tree.
Niko drank the contents of the cup, letting out a sigh. She got up, leaving the blanket behind, then walked to me. I already felt the new energy and replenishment from the tea of the old Mother Tree keeper.
"So…" - I was about to say more, but she took my hand and we walked to the edhe of the flooring. Ahead were fields and forests, towns and clouds, wind barely moved here, no sounds reached this far. Watching the land like this felt nostalgic.
"Do you remember the one person you wish to avoid the most throughout all parallels?" – Her voice resounded in my head, her lips not moving. Some sense of pain was in her words. We're linked.
"Who? I would not have such a person… Can't recall any…" – I looked into her eyes.
"Then you'll need your memories back, my dear. It'll hurt like hell, but we need this creature to help us out." – Her eyes felt sad, then grew colder. It felt like she just cut into my soul, depths that I don't even know, making me exposed like there's nothing on me. She continued. – "Erick, you must remember Ary."
Once the name "Ary" was out here - my body began sweating, growing hot and cold. I began shivering. I felt puzzled, my body felt a sense of shock and fear I couldn't explain. Something broke inside of me, it felt like an inner chack of the sane little self that was there.
Then the body relaxed, my shoulders fell, I felt emptied out, like I somehow became hollow. What was it about? A… A-ah… Right… That… That was…
I felt Niko wrapping her hands around my waist, tightly gripping me, then I saw her back growing out wings. She winced for a moment, biting her lip, as the sense of pain was hard to handle. The wings were out, large black wings with blood stains, few odd feathers still white.
"Now, we must go." – She said, as she pulled me along in a jump from the tree.
///
Bench of burned, charred wood that over the decades became rock solid. Roses of red are blooming, oozing the sweet scent to the choking extent. Cigarette smoke puffing out of soft rosy lips that deformed into a grin.
Grey eyes squirted, looking far ahead, slim fingers holding his cigarette.
"Fascinating, our Roses scent returned." – Deep voice full of hate gave chills to those who heard it. Although, to most of the fortune – this creature was alone for miles around, without a soul near him.
He turned around, long ash grey hair swooshing in the wind.
"I've missed you, Erick."