"Ask. As long as we can answer, we will." The elder in the center responded actively.
In their cores, they had deep respect for Liliana. She came at a time when the cat clan was in hiding. She gave them a home, setting them free from the distress of seeing their clansmen hunted and burned.
To them, Liliana was a messenger of the Beast God, here to save them from their predicament. So, they were more than happy to entertain Liliana's daughter.
"Liliana. I wish to know about her. When did she find you and what did she say? I want to know everything from the beginning." While speaking, Arella radiated confidence even though she wasn't aware of it.
A solemn quietness permeated the air after her words. The elders offered the visitors a seat, and they sat down in their respective seats. Now, they formed an entire circle, with Arella facing the elder in the center.
The elders mulled over their thoughts, refreshing their memory of the distant past.
"Long along, when we were looking for a place in the forest to hide from the power hungry clans, Liliana came to us. She had an unconscious daughter in her arms." One elder began telling the tale.
"At first, she only approached us to learn the future of the child. But we couldn't tell, because the mirror of the future of the child was obscured. The child had done something which deviated from her fate." Another elder added calmly.
"Your mirror is still obscured. That means fate hasn't restored its track yet." A third elder looked at her seriously and commented.
'Yet?' Arella's mind churned at this word. So fate could be restored. She wanted to ask questions, but another elder cut her in.
"Your mother wanted to leave, but looking at our plight, she gave us the gift of the majestic barrier. She gave us our home." An elder continued gratefully.
"In return, we asked her to stay with us. We pledged that we would protect her and her daughter in crisis. But she refused by saying that staying in a shield would hinder her child's Beast. And then, she left resolutely, never to be seen again." The eldest member uttered slowly.
"Where did she go?" Arella asked almost immediately.
"We do not know. She never told us." The elder responded quietly.
"Why was the child unconscious?" This time, it was Adrian who asked this. He was more focused on the child. What had happened to Arella back then?
"The child," A sigh escaped from the elder's mouth, "the child did not have any spiritual energy. She should have died. An accident had left her in a precarious situation." The elder was outspoken with his words.
"But Liliana insisted that the child would survive. And the child did." Another elder cut in and looked at Arella with a complicated gaze.
"What accident?" Arella asked with a furrowed brow. She didn't remember anything. In her memories, she was always at William's mansion.
"Only Liliana knew." Another elder sighed deeply.
"And her daughter. Liliana and her daughter both knew." The elder in the center stared at Arella.
"But I don't remember." Arella returned the gaze in a daze.
"But your Beast does. It should know what happened back then." The elder hinted.
"My Beast is in a dormant state," Arella whispered in a dejected voice.
"Perhaps, we might help. Do you wish to know the past?" The elder on the far right uttered calmly.
"Yes," Arella answered in an ardent manner.
"We the soothsayers, can't tell your future, but we will comply and show you your past." The elder in the center had the final word.
"How?" Adrian asked briefly. He needed to make sure that Arella wouldn't be harmed in the process.
"It's just a matter of sleep." The elder in the center looked deeply at Arella. Everything around Arella went quiet. Only the elder's gleaming green eyes remained in her mind. Consciousness started slipping off, her eyelids became heavy, a sudden exhaustion took over her, and she soon fell asleep.
Looking at her, Adrian became tense. He left his seat and stood next to Arella in a protective stance.
"Take her to have some rest. She will wake up when it's time." The elder in the center spoke nonchalantly as if nothing happened. He was about to dismiss everybody when something crossed his eyes.
"Stop." The elder spoke with authority.
Adrian who had Arella in his arms and was about to step out, stopped.
"Your mirror is obscured. You have defied fate as well. As her companion, do you wish to know your past?" The elder offered generously.
"No." Adrian refused without any second thoughts. He wasn't here for himself. He resolutely walked out.
At Lucinda's home, he took her to the guest bedroom and decided to guard her till she woke up.
Arella who was deep asleep on the surface, found herself stark awake in her dreams.
She looked around and found herself in an unfamiliar terrain. Her surroundings were filled with beautiful flowers, grass, and trees. It looked like a forest but wasn't dense.
The sun's rays lit every corner of the forest. The sky was more clear than she had ever seen. The cool breeze enveloped her in a comforting embrace.
Everything around her reflected serenity. A slight smile appeared on Arella's face. She raised her hands to touch the lustrous flowers, but her hands went past the flowers, without touching them.
Confused, Arella once again tried to hold the flowers, but no matter how much she tried the flowers remained elusive. Her hands passed through the flowers without clutching them. Before she could think deeply, a chime like laughter attracted her attention.
She followed the sound instinctively. After crossing a few trees, she found the back of a young child. The child was immersed in trying to grab the butterfly hovering over the flowers.
The child remained oblivious to Arella standing behind her. The child moved stealthily, trying not to scare the beautiful butterfly.
Arella too, lightened her steps, so as to not scare the butterfly as well as the child. The child focused all the energy on the butterfly. The butterfly flew and rested on another flower, right in front of Arella.
The butterfly did not mind Arella standing next to the flower and indulged in resting on the aromatic flower. The child turned around with a focused gaze on the butterfly.
As soon as the child turned around, Arella became stunned.
'This, wasn't this herself?' Arella's mind jumbled and crashed within a second! What was going on? The child, young Arella, aged 7 or 8, stealthily walked towards the butterfly.
Arella moved and spoke hesitatingly, "Arella?"
But the child remained oblivious. Arella moved towards the child and raised her hands to hold the child's hand. But just like the flowers, she couldn't! Alarmed, Arella panicked. What was going on? She couldn't make a head or tail of it!
Just as the child was about to grab the butterfly, a strong gush of wind made the butterfly start and it flew out of the child's reach.
Annoyed, the child turned around and loudly spoke, "Brother, I told you to stay low! You scared my butterfly!"
"Sorry." A young man, aged 12 or 13, stood next to the child, lowering his face with a mischievous smirk.
As soon as he straightened his neck, Arella's eyes widened in surprise. She felt as if a thunderstorm had struck her!
"Nicholas!"