I woke up with Hero's face asleep, I stayed for a while watching her, knowing that what had happened was a mistake.
Because I promised her that... I don't even know if we will see that ghost woman again, and if I don't know why she said those words to me that day... I will only make her suffer more... I'm an idiot.
I sat up in bed trying not to wake her up, I checked the time on my phone, 7 am.
The day had come to find some light on what had happened that time.
Before the trip I was anxious, excited, now I just felt nervous, if I don't find answers, things will stay like this, all this time I convinced Hero that, if we got proof of that ghost we would change archaeology as we know it, but it was just an excuse, my real intention is....
I felt myself being hugged from behind.
-Good morning, Mr. Venture.
Hero spoke lethargically.
-Good morning Hero.
I got up from the bed, stretched a little.
-I'm going to take a shower, get ready, we have a long day ahead of us.
-What a way to break the mood.
-I know I'm going to sound like an idiot, but I'm serious about what I said to you last night. Because I'm going through with it, I shouldn't give you hope that you might not be able to deliver.
-I know, but you could at least have a little more sensitivity, after all, for me last night was ... magical.
I didn't get to hear the last word he said, as it was too quiet, but I could tell he said something he was ashamed of.
I took a long sigh, grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom.
-Don't forget to bring your knife, you can hide it under your clothes.
-Yes
After a while, Angela, the maid got us a vehicle so we could go to the ruins, together with the professor.
Hero was dressed in an open black coat that revealed a white shirt underneath, a short skirt with sheer black stockings.
I, on the other hand, was as usual in blue jeans, my favourite brown coat that came down to my knees.
It didn't take us long to get there, the car ride didn't take much longer than about 20 minutes, as soon as we arrived at our destination we got out of the car.
-It's just as I remember it.
In front of us stood the ruins of Leap Castle, the impotent construction believed to have been built around 1250 AD, built of stone blocks, crumbling with time, even the vegetation was eating away at the castle.
-It hasn't changed at all, Gran let's try to see the castle first, I know it's not what we planned, but I'd rather avoid the forest.
-I understand why you don't want to enter the forest, but I don't think....
Professor Hector interrupted our conversation on the spot.
-Don't think I'll let a couple of rookies roam freely in the castle.
-Professor Hector, with all due respect, we have to go in so we can look for data for our thesis.
-No way Mr. Venture, the castle is old, it hasn't been maintained in the last century, there could be an accident at any moment in there, or worse, you with your inexpertise could damage the castle... no, no, I won't allow it.
-But Professor, how do you want us to investigate without being able to enter?
-That's what I'm here for, Miss Alice, I'll allow you to go around the outside of the castle, and any historical sources you need, you can ask me about.
Honestly we already knew this would happen, so things didn't change much, as Hero and I reluctantly thanked the professor and set out to walk around the castle.
-Professor Hector makes me despair, and I thought that once I passed his palaeontology course I would never have to see him again in my life.
-I thought the same thing, I don't know why they put him as our guide and not our father, or Professor Mercus, he's an expert in the 13th century, by the way, did you memorise the way to come here, Gran?
-Of course I did, if there's one thing I'm good at it's memorising, besides I've already arranged the car, when you were taking a shower I spoke to Amelia, she'll take care of everything so that we can come at night, she's a very helpful girl.
-So a helpful girl, womanizer.
I could see Hero's displeased face, she was jealous, which is unusual for her.
-I'm serious, you never get upset when I talk to other girls, and now you're upset because I talk to one.
-Just because I haven't shown it before, doesn't mean I haven't felt it, you're not the only one who suffered, you know?
-What do you mean?
-When you started dating Diana, it was a bucket of cold water for me, I had thought that Rury had managed to dissipate my feelings towards you, but with Diana's arrival I couldn't get you out of my mind, that's why I ended up with her.
-It's crystal clear, we're a mess with each other, don't you think so?
-Yes, I think so.
We both laughed a bit, it helped to soften the atmosphere, well until....
Hero stopped dead in her tracks, I could tell something had disturbed her, I turned around, but there was nothing there.
- What's wrong, Hero?
-Nothing, I just thought I saw something, don't worry. I'm sure I saw her for a second at the edge.
Hero took me by the hand.
-Come on, follow me, we're going to check the west entrance of the castle.
-All right, but don't pull me so much.
I'm sure it was her, maybe we were wrong to come back here, I have to get Gran away from the forest.
We walked around for a few hours, but found no sign of the ghost or whatever it was, plus the professor was watching all the time as we approached the castle, so we couldn't get into it.
-We'll have to resort to your plan, let's go to the forest Hero.
-I have a bad feeling, I don't think we should go in there.
I've been thinking a bit.
-Let's do the following let's see what we can find just by the edge of the forest, without going in.
-All right, but I'd rather we were together at all times Gran.
-It's getting late children, it's time to go back to the hotel, it's already starting to get dark, and today a storm is going to hit according to the news.
-Professor Hector gives us a little more time to walk around the edge of the forest.
The professor took out a pocket watch that he kept in his jacket.
-You have one more hour, after this our permission to be here is over, young people.
-Thank you, professor.
I took Hero's hand and we went to inspect the edge of the forest, in particular the place where I had seen her last.
-If there is a storm tonight I don't think we will be able to go back today, it would be dangerous Gran.
-You're right, how could I forget to check the weather?
-It doesn't matter, I think it's better this way, besides the longer we stay here, it makes me think it was a mistake to come back here.
-You're saying that because of what he said that time.
-So you also remember... on the plane as I had already mentioned, I dreamt again about what happened 9 years ago, that's why even though we have planned this for a long time, I think now that it's not worth the risk, I don't want anything to happen to you again, the last time you almost died....
I interrupted Hero, putting my finger on her lips.
-I'm not going to let anything happen to us, and I have to know why she said that to me that time.
-You never told me that she spoke to you.
-And I'd rather not tell you, that's why I asked you to trust me last night, it's also the reason why I have to reject my feelings for you, at least for the time being.
Great, in a way it saddens me that you won't tell me, but I will always trust the boy who was responsible for my love of Greek history.
I wrapped my arms around Hero's waist, I was tempted to kiss her, but this was not the time to do it.
-Well, do you remember where it was that we saw her Hero, last time I was half unconscious, so I don't know which way it was.
-I think it was this way.
We approached what were two trees with their branches crossed, one of them unlike the other had no leaves.
-Strange, it's not even autumn yet.
-You're right, even if it were autumn, it wouldn't explain why only this tree lost its leaves and the others didn't.
- ... dispel doubts like the steel of a sword, provoke feelings with your words and not with anger...
- What's that?
-Someone's singing, Gran, we'd better go.
In the distance, deep in the forest I managed to see a small blue flame, without thinking I started to run towards it.
-Gran, don't go in, at least wait for me.
As I approached the flame a mist began to appear at ground level, the closer I got the denser it became, to the point that I could barely see, I had lost sight of the blue flame.
-Big where are you, I can't see anything.
Fuck I forgot about Hero.
-Hero I'm here, keep talking I'll go wherever you are.
-I'm over here...
I heard a scream coming from Hero, the scream made the voice that was singing stop.
-Hero, are you okay? What happened to you?
-Yes I am, I tripped on a branch, I think I twisted my ankle.
-Keep talking.
At some point I stopped hearing Hero's voice,
Shit because I didn't listen to her, because I didn't hear her.
I was going to start running until I heard the sound of a branch breaking, I turned around, a few meters away from me, I could see a female silhouette, she was pointing at me, I think with a bow.
-I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost, I can't see anything in this fog.
The woman kept silent, I got a little closer to her, but when I did, she shot the arrow at me, it made a small wound on my cheek.
-Calm down, don't hurt me, I'm just looking for my sister.
He said something in a language incomprehensible to me, even so, I managed to see a little of his face, he had two different coloured eyes, one green and the other blue, but what most caught my attention was his long ears that ended in a point.
He said something to me again that I didn't understand and then he left.
-Please wait... Hero, can you hear me?
There was no answer, I got up from the ground to continue walking in that dense fog, I don't know how long I was like that, but it seemed like an eternity.
Through the fog far away I could see some small lights, I headed towards them, hoping that they were people, but a voice made my deepest fears come to the surface.
-I told them not to go into the forest.
Behind my back I saw that ghostly woman again, a flickering blue colour.
-Why did you mention that she...?
I took a step backwards out of fear, and fell down a ravine, hitting rocks and branches until a bush broke my fall.
I writhed in pain for a few seconds, once I checked that I was ok, I got up, the fog had disappeared, it started to rain, in front of me there was a small village illuminated by small torches.
-Where the fuck am I, shit my head?
I touched my forehead, it was bleeding a bit, I probably hit my head in the fall. I approached the village limping, the fall had damaged my right heel, once I got there, I didn't know what I was seeing, the constructions of the houses were... old.
Nowhere could I see any electric lights, or any sign of technology, only strangely dressed people running in the pouring rain.
I asked a lady who was running past me to get out of the rain.
-Excuse me, ma'am, where am I?
The lady looked at me strangely.
-Sir, excuse me, I don't understand what you are saying.
The lady continued on her way, but what she said to me left me cold.
-Because she spoke to me in Old English, it wasn't a mixture of Irish and Old English.
The last thing I heard was thunder crashing in the distance of the village I was in.