For the Journey to Continue

They looked at each other for a long while. Despite his uncomfortable position, Henox didn’t perform the slightest gesture. A certain amusement was even reflected in his smile. Not reputable, that was the label many would have – legitimately – used for him.

“There’s nothing in particular I am trying to hide. A hermit isn’t in need of any mask, you know. Nobody knows anything about me, so I don’t even have to conceal anything.”

“I see. In other words, you’re a coward.”

     Henox didn’t bother to react.

     Extending her hand towards him, the alchemist grasped between her fingers one of the rings hanging at the ears of the goatskin the sorcerer wore. It contained a coiled pattern.

“You wear a Gwyllion’s skin. An elven race. For you to be in possession of it,.. I wonder how it might have happened. Did you kill him?”

“And if that were the case, what would it change for you? Gwyllions aren’t generally benevolent souls, am I wrong? One more, one less. That isn’t what will stop the world from going round.”

“You don’t answer my question, Henox.”

     She held his gaze, decided to obtain answers. She, she had complied to what much probably was but a whim of his. Yes, people like him didn’t care for truth itself. They simply took pleasure in getting hold of it to better despise it. It was kind of a game, a game buried deep into a cupboard the moment they win.

“Unless you have something to hide, after all?”

     A laugh.

“This is it. This is me who killed that Gwyllion. That was a thousand years ago, by the way.”

“And since that time, you kept it. This skin. For centuries and centuries, it hadn’t left you. It has to hold a particular meaning.”

“Oh, you know, a magical being’s skin harbours many powers a human like the one I was could only desire. In your opinion, how is it possible that I am still alive today? I fought her and defeated her. I slid a blade into her heart and retrieved my prize.”

     His voice’s tone seemed nonchalant. No emotion punctuated it.

“What was her name?”

“Griselde.”

     After a long moment she spent looking for invisible answers deep within his gaze, Kemishi finally took back her paw from the sorcerer’s chest, completely taking back her human shape.

“Are you sure her death isn’t rather the fruit of your cowardice?”

     He widened his eyes. His smile partly gone.

     The answer she awaited didn’t come. Only silence wrapped them.

“I don’t think you’re lying. You don’t need to wear a mask, because you don’t even understand yourself, Henox.”

“You seem quite sure of yourself.” Henox pointed out while standing up.

     Approaching the water’s edge, Kemishi lowered her gaze towards it. She would need the sorcerer’s help to find the stone she was looking for. Though with the magic he possessed that shouldn’t be difficult.

“It’s been a thousand years,” Kemishi replied, glancing back at him “nevertheless, you still remember her name.”

***

They were mere footsteps away from the cottage they had left earlier, Kemishi’s bag heavy from the stones Henox permitted her to retrieve in a great amount. With that, she was sure to have enough of the matter necessary to craft her cures for a long time.

“There’s still a thing I cannot understand. Why not having looked for another phœnix’s help? Your father’s, for instance.”

     Her hand already on the knob, the alchemist turned to him.

“For how long have you been living as a hermit?” She wondered. “Don’t you know what they do to phœnixes, these days? They are no more what they used to be.”

     A grim expression hovered over her features until she opened the door, Gretel and Lennac’s voices’ echoes tickling her ears.

     Before he could ask any other question, Kemishi turned towards them. She made a few steps forward until catching sight of Lennac sat in bed, laughing joyfully with Gretel.

     Standing still, the alchemist was silent.

     It could seem stupid, and it was. Though she really believed she wouldn’t see him any more.

     At the very moment the two cheerful and carefree ones shifted their attention to her, Kemishi scurried at Lennac’s bedside, pouncing on him to take him in her arms, holding him close to her.

     Aghast, Lennac blinked as he noticed her tears.

“Well… Kemishi? What’s wrong with you?”

***

Once Lennac’s remedy was ready, a blend of red stone ground into a fine powder and other components deftly dosed, the latter was forced to drink the mixture which colour wasn’t without reminding blood.

     Letting the young man recover, Kemishi focused on preparing a substance that would allow to safeguard the little fairy’s wing. Both travellers had let her work in a peaceful setting.

     Stargazing outside, Henox was teaching Gretel how to recognise the constellations. They had settled on the cottage’s roof.

“Some keep glistening long after having extinguished.” The sorcerer explained.

“Heeh? Ghost stars do exist?”

“Errr…”

     The little fairy had begun to shake, worriedly glancing at the sky, where the nearing trees’ foliages veiled in and out part of the stars.

“I didn’t think even the stars could be scary…”

“They aren’t.”

     But Gretel wasn’t convinced.

“Lennac also told me scary stories. I am glad I don’t have to travel alone. You need to be too bold for that!”

     His eyes fixed upon stars, Henox didn’t reply.

“Ohh! He also showed me a map. There’s a place I would really really love to go to see! It was… mmm…” She tried to remember, the place’s name remaining beyond her grasp. “I’ll go to catch the map and show you the place, sir Henox!”

     And jumping down her shoulder, the fairy rushed towards the edge of the roof, sliding down an ivy’s stem.

***

“That’s it!!” Kemishi exclaimed. “This time it’s done.”

     Leant over her worktop – if we could have the greatness of soul to call it that – the alchemist displayed a wide grin, contemplating the gooey liquid a vial contained.

“Are you going to use it on her?”

     A voice arose behind Kemishi, almost making her jump while she instantly turned to face him.

“Lennac, you’re not sleeping?”

     His features were surprisingly serious. A seriousness Kemishi had barely ever known of him.

“Are you sure about it?”

“Uhh, yes. I have checked the result; it has the properties-”

“That’s not what I meant. Are you sure you want to use it?”

“What’s that…?”

     Closing his eyes for a while, Lennac took the time to gather his resolve.

“If I hadn’t been ill, would you have stayed by my side?”

     She widened her eyes. And didn’t dare to answer.

     Lennac made a step towards her.

“The story would have ended there, right?”

“I…”

“Do you think it is what she wants? A sick body, a torn wing, these wounds aren’t the ones that ache the most.”

     Inch by inch, Lennac got closer to Kemishi until facing her, so that she had to raise her eyes to continue holding his gaze.

“I ask you that Kemishi. What does matter the most? To heal or to keep by your side the person who heals your loneliness?”

     They looked at each other for a long while.

     It’d been long since he should have done so, since he should have spoken to her. He had always been content to play cat-and-mouse with her. Considering that she only saw his presence as a burden. But the truth. The truth was that he had merely lacked boldness. What an irony for a soldier…

     Now that he took the time to hold her gaze, he saw her eyes quiver, her delicate hands tighten against her chest. She held back from making the slightest move. But her eyes, they, they didn’t lie.

     Lennac leant forward, slowly. He reached his hand to encircle her waist, as to make sure she wouldn’t escape him any more… before kissing her tenderly.

     As silence fell, a small figure stood motionless at the corner of the wall. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t uttered a single word. An indecipherable expression upon her features, Gretel eventually stole away.