Echo of a Kiss; Kiss of an Echo

He straightened up as soon as the brambles had loomed before him, soon extending his hand. Trying to use his power. Though no matter how hard he greeted his teeth, no matter how much his fingers shuddered… Nothing happened.

     Nothing could happen.

     Not there, where there was not an ounce of earth. Not in this cage of brambles.

     Futile resistance. Releasing the pressure in his hand, he folded his fingers against his palm. Lowering the only hand he had left.

“And now? What am I supposed to do?” He thought. “I can’t fail here… it would be so ridiculous.”

     Though even before he could outline another gesture, the brambles began to swarm, to tighten their embrace… compelling Henox to recoil. Above his head as well, the gap waned, threatening to disappear.

“Ridiculous, heh?”

      In a few moments he would be torn to pieces by the thorns.

     Ridiculous.

     Barely he had found something of interest in this world that it was about to be obliterated along with the latter. His efforts to protect her from it were in vain. Irony was savoury, after all.

     A sneer shaped over his features. Was the goddess watching this little performance? Well, well, he hoped that the scene was fitting her taste.

      Making a few more steps back, he leant down. Sitting against a thorn, on the ground. A motionless bramble.

“I see. It was in vain, after all.”

***

“We have to go and pick them up…”

     The situation making him nervous, Tomoo was twisting his hat between his hands. It had been several minutes since the sorcerer had left the ship. Minutes becoming too long while the Fairy’s Hope continued to cross the sky.

     Even the Loireag, usually of a great calm, glanced with concern underneath. A folded finger pressed against her lips.

     Though they wouldn’t have the opportunity to worry about them for long.

     A tremor.

     Tomoo lost his balance.

     The ship slammed on the brakes. A grinding reached their ears. The wood moaning, held back against its will.

“What’s happening?!” Lennac exclaimed.

     If most of the brambles simply slid against the ground, others rose to the sky. As the one which just hindered the progress of the Fairy’s Hope.

***

“Look at this. The great sorcerer, Henox, conceding defeat.”

     The glow she seemed to emit lit the prison of brambles, allowing the semi-darkness to bathe the sorcerer’s face. Though the latter kept his eyes closed.

“You accustomed me to more resilience.” She added, keeping her arms crossed. “Seems that she didn’t hold this much importance for you after all, this little girl.”

     Silence.

“But sure. I have to admit this world doesn’t seem to appreciate you a lot.”

     A sneer.

     His.

“Truly… You kept on tormenting me until the very end.”

     Usually, he wouldn’t have bothered to address a mere illusion.

     An illusion?

“To torment you, you say. I guess you can see it this way.”

     Still, one thing had intrigued him. This was probably his last chance to ask the question.

“Why did you show me the path to find Gretel? Only to see me fail?”

     No mocking laughs.

     No biting remark.

     The sorcerer raised his eyes at last, so he could meet her gaze.

“I never said I wished to see you give up.”

     Straightening, Griselde enclosed Henox step by step until stopping in front of him. Then leaning forward to his level, an insolent smile on her lips. Her wrists pressed against her knees.

“You even want to take my secrets from me? How indecent…”

     He didn’t answer. His annoyed expression spoke for him.

“Very well,” she answered while reaching out her hands towards him to cup Henox’s cheeks “but in return, you’ll have to make me a promise.”

     And, leaning forward, she leant her forehead against his. Closing her eyes.

     Her hands didn’t cause any pressure. Her contact was barely more perceivable than the wind against his skin.

     In turn, he closed his eyes.

***

“You’re a big boy, and you’re still playing with dolls? Say, you have time to waste.”

     The first time I saw you, I found you so foolish that I didn’t even consider killing you. You seemed not to be concerned at all by my presence. With your little expression more offended than else, as I prevented you from focusing on your little stone dolls.

     It was too tempting to keep on infuriating you.

     To be fair, it was even more pleasing than misleading the beings devoid of magic to the chasms.

     Who would have believed that one day I would so far as to promise a man I wouldn’t lead any to the void? That I would befriend him.

     In truth, I never believed that you would one day achieve to bring your brother back from the dead. Life never gives back what it takes away. It’s greedy, and no matter how much time you have, there are some things you can never change.

     But I like the way you persisted.

     To never get discouraged, to struggle vainly without ever giving up. You were ready to spend the eternity over it if needed, if only you acquired it. It was absurd. It was human.

     It was charming.

     I ended up hoping that you’d acquire immortality. Not for you to have the time to accomplish a doomed project.

     But because I wanted us to be equal.

     However, as years went by you continued to search for that time without ever finding it. I began to dread that you would disappear without achieving to obtain eternity.

     It was a feeling I didn’t know. I thought it was dedicated to the beings devoid of magic. It was something taking too much space, even though I hadn’t allowed it to.

     I had an idea to get rid of it, but I knew you would be against.

     So, when a morning I found by chance the body of a child at the foot of the cliff, I saw it as a sign.

“What did you do… Griselde?…”

     Hearing your voice, I first froze.

“You betrayed our promise. Cursed Gwyllion…”

     Your voice was tinted with disdain. But there was something else. Disappointment, wasn’t it?

     I turned towards you, merely casting you a smile.

     It didn’t take long before your anger took the upper hand, before you tried to kill me. Anyway, you were always eager to pick up a fight. A whim? Perhaps because your brother lost his life for not being strong enough to defend himself.

     The hardest thing was to fight you without you noticing I was holding back, waiting for you to deliver the final blow.

     When I felt your blade slid to my heart, I felt freed from a weight.

     Was it enough human to be coward to the point I refused seeing you die before me?

“Henox…”

     I had enough breathe left to murmur near your ear, clinging to you. Already feeling my hands tremble, their control slipping away from me.

“Retrieve my skin,.. and craft with it a coat you would never take off. Whatever happens. It would bring you the immortality you yearn for so much…”

     My consciousness soon faded away. Barely I had hit the ground that I took back my bestial form.

     I only bemoan one thing… It’s not having been able to spend more time in your company.

***

Words failed him. Perhaps for the first time.

     Griselde had pulled her face away from his, enough to behold his stunned expression. She couldn’t bring herself to forgo an insolent smile. Though there was a hint of another feeling in her gaze when she leant forward to press her lips against his.

     He widened his eyes.

     It wasn’t truly her. She wasn’t truly there… It was but a fragment of her soul which remained to his side. To torment him in the most cruel manner.

     Echo of a kiss.

     Kiss of an echo.

     When she backed away it was to stand up, prompting the sorcerer to do the same.

     Neither of them did utter a word, letting themselves get lulled by the silence.

“What promise do you wish from me?” He asked her at last.

     She half-closed her eyes, tilting her head to the side.

“I want you to retrieve what you lost because of time. I want you to persevere in fighting until your last breath.”

“What an egoist…” He complained, his tone failing. “Anything to make a fool of me.”

     Though he didn’t refuse.

     Displaying a small satisfied smile, Griselde’s silhouette already began to blur.

     Although, before disappearing, she addressed him a few last words.

“You lost yourself, forgetting your memories with your brother. Don’t dare to forget me.”