Almost Near The Truth

Celphi’s eyes dared to convey a pleading desire. A statement of vulnerability and willingness to do anything for me.

’Except for telling the truth!’ I followed up with a matching scowl. His eyes reminded me of my earlier whimpering over his touch. I yielded and hid my face in embarrassment.

I kicked him, and I got myself in that position all on my own. What was I thinking, imagining other things? Well, he did kiss my foot! Aargh! Forget forget!

A minute of shut-eye, and maybe some prayers to gather myself, did me wonders.

‘So, where are we going? What’s the plan?’ I asked as I shifted and adjusted myself within his secure bridal carry.

’There is a chance we lose him in this thicket. However, from memory, ever since childhood, he always had a keen sense of hearing.’ Celphi said as he mulled over ideas.

Ease washed over me as he finally relented on the case of me being weak for him.

For now, that I know for certain.

’What are our chances of escaping?’

’Mede is a lover of nature. He will not come in close contact with anything that could catch fire while he is burning up. We can hide and run around the vast forest for a while, but that won't last forever.’

‘What is he even? Why is he on fire?’

‘He’s a phoenix.’

‘Excuse me, he’s a what now?’

Well, it makes perfect sense! Fire. Grace. Intelligence and all that. Yeah. Love it. Next time I will write a journal, I will make sure to add details like Mede is FREAKING PHOENIX! Oh. My. Goodness. Raiona…

‘What happens if he catches us?’

‘I would fight him until there is only one of us standing.’

I mean, at the same time, I have only ever met Celphi, a megalodon of a flesh-eating spider, and three fairies. How am I supposed to know there is a possibility of a phoenix? Sigh. This is what I get for reading only medical textbooks. My imagination is so limited. I am not coping with this at all. Wrong person to be sent to a world like this.

‘Do you have to?’

‘Are you ready to accept your princess role?’

‘Do I have to?’

‘Are you ready to go to the kingdom?’

Fighting back tears, ’Only if you’re coming with me’, I said with resignation and almost whispering.

I’m sick of it all. Of not knowing. Of running. Just get me back to earth. With this man. I am taking him with me.

’Is there something you want to tell me?’ Celphi inquired, his eyes searing with anticipation.

I will miss this guy, though, if I do manage to go home.

He paused and loosened his grip on me, just enough to look into my eyes and see my face unobstructed. There in the middle of nowhere, where the air was cool and still, where only pin-prick lights cast, I felt a new emotion rising within me. This time, I was ready to face him.

It was as if a jolt of electricity sparked between us. It was my first time noticing Celphi’s perfectly shaped lips. Looks soft and inviting. My mind was filled with thoughts of feeling them.

I mean, I already did, but it’s different now.

His lips turned up in a soft, gentle smile. His grip on me tightened, closing the gap between us. His body strong and reliable. Our excited hearts are jumping in sync. My gaze fluttered to his warm and vulnerable eyes. Tender from affection and longing.

Mmm…ok…My real first one this time.

In that moment, something unspoken passed between us. Need, understanding, maybe something more. As my eyes slowly shut, my arms coiled tightly around his shoulders, eager to reach him. To feel him.

*SWOOSH*

Violent whooshing disturbed the leaves. The glaring light attempting to break into the dimly lit thicket broke our locked eyes, ruining the mood. I was so scared by the shaking of trees that I thought I had to go through the same flash flood.

I looked back at Celphi, my eyes accusatory.

This is your fault.

His laughter rang out throughout the forest.

Why was I the only one irritated by the continued intrusion in our moments, huh?

'He is desperate,' whispered Celphi. ‘He is trying to break in through the trees.'

The aerial assault on the trees continued like a vacuum trying to suck out dirt from the carpet, and we were the fleas. Celphi carefully selected a secluded shelter under a massive root system that formed into multiple caves.

Any light barely touched the rocky entrance that Celphi selected. The cave entrance opened before us like a dark mouth of interwoven ancient trees and thick soil.

The cave yawned before us like a mouth carved into the ground. Dark, and ancient. Its entrance was jagged, uneven, the gigantic roots below twisted like rotting teeth, gnashing silently in place.

Uhuh yeah. This side would look like it would hold itself in case the world opened up and started sucking floods and land again.

Glistening purple mosses covered the bark of the trees and through to the of the cave, like strands of vines, swaying ever so slightly in the breeze. The ground at the threshold dipped steeply, like a tongue pulling inward, slick with mud and old leaves. Thick with the scent of damp soil, wet stone and something older.

Stepping inside was terrifying. The light behind us faded quickly, swallowed by the walls of vines that closed in like it was meant to swallow us.

‘Are we supposed to be here?’ I whispered.

Despite being in the dark, what I could see of Celphi’s face showed a hint of familiarity and adventure, maybe relief?

The sound of the forest dulled, along with the constant swishing of air that followed us at a safe distance. All muffled by layers of ground and roots. Until all I could hear was the faint drip of water echoing in the dark and our breathing.

‘Can you see fine without proper light?’

He nodded. Well, I felt it. Even if I couldn’t see it.

Ah! So the underground root system is where all the water could go to flood and take chunks of land with it. This side looks like it would hold in case another one of those happens. What if one of those does happen again while we are down here?

‘Huhu.’ A valid excuse to hug Celphi tighter.

Travelling in the darkness made it hard to determine how long we’ve been pushing on, maybe hours, maybe only 15 minutes. Despite the erratic terrain, Celphi’s grip remained unchanged as he carried me effortlessly through it all.

He moved with a confident ease, his strides, or slithers rather, sure and steady. Now and then, he would pause to adjust his grip on me, pulling me closer and shielding me from obstacles in the path.

We’ve passed through some wide passages, squeezed through huge bizarre rock formations, slowed down just a bit when passing bizarre shining plants, giving me a chance to see things in the dark.

I hope there’s more of that light. It’s scary and damp in here. Smells very muddy and herby.

He snipped a twig with the most illuminating leaves for me. That would help me see something somehow.

There he goes reading my mind again.

His grip on me tightened. I didn’t mind, in fact, I welcomed it. As Celphi raced into further darkness, my mind raced even faster into a realisation.

Put me down.

‘You must be very tired.’ He stopped to put me down gently.

Did I say that out loud?

I was placed gently on a huge root, but my arms won’t let go. I want to be wrapped around his shoulders. I was too afraid of being in the confines of darkness and the unknown. I was too afraid of letting him go.

He placed a leaf on my lap. One of the shining plants that he snipped on the way. But in orange.

I didn’t see that earlier.

When I let go of him to take the leaf, he managed to fully let me down. I’ve been tricked.

Please don’t let go.

‘I will never leave you. Ever.’ Celphi said as he pressed himself against my back, his arms on my shoulders, so I was leaning on him.

No doubts. He can hear what I am thinking.

‘How do you hear the words in my head?’

‘I do not hear words, but I can feel how you’re feeling, for as long as you allow me to feel it’.

Alrighty, must be a skill thing.

The rush from continued running, paired with the fear of being away from Celphi, plus the intimate moments on the top, made it easy for me to speak.

‘Celphi, after spending more than a week with you, after surviving that flood, without having you to save me, accidentally poisoning you, and now, you making sure I don’t get taken away against my will, I have come to appreciate your importance and that I won’t survive for as long as I did without you.’ I said so fast and with a beat that almost sounded like a rap.

‘I do not know why I am in this world, but if I am forever stuck here, I wouldn't mind staying with you. Is what I want to say.’

I did not see his face. The absence of light was unhelpful. Celphi transformed into his full serpent-like form and wrapped his entire body around me before I finished speaking.

Sly. He wanted to show his feelings without showing his face.

I hugged him back. As much as I can hug layer on layer of a massive creature wrapped around me like a tinsel on a Christmas tree. With the tinsel being around a foot wide in girth and maybe 5 meters or more in length?

Serenity lasted for a few seconds before we both got startled by a deafening squawking, almost a warning, from above us.

’Birdie must know we are down here.’ I speculated as I raised the leaf to reveal the roof of the area, which was the bottom of an old tree encapsulating us like a cathedral, with its extensive roots that went on for 10 meters or so.

Celphi laughed. ‘You sound like Raiona.’

’Both of you seemed so sure that I am her. Maybe I am her. Maybe she’s inside me somehow.' My tone sarcastic. ‘She's what you want from me, isn’t it?’

’It doesn't matter anymore. You are living a different life now. You should be free to decide as you want.’

’I want to know the truth, Celphi.’ I raised up a lighting leaf to see better, meeting his gaze. ‘Tell me everything. Tell me why you can’t be honest with me, truly. I will understand your reasons.’

With a heavy resignation on his shoulders, he inhaled deeply and readied himself to speak, but a blinding light accompanied by a deafening screech overwhelmed my senses.

*SNAP. CRACK. WHOOSH*

The violent gust of wind hit us like a wall. Rendering me immobile and pinned to the ground. I couldn’t even raise my arm to Celphi. My voice was drowned out by the howling wind that is keeping us apart. I watched in horror as he was lifted higher and higher by the force of the wind.

Once my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I saw him on top of the trees to my left. Unwounded and furious.

To my right hovered Mede. His fiery wings blotted out the sun, casting a golden halo around his silhouette. Shades of red, blue, orange, and a hint of pink exude from him like an aura. He looked like a divine being. Majestic, noble, terrifying.

Mede caught me looking at him. He motioned with his hands towards me. Before I could react, two winged figures dove toward me.

It’s just never fucking ending is it. At this point, despite being brought up by nuns, I am allowed to curse.

I ran towards Celphi.

Celphi leapt to intercept them, but Mede blocked his path. With no other option, I headed into the forest..

If they uprooted a whole tree or two, then there is little reason for me to run and hide. They can just uproot the entirety of the forest until I am left with nowhere to hide.

But then a nagging hidden question made its way to the surface.

What if I weren’t being hunted, but rescued?

‘Argh! I don’t even know why I’m running!’, I shouted into the chaos. ‘Why won’t anyone just tell me the truth?’

I screamed and cursed as I kept going as far as my legs took me. My next captor's presence pushed me deeper into the dark and dense forest.