Special Chapter 29: The Lost Days in The Dark Forest of Aubrianne
Theses are the lost three days Dorin spent with Damien while waiting for Seb to wake up inside the Dark Forest of Aubrianne.
* * *
“You are awake.”
Dorin turned around and gets face to face with the tall groundskeeper.
“Where are we?” He asked, “Why have you taken us here?”
“This is my abode,” replied Damien Wolfsbane. “We are in the centre of the Dark Forest of Aubrianne.” he looked at the boy in front of him who stood in a defensive stance. “Do you know why the Dark forest is called so?” he asked the child.
“They say that the holy night Aubrianne once signed a truce with the fairy folk here.” Dorin answered “There is untapped magic in the woods, but the fae refused to let people use this power for destruction, so Aubrianne suggested that a University should be built on the tableu, where persons of all walks, races and believes can come together and share their knowledge.” Dorin looked proud of himself. “I read that from a pamphlet when I arrived in the University.”
“I see,” replied Damien, “So that is what they tell the students now-a-days.”
Damien walked inside the hollow and looked at Sebastian who still lay sleeping on the furs. Dorin stood between them and stared heedfully at him.
“The Silver Tongue is still healing inside.” said Damien. “The caladrius have closed his wounds but it would take some time before his lungs recover.”
“You have a caladrius here?” Dorin asked, his brows raised.
“Yes, she has already healed your shoulder injury.” He kneeled beside Seb, Dorin moved aside hesitantly. “You can leave as soon as you are able.”
“Then, I can leave any time I want?”
“Yes.” Damien looked up at him, his face, unreadable. “As long as you are willing to leave this one behind.” He motioned at the sleeping Seb who had a pained expression on his face.
Dorin opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He feels fine, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with his body, there was no reason to stay. But Sebastian was still sleeping. And he has never seen a real caladrius before.
Perhaps he can stay for a while? Just until he meets the caladrius.
“I’m not really in a hurry,” he told the groundskeeper, “Can I meet the bird who took care of us?”
“She’s on her way back,” Damien replied, “she shall arrive as the rays of the sun touch the earth.” He looked at the open hearth where a pot of porridge was cooking. “You must be hungry.”
Dorin’s stomach grumbled even before Damien’s words were finished. He felt embarrassed as Damien handed him a bowl and poured some porridge in it. “Thank you...” he mumbled, “For the food... and for helping us.”
Damien kept silent. They ate this way until Dorin had his fill. He was about to speak when he heard the sound of hooves on stone. He looked at the entryway and saw the centaur enter the hollow with a pale child riding on his back.
“Good morrow, Damien.” called the centaur.
“Good morrow, Horatio, Azra.” replied Damien.
“I see one of them has awakened.” Horatio nodded at Dorin who nodded back.
“Good morrow.” Dorin greeted the two new comers.
“How is my liege today?” asked the pale child.
She was dressed all in white and wore a small golden crown on her head. Her hair, a mixture of strands and feathers, was tied in a high ponytail which trailed down to her back.
“He still sleeps a bit fitfully, though his external wounds are all healed.” Damien turns to Dorin. “This is the caladrius Azra,” he said. Azra nodded briefly at Dorin, her pale pink eyes flashing, she then went straight to Sebastian’s side. “As you can see,” he added, “she has gotten very attached to the young Silver Tongue.”
Dorin watched as Azra stared at Seb’s body.
“She’s a little girl...”
“A caladrius can take human form,” Damien replied. “As long as there is enough magic for their form to manifest.”
“I am full,” said Azra, turning around to face them. Dorin noticed that the girl’s eyes have turned blood red. “I will be back.” Upon saying this, the bird child stretched out her arms which were immediately covered with feathers. It folded to envelope her body which shrank to the size of a large white bird, its head topped with a ring of golden feathers.
“She’s going to release the pain,” said Damien. “She gathers them in her eyes and releases it by staring at the sun, thus the caladrius turns blind as they age, and can only see again when ever they take in the pain from other people.”
“For a little while, at least,” said Horatio.
“But that pain, does it not affect them?” asked Dorin with concern.
“Yes,” replied Damien. “But what is pain compared to seeing the world around you?”
“And to think that the more pain they hold in their eyes, the clearer their eyes can see,” Horatio smiled bitterly.
“But Azra chose this,” Damien sighed, “she is the youngest in her family, yet she was the one who answered the call, and she is also the one who chose the young Silver Tongue.”
Dorin looked at Sebastian. He seems to be sleeping more peacefully now, and the crease between his eyes have disappeared.
“I believe you are supposed to leave today,” Horatio suddenly asked Dorin, “Right after your Photography class?”
“Yes, but... I can’t just leave Sebastian behind...” Dorin replied, surprising himself. “I think I should stay until he wakes up.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay in university, Golden Child?” the centaur asked. Dorin looked at him questioningly.
Damien stared at Horatio.
“Dorin may not have a choice.” he said, looking back at the boy in front of him. “But perhaps he can talk his mother into it.”
“I don’t think it would be that simple.” Dorin laughed.
“I know.” Damien smiled thinly. “Well then, since you’re already here, perhaps there are a few things we can teach you as well.”
“That would be my pleasure!” Dorin beamed.
“Good,” replied Damien. “But first, you need something to wear.”