Cassius and Hanaele brought me to a hidden place which growing plants and species surrounded by it. Right in front of their towering wooden gate, a logo of a fierce-looking eagle captured my sight. I think this is their logo. There were also four symbols behind it, which meaning confused me. It was a familiar writing style from ancient times, but they made it more creative this time with a fixed circle surrounded by the eagle that looked like an eye.
"You must be wondering towards something, Sophia." Hanaele placed her palm above my right shoulder as she noticed me starring above the gate. After that, she stood straight with both hands at her back while looking at that eagle symbol. Cassius went ahead of us with the rest of the people, which I did not know how to call them since they were wearing the same clothes, guarded him.
I looked down as I realized that I had not introduced myself formally to her. Also, the thought of Hanaele knowing my name without asking me sounded suspicious. I glared at her brown eyes with tiny eyebrows, which have a cute, round style at the tip. These beautiful eyebrows made her eyes look small but attractive. Her long eyelashes add up to her beauty.
I raised my head to her and asked, "Do you know me before?"
She answered casually, but she did not look at me. "It doesn't matter." It blew me out. By the way, she spoke, it seemed that she already knew me before. I mean, does she? This situation was driving me crazy. She does not give me the answer that I wanted to hear!
I positioned myself in front of her, making sure that she'll notice how serious I am with my question. Her unbothered reaction when she glanced at me did bring a slight irritation on my part, but even so, I continued.
I raised one of my eyebrows while crossing my arms. "Do you know my family? How did you know about my sister and me? Are you somehow related to our family?"
At this moment, her eyes went back to mine. Now, it looked cold and sensitive. I stood back, staring at her hair in two buns with those tiny strands that kept washing away with the wind and the same time, dipping at the side of her eyes. I can't accept the fact that her reaction caught me stilled. Her dignified posture, how she dressed, and how she made gestures, everything is perfect. By just observing her, I can sense that people here respected her so much.
It took us more than a minute to stare at one another. When a sound of heavy rock was being raised by the fellow people inside, Hanaele ended our eye contact. She instructed these men to make an assembly of which I couldn't understand what she was speaking.
"-Tell the Agilas to gather at their headquarters. We have an important mission to discuss." And now, she was talking about this mission again.
Lately, she caught me because of a mission, and now again? Seriously, what position does this lady have? I sighed in disappointment. Hanaele did not even bother to fill my curiosity.
There were a lot of things that she instructed from these uniformed men. I did not listen to what exactly she was saying. Plus, I was pissed because of what she did to me. I rolled my eyes and looked away while letting out air. "Tsk."
I looked towards those armored men, who were standing at every meter away from each other, surrounding the whole gate. They did not make any move. They stood straight while letting out their chest. I also noticed that this place is too vast. The grassy field caused an unusual feeling of separation from the actual society that I live.
Hanaele took about a while after she finally called me again. I thought she already went ahead.
"-Sophia, follow me." She said with a bold command. When I looked at her, it was clear to her face that she was solemn. Ah, if she was stressing herself too much with those tasks that she gave towards those men, then I hope she'll not include me with her headache.
They went ahead of me, entering this huge gate that looked too heavy for those men to pull it upwards. While looking at this organized crowd, lining themselves surrounding Hanaele, a naughty plan came to my mind. I smiled in sarcasm as I slowly stepped back away from them.
When they finally went inside, and the gate was about to close, I quickly ran away. To be frank, I don't like this place. I feel like it is uncomfortable to live behind the gate. Besides, I don't get the point of being here.
-
I was catching my breath as I leaned my back to a tall tree with a wide trunk. I held my knees while looking down at the bright soil. Damn, I did escape from them.
When I looked around, I found myself in the middle of a forest. It was full of bushes and growing different kinds of plants everywhere. There were also tall, captivating trees that made an umbrella from the sunlight. The chirping of those cute voices of birds was vivid in my ears. I closed my eyes and breathed fresh air. This feeling is what I need the most.
Later on, I felt the tree moving. I jumped because of surprised when I heard a voice from the back of the tree saying that I need to disappear. I quickly stepped away from it as I checked who that person was, but that voice wasn't there. I thought of running away again, but I stilled in nervousness when I saw a huge shadow in my way!
When I slowly turned my head to check what was that strange thing behind me, I cannot make any move! It was a moving tree!
Am I freaking dreaming?!
I screamed and ran as fast as I can while keeping myself conscious of the distance between that strange creature and me! But, no matter how much I tried to speed up, the tree's size was still the same! And it was still moving!
"Ouch!" I gasped when I found myself diving on the soil when I accidentally stepped on a medium-sized rock. I was still wearing my school uniform right now with an upper knee skirt, so it was no longer a surprise why my knee was wounded badly. When I raised my back and checked my knees, it was bleeding. My ankles even hurt! How unfortunate I am!
The shadow of the tree went nearer to me. I stilled in fear of what might this insane creature do to me next! I moved back using my hands while trying to stand. I could not stop wondering why this tree looked scary. Its dark feature of black, burnt branches and lava leaves made the skies gloomy. When I was trying to move to my right, those branches strike me from there. And so it happened the same when I did it from different directions. It has no mouth nor an eye, but it could see my movements.
But, what frightened me the most was when its left huge branch raised higher to gather a full strength, and probably would hit me alive. My body was shivering in tears, hoping for ways to escape. I felt unsettled as I looked around the forest. I embraced myself, covered my ears, and screamed my fear out.
As I screamed a fury, I closed my eyes when I slowly feel the tree's branch was about to crash my body, but to my utmost astonishment, the tree shrunk back to its original size. It became calm and green as a normal tree would look. But before it happened, I heard a swang of sharp swords making noises above.
What happened?
My hands were shaking as I took it off from my sight to see more of the situation. I was wondering if there was someone who interrupted, so I checked every high corner of every tree, but I haven't seen anyone.
So the tree was the one releasing back?
"You disobeyed my sister, didn't you?" A guy jumped from nowhere right in front of me. It was Cassius. I felt embarrassed as he caught me wounded. He walked closer to me while putting back his swords at her left.
"Next time, make sure that there is someone who will accompany you at any cost." He added as he stopped and lent a hand to help me stand. But, about what he said, did he think that I would do that, huh? Well, I dwell with my own mistake of escaping alone.
I reached my hand to him and balanced myself with only one stable foot. I watched my knees getting more hurt while still holding at his hands. I was glad that he was cooperative by making her arms strong.
When I felt much better, that was the time when I asked him about the tree. "What was that thing?"
"That was nothing." He replied instantly. It looked like he was used to seeing those stuff. My eyes widened with my jaw hanging on air because of his reaction. I stared at him with full emotions of concern and upset.
But, dang! I need answers! Why does everyone doesn't give me one?!