The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 41: A Slumber Amongst the Flowers

Cocytus was standing just beside the bookshelf where the button I pushed earlier that could open the trapdoor was located.

He was looking at some book which he immediately returned to its place after seeing that I went out of the trapdoor. It closed behind me with a very quiet thud, the light from the chamber down the stairs was no longer visible.

With a deep sigh, I turned to Cocytus who was still waiting for me to say something.

"Finished with the patrol?" I asked then proceeded on sitting on a sofa from his little receiving area in this space. Really, I do not know how Cocytus managed to style and design his place. It seemed extravagant, but when I looked at it as a whole, it was not really. This place suited him just fine and the extravagance of this was paved by the fact that Cocytus was reasonable and logical, a little elegant too.

"Not jumping at the main topic, are we?" he asked me, a little teasing at the edge of his tone.

I shrugged while Cocytus continued on looking blankly at the bookshelf. I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling fatigued. There was an urge within me to just sleep off everything, but I do not know if I could do that. Should I just ignore and escape?

I sighed, feeling uncharacteristically out of my own self.

"What do you want me to ask you?" I asked in a lackluster tone.

I saw his lips pursed, maybe not knowing how to start it off too. Cocytus went to the nearest table and started to take off his gear. His knife sheat on his thigh was ripped off brutally and his gloves came off. On his waist hung the simple yet very elegant blade of his which he also took off and just hanged on the wall like a display in a museum.

"You saw her, of course," Cocytus said seriously. "And you saw the inside of her mind. Someone meddled with her, someone who's not a very experienced Weaver. The Deities, even the great Seer that possesses the clairvoyance Sight, don't care about such trifling matters. A life, just one life, what is it really?"

"They did not want to go at great lengths to save her then," I surmised for the both of us what he cannot bear to say.

His foster father whom loved him more than his own father does not care and does not want to help him with this because he thought it a trifling matter. And even Eris, who was already struggling as it is, does not also want to be involved in this.

This was solely the responsibility of the Amitiels, the keeper of this Middle Ground. If they did not solve this, it was not the loss of the Deities. It was simply that they failed to do their job.

What intricacies these were and why they were this way, I cannot fathom to understand.

"Or to save any of the missing students," I added cruelly and just also went that way. "This is the jurisdiction of the Amitiel clan, your family. Knowing that someone would look into this case, of course the Deities would be rest assured that the Amitiels would actually look into it."

This must also be the reason why Haziel Imbert was slightly hesitant to take on the mission I assigned to the Eirini members.

"I know that, of course," Cocytus said, subtly agreeing with my statement.

I knew what he wanted to say but could not. The Amitiels do not have the power to solve this, even more so now that the Eirini and Haefen were both on their grounds. They have their hands full currently and the person who was being crushed at the very middle was none other than Cocytus who was helping me already and was also asked for help by his biological family for certain.

"How did you found her?" I asked him, ignoring the subtleties of what I implied by pretending that there won't be any more consequences.

Cocytus was taking his sweet time removing his vest, his back was in front of me. I heard him breathed out a deep sigh, and now I realized how his situation must have been putting immense pressure on him.

On his little shoulders were piles of responsibilities and obligations.

If I asked this cousin of mine to escape, would he actually accept? I silently scoffed at the idea. I never want to be haunted and hunted by the past again.

Instead of looking at Cocytus' back and the fluttering butterflies, I looked at the moon. Over the time that I have been inside the secret chamber of Cocytus, he has already opened the drapes and the lights have also dimmed like the glow of the butterflies that were following me.

When will he ever come back to me? I thought reminiscently.

"I thought that this would be an extreme confrontation."

Cocytus chuckled lightly while I still gazed at the silver moon emitting light to us. The sky was not so harsh tonight, only lightly dusting the place around with faint snow.

"It seemed you have underestimated me," I responded, reclining on the back of the sofa.

"It seemed that I have," he agreed to me then proceeded on getting into the details of everything. "The academy is full of temporal illusory fragments," Cocytus stated, "as you might have known now. Somehow, she was able to escape the illusory fragment. Maybe she found the key that will lead her out of the illusory fragment or snapped out of the illusion itself, I don't actually know. But when she got out, her mind was in a mess. The kidnapper must have taken cautions and attempted to fabricate a memory in any case any of their victims got out. That must be why her mind was in a mess."

I nodded, my mind coming up with what might have been the reasons of certain things and even what might have happened.

"The culprit must have wanted their life force," I concluded which made Cocytus nod his head in agreement. "They did not take her life because they are not done with her yet, instead they wanted her alive. The illusory fragment is created by the master of it to be utilized as a cage, like a seal, but it also siphons the life force of anyone who would get in."

"They have mastered the art of creating and manipulting of illusory fragments," Cocytus agreed, his voice was grim and low. "Much more than what is known to the Dalcanorian people and the magical community."

"How did you found her, Cocytus?" I repeated again, finding that he did nor directly answered my question earlier.

"I was patrolling the classroom wing of the academy a month ago," Cocytus said, "and I saw her stumbled out of one of the illusory fragment. A hand was even out of the illusory fragment, it looked like they were dragging her in. It took quite a bit of dragging before they let her go, but by then her mind was greatly damaged."

"You did not tried to mend her mind, did you?" I asked cautiously.

Cocytus looked at me with an incredulous expression, turning his body so he could give me the look.

"It cannot hurt to answer properly," I scoffed at him.

"I took out the projection of the flow of her mind," Cocytus started to explain, "and forced Leigh to take a look, but he said only a master Weaver could heal it and stitch back what has been ripped from her mind. Seraphin—" Cocytus walked to my direction "—if we, by any chance, healed Miss Adams then she might be able to point the real culprit."

"I am perfectly aware of what you wanted me to do," I told him, standing up from my seat. "And even if you do not tell me to ask Zachriel to mend her mind, I would still do it voluntarily." I evaded his greenish blue eyes, feeling slightly guilty. "If this happened because of me, then I am also responsible on finishing this up."

"Leigh said that her mind would deteriorate on its own," Cocytus shared. When I looked directly at his face, he was already staring at the entrance to his secret chamber— the trapdoor. "We need to save her fast, while we still can."

It did not snow violently, unlike the recent days, but I somehow did not sleep well that night.

The next day, every students were quite festive. The academy staffs have already put up the decorations for Christmas holidays and the announcement for the winter break also went out this morning. Instead of snow, rain pelted on the roofs of the buildings and everyone was annoyed with the change in the weather.

Though the people around me were happy and merry about going back to their hometowns, I knew that I would be stuck here for security purposes. At least I have some people to accompany me in my loneliness.

I was also hoping for something impossible to happen, but neither Leigh nor Eris foreseen Deo making any sudden appearance on the Christmas. I understood that, but my chest cannot help but feel heavy with his absence.

I huddled closer to my hoodie and ran the small distance between the buildings that held my classes. I also got a letter from the prefect that I need to go to the discipline's office to serve detention. I almost forgot about that since Tansy's presence's revelation.

When the prefect called out to me on my last class to give the letter of summon, he has a smirk on his face and I realized that he looked familiar to me. Familiar as in his facial features were something I have seen somewhere before.

Then I further realized that it was one of those boys I beat up. He must be that beaten up boy's older brother.

"I'd say that you're only getting off a heavier punishment 'cause of your connections to the owners," he hissed at me, spit and snot flying. It was very fortunate that I evaded it by moving a step back. "What are you? Cocytus' girlfriend?"

I almost gag at that, but he still continued despite having been evaded subtly by me.

"The gymnasium is wrecked by you two, you're quite the shameless b***h to even be here at all."

I nodded at him, thanked him for being the good delivery boy he was, and just began to move away from him. What a weirdo. But I did feel guilt for almost annihilating the whole gymnasium place. I still need to apologize for that. Leigh was the one who paid for everything, his company took care most of the things that would be needed and the academy, Headmistress Henrietta, specifically, was said to be grateful. That was based on what Cocytus told me and I hoped that was all and true.

It was a good thing that Zachriel would also be serving some detention with me. At least it would not be too difficult to seek him out and explain Tansy's condition. When I think of it though, I rather thought it was a little awkward for me.

Now I would be seeing first-hand what he did to me before be done to another person although this would be for the better of the patient's health.

It was to fix what that culprit did to her.

Since even the teachers and instructors were all slacking around, I decided to spend my time in the garden that Deo used to teach me in. My speculation that the place was touched with Deo's magic was actually true, I found out as I entered the garden's door.

The flowers were still fresh and blooming, and the little arch of the atrium was not even stained with any snow, mirroring the sky ever so perfectly. Not a single leaf was out of place, or at least to my mind. The butterflies that were following me immediately went out of their hiding spots within my clothes, reuniting with the other butterflies that stayed on this place.

It was peaceful.

I sighed, walking to the shade of the tree and placing my bag gently at the cradle of a massive root. I lied on the field of flowers, getting a gentle whiff of their scents, and closed my eyes slowly.

On that shallow slumber, I dreamt of something.

I was holding a man's hand, calloused and big. So big that it drowned my own hand. His hands were not the elegant type, not those long and thin fingered-hand. But they are strong and immovable like a boulder.

Then I looked around.

At a distance, there was a castle. A white cream castle with seven storeys and three towers. I saw the windows, even from afar, were shielded with heavy fabric drapes. There was a grand staircase at front of the porticos which were shaped in graecian columns.

"This very place," a deep baritone voice said, "is a place where once an earl lived."

The wind blew and splashed me with renewed and refreshing air that moved my blue skirt and my black hair that was twisted into two braids.

"Ohhh," I cooed. "A story! Tell me, Papa! Tell a story!"

"You really have a knack in history, my dear one!" the man said ethusiastically, an accent is evident in his tone. "This place holds a very ancient history. This place belongs to the late earl who had been killed, well not really exactly. The people, as one knew, can lack of the right intelligence to understand extraordinary beings. And mind you, he is an extraordinary man. But..." he paused dramatically.

I looked up at him.

His dark hair was as dark as mine, it was so dark it almost resembled blue. His eyes were an intelligent green pair, and when I looked into them I saw hundreds of things at once. Love. Passion. Wisdom. Intellect.

It was so astonishing.

My eyes travelled on his face. Unlike me with my small delicate nose, he had it in this high pointed way. His lips were also thin and also as red as mine. Lines were on the side of it, indicating that he always smile.

He have a kind and paternal looking face that soothed me and made me appreciate the place more.

This grass-covered lawn that was so perfectly kept. The refreshing wind that blew on my face which made my eyes water. The cool blue of the nearby lagoon. Even the brown trunks of trees and the different shade of color of green in the leaves. Teal. Parakeet. Mint. Dark green. Like his eyes, so pretty and beautiful.

"What is it?! What is it, Papa?" I exclaimed impatiently, leaning closer to him and gripping his hand tighter.

He smiled warmly, which made my heart feel more comfortable. The kind of comfortable when one was taking a lukewarm bath or deeply sleeping within a sea of blankets and pillows when the weather is too cold.

I smiled too.

"This man," he said slowly, anticipating every moment "the said earl—" my eyes widen "—was cursed!" I squealed.

"He is, Papa?" I asked innocently.

"Yes, my dear one," he said gently, "And the people thought he is a man of the dark arts. They thought that he is evil!" he said menacingly but in a good-nature way. "They despised him because he is beautiful. When a witch fell in love with him, she sacrificed her life to preserve him. It is a gift but also a curse. He became immortal, a never ending human. Time has left him, together with his loved ones until all that is left is only him. The villagers, because of fear and jealousy, banished him from the town when they found out that he cannot age. He became lonely and became an unmoving statue. Remote and beautiful but lonely."

The words that came out of his mouth are so vivid and crestfallen that it brought sadness in me. I started to wriggled out of him but he did not let me, instead he lifted me up in his arms.

I started to giggle yet again like a fool.

"Do not be sad, my dear one," he said when he finally put me down and patted my head. "Papa will always be here to protect you from the harshness of the world."

"You will?" I asked and I hold his hand in my two hands which looked awfully small against his. "Papa?"

"Yes, dear one," he answered and knelt down in one knee to touch my cheek. "I just hope..." He looked at me sadly, green eyes were despairing over something I do not know or was not aware of.

"What is it, Papa?"

"That you wouldn't be as broken as you are beautiful," he said seriously and clenched his teeth. "I just hope nobody will ever break you and leave you destoryed and ruined like the witch did to the earl."

I nodded.

"But Papa," I protested gently, "our body knows how to fix itself. Bones can mend itself even without help. Bleeding will stop, even if we do nothing else. And cuts will seal itself. Even if I break, I would not need anyone or anything to help me to mend. I think it is okay to be broken sometimes because our body would know how to fix itself."

"SeraphinFleur?!" a thin and high-pitch voice said from a distance "Adonai?"

A slim tall lady in a flowy sundress came running towards us. She was wearing a big woven hat. Barefooted, she approached us both.

"Let us eat! The food is ready." She finally reached us and put her slender hands on the man's shoulder who was still kneeling in front of me.

"Adonai," she whispered. "Let us go."

Erina Alaric' cheeks and lips wre so flushed and reddish to perfection due to the heat of the sun above that was being blocked by thick cluster of clouds. She was beautiful, too beautiful that I started to question if I was really her child.

"Mother!" I called. "Papa told me a story about the earl who used to own the palace!" Erina nodded attentively and looked at my father, Adonai Elliot. "Can I use the violin later, Mom?"

"Of course," Papa answered for Mom. "A lady should not be deprived of freedom to express herself."

Papa finally stood up and took Mother's hand which was awfully small against his hand too, just like mine. Though I know despite his muscular built, Papa's heart was soft and delicate. He knew nothing about violence. But their complexion, Papa's white-ghost pallor and Mama's rich brown complexion, match them to perfection which made me smile broadly.

Papa kissed Mother's forehead tenderly after hugging her into a bear hug and I also see love.

Of course I did not know those things before and they just came to me in a flash. I slowly opened my eyes, the butterflies were perched on my skin, maybe trying to comfort me. It was not cold earlier, but now it was and I shivered violently.

My face specially was so cold that when I touched it, I realized it was wet. There was a forlorn feeling in my chest, pressuring it down to smithereens. It was so great that I have to catch my own chest.

Sobs filled the garden. Not knowing how to comfort me, the butterflies left my skin and fluttered around, hovering just a few distance away from me.

"A-adonai Elliot," I whispered.

I have never known my father. Even I was not certain myself whether I have regained my memories of him before and I just overlooked it. This was the first time, I felt the warmth of my father.

And it pained me more to think that he was no longer of this world.