Written by the Moon

5~ FOREST

It’s the chirping of the birds and the warm shine of the sun through my window that made my morning every day. That’s the way I started my morning with. But not anymore.

The grumble of the thunder and the repeating hits of light of the lightning from my window greeted me with a horrible morning. I laughed in dismay. I must be crazy. Why did I let myself be dragged here? When I said that this place is a nightmare, I underestimated my words. It’s hell here.

Before, I would wake up with the warmth the sun always gave me but now, I woke up with loud thunder. Every thunder, the walls would shake. I don’t know why I’m still alive.

And the worst part is, I haven’t slept at all! Since the day I came here! I don’t know if this is really because of the weather or this really speaks that Athanatoss is a living hell.

I was about to force myself to sleep for the ninth time when the door of my room opened revealing Mark. My forehead as I looked at him in a very weird outfit. More like the Athanatoss way of fashion. Different from my world. Mark is in jeans and a plain gray tee shirt. He looks totally different from his uniform and suit.

“It’s 10 pm, Nav. You need to get up,” he surveyed the room and his eyes then landed on me.

I jolted up and sat on my bed. It’s ten!

“It’s ten? But I thought it’s just six in the morning,” even their time here is weird. The sky is dark and gloomy yet it’s already ten in the morning!

“You know we never had storms in Paredes,” he said as he went closer and sat on my bed.

“I know, this is the worst place I could name of but seriously, who sleeps with thunder and lightning?”

And I know that as of the moment, my eye bags are full and big!

“We lived in a world of sunshine and flowers. They probably only had half of the sunshine and flowers, Nav,” it pains me more when I hear Mark’s voice full of patience. I wished I had longer ones.

I nodded slowly.

“So, breakfast is done?” my stomach grumbled as the thunder did too.

He chuckled.

“We haven’t eaten yet. They waited for you to get up from bed,” he then surveyed my room.

My eyes narrowed at him. They? Who?

“They?” I asked confusedly.

For a moment he looked offended at my question. He exhaled a long breath and recovered from his offended face. I looked at him curiously. I pouted when I realized that there are 3 other Acadians.

“You can be nicer to them you know?”

My face twitched at his words. As if it was my fault in the first place! I rolled my eyes.

“How can I be actually nice, huh? When the girl who tricked and pranked me several times since I was five is here. And what was her reason, Mark? Because I am different!” My voice almost cracked, avoiding every pain in those words.

I pursed my lips as I remembered those days back in Grande Paredes. I was five when Shampaigne started mocking me. Yes, Grande Paredes is not as clean as everyone says but definitely not as dirty as Athanatoss. I suffered for years because angels my age made fun of me. Just because I’m different. Just because I was eager for the Olympics. Just because I am not a normal Acadian.

It took a while for everybody to mature and accept me. It was hard but I appreciate their efforts to welcome me warmly every day. Especially Jell.

“She changed, Nav.”

I laughed hysterically. I licked my lips when tears were gathering already in my eyes.

“Yes, she changed.” I nodded repeatedly. I pointed my heart and made a fist with it. Mark’s eyes followed every direction of my hands. “But… the scar she gave me here never faded. It stayed.” I bit my lip to suppress a tear.

That morning, I stayed in my room. Mark brought me my breakfast. Two years ago, I told myself that I already accepted my life. And with that acceptance, I made a lot of promises to myself but unfortunately, I couldn’t fulfill those promises.

I wondered with so many thoughts. Now that I’m here, all I need to do is the mission. Finish it as soon as possible. I glanced at the side table of my bed. There, my pen in a glass box looked like a royal’s relic. I smirked.

If only I could go back to Paredes but my powers are now limited. I frowned and my head snapped to the door when I heard a knock on it.

“Not know, Mark—” I trailed off when a different person was waiting at the door.

My brows rose with interest.

“I don’t remember calling you here, Sham. Go back to your room.” I tried sounding nice, you know. I tried.

My eyes dropped at her hands and saw that she’s holding a tray of brownies and a glass of milk. I wanted so bad to smile and gleam in so much excitement but I remembered she’s Shamapaigne. I tsked.

She smiled nervously. The tray was slightly shaking as her hands trembled. I put on a poker face. She attempted to smile at me for comfort, I guess? But it failed when I didn’t respond to her smiles.

She slowly placed the tray at my bedside table. She put her hands together and looked at me with an embarrassed face. I eyed her but she avoided my eyes.

“I… I heard you like brownies with milk so I prepared them for you.” A hesitated smile appeared on her angelic face.

I glanced at the brownies and I hear my tummy grumble. I avoided my eyes to it.

“You hear? Or you asked Mark what I like?” I smiled sweetly.

She was caught off guard at my question. I knew it. She simply doesn’t care about me. She stumbled with words to formulate a sentence.

“I-I… f-fine, I asked Mark. I found out you didn’t even touch your breakfast so, you should at least eat some brownies. I made them.” She said just in her defense.

“You sure there’s no poison in that?”

“Nav!” now, she seemed upset by my question.

I raised both of my hands. Why does it feel like I am at fault now? I shook my head and just picked a brownie and had a taste of it.

Now, I regret eating a piece of it. I thought this woman can be trusted but absolutely not! I choked to death the moment the brownies melted in my mouth. No! since it entered my mouth.

This is poison!

I continued coughing and I just felt Sham’s hands caressing my back and shoulder. I groaned at her actions!

“You devil! You cooked that, right?” I still am coughing.

“Yes! I mentioned I made them for you!” she panicked when I didn’t stop coughing.

When the taste lessened on my tongue, I was able to breathe finely. I gasped air when I stopped coughing. I turned to her and shot her daggers. I moved away from her.

“Stupid! I almost died there! that tasted like rocks.”

Her arms trembled. She searched for words to probably reason out.

“I-I… Nav, I’m s-sorry…”

I hissed at her.

“Goodness! Athanatoss is different from our world. In Paredes, we wake up with food already prepared for us. You’ve never cooked your whole life so don’t expect to be good at it.” I said while panting.

“I’m sorry… My powers are limited so I couldn’t cook it perfectly.” She fidgeted with her fingers.

I rolled my eyes.

“At least try the milk,” in her sweet voice.

I laughed without humor.

“I don’t want to end up dead.”

She sighed in defeat and her shoulders dropped.

“I’m sorry, you know. F-for everything I’ve done for you. I’m really sorry.” Her eyes were full of… regret? Guilt? I wanted to roll my eyes at her but just decided not to.

This is not the first time she said sorry. The moment she realized what she did before was wrong, she begged for my forgiveness. I couldn’t give it to her. It hurt. But now, I guess I can be a little nice to her.

I remembered the brownies so I made a second thought about being a little nice. My shoulders dropped with my thoughts but my attention was directed to her when there was a sound. A ring.

I saw her take something in the pocket of her jeans. I pouted. In Paredes, we don’t wear jeans. The fashion or clothing here is weird in some ways yet comfortable. She took a device from her pocket. Well, to be specific, it’s a phone. This is the first time I’ve seen one. She clicked into it and directed it to her ears.

My brows raised in interest and curiosity. She answered the call. Is that even the right term?

“Yes?” she answered.

Why does it feel like she’s used to using that device?

“Okay, we’ll be there.” she then put her phone back in her pocket and looked at me with again, hesitation.

“What?” when she couldn’t speak for almost a minute.

I’m not patient. I’m an angel but I am absolutely not a patient one!

“Uh… they called us to the study. There’s a meeting.”

I nodded and sighed together.

“Didn’t you get a text?”

My forehead creased at her question.

“I haven’t used my phone so for that, I don’t know.” I smiled sarcastically.

I got off of the bed and pulled the drawer off my bedside table and took my phone. I pushed a button on the edge of the phone and it turned on. I manipulated it and swiped from left to right. I didn’t know phones are this fun. I clicked on an app and explored it.

I only got stopped when Sham coughed to get my attention. I raised a brow, annoyed at her for disturbing me.

“I think w-we should go. They’re waiting for us.”

We went to the study. I observed the house or whatever they call this place. It’s small compared to the dorm I stayed in in Paredes. It’s also dark here. It’s built of wood and every time I take a step, I hear it make a sound. This place is old.

In Paredes, the walls were white and sturdy. There’s no darkness except at night but the moon shines there brightly enough for us. Here? I’m already hating this place even before I got here. Now that I’m here, I hate it more to the core!

The door to the study was huge and grand. It didn’t look old to me. I think this is the first time Athanatoss impressed me. At least, their door is acceptable.

Sham opened the door and it revealed the other 3 Acadians and our mentor. Our mentor, Christiana, has been working as an Acadian mentor in Athanatoss for two decades. She’s an Acadian Angel and I wonder how she coped in here.

She greeted us with her warm smile. She must be in her early forties or late thirties. This is the second time I’ve seen her. The first was when she guided us here in Athanatoss. And today is the second time. I won’t deny it. She looks pretty with her curly hair up in a pony tale with her light make-up but heavy red lipstick.

“Please, take a seat.” In her soft voice.

I sat next to Markus and crossed my arms and legs. Christiana then sat in her chair in front of us. She looked happy looking at us. I sighed as she started speaking.

“Today, I will announce your official pairs.” I shifted from my seat and attentively listened to her.

She handed us five folders for each of us. I opened the folder and there I saw different profiles of Wolves. From different packs and clans. Some are younger and some are even hundreds of years old. I turned the pages as Christiana continued the discussion.

“In that folder are the possible pairs you’ll work on. You’ll find your names at the upper part of one of the pages. If you don’t that means you haven’t had your pair.”

I turned the pages and no matter how much I look for my name, I couldn’t find mine. I probably scanned the folder three times but still, there’s not a single name of mine.

“How about me? I can’t find my name here.” I asked when I surrendered in looking for my name.

Christiana sighed and started explaining.

“For that, you should wait for the Goddess’ signal.”

“When will that be?”

“Can take for 2 months. Sometimes five months.”

My shoulders dropped at her words. That’s taking a lot of time! If it takes that a lot of time, my plan won’t work. I won’t be able to leave here earlier than expected. I sighed.

Our meeting continued that night. When it finished, I went straight right back to my room. I lied in bed with a lot of thoughts. I massaged my temples in so much confusion. I messed with my hair a little just to feel a little relieved.

I sighed heavily and stood up. The folder fell as I stood up. I forgot that I placed it in my belly just a moment ago. It opened to a specific page. I picked it up and saw a male wolf’s profile. I tilted my head in curiosity.

He’s 20? Yet he looks mature for his age. I pouted when I read that he comes from a large pack. And that he’s a noble. He’s got a high rank then. I wonder if they are one of those high ranks that are corrupt in their government. I shook my head in disappointment.

He’s awfully handsome, I won’t deny that. Good for him. My eyes dropped at the bottom just at his name.

“Forest Castriel Alcazar,” I read as I looked into those deep set of eyes. It was menacing even though it’s just in the picture.