The Legends of Anigma: Ethiel Archer | ONC 2023

PART XXXVI

"Bravo! Commendable resolve!" The spirit clapped its hands, but then abruptly stopped. "However, flase bravado is only going to take you so far! It will not be easy. It will be hell. In the least. Ready?"

"Tell me what to do." Ethiel was unmoved.

"Do not say I didn't warn you," it shrugged, making an indifferent face. "First of all, as is obvious — you need to step inside. Only one of you is allowed, and I know that is going to be you — you are literally the only one who can still stand and have a tad bit of sanity more than the others. Your friends will remain here in the warm, lovely company of the forest. Worry not. The forest is not that bad, you know?"

"I can't leave Tifa and the others—"

"No negotiation." The spirit crisply clapped its hands and stopped Ethiel right there. "We are not bargaining, you see. Rules must be followed."

"But—"

"Ethiel..." Tifa interrupted him, still clinging to Lord Veer. "It is okay... Go... Just don't fail... brother..."

"Damn it..."

He shook his head, not wanting to leave her behind, but it seemed there was no other option. With great difficulty, he swallowed his ever-growinf fears.

"Alright."

"So indecisive. You need to think fast here, lover boy. Sometimes try to think with guts and instincts, not the top floor." The spirit pointed at its own head. Then, still sitting nonchalantly, swished its hands at the gate below.

A shudder roared as a slim line of white cracked open in the centre of the gate with a loud creak. Inward turned the gate, into the light, slowly pivoting out of view until all that remained was a bright rectangle of white, framed by the black of the forest.

Again, Ethiel was forced to cover his eyes as the light fell hard on his face. In a few blinks, they adjusted to the drastic change.

The light that streamed out of the gate extended all the way to him and beyond  indefinitely, laying a pane of blinding white partitioning the dark forest.

Standing in the ghastly spotlight, Ethiel felt intimidated. His heartbeat got faster and his dry mouth became dryer. He started breathing deeply.

The white carpet laid before him seemed to be leading into the blank, into the unknown that possibly harboured the worst the forest could throw at him.

"Wait..." Ethiel help up his tired, limping hands. "Just... give me a minute..."

"Do as you please. It isn't me who is suffering the whispers anyway." The spirit yawned, snapping its fingers over its gaping mouth. "But do be quick, I'm getting bored."

"Thanks..." He turned to look at his companion.

Each of them needed either immediate attention or good rest. Lord Veer was still unconscious; Maya was muttering without logic and shrinking into herself with fear that reflected in her frightful bloodshot eyes that had grown tired of crying; Red Wings was battered mentally, shivering like an Earthquake; and Tifa — the little girl who barely feared anything but insects — found fear in every whisper and view around as she clung to Lord Veer and scanned the whole place with wide-open eyes that refused to blink. It hurt deeply to see each of them — even Red Wings, for some strange reason he couldn't understand.

Leaving them behind in that hellish forest was something he couldn't bring himself to do. His fears railed against his decision, a tug of war between what felt wrong and what needed to be done. It took a brave, broken heart to reinforce his decision enough to ignore his fears.

"Red Wings..." Ethiel called in a whisper, saving his energy.

The glaring eyes of Red Wings met his and held them in a shaming stare.

"Could you... Could you look after Tifa... till I come back?" The request felt odd coming out of his mouth because he couldn't make sense of saying that to a being as selfish — he thought — as Red Wings.

No words returned. Just the same stare.

"Please..." He pressed.

Red Wings turned away and staggered back to Lord Veer's motionless body.

A tear of hopelessness sprung yp in Ethiel's eyes, blurring his view until he rubbed it off.

Suddenly, Red Wings spoke, his voice tight and stern. "I don't know how longer I can hold. You come back soon, boy, or else I will not need my powers to burn you down."

Whether that was a nod or whether that was just him thinking for himself, Ethiel couldn't understand, but he didn't say no to the request of protect Tifa. That meant something; that was what Ethiel needed.

Tifa seemed to have closed her eyes, resting her little head on Lord Veer's chest, her grip tight around his furry body. Lord Veer, even in his deep sleep — or whatever had happened to him — was still a beacon of hope for her and even for Ethiel himself.

He couldn't bear such a smothering scene any further. His pain made him swivel fast on his heels and trudge through the gate.

On the other side, he was welcomed by a blank space of blinding brightness. He heard a loud thud as his hands rushed to his eyes' aid. When he looked behind, peeking through the narrow slits between his fingers, there was no gate; there was only the blank space. But he didn't spend any second to worry over that, he didn't get to. All the whispers stopped. The intrusive thoughts within and without his head vanished. Those morbid feelings fled. The fragrant air was a bliss to breathe in. His entire body, soul, and spirit fell into a state of heavenly peace and relaxation.

Ethiel dropped to his knees and breathed deeply. A flood of tears flowed out of his eyes. The torture had just come to an end. He felt his face involuntarily twist and turn as sorry whimpers escaped his quivering dry lips. He found himself crying and he couldn't stop.