Love, War, and Flight

Chapter 11 - The Graveyard and Training

“Oh my God. I’m sorry.” Aaron wrapped me into a comforting hug. “That must suck.”

“Yeah. Nobody’s life turned out more worst then mine.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” We broke apart from there hug and Aaron started to walk me home. “I didn’t know my parents either.”

“Oh, that sucks.” I muttered as I started to fly down, but saw Hulinya in the distance. “Um, can we go somewhere else first?” I asked suddenly. “I have to go visit my mother.”

“I thought you said she was dead.” Aaron remarked, looking at me funny.

“Yes, but she’s at the graveyard.”

“Oh… um, okay, if that’s really what you want to do.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“The place itself is… well, you’ll see for yourself.”

I followed behind Aaron as we flew to the area where Hulinya Waterfall was, and flew around to the side. There was a chill in the air, unlike the usually sunny Tanyela. The area itself was between the Winged and Wingless territory; it was darker, with old, rotted trees, and some very old buildings, but only a few. There were dark tombstones that formed rows of lines, going far back, almost three hundred feet, and seemed to be in order of when they died. There was a small section in the back, with only a few tombstones. There were no other faeries around.

“She said she was in the back somewhere.” I said as I started making my way to the back. Aaron started on the left side, I started on the right, and made their way to the middle. I couldn’t find it over all the rows.

“It’s not here, Calia.” Aaron said, ready to give up.

“Wait! We haven’t checked those in the back yet.” I said, pointing to the few that weren’t in the rows. I walked back and examined them. The third one in caught my eye.

FERIA, 26. DIED FROM A WINGED ACCIDENT. BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER.

“Mom…” I muttered, on the verge of tears. I didn’t know why I felt like crying. Maybe the fact that I would never meet my Mom until I would die. Maybe the fact I didn’t know about her until a half hour ago. Maybe the fact that it was my fault she died.

Aaron wrapped me up in a hug again. “At least she knows you know about her. She couldn’t have been happy that all these years you didn’t think you had a mother.”

I broke apart from him. “I’m the reason she died, Aaron! The Queen told me. She sacrificed herself for me.”

“You were, what, one? You couldn’t have done anything.”

“Damn, I wish I could remember!” I screeched, avoiding his gaze.

There was a single rose in front of her grave. It was grey and withered, and looked very dead. Aaron lifted his hands, and then, some soil, out of nowhere. The soil turned healthy and floated there for a second as the rose seemed to levitate on its own, and a hole magically began to dig by itself, right in front of the grave. The rose was place into the hole, and the floating soil surrounded the roots. The flower began to revive itself as well, bringing it to a really pretty red, and the stem turned to the natural green it was supposed to have. Aaron put his hands back down to his sides.

“How’d you do that?” I asked him, staring at the rose in amazement.

“My Magic. It’s Earth.” Aaron replied simply.

“Oh…” I trailed, amazed at his power. “I thought there weren’t any students who had a Rare. I thought there was one other person...” I trailed, and he stared at me stupidly. “Duh. Thanks. I bet my Dad left that for her.”