GRAVICTA

CHAPTER 20.

"Miss Filn, I don't think I've seen you around. Do you just stay in here painting all day?" Buttertooth asks and I realize that it's true. Today is the first time I'm seeing this lady.

"I haven't been here too long my dear. You could say I'm a wanderer," Miss Filn answers smoothly.

"A wanderer? Like you go out of the city?" My eyes widen as I adjust myself in my seat to get more comfortable.

"It's more complicated than that but I will explain everything because–" She pauses but then sighs and continues. "Because I need your help."

"Not to be rude ma'am but we barely know you. I really don't even understand why we came back here in the first place and now you need our help?" Buttertooth lifts a brow and folds her arms.

"Firstly, call me Filn. I am definitely not that old as you can see," she replies and we nod briefly before she keeps talking. "And secondly, I need your help because no other person can understand what I'm about to tell you two."

"What do you mean by that?" I question her this time around.

"You are the Priestess am I right?" She says and I stare at her for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"Yes, I am, whatever that means. What about it?" I say and she smiles.

"You really don't know anything, do you? Where is the chosen?" She asks.

I am about to reply but Buttertooth interrupts. "We aren't spilling until we can trust you."

"Fair enough," she says and gets up, looking at the both of us while smiling before she gently walks away. "I'll get some orange juice."

Once she's out of view, Buttertooth taps me. "I don't trust her."

"She seems like she knows what she's saying though. Should we leave?" I say and she shakes her head slowly, lost in her thoughts.

"As much as I don't trust her, I am really curious to know what she wants to tell us," she says but I don't reply as Filn walks back in with a tray containing three cups of orange juice.

"So where to start," Filn says and sits down, placing the tray on the table.

When she notices that none of us make a move to take a drink or say anything, she smiles. "I'm hoping you can trust me not to poison you."

"Well now that you mention it," Buttertooth says.

"Come on, don't be silly now," she says and her horrified facial expression makes me laugh.

"I was kidding." Buttertooth smiles and takes a cup and so do I.

"Thanks. Okay let me talk about the woman in the painting." She takes the last cup and takes a sip.

"We want to know about you and why you need our help first before talking about some painting," Buttertooth says and Filn smiles.

"We would get to that. It's all connected in some way dear," she says, making Buttertooth and I even more curious.

"Okay we're listening," I say and she takes a deep breath before placing her cup back in the tray and sitting properly.

"The woman you saw in that painting is the very first of her kind. Gravicta is divided into four parts and the middle of these parts is where the royal palace lies." She waits a little before she speaks up again. "The four parts are: the city of the Frees, the Fallens, the Forgottens and the Flightless."

"The four Fs of Gravicta!" Buttertooth exclaims.

"You've heard of it then." Filn laughs out but I am still confused.

"The four Fs of Gravicta? What's that?" I ask Buttertooth and she shrugs.

"I only heard it from someone. I can't remember though but it caught my attention," she answers briefly.

"Gravicta is a small planet originally created for the Frees. But things have changed and now there are four different cities in Gravicta," Filn explains and I nod in understanding.

"The lady in the painting is a Forgotten," she says. "In fact, she's the very first Forgotten to ever exist."

"Wow. Is she like evil or what? Cause the painting really looks kind of scary if you ask me," Buttertooth says and Filn shakes her head.

"She's only a Forgotten because she started learning sorcery. It's a big taboo in Gravicta because sorcery is simply using powers from hell," she says and Buttertooth flinches a bit.

"Definitely not evil then," I say sarcastically and Buttertooth nods her head.

"Don't misunderstand me. She became what she is due to certain circumstances but she hasn't harmed anyone. She's as normal as you both or any other normal person in this city." She shrugs.

"So, what was she before she became a Forgotten?" I ask and the light returns to her face.

"She was a Freestar." She smiles brightly but that doesn't stop the Goosebumps that appear on my skin.

Buttertooth looks at me briefly and I can see the shock in her eyes too. This whole story is only getting scarier, weird and is definitely complicated. But the scariest part of it all is that I believe these things are true. The Forgottens really exists and the very first of them was a Freestar just like me.

"How do you know all these?" Buttertooth asks the most important question yet and I nod in agreement.

"I am the second Forgotten to ever exist," she says with a very serious look.

"What?" Buttertooth asks with wide eyes but before she can reply, I have another panic attack.

The blood in my face drains and my heartbeat increases its pace for the second time today. I can't believe this is actually happening again. I adjust in my seat and clear my throat before trying to talk.

"You–" My voice can't come out clear and I choke. Buttertooth rubs my back and assures me that I'm fine.

"Try breathing in and out slowly," Filn says and I nod quickly before inhaling slowly but exhaling sharply. "Keep doing it and you'll be fine."

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" I can hear Buttertooth ask.

"She's experiencing what the chosen one is feeling. I think he is panicking and maybe in pain too," she replies and I get up immediately.

"We need to go see Mrs Purplestorm now!" I say and Buttertooth nods but Filn stands in front of us.

"You know Purplestorm?" She asks with shock.

"Yes, and we're going to see her right now," Buttertooth answers her, unsure of what to say. "Why?"

"This is good news. She's the person I'm looking for." Filn rejoices and picks her keys from a nearby drawer. "That's the favour I needed from you two."

"There's no time to ask more questions Butter. Zed is probably in trouble so let's go," I say as I make my way towards the door, leaving them to follow behind.

Flying over to Mrs Purplestorm's house immediately, I knock hurriedly and she opens up and looks at me before her eyes land on Filn. She doesn't seem to look shocked that we brought a stranger to her house as she opens the door widely for us to come in.

"Long time no see old friend," Filn says and Mrs Purplestorm smiles shortly with a small hum.

"Eva, we need to talk but I need you to calm down," Mrs Purplestorm says with a serious tone. "It's about Zed."

"We we're about coming to tell you that Zed might be in trouble," I say and she nods.

"Zed is no longer in this City."