The night was cold and silent with not even the stars providing me with comfort. I followed the floating orb as it shone like a star itself. My mind began to wonder about how Anna's soulmate would be. I had no idea how she had imagined him but I hoped he was what she wanted. I hoped he was as kind as she was, with a good sense of humour just to hear her out of control snorting laugh. Anna had a precious heart and only someone who would protect it deserved to have it.
My mind wandered to Atlas. He promised me he would return and here I was on my own with no correspondence from him. I was too angry to worry about him. It didn't matter that we hadn't known each other for years; our souls had. Why couldn't he write a letter to me telling me if he was okay? I guess it didn't help that I left without Convel.
I sighed and physically shook my head trying to rid myself of the 'what ifs', back-and-forths and 'maybes' filling my head. I wasn't here for me I was finding Anna's soulmate.
We reached a small stream and the light turned and headed upstream. Slightly hopefully we were close, I got off my horse letting him follow close behind me. He began to drink at the stream and graze on the riverbank. I smiled and continued to follow the light.
The light seemed to stop for a moment and as my gaze lifted from it to the surroundings, I gasped at the gigantic cliff in front of me. I must have been so stuck in my head not to hear the noise of the water crashing into the stream below. I momentarily stopped the light which was now up above the cliff face.
Taking in my surroundings, I had now realized why I didn't hear the waterfall before: the trees. The trees were wide trunked, with dark leaves and thick branches. I was stumbling upon the dark forest where no one was meant to go. It was against the law in all the kingdoms for anyone to go into the forest for fear of what lurked inside.
I shook my head, forgetting any myths of what was inside the forest. Turning to find my horse, I noticed him fearful of anything on the other side of the stream. I walked over to him and he reared up, my bag falling in the process. I groaned as he galloped off towards the kingdom. Picking up my bag, I swung it over my arm.
I sighed, "Guess I will go alone then." I muttered to myself. I looked up to where the light was and began my ascent to the top of the waterfall. Using my magic here could cost me everything so it was better to hide that I had any. The light would already be drawing enough attention.
I looked at the rocks, trying to plan a root with any cracks in the rocks. I groaned knowing that it would most likely be slippery from the fine mist covering everything in the clearing around the waterfall. Opening my bag, I pulled out a piece of string and tied my hair into a bun to stop it from covering my eyes. I then flung the bag over my head onto my back and began to climb up.
I breathed deeply with every tug of my body upwards. My hand reached up into a small crack and slipped causing me to bash into the wall, adrenaline sent a shockwave through my body. I steadied my breathing and continued to test every crack and joint in the rocks hoping they were more stable. Refusing to look down, I looked up and saw I was almost at the top. With a few more grunts and slips, I managed to reach the peak, pulling myself over the edge onto the rocks near the top of the waterfall.
Turning I looked across the scenery and saw the lush green turn into ink black. I truly was in the dark forest now. The stream leading to the waterfall seemed to disappear. I looked back to the light and it continued heading into the forest.
We walked in a steady rhythm for many hours but with no sunlight, it was hard to keep track. The light continued to head deeper into the forest with no signs of stopping. I wondered if it was actually leading me anywhere or I was walking around in circles.
Soon I just stopped walking. The light stopped and taunted me in front of my face. I wanted to scream at it and destroy it.
"Stop taunting me." I yelled out. Falling to the floor my head fell into my hands. The light didn't stop glowing above my head. I stood up and went to punch it, my hand going straight through it. I yelled loudly and went to kick it, the same thing happening. Turning away from it, I punched the nearest tree trunk causing me to scream in pain. My hand fell floppy and I was sure I had broken it.
I sat on the floor, sitting on my knees and wept. The pain from my hand and the torment in my head was overwhelming. This place was dangerous for so many other reasons.
I felt my fears surface and the thought of Atlas moving on to someone else brought me out into screams. The imagines of him kissing, hugging and touching another woman flooded into my head. I scratched at my head with my good hand trying to pry the memories out. The image of the woman being pregnant by Atlas shot through my mind, the two of them looking at each other with love.
"Stop it, please!" I begged, yelling to the forest. I repeated it over and over again like a chant. Every image that filled my head made me call out to stop it. My voice became weaker and weaker until I was huddled on the floor, curled up tears no longer falling.
"My child, rise with me."