บท 20: Awakening

The magic circle slowly turns bright, blinding my eyes. I shut my eyes tightly, and once I opened it back, I was brought to another place. I looked around the endless white surroundings and called their names, but no one answered.

I remembered the words Katrina told me, and I assured myself that everything would be alright. So far, nothing happened around me not until I saw an image of a girl. Her strands of silver hair mixed with her red-brown hair captivated me.

All the more, her blue moonstone-colored eyes stunned me. She looked like an angel that had fallen off from heaven. The scene changed where she stood in front of a tree that was colored silver and had silver flowers blooming. All I can say is

"Do you know the three most important parts of the tree?" She asked a silver-haired man with short hair and arms behind his back, standing like a statue. But his face was blurred, which made me curious who this man was.

"The tree itself?" answered the man, unsure of his own. While the girl softly laughs at him.

"You're not wrong. But not entirely correct," said the girl as she patted the man on the shoulder, asking him to relax. The girl held the flower that fell off the tree and gave it to the man.

"The silver branch that can grow plants back to life. The silver leaves that can heal any sickness. The silver flower that foresees the future."

"Once everything is combined, it turns into this gorgeous silver flower tree that you see," mumbled the man, and the girl nodded her head.

The girl sat under the tree while the man was feet away from her. In the middle of them, there was a line that separated them.

"I'm turning weak. As the Angels continue to borrow power from the tree, it affects me too," frowned the girl, and so did the man. "I don't know how long until I would go into slumber."

"Please don't say that," said the man as his voice trembled. The girl walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. But the line between them didn't allow their bodies to touch. "I don't want you to leave. It's too early."

"I won't leave or die. I'll just be in great slumber," she assured the man who shook his head. He didn't look convinced by her words. "You should remember that my life is connected to the tree. After all, I am the keeper of the tree."

"And I am the guardian of the tree, the one who protects the keeper," added the man, and the girl pursed her lips into a smile.

My heart ached to see the two in pain. The voice sounded familiar but not familiar enough for me to recognize who it was. The scene faded like dust, slowly disappearing from my sight. I held my hands out, hoping it would come back, but it didn't.

"Wait!" I pleaded, but it didn't stop from disappearing.

Oddly my heart was aching for more. I wanted to know more about the tree that might relate to Floriana. Then my heart began beating quickly as if I had a panic attack, and my legs fell weak. My body dropped all the way to the ground as I clenched my hand onto my chest.

I matched my breath with my own and calmed myself down. Katrina warned me earlier that it would be uncomfortable moments and pain. The dust from earlier came back, and this time it showed a different scene.

Why do I see these things? It had the same feeling as seeing Kaeden in my dreams unless this is a dream? I slapped myself, waking myself up. It's just a dream, Flora. A dream is a dream.

This time it was much darker. The man from earlier ran into a room with his eyes watery. His face showed tons of concern and fear, and his legs dropped when he reached the girl. He held his hand tightly and cried out loud in pain.

"This was your decision, and I'm sure you foresaw this," cried the man. He pushed her hair to the side and cupped her face. "You lied to me, yet I knew but didn't believe."

Her body looked paler as the moonlight flashed at her. The scene was heartbreaking, that my eyes became moist. My hands were clenched together, pressed onto my chest as I was absorbed by his cries.

"The silver flower tree isn't a blessing but a creator of disasters. I don't believe you, Winter. You have to promise me," the man buried his face in their hands. "Let's meet again, after a hundred years. I'll wait for you to come back."

My surroundings didn't turn white this time, but everything was covered in black, which scared me a bit. The tears falling from my eyes didn't stop, and I felt the ground moving as I watched myself fall into the hole.

My eyes opened back, and I gasped out loud. I looked at my surroundings and sat up. My head throbs as I sit up on the bed.

"You're awake?" Asked Katrina, who walked into the room, holding a tray in her hand.

"What happened to me?" I asked, confused as what I saw was slowly drifting away from my memories. But the heavy feeling didn't go away.

"It's natural to act this way. Don't worry, you had a dream once that was beautiful, and the other was pain," Katrina placed the tray on my lap. "Eat something. I heard you missed breakfast, and it's past lunch."

"Thank you. May I ask where the others are, and is it alright to ask what you found about me?"

"Master Kaeden and Sir Yustaf went out to talk with Sir Gin," answered Katrina. "What I found about you is a bit surprising. What do you remember?"

"I remember of the girl. She had strands of silver hair mixed into her red-brown hair. The shade of the color is just like mine. Her name is Winter," I answered.

"Winter…it's been a long time since I've heard of that name," Katrina muttered to herself.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, and she shook it off with a smile.

"Not at all, don't worry about it," said Katrina.

"Can I ask what you found in me?" It sounds stupid, but then, after all, she is a soul reader. She must know something as she is the one who read me.

Katrina stood silent and spoke only when she was sure. "I do not have the permission to tell you but. That is why Master Kaeden and the others are having a conversation about it."

"I see…"

"You don't have to be afraid of the results. I am glad that you came here. At least I know where you are back, but…" paused Katrina. "Nothing, never mind. It's all complicated. Now that you've eaten, I'll go out and inform the others."

I thanked her once again and filled the room with silence. I pondered what exactly happened as seconds passed. The image in my head disappears, just like after having a dream, then not remembering about it clearly.

When Kaeden entered the room, my face grew bright for some reason. His face stayed stern and unexpressive, while Yustaf looked at me with anger? When our eyes met, he looked away, and I saw this fist clenching.

"I'm glad you're awake," said Kaeden.

"I asked Katrina earlier what you found about me. Is it possible to share it with me? I mean, I have the right to know after all," I explained, then felt the air slowly turning heavy.

"If I tell you will you accept it?" Kaeden asked me.

"It will take time, but…defiantly yes," I was sure of my answer since I know myself the most. "I sometimes feel like I'm living in someone else's life."

"You mean dreams of being Floriana or another?" asked Kaeden, and I nodded my head. He walked towards me and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Do you believe me if I said I've been waiting for you?"

My eyes grew wide, but I kept calm. "I remember a promise I made with a guy. I can't remember who, but I'm sure a hundred years had passed already."

Kaeden sat on the side of the bed and held my hand. Our finger inter winded, and I felt the heat coming up my cheeks. "Thank you. I've finally found you. Thank you for coming back to my arms."

I sat speechless while we looked at each other. I was reminded that we weren't the only people in the room, but so was Yustaf, who looked gloomy. The expression on his face showed pain and sadness.

Since that day, not once did our eyes meet. He would avoid me as much as possible while I was stuck in love with the man I'd always dreamt about. But every time I see Yustaf, my heart would skip a beat.

It reminded me of the man who cried in the hands of Winter as her breath slowly faded away from the world. His voice echoed in my ears, "Let's meet again, after hundred years, Winter."