Horns Amid The Meadow

"Curses," I mumbled, causing a cloud of mist to hinder my vision before dispersing into the bitter morning air. 

"If I hadn't overslept, I would have had time to grab some warmer robes," I thought. My brows already knit in irritation as I pictured being my sister's plaything for half the day.

"But brother," Ada called out leaning from my bedroom window, "I can't bear another of Father's meals." 

Ignoring her I started up the stairs at the opposite side of our small fruitful garden that leads to the not-so-humble cliffside behind our simple lodge. 

Placing my hand on the soft wooden railing I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath, in appreciation of the many sweet smells of different flowers and plants in the garden below, before being awoken from my trance by the rich scent of wet bark announcing the awe-inspiring forest ahead. 

As I reached the top of the stairs, a warm glow of sunshine collided with my face bringing feeling back to my ears. 

Forcing my eyes open I gazed at the sunrise across the village, and the small harbour below. 

However, before I could regain feeling in my nose, a figure leapt from the grandiose array of trees above, temporarily preventing the sun's touch from warming my face. The figure then slammed into the track a few paces ahead with a near-echoing thud. 

"How many times have I told you to bend your damned knees when you land, Ric".

"About as often as your sister has begged you to make her breakfast," he chuckled. One hand shifted to massage his tailbone while the other met mine in the middle as I hauled him back onto his feet. 

"So… you know how the festival is today," Ric said while releasing his tailbone and twiddling his thumbs behind his back. "Since you spend every morning up here reading up on Agarthan stuff I've been thinking," Ric said nervously. "Well, that's a first," I said. A smile crept onto my lips as I walked on ahead. 

As soon as he was about to continue speaking, I let out an audible sigh. " If this is about the history quiz at the fair later then no," I said deadpan as I slid my hand across the base of a tree spanning several metres in diameter.

"But you're like an entire book house of knowledge on Agarthan history and you still never participate in the quiz," Ric retorted. 

Sensing his puppy eyes boring holes in the back of my tunic I spun, walking towards another tree slightly smaller than the last.

"Firstly, it's a library, not a book house," I sighed once again while hauling a small stack of books from a circular hole in the tree's trunk.

 "Two questions no more and no less." Feeling the weight of his gaze lift off my back without a second to spare his mouth got to work.

"So, you know how humans can only use magic due to special rocks and stuff, as well as sleeping while being awake, and doing special flowy dance moves, Isn't it different for Agarthans?" 

Dumbfounded and instantly regretting all my life choices that led me to this point, I swung off a tree branch leading us below the dark canopy of the forest reminding me of my lack of clothes as a slight chill ran up my spine. 

"Agarthans already have 'Zoi' or magic flowing through their body, so they don't need to 'meditate' like we do to draw it in," I said matter-of-factly. 

Walking behind a giant chestnut tree I began scaling the haphazardly carved stairs spiralling deep into the endless expanse of green above. 

"Instead, they lack the ability to manifest Zoi in a physical form so they are granted the will of a Zoi spirit to aid them in manifesting the elements."

"Wouldn't that just, BWAAAHHHH DOOM BEETLE," Ric screamed as he bolted up the thin stairway almost sending me tumbling back to the ground.

After Ric regained himself, I began to finish his sentence. "What… limit their abilities because they can't simply Will it to form whatever they want?" I asked certain that's what Ric was about to ask.

Reaching the top of the stairs to our makeshift fort wedged in-between an uneven dome of branches I noticed a loose plank emptied of the nails once holding it in place. However, before I could warn Ric, the image of stepping on the wrong end of a rake filled my mind as the plank flung flat across his forehead.

Before I could even consider acting sympathetic a bursting fit of laughter erupted from the neighbouring section of our fort as Karl and Louie fell to their knees at the entrance way slapping their hands on the floor in a seemingly exaggerated fit of laughter.

Their joint chortle was temporarily silenced when the plank slipped from Ric's slim face and slammed back into the floor.

"How unfatemably hilarious," Ric said as his short marigold hair shifted to cover the soon-to-be bruise in the centre of his forehead while staring daggers back at the round-faced twins.

"BAAAAAAA HAHAHAHA, unfatemably, really," the twins screeched in sync while gasping for air. "I'd take offence if that came from anyone else's mouth but since it's Ric there was obviously no-pun-intended."

The twins' bodies fought to continue laughing but the sheer lack of oxygen forced them into silence as they began a series of short, shallow breaths. 

Breaking the silence, an unamused voice seemed to fill the air as if it was projected from every direction. "Only a fool would think that the Agarthans are at a disadvantage to us humans," Alice beckoned from one of the few hammocks suspended from the canopy of our hideout.

Craning my neck backwards I met her sharp gaze. Judging by the deformed shape of her dark navy hair, and the off angle of her glasses, I realised that the twins' idiocy must have awoken her prematurely.

Continuing where Alice left off, "Spirits are just big clusters of Zoi and possess a hundred times the strength of a fully trained sage," I stated matter-of-factly.

"If that's true then why did people want to wage war against them," Ric pondered his demeanour becoming sterner, as if goosebumps were trotting down his spine. 

"That entire error has been wiped from the history books, remember, and besides, that would be exceeding your two-question limit," I stated, wiping the thought from my mind.

"Even still it doesn't make any sense" Alice pondered. "Don't you ever feel like the sage council and the Chieftain are hiding something from us?" Alice continued. "Thats my father you're talking about Alice" I grumbled, a slight malice weaving into my words. 

"Every time we mention the outside world they shut us down, and if the Agarthans really won the war, then why are we still" ... "ENOUGH," I beckoned, the tone of my voice still singing through the forest.

"What has my father done to deserve your mistrust". With a quick sidestep, I swivelled and leapt straight over the spiralling staircase and strategically slammed into the ground directly between two of the large oak roots.

Before being able to regain myself a small shadow fell over me. "Oi Eve, you'll need this for the festival later," Louie called out as a set of deer Antlers neatly woven together by moss and vines pierced into the ground between my legs.

snapping Louie a short glare I sprung to my feet attaching the antlers to my belt with an excess piece of vine. "Thank you", I shot before sprinting off into the seemingly endless expanse of green and brown.

"It doesn't make sense," I thought to myself while performing a well-practised leap over a small river. "15 years and It still doesn't make any sense" I beckoned this time words escaping my lips.

"Why have we been here hidden from the rest of the world since before I was born? If the Agarthans won, why haven't they told us anything? I'm 15. Do they really think I'm still just a dumb kid," I grumbled. 

Stepping on a small boulder half hidden by a wall of bushes, my hands then connected one on top of the other as I dove spiralling through a small hole worn into the leaves from years of abuse. 

Flying through the other side my eyes were met once again by the flourishing array of flowers woven into the meadow below.

With a quick swerve in a practised manner, I expected to land on my feet but was met with the sad reality of my back slamming into the seemingly only patch of ground where there happened to be a rock instead of flowers.

"Arrrrrrrgh" I groaned in pain, still winded from the blow. "I guess I really haven't come here in a while". 

With one hand supporting my soon-to-be bruised hip, hundreds of different colours filled my eyes as I began hobbling through the meadow near blinding in the sunlight.

"You look like an old man Eve," a deep feminine voice rang through my ears as if coming from every direction.

Hauling myself atop the small boulder before it met with my ass in what was intended to be an elegant swoop. "Very funny Alura," I said deadpan as a verbal eye roll escaped my lips before a small blur caught my eye following my trail up the boulder.

"Oh, you look like you've put on some weight Alura," I chuckled as a small rabbit curled up beside me basking in the sun.

"Watch your words Eve, my teeth have been craving for some flesh recently," she teased as a slight snarl escaped the bunny's plump cheeks.

"I've known you all my life and it's still hard to believe you're just a talking bunny, especially with such specific cravings," I sighed.

"Well, other than my bond to you, I don't remember what I am either", Alura half whispered whilst falling asleep.

"So many unanswered questions" I sighed to myself. Tilting my head back and taking a deep breath I began to hear the soft flow of water and the slight touch of the wind rifling through the flower bed.

"Oh did I forget to mention our guest," Alura expressed in a lethargic manner. "huh, guest, What the hell are you talking about," I replied.

Bringing an end to my brief period of tranquillity I sensed something was wrong, or that there was something here. Something watching us. 

I followed my gut and trailed towards the reflective blue glow emanating in the distance. As I drew near the blue aura seemed to dissipate revealing what was now right in front of my eyes.

Sliding to a complete stop my eyes widened as they fixated towards the flower bed at my feet. 

The first thing I saw was the horns of a young stag woven onto a beautiful head of flowing white hair with sticks and moss. She wore a simple yet intricate white dress that was covered in grass and soil.

I stared dumbfounded and shocked at what was laying, no sleeping amid the meadow. It wasn't until her body rose as she rubbed her eyes that words began to flow back into my mind.

"Who in the hell are… no... how have I not seen you before." I pondered as too many questions filled my mind adding to my now vast collection.

Before finishing my line of questions, her hand fell from her face revealing a pair of near-glowing violet eyes that once again stripped my mind of words.