Deep within the forest, August was completely shrouded in mist, tiny white particles were to be seen as the moonlight shone above the tranquil surface of the lake.
His raven black hair swayed with the gentle wind. The black tattered bloodsoaked battlerobe clung tightly to his wounded self.
He looked like a pitiful future for his past self.
The woman with pearl white hair levitated before him staring straight into his cold, dark abyss-like eyes.
She spoke, her tone ethereal,
"So, what is that you want to know? What part of your past holds that much importance to you?"
August smiled faintly—
"I fell into a strange world and lost a better part of myself to it. If possible I would like to know everything, every detail of my past that could help me remember the kind of person I was before."
The woman heard him and pondered for a moment. This was something she too had wanted. For years now. A shame her past along with her name was taken away from her.
She hated Valerius for that, and Aurelion too who did just as his dear friend told him to. Even when he had no obligation to take orders from a human —Valerius was a way inferior species to him after all.
Aurelion, being a master of spellcraft, created a cage from which she could not ever escape. And bound her with the responsibility of watching over this portion of the forest and making sure no one could find the humans residing here.
For many years, she wandered in the forest like a lost soul. Spreading her mist to create illusions so that the location of the human settlement always remains a secret.
That was why she knew almost everything about August and the kind of childhood he had lived.
It was also the reason why she felt reluctant to hurt him even if he was the child of the man she hated. She could just barge into his memories and erase everything and make him suffer a fate far worse than death —being a creature of mist, erasing anything —that came natural to her.
'No, I must not do that'
She sighed in her heart.
"Okay August, let me inside your memories and I will take you there, beyond time. The moment you want to see with your own eyes."
The air grew gradually colder, the mist swirled around August, shrouding him completely in its embrace.
As she entered into the river of his memories, fine clouds gathered on the calm surface, parted. Letting her inside.
The atmosphere was peaceful but something felt amiss. Like this wasn't true at all. She swam across the tranquil surface, luminous light fell on her beautiful face and pearl white hair swayed with the gentle winds giving off the appearance of a goddess flying above the pure clouds.
However, her destination was way deep in the clouded waters. She dove towards the bottom and gradually felt a change in the air.
The clouds were dark and muddy, but they seemed more real than the pure, clear surface.
Suddenly, she saw a cluster of black clouds gathered in the depth and realized why August's previous memories seemed so …fake. He created that facade to keep himself calm and from going insane. He consciously chose to fake the peace.
The dark clouds were his real memories that carried only …pain.
She felt a hint of regret. Even if not directly, she was also somehow responsible that August was now in this condition.
Slowly out of curiosity she started drifting towards the dark cluster that was raging with thunder.
She wanted to see for herself what made August change so much.
And expectedly so, it turned out to be the worst decision of her known life.
The foreign emotions began to overwhelm her completely, —fear, dread, anger, rage, disappointment, pain and just more …pain. Everything went blurry. Like her life was only a fleeting moment. Like a thousand jagged fragments of someone else's suffering were grinding into her mind.
She had to forcefully kick herself out of his memories.
Coming back to the moonlit lake, she felt disoriented, her breath seemed ragged. Her voice hoarse,
"Wha.. what? Was that?" the words barely left her mouth.
August was calm, with his eyes closed a bitter smile appeared on his face,
"Stay away from them."
— —
Far in the west, a knight in shining armour watched the town burn. He followed a purple piece of barrier that broke from the huge dome, before dissolving into tiny sparks of ethereal energy. Many homes were burning—
"Guess we're late to the party huh? The barrier had already fallen …Not like it matters anyway."
He chuckled.
Suddenly a bright trail of light flashed deep within the forest startling the soldiers of his battalion.
"What was that? Sir don't you think we should investigate?"
The knight shook his head,
"That is not our assignment." He said, giving a one-sided smirk, to the soldier. "Come on, the destination is not very far now,"
Suddenly, a cold breeze began to blow. The mist started pouring into the surroundings, causing the knight to grit his teeth in anger.
"Not again."
—
In the east, standing on top of a hill, a man with his face hidden in the robe, turned his gaze towards a sudden flash of lightning, the light briefly revealing his dark beard.
"So, there you are."
He smiled and started to climb downhill. A vein bulged in his forehead as he heard a subtle hum of cold wind — at the same time, mist started to gather around the area.
In the sight of it, he clenched his fist more tightly.
"Don't you dare think you can hide from me, woman."
—
Deep in the forest a royal carriage stopped as the flash of lightning suddenly descended at a distance.
A woman gracefully stepped out of it. Her face hidden behind the veil of her elegant dress.
Moonlight shone, making the sight of her more majestic.
"My lady, what should we do?" the driver of her carriage asked.
"We go ahead," she replied. "I am not letting my brother escape from me once again."
As she was getting back in the carriage, she felt a chill of cold air. She paused, realising the mist had started to gather around.
She clicked her tongue,
"On second thought, we will move after dawn. Prepare the camp."
— — — — —