*this chapter has been edited*

A few years ago

"Happy birthday Cecile."

"Thank you!" I shouted in glee, feeling happy that I was finally 14.

My face soon morphed into a serious expression, "It's been three years now, and you promised me that you'd give me answers once I turn 14." I spoke.

Redain sighed from the other side before extending his hand toward me, he made contact with the transparent wall between us, Escrade diapernó."

With that simple statement he was able to extend his hand until it came into contact with mine.

I let out a small gasp as he stepped out of his realm and into mine.

"I thought you couldn't come into our world?" I asked tentatively.

He shook his head in response his eyes shifting to a dull blue, "I can't, I could only open a small window that could let my hand through, it was only through contact with you that I was able to completely pass through."

My heart ached for him, for his people. Being subjected to being a prisoner of his own land wasn't paradise anymore.

He let go of my hand and stepped to the side, never taking his eyes off me, colors shifting, he was still deciding.

I raised up my hands to show him I meant no harm, "I won't hurt you Redain, and youve talked to me for 3 years to know that. Besides, youre older and stronger than me."

His eyes turned to a light pink and a small grin broke through, "You do have a point." He said, wiping imaginary dust from his shoulders, I rolled my eyes at this.

But his smile dropped and his eyes turned a dull grey, "Despite my strength, you could still hurt me. You could still kill me."

I frowned, he'd told me that a hunter's arrows had no effect on him.

"I don't understand-"

Reading my thoughts he quickly cut me off, "No, the arrows won't hurt me, but you could."

I was more confused than ever. He shook his head with a soft smile before I could ask anymore, That is something I cannot share with you Cecile."

My shoulders slumped, but I understood his point.

He couldn't let the daughter of the man who jailed him know the only way to utterly kill and destroy him.

He grabbed my hand and led us to my desk, two chairs were behind the desk, he grabbed one chair and swiveled it to the other side so the chairs were on either side of the desk, facing each other.

He led me to one chair and sat me down, taking a seat on the vacant chair.

"What do you need to know?" He asked once we were settled.

It took me time to process anything, it took three years for him to finally trust me, to finally believe I wasn't working for my father. It was a long journey, and he sure was a hard nut to crack, but I finally convinced him to tell me on my 14th birthday everything I wanted to know.

The gateway took me to him for a reason.

"First, I want to know why the gate led me to you when I first opened it. I asked for answers and it led me to you, why?"

"My father is King of all the creatures in Escrade, since we are the only beings that are immune to the effects of the arrow. My family is in the center of that realm and its history."

"Wow," I said at a loss of words.

"Why were you locked in your realm?"

"There is a legend in our forest, that the great Mother of the forest created elementals and distributed each to all the tribes dwelling there. Each piece represents the power of each creature and if the powers are combined it could lead to massive power. My best guess is that your father might be thinking that we could turn and use it to control the forest"

"Controlling the forest how?" I asked, he shook his head, "I can't tell you that."

I frowned and reached for his hands, "What can you tell me!" I pleaded, shaking his hands ferociously.

His eyes changed from a light red, to aqua black, back to red, then settling on maroon, he sighed, and enclosed one of his hands on top of mine.

"Listen I know you mean well and all, and that you want to help, but there's nothing much you can do. All this lies with your father, and we don't even know what he wants to do with that power."

"I could find out." I tried.

He shook his hand, standing up to leave, "It would be pointless and your father might become suspicious of how you know about a world he hasn't introduced you to yet."

"Wait-" I grabbed his arm, "Please don't go, I just need some answers. I'll drop the idea." I begged, knowing this was my one shot at getting answers.

His eyes were swirling, trying to decide, finally they changed to a pale blue and green, letting me lead him back to the desk.

"What is an elemental then?" I asked quickly.

"A part of the forest's power that was distributed to all tribes. It has the strength, power and ability of all the tribes in the forest. So you can try to imagine how combining an already powerful gem with more powerful gems can be detrimental if it is in the wrong hands."

A sinking feeling formed in my stomach and I slouched back, a feeling that that was exactly what would happen if my father carried out his plan.

"I understand the fear, but jailing you when you havent done anything suspicious is wrong," I whispered quietly.

He nodded his head in response, he was about to say something but the door swung open.

My eyes bulged out in surprise, I looked towards Redain but he was gone. I was left gaping like a fish out of water, astonished.

"Happy birthday Cecile!" Josh came running towards me, engulfing me in a bear hug.

I was a bit shocked to register what he said for a while, "T-thank y-you Josh."

He let go of me and smiled, but his eyes darted to the empty chair across from me. He narrowed his eyes and a frown formed, he turned back to me and asked, "Company?"

"What? No...Uh, I was, uhm...I was practicing, yeah, I was practicing." The words rushed out like a current.

"Practicing?" He turned back to the chair and glared, "For what?"

"A play?" It came out as more of a question.

"What play?"

"The one I'm conducting for myself, the one woman play."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "I guess you'll show it to me tonight, yeah?" He stepped away from me and headed to the door.

"Uh, yeah....sure." I coughed.

He turned back to look at the chair in confusion, then exited the room completely.

I sat down with relief flooding through me. Redain appeared out of nowhere giving me a fright.

His eyes however, were trained on the closed door. His jaw ticked, and his eyes shuffled to a bright red, "He saw me."

"What?"

"I said he saw me."

"How? You left the room." I countered.

He shook his head, "No, I never left the room. I only shifted my body to blend with my surroundings, but he saw me."

I was confused, "How could Josh see you? I mean, I couldn't see you. Don't you think you're just making a mountain out of a mole hole?" It didn't make sense, there was no way Josh saw him.

His gaze turned towards me, "Stand up."

Huh?

"Just do it Cecile." Slowly I stood up and he did the same.

He came to towards me and placed his hands on either side of my face, bringing our faces together until our foreheads connected.

The proximity was making me uncomfortable, I knew my face was flushed.

"I need you to relax Cecile, I need to enter your mind to see some things."

"Couldn't you already do that?"

"Reading thoughts and actually diving into your memories all need different methods. Your thoughts I can read or hear from afar, but your memories and vaults I can only reach once we're connected. That brother of yours-"

"Josh." I interrupted

"Josh, saw me and as much as I'd like to believe you know nothing, I have to see for myself."

"Fine, just do it quick." The proximity was getting to me.

"Close your eyes." He instructed. I did.

Like an old film being played, I saw flashes of myself and my past rewind and play.

My first day at school, hanging with Aria. Family time. Me and Josh fighting from time to time. The time I cut my leg when fell on an uprooted tree. The time I broke my leg.

The times I read my father's journal, again and again.

But something unusual happened as he was reaching my youngest memories.

A physical spark broke us apart, sending me to the floor and him stumbling back.

I hit my head and groaned in pain, he rushed towards me almost immediately, "Cecile, hey are you okay?" He said lifting me gently from the floor.

The room was spinning. I almost fell but he held on to me.

I touched my head, "That was painful. Let's never do that again." I groaned, placing my head on his shoulder. He chuckled a bit, leading me onto my bed.

"Sorry about that, I don't know what that was. It has never happened before." He assured, laying me gently on the bed.

I touched my head trying to ease the headache that had built up, "Do they normally feel pain after you've gone through they're mind?" I asked quietly.

"No, nothing like that."

I groaned as the headache seemed to increase, clutching my head tighter.

His face grew concerned and his eyes turned into a deep blue, "I'm sorry, I didn't know anything like that would happen."

"Its fine Redain, I know you wouldn't put me at harm, as much as you put a defense around me because of my father. I believe you wouldn't intentionally hurt me." I spoke from the heart.

His eyes became a dull pink, and he nodded, "Yeah, you're right."

He pulled the covers over me and kissed my forehead, immediately my headache felt lighter, "There, sleep now."

My eyelids were dropping but was forcing myself to stay awake, "But-"

"I'll answer your questions tomorrow. Just call and I'll come. For now sleep, I'll be here till you're fast asleep."

I nodded my head, and tried to stop myself from yawning.

I drifted off to sleep but not before feeling a hand wrap around my own.

Present day

"Cecile." The unfamiliar man spoke my name.

But what was he? He looked human enough, but his eyes told me otherwise.

They were an ocean of colors, swirling and swimming around each other.

Confusion was etched all over my face, "How do you know my name?"

Now he looked confused, his beautiful eyes turning a light grey, the rest of the colors residing and grey dominating, "What do you-"

Something passed through his features and he stopped himself. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

I collided with him and immediately went to step back but he's words stopped me.

"I know something isn't right here, Cecile. We haven't talked in a while and when I see you you're in my world trying to kill one of the creatures? I need you to trust me." He pleaded

"Why should I?" I demanded.

"Because you've done it before, okay."

"Before?" I don't know what he was talking about. I've never met him at all, and if I was it would be in battle.

"You've met me Cecile, known me for a long time." He said.

Impossible.

Why would I befriend the enemy?

"Please. Trust me." He pleaded, his eyes turning a light brown.

I don't know what compelled me to do this with someone I was supposed to be fighting, but I closed my eyes and he placed his forehead on mine.

"Thank you," was what he said, before I was transported back to 16, then 17 and finally my current age and life.

He stepped back from me, horror coloring his face, "You've joined him? You've joined them? You promised me Cecile, you said you'd be on our side, help me protect everyone here."

"Your side? Why would I protect any of you? You forced our hand by betraying humanity!" I spoke with a rising anger.

Creatures that almost ended humanity, did he think I was crazy?

Without saying anything he grabbed my hand and in a flash we were no longer on the plain where I fought the Turap.

He disappeared and reappeared with my bow and arrow in hand, dropping them onto the floor.

He turned towards me, red eyes glowing and a look of pure rage directed towards me.

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Another updated chapter y'all.

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Until next time mwah!

Mercy💜