Forbidden Mate: Awakening

As we journeyed deeper into the Wailing Woods, we discovered the forest’s complex nature. The trees moved and swayed, their branches twisting together in a captivating yet confusing spectacle. Each step we took felt uncertain. The path before us kept changing, leading us deeper into the forest’s puzzling maze.

We relied on our instincts, keeping a close eye on our surroundings for any clues or hints from the elements around us. But the forest played tricks on us, making it hard to determine which way to go. We didn’t even know we were in a maze or when we had reached a dead end. Landmarks that were once familiar now seemed strange, and paths we thought were clear suddenly disappeared into thick bushes and tangled plants.

As time passed, our determination started to waver, and we grew frustrated and anxious. We started to doubt, suggesting to ourselves that we might be forever lost in this confusing maze.

Sarah was the one who spoke first. “I think we’re lost, Lily.”

As she spoke, came subtle echoes but like wails.

“What was that?” She said again and the same thing happened.

“I think it’s you.” I said quietly.

“I can see why it’s called the Wailing Woods.” Theo said.

“How do we get out of here?” Sarah complained.

“Let’s just keep on walking…”

Sarah wanted to say something but Theo dragged her along.

We couldn’t just stop now. This mission required us to stay strong and that was what we would do, but once again, we stopped, our bodies covered with sweat. We were hella tired.

“Look, we need to come up with a plan, Lily.” Theo suggested.

“Oh, so now you listen to me?” Sarah said, still catching her breath. “How would we do that?”

A plan popped into my head to outsmart this tricky forest.

“What if we mark the trees we have passed with small carvings so we can know if we’ve passed a path more than once?” I said.

“We can also tie colorful fabrics to branches, creating a trail that would guide us back.” Theo added.

We all nodded and decided to do that. Sarah and I cut out pieces from our clothes and tied them to branches of the trees as we walked on while Theo did the carvings in the trees which he told us moved uncomfortably when he did so. Whenever we encountered a fork in the path, we carefully examined our surroundings, searching for any clues that would lead us closer to the ring of Lythian.

The day blended into the night, and the night merged into the next day, as we pushed forward through the relentless labyrinth. We felt tired and our bodies ached, but we stayed strong. Eventually, after what seemed like a very long time, our hard work paid off.

We stumbled upon a clearing where an enormous, old tree stood. Its bark was covered in intricate symbols.

“Interesting…” I said to myself as we all stood and admired the tree from a distance.

“Sarah, aren’t you gonna take a pic of it to preserve the memory?” He said and smirked at her.

She hit his arm and we all laughed.

We approached the tree carefully, our faces brightening with hope and excitement. This was a challenge, a riddle hidden in the forest’s design.

We started studying the symbols closely, trying to figure out the clues that would lead us to the next step. With a determined look in her eyes, Sarah carefully examined the symbols and mechanisms before her. She seemed to have taken the lead on this one.

“Sarah, do you know what you’re doing?” I asked her, worriedly.

“I think I get the hang of this.” She said to us.

As she got closer to the tree, Theo and I gestured forward because of our protective reflexes, “Careful, Sarah.” I said.

“Don’t worry…I’ve seen these symbols before.” She said and touched the symbols on the tree, admiring and studying them.

“Where?” Theo asked.

“My mom…she used to show me these symbols. She told me it’s the sign of the song of the trees and guardians.”

“The what?” I raised an eyebrow up.

“Shhh. I’m trying to remember the song…she said something about how the guardians tried to keep the balance of nature, mostly the trees and the species…oh gosh! Remember, Sarah.” She tapped her head with her palm.

Theo and I looked at each other.

“Are those symbols or lyrics then?” I asked her.

“My mom said they’re both, it’s tree language.”

Wow, lots of new information I was learning during that journey.

“I just have to remember the song…she would sing it to me everytime we went to the garden and we water the trees and plants. It went something like…

In the forest, where time stands still,

Majestic giants, ancient and still.

Stories drawn upon your bark,

A tapestry of legends, in the dark.

In the forest, where secrets lie,

Guardians watch with a keen eye.

They hold the balance, nature’s decree,Content is © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

Protecting species, both wild and free.

As she started singing, the trees started waving as if they were dancing to her song.

The final symbol seemed to click into place in her mind, and a smile of triumph lit up her face. She had solved the puzzle! So, she continued singing.

Oh, ancient trees, reaching for the sky,

Whispering secrets as the wind blows by.

Your roots run deep, your branches spread wide,

Guardians of wisdom, standing side by side.

Oh, guardians of the ancient trees,

Protectors of all that nature sees.

With gradient symbols, their message shows,

Balancing harmony as life flows.

As Sarah turned the hidden mechanism, a rusty sound filled the air, and the once-blocked path we didn’t see before us began to open.

She stuttered and the mechanism hooked, “Guys, come help me with the stuff…. I’m trying to remember the last verse.”

We both went to help her turn the mechanism but it didn’t budge. It was stuck. Sarah was humming but the trees weren’t waving anymore.

Then the door started closing back as the mechanism rotated anticlockwise. Theo and I tried stopping it but it continued.

“You might want to hurry up with that verse you’re trying to remember, Sarah.” Theo said to her.

“I’m coming…” She said while scratching her head and mumbling words.

“Sarah…we can’t hold this stuff anymore…” I said through clenched teeth. The mechanism sprang back by itself, making Theo and I throw our hands away so we wouldn’t get hurt. The door started to shut by itself.

“Sarah!” I shouted

“I’ve got it!” Then she started singing and the door hung just a few inches off the floor.

Your canopies sway with timeless grace,

Embracing seasons as they interlace.

Leaves dancing in the dappled light,

A symphony of nature, day and night.

Their whispers rustle through the leaves,

A song of wisdom the forest sings.

From emerald green to fiery gold,

You paint the landscape, stories untold.

The trees started waving again and Theo and I turned the mechanism, slowly making the door open.

Oh, ancient trees, reaching for the sky,

Whispering secrets as the wind blows by.

Your roots run deep, your branches spread wide,

Guardians of wisdom, standing side by side.

Oh, guardians of the ancient trees,

Protectors of all that nature sees.

With gradient symbols, their message shows,

Balancing harmony as life flows.

Finally, the door was fully open and the mechanism stopped. Theo and I massaged the pain throbs off our hands as Sarah tapped the tree and it responded to it.

It was a moment of victory. We exchanged proud glances amongst ourselves, knowing that our perseverance had brought us one step closer to obtaining the ring of Lythian.

“Good job.” I told Sarah and she smiled proudly at me.

“I should do the musicals with my voice.” She boasted and I rolled my eyes.

“Your mom would be proud.” I told her and tears filled her eyes. We hugged for a while until Theo called us.

°°°°°°°

Finally, we had reached the last destination. I could feel the aura of the ring.

“The magic here…it’s strong.” Sarah confirmed my feeling.

“It’s not magic, it’s the ring.” I told her.

As we stepped into the cave, we found a clearing with old stone pillars. In the middle, there was a pedestal holding the encasement with the ring of Lythian. It’s glory was undescribable.

“It’s the ring.” Sarah exclaimed.

“Finally.” Theo said and sighed.

I looked at it in awe. So this was what my father and the other vampires had spent centuries looking for? I was finally standing in front of it. Except from the preconceived power I already knew it possessed, the ring itself looked regular but the aura around it was astounding.

“Wait.” Theo called both our attention. ” We can’t go on.”

“Why?” Sarah asked him.

“Yeah, why?” I repeated after her.

“We are not the ones meant to retrieve the ring. It’s the chosen one, remember?”

Upon hearing this, I mentally slapped my forehead. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple. Oh shit. How could I possibly tell them right now, after all we’d gone through that I’m this ‘chosen one’? Would they even believe me?

“Whoever this chosen one is, they didn’t help us in anyway when we had gone through those past obstacles, did they? So they’d just come now out of nowhere to claim the ring? I’m not having that.” Sarah folded her arms on her chest.

“It doesn’t matter what we think about it. It’s the destiny for the chosen one to retrieve the ring, not any of us. We still played a part in getting this far, so that’s enough on its own. We should stop here.” Theo said and sat on a rock.

Sarah looked at him, pathetically, “Are you even hearing yourself? We’ve spent a fucking week trying to get here. And now we’ve almost completed our mission, you want to sit it out and wait for the “chosen one”?”

“It was never our mission without the chosen one in the first place, Sarah. We just volunteered.” Theo sighed.

“Oh bullcrap! We still almost got killed like 5 times before we got here. So you would sit there and the chosen one woul fall from the sky to take the ring and get us out of here? Is that what you’re waiting for?” She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly getting annoyed.

I wanted to say something but I kept getting interrupted.

“Why are you so angry about it? You’ve done enough. Sit down and wait.” He said sternly.

“And why would you tell me what to do?”

“Sarah, just try and listen for once.”

“I don’t listen to deflectors.” She hissed and kicked a stone.

“There’s no need to be so unmannered, Sarah. Just sit.” A vein was now showing on his neck.

“Me? Unmannered? Oh no you didn’t just-”

“Enough!” I finally had it and screamed making them both look at me. “I’m the chosen one! It’s me!”