Chapter 7 Where the falcons soar
Convinced of his recovery, Aeon led Diego out into the nearby woods. The forest surrounding them featured a tapestry of ancient trees, their branches reaching skyward, forming a natural canopy that filtered the sunlight. Jagged mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. The cliffs, sheer and treacherous, stood as a testament to the untamed nature of the land.
“I have never seen Augurria like this before,” Diego said, lifting his face up to meet the cool breeze. “I have no words to describe its beauty… you must have been hiking a lot to know your way around…”
“One perk of being a wannabe botanist… I get to behold this breathtaking view while scouring the forest for new plants to discover,” she said, jerking her chin up. “I used to hike with my father when I was young… and he’d show me all the wonders of this place. I didn’t need a map to find my way around. It was all drawn in my mind.”
“I wish I had the honor of meeting your father… he seems like an interesting man.”
“He was… he never went to lyceums to learn about the mysteries of the earth, but I’ll bet he knew more than anyone who did.” She jerked and bit on her lip. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“I wasn’t insulted at all… I actually admired him all the more…”
She smiled. “I miss him so much, you know?”
“I see it in your eyes when you talk about him… I wish I had the same sentiment for my father, though…”
“Why not? Where is he?” she asked, inclining her head as she gazed into his eyes. “You never talked about your family…”
“The benefit of being a scholar was getting as far away from them as possible,” he chuckled. “My father is dead. And my mother, who is not really my mother— I— I really don’t want to talk about them, if that’s alright…”
“Then you don’t have to,” she said, jerking a half shrug. “Aren’t you tired? We can rest for a while if you want…”
“No… I want to see the cave you were telling me about—”
“I can only show you where it is and how to get there, but I can’t take you there right now.”
“Fair enough…”
The path beneath their feet led them through moss-covered rocks and over small wooden bridges that spanned babbling brooks. The air was alive with the sounds of chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the distant rumble of a waterfall cascading down the mountainside.
They ventured deeper into the forest and made their way toward a ledge that overlooked into the serpentine marshlands below, and marveled at the wild and unpredictable terrain. Patches of vibrant green reeds swayed with the gentle breeze, and occasional lily pads floated atop the murky waters.
“Can you see how the marshes take the shape of a snake, slithering through the reeds?”
“Yeah… it does look like a snake.”
“And over there, near the foot of the cliff… can you see its heads? It’s a two-headed snake—”
He laughed. “Indeed, it’s got two heads…”
“One of its head leads to the dry banks and into a thicket of dogwoods and elms… and the other head leads straight into the foot of the cliff… that leads to the entrance into the cave.”
“So, the cave is inside that cliff?”
“Yes, I’ll show you where the cave is…”
Aeon treaded carefully, her hand firmly clasping Diego’s, guiding him along the trail leading to a treacherous overhang at the edge of the forest. Right across their line of sight stood the towering walls of limestone cliffs, its tops piercing through the clouds.
She pointed to a spot on the cliff wall, just below the clouds.
“See those three holes on the face of the cliff?”
“Yes?”
“They serve as air vents to the cave… it’s the safest place for you to hide.”
“B— but that’s quite high… are there ladders I could climb to get there?”
“No ladders… only a wormhole.”
“A wormhole?” he said, letting out a chuckle. “You must be kidding me… I have to worm my way to the top?”
“I will tell you a secret… a secret that among the natives that remained in Augurria, only my family had a knowledge of… save for Berion. He knows nothing.”
“Intriguing… so, are you going to tell me?”
“These wormholes have been here for thousands of years. The ancient civilization of elves that lived in these lands used a web of wormholes to get from one place to another in a fraction of the time,” she said, lifting her brows.
“Elves?”
“It’s the truth… my grandfather believes that the natives of Augurria are descendants of the elves.”
“But elves are a myth… there’s no known proof that they even existed…”
“If you base your beliefs on proof, relying only on what others have discovered, then you know nothing,” she scoffed. “We have barely scratched the surface of the earth’s mysteries… our ancestors possessed valuable knowledge that died with them when they strangely disappeared from the face of the earth.”
“You’re right… the first rule of scientific thinking is to maintain an open mind,” he said. “It was wrong for me to dismiss your statement just because I didn’t believe your premise. I’m sorry.”
“You’ll believe it when you see it for yourself… and you can thank me later,” she said, flashing a lopsided grin.
“Okay… so, from the shed, how do I get to the head of the snake?”
“Just follow where the water flows to the east… the marshes aren’t that deep, you can wade through it. But be careful of the waterlilies your feet might get entangled with their roots.”
“You need not worry about that… I’m not new to the wilderness, either,” he said, swinging his gaze back at the towering cliff. “Have you ever been there before?”
“I have… my father brought me with him. He told me how special that place was for him, because it was where he and my mother used to go… on dates,” she chuckled. “My mother would kill me if she finds out I told you about it.”
“Don’t worry, that secret is safe with me.”
“Wanna see the castle?”
“Can we see it from here?”
“Let’s scoot just a little over to that side.”
From another vantage point, they caught sight of the castle standing stoically in the distance, its towering walls and turrets an emblem of power and mystery. Aeon gazed at the castle, her heart aching with longing, for it symbolized a life of security and stability that seemed out of reach.
“Whoa! It looks so near,” Diego said, gasping wide-eyed. “I can’t believe it takes an hour on a horse to get there…”
“Actually, it only takes a few minutes through a wormhole… there’s one just across the brook behind our house. That’s the route my mother and I take when we go to the agora. That wormhole leads straight to the capital… just outside the castle gates.”
“Hmm… thanks for that information,” he said. “I might have to use it in the future.”
“You have no idea how sad this makes me feel… giving you directions to the cave and the wormholes, like I’m driving you away…”
“It saddens me to go, honestly… but I have to…”
“Why not take me with you? I will go wherever you go, and face whatever challenges lay ahead… together,” she said, her voice quivered, fighting back tears. “I know… we’ve only known each other for a few days… but why does it feel like I’ve known you for a lifetime? I’d hate to see you go.”
But his response did not come out in words. He drew her closer, his eyes filled with an intensity that matched her own longing. And in that moment, as their lips met in a passionate kiss, the world around them faded into oblivion, leaving only the undeniable connection between their souls.