In front of them was Edan, Donovan, Veter and Floyd carrying a wooden bed with Hunter’s body.
As they walked through a forest, small white petals fell from the trees giving the place the feeling of serenity and peace.
Eva, a girl in her mid-twenties with watery chocolate-brown eyes walked beside Gaia and Priyam. With her over-the-knees boots, leggings, oversized top with a colorful vest and the same leather wrist gauntlets Hunter used to wear, it was clear she was born and raised in Moonstrand. “When a child’s born here in Moonstrand, the baby’s mother plants a tree in their name,” she explained to Gaia. “That child is responsible for taking care of the tree until the day he or she dies. On the day of their death, that child will be buried underneath the tree.” Eva pointed at an Oak tree. “That was Hunter’s tree.”
“You knew him?” Gaia asked her.
“Since Mor found him. I was lucky to know him.”
Edan and the rest leaned down and placed Hunter on the ground in front of the Oak tree. The tree was still young but it had character. It was big and unlike the other trees, this one grew with knots and twists making it look unique, wild, and beautiful… just like Hunter was.
Gaia knelt next to his body. He looked so peaceful, as if he was sleeping. Only he wasn’t. She passed her hand softly over his cold cheek and remembered the first time she saw him, close up and with loneliness in his pitch black eyes. She saw herself in him, he was an abandoned child in so much need of love. He was the most lovable of them, and he died the same way he lived, protecting others.
She positioned her hand on the grass next to her and a white cyclamen grew between her fingers. She took the flower, placed it on his chest and moved his hands on top of the stem.
“That flower?” Priyam recognized it from Gaia’s room.
“Yes, it’s just like the one Hunter gave me in Huntsville.”
“It’s time,” Eva announced.
Gaia combed Hunter’s messy hair and kissed his forehead. “Goodbye and thank you.” With Edan’s help, she stood up.
Edan and Gaia joined the group and the rest of the villagers by standing in multiple layers of circles surrounding Hunter’s body and the Oak tree. They all held hands and began to hum and sing a heartbreaking melody. As they sang, the Oak’s roots came out of the dirt and curled around Hunter’s body, cradling it inside the ground and underneath the Oak. Once he was buried, a bunch of white cyclamens grew around the trunk of the tree.
“Anon, Hunter.” the villagers began chanting.
* * *
Gaia placed caressed one of the cyclamens around Hunter’s Oak. She closed her eyes asking the tree to take care Hunter. In there, alone, the forest seemed to calm her down.
“Don’t cry, my child.” Klog Mor smiled at Gaia. “He’s once more one with Nature.”
“Is it true? You’re the one who found him?” Gaia caressed one of the roots.
“Yes. Many years ago when Hunter was a toddler. I found him and took him as my own.”
“You know…” Gaia whispered. “He spoke. Before he…” she stopped. She couldn’t say the word out loud. “He… talked to me. He said ‘safe’.”
“And you are.” Klog Mor took Gaia’s hand. “We all are.”
“What I’m I going to do?” she cried. “I miss him so much.”
“Remember Gaia, the body dies, but not the memories. Not the soul,” Klog Mor tapped Gaia’s heart with her finger. “Whenever you feel lost…” she glanced at Hunter’s tree. “I find it’s best to rely on Nature. After all, who knows what It has to show us.” She squeezed Gaia’s arm.
“Come, you need to rest.”
Chapter 30
The Soul Within The Tree
GAIA…
Gaia woke up to the whisper of her name only to find herself alone in the room. “Priy?” she called yet there was no one around.
She looked at the dark sky; three days had passed since the funeral. Gaia… The whispers banished and morphed into a powerful pull, as if someone or something outside the forest called her.
She stood up, put on the leggings, oversized top and fitted vest that was left for her and walked outside the room.
The first time she walked into Moonstrand, she obviously didn’t notice, and part of her didn’t even care about it, but now that she was better and walking around the forest city, she realized it was beyond majestic.
The forest was full of trees from different types of weather and countries; small, big, thick and thin, pines, palms, lemon trees, Japanese cherries, and more. It was the perfect mix of everything. There were hundreds of different types of flowers decorating the grass and wild animals that weren’t afraid to sit next to anyone who was relaxing. Among the trees were hammocks, incredible paintings made by brushes, sticks, leaves, fingers or even entire hands. Gaia finally understood why it was called The Forest of Color.
And if the place was gorgeous in daylight, at night it was indescribable, as thousands of fireflies flew all over the forest lighting it up like fairies in an enchanted forest.
Right in the middle, there was a crystalline river that divided the city in half, from the beginning of the forest to the far end where the biggest tree stood. The same place where the pull felt stronger.
Gaia sat at the edge of the river watching the enormous tree. Over 500 foot tall and 200 foot wide, it was by far the tallest, thickest chestnut tree she’d ever seen in her life. She took a deep breath. She loved how the place smelled like freshly cut grass after the rain with a hint of succulent perfumes from all the trees and flowers.
“It’s called Big Rakau,” said a deep voice behind her.
Gaia turned and saw a tall, smiling elder man. “That tree?”
After nodding, the elder man sat next to Gaia and dipped his bare feet into the river. His sky-blue eyes contrasted beautifully with his white hair and beard. “Mr. Butcher, at your service.”
“I thought Moonstrand was a vegetarian city.”
“Good answer.” Pleased, Mr. Butcher grinned. “I was a butcher back in Emberdale. Moved here, the nickname followed me.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gaia.” She extended her hand and shook his, before returning her attention to the gorgeous tree.
“Stunning, isn’t it?”
“Very.”
“Trivia of the day: What does Big Rakau mean?” His bushy eyebrows lifted with curiosity.
Gaia twisted her frown trying to find the answer yet she couldn’t come up with anything. From all the talks she’d had with Hunter, not once did he mentioned the Big Rakau… or maybe he did and she couldn’t understand what he meant when he signaled about it.
“It means big tree, you know,” Mr. Butcher answered.
“You Terrians are very literal sometimes.” She giggled. First time she felt that relaxing feeling since Hunter’s passing. “Funny thing is, I feel as if it calls me.”
“Of course it calls you, the Big Rakau is within your destiny.”
My destiny? She was about to ask when a bunch of floating flowers caught her attention. No… those aren’t real flowers, they are paintings. “Wow,” Gaia sighed. The flowers were drawn on the trunk of a thick redwood making them look like they were floating. “Why are the trees painted?”
“Moonstranders love painting them, although the best ones, like that giraffe and those flowers, are from Monky.”
Gaia stared at the giraffe; it was painted on the trunk of a tall palm tree. It looked incredibly real. “A monkey drew that?”
“Her name’s Arrate.” He leaned closer. “But no one can pronounce that, so, we call her Monky. You’ll recognize her, she’s a tiny woman with big character and is always covered in paint.”
Suddenly, Icarus landed on Mr. Butcher’s shoulder. “Hello, George! Haven’t seen you in a while.” He petted Icarus. The sugar glider barked to Gaia who happened to be confused over Icarus’ misplaced name.
“Everyone in the group is screaming? How angry?” Gaia asked her furry friend and it growled. “Th
at angry? Not good…”
“You better go then, young lady.” Mr. Butcher passed Icarus to Gaia. “Hey friend, tell George he lost the bet for me.”
Icarus squeaked as Gaia stood up. “Oh… Mr. Butcher?”
“Yes, darling?”
“Why is the Big Rakau within my destiny?”
“That’s for you to find out.” Mr. Butcher winked at Gaia before returning his attention to the big tree humming a song.
Gaia strolled through the colorful forest. “Icarus…Who’s George?” she asked. Icarus held onto Gaia’s shoulder and squeaked. “He was talking about Donovan, but he calls everyone George?” He nodded. “He calls you George too.” The sugar glider barked and passed his paw over his face. “No sorry, little guy” She laughed. “You don’t look like a George. You look like a proud Icarus.”
Suddenly, Gaia stopped cold a few feet away from Hunter’s Oak tree. Her body shivered bringing all those unpleasant feelings back. His pale face smudged with blood, his last and only spoken words and his empty stare. Damn, how it hurt.
Noticing Gaia’s change, Icarus nuzzled her neck to cheer her up. “I know, I just miss him.” She walked closer to the tree. The beautiful cyclamens decorating the roots and sunlight passing through the bright-green leafs. Gaia lifted her hand towards the Oak tree. “To think he’s underneath here,” she whispered as she passed her palm over the rough trunk.
FLASH! As soon as her skin touched the tree, Gaia felt a warm white light blinding her.
Gaia opened her eyes and saw she was in the woods. The image was bright and saturated with brilliant colors. It was as if she was looking at a 3D Hollywood movie. The trees, the smell and the ceilings of the bungalows up the hill were a big giveaway of where she was. The first camp.
“Are you done?” she heard her own voice speaking ahead of her. Surprised, Gaia lifted her gaze and found she was right in front of a clear vision of herself walking towards her. Wow… That’s me! she thought. That’s how I walk? No wonder why Edan keeps bugging me about it.
“Please say yes,” Gaia laughed in her vision. “I’m dying to see Priyam’s face once she opens it.”
I remember this… It’s the time I got Priyam a carved R2D2 for her birthday… but the one who carved it was…
With a knot of nerves on her stomach, Gaia turned to the same direction her vision was staring at and saw Hunter, smiling right at her.
Gaia snatched her hand away from the tree. She was panting. “What on earth…”
“What did you see?” asked Klog Mor. Gaia had no idea when Klog Mor arrived, but she was now smiling at her, seated on the floor with Icarus resting on her dyed maxi skirt.
“Hunter.” Gaia breathed, still shaking from the shock of seeing Hunter alive and smiling. She dried her sweaty hands against the fabric of her leggings. “It felt so real. It was as if he was right there next to me…. What was that?”
“It was Hunter.” Klog Mor patted the Oak tree. “This tree holds his essence, his memories. All of them do.” She opened her hands, signaling the rest of the trees in that forest. “Each tree has memories stored, every rock and every flower.”
“How’s that possible?”
Klog Mor grinned. “Just because people don’t hear, doesn’t mean Nature has nothing to say.”
Gaia sat a few inches away from Hunter’s tree. “Can you see them too? When you touch the trees?”
Klog Mor shook her head. “Only three Terrians are known to have this gift. You, Hans and Azazel.”
Gaia’s skin crawled at the sound of his name. Her mother, her people, Molly and now Hunter. How many would he take away from her? “Why Him?” she tried hard not to hiss.
“Aside from your reincarnations, he’s the best earth wielder known in Terrian history. No matter the path he chose.”
“So I’ve heard,” she mumbled under her breath before looking at her palm. “What happens if I touch it again?”
“You’ll never know unless you try again.”
Without hesitation, Gaia touched the tree once more.
There he was. Right in front of her as if he never left. Hunter’s lips were smiling while his hands skillfully carved the ‘Star Wars’ figurine. “It’s looking incredible,” Gaia cheered. “You’re a genius!”
“Thanks.” Hunter signaled and Gaia felt it. His emotions. She felt how pleased he was to be praised by her, to be recognized, to have her near. He was thrilled to find a family, to be part of something so important.
The tree wasn’t sharing Hunter’s memories but his feelings too. And Hunter’s were incredible. He was truly happy.
Gaia stared at the wild teen. His intense black eyes and messy hair. She wanted to stay there as long as she could, but unfortunately, she felt a pull.
Gaia moved her hand away from the tree’s trunk and noticed Klog Mor’s hand on her shoulder. “I’m afraid your time with Hunter’s Oak has come to an end.” She passed Icarus to Gaia’s shoulder. “I believe you’re needed in the common room.”
Gaia knew Klog Mor was right yet she couldn’t leave, not after finding Hunter again.
“Don’t worry.” Klog Mor grinned and gave her a little push. “Tree isn’t going anywhere.” Gaia hesitated. Besides the tree, there’d been something bothering her. Deeply. As always, Klog Mor felt something was odd with Gaia. “Is something else bothering you?”
“It’s nothing.” Gaia rubbed her neck playing dumb. There was no way she could talk about that. Not to anyone. Not until she knew what it meant. “Some stupid little thing I heard.”
“Beware, my child, sometimes the little things tend to haunt us the most.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.” She sprinted towards the common room before Klog Mor could see more than Gaia wanted her to notice.
Haunting… Boy, if she’d learnt something recently was how it felt to have her thoughts constantly haunting her.
Moments later, Gaia reached the center of the village. A place where all houses, balconies, and bridges hung on top of the trees covered in flowers and weeds. In the middle was the second biggest tree of the forest, holding a large two-floored room. The common room.
Gaia took Icarus and left him on one of the First Tree’s branches. Even among all those other trees it was incredibly easy to set it apart from the rest. After all, the First Tree was the only tree with more than three different flowers, engraved symbols on its trunk and with its leaves floating above the branches. “Good to see you made it here, Booby.”
“Are you crazy?!” Gaia heard Willow screaming from inside the common room. Icarus was right… they were furious. “We just buried one of our own and now you want her to die, too?”
“Nice vote of confidence,” said Donovan.
Intrigued, Gaia climbed the weeded stairs up to the room. Just like the outside, the place was decorated with different kinds of flowers, vines, and precious rocks. There was a round table full of big bright fruit and flower arrangements that made the room smell like the first day of spring.
In there she found Eva standing next to a smiling teen with multicolored hair, Edan and The Six. Willow was furiously arguing with Edan. “No offense, but come on! You all know how hard it was. Terrians die in there, and I’m not talking about regular Terrians, but full-on eight-year-training Terrian warriors,” she yelled at him.
“Edan’s right, she needs the symbols to claim her place,” said Eva. The way she stood and talked among them made Gaia assume she was someone important.
“Then let her train more!” Willow slammed her hand on the table.
“We don’t have the time.” Donovan tried to make her understand the reality of their situation.
The teen with the rainbow hair placed her hands on the table, her smiling face staring straight at Willow. “She’s Mother Nature, she’ll manage.” Then, Gaia recognized her. She was the girl that helped her the moment she’d crossed the barrier.
“Manage? Edan, do something. You know she can die,” Willow pleaded.
“I know she can.�
�� Edan rubbed his face. He was tired, angry, sad, and emotionally drained; emotions he could not let others see. “Nonetheless, she needs to pass them.”
“Pass what?” Gaia spoke for the first time. With the argument so intense, and the absence of Hunter to let them know someone was spying on them, none of them had noticed her come in. The team looked at Edan for an escape route.
“The four temples,” said Eva, and Gaia understood. Crap…Ever since Pratt told her about the temples, all she’d heard about was how dangerous and deadly they were.
“Gaia, meet Eva,” Edan introduced her. “She’s Moonstrand’s chief.”
Eva bowed her head, and her brunette and light-green hair fell over her shoulder. “Pleased to officially meet you, Lady Gaia.”
“Pleased to meet you, too; and Gaia is fine.” She walked to the table.
“This is Kirana, my second in command.” Eva introduced the girl with the long rainbow hair and Gaia stretched her hand towards her.
“Oh, wow! Hi.” Excited, Kirana grinned from ear to ear and shook Gaia’s hand. “I’m so sorry for… you know. I had to. Orders.”
“I understand.” Gaia smiled back. “Now, what about the temples?”
“Nothing. That’s something you shouldn’t be doing now,” Willow jumped in.
“She needs the approval of the parliament,” Shui reminded them.
“And she’ll get it. She’s been training for it.” Edan strode out of the room. “We leave tomorrow.”
“Edan.” Gaia took him by the hand.
“Go to bed and get some sleep, tomorrow we’ll have a long journey.” He hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
“Journey to where?”
“Nádúr Noc,” he grinned. “It’s time our princess returns home.”
Seasons Within Box Set Page 59