11. Some Truths Might Set You Free.

"You used magic to track me down here!" Zuri was trying her best not to rage, but the tone in her yell proved otherwise. "That's why my cloaking spell is broken. Riff raff are everywhere! They're trying to locate me right now and-"

"-it is not about you!" Barked out Ciara.

August was still quiet in his sit, realizing the fact that both ladies before him were complete opposite of each other. Like ice and fire.

Zuri heard Ciara loud and clear, but pretending not to do so makes matters more interesting, for some reason. "What did you say?"

"It is not about you. Look at Gavil. He's only seven years old. Does he deserves this fate? You were only eight when humans casted you out. It was unfair of them to take such a callous act on a child. The world is changing now, Zuri. Now, the innocents are suffering." Ciara carefully picked up her words and sang them softly to match a pleasing tone in Zuri's ear. She was right after all, and thus, making her sound more confident without stuttering even for half a second. "Do you think it is fair for a human to decide the fate of another?"

No. An answer reluctantly formed in Zuri's head.

"I might be a lot of things, but I know I am right on this matter. I know so, Zuri. I am also well aware that you are our savior."

Zuri scoffed out loud, unconsciously, even after desperately trying to keep her opinions to herself. "The Saviour? That's a bit disgracing, you know?"

"Disgracing?" Ciara asked.

Her gaze fell on the grass below them, and for a moment, she wished she could just fall and never get up again. As if the ground should open up a wide mouth, and swallow her up in an instant. "For fourteen years, I was no savior for myself. I couldn't help little me, up till this very moment. And you want me to save the world?"

"If only you just believed in yourself -"

"Believes work with a heavy load of hard work and energy. You can't use a curse to save the world." She muttered the last sentence, hoping they hadn't heard her.

They did, but neither of them decided to comment. Instead, they needed some rest. And for that to happen, they were going to discuss a rather lively topic. Fortunately, both Ciara and August had the perfect topic to pick. The case of the brothers of hell.

"You can't seriously tell me that those strange men are dead." Ciara asked, instantly stealing Zuri's attention.

"Not quite." She said in a jiffy.

"You still won't tell us-"

"-nothing happened." Zuri replied rather harshly. "Sorry. I, I don't like to bring up memories from my past."

"It's alright, I understand." Replied August.

"Yes, definitely. We understand you."

When you want to force a person to confess, you either have to; i) pretend you are absolutely uninterested in that discussion and would probably not seem to enjoy conversing on that issue, ii) Silence, iii) both instances i) and ii)—which so far, this has been the most successfully proven way.

At least it worked in the trio's scenerio.

"Alright then. Let me tell you both a story." Ignoring the smirks on their faces, Zuri proceeded to retelling her tale. She talked about who she assumed the brothers of hell to be, and guessed a few reasons why they abducted her, stating it was either for gold or immortality, or an ailment for a terrible disease. Lastly, she narrated to them what happened fourteen years ago, how she had managed to find her freedom and escaped. Of course while leaving out the parts about sacrifices she'd made. It would be rather foolish of her to announce to them that destruction was still out there for them all, and they might have to pay dearly for the deal she'd just made with her darkness. Temporarily, they were all safe. She also managed to cast a new cloaking spell that would keep them invisible for a while, although it wouldn't be as strong as it used to be, since they could now be tracked by the blanket that was now with them. With a big sigh of relief, she concluded. "There you have it. A tiny glimpse of my past."

"Wow. Those were beautiful moments I must agree." Said Ciara, causing Zuri to smile proudly. "Only problem is that, are we safe or not? Those idiots would only fight for lord knows how long! And then what? They'll come back for us."

"In the next fourteen years or so?" Zuri's brows furrowed as a betwixt and between smile worked its way up to her lips.

"They have your baby blanket, Zuri!" Snapped Ciara.

"No need to yell, Ciara." August pointed out, though he knew she wouldn't listen to him.

"Can't you hear her? We are only saved temporarily. We should have killed them. Especially after what they did to poor Gavil."

"And do you think that would have been possible? Ciara, I've lived my life in a survival's mode all these years, because I don't run around killing people."

"Well hurray for you then. But they should be dead by now-"

"Ciara, don't-" August managed to say weakly before he was cut off.

"-oh shut up, you!"

"You can't kill them. Something about them is... unusual. I felt it. They can't be killed." Said Zuri, undoubtedly.

"Because they're immortals?" Ciara frowned.

"Why do you think they call themselves the brothers of hell?" Zuri asked, then decided to add immediately. "Also, I have told you times without numbers that my powers demands a sacrifice. A balance in the chain of life."

"How do you know all these things? I mean you've been here in the woods almost all your life." Asked August, trying to sound as polite as ever.

"My parents, they were very spiritual and they taught me most of the things I already know -"

"-but you were eight-"

"-since I was two years old." Zuri frowned, replying nosey Ciara.

Shocked by her reply, Ciara gulped in.

"Then, I get lessons from --" the demons in her soul? How could she say that out loud without people tagging her a lunatic? "In my dreams." She decided to say instead. "Just don't doubt me when I speak. Unless I am very sure of my claims, I don't speak it out."

"Well, I do believe you with those brothers. I couldn't do much when I tried to face them. They were just too strong than any warrior I've faced before." August confessed.

Under that woods, the trio talked, smiled and even argued at the perfect length. A healthy bond to strengthen their relationship. And for a while, it was a happy moment for each of them. Zuri never felt like she was alone, Ciara had the freedom to speak her mind without filtering out a single word, and August had the opportunity of protecting those he cherished because that was the type of person that he was. Little Gavil, he slept through out the whole scenerio.

But in the same woods, just few trees further apart, there was a tree. It used to be dead, and it still was. Shredded sticks from the lifeless tree scattered on the ground, it's flexible branches and twigs now broken off. The tree's bark was flaking and peeling. Brittle torn branches could been seen, as well as large cuts on the body of the tree. No leaves were visible as they'd all dried off.

Yet, this tree was supposed to be dead. But deep down, life was still present beneath its root. If only Zuri had been present in that moment, a simple touch would had been all she would need in order to realize that her magic was failing.

The tree was rising back to life.

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