The Writer - Chapter 16

The Silent

“You’re the one who’s holding the map, so it’s your fault we’re lost!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss I-Don’t-Know-How-To-Read-A-Map. Next time I’ll make sure that I know the exact pebble we’re standing on.” 

“There’s not going to be a next time because we’re going to die here alone!” 

Rae and Margo were midfight by noon the next day. Honestly, Forrest didn’t know whose fault it was, but they were hopelessly lost in the woods.

The morning had been terrible from the start. Forrest had tried to talk to Coral alone about his dream, but Bethany wanted help hunting and everyone else refused to go with her. Instead, Forrest was forced to listen to the incessant chatter between Rae and Margo. He and Morgan exchanged a one sided conversation. Morgan obviously wanted to be friends, but Forrest wasn’t in the mood. 

Then Coral and Bethany had come back with three rabbits, which were consumed so fast Forrest felt hungry afterwards. 

They had walked for about four hours, following the edge of the woods that threaded through Maconia and would lead them to Layene. Margo - being Cursed by Maconil - thought she would feel some connection to the land. Needless to say, they were hopelessly lost. Margo couldn’t read maps, and Rae was upset that she wouldn’t be able to get a proper bath. 

Coral walked by Forrest’s side, holding his hand in hers. If any of the others noticed, they said nothing. 

“Listen, it’ll all be fine,” Morgan was saying in an attempt to calm the girls down with zero success. “Find the nearest mountain - which Maconil has plenty - and climb to the top. We can see everything from up there, and we can get back on track. Boom.”

“I mean, I suppose that’s the best plan we have,” Coral sighed. “Next time, why don’t Forrest and I hold the map.”

“Fine,” Margo and Rae said in sync. They glared at each other again before Calli drug Rae away so they wouldn’t begin fighting. Forrest had to muffle his laughter with his sleeve, and Coral sent him a look. 

It took about two more hours to find a mountain, and then another whole hour to get up it. The mountain wasn’t tall, and the paths sloped gently upwards. Hiking trails wound around the mountain in spiral patterns, marked off by wooden signs. The air was warmer than it had been in a while, but the higher they climbed, the cooler it got. 

Bethany’s Blessing allowed her to control the bitter chill to a certain extent. She never got cold, and the wind seemed to avoid her entirely. 

The mountain wasn’t as tall as the ones back in Faroshin, which had towered above even the clouds. The peak was shorter and flatter, or at least, the one that they were on. But that didn’t take away from the view. 

The others seemed at a loss for words, the only exception being Margo, who was more than happy to yell a few choice words when Morgan pretended to push her over the edge. 

Forrest could see the Layene Tower Ruins from where he was standing, along with the burnt remains of the Viridi castle as well. He could just barely see the spires of the Silver castle far off in the distance, and the Crossover Forest snaked down the middle of the kingdoms like a serpent. 

“Are you guys almost done admiring the view?” Margo complained, still hugging a tree a few yards away. Forrest snorted, trying not to laugh. 

“Yes, Margo, we’re done now,” Calli retorted. 

“No, we’re not,” Bethany said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. She sent a glance upwards. “There’s something up there, I can feel it.” 

“Up?” Rae interjected. “Bethany, we’re at the top of the mountain.” 

Margo and Morgan shared a look, something along the lines of our sister has gone off the rails. Even Coral seemed skeptical, but Forrest believed Bethany. 

It wasn’t proof, but there was just a gut feeling that they weren’t at the highest point of the mountain. However, unlike Bethany, Forrest had no desire to climb higher. 

Bethany began to walk away as if in a trance, shuffling along on the uneven ground. Forrest rushed after her, Coral at his heels. His hand strayed to his sword, grazing the hilt as Bethany slowed to a stop. The wind began to pick up speed. 

Bethany stuck out a hand, pressing it through the air like she expected resistance. The space in front of her rippled like the surface of the pond, and the mirage disappeared. Left behind was a large, golden gate. 

The metal gleamed in the sunlight, and behind the gate was a spiraling staircase stretching upwards. The steps looked like they were made of marble. 

Forrest was at a loss for words. Coral’s presence beside him felt insignificant compared to the beautiful creation before him. “The Staircase to the Heavens,” someone whispered, though Forrest wasn’t sure who. 

“Look,” Rae exclaimed. Forrest followed her pointed finger to the bar across the gate where twelve handprints were engraved in the metal. Inside each print was the name of a region in a tiny, cramped font. 

“It looks like that you need someone from each region to get through,” guessed Calli. “Too bad there’s only seven us or we could have a private audience with the Goddesses.” 

Forrest was glad the gate was locked. If there was any way for him to get into the goddesses’ palaces, he would break in and destroy Racke. His Curse threatened to take over but Forrest reached for Coral’s hand, squeezing it tightly. 

She jumped as their skin touched, her mouth forming an ‘o’. Then she quickly squeezed back and Forrest focused on the warmth, amplifying it to chase away the Curse. 

His anger fled like birds from children, but something was still there. It wasn’t rage, but almost a presence of sorts. Forrest gripped Coral’s hand tighter, the conversation continuing without him. 

Hello? He realized his own thought was bouncing around inside his mind, as if he were talking to someone. 

He wasn’t expecting an answer, but then a tiny voice whispered hello back. 

Forrest froze. He felt like Bethany had encased him in ice, and his grip on Coral’s hand tightened even more. She didn’t seem to notice. 

Hello? The voice was more insistent now, it knew Forrest was aware of it. 

Who are you and what are you doing in my head?! Forrest demanded, his fear pooling in his stomach with an icy coolness. 

The voice responded with a chuckle. Forrest, child, you cannot stop me from being here. Just accept my presence and get on with life. 

But Forrest couldn’t accept the fact that someone was living inside of his head. Was it Baelle? Another Rogue? Possibly Calli? Forrest’s grip slackened on Coral’s hand and he stumbled backwards. Was he putting the others in danger? 

“Forrest?” Coral’s voice cut through the deafening silence in his head. 

He couldn’t imagine how he looked, probably terrified. Coral’s eyes were widened and the others were staring at him. Forrest didn’t have time to be embarrassed. 

His feet pounded on the ground as he ran, trying to find the source of the voice. Was it Racke? Emmeline? He couldn’t figure out who would have the power to be inside his head, and that terrified him. 

“Forrest!” came Coral’s cries from behind him. He shut her out and kept running, slipping as he rounded corners. 

Why are you running from your fate? 

Forrest wanted to yell, to tear apart his mind from the inside out. Get out of my head! 

You’ve let me in, and now I’m comfortable. I’m here for the greater good, child, the voice sighed. Forrest shook his head furiously, refusing to believe this. The voice had to be Baelle or one of her cronies. 

“Forrest stop! What are you doing!” Coral yelled from behind him. Forrest kept running, nearly hitting a tree. His heart was racing and his blood pounding in his veins. 

I don’t know who you are, Forrest argued. 

I used to be your greatest idol. You can trust me, the voice pleaded. Forrest, we can be a great team. You just have to trust me. I mean you no harm. 

Greatest idol? Forrest’s feet came to a stop, and he crumpled to the ground, his head in his hands. He could hear Coral’s labored breathing as she caught up to him. The voice fled as she approached, leaving Forrest alone. 

She knelt beside him, cradling his cheeks with her hands. Forrest felt tears welling up in his eyes. For the first time since … Since he was tortured, Forrest began to cry. 

He heard the others approaching, but he didn’t bother to acknowledge them. He pressed himself into Coral’s shoulder, his body racked with silent sobs. The fear coursed through his veins like fire. 

Maybe half an hour passed. An hour. Forrest cried until his tears ran dry and his sobs turned to hiccups. 

Coral held him tight, something he was grateful for. She never let him go, she just stroked his hair and let him cry, whispering into his ear that everything would be okay. Forrest knew he didn’t deserve a girl like her. 

“Are you okay?” she asked him. 

Forrest pulled away, letting his hands come to rest in hers. He was extremely glad that Coral didn’t ask what was bothering him, she just asked if she could help. 

He gave a small nod, feeling shaky and afraid. 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” 

He frantically made hand signals, and for the first time a while, he explained what had happened. He told Coral about his resignations for the trip, especially about his Curse. He told her about his dream about Emmeline and Newt, and about the flashbacks he had been having for a while now. He explained that he had first heard a voice during Calli’s spell - the thought telling him to kill the sorceress. And he told about the voice in his head.
Coral listened closely, nodding her head and adding small comments to encourage Forrest to continue. When his hands finally came to rest in his lap, Coral took them again. 

“What did he say?” Morgan asked from not far away. 

Shame rose in Forrest’s throat as he remembered that the others were waiting for him to be done with his fit. 

Coral sent the group a look. “Can Forrest and I have some … alone time, please? You can go hunting or whatever, but he and I need to talk in private. We’ll share the necessities later, okay?” 

Everyone nodded except for Rae, who gave a humph. “Fine, but you have to promise not to make out.” 

Forrest blushed furiously as Calli herded the group away, leaving Coral and Forrest in silence. He felt at peace, like he was coming home. How long had it been since just the two of them could talk without the worry of getting interrupted? Forever, it seemed. 

“Forrest, I…” Coral’s voice cracked. “You told me so much, but I can’t believe you kept that all inside of you. I don’t even know where to start.” She sucked in a breath before continuing. “I … I don’t even know what to say. You’re so much stronger than I could ever be, and I can’t believe you didn’t share this sooner. 

“I understand why you don’t want to come on this trip, it might bring you too close to home. And I was … I was hopeful when I suggested we find a cure for your Curse.” She sniffed, tears filling her eyes. “You really think that I might be the solution to your Curse?” 

Forrest nodded. Why else would his mother have used the words washed away? It felt like something that she would have learned from Emmeline and repeated word for word. 

Coral nodded too. “Then you and I will figure something out by the time we get to Dinrali and Rackelofft, and we’ll end your Curse once and for all.” She sounded so determined that Forrest believed her. 

“And the voice,” Coral continued,” do you think it’s a result of your Curse?” 

Forrest shook his head. He had burdened by his Curse for about ten years now, he knew what it was like to be consumed by rage inside and out. The voice was different. He couldn’t describe it. 

There was almost another person -  but not a whole one - hidden inside his brain. It wasn’t dangerous, at least not yet, just annoying, like an itch he couldn’t scratch. 

“Hmm,” Coral thought. “We can figure that out too. Just promise that you won’t be hiding big things like the dream and the voice from me, okay? You’re a big, strong boy, but you don’t have to do everything alone.” 

Forrest gave a small nod, though he wasn’t promising anything. 

“Good,” Coral smiled. “As for the flashbacks, I’m getting them too. I wonder if maybe there’s a demigoddess of flashbacks or something, or if the others back at the mansion are getting them too. It’s something to look into.” 

Forrest nodded again. 

Coral seemed satisfied, and stood up slowly. “I’m going to go find the others, you stay right here.” 

Forrest promised that he would, and Coral ran off into the woods. 

He tugged the bag off his back, trying to get comfortable and rest for a little while. He ended up opening the bag and digging through until he found the envelope addressed to Coral. No secrets she had told him. Forrest’s fingers longed to open the yellowed parchment, but once again, he tucked it away again. 

Instead, he found his fingers dancing across the vial with his voice in it. His voice at the touch of his fingers. Emmeline’s words about him being the bravest person she knew came back to him. I know you’ll make the right choice. 

A small part of Forrest wanted to open the bottle, but it was quickly outweighed by the rest of him. He wasn’t ready to have his voice back, not yet. 

Maybe not ever.  

Margo was more than relieved to get down off the mountain, and Forrest was happy just to be alone with his thoughts. 

Coral explained a little bit of what was going on with Forrest, and the others didn’t seem to be angry about it. In fact, they were all supportive and made Forrest promise that he would ask if he needed anything. 

By nightfall, they had reached the border of Layene and Maconil. Night brought darkness and cold winds, so Morgan lit a small campfire and they spread out supplies in a small cave. The rock floor was cold, but it protected from the wind and the eventual downpour of freezing rain. 

The group talked a bit, mostly discussing what lay ahead but also a bit of their past and stories. 

Coral was just suggesting that they head to sleep when the wind outside picked up. It howled like a ferocious beast and Rae shivered. Even Forrest felt uncomfortable with the sheer force of it, like there was something supernatural happening. 

And then Forrest saw a dim, bluish white light approaching. 

He froze as the light approached, afraid of what it could be. More magic, or a servant of Baelle? 

“What’s that?” Coral asked from beside him, just now spotting the light. 

It slowly grew closer and Forrest realized it took the shape of a fox with silvery blue fur. The fox approached and it seemed to be made from light. 

“Whoa,” Rae breathed as it came to a stop in front of Coral and Forrest. “I have no idea what it is, but I want one.” She edged towards it, as if she wanted to pet it, but Bethany grabbed her and held her back, eyes wide with fear.

Surprisingly, Calli was the one who answered. “It’s a … a Guide. I never thought I’d actually see one.” 

“A Guide?” Coral repeated. She turned to Forrest, who had already come to the same conclusion. “It’s from Emmeline.” 

As if it had heard them, the fox nodded. Forrest noticed that in its mouth was a roll of parchment. He reached out to take the parchment, but the fox began to shift and change. Forrest held his breath, only releasing a small gasp as the fox morphed into a … boy? 

The boy looked oddly familiar, but Forrest didn’t recognize him. He seemed to be about Forrest’s age, maybe a bit older or younger. His eyes were a bright green and his hair dark, though his skin held an unearthly pale shade like he was dead. Then again, if he was a Guide, maybe he was. 

“I thought Guides were animals,” Coral whispered as the boy handed her the parchment before disappearing with a soft poof. 

“They are most of the time,” Calli explained. “But back at school we were taught a lot about the afterlife and that kind of thing. There are numerous ways dead people can resurface in the mortal world, one of which being as a Guide. If this Guide was truly from Emmeline, her ancestor or whoever the boy was obviously had a very close relationship or comparison with her.” 

Coral nodded absentmindedly, and then unrolled the letter. She finished reading it and handed it to Forrest. 

Dear Coral and Forrest, 

I hope this letter finds you well. I know that Forrest probably wasn’t eager to return to his home land. I’m sure you guys will be fine though, the Generals assure me that your team is well equipped for what lies ahead. 

I’m doing well. Newt’s doing better, and I’m coming to terms with my boredom. Beckett has become quite insufferable and has resorted to pranks on the poor mansion staff to occupy himself. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to learn how to communicate with all of you using Guides. It’s a bit challenging, so I suppose you’ll have to figure it out on your own. For now, just whistle or something and my Guide should return to escort any messages back - which I do hope you will write back. 

I’ll let you know what Clara says when I receive a response from her. Please stay safe! 

With love, Emmeline 

Forrest rerolled the parchment as he thought about the words. Emmeline was doing well, besides boredom. He was glad he wasn’t stuck in her position, or Newt’s for that matter. 

Emmeline and Coral were great and all, but Forrest was one of the only guys that Forrest knew that was his age. The two had bonded over being the only boys (besides Beckett) in their tiny group. 

“It’s from Emmeline,” Coral confirmed for the group. “She, Newt, and Beckett are all doing fine. She gave us some information, but that’s all. Forrest, do you want to write back?” 

Forrest shrugged, but Coral gave him a stern look and a parchment and pen from her bag. It was clear that she wanted him to tell Emmeline what was troubling him, so Forrest gave a small sigh before beginning. When the letter was finished, he rolled it and wondered how in the world he would get the boy back. 

Just on cue, the boy appeared in front of him, a hand outstretched. Forrest handed him the note, giving a small nod. The boy returned the action before shifting into a fox and darting away, leaving blue footprints in his wake. 

“So, you’re really friends with a Reader? And a prince?” Morgan asked after the blue footprints had faded from the air. 

Coral shrugged. “I mean, yeah. It’s not that big of a deal.” 

“Has Emmeline ever Read you? And I heard a rumor that she can Write too. Did she Write either of you?” Rae burst, practically bouncing up and down. 

Forrest gave a small chuckle. This group reminded him of what he had been like when he had first met Emmeline. He had been eager to be Read, despite Emmeline’s obvious reluctance. Now, he wanted nothing to do with his past. 

Coral answered the questions with patience and a smile. “I haven’t been Read, it’s really not a pleasant experience for Emmeline. As for Writing, she’s only Written one person that I know of. She Read Forrest when they were both very young, so neither of them remember the experience.” 

Forrest actually didn’t know if Emmeline remembered Reading him, but he assumed she would have brought it up by now. 

“The person she Wrote was Baelle, right?” Morgan asked, hanging on every word. 

Coral nodded, and began to describe the exact details of Emmeline’s adventures in Viridi. Rae, Margo, and Morgan seemed to enjoy this the most. Calli rolled her eyes a few times and Bethany sat in silent admiration. Coral was a magnificent storyteller, and as she talked Forrest could picture her telling similar stories to their future children. 

He could see his older self and Coral happily telling stories to their children. The children wouldn’t believe that they ever met a demigoddess, that they ever fought against a real goddess, or even that they had known a prince and a Reader. The thought brought a smile to his face. 

“And the prince?” Margo’s eyes were really large. Forrest snorted. 

“We know him as Beckett,” Coral said. “But what about him?” 

“You call him by his first name?!” 

Coral stifled a laugh. “He’s really not as great as you all make him out to be. If anything, I’m happy to be without him for a bit.” 

“Lucky you,” Morgan mumbled. “If I knew a prince, I don’t think I could ever lose tolerance for his presence.” 

Forrest and Coral shared an identical laugh before Coral spoke. “Then you clearly don’t know Beckett.” 

The group continued to ask Coral questions about Beckett, Emmeline, and Newt among other things. For hours, Coral described the adventures of the team, along with stories of the Sprite Hunters. When the fire was reduced to a pile of burning coals, Calli finally reminded them that they should sleep, else they would be exhausted tomorrow for the journey. 

“The final stretch,” Calli whispered to them. “We’re so close yet so far.” 

Yes, Forrest thought to himself as he stared at the ceiling, listening to the soft breathing of his allies. So far, yet also too close.

Author's Note

Sorry this one took so much longer, but there was a fair bit of length to write and a lot of important, tiny hints hidden throughout.