Chapter 8：Midi Khua (Land of the Dead)

A beautiful woman sat at the river bank, combing her beautiful, long black hair. She is wrapped in a traditional shawl and humming a soft melody. Her hands elegantly held the brush.

The air around her suddenly became heavy, she paused mid stroke.

"Elise~" A voice resounded all around her.

She immediately perked up.

"Adriel!"

The winds howled and rushed through her, swirling in a cloud of dust and leaves.

The wind died down to reveal an entity; a fog of colours surrounded a mask. The mask is broken in places, decorated with the most mismatch of designs and colours. Every time it speaks, the eyeholes glow in rhythm.

"Elise~ It is good to see you." It's voice sounds like clear running water with a melody.

Even as Elise stood up, her hair still touches the ground, almost like a curtain.

"It is wonderful to see you again too, Adriel. So tell me, how's it going over there? How are my parents? How's my little Rosalind? Oh, start with her, I want to hear everything. How old is she now?"

She walked towards it, stopping right in front of it.

"Your daughter is engaged to be married."

She gasped. "Already?! Isn't she only fifteen?"

"Twenty-one."

Elise clasped a hand over her mouth. "Already? Oh, she's growing up so fast. A little too fast maybe." A smile came across her features. "Remember that time she found my diary and accidentally summoned you?"

"I had to hide it again and erase that memory of her. But since she summoned it already, I was stuck there. She's a brilliant child."

"She always has been. I really wish I got the chance to meet her." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh! You said she's engaged?"

"Yes."

"Have you met the boy?"

"I've seen him."

"Tell me everything. What's he like? What does he do? Come." She and Adriel walked away from the pond towards the forest in full bloom. With flowering trees and ripe fruits.

"He's a general."

Elise squealed. "My daughter's definitely got my taste. So proud of her. Tell me more bout him."

They continued to walk and talk, like old friends catching up. They talked of Rosalind's childhood, her grandparents, the garden she so carefully tended and Titus.

Elise listened, clinging on to every word Adriel told her.

"Before I forget, here." It handed her a picture of Rosalind. "I managed to sneak it past the Woman*."

"Oh, she's beautiful, Adriel. She has her father's eyes, so keen and observant."

Letting out a sigh, she finally looked away. "I'm jealous of you, Adriel. You get to see them and my little girl grow. But . . . I'm glad she has you at least. Thankfully, she is growing to be a smart young woman. At least I know she won't make the silly mistake I made like making that deal."

"About that . . ."

Elise looked up at Adriel, worry in her eyes. "Yes?" The forest grew quiet.

"Rosalind made the deal."

Elise's eyes widened.

"And she already made two wishes."

"What?!" Her voice broke. "When?!"

"Today."

"Nonononononononono . . . no no. Adriel, you told her the consequences right?"

"I did."

"And she still did it?"

"She's just like you."

"That's not a good thing! She should have been more like her father. Oh God! Two wishes! I didn't survive ONE wish."

"I'm sorry, Elise."

"It's alright, Adriel. If she's anything like me, as you said, no matter what you say, she'll listen." Her eyebrows still knitted in worry but a faint smile graced her lips. "She's my daughter alright."

"Can you tell me what she wished for?"

"I'm sorry, Elise."

"Just a jist of it, you don't have to be specific?"

" . . . Knowledge and Power."

Elise rested her head on her hand, deep in thought. The gears on her mind turning as she processed what Adriel said. She became uneasy but couldn't figure out why.

Looking back at it, she asked, "What happened?"

"There's a war going on."

"Again?" Her voice could barely be heard. "Why?"

"Why would they do that? The last civil war killed thousands not just of our people but also those from the other side. It left many people childless. It's the reason Rosalind, Titus and, I'm sure, many other children don't have parents. Why would they initiate it again."

" . . . it's not a civil war."

"Then?"

"It's international."

"No."

"Country against country."

"No. No. My poor darling." She braced herself, trying to calm down. Panic set in, her soft features could not hide the worry she felt.

"How's Rosalind handling this?" She asked unable to say anything else.

"She's going to the battlefield."

"No. You didn't stop her?"

"Would she have listened to me?"

" . . . What is she planning to do there?"

"What you did for your people, help them."

"She really, really is my daughter."

"Don't worry, she has a good head on her shoulder and, as I promised you, I'll be with her through it all."

"There's little you can do, Adriel. Changing the course a person chose is not something you can do."

"I'll be there with her. Letting her know she's never alone." It turned its gaze to her. "And letting her know that her mother is always looking out for her."

" . . . thank you, Adriel."

"After everything you've done for me, this is the least I can do."

"I didn't do much."

"Nonsense, don't you remember? It was at the dead of night. A young girl was taking a stroll in the village and on that walk, she encountered a fearsome spirit being hunted down by some men from the village and she rescued it by distracting the men."

Laughing, Elise finally looked up. "You weren't fearsome."

"Only to you, and to Rosalind."

Elise gazed fondly at Adriel. "I did what I believed was right."

"But only misery befell you after that. The men . . . they found out who you were and where you lived. The things they did to you. I can never forgive myself for not being there."

"Oh don't worry about it. My husband took care of it didn't he?"

"He was something different, that husband of yours. He didn't even leave enough of their bodies to be buried properly. Little pieces of them scattered all around the village. It was thrilling. If I didnt know he was human, I would ah e thought he was another spirit."

Elise laughed. "Though after that, the civil war broke out between two tribes, ours and the ones from the South. It was then that that I made the deal with you, right?"

"A life for a life. I think that's fair."

"The guilt I carried remained, long after you were gone. Oh, your daughter has three wishes."

"I thought we only got two."

"Your last wish went to her and the consequences are not as sever, I promise you that. But this is allowed only to her because she is your daughter."

"You stayed with her, from the day she summoned you, accidentally, till now. I am forever grateful. You taught her everything she needed to know. I just need to ask if you could be there for her even now." Elise soft eyes pleaded.

"I have no intention of leaving her alone. I will accompany her until she no longer has a need for me." Adriel reassured her.

"Oh, thank you so much, Adriel. I could never repay you for everything you have done for me and my family."

"It's me who could never repay you back." Adriel stood up. "It's best I get going now, Rosalind is planning to sneak out at the break of dawn and I promised to take her there."

"Of course, Adriel. Thank so much for paying me a visit and talking to me about Rosalind. Come visit more often, I can't wait to hear more."

"Alright."

" . . . And, Adriel, please take care of my daughter."

"Always."

A strong gust of wind blew taking Adriel along with it; dust, leaves and twigs clouded her vision. Only when the winds calmed down did everything settle and Elise stood alone again.

She held the picture of Rosalind up, the uneasiness only growing, "Be safe, my love."