Rowen

Alexis's child, Arisia, led us to another path in the forest. 

Our walk was devoid of conversation. Even my talkative darling, Ashid, was silent. 

The sound of the forest, as well as our footsteps, were deafening. My heartbeat sped up, and it felt like we were near him. 

I stared at the ground. It's a pathway with no stray grassroots on it. It was obvious that it was well maintained. 

Then, we exited the forest. I surveyed the place and a conspicuous large scorched ground caught my attention.

In the middle of that scorched ground, was a wooden crafted cross. A few centimeters away from the scorched ground were a variety of swaying blue flowers. 

'Is that...Alexis's grave?'

I felt a wave of sadness, and my heart ached for my mate's fate. To die on an isolated and unknown island. My Alexis had suffered.

Arisia stopped outside the scorched ground reached and faced us.

"This is Father's grave. And I don't think I need to explain what happened." Arisia's eyes drooped and her voice was emotionless. 

I silently stared at the wooden cross. Indeed, the moment I laid eyes to this scorched place, I already had an inkling. 

"It was the Groran disease." Franz, who was silent, confirmed. 

I can hear the pain in his voice, and his mourning through our bond. 

I closed my eyes. Of all the illnesses or diseases that could have claimed Alexis's life, it just has to be Groran disease! 

To think that my beloved would suffer such a torturous thing as slowly losing his sanity. Losing his mind and forgetting the memories he had made with us. 

I grinded my teeth. I want to rage, I want to cry, I want to release this suffocating sorrow in my heart by blowing things up. But I can't. This is Alexis's resting place, I cannot destroy it. I cannot bear to.

Quiet tears streamed. 

I wanted to speak to comfort my mates but I choked on my sobs. 

The aching of my heart intensified upon feeling the pain of my mates through our bond. 

None of us spoke, but we all had tears freely flowing out. 

This pain. It was different from when we found out that Alexis perished 3 years ago. This pain, was excruciating, as if my heart was being sliced up into hundreds of pieces. 

"Alexis," I muttered, my feet bringing me in front of the wooden cross. 

I slowly bend my knees, kneeling in front of the wooden cross.

"We found you." I smiled, the tears blurring my eyes. 

Franz and Ashid, like me, slowly kneeled. 

"We didn't give up," Franz spoke, his voice becoming hoarse.

Ashid didn't speak, he tried, but he kept being choked by his sobs. 

'Sweetheart, we're here. We found you.' 

I know that he had perished, but seeing this place just killed that last hope, that impossible wish, that maybe he was alive.

I know that I shouldn't have held off that wish because it doubled the pain.

I clenched my chest, where my heart is. 

I want to scream. I really want to. 

And as if knowing what I had in mind, the quiet child behind us spoke up.

"I casted a Silencing Veil around. No one will hear you."

 My mouth opened, and I yelled and screamed. 

Franz and Ashid didn't suppress their voice any longer. 

"Aah!"