Something Immortal

59: Out of the Pan, Into the Fire

"Get us out of here," he uttered.

✧༺♥༻∞

They all watched Som with both awe and confusion, as he controlled the sentient trees with the runes whirling around his wrists like cogs in the wheel. The golden flames moved along with his body like an after-shadow effect, even his eyes were a mixture of brilliant scarlet and gold. And no one could touch him. No one would dare.

With a flick of his finger, one of the trees took charge of the right flank and the other on the right. Mica, Malee, and Ilarion tried their best to stay out of the way. The floras of the marshes recognized the stronger entity among the two and scurried to hide back in the wetlands, while the others who were still retaliating faced the wraths of the sentinels and were quickly annihilated by the golden flames.

Finally reaching the gigantic pod, Som waved one hand and a shard made of the black pool that had been crawling to the ground pierced its solid body. The same body that Mica had been trying to stab for hours now. The shards dissolved in its body and from the inside, the golden flames spread out, burning it until its avocado-like pod finally withered and dry, its leaves turning brown, then gray, then black...until it turned into a powdery substance, left after an internal combustion.

As the marshes finally settled, the black pool on the ground hovered behind Som, forming another figure and this time it was the pool goddess.

"Welcome back, my prince..." she uttered with a smile.

Hearing this, Som turned around and let the runes disappear around him, the sentinels moving back to their respective places, transforming themselves into regular trees. She glided towards him, her head bowed low.

"I've regained some of my memories," he confided.

"Not all," she responded, her voice echoing like a stream of water.

The corner of Som's lips curled. "You're right. Not all. But it's enough. I don't need to know everything. I just need to know the ending." With one last flick of his hand, a ball of fire hit the pool goddess straight in the chest.

She recoiled for a moment and the ripples on her body began to bubble like she was boiling. Mica's jaw dropped, and Malee and Ilarion gasped. The pool goddess heaved and straightened her body, closing her eyes and exhaling softly, she opened her lids and peered back. Her face was now clearer, her form more solid, and she looked more...alive.

"My gratitude, firebird."

"It's your payment, pool goddess. Thank you for holding on to some of my memories," beaming at her, he then turned to the side where Ilarion was standing beside Malee. "Now, we have to work on yours..."

Ilarion was once again left dumbfounded and pointed at himself. "Moi?"

Sighing deeply, Som replied, "Yes, toi."

✧༺♥༻∞

They walked back into the marshes, finding their way back to their anchored ship, Malee returned to her duty reading the map. They were silent for a while but vigilant, heavily alerted by any sounds that the whole place would make.

"We're still in the Shivering Mist," Malee didn't forget to remind them of this as they were near to where they left their ship. "Keep your hands to yourself and don't touch anything."

Mica glanced on the side, frowning, "We're keeping our hands to ourselves! Why does it feel like we're going around in circles? Are you sure we're not lost?"

Malee frowned back at him but apprehension showed on her face, she studied the map once more, and as far as she was concerned, they were on the right track. "I've marked it," she informed the other.