elemental

one of my other hobbies is painting and doing artworks...for abs-cbn's likhang imortal, i submitted four entries...out of a total of almost 5000 entries, fortunately, the judges thought 2 of my works are worthy...during the initial voting period, one of my entries, was targeted by negative comments since it did not depict the usual vampire and werewolf characters of the series... i have always worked on the edge, the mechanics did not mention that it should be only these entities but rather an interpretation of an immortal love between opposing forces... i wrote this story in defense of my artwork...

She felt the soft caress of the vines across her face. That’s what woke her, the gentle tendrils of living plant growth that thrives intertwined within her lush hair; small pure white blooms peeking out in places, permeating the air around her with the scent of flowers.

Looking around, she realized that she fell asleep in the woods once more.  Lately, she had been doing that a lot; one moment, sitting among the ancient trees of the forest and speaking with the earth spirits that lived within and the next, waking up several hours after from a dreamless sleep.  It was as if she was always lulled to slumber by the very elementals that she has come to commune with. 

She felt rested but somehow lacking, like there was a memory that was just at the edge of her consciousness.  Something she could almost touch but was unable to.  A suppressed thought!

“Titania”

A very faint whisper came with a soft breeze and along with it a weak trace of vanilla.   The vines in her tresses tightened like there was tension.

“Titania,” came the voice once again.

“Who is there?”  she whispered. The voice was strangely familiar, almost painful.

“It is I, Zypher,”

A barrage of emotions and memories came crashing into her awareness.  Suddenly, she remembered.  Without meaning to stop them, tears from hurt and guilt came unbidden from her eyes and dropped to the forest floor. 

How could she be so weak to have forgotten?  The nights of illicit passion, the words of promise and the love that could never have been all came to assault her; she knew that the element that continues to make her strong is also that one that makes her forget. She needs to go to him.

She stood up and took the first few steps towards where she knew he was waiting.  Waiting for how long, she could not remember.  Tentatively she glanced back and as expected the earth elements were waking up to stop her.  The gnarled root where she was sleeping was moving rapidly towards her, the claw like tips rushing to stop her flight.

She fled.  Unknown to her, with each step she took, from where her feet land a myriad growth burst from the earth and rushed towards her. Soon, behind her was a sea of green and brown all pursuing her before she meets him.

The winds howled all around her, angry and fearful at the same time.  As her own element tries to stop her, the air pushes her forward. 

Almost blinded by tears, she rushed forward.  Worried that she would stumble, she knew that as soon as that happens, the vines, leaves and branches that was slowly gaining on her would cover her and claim her as the earth. 

She did not realize that she was slowly leaving the woods behind.  Soon she was on a little hill.  The winds were howling harder.  The fear in her heart was a living entity wanting to burst forth.  And then she saw him.

With a burst of light and a shower of feathers, Zypher rushed from the heavens and went straight into her arms.  As they hugged, the earth rushed forth.  Claws of wood and deadly vines twined around Titania’s ankle and struggled to break them apart.  The current of air was a thundering cacophony around them.  They did not feel anything but the love that was beating within their hearts.  Nothing could have stopped them, even if death was waiting to claim one or the other. 

Slowly, with eyes locked, their lips came closer and closer.  And then they kissed.

There was a burst of blinding light and a rain of feathers and leaves fell the ground!