Coming to a stop Fletcher drank in the sight of the house it was a large one with Chinese type accents like a monastery with stone steps leading to the front door each row of steps complete with its own flower garden healthy and colourful the men went up the stairs quickly not seeing the cloaked Fletcher crawling out from under the car and they didn't see the black haired girls and boy hiding behind a stack of large flower pots, passing them by they finally moved running down the stairs the boy held a bat the girl a sword they didn't notice him either making him seriously question how they couldn't see the cloak,
when they passed him by a few feet he finally spoke
"Summer?" the girl freezed and by extension the other two who turned around and saw the giant white cloaked figure his entire being covered in shadow, they held up their weapons standing In front of the smallest girl when he stepped towards them
"who are you, where did you get that cloak?!" the older girl shouted holding the sleek samurai sword in a beginners stance and the boy in a baseball like one
"I think the better question is where are you going?" he shot back looking straight at them but they couldn't see his eyes
"our question first," the boy said pushing both girls behind him away from the man
"I believe she can answer that" he answered watching Summers gaze turn and look at his cloaked figure like the other two the three of them seeing her already wet and puffy eyes beginning to water with more tears looking at him in disbelief careful not to move in case he disappears from sight
"Fletcher?" she said more like a question easing the other two children who looked back at him their weapons lowered as he pulled back his hood with a rare genuine smile across his face his black hair in a mess and eyes filled with red veins around his pupils with black bags under his eyes
"Yes little light it's me" he answered watching as her face turned into one of shock like the others seeing him alive
"No" Fletcher didn't process what she said until a second after
"what?" he said confused
"I said No, you left me Again you keep leaving me alone and making mommy sad I don't know-know w-why do-don't… you like me?" she asked her voice beginning to crack trying to keep the tears from spilling out at the edge of her vision the other kids backing away letting them talk it out but Fletcher didn't know what to do or say so he did what normal people do in this situation he didn't think he just spoke from the heart
"Summer I know I hurt you and your mother that I somehow forgot you without knowing it that this must have happened before and I wouldn't know it but I just want to say something I've never said in my life I'm...sorry" catching her attention he saw her look up to his eyes her eyes puffy but she listened sniffling
"I'm sorry I can't remember you and I hate myself for it that whatever memories we had before of you and your mother, your beautiful smiles and joyful laughter that warms my heart I just wished I could be the kind of brother you wanted rather than the one you have...and if you've had enough if you decide that you don't want to take another chance just close your eyes and I will go I will never come back to break your hearts...ever again it's your choice" at first nothing happened no one spoke or said a word looking into her silver heartbroken eyes he took that as his answer sighing before walking away to the dark forest raising he's hood he reached into his pocket to grab The Flask but before he could get a few steps in he felt something bump into him and wrap around his legs refusing him to let him budge
"don't go please" she cried so softly he barely heard it, looking down he put the flask back in his pocket
"you don't want me gone?" he questioned watching as she could barely breathe her little body shaking from the sobs
"I need-never was-wanted you go-gone y-you ju-just kee-keep...leaving" with a sad smile he crouched to her level and embraced her shaking form into his warm arms his cloak covering them both like a giant hug Fletcher didn't notice the footsteps behind him until another pair of slender arms wrapped around him from behind and the sound of sniffing over his shoulder
"I don't know what could have happened to us if you died" Roisin sobbed her voice slightly cracked and dry from all the crying he just melted into their hugs smiling to himself
"how much did you hear?" he questioned a little embarrassed
"all of it, it was beautiful" she said having arrived once she saw Summer missing with Ghira and Kali, she, Azul, he's wide and the two detectives went outside to see Fletcher arrive, as they held each other Kormac And his wife Violet watched the young family with warm smiles and the detectives decided to stay back and take notes calling in they found Fletcher while Ghira rubbed the tears out of his eyes as Kali rolled her eyes and embraced him as he cried in her shoulder saying how beautiful it is
Roisin let go first then Fletcher stood up carrying the clingy Summer finally noticing the others
"well anyone wanna explain why you all thought I was dead for a bit?" he said as Summer tightened her hold on him
"how about we talk about this in the house we can clear this all up in the morning" Kormac Said as the rest just agreed by yawning before they all walked up the stairs to the top before separating to their own rooms with Summer staying with Roisin Azul's wife Violet a five ft nine women wearing the same kind of clothes her daughter Kali wore just bigger and in mostly in the colour purple but no ear piercings and Fletcher was starting to sense a theme between the relationships between parent and child that they all basically look the same as she had the same kind of yellow eyes but like Kormac Looked darker, she walked Fletcher to his room her arms folded in on each other like those classic Chinese movies
"so nice house looks..." he started trying to find the word but settled for "..homey" making her laugh a little in amusement as they walked through the giant mansion
"thank you we do try to show off when we can especially if it means we get the complement of..homey" she said opening a Chinese style slide door showing Fletcher inside, it had a sleeping bag like bed on the floor next to a sort of Buddhist tree the walls made of stone and some wood with a miniature waterfall built inside the wall causing him to whistle
"you weren't kidding about showing off," he said letting down his hood the expensive stuff like the tree and waterfall wasn't Fletcher's style but he liked it regardless walking inside he could smell some kind of flowers the same kind he smells off Summer but different
"try to get some rest we'll wake you in a couple of hours to talk about some things" she said closing the sliding door letting Fletcher take a nap raising his hood he sat down slowly began leaning against the wall on the bed facing the door his finger on the pin with his arms crossed before closing his eyes
The next early morning….
Fletcher didn't consider himself a light sleeper but the moment he heard the door open he instantly woke up unleashed the scythe to vault onto the enemy's shoulders the bottom of the blade at their neck in the span of a second
"wow your really light," Violet said unwaveringly as he stood on her shoulders watching as he slowly dropped to the ground collapsing the scythe mid-air
"or you're strong" he countered
"either way nice trick" she complimented already walking down the way they went last time towards the dining room front door
"yeah sorry about that I'm not usually this jumpy" he apologized walking in stride with her as they neared the dining room
"it's fine it was kind of surprising seeing you do that before I could react actually, before having Kali I used to be a huntress" she said unaware that Fletcher didn't know what that was but before he could ask they arrived and saw Roisin sitting on her knees across from Kormacover a small table as low as his shins both holding a cup of tea in their hands with two other ones next to them as they looked over at the other two
"Hey you two" violet said sitting next to Kormac On her knees as well picking up her tea which Fletcher did the same next to Roisin the feeling not entirely foreign it was sort of familiar but he couldn't place it
"So uh KormacI think I'm pronouncing it right, you got any light alcohol around here?" he asked until Roisin elbowed him in the rib hard
"alcohol, it's six in the morning?" he questioned as he looked out the window and saw it was still dark out whistling
"your right...it's pretty late you got any vodka?" he asked again getting another jab in his rib which he hissed at
"I wish" Korma Whispered but they all heard him and Violet jabbed him in the ribs getting an 'ow' in response before she turned to Fletcher
"either way we don't have alcohol in this household," she said taking a sip from her tea as Fletcher just shrugged his shoulders and reached into his jacket pocket
"okay then I'll grab my own," he said bringing out his flask making them all freeze uncapping it he nearly poured it into the tea but Roisin snapped out of it first and grabbed his hand stopping him
"Fletcher please, please just don't we have to talk" she begged he looked in all their eyes and saw different kinds of swirling emotions in their eyes none of them good obliging he capped it closed and put it into his jacket pocket and the other three swore the skull stared at them in malice before he pocketed it
"okay if you didn't want me to drink you could've just said so" he picked up the tea and took a sip unfamiliar of any other liquid other than plain water and alcohol he felt the warm liquid wash down his throat till he noticed their looks
"what?" he questioned not liking their looks pointed at him
"Fletcher sweetie what do you remember, before we...met," Roisin said in her nurturing tone trying to keep him calm but he noticed how she hesitated and he realised about what this was about
"I know what this is about" he sighed placing the cup onto the table looking in her eyes
"Sweetie I don't think you do-" before she could say more he held his hand and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath
"I know I've met you before many times," he began lowering his hand noticing Roisin's tight breathing
"I know I keep losing my memory and at one point I wanted you as my mom and you wanted me as your son just like with Summer," he took another breath but they let him speak after a couple of seconds he spoke again
"and I know I keep leaving for some reason breaking your hearts I said sorry to Summer Roisin but now I'm saying it to you I'm sorry and just like Summer I will leave if you don't want me just if I can say goodbye to Summer" he finished unable to meet his gaze before suddenly she wrapped her small arms around him him as she kissed his head repeatedly
"I can never let you go my little arrow" she whispered softly with Fletcher letting go when he heard a click from across the table with Violet holding a clear piece of glass with two metal slides on each side before sliding them together hiding it trying to look innocent under his scrutinizing gaze
"if you like looking at my wife so much why don't you marry her?' Kormacjoked with a light laugh getting a dirty look from Violet "Azul!" she said in a warning tone as Fletcher turned to him with a small grin
"shouldn't be too hard given her failed one" he joked back as Roisin scowled "Fletcher!" but both males just laughed at the jokes until Azul's wife and Fletcher's 'not'-mother hit them respectively in ribs making them both recoil in pain trying to soothe their ribs from the surprising, heavy hitters
"Jesus Christ!"
"Monty Oum!" they said both said holding their ribs being careful with their words from then on their ribs being the reminder
"Anyway, does anyone want to explain why everyone freaked out when I got back or why you hate my whiskey?" Fletcher questioned letting go of his ribs noticing getting a sullen look from them all
"before you got here a got a call from one of the units at the house they said they found blood everywhere and a white piece of bloody cloth in Summers bedroom" Kormacsaid confusing Fletcher but true to his word when he checked his cloak the bottom of it was ripped off
"and I'm guessing Summer was in the room if her reaction was anything to go by?" Fletcher asked their looks somehow getting worse
"yes she was sitting in my lap when it happened, we were all in the same room and I promised her you would come back but once she heard that, she broke she didn't cry, she didn't speak she just curled up in my arms silent and that was far worse than any other reaction we could have got" Roisin explained her eyes drawn to the tea in her hands already growing cold so she took another sip as did the others except for Fletcher he just drank it all to avoid having any more
"but the flask thing what's that about?" the moment he mentioned flask they all stiffened before turning to him slowly with Roisin grabbing his hand tenderly
"honey, I want you to know, I love you no matter what that's why we have to tell you this," she said stroking his hand as Kormacpulled out a brick-shaped scroll from under the table, opening it he picked a picture and showed Fletcher who froze seeing the picture
"it-its me" he said for the first time in his life he was shocked his still face on the picture beautifully sketched in black of his upper body, his signature hood over his head but his face was devoid of any facial features with the exception for his silver eye with a small slit in the middle being his first clue, his attire being an out of place tie and trench coat being his second clue his final one as the Fletcher on the drawing was raising his iconic flask to his supposed lips his gauntlet glove holding it
Grabbing the scroll while touching his own face in confusion he saw a symbol below it, It was four really with a Snowflake, Mountain, Fireplace, and Tree, The symbol looked almost faded the paper
"how, how old is this?" Fletcher asked finally taking it in as he stared at the picture before looking up at them questioningly
"it's from the great war, the historians who found it said it must have been sketched sometime before the battle of fort castle from what they could gather it's meant to be of one of four travelers who passed through the battlegrounds of the great war decimating anyone who wished to be they're enemy, One could break castle walls with his bare fists, Another had what could only be described as automatic handguns generations before they were invented, another used a sword that could command nature and the last held a Scythe of unyielding cold" Kormacsaid taking the device back swiping it before placing it back on the table showing a picture of a hooded figure standing in a grass field sandbags set up around him as cover for gunfire in the battlefield the smoke of gunfire in the air as he swung a large familiar scythe cutting off the head of a soldier, a bigger figure covered in armour pinned a giant beast six times he's size, another figure wearing a cloak like Fletcher's but smaller shot a hail of bullets at giant birds in the sky most of them already falling and the last thrusted a sword into three soldiers chests as vine like plants sprouted from the ground stabbing other soldiers around him
"whenever one appeared at a battlefield just to pass through, the fighting would stop the sounds of the battlefield will fall silent and any who attacked them would die" he continued swiping the glass again showing another faded piece of paper of the figures standing in front of a round table with another four men who looked like kings sitting at it, facing them with a dozen or more armed guards in the background
"during the peace treaty that ended the war the warrior king called the company of the travellers to oversee the treaty for protection," he said as Fletcher turned to him confused
"protection?" he asked as Kormacjust nodded solemnly
"the travellers we're a ghost story, a legend that is said to rival the maidens even, almost no-one inside the kingdoms except the few soldiers, who survived the battlefields actually believed they existed, they all thought it was PTSD but somehow the warrior king knew better he believed the legends and as the others mocked him openly, he proved them wrong and brought the travellers to the treaty to ensure there will be no betrayals or otherwise" he answered as Fletcher realised what he meant looking at the screen
"They was a fear tactic but also a symbol, a way to show people even the things they don't believe in can be true," he said as Kormacnodded
"if that is the way you see it then yes, everyone has their own theories and views throughout history some said the travellers were lost in time, Grimm in human forms, all powerful gods who wanted to be left alone or the most widely believed one that that they were silver-eyed warriors" he said as Fletcher reached to the tablet the way the hooded figure held the scythe looked..familiar
"the scythe the way he's holding it, that's how I hold mine, the stance how it's held and the blade itself," he said straightening his back as Roisin held his hand making him lean on her softly his mind scrambled trying to make sense of this and why he was being told this
"Fletcher" Violet said and he turned to her, she let Kormacrest his voice, trying to find a way to explain she just said the truth
"we don't know what happened to you, we don't know how old you are, but what we do know is neither do you, the flask you hold is a cursed item," she said tenderly catching his confused gaze she tried to make it clearer
"we don't know if the gods made it or of you did but that flask like other Traveller items has been giving out bad clues throughout history," she said picking up the scroll she showed him the same kind of old paper tattered into bits but whole enough to see the writing on it
"what is that?" he asked looking at the writing as violet turned it towards her before clearing her throat
"Day four, we tried to make contact with the travellers but only found one seperated from the others, We identified him as The Executioner one of four,
after we made contact with the traveller he agreed to meet with the four kings per request of the king of the Vale, I say request because even the king knows if he sent a summons demanding they're presence it will end in a blutbaden for our men...I have come along with my brother to examine the traveller for further study on how they are able to decimate foes with apparent ease, at first I doubted his ability but he proved me wrong killing a large amount of the creatures of Grimm with ease each cut of his sharp scythe killing them faster then I could see, but the reason I doubted that he was a traveller was because he is a young old boy barely reaching twenty" she finished shocked silence taking over the atmosphere finally realising what all this meant
"should I continue there's a little more?" violet asked as all the attention turned to Fletcher who stayed in Roisin's arms as she hugged his laying form in a mother's embrace while he just nodded as violet cleared her throat again
"Day six, we have nearly reached our destination to the island of vytal me and my brother have come over another fascinating discovery, upon first learning of the travellers apparent amnesia we put it to the test, and we found out he has a near perfect memory as healthy as anyone else in the world, but once he drinks out of the flask he carries everywhere with him sometimes he will stare into the air and his mind will space out forgetting only a few moments of time, but the real test happened when he took a hit for us by the scorpion Grimm it tore a large hole in his stomach, and as we ran with him in our arms, away from the creature we tried to make his death as pleasant as possible but he just reached into his pocket and drank from the flask and as if by magic the wound healed itself nicely leaving nothing behind but malnourished skin touching his ribs and a fractured memory, forgetting the entire day that I have come to a hypothesis, the more he drinks, the more he heals and the more he heals, the more he forgets it's like a trade, healing properties for memory it solves how he survived this long and why he has the amnesia, Whoever he was before I hope they have had a peaceful end before becoming this hollow shell of a boy" she finished the end of the paper the rest looking decayed and withered
"those were some of the oldest recorded documents in the world it was found under the round table at which the treaty was preserved possibly for future generations, no-one knew what it meant till now," Kormacsaid meeting Fletcher's conflicted eyes
"the forgotten traveller like the others were an old fairy tale no-one knows exactly where it came from or who first told it but a known fact was that a traveller never aged or died they just disappeared after the treaty never seen again until a mother and her daughter found him on the streets two years ago" Fletcher knew what he was implying what this all meant it fit together perfectly but he had memories of the childhood of his dog and friends was it all a lie
"but my memories-"
"are lies" Roisin cut him off rubbing his hair scruffing it up lovingly
"Your mind won't let you remember because you lose your sanity, the last time you were here I took the flask away and expected for the effects to wear off and for you to remember without any consequence, I was a fool" she chuckled shamefully
"it started with the headaches, migraines I couldn't fix with medicine forcing you to stay awake at night, then the mood swings you'd be angrier exploding in rage and blanking out before asking what happened, then you heard voices as all the memories came at once I don't know what happened but you attacked anything in sight it wasn't until you hurt me did your mind clear enough to run, I asked the authorities to look for you and the search teams looked for you but I don't know what happened after that and once the search teams came back they said the entire forest was a battleground, trees cut in half, pulled from the ground and thrown stretching from the shop to a couple miles away" Roisin explained as Fletcher's stomach dropped when she mentioned that he attacked her and Summer, looking at the woman she just responded with kind eyes
"don't worry little arrow it's nothing permanent" she soothed calming his racing heart as a dozen questions plagued his mind
"how long did it take?" he asked as Roisin's smile faltered a little
"a week you can't survive mentally longer than a week, or maybe you can with some specialized help but we don't know," she said with a grim smile as the sound of birds singing filled the air and feet rushing to the room nearby
"Mommy, Fletcher I want a hug too!" Summer yelled running towards them both wearing a pink onesie with strawberry pictures printed on them, jumping into Fletcher's arms as he lightly smiled and embraced her as Roisin embraced them both
"hey mom, hey dad," the two older children said tiredly as Ghira wore a brown plaid shirt and matching shorts and Kali wore a long black nightdress with a brown ribbon on her chest as they sat on their knees like the adults in the room, yawning
"good morning you two, have a nice sleep?" violet asked sweetly as they rubbed their eyes
"yeah" Kali replied stretching very cat like her eyes waking slowly
"yep" Ghira also replied also stretching unable to open his eyes
"Good, because we need more fruit to make breakfast. I hear Roisin and Summer love strawberries. Can you two go get some?" Kormac Said as they nodded slowly going to change as Summers mouth watered at the thought of strawberries
"can I go?" she asked happily despite how the last couple of days have been she's just happy that she's curled in Fletcher's warm arms
"Of course, if that's fine with you Roisin?" violet asked her fellow mother
"of course I'm sure they'll be fine" she replied as Summer jumped happily running to her room to change as she smiled Fletcher sat up slowly
"I'll go too," he said catching their attention
"are you sure you don't have any questions or concerns about anything?" Kormac Asked knowing this isn't a light burden to bare
"I just realized I'm over, how many years no-one knows and I was a big influence in what I can assume was a very important part in history, I just need some fresh air" he replied as the couple looked at Roisin who just nodded knowing it will be good for him
"Follow Kali she knows where it is, Ghira just keeps getting lost," Violet said and they heard a shout in the distance
"I heard that"
Laughing silently the kids soon came back the kids wearing the same clothes as yesterday except Kali had a sheath for her katana, Fletcher stood and opened the sliding door letting them run down the stairs looking back he gave them a wave and closed the door behind him as the adults talked
"stop running you three, walk" Fletcher yelled as they followed his instruction until they reached the bottom of the stairs and ran along the dirt road
"damn kids" he growled playfully following them running along the road
When they reached the strawberry patch it was fairly standard the rows of green plants holding the delicious strawberries as they picked up baskets they picked the strawberries
"Summer put them in the basket, stop eating them," Ghira said as she popped another in her mouth with equally red cheeks, swallowing she turned to him
"but they're my favourite" she complained about a pouting face as Fletcher filled his third basket competing with kali
"I'll have you know, I'm a three-year winning berry picker at home," she said smugly as they both reached their fourth basket
"And I'll have you know you're a nerd!' he responded, making Ghira shout 'burn!' at her angry burning face before she placed the basket under the plant and swung her katana the berries falling in by the triples
"hey that's cheating" Fletcher accused playfully at her smug face
"Sorry didn't know you read the rule book, you nerd!" she said, sticking her tongue out as Summer-like Ghira did yelled 'burn!' at Fletcher's twitching face thinking fast he pulled out his scythe throwing three of the baskets under the berries he swung one swing and a dozen berries fell into the baskets making her hasten her pace the both of them slashing the poor strawberry plants, making them fall into the basket trying to best the other until Fletcher stepped on her foot lightly making her turn to him
"Hey!" she shouted as he kept slashing
"haha you lost, I won," he said smirking as she growled a little before pouncing on him making him stop the slashes and dropping the scythe which collapsed, then Ghira grabbed him around his neck from behind
"I got your back sis!" he shouted as Summer grabbed Fletcher's legs making him fall back and they began their ruthless attack on him trying to tickle his ribs which they did
"hahahahahaha oh haha haha my god stop!" he begged but their merciless assault on his ribs didn't stop until Ghira sniffed the air
"Kali do you smell that?" he said standing up like his sister leaving the 'wounded' Fletcher to catch his breath with the giggling Summer sitting on his stomach
"Fletcher?" Ghira said as the brother-sister duo turned making his playful eyes become concerned in an instant
"There's a fire