Lady of the Woods

They say that the Lady of the Woods saunters in broad daylight and in the deepest nights… search for lost souls and takes them as a keepsake of her eternal loneliness…

The morning sun is a little cooler than it should be. For the past four months, everything had been a routine for Kira. He would wake up- check on his sister, have breakfast with her, and then take her for a walk.

Today, they were on the beach.

Mir prepared a sumptuous breakfast and began to call on everyone.

"This is such a good day, c'mon let's eat." She smiled sweetly at Dearka, who was still covered with his sheets.

Then she went to Meyrin and Luna's room. They weren't there.

"Where could they've gone to?"

Mir opened the window and saw the sisters, walking towards the beach.

Early morning walks.

Then she knocked at Yzak and Shinn's room.

Yzak opened the door.

"Breakfast time…"

"Be right there." Yzak gave a yawn.

"How's Shinn?"

"Still sleeping."

"Poor guy."

She was about to go straight to Cagalli's room but the door opened as soon as she was about to go there.

Kira came out with Cagalli.

"Good morning."

"Morning," Kira smiled at Mir.

Cagalli smiled too.

Cagalli went forward, towards the door and Kira was behind her. Mir whispered something to Kira.

"How is she?"

"Didn't remember that she almost drowned last night…" Kira was staring blankly at his sister's back.

"I see. How about you and Athrun?"

Kira took a deep breath. Didn't reply.

"I'll check on him," Mir said.

She knocked at Athrun's door.

No response.

Maybe he's still asleep- she thought.

Breakfast was finished and Athrun wasn't there.

Kira was sipping his coffee. Luna said she wanted to go to the nearby town. Meyrin decided to go with her.

"I'll be with them," Yzak decided.

"Come with us Mir. You've been staying here for long," Luna said.

Mir answered. "Okay. Dearka, are you coming?"

"Wherever you go…" That was his reply.

"How about you Shinn?"

"I'll take a walk..." Shinn said.

"What? I thought your feet were injured." Luna sounded worried.

"I think it would be better for you to come with us," Meyrin added.

"No, I think I'll walk…"

"Then we could go with you," Kira suddenly spoke.

Shinn looked at Kira.

"Okay…"

"You want to take a walk?" Kira was talking to Cagalli.

Cagalli nodded.

She was staring at the seat in front of her. Unoccupied.

Then- to Kira.

Everyone was starting to leave the table. But Cagalli was still pinned on her seat.

"Kira…" she called out.

Kira was holding the pieces of dishes.

"Where…is…Athrun?"

It was as if a ghost had passed by. Everyone went silent.

She remembered Athrun…

"He's still sleeping." Mir answered for Kira.

Then Cagalli looked at her lap.

"Is there something wrong?" Kira approached her.

"He…"

Her words ran out.

(end of scene)

Everyone headed to his and her destinations.

Near the outskirts of the island was a forest. Shinn wanted to go there since the beginning of this trip. He was simply drawn by the land, thickly covered with trees. It's the dry season, and the color of the trees seems to go with the weather. From afar, it would look like a distorted painting… ones like those works of famous impressionists who look at the world with an innocent eye.

They will be going there.

It isn't a leisure walk at all. The forest was located, almost half-a mile from the coast and there's no way of getting there except with your two feet.

Cagalli didn't mind the long walk. Kira was worried for her.

Shinn was leading the way. He brought a camera, and some water, in case Cagalli gets thirsty.

There were a few inhabitants living on that area. Some people stare at them as they walked.

Two coordinators the former head of state.

The sight was indeed amusing, if not disturbing

The sight came nearer and nearer… then they were already there.

Shinn was the first one to capture the moment. Took a picture of the view.

They were near the entrance of the forest and the place was dead quiet. The sound of wild birds and the soft hum of the wind occupy the spacious place.

Cagalli looked around her. Stepped forward and closed her eyes. Breathe the air.

Shinn unconsciously took her picture while doing such gesture.

A faint smile etched on his lips.

"Are we going further?" Kira asked.

"If you want, but if she doesn't you can take her home," Shinn replied.

They continued their walk until they were already inside the woods.

The forest floor was covered with withered leaves of oak, some rare species of pine and birch. The place was cooler, and the silence- was quite deafening.

Shinn suddenly stopped walking. He went under a large old tree. Sat on the dry floor. Cagalli went to the same place, and Kira followed.

The tree was obviously old. Decades- or even centuries have passed since its birth.

Its wide braches stretched to cover the small pillar of sunlight- blocking the view of the sky. The roots have gone bigger, and surpassed the ground- on their way up high, almost joining the leaves.

"You want to hear a story?" Shinn suddenly spoke.

Cagalli gave him an interesting look, like those of a child anxious of something trivial.

Kira was enjoying his place. He was leaning on a large root that had been stuck out from the ground – due to erosion perhaps.

His eyes were closed. He was breathing silently.

Just let him do the baby-sitting.

" My story is about, the Lady of the Woods."

"Lady… of… the…" Cagalli repeated.

Kira opened his eyes; the smell of dries leaves combined with the salty air from the sea gives him an odd sensation.

"The Lady of the Woods. She is the spirit of a maiden that lived in a strange forest…"

Shinn looked at Cagalli. She was listening intently.

He continued his tale

"She was as cold as the winter, and her eyes were as empty as the black sky."

"They say that she lived… exactly in this forest. When I first came here about a year ago, an old lady warned me to stay on guard. Never let yourself be fooled by the bright light. Because she's always here- watching."

Cagalli blinked. But her eyes did not show fear. Kira looked at his sister. He was listening to Shinn's story too.

"The old lady said that the Lady takes people with lost souls. They see her, like a shimmering light. Her sight was beguiling, then they fade like the shadows."

"Are you planning to scare us?" Kira was beginning to question Shinn's intentions of telling this tale.

"Well, I'm not forcing you to believe. But that night when I camped here, under this same tree-I thought I saw her shadow."

Cagalli wrapped her arms around her herself, as if she was feeling cold.

"Shinn just stop it. She's scared already," Kira scorned.

"No…" Cagalli suddenly mumbled.

She was feeling uneasy out of something she didn't know, or didn't understand.

The wind started to blow harder, and the trees were swaying to the breeze. The birds cried loudly.

Kira stood.

"I think we should leave."

Shinn was a little bit surprised, seeing him in such state of anxiety over the unknown.

"I still wanted to walk towards the end of this forest. There is a great view of the ocean over there."

"Let's get going," Kira replied.

The men both stood, but Cagalli was left sitting. Her eyes were locked to the ground.

"Something wrong?" Kira said.

"The…Lady…will take…"

He words were again empty. But her eyes showed the truth… or a premonition.

"Don't believe with that nonsense, please."

Shinn started to move forward.

But just as he was about to get pass the nearby tree…

He saw the shadow once more.

This time, it was clearer.

The Lady of the Woods looked at him in the eye…

And her eyes are as empty as the black sky… His eyes were pinned on the sight. Never breathed. But the image faded too soon. Kira helped Cagalli as she stood. "I… want to… go… home." Cagalli's voice was shivering.

Kira called out to Shinn. But he didn't here him.

He moved forward and shook his shoulder.

Then Shinn returned to himself once more.

"Let's go," he said.

It was already ten-thirty when they arrived back at the house.

Mir was sitting on the stairs and Dearka was pacing around.

Luna and Meyrin were there too.

Something waswrong.

Kira approached them, and Mir anticipated him.

"Athrun. He left."

"What?"

"I entered his room. I'm starting to feel worried. He hasn't left his room since last night. I knocked at his door and no one answered. So Dearka took the keys and opened it."

"He didn't say goodbye to us. A little strange because he isn't like that."

"Did you call him?" Kira asked.

"His phone was turned off." It was Luna who answered.

Yzak was there, staring at blankly. Even he was bothered with Athrun's disappearance.

"Maybe he wanted to spend some time alone…" Kira speculated.

"No. Not when Cagalli's here," Shin replied.

Shinn remembered what happened in the forest.

(Flashback).

Athrun woke up late. His eyes were sore, because of the tears. He went to the kitchen. Noticed that no one's around.

He went to the living room, beside the piano.

Remembered the song that she played.

He closed his eyes.

"I'll find the way to bring you back…"

The words. Kira said it before. Now, it was Athrun's turn.

Then, there's a phone call.

He stood by the window, and watched the distant seas.

He gaped at the scene. He saw a shimmering light.

The vision of the Lady was walking away. It carries a piece of lost soul… for eternity will pass, and the silence will never be broken.

(I consider this chapter, as the turning point of the story. Quite figurative, but I know that you already had an idea where this one's going to… there will be a few follow-ups and the end will be near. Hope you'll avoid the sight of the LADY…)