Chapter 2: THE OTHER SIDE

The room was a bit warm, he could notice there was some light in this room even while his eyes were still slightly close.

"Welcome back, we thought you won't come back to us" " After you lost a lot of blood from where we picked you up" said Wilson as he laughed while walking towards the windows to shut them.

"How are you feeling right now, son?" Wilson spoke quietly as he redressed Alexander's wounded arm.

"We-Weak, i guess" said Alexander as he looked around the room to see if he could notice anyone he knew.

"Whoa! take it easy, you don't want your arm hurting again, do you?" Wilson swiftly placed his hand gently at the back of Alexander to support him from falling due to his poor condition.

"Wh-whe-Where am i?" Alexander asked curiously then he felt his wound with his right palm carefully as he now remembered everything that happened to him that night in the woods.

"No, my Mother...i have to get back to her" as he tried to get up with all effort.

"We can't let you leave...not with the condition you are in" said a lady that suddenly entered the room.

"Oh, this is my eldest daughter, Lily" Wilson said. Alexander now stared with great interest of desire into the ocean eyes of this young Lady, Lily.

Lily was a blondie, beauty-queen, her hair fell effortlessly almost to the length of her waistline. She was good with the bow and arrows, yes, she is VERY good!

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" "How's that arm doing over there?" Gazing into his eyes as her eye balls rolled down for a quick stare at his lips, then she smiled.

"Yeah, I'm doing a bit good...ye-yeah" clearing his throat anxiously. He just couldn't look right straight into her eyes, so he gazed onto her dress just to avoid eye contact.

"Lily dear!" An old woman called out from outside, walking straight into the room.

"Yes Mother!" Lily rolled her eye balls as she got up from the stool where she was seated close to Alexander's bed.

"Would you just let the young man be, Lily?" As her mother firmly took her by the arm they both headed straight out of the door.

As Lily's mother dragged her out of the room she turned back to wave at Alexander but he didn't just wave back, he just smiled and now gazed at the floor. He couldn't stare at her like he was "SHY?"

It's been noon, Alexander just sat alone in the room pacing back and forth of the room impatiently.

Suddenly, a little girl rushed into this room holding a bowl in her hands as she sang an ancient song, now this song caught Alexander's attention.

"Here's your lunch, Sire" she chuckled. "My mother said you should eat it while it's hot" as she sat next to him.

"Who taught you that song, th-the one you were just singing some minutes ago?" As he took the bowl from her.

"My Father told me it's our traditional song" "A song passed down to us from our ancestors" "Only a Rhandho knows of this song" she said.

"Is that so?" Fixing his gaze into the bowl of soup which he held with both hands.

"A song passed down from generation to generation and now passed down to my own father" she concluded.

"My mother used to sing me this song while i was still a little boy" he said lifting up his head to stare at the little girl.

"Eat now your meal is getting cold "My mother wouldn't like that" she said as she smiled closing her eyes. She gets up to leave.

"Before you go, at least tell me what's your name?" Smiling at her as he ate slowly.

"Rose is my name" placing her hands on her waist, making a pose as she stood, now she tries to head out to join the others.

"My name is..." then she interrupted him

"I already know what your name is" "Everyone here knows who you are" she chuckled and left.

He sat at the corner of the room in deep thoughts, he swept loudly.

"Oh no! come now, son" " Stop it" As the old woman wrapped her arms around him. She placed his face on her garment to dry his tears.

"I want to show you something, come" taken him by the hand as they both got up.

They both headed for the mountains on a horse back, they rode quite fast. Alexander in front as she held him firmly from behind as they were galloping. They rode for a while outside the village. Now they were heading towards a cave.

Now it was getting very cold this time as they both entered into this cave.

Alexander walked carefully as they both got into this cave.

"Wh-What's this place?" He asked looking at the writings on the walls of the cave.

"This is Tramon, the cave of the lost spirits" "The Spirits of those who had an unpleasant death" she said as she reached out for the torch hang on the cave wall.

"I noticed you worry about your mother" She said as she handed over the torch to him then she smiled.

"I'm sure you want to see your late father again" " Maybe say something to him you couldn't say back then when you were just a little boy" said the old woman as they gazed onto the flames of his torch which was now in the hands of Alexander.

"Stand back and repeat after me" she said raising her hands forward.

"Chakra dom spiritia ou Tramon ou fhralit" she recited an incantation in an old tongue. Now she brought out a small dagger and slit her wrist, placing her wrist onto the alter for some amount of blood as offering to the alter, a stone figure.

" Tramon please accept my offering" "Give passage to Alexander the son of Anne, let him find the gateway to his father." she said as Alexander wandered how she knew his mother, like she knew him so much.

But he wasn't bothered, all he wanted now were "ANSWERS".

Stepping into the dark opening, being so anxious as his palms sweats

"Wait..." slightly grabbing his shoulder.

"You only have two questions to ask your father when you see him" "...Just two... there will be a gate...keeper at the entrance that leads into the realm of the lost spirits" "you will be asked just a question...let the gods of our ancestors give you the right answer"

Meanwhile he was getting afraid believing he might not come back or his body would be lost to the spirits forever.

"Let your heart guide your words...may the gods be with you my son" he said as he walked in the dark entrance that seems to be a portal.

"Go! Go now" "I will be here...waiting." caressing her arms with her palms slowly, as if she was putting out the cold, as she watched him go in.