Chapter 3

Foster woke up slowly.

At first, he was aware of how cool it was outside. He liked it warm, of course, but he knew better than anyone that the heat could be brutal.

Then he was aware of the sound of rushing water. That must be why it's cool. That and the breeze. It was certainly peaceful here. He should come back. Where was he again? Oh, right. Vergessene.

Wait, Vergessene?

"What time is it?" he whined, his eyes still closed. When he didn't recieve a response, he groaned loudly, rolling on his side.

Which, consequently, landed him in a pool of ice-cold water.

Now Foster Adaunt was awake.

He spluttered, kicking to get back to the surface, but it wasn't any use. Before he knew it, the water took him in a hug and he was flying through the air, dumped back on the flat rock he'd began on.

It took him a minute to react. I mean, the water had grabbed him. And put him on a rock.

"Miss!?" he yelled. No response.

He was alone. In Vergessene Forest.

Why did he follow the troll girl into Vergessene Forest?

Foster felt a sudden gust of wind in his face. The darn wind wouldn't leave him alone here, and while Meissa wouldn't admit that she had the power of wind, Foster wasn't stupid. Which meant she was probably hiding somewhere, watching him, and laughing.

Foster hit the wind, which in hindsight, was very un-productive, and leaped to his feet. A siple shrug of his shoulders and the fire in his veins leapt with him, blasting the chill of the water away.

"Meissa! I think I get the concep now! I-I've gotta get home before my brother gets mad- schoolnight and all," He yelled, to absolutely no one.

Again he got no response. He wished he'd never spoken to that cursed Faunch girl. What was a fun little joke before was now suddenly not so funny. Not to him.

The Sun had set not long ago, and while Foster obviously didn't need the Sun, he felt a whole lot better when it was here.

"Oh, c'mon! You got my bag wet!" he groaned, grabbing his sopping backpack. he hugged it close to dry it off, but stuck his tongue out at the water. It just felt right.

To his shock, the water laughed back.

Dont be stupid, he chided himself, A stick or something just fell in. The water can't laugh at you.

Suddenly, his memory decided it was the perfect time to remind him of all the people who went missing in Vergessene. All the stories, all the whispers...

His bag dry (but the papers inside undoubtedly ruined) he threw it over his shoulders and started climbing. First he'd make it to the forest. Then he'd try to find his way out from there. Hopefully, if the troll girl saw him going the wrong way, she'll come out of hiding and help him. She probably won't let him die.

Probably.

"And I coulda been screwing Kristie," he grumbled, hopping to another rock. "Watching some 80's movie in the park." He grabbed onto another rock to pull himself onto land.

"Ow, Shit!" He swore, falling back onto the rock beneath him. He'd sliced his hand open, his very hot blood now running down his arm.

he cringed, immediately putting his mouth on the wound, cause that was logical.

Stupid Foster.

He heard the water hitting the rock he was standing on quite noisily. Turning, he saw long bands of seaweed lying there. For... him?

Why on Earth would a random lake in the middle of Vergessene care for a Sun child?

"Uh... Thanks?" he picked up the seaweed. It was dry. He began wrapping it around his hand, but the wind helped, swirling around his palm in a little tornado as he tried not to freak out. The water leapt up and clung, sealing the little bandage in place.

Of course. Everybody and, well, everything loved Foster Adaunt.

He scrambled onto the rock, and climbed carefully the rest of the way, finally making it onto actual dirt. The forest was already dark, and mist had begun to gather, clinging to the trunks of trees and blades of grass. stretching out his palm, Foster felt the tingle of the sun i his veins and focused it- suddenly, there was light.

Just a little glowing orb, very gentle looking. It looked almost as though if you poked it, it would bounce off of your finger, and if you tore it open, it'd look like jello.

Foster knew though, that if you poked it, or tore it open, it'd burst into flames.

He dropped his arm, letting it hover just over his shoulder. he couldn't see much in the ever darkening forest, the golden light only illuminated but a few feet ahead of him.

And Foster Adaunt was lost.

"Um, wind? I-uh, could you show me-," But the wind was already on it. The little glowing orb was suddenly taken from his hold over the shoulder, and it flew through the woods, a bit slowly, tossed to and fro by the breeze.

"Wait-," He stuttered, but without a choice, he followed the little ball of light, stumbling blindly into the Forgotten Forest of Hildegard.

...

Meissa hadn't forgotten about Foster, she just wanted to let him sleep longer, that's all. Plus, she needed to find something to eat.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She sprinted through the forest, launching herself off of boulders and vaulting over dead trees. She wasn't as fast as the wolves, but she wasn't about to ask them to take her to a human.

She just hoped she'd get to Foster before they did.

The wind was at her back, dancing along for the ride. Not her wind. That particular breeze was hopefully still watching over Foster.

I swear, if I killed Foster Adaunt...

She dove off of the cliff, falling with the water as she plunged headfirst into the lagoon.

Swimming to the plateau, the spirits of the lake sensed her urgency, propelling her foward and launching her into the air. She landed on the plateau, crouching slightly to keep her balance.

The rock was empty.

Shit.

"Foster!?" She called, swearing. The most popular boy in all of Hildegard was now stumbling around the forest somewhere, with nothing but the wind to keep him safe.

And this boy had fire.

She leapt on the rocks and flew through the forest, calling out his name. She was so distracted, she almost didn't see the little cardinal plop down in her path.

The mist was heavy, and only the cardinal's red crest poked above the ever growing fog. It seemed to realize this and it fluttered up, flapping in her face.

"You saw a boy? One like me? I need to find him."

She hated comparing herself to Foster Adaunt, but she had very little choice. She just hoped she'd stop him before he got mauled, or worse, he set the forest a flame.

the bird fluttered, soaring dwn the path. Meissa's eyes were adjusted to the dark by now, but it was still hard to see the little red bird. She did her best to keep up, running after the little bird.

...

Foster heard her before he saw her. Turning, he saw her leap into the clearing just in time to put up his hands to brace himself for impact.

"Crap-," she swore as she collided with him, knocking the both of them to the floor.

His back skidded against the ground, his spine aching. Shit. She scrambled to her feet before the weight of her body could fully sink in, but he felt her crouch back down, leaning over him.

"Are you alright?" She asked. He winced in pain, but nodded.

"Oh good. Then what in Hildegard are you doing out here!?" she swore, standing. "I swear to- Foster Adaunt I'm gonna kick you!"

Kick him? What did he do!?

"Me?" he scrambled up on to his feet, towering over the girl. He couldn't see much, but what he did see- it wasn't really what he was expecting.

"Me!? You left me in stinkin' Vergessene! Alone!"

He felt a dull pain in his calf, where, true to her word, she'd kicked him.

"Don't blame this on me! You followed me in here and for some reason, they let you in!" the girl whirled, her hair brushing his arm. She gestured the darkness, then yelled again. "Where were you even leading him, anyway!?" she shouted, to no one.

No one Foster could see.

"Who are you-," But he changed his mind, deciding he didn't want to know. "You know what? Nevermind. Just lead me out, and I'll never bother you again. Deal?"

The girl turned back to him, her features outlined by his rbs little light, which had come back to float by them.

"Deal! But- no fire." She added, almost as a warning.

What did the sun in his veins have to do with anything?

She turned and stomped off, straight into the bushes to their left. Irritated, Foster followed.

Eventually, after much tripping and swearing on his part, Meissa and Foster had made it to some other path, covered knee-high in fog. It was pitch black at this point- even with three of his orbs he could barely see Meissa walking just ahead of him.

She was still same old Meissa, just, different. She walked confidently, head tall, shoulders back. She looked up- as though she belonged there. The wind still played in her hair, pulling her tangles apart and throwing them around her face. It would've anoyed Foster to no end, but Meissa barely seemed to notice.

Suddenly, she snorted, her shoulders jumping with the acio. It startled Foster, and he looked somewhere else.

Realizing that was stupid, he looked back ot Meissa.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing- it's just... they're jealous."

He frowned. Who was this they she kept referring to? Guess that's what happens when you live alone all your life.

"Who's jealous?" He pressed, hoping for the mystery reveal. He didn't have to ask why- he was Foster Adaunt.

Meissa nodded, gesturing at the trees around them.

Foster squinted, but he still couldn't see anything.

"I don't see anything," he informed her, having come to the conclusion.

"Put out a light or two- you only see the stars when the sun's away, you know," She pointed out.

Foster was taken aback. Clearly he'd never thought of it that way before.

As it often does, curiousity overcame his pride and he let two of his orbs fizzle out, careful to avoid flame, for whatever reason.

And then he could see them.

Rising out of the fog and darting between dark leaves, hundreds of lightning bugs sparkled in the forest around them, setting Vergessene aglow in an eerie light.

"Well of course they were jealous," he quipped, but there wasn't much enthusiasm in the insult. His jaw was still slack with wonder as he gazed at the treetops.

The spell was broken when he tripped over a stray root.

"Shit!" he cursed, falling forward, onto Meissa. She stumbled slightly, laughing, but regained her footing, waiting for Foster to right himself.

Foster stood quickly, embarassed. He was Foster Adaunt, the Sun child, the one everyone wanted- and to Meissa, he was beginning to look like a fool.

He felt his eyes flash, something that was super hot during sex, but embarassing elsewhere. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, fingers getting tangled in the curls that had apparently frizzed up during his journey into Vergessene.

"you okay?" she checked. God, Meissa Faunch was looking at him with concern.

"Yeah," It sounded salty, even to Foster's ears. "I just wanna get out of here."

She nodded, turning back towards the path. They were silent after that. eventually, the fireflies drifted away, and he relit a few orbs. and then, all at once, they were out of Vergessene.

Foster felt about 80 pounds lighter the moment they stepped foot outside of the treeline, the stars shining overhead. The moon shown brightly over the lit houses of Hildegard, and somewhere behind them, a wolf let loose a howl, to which he recieved a response.

"Thanks," Foster almost spat, turning to Meissa.

But the girl, with the wind in her hair, had gone.