Chapter 8: 8. Songs

All four of us headed out to the woods, following the exact route I passed. I wore a grey mum shorts and white long sleeved turtleneck high low top and brown boots. I stuffed my bags with equipments needed, at least what I believed I need. Sage just filled her bag with snacks and drinks, she always do that. I have no idea what the others carried, but I'm sure Judith packed her wardrobe in there. The rest dressed in similar pattern, ripped jeans, sleeveless shirts and sneakers.

We stopped at a confusing junction, I wasn't sure where I was turning to. "Where do we go to from here?" Sage asked puzzledly.

"I don't know," I looked around to see if I could remember where I was turning to. I shut my eyes and replayed the dream in my head, carefully looking at each junction I passed. "Is there any tree here with a single golden brown branch standing out among the other branches?"

"Hold on, let me check." I opened my eyes and looked at the girls as they separated to find the tree. The place was awfully quiet, not even the sound of a cricket was heard.

"Found it!" Emy shouted. I ran over to her direction, indeed the tree was there. "This means we are not on a goose chase, come on."

For the next three hours, we kept walking deeper into the forest, me using my dream as a map. We were tired and it was almost sunset. I leaned on a tree and sighed heavily, my legs felt like it was going to break. "That's it, I'm sleeping here and continuing tomorrow." Sage announced.

"Me too," Emy said tiredly and fell back on the autumn leafed ground. Judith sniffed the air and smiled.

"We are close to the lake,"

"How do you know that? We have been walking for hours!" I shouted in exasperation.

"I can perceive the water and oak in the air," we looked at her like she was insane. "remember how Victoria always knew where to find a brook, stream, river or lake whenever we went camping?"

"Yeah?"

"She taught me how to find them too. There is always this specific scent any water bodies give out, it is hard to detect, but with concentration and knowing what you are looking for, you'll find it. Also, the running of water always gives out a rippling or gurgling sound. How do you think animals always find water?"

"Wow,"

"The lake is close by, come on, girls." She waved at us to follow her and headed to the direction she knew.

"This better be worth it," I murmured. I forced myself to move and followed her, my legs were almost numb. It took us up to six minutes before we saw what we were looking for, the oak tree of White Spring Lake.

"Yes! We found it!"

The lake was larger than I saw it in my dream, a small portion of land surrounding the tree. The tree was indeed beautiful and unlike any oak tree I had ever seen. The leaves weren't just sapphire in colour, they literally were sapphires, like gemstone sapphire. The body of the tree was chestnut, but unlike any chestnut colour, it was glowing very brightly. The lake was white, as in snow-white lake, glistening under the reflection of the soon setting sun.

"It's beautiful," Emy gushed.

"Selfie, guys, we gotta take pictures of our adventure," Judith said excitedly. We all gathered, turning our backs against the tree and the lake and took three photos. Judith then saved the photos to Google, forward it to our emails and deleted it from her phone.

"Now, what do we do now?" I asked rhetorically.

"Remember that song Victoria sang for us during the period she was telling us tales from her grandmother?" Emy asked thoughtfully. "I can't remember the lyrics…"

"Deep inside the forest of eyes

A wonder you shall see…" Judith sang with eyes closed.

"Beauty to behold at last

The sapphire gem oak tree

The oak tree of White Spring Lake

The oak tree of memories

Of all that once stood before

The oak tree of nature's heart."

"That's not all," Emy said still in thought, "there's another part."

"Don't look so far

No matter where you are

When you stand in front of the great oak tree

Look ahead, unto the leaves

The sunset light shines on the lake from above

Tell me what you see

Do you see the magic?

Can you see the shimmer?

Can you see what I see?

Call out what you see

Read out what you think

And let the oak tree

Tell you what you need to do." Sage sang the last part.

"The stories and songs are all connected, they are like directions on what to do." Emy said with a wide beam.

"Look ahead, unto the leaves," I recited. I looked at the leaves, the way it was flashing. "The sunlight shines on the lake from above…" I looked at the sunset light shining on the leaves, making it flash and reflect on the lake. The part of the lake it touched clear up, giving me a view of what is below.

"I see roots?" Sage said unsurely.

"No," I peered closer and knelt down. I saw the floor of the lake, a seal. The seal had the image of a sea God holding a trident. His tail curled up to his back, his hair falling across his face and torso. I raised my head and looked at the sunset light again, they only reflected on two positions.

"Guys, look around and see how many spots the light shines on. Each of you, look into the spot and tell me what you see." I instructed.

"Alright," Sage went to the light I could see while the others went afar. "I see a wolf, like an alpha wolf standing on a cliff."

"Found one! Mine is three clouds with the faces of three beautiful women, blowing wind down to earth!" Judith shouted from her angle.

"I see a weird bird spreading it wings over an erupting volcano, it's like the bird is absorbing the lava… Looks like a fire phoenix."

"There is no other light," Sage said as she walked back to me. "What could the four seals mean?"

"Have you ever seen Poseidon?

Have you seen him with a tail?

See him holding the trident

With hair lock over his face

Admire the glory of his tail

Gold, white, blue and grey

You can only find him

Where the sea fins spin as may." Judith sang one of the songs.

"Don't dare the phoenix

Don't touch it tail

It fears no flame

It seethe all scares

A heart of fire

Wings of the sun

Heat of a lava

See it and run

The phoenix I love

The phoenix I want

I wish I can see you

Where the sun kisses the maiden of the sun." Sage sang.

"See the beauties in the clouds

Sing to the queen with a crown

The sky is nothing but her gown

The clouds the garment that flows down

Praise the maiden as white as snow

Dance to the sisters of ancient cold grounds." That was me.

"His paws is big

His heart I kiss

His eyes of gold

Makes souls run cold

A warrior of might

A son of the earth

A bark of power

The moon dog of all

Your coat is silk

A heaven I seek

One day you will find me

When the promised, is found."