MidReal Story
Enchanted Realms: Portal of Destiny
Scenario: a tourist find a new world
Create my version of this story
It was the middle of January, and my soul was itching for an adventure.
It had been months since I last traveled, my feet settling into a rhythm of home to work and back, and I was tired of the routine.
I knew not everyone shared my love for exploration, for the thrill of discovering a new city, the flavor of a different cuisine, or the beauty of a foreign landscape.
But I was not like everyone else—I needed to travel as much as I needed air to breathe.
To me, traveling was more than leisure; it was a way to open my eyes to the world, to broaden my horizons, and to become a better person.
I had always known that my soul was not made for this world; it was too wild, too free, and too curious to be content with the familiar and the mundane.
Like a bird in a cage, it beat its wings against the bars, yearning for unfamiliar lands and uncharted territories.
My heart felt heavy with the burden of sameness, but it was not too late to break free from the comfort of home and embrace the unknown.
So when the call of adventure grew too loud to ignore, I packed my bags and set out to discover something new.
I had always been an advocate for solo travel, but this time was different.
This time, I needed to be alone.
To think or not to think, to be or not to be… That was my question.
And there was only one way to find an answer: I needed to lose myself in a foreign land.
To breathe in the beauty of its landscapes until I forgot who I was.
To embrace its culture until I forgot where I came from.
To listen to its people until I forgot what I believed in.
But where should I go?
The world was too big and there were too many places to choose from.
There were so many countries to visit and so many cities to explore.
I wanted to go everywhere and see everything
But where should I start?
It was not an easy decision to make, but after much thinking and planning, I finally decided on an exotic destination—far enough from home that no one would recognize me, but close enough that I could get there without much effort.
Months before my departure, I spent hours each day scouring the internet for information about that country.
I researched the best route to take, the most beautiful places to visit, and the most delicious foods to eat.
I read blogs written by other travelers and watched videos posted on YouTube.
I studied the customs of its people and the etiquette I should follow.
I even learned the basics of their language so that I could communicate with the locals.
And when the day finally arrived, I felt ready to go.
The night before my departure, I packed my bags—two weeks’ worth of clothes, toiletries, and everything else I might need.
Then I weighed my suitcase on the bathroom scale to make sure it was under the 23-kilogram weight limit.
I placed my passport in the front pocket, along with my plane ticket and some cash in case of emergencies.
And before I went to bed, I set an alarm for 5:00 a.
so that I wouldn’t oversleep.
I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so excited about a trip.
I knew it would be an unforgettable experience, something I would remember for the rest of my life.
The first leg of my journey was an 11-hour flight from my home city to a coastal city in the southern part of my destination country.
The plane took off shortly after sunrise, and I spent most of the flight watching movies and reading books.
The airline served two meals—a light breakfast and a heavy lunch—and I ate both.
Then I closed my eyes and took a nap, dreaming about the exotic landscapes I would soon see and the friendly people I would soon meet.
When I woke up, we were already flying over the coast, and I could see the ocean stretching out into the horizon.
The sun was setting in the west, casting an orange glow over the water, and I watched in silence as it sank below the edge of the earth.
The plane landed at night, and when I stepped out of the airport, it was already dark.
I took a taxi to my hotel and checked into my room, which was small but clean.
I threw my bags on the bed and went to take a shower, washing off 12 hours’ worth of sweat and grime.
Then I changed into fresh clothes, combed my hair, and put on some makeup.
I needed to look presentable—I wanted my first impression of this country to be a good one.
I left my room and went downstairs, where I asked the front desk for directions to the nearest market.
I needed to get something to eat, and I heard that street food in this city was delicious.
I only had a few days here, and I didn’t want to waste any time—I needed to start exploring right away.
After getting directions, I left my hotel and walked down the street, following my nose and my ears.
I could smell something spicy in the air, and I could hear people talking in a language I didn’t understand.
It reminded me that I was in a foreign country, far away from home, and it made me happy.
I loved being in a new place, surrounded by new sights, new sounds, and new smells.
The market was busy when I got there, with people coming and going, buying and selling, haggling and bargaining.
Stalls were set up on the sidewalk and on both sides of the road, overflowing with fresh produce, exotic spices, and homemade snacks.
I couldn’t wait to try all of them!
But first, I needed to find something for dinner.
I hadn’t eaten since lunch, and my stomach was growling.
There were many food stalls in the market, with red lanterns hanging over them, and they all smelled good.
I walked around, looking at everything, but it was hard to decide what to eat—they all looked so delicious!
After much thinking, I finally picked a stall at random, where an old lady was cooking noodles in a large wok.
She smiled at me when she saw me coming, revealing a few missing teeth, and waved me over with her ladle.
I sat down at a plastic table, watching as she filled a bowl with noodles, then poured hot broth over them, then added a few pieces of meat, then a handful of vegetables, then a sprinkle of spices, then a spoonful of oil.
When she finished, she handed me the bowl, along with a pair of chopsticks, and told me to enjoy my meal.
It was delicious!
And after eating it, I felt full and satisfied.
I paid the old lady, thanking her for her hard work, then left the stall and went back to my hotel, where I went straight to bed.
I spent the next day exploring the city, taking pictures of all the interesting things I saw, from ancient temples to modern skyscrapers.
I stopped at many food stalls along the way, trying all kinds of dishes: fried dumplings, roasted duck, spicy prawns…
Everything was so good, but nothing could compare to the noodles I had the first night.
I wanted to eat them again, but when I went back to the market that evening, the old lady wasn’t there anymore—someone else was using her stall instead.
I asked the new owner where the old lady had gone, but she just shrugged and said she didn’t know.
It was a little disappointing, but it didn’t matter—I would find something else to eat instead.
As I walked through the market, looking at all the food stalls, my eyes fell on an alley at the end of the road, where something was glittering in the distance.
I couldn’t tell what it was from where I stood, but it looked like it might be interesting.
Ignoring the warnings of my guidebook—”Don’t go too far into the market; it can get dangerous”—I walked toward the alley to see what was at the other end.
The alley was dark, narrow, and dirty, with garbage piled up on both sides of the road.
It smelled bad, too, like rotten fruit and spoiled meat.
But I wasn’t afraid.
Instead of feeling scared, I felt excited—a little thrill of anticipation ran through my body, making me shiver.
What could be at the end of this alley?
I couldn’t wait to find out!
When I reached the other end, I came to a small square, where an ancient-looking forest stood.
It was surrounded by a high wall, with a heavy iron gate, which was locked with a big chain and a rusty padlock.
A sign was hanging on it, warning people to stay away.
It said: “Access Forbidden—No Trespassing.”
When I asked a local about it, he told me that this forest was off-limits, because it was dangerous.
Many people had gone inside over the years, but few had come out—and those who did were never the same.
There were even stories about ghosts and goblins living in the forest, and how they would come out at night to prey on unsuspecting victims.
I didn’t believe in such things, but I was curious.
What was inside this forest?
What secrets was it hiding?
I had to know.
So, despite my better judgment—and the warnings of the locals—I decided to go inside and find out for myself.
The moment I stepped through the gate and into the forest, a strange feeling came over me—a feeling of awe and wonder.
It was as if I had entered an ancient temple or a sacred ground.
Everything around me was so quiet and still, like time had stopped.
I couldn’t even hear the sound of my own footsteps on the ground.
All I could hear was the rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant melodies of unseen birds in the trees.
But even they seemed far away.
It was so surreal, like being in a dream.
And yet it felt so real.
The air was different here, too.
It tasted funny, like how I imagined magic would taste—if it had a flavor: sweet and sour and spicy all at once, with a hint of something else, something I couldn’t quite place, like an exotic fruit or a rare flower.
At that moment, I knew something strange was happening, but I didn’t understand it—not yet.
I was about to turn back and leave when it happened: I crossed the threshold, and everything changed.
One second, I was standing in an ancient forest, surrounded by silence and stillness; the next, I was standing in a magical world, surrounded by colors and lights!
It was like an explosion of rainbows, with colors dancing and swirling all around me, creating patterns and shapes in the sky, like giant fireworks—only brighter and more beautiful, like a painting come to life or an alien planet from outer space.
There were colors I had never seen before: shades of blue and green and red and yellow, each different from any color I’d ever seen, yet all somehow familiar, like distant cousins of their earthly counterparts.
They were everywhere, too, covering everything—the trees and flowers, the grass and rocks, even me!
And then there were the moons…
One silver, one blue, both shining down from above, casting their gentle light upon this strange new world, illuminating everything with a soft, ethereal glow that made everything seem magical—even more so than before!
I stood there for a moment, staring up at them in amazement, my heart pounding with excitement and wonder.
As I took it all in—the colors, the lights, the moons—I felt something strange inside me, too: a deep sense of peace and joy that radiated from my heart, spreading through my body like warm sunshine on a cold day, filling me with happiness and contentment—almost as if this was where I belonged.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked around at this beautiful new world—the world I had somehow stumbled into—and saw how amazing it was: how different and wonderful!
The air smelled so sweet here—like candy—and it tasted even better on my tongue, making my mouth water with desire.
I wanted to stay here forever, to explore every corner and see everything there was to see, but I knew I couldn’t.
I had to go back—back to the real world, where my life was waiting for me.
Taking one last look around at this amazing new world, I sighed and turned away.
But just as I was about to leave, I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me and stopped to listen.
My heart skipped a beat as I spun around, my senses suddenly on high alert—my nose twitching and ears pricking, like a rabbit’s—ready to confront whatever—or whomever—was approaching.
My mind was racing, too, trying to think of what it could be—what kind of animal or creature would make such a sound.
It could be anything, I told myself: a bird or a squirrel, a rabbit or a fox.
There were all kinds of animals in the forest—or so I’d been told—so it could be any one of them.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t.
No, this was something different—something strange—and I had a feeling I wouldn’t like it.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears as I stood there, waiting—and then, just as suddenly as it had started, the rustling stopped, and all was silent.
For a moment, I stood there, listening and watching, my eyes wide and my breath held tight, afraid to move; but when nothing happened, I relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.
It must have been nothing after all, I thought—a trick of the wind—or my imagination.
Turning away, I took a step back toward home, but then, just as suddenly as before, it started up again: louder and closer this time—like someone—or something—was coming.
My heart skipped a beat as I spun around to face it, my senses tingling with fear; but when a person stepped out of the bushes instead—a tall, dark-haired man with a backpack on his shoulders and a canteen in his hand—I let out a cry of relief.
“Oh, thank God!”
I said as he came closer.
“I thought you were a monster—or something!
He smiled at me and shook his head.
He was dressed in a strange way—a way I’d never seen before—with a long-sleeved shirt on his back and pants on his legs, both of which were made of some kind of strange material that looked like it was made for exploring—like he was going on an adventure or something; and his boots were just as weird: big and clunky with thick soles and metal tips.
He must be an explorer, I thought—one of those guys who goes off to faraway places to study plants and animals—though if he was, he didn’t look much like the ones in the movies: all dirty and scruffy with big beards and backpacks.
But as he came closer, I saw what he did look like—how handsome he was—how tall and strong, too, with broad shoulders and muscular arms.
He must work out, I thought—or hike or something.
Whatever he did, he did it well, because he looked amazing: like a god or a superhero—with his dark hair and chiseled jaw, high cheekbones and soulful lips, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a dream.
My heart skipped a beat as I stared at him for a moment, mesmerized by his beauty; but then his eyes met mine, and I quickly looked away.
“Hello,” I said nervously, shifting from foot to foot.
“Can I help you?”
I can still remember how his name sounded when he said it: how deep and smooth—and musical—it was.
It sounded almost like a song—and when he said it, he smiled at me too: a big, friendly smile that made me feel better right away.
“Hi,” he said, extending a hand.
“I’m Alex Rodriguez.
His hand was big and warm when he shook mine—it totally engulfed my fingers—and I remember how nice it felt to be touched by him; and how secure and safe he made me feel: how happy I was to finally have another human being to talk to after all this time.
“I’m Emily Thompson,” I said, returning the handshake.
I can still remember how good he smelled too: like soap and aftershave; and how handsome he was: how strong and tall—and tough; and how handsome he was; and how big and dark his eyes were: how brown and sexy—and warm; and how warm and happy his smile was: how gentle and kind—and friendly.
“Where am I?”
I was still trying to catch my breath as I looked around me again: at the amazing world that lay before me; at all the colors and sounds; at all the beauty and wonder I had never seen before.
“It’s so beautiful!”
I know that sounds stupid,” I said—but it is!
It’s so beautiful!”
I struggled for words to describe what I saw—to put my feelings into sentences—but I couldn’t find them.
“It’s so beautiful!”
I said instead, “so beautiful—and amazing—and wonderful; and strange too: so strange—and weird—and different; but sometimes,” I whispered to myself, “you don’t need words to describe what you feel.”
And for a moment I just stood there—in silence—with my hands on my chest, staring at a world that had changed so suddenly; that had changed beyond all recognition and belief.
“Good morning,” Alex said suddenly.
“Good morning!”
He was looking at me strangely—like he’d never seen me before.
“Are you okay?
What’s wrong?”
I don’t know what happened, but for a moment it felt like time had stopped.
Like everything had stopped: like time had frozen in place—or something.
Alex didn’t seem to notice though.
“Good morning,” he said again.
“I was waiting for you.” He was looking at me strangely—like he’d never seen me before; like he’d been expecting me—or something; like I was someone special—or important; like I was someone he knew—or recognized; someone he liked or cared about; or loved even—though of course I couldn’t say that; but that’s what it felt like: like I was someone he’d been waiting for—like we were meant to be together; which is stupid, of course—not to mention impossible; but that’s what it felt like; that’s what it felt like to me; that we were meant to be together—like we were supposed to be together, in this place—and time—forevermore.
I must have looked worried, because his eyes softened again, and his hand reached out to touch me gently on the arm.
“I didn’t know what was happening to you,” I said, trying not to cry—trying not to panic or freak out.
“I didn’t know what was happening at all.”
Alex smiled again as my words faded away, and his hand squeezed mine gently as he took it in his own.
“It’s okay now,” he said gently.
“It’s okay now,” he said again.
I nodded, wiping tears from my cheeks as I tried to calm myself down—I tried not to panic or freak out—as Alex led me through the forest, towards a place I couldn’t see or know; along a path that seemed to twist—in on itself—at every turn; through a world that seemed alive—with an energy—I couldn’t explain—or understand; with a life—that seemed to pulse—in every direction—at once; with a soul—that seemed to sing a song—that only I could hear; in a way—that should have scared me—or frightened me—or worried me—but didn’t, because this was my world now; my home—and my place—in this world of ours; this land of ours; this realm of ours; this strange—or magical—world of ours, that was mine to explore—mine to discover; mine to find—and mine to make my own.
I reached up to touch a flower as we walked past, surprised by the way it glowed beneath my fingers, as if it had a light of its own; as if it was alive in a way that flowers were not meant—or supposed—to be; in a way that flowers were not supposed—or meant—to do.
“What are you doing?”
I looked up to find Alex watching me, his hand on my arm, his eyes dark with concern, as if he thought I was about to do something dangerous—or crazy—or stupid; as if he thought I was about to do something that would change—everything.
“Sorry.” I wiped away a stray tear and forced a smile.
“I’m just—” But I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling: the sense of loss—of homesickness—of nostalgia—of wonder and awe that was so palpable, it took my breath away.
I took his hand and let him lead me away from the shimmering barrier and back into the forest.
“What is this place?”
I asked once I had regained some sense of composure and could speak in a normal voice.
Alex smiled and squeezed my hand.
I guess you could say that this is home.”
He led me to a nearby log and sat down beside me, gesturing for me to join him.
“I suppose you have a lot of questions.” He clasped his hands between his knees and glanced around as if to make sure no one was listening.
“One or two.” My heart raced with excitement as well as fear.
I squeezed his fingers tighter and shivered, not because I was cold but because I was filled with such an odd mix of emotions: curiosity, apprehension, excitement, and nostalgia.
I couldn’t wait to learn more; and yet I was almost afraid to hear what he had to say.
He seemed to sense my inner turmoil, for he reached out to caress my cheek.
“Take a deep breath.”
I did, and then I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.
He waited until I opened my eyes and returned my gaze.
I nodded, eager to hear what he had to say.
“First things first: You are no longer in Kansas—or America—or Earth for that matter.
You have crossed over into another world—a place called Avaloria.”
I waited for him to go on.
When it became apparent that he wasn’t finished, I prompted him, “What’s Avaloria?”
“It’s a land that is—and was—connected to your world through a series of portals like the one you just came through.
But most—if not all—of those portals have been sealed or destroyed, which is why you didn’t come through one when you arrived here.
I’m not sure how you got here, but I suspect it has something to do with the barrier.”
“What barrier?”
“The one I showed you earlier.
“The one between our worlds?”
He nodded as he clasped my hands in his.
Alex lowered his gaze to the ground as he took another deep breath and expelled it slowly before he continued.
“Many years ago—centuries really—Avaloria and your world were connected, and people could come and go between the two worlds as they pleased.
But then a great war broke out—a war between those who had magic and those who wanted it—and in the end, it was decided that the best way to protect Avaloria’s magic was to close off all the portals and seal the barrier.”
“But why? What happened?”
“There were losses—sacrifices.
The evil forces wanted magic at any cost—even if it destroyed the world—and we knew we couldn’t let that happen.
So after much debate—and discussion—sealing the barrier seemed like the best solution.”
“But what about the creatures—the darklings?
How did they get here?”
I asked as I looked around, half expecting one of those creatures to emerge from the forest and attack us.
He chuckled softly.
“Believe it or not, they are from this world—as are the elves and the fairies and the others.
The only difference is that they—like you—can’t see the barrier that separates our worlds.”
My eyes widened.
“So there are others like me here?”
He shook his head.
“Not many.
Over the centuries, there have been a few humans who have crossed over, but that number is small.
Most don’t even know they are here—much less how they got here.”
“I feel special,” I said with a smile.
“You should,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye.
He lowered his gaze to the ground before he cleared his throat.
“But enough about the darklings and the barrier.
Let’s focus on getting you home before you get lost or captured—or worse.”
I nodded and followed him as he continued through the forest, walking as quickly as I could without tripping over my feet.
It didn’t take me long to catch up with him since we had only taken a few steps before he stopped and turned back around to face me.
“I almost forgot,” he said as he walked backward down the path.
“You mentioned this was a magical land.
What kind of magic does it have?”
I asked eagerly.
He chuckled.
“There is so much I don’t know where to start.
But let’s see… Well first off, it has two moons.”
I looked up at the sky to see two glowing orbs hanging in the sky.
One was larger than the other and shone brightly—the way I imagined the sun would.
The other was smaller and didn’t give off quite so much light.
“The larger moon is called Selene and the smaller one is named Luna.
They are there to illuminate our world—just like the sun does yours—but they also control the tides and influence behavior.
Most creatures—aside from the humans—are connected to one or both of them in one way or another.”
“What do you mean connected?”
I asked as I furrowed my brow.
He chuckled softly.
“I don’t understand it all myself.
All I know is that the phases of the moon can change a person’s mood and ability.
Some people can draw strength from Luna while others can call upon Selene for guidance.
Some people are more powerful during a full moon while others are weaker.
Some people can only perform certain spells when the moons are aligned just so.
It’s complicated and yet simple—much like this world.”
I nodded, eager for him to continue.
He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a roar that seemed to come from deep within the forest.
I clasped my hands over my mouth to keep from screaming as he whipped around to face the direction of the sound, his eyes wide and fearful.
“That can’t be good,” he mumbled as he slipped a hand beneath his cloak and withdrew a long, glowing dagger.
I reached out for him only to retract my hand before I made contact with him.
“Darklings,” he answered.
“It’s too soon for them to be this close to the barrier.”
“What are darklings?”
I asked as I stepped closer—only to step back again when I saw the look in his eyes.
He was afraid, and I knew that meant I should be afraid too.
He reached out for me and pulled me closer to him before I could protest.
A series of rapid booms echoed through the forest, vibrating the ground beneath us.
The sound was coming closer and closer.
Alex tried to speak, but the words came out as a mere whisper.
I knew he wanted me to listen, but I couldn’t.
Not when I was struggling not to scream.
We were about to be eaten by some unknown creature and all I could do was stand there like a deer in the headlights.
But then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the sound stopped.
I could feel Alex’s shoulders relax against mine.
When I looked up at him, I saw that his eyes were closed and his chest was rising and falling slowly.
I followed his gaze and saw that we were standing at the edge of a cliff.
A waterfall cascaded down a series of rocks before plummeting into a pool below.
The water was so clear I could see straight to the bottom.
It was beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as the spot where we had met.
Or that other place where Alex had taken me when I was sick.
I had a feeling that this world was full of enchanting spots—each one more beautiful than the last.
“It’s the mountains,” Alex answered as if he could read my thoughts.
“Thunderstorms are common in the mountains this time of year.
They’re nothing to worry about.
We’re safe here.”
He led me to a rock at the edge of the pool and helped me sit down.
He then took a seat beside me and gazed out over the water.
The sight was so peaceful it made me want to cry.
But I was done crying.
I didn’t want to think about my life back home—about the pain I’d been through or the people I’d lost.
This world was so much better than that one.
It was where I belonged.
And it was where I would stay.
“You were right,” I said softly.
“This world is beautiful.”
Alex turned his gaze to me, his eyes wide and full of wonder.
“I don’t know why it took me so long to see it—why I fought so hard to leave the other one behind.
This is where I belong.”
His eyes searched mine for a long moment before he finally spoke.
“I was alone for a very long time, Em.
I’ve met other people since I came here, but you’re different—special.
“I feel the same way about you,” I answered without thinking.
He chuckled softly as he reached out and took my hand in his.
“The moment I sensed your presence, I knew I had to find you—had to protect you.”
“From the darklings?”
He shook his head.
“No, from everything.”
And with that, he began to tell me his story.
He told me about losing his family to the darklings and escaping a city overrun with them.
He told me about how he’d been wandering around alone for years, trying to make sense of a world that made no sense.
He told me about how he’d finally found a place where he could belong—where he could be happy—only to have it all ripped away from him once again.
He told me about how it had changed him—how it had made him hard and cold and afraid.
And then he told me about how he’d met Lily Chen and how she’d saved him from himself.
He told me about how she’d been his only friend for a long time—about how she’d been like a sister to him.
And then, after a short pause, he told me that there was a reason he had been drawn to me from the moment he sensed my presence.
The sound of wings flapping in the distance silenced us both.
I turned around just in time to see Lily Chen land gracefully on the ground a few feet away.
Time seemed to stand still as Alex and Lily moved towards each other.
The moment they came together, they wrapped their arms around each other and held on tight.
The sight of them embracing was so heartwarming that I couldn’t help but smile.
There was something magical about this moment—something that made me feel like I was right where I was supposed to be.
I watched as Alex hugged Lily so tightly it looked like he never wanted to let her go.
When he finally did, he took a step back and looked her up and down before he finally spoke.
“Lily Chen, is that really you?You look different somehow.”
Lily’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at him.
“It’s really me, Alex.
I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too,” he answered with a smile.
“More than you’ll ever know.”
Lily let out a soft chuckle as she reached out and poked him on the nose.
“You always were one for the dramatics,” she teased.
“Come on,” she added, slipping her hand into his.
“Where are we going?”
Alex asked with a frown.
“I thought you wanted to see your friend?”
Lily smirked and gave him a look that made my heart skip a beat.
“We will see her,” she answered cryptically before looking over at me.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?”
But before I could say anything else, Lily stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me.
The moment she did, everything went dark—and then it was light again.
I blinked several times as I tried to adjust my eyes.
When they finally focused, I found myself standing in front of a giant building that looked like a castle.
“It’s about to rain,” Alex said with a frown as he looked up into the sky.
He was right.
The clouds were dark and heavy and full of water.
And they were heading straight for us.
But just when it looked like we were about to get drenched, Lily took our hands and led us inside.
The moment we stepped through the doors, I was immediately struck by how beautiful it was.
The walls were made of stone, and the floors were covered in marble.
Everywhere I looked, there were towering shelves filled with ancient tomes and manuscripts.
It was like stepping into a real-life version of Beauty and the Beast, and I was completely enchanted by it all.
“Welcome to the Library of Norwick,” Lily said with a smile as she led us through the building’s grand entrance hall.
She didn’t get far before she was stopped by two people standing behind a desk that looked like it had been plucked right out of the 1800s.
The moment they saw us, they narrowed their eyes and crossed their arms over their chests, giving us the evil eye as we passed by.
“Do you know them?”
Alex asked with a frown.
Lily shook her head as she led us down a long hallway lined with more books than I’d ever seen in my life—and I’d spent the better part of my childhood hanging out at the library.
“Who are all these books about?”
“All sorts of people,” she answered as she led us into a large room with a vaulted ceiling, heavy tapestries, and a grand fireplace that was crackling with a warm fire.
“It’s a library, after all.”
“Right.” I nodded absently before walking over to one of the shelves and pulling out an old book at random.
The moment I opened it, I was immediately struck by the beautiful handwriting and intricate drawings inside—drawings that looked like they’d been done with gold and silver ink on a black canvas.
I flicked through the pages and found myself unable to stop reading, even though I couldn’t understand a word of what was written on them.
The words were in a language I didn’t recognize, but I didn’t need to read them in order to understand what they meant.
The book told the story of a great war—a war that had been fought between two powerful dragons over a beautiful land called Avaloria.
It was a land that had been shaped by that war, and it was a land that had once been home to magical creatures, both good and evil.
The war had devastated those creatures, and it had left Avaloria hanging precariously in the balance between light and dark.
I read a little more and learned that, after the war, Avaloria had been split into four kingdoms.
Each of those kingdoms was ruled by a powerful dragon, who in turn was served by many lesser dragons, as well as all manner of other magical creatures.
The book told me what each of those kingdoms was called, who their rulers were, and what kinds of magical creatures lived there.
It also told me about some of the battles that had been fought during the war and how they’d shaped Avaloria—and its people—into what they were today.
I was so engrossed in my reading that I didn’t even notice when Alex and Lily left me alone to explore.
In fact, it wasn’t until I heard a loud noise that I finally looked up from my book and realized that I was all by myself.
Quickly, I put the book back on its shelf and followed the sound to another room where I found Alex talking to Lily.
They both turned when they saw me, and Lily’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“Alex has a surprise for me,” she said with a smile as she took my hand and led me outside.
The moment we stepped out of the library, I felt the cool, damp air on my skin, and I knew that it really was about to rain.
But before we could go very far, Alex held out his arm to stop us.
“Wait here for a moment,” he said before stepping away from us.
A few seconds later, he returned with a horse-drawn carriage.
He held the door open for us, and we climbed inside.
“Where are we going?”
I asked as soon as Alex got in after us.
But he didn’t answer as he took his seat next to Lily.
Instead, he turned to her and said something in a language I didn’t understand.
Lily’s eyes lit up when she heard it, and she clapped her hands together.
I raised an eyebrow at Alex, but he just shook his head.
“It’s a surprise,” he said with a smile that made my heart flutter.
We’d been riding for what felt like forever when I finally worked up the courage to ask Alex where we were going.
But before I could say anything, I heard people talking outside the carriage, so I leaned forward to see what was going on.
I couldn’t see very much, but I could tell that we were in the middle of the forest.
The trees were so thick around us that I could barely see the sky.
They were also huge, and they were all a beautiful shade of silver.
I’d never seen anything like it before, and I couldn’t stop staring at them as our guide led the horses through the forest.
“Where are we?”
I asked as soon as the guide stepped out of sight.
Alex placed a hand on my shoulder and gently nudged me back into my seat.
I thought you might like to take a walk through the Silver Forest,” he said with a smile.
My mouth dropped open in shock.
“But I thought the Silver Forest was dangerous,” I said.
He nodded, “It is, but we’ll only be passing through, and Lily will be with us, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Lily’s from around here, isn’t she?”
He nodded again, “Yes, she is.
She says that we should be through the forest by tonight, so if you see her doing anything strange, don’t be alarmed.”
Before I could ask him what he meant, he pulled a small flask out of his pocket and handed it to me.
“Drink this,” he said.
I looked down at the flask in my hands, and I couldn’t help but wrinkle my nose when I smelled it.
“It’s bitter,” I said as I handed it back to him.
He chuckled, “It’s a potion from the city of Kanaan.
It’s supposed to protect us from the forest’s magic for a short time, but it doesn’t taste very good.”
I took the flask from him and took a long drink, trying not to grimace when I tasted it.
When I was done, I handed the flask back to him, and he put it away before taking my hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
I looked over at Lily and saw that she was already standing up and waiting for us, so I quickly got to my feet and followed her outside.
The moment we stepped out of the carriage, I felt a strange sensation wash over me.
At first, I didn’t know what it was, but then I realized that the forest must be trying to use its magic on me.
I could see something moving in the corner of my eye, and when I looked over to see what it was, I saw a beautiful woman with long brown hair and bright green eyes looking back at me.
But when I turned to face her, she was gone.
I shook my head to clear my mind, and that was when I realized that Alex had been talking to me.
“Did you say something?”
I asked when I finally looked over at him.
He raised an eyebrow at me and pointed to Lily, who was already walking away from us.
“Lily says that we should get going,” he said with a smile before taking my hand in his and leading me after her.
We’d been walking for hours when we finally stopped for a break.
I don’t know how far we’d gone or how long we still had until we made it out of the forest, but I could tell that we had all grown tired and needed to rest for a while before we continued on.
Adrian used the time to scout ahead, while Kira stared off into the distance with a distant look in her eyes.
I looked over at Lily, who had sat down on the ground with her knees drawn up to her chest as she stared off into the distance.
“Are you okay?”
I asked as I sat down next to her.
She turned to look at me, but when she spoke, her voice sounded far off even though she was right in front of me.
I’m fine, but the forest is trying to use its magic on me,”
Her eyes flicked towards the trees around us as the silver mist that surrounded them grew thicker.
At first, I thought that I must’ve imagined it, but then I remembered all the stories that I’d heard about the Silver Forest and how it could trap people in its illusions.
Suddenly, I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized what was happening.
I looked around me, but nothing seemed out of place.
Everything looked normal, except for the fact that I couldn’t see Adrian or Kira anywhere.
“Where did they go?”
I asked as I stood up and started walking around.
When I turned back towards Alex, he was standing right behind me, staring at me with a look of concern on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
he asked when he saw the look on my face.
I shook my head as I took his hand and led him over to where Lily was sitting.
“I think the forest is trying to use its magic on me,”
“Because I keep seeing things, but when I look around, they’re not there.”
“Am I the only one who’s seeing things?”
I opened my mouth to answer him, but the words died on my lips when I saw Lily’s eyes widen in shock.
I followed her gaze and looked over at Adrian and Kira, who were standing a few feet away from us and staring off into the distance.
“What do you see?”
Adrian asked as he turned to look at us.
“I see Emily and Alex,” Lily said as she slowly got to her feet.
“But they’re not really there, are they?”
“No,” Adrian said as he shook his head.
“I see the same thing,” Kira said as she turned to look at him.
Adrian stared at her for a moment before waving his hand in front of her face and yelling at her to snap out of it.
Kira blinked a few times before turning to look at him and asking what just happened.
“We’re seeing things,”
“Or rather, the forest is showing us what we most desire—or what we fear.”
“Is there any way to stop it?”
Kira asked as she turned to look at Lily.
Lily shook her head.
“Not really, no.”
She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut as she clutched the fabric of her dress in her hands.
“Lily, are you okay?”
Adrian asked as he moved to stand next to her.
She nodded, but when she opened her eyes, I could see the pain behind them.
“The forest is using its magic on me.It’s showing me…It’s showing me what happened,” she whispered.
Adrian reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away from him before he could touch her.
“Lily, what do you want to do?”
“I think we should go back,” Kira said after a moment.
“We can’t just give up,”
Adrian yelled at her.
“We have to keep going.”
“Then what do you propose we do?”
Kira yelled back at him.
Adrian opened his mouth to answer, but he paused and glanced over at Lily when she started walking away from us.
“Where are you going?”
“Deeper into the forest, of course,”
She turned to look at us and smiled before she beckoned for us to follow her.
We shared a look before we followed after her, each step bringing us closer to the heart of the forest—and the illusions that awaited us there.
After a few minutes, Adrian knelt down on the ground and told Kira to get on his back.
“My legs are starting to hurt, and I’m getting tired.I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”
“It’s fine,” Adrian said as he put his hands on his hips and smiled down at her.
“I can carry you.”
He stood up, and after Kira climbed onto his back, he started walking again.
I turned around just in time to see Adrian’s mouth open in shock before he stumbled backwards and fell on the ground.
Kira rolled off his back and landed next to him, and they both scrambled away from him and stared down in horror at the snake that had wrapped itself around his ankle.
I reached out to take his hand, but he pulled away from me and held up the knife he’d been holding earlier.
“Don’t touch me!”
he yelled before he swung the knife at me and cut me on my arm.
I quickly stepped away from him and clutched my arm, which was bleeding heavily.
“Adrian, what are you doing?”
Alex asked as he turned to look at him.
Adrian opened his mouth to answer him, but he stopped and stared down at his hands in shock when he saw the snake wasn’t there.
He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head in disgust before he opened his eyes and looked over at Kira.
“I’m sorry, Kira.I didn’t mean it.”
Kira stared back at him for a moment before she turned around and ran away from us.
“Kira, wait!”
Adrian yelled as he tried to get up from the ground, but he stumbled and fell on his hands and knees when he put weight on his leg.
He let out a soft curse and clenched his teeth to keep from screaming as he tried to stand up.
“Let me help you.”
I walked over to him and held out my hand, which he took and used to help himself up.
He put his arm around my shoulder and leaned on me, and we slowly walked over to Alex, who was kneeling down next to the snake’s head.
“Is it dead?”
I asked as I looked down and saw that the snake wasn’t moving.
“It is now.”Alex stood up and wiped his knife on the grass before he put it in its sheath.
“We should take a break in Norwick so Emily can clean her wound.”
Alex and I walked ahead while Adrian hobbled after us with his arm still draped around my shoulder.
As we walked, we passed a few other people who were walking along the path who looked just as tired as we were, so I wasn’t surprised when I heard a voice call out to us from behind.
I turned around and saw Adrian walking towards us with a smile on his face.
“Hey, guys,” he said as he caught up to us.
“Hey,” Alex said.
Adrian let go of me and stepped to the side so Alex and I could walk side by side, and we continued walking until we reached the entrance to the town.
When we walked inside, my breath caught in my throat in shock and awe.
The town of Norwick was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
Half of the town was in our world, and the other half was in the mystical world.
Huge silver trees lined the path that led from the entrance to the center of the town, and the roots of the trees had grown over the path and cracked the stones that lined it.
The roots of the trees still looked like they were made of stone, but they were covered in green moss, which made them blend in with the rest of the forest.
As we walked down the path, Alex stopped in front of a well that was covered in silver runes.
He walked over to it and touched one of the runes, and the light spread over his hand before it disappeared.
He turned around and motioned for me to come over to him, so I quickly walked over to him.
I stopped in front of him, and we both stared down at the well in astonishment.
The well was glowing with a soft light, and when I looked down at it, I saw a circle glowing inside of it.
We both took a step closer to the well, and when we did, we heard a beautiful sound coming from inside of it.
I closed my eyes and listened to the sound, which was so soft and beautiful that I almost felt like I was being hypnotized by it.
It sounded like a group of people singing together, but their voices weren’t coming from a single place like they would if they were singing together in a choir.
Instead, they were all around me, and no matter where I turned or how I moved, their voices remained at the same volume.
I opened my eyes when the song ended, and Alex was staring down into the well.
I don’t know,” he said slowly.
“I think that there’s something in the well, but I can’t tell what.”
He shook his head, and we both took a step back.
“Come on,” Alex said, motioning for me to follow him.
He turned around and started walking away, so I quickly followed after him.
We walked through the town until we reached the other side, where the path continued.
When we reached the end of the path, we saw that the entrance to the town was blocked off by a stone wall that was covered in vines.
I frowned in confusion when I saw the wall, but Alex walked over to it and touched one of the vines, which glowed with a soft light.
When the light disappeared, the vines fell away like sand, revealing an opening in the wall.
I smiled when I saw the opening, and Alex grinned at me.
I guess we won’t have to go through the forest,” he said.
“Let’s go,” Alex said, stepping through the opening in the wall.
I hesitated for a moment, but then I quickly followed after him.
When I stepped through the opening, I saw that there was a narrow passageway leading into the wall.
The passageway was dark, and there were several turns in it, so I was unable to see where it led.
We started walking down the passageway, which was covered in thin green moss, and after we took a few steps, a soft breeze blew past me, making me shiver.
Can you feel that?”
Alex asked me.
I nodded my head slowly.
It feels like air is coming through here from somewhere.”
That’s what I was thinking,” he said.
“There has to be something on the other side of this passageway that’s causing the air to move like this.”
We walked through the passageway for several minutes until we reached the end of it.
When we did, we stopped in shock and awe as we stared out at a huge cave that was covered in glowing runes.
The runes were glowing with a soft light, which was dancing across the walls of the cave like fireflies.
The walls were covered in pictures of flowers and trees, and there were several beautiful tapestries hanging from them as well.
The air was filled with a sweet scent that reminded me of incense, and there were several pools of water on the floor that looked like they were filled with diamonds.
“Wow,” I said, looking around at everything in amazement.
“This place is so beautiful.”
“This is amazing,” Alex said, his eyes shining with excitement.
“We need to explore it more carefully tomorrow.”
I nodded my head, and we both started walking out into the cave again, but when we did, we heard someone gasp behind us, and we both turned around and saw Lily standing at the entrance of the passageway with her mouth open and her eyes wide.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, stepping into the cave and staring around at everything with wonder in her eyes.
“Why does this place feel so familiar?”
I asked her, feeling a strange sensation washing over me that I couldn’t explain.
“I don’t know,” she said, frowning in confusion.
It feels like I’ve been here before, but I can’t remember when.”
“Why does it feel like time has stopped?”
“It’s because this place is so magical,” she said, floating up into the air and spinning around with her arms outstretched like she was dancing with someone invisible.
She closed her eyes and lifted her face up to the ceiling of the cave, and all of a sudden, her wings started shimmering with a soft light, which cast a warm glow across the entire cave and made everything look even more beautiful than it already did.
I watched her for several seconds as she danced through the air, feeling as if I were under some sort of spell that I couldn’t shake off, and then I felt Alex’s hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently and bringing me back to reality.
I turned my head to look at him, and when I did, I saw that he was staring at Lily with his eyes open wide and his mouth hanging open like he had been struck by lightning or something.
I asked him in a whisper, trying to ignore the strange sensation that had come over me when I had been watching Lily dance through the air.
He blinked several times, and then his face turned bright red as if he had suddenly realized what he was doing, and he cleared his throat nervously as he looked away from Lily and turned his gaze back to me.
“N-nothing,” he said quickly, trying to cover up the fact that he had been staring at Lily by flashing me a flirty smile that made my heart beat faster in my chest for some reason.
“I was just thinking about something else.”
I raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously for a few seconds while I tried to decide if he was telling the truth or not, but then I finally shrugged it off and forced myself to turn away from him because I didn’t want him to see how much his smile had affected me for some reason either.
“Stop flirting with my sister, Alex,” Kira said, appearing next to us out of nowhere and glaring at him with her hands on her hips.
“He’s not flirting with me, Kira,” I said, rolling my eyes at her because I knew that she had been watching us while we had been talking to each other, and I also knew that she was just trying to mess with me by telling me that Alex had been flirting with me when he hadn’t.
“Sure he’s not,” she said, laughing and giving me a playful shove.
“Oh, come on,” she said.
“It’s just so much fun to tease you about this kind of stuff because you’re always so serious about everything.”
I rolled my eyes at her again, but before I could say anything else, we heard someone else gasping behind us, and when we turned around to see who it was, we saw Adrian standing there with his arms crossed as he glared at us with an angry look on his face.
“What do you want, Adrian?”
Kira asked him, walking over to stand next to Lily as she did.
“You’re all being so loud that you’re causing a disturbance in the library,” he said, looking around the cave with an irritated expression on his face.
“Wait a second,” Alex said, looking at Adrian in confusion as he pointed to the book that was lying on the ground next to his feet.
“Why were you in here anyway?”
Adrian asked him with a curious look on his face as he stared at the book in shock as well.
“Did you really just stumble upon this cave by accident too?”
I nodded my head at him in agreement with what he said because I was wondering the same thing myself.
“Yeah,” Alex said with a shrug.
“I was just exploring the forest when I found it by accident.”
“Me too,” I said, walking over to stand next to him as well.
“What about you?”
“Yeah,” Adrian said with a nod of his head as well.
“I was exploring the forest when I stumbled upon this place by accident too.”
I frowned at him because I could tell by the way his voice sounded that he wasn’t telling us the truth either, but before I could say anything else to him about it, he suddenly cleared his throat nervously before he turned away from me because he didn’t want to answer my question because he knew that I would be able to tell that he was lying to him if he did.
“What were you looking at anyway?”
he asked Alex instead.
“It looked like some kind of ancient script that was written in a book.”
“Yeah,” Alex said with a nod of his head as he walked over to pick up the book from off the ground so that we could see what he had been looking at before he had been so rudely interrupted by Adrian when he had been trying to translate it for me.
“It looks like some kind of prophecy that was written by an ancient prophet who is warning everyone about some kind of danger that is threatening to destroy everything.”
I shivered at what he said because suddenly the dream that I had been having recently came back to me again, and for some reason, it seemed like it was connected to what he had just said somehow.
“What kind of danger?”
Adrian asked him, looking at the book in confusion as well.
“Some kind of all-consuming darkness,” Alex said with a shrug as he flipped through the pages of the book so that we could see the prophecy for ourselves too.
“That is threatening to destroy everything.”
“Like what?”
I asked him in confusion as I stared at the words that were written on the pages of the book while I tried to figure out if I could make any sense of what they were saying either.
“Like everything,” he said with a shrug.
“It says here that there are some kinds of spirits that are trying to destroy everything by bringing about some kinds of darkness that will consume everything around it.”
I shivered at what he said again because something about the prophecy seemed strangely familiar to me for some reason, but I couldn’t figure out why.
“How do you know that it’s real?”
I asked him as I looked up at him with a confused expression on my face.
“I mean, how do you know that you’re not just reading some kind of story that someone made up?”
“I don’t,” he said with a shrug as well.
“But there’s something about the way that these words were written that makes me think that there might actually be some truth to them somehow.”
“But we don’t know what the danger is,” I pointed out the obvious as I looked down at the book again.
“If there even is any danger,” Adrian said with a shrug as well.
“Maybe the guy who wrote this book was just crazy or something.”“Or maybe not,” I said after a few moments of silence as I looked up at the two of them again.
“But what are we going to do if it’s real?”
I asked him then as I felt a knot beginning to form in my stomach again.
“What are we going to do if there’s nothing that we can do to stop whatever this prophecy is talking about?”
“Maybe we should just wait until Lily gets back,” Alex said after a few moments of silence as he looked down at me with a small smile on his face as well.
“Maybe she’ll know something about this prophecy too,” he pointed out the obvious then.
“Or maybe not,” Adrian pointed out the obvious as well.
“Maybe she’s never even heard of this prophecy before.”“Or maybe she has,” Alex said then as he looked down at the book again.
“But how would she know?”
I asked him then as I looked back up at him with a confused expression on my face.
“She’s been around for a long time,” he said with a shrug.
Alex and I sat down on the cave floor together, looking down at the prophecy together.
A darkness overcomes the land.
There are seven who will hold the power to stop it.
One will come from across the sea.
The first seven will have to cross the line.
To protect the land, they will have to bind.
The X will show them who is next in line.
“The X will show them who is next in line,” I repeated as I looked at it, remembering how I had seen an X on a rock in that cove where I first met Alex and Lily.
What was that X?
Alex and I had been spending days looking for something in the cave, something that would help us figure out what we were supposed to do with this prophecy, but we hadn’t found anything useful.
We had only found piles and piles of rocks in some places and big pools of water in others.
It was hard to believe that this cave had held up for so long without collapsing entirely.
As we went through the cave, we were often reminded of that fact when rocks fell down around us.
Alex and I started walking around the cave more, looking around at the walls for any sign of an X or perhaps anything else that would tell us what we were supposed to do.
We had only gone a few steps when we came across an opening in the cave wall that led to another little room.
It was much smaller than the main chamber of the cave, but it was perhaps even more beautiful.
The walls were covered in those glowing crystals while some were sticking out of the ground like little trees.
At the back of that room, there was a pedestal that had an X on it, just like what was mentioned in the prophecy.
We walked over to it, looking at it in amazement.
It was made of a shiny stone, and it was so smooth that it didn’t look like it had been made by human hands.
It was hard to tell what it was for, but I felt like it must be important if it was sitting there by itself.
“Looks like we found it,” Alex said, looking at me with a smile.
I just smiled back at him before walking over to look at it more closely.
It really was beautiful, and it made me feel like I was really important too.
That maybe I was supposed to be here.
I put my hand against it, feeling its smoothness against my skin.
“It’s amazing,” I said softly, not really aware of what words were coming out of my mouth.
“Yes, you are,” Alex said then before putting his hand over mine.
I looked up at him in surprise before he brought his lips down against mine once more.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back with all of the passion that he had given me the last time we were here.
I didn’t even need to breathe after we pulled away because he was all that I needed.
“I love you,” he said softly against my lips.
“I love you too,” I said back before kissing him again.
We stayed like that for a little while before Lily came over to where we were standing in her shimmering form.
She had overheard our conversation and smiled at us before she said, “We should show this to Lily.”
Alex nodded before he took my hand once more, leading me back to where Lily and Kira were standing together.
Lily seemed excited when we showed her what we had found, and she listened to the prophecy again once we told her about it again.
“What do you think?” I asked her after she had listened to it again.
“It sounds like that is what this is talking about,” she said with a small sigh.
“But I never thought that I would have to be a part of something like this.”
“Are you sure that is what this is talking about?” Alex asked.
“Yes,” Lily said with a small nod.
“This talks about how we are supposed to reunite with our kin before they kill us all.I think that means we have to bring the dragons here.
I don’t know who we are supposed to kill though.”
“Well, I don’t want to kill anyone,” I said softly.
“What about you guys?”
They were all silent for a moment before Alex said, “I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep you safe.”
“And I’ll do whatever I need to in order to make sure that we can be together,” Lily said with a small smile.
“Then we’ll do whatever we need to in order to save this world,” Kira said with a small nod.
The four of us stayed silent for a little while before Lily finally spoke up once more.
She sounded sad as she did when she told us her story about how they had been exiled to this world.
“I have something that I need to tell you guys,” she said.
“Something that I never wanted to tell anyone, but I was hoping that I’d never have to.
But it seems like I don’t have a choice now.”
“What is it?”
Alex asked her softly.
“Do you remember when I told you guys that we put a barrier up around this world so that we wouldn’t be able to leave?”
she asked us.
We both nodded before she said, “Well, there was another reason that we put it up too.
It was to keep something in as well.
Something that we thought was dangerous enough to destroy this world if it were allowed to escape.”
Alex and I looked at each other before he said, “And what was that?”
“There was a prophecy back then that said that there would be a great darkness that would come to this world,” she said with a small nod.
“And it said that we would need to destroy this world in order to save others from it.
We didn’t want to do that, so we tried to figure out a way to keep it from happening.
“We found out that it was going to be hard, but it was possible,” she continued.
“But then we found out how it was going to happen, and we didn’t want it to happen.
It was going to be caused by the dragons’ power and fear.
We knew that we wouldn’t be able to stop them from doing it, even though we tried, so we just decided to stay here with them so that they couldn’t go back home.
But when we put up the barrier, it forced them to bring some of their power with them.
And when they got here, it started forming here from their power.”
“And there was so much of it that it even surprised them,” Kira said with a small nod.
“They knew they were powerful, but they hadn’t realized how much they had until then.
And when they tried to get rid of it, they couldn’t.”
“And with so much power, it started forming its own will,” Lily said with a small nod.
“And it wanted everything.
But because of the barrier, it couldn’t get anything.
At least, not until now.
“So you’re saying that whatever’s out there is coming for the dragons?”
She nodded and said, “They’re the only way to prevent the prophecy from happening.
The only way to stop the darkness is for the dragons to be reunited with the fairies.
That was what the prophecy said would happen if they were able to do that.
And they knew it too.
That was why they left.
They thought that if they left, the darkness would stay away from them and everyone else would be safe.
But they were wrong.
It followed after them and started attacking them.”
“So they left so no one would get hurt,” I said with a small nod.
She nodded and looked at me and said, “You’re right.
I’m sorry I lied to you guys.
I didn’t want you two going into something dangerous because you didn’t know the full story.
But now it seems like I have no choice but to tell you guys everything.”
“Thank you for telling us,” Alex said with a small nod.
“But if the barrier is down now, is there anything stopping the darkness from coming in?”
“There is a spell,” she said with a small nod.
I nodded and said, “Is there any other information you can give us?”
She shook her head and said, “No, not really.
I’ve told you guys everything that I know about it.
And I’ve also told you why we need your help as well.
I don’t want you guys going into this blindly either.
I know it’s dangerous, but we need your help if we’re going to save both our people.”
“I’m in,” Alex said with a nod.
“I’m in too,” I said with a nod as well.
She smiled at us both and said, “Thank you both so much for this.
I know it’s dangerous, but this is our best chance at saving everyone.”
“Then we have no choice but to do this,” Alex said with a smile before he added, “So what do we do?”
“You guys will have to go find the dragons,” Kira said with a small nod.
“They’re in the mountains right now.
That’s where we think they’re going to be.”
“And how do we find them?”
Alex asked her.
“I can give Alex something that will guide him to them,” Lily answered for her.
“And you’ll have to give me something that will help me protect Emily on this journey as well.”
I looked at her confused before I asked, “What do you mean?”
“It’s not safe out there,” Kira said with a small nod.
“And you’ll need all the help you can get.”
“Will this really help us?”
Alex asked her.
“I can also give you some armor as well,” Lily said with a small nod.
“It’ll protect you, but only when it wants to.
It won’t do you any good if it’s destroyed.”
“Thank you for this,” Alex said with a smile.
Lily smiled back at him before she pulled out a small bag where she pulled out a scale and handed it to him.
She then pulled out another bag where she pulled out some armor and handed them to me.
I looked at them before I asked her, “What do we do with these?”
“You have to wear it,” Kira answered for her.
“It’s only going to work if you’re actually wearing it.”
Alex looked at the scale before he put it on his necklace before he looked at me and I put on the armor.
I had just gotten out of the changing spell when Kira spoke up, saying, “You’ll need to leave right away.
“Okay, let’s go,” Alex said as he stood up.
I took his hand as he helped me up before I looked out at the valley.
It was so beautiful that I was completely lost in it.
It wasn’t until Alex shook me that I realized that he was trying to get my attention.
“Are you okay?”
I blinked for a few seconds before I nodded and said, “Yeah, I was just lost in thought.”
He chuckled for a second before he asked me, “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
He nodded and looked at my arm.
I had torn my sleeve on my right arm and had gotten an injury on my upper arm from when I had fallen.
It was pretty bloody right then, but it wasn’t anything serious either.
“I’m okay,” I told him.
“You don’t look okay,” he said with a small frown.
“We’ll have to get that taken care of when we get to our destination.”
“I can take care of that for you,” Lily said with a nod as she flew over to us.
“I just want to make sure that my friend is okay first.”
She smiled at him before she turned to me and asked, “Where are we going first?”
“We’re going to the dragons’ lair first,” I answered for her.
“Then let’s head out,” Alex said with a small nod.
I nodded as I walked next to Lily while Alex stayed behind me.
He wrapped his arm around my waist as he helped me walk.
We walked for a few hours before it started to get dark and we stopped to camp for the night.
Alex went to go get some firewood while Lily set up a shield around us so that no one would be able to see us.
I sat down by a tree and rested for a little bit until he came back with some firewood.
He set them down by me before he sat down next to me and started to make the fire.
He got a few sparks before he got a flame going and put it on the wood.
The fire started up and he turned to me.
“You should be resting,” he told me with a small frown as he looked at my arm again.
“It’s doing better now,” I told him with a chuckle.
“You still need to take care of it,” he told me as he got up and got the first aid kit out of his backpack.
He sat back down next to me as he opened it before he turned to me and asked, “Is it okay if I take care of it now?”
“Of course.” I told him with a small nod.
He smiled before he took a cotton ball and put some medicine on it before he cleaned my wound.
I winced for a second before he stopped and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I told him with a small nod.
“Okay, let me know if it hurts too much.”
“I will,” I told him as he cleaned my wound again.
I winced slightly once more before he stopped and asked me, “Is this too much for you?”
I shook my head and told him, “I’m fine, Alex.
It’s not that bad.”
“I promise it’ll hurt less in a few seconds,” he told me with a small smile.
I nodded as he cleaned the wound another time and I winced one more time before it started to hurt less.
He put some ointment on it before he wrapped it with some gauze.
I sighed in relief as he finished wrapping the gauze around my arm before he put everything back in the kit.
He smiled at me as he put the kit back in his backpack and I got up from where I was sitting and went to go help Lily set up the tent while Alex went to go get some food for us.
When the tent was up, Alex came back with some berries that were growing on one of the trees around here.
We ate those for dinner before we went to bed for the night.
We got up early the next morning to continue our journey through the forest.
We followed Lily’s directions through the forest until she stopped in front of a giant hill.
She turned to us and pulled out her book before she opened it up and started to look through it.
She looked up at us before she closed the book and put it back in her bag and told us, “The dragons’ lair is on the other side of this hill.”
We nodded as we walked up the hill.
It wasn’t that steep so it wasn’t that hard to walk up it but it took us a little bit to get over it.
We walked down the other side of the hill and kept walking through the forest.
We walked for another hour or so before we came across a river.
We walked next to the bank as we walked and I saw some fish swimming around in it.
It was a pretty calm river but you could hear some whispering.
I asked her as I looked at her.
“It’s whispering its secrets to us,” Lily answered with a small smile as she looked at me.
I nodded as we continued to walk along the bank.
We walked by the river for another two hours before we came across a bridge that went over it.
It was a very old looking bridge and there was some writing on it that I couldn’t understand.
Lily came up next to me and when she saw the bridge she pulled out her book and opened it up.
She looked up at us as she closed her book and put it back in her bag.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to cross this bridge if we want to get to the dragons’ lair,” she told us with a small sigh.
“What does your book say?”
“It says that this is the cursed bridge,” Lily answered with a small shrug as she looked at me again.
“It also says that this bridge tests people’s resolve and friendship,” Lily said with a small frown as she looked at me.
“Are you ready for this?”
I asked him as I turned to look at him.
“I am,” he told me with a small smile as he looked at me and I smiled back at him.
“Let’s do this,” Lily said with a small nod as she started to walk across and I walked next to her while Alex followed behind me.
When we got halfway across, I heard some creaking coming from under us and I could see that some of the boards were starting to break.
I turned back to look at them and they seemed fine so we kept walking across it until we were almost all the way across when one of the boards broke right under me and I fell through but caught myself on one of the beams that was holding this thing together.
“Emily!”
I heard Alex yell as I held on tight until he grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto one of the beams.
Be careful,” he said as he helped me up onto the beam.
“Thanks,” I told him as he helped me up onto the beam and we walked the rest of the way across it as we kept a lookout for any other boards that might break under us.
When we got across the other side, we jumped down onto the hill.
I asked as we started walking up the hill.
“It’s a place that is filled with dragons,” Lily told me as she smiled at me.
“Sounds like a dangerous place,” Alex said as he looked at her and she nodded at him as we walked up the hill.
“It is,” she told us as she looked at me again.
“I’m glad you guys came with me,” I told them as we kept walking up the hill.
“We wouldn’t have let you go alone,” Alex said as he looked at me and I smiled at him as we kept walking up the hill.
Lily led us through the forest for another two hours before we came across a big clearing in the forest with a big tree in the middle of it.
It looked like it was a very old looking tree and it had a lot of roots that were coming out of the ground around it.
“Is there something over here?”
I asked Lily as we walked over to the tree and she nodded before taking out her book and opening it back up again.
She opened it up to the page that had the dragons on it before showing us where we were on the map.
We’re almost there,” she told us as she showed us where we were on the map before she closed her book back up again and put it back into her bag.
Alex asked as he looked at Lily and she smiled at him before shaking her head no at him.
She said as she smiled at him before grabbing our hands and leading us forward through the tall grass, but as we walked through it, we saw something coming down from the sky over towards us before we heard Lily gasp and saw her let go of our hands as we turned around to see a big dragon flying towards us so we quickly ran away from it before it could get us.
We ran through the tall grass for another hour before we found a hidden waterfall.
It was really pretty and it was falling down into a big pool of water but you could also see some fish swimming around in it.
We went over and stood on some rocks as we watched it falling down into it before we went and sat down on some other rocks and waited for Lily.
She came over and sat down with us before taking out her book and showing us where we should go next.
We walked for another hour before we came across a clearing that had an X symbol in it.
I asked as I pointed at it and Lily smiled at me before nodding at me.
You guys stay here while I go ahead,” she told us as she smiled at me and Alex before she got up and walked over towards it.
We watched her as she walked over towards it before she stopped and looked around before waving at us before walking over towards it and disappearing down into it.
30 minutes later, we saw her waving at us before we got up and walked over towards her as we saw her standing there with a dragon and we quickly ran over towards her before we saw her frowning at us when we got closer and we quickly crouched down by her side.
What’s wrong?”
