Help! My Friend is Dating a Wizard!

Chapter 5 - Into the Darkness

The black and silver horse leads us into a gazebo-like building. I notice that she does not have wings. "My name is Wakanda," she says, "which is an Indian name meaning 'one with magical powers'. Although I can not fly, I can see visions, and I also have healing powers. I help train magic horses, and then send them on missions. Helping you will be our next mission. It seems your friends wandered on to the other side of the island, which is rulled by an evil horse named Hecca. She wants to keep them as her slaves. They escaped, but are hiding in a cave, with no food or water. Since they were not given permission to come to this island, they should return home. If you can find them and bring them back here, we will help all of you return to the main land."

"Thank you so much!" Lizzie says. "But what should we do if Hecca finds us?"

"You have the Necklace of Welcome, which means she can't force you to leave the island. But Hecca could try and hurt you. That is why you must be very careful and remain out of sight as much as possible. I have chosen three horses to go with you. They know their way around the other side of the island somewhat, but there are three caves there, and I'm not sure which one your friends are in. The horses going with you each have magical powers they can use if needed. But Hecca's horses also have magical powers."

"We have a map of the island. Are the caves on there?" Jacob asks.

Wakanda shows us where the three caves are. Two of them are near each other, but the other one is on the far side of the island.

"I hope they aren't hiding there!" I say. "What should we bring with us?"

Wakanda encourages us to pick some berries and pack some water to bring along with us. The three horses going with us are Legend, Treasure, and Fantasy. Jacob rides Legend, Lizzie rides Fantasy, and I ride Treasure. He is a small silver horse with wings.

We wait until it is almost dark. The horses walk, rather than fly, to be a little less conspicuous. The air is cooling off. I hear the calls of birds and the songs of frogs. "If at all possible, let's stay together," Jacob says.

"Too bad our cell phones don't work out here!" I say.

"Too bad Evan's powers don't work out here!" Lizzie adds. "Can you tell us what powers you have?" LIzzie asks the horses.

Fantasy tells us that she can read other horses' thoughts when she touches them with her wings. She can also put other horses to sleep when she touches them with her wings and sings. Treasure says that he can control fire and is also learning to move things with his mind. Legend says that he can see things from far distances, and is also very strong and fast. I feel encouraged to learn all this.

"Have all of you been to the other side of the island before?" I ask.

"Yes," says Legend. "I was involved in a battle once, and also helped rescue my mate, Follow your heart, when she was held prisoner by Hecca. But Fantasy and Treasure are still young and have only been there once. It is very important that they stay close to me because they are still developing their skills and knowledge."

"But if we are successful in this mission, I will be allowed to go home and visit my family," Treasure says.

"And Dad and I will also be able to go home and see Mom!" Fantasy says. "She chose to leave the island after she was freed from Hecca."

"We will be successful!" Lizzie says. She is always an optimist, just like Kayla, but Kayla's optimism is what got her into trouble this time.

It is quiet except for the sound of some owls and some frogs, and a light breeze rustling through the trees. The stars above are beautiful. I make a wish on a falling star that we will find Kayla and Evan and all make it back safely.

"We are here," Legend says, as we go past a particularly large tree. Suddenly an owl clips just above my head. "We call this side of the island 'The Darkness', although it doesn't look much different than our side of the island. It is called 'The Darkness' not because it is unusually dark or scary-looking, but because there is darkness in the hearts of those who live here."

A chill goes down my spine. I can't help feeling like I am watching a movie only somehow I am in it.