Arden: The Gift Of Delirium

41. The Time Has Come

"She's been waiting for all of you. Now is the time to face her."

***

Arden

This time, I was certain it was her. It had to be. She did look different, but, my eyes couldn't be playing tricks on me. I knew what I freaking saw. I knew I wasn't crazy, or being obsessive.

Despite the fact that I've been having illusions- I was sure Johanna was standing on the field we were just at minutes ago. Instead of her usual messy and stringy ponytail, her bright blonde hair was out in thick curls. She wasn't wearing glasses, either. Call me crazy, but I could see her blue eyes all the way from where I was standing.

I felt Ali shake his head next to me. "How is she here right now?"

I don't know....

Johanna glanced up and she paused as she caught gazes with all of us. She seemed startled that we were all gazing at her right now. The Kobablo girl next to her followed her gaze, and she said something as she saw us standing here.

Johanna turned her body so that she was facing us completely. Her stature was assertive and I blinked when I saw a smirk on her face. I saw her lips moving as she still looked at all of us, it was hard to explain exactly where she was looking, though. I narrowed my eyes when she smiled broadly, and it looked like she was laughing. I watched as Kobalo girl and Johanna both turned and began walking away. After a while, she was out of sight.

"Please tell me that was just another vision." Ace sighed. "What the hell is she doing here?"

I have to find out.

Without giving it a second thought, I was off. I ran towards the field and I immediately heard my name being shouted from behind me. The voice that stood out profoundly, was Zane's. His deep voice ordered me to stop and come back.

No.

I could hear them all running behind me and I continued nevertheless. When I got to the field, I stopped running, breathing slightly but confused.

She was gone. Where did her and Kobalo girl disappear to? They were gone but in front of me, were two new people. Two people, I've never seen before in my life.

They were two girls dressed in simple ordinary clothes. As I caught my breath, I looked at them warily. They were both standing side by side giving me impassive expressions; it looked like they were expecting me.

What the hell?

I soon heard that everyone caught up to me and they were all breathing heavy as they stopped too.

"Arden, what the hell is wrong with you?" Hayden asked.

"I'm guessing this doesn't happen a lot?" I heard Camilla behind me trying to catch her breath.

I ignored them. "What was that?" Zane took my arm and made me turn to him. He was giving me a hard glance and looking at me expectantly.

I glared at him. Was he questioning me now? "You're telling me you're not just a bit curious as to what the hell your girlfriend was doing here?" I gritted out to him.

Zane took a deep breath and ticked his jaw. "She's not my girlfriend, and you don't know what the hell could've been over here." He told me.

I caught a glimpse of Hayden and Perri and a flicker of agreeance crossed their face. I rolled my eyes and looked back at the two women staring back at us. Their faces were still impassive and they stood with their hands behind their backs.

"Who are you guys?" I asked.

After a few seconds of just staring, they spoke. "She's been waiting for you all. Now is the time to face her." The young woman with brown hair spoke. Her hair was braided and she had dark brown skin with ebony eyes. The woman next to her had dirty blonde hair. It was up in a bun and her lips were stained a light pink. Each woman had dresses on and as I continued to look at them, I felt a breeze blow across the field- moving our dresses, our hair, and the grass that surrounded us.

"Face who?" Perri asked seriously, stepping forward. "You didn't answer our question."

I heard Camilla mumble something behind me. "Um, Americans, I think we should just go."

The woman with the bun lifted her chin up slightly scanning us with her eyes. "Prepare for your proper introduction."

"You guys, I really don't feel good about this," Camilla added.

Prepare for a proper introduction? To who? My mind went to the visions, the optics, and the girl that was supposedly behind it all. No fucking way...what if it was Johanna? Maybe that's why she's here- if it was even her.

The one with brown hair brought her arms up and circled them through the air like she was doing a yoga pose. A purple fog flowed from her hands, circling through the air. We stepped back.

She began chanting some incoherent language and I wondered what she was saying. I couldn't understand it. "What?" I heard Armani whisper. The other woman, with blonde hair, stepped forward and my eyes widened as her body began to transform...into...

She outstretched her arms, and I watched in regard. They began turning blue and they sprouted feathers. Wings. She had freaking wings- she was growing wings.

Her face twisted and moved unusually and I looked at her nose turning into a beak. A yellow stern beak, right above her mouth. It looked weird, something out of a damn movie but...I wasn't too much surprised.

"You guys, I really think we should get out of here." Camilla started to sound more worried. I actually paid attention to what she was saying this time and silently agreed. "Go," Zane mumbled. "Go!"

The girl chanting in the fog screamed something very loud, I don't know. Suddenly, the girl with wings brought them back and pushed forward, covering us in purple smoke and mist. What the-

The last thing I remember was Zane's anxious gaze matching my own.

*****
Okay, maybe I lied a little bit. Next chapter is gonna be wild- you guys are gonna hate me. A lot happens and it's pretty chaotic.

New character is introduced and there's a bit foreshadowing. School is kicking my butt. But, until next time-

-brittany.