The Contagion

.21.

"The one who follows a crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. Those who walk alone are likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before."

~Albert Einstein.

Half an hour later, I'm able to get a flight to Thailand. Thankfully there weren't many passengers on board and most seats were empty. I had to literally scratch my brain to think about how to get to Antarctica since no flights or ships go there. Hiring a Human to ferry us would do no good since they would betray me to the research teams who have set up their camps there. If there's an enquiry, there would be trouble to the Supernatural's exposing my kind to the whole world.

Standing on the dockyard with Joe by my side, I notice the research-team boat about to sail to Antarctica. I quickly board the ship by jumping in the water and getting Joe to climb the storeroom first. Two months later, we reached Antarctica. I was so relieved that I would get to meet the kindest Supernaturals in Neverland who always helps other Supernaturals in need. I check that the deck is completely empty and set foot on the ice pulling Joe with me. Joe would never know that I brought him here unless the treatment starts.

As we walk towards the portal which is only visible to Supernatural's eyes, I see the research labs far away towards the mountain ranges. Flags of various countries are hoisted on the top of these dome-shaped labs with signal receivers pointing towards the sky. The observatories cum labs are made of thick ice blocks protecting the inside environment from the freezing cold.

The sparse trees having black wood signal the start of the forest. The elevation it provided was making Joe lag behind, clearly not used to trekking. The trees in this forest were a perfect reminder of the Thornton Forest since the barks had the same thickness. The hypnotising circles before the river were the portal. I sighed and looked at Joe who was still in his Immobulus spell. I would remove the spell once we get to her. I close my eyes and concentrate on the palace in Neverland, feeling the wisps surrounding my hands and my irises glowing. The circles sucked us both in as we travelled through the portal like a gust of wind in a tornado.

Within minutes, we were reached to the gates of the palace where the word Neverland was written in cursive writing. The gate was twice my height with black filigree embossed with symbols of vines, flowers and leaves. It had a boundary wall with a wired fence surrounding the top of the wall. I clutched the metal bars looking inside the gate for any Guards. The entire palace was thick with fog which was surrounding the top floors. The full moon shone brightly in the sky and bats and ravens are flying in the night sky with grey clouds passing quickly over the moon.

I knock the latch on the gate, making the metal screech. Then, I saw a black figure emerging from the right with golden light falling on its back. As it rounds around the corner, I see a Guard in black clothes and black armour over his body. He looks at me and narrows his eyes waiting for my question. His blood red eyes were staring into my eyes.

I maintain a confident façade. "I'm here to see Axis."

He gapes his mouth open at me as if I had grown two heads. "What did you say?"

I looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I said that I'm here to see Axis. Are you newly appointed? Haven't you heard this name before?"

He shook his head. "Are you talking about Queen Axis--- the reformer?"

"Was that her title?" I asked him with a frown.

"Lay Vampires called her with that title." He shrugged.

I shrugged in response looking at the palace in the distance. It has towering roofs with grey buttresses clinging to the sides. I can see carved models of bats on the corners of the buttresses with dark lights shining in the stained glass emitting from the windows. "It's urgent."