Dwaal [GxG]

Chapter 23

I told them every detail from the encounter I had with the shadow puppet demon thing, whatever the hell they really were.

"What do you mean it touched you and screeched in pain?" I shrugged at Rowan.

"I don't know how else you want me to explain it. The thing grabbed my arm, and they immediately had to let go of me. They screeched out in pain, like touching me caused them a great amount of physical pain." Rowan looked at me in disbelief.

"You're sure that's what happened?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, I was right there when it fucking happened." I was starting to get really annoyed. I felt Noor put her hand on my shoulder, and I relaxed a little bit. I didn't even realize how tense I was. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know what I saw, and that's what happened. I don't know why but it did." Noor looked at me and spoke up.

"I believe you." By the sound of her voice, I could tell she was being genuine and not just sparing my feelings.

"We all believe you. I'm sorry I made it sound like I thought you were lying." I nodded at Rowan and left it at that.

"Why didn't you contact us using the earrings?" I reached up to my ears, and the realization hit me.

"I totally forgot about them. If something like this happens, I'll make sure to use them." I noticed Noor's body tense up.

"This won't happen again; I won't let it happen. One of us will be with you at all times. No one is to ever be alone by themselves." She looked at everyone intensely, and they all quickly nodded. Noor shot up from her seat and put her hands on the table. Not quite slamming them down, but it definitely wasn't gentle.

"We need to finish translating the book." Rowan scoffed.

"What do you think I've been doing? I haven't slept in days, Noor. I'm trying." Noor's emotions were so strong that her natural eyes became apparent and were glowing.

"Then try harder." She said with such ferocity; it caused everyone to flinch. Rowan shot out of her seat, glaring at Noor before she stormed off going upstairs. She appeared next to Noor only a few seconds after storming off.

"Here!" She said, dropping a book onto the table in front of us. It caused a loud thump to echo off the walls.

"You think I'm not trying my hardest? Do you want it translated so badly? Then do it your fucking self." After that, she stormed out of the room, and I don't think she was coming back any time soon.

"Noor. You shouldn't have been so harsh. It was absolutely uncalled for." I reprimanded her. She looked at me with an apologetic expression. She just let out a breath while shaking her head. I'm sure she was shaking her head at her behavior.

"I'm sorry. I just want the people that I love to not be in danger anymore, and right now, our only answers on how to stop that are in this book." She collapsed back into her seat with a heavy sigh. She slumped over, putting her head into her hands. I just gently rubbed her back, trying to soothe her.

"I wasn't dreaming, was I? You're all some type of supernatural being?" I tensed up. I was hoping Nina would stay asleep longer.

"You weren't dreaming, Nina." I saw her pull out a chair to the table and sit down. She propped her chin upon her hand, holding up her head.

"Okay." I looked at her, astonished.

"Okay? That's all you're going to say?" She didn't take long to answer me.

"Yeah, that's all I'm going to say... For now, at least. I have a ton of questions, but I'll save them for later. I overheard you all talking about how something needs to be translated in order to stop these shadow people and this puppeteer guy. How can I help the cause?" I looked to Noor, telling her with just my eyes to chime in and help me answer the question my sister just asked.

"Can you translate archaic elven?" My sister scrunched up her nose.

"That sounds like a very dead language. I can always look at what Rowan has translated so far and see if I can help. You never know, maybe I can crack the code?" She said this with a shrug, and honestly, I don't see why she couldn't at least try. She's always been good at learning new languages. Noor looked at me apprehensively.

"It couldn't hurt. She's really good at learning languages. She picks them up super quick." After saying that, Noor looked to my sister and pushed the book in her direction as a response.

"I'm going to go find Rowan and apologize now." I squeezed Noor's hand as she stood up. She bent down and gave me a chaste kiss before making her out of the room.

"Who's hungry?" We all immediately put our hands in the air. Hannah then stood up, kissed the top of Naiomi's head, and made her way to the kitchenette.

The table was quiet. A little bit too quiet to my liking. Naiomi and I exchanged looks showing how awkward we felt.

"Well, I'm going to go and see if Hannah needs any help." With that, Naiomi walked over to Hannah.

I decided to get out of my chair as well. I had been sitting way too long. I made my way over to where I was standing behind my sister. I just peered over her shoulder at the book in front of her.

"Awe, so the Puppeteer is actually genderless. So, not a dude gotcha. And he's a dark elf. The first and only one to exist. Isn't that crazy?" I said aloud, and Nina looked back at me like I was crazy.

"Lareina, where the hell are you reading that at." I huffed and pointed to the first paragraph on the book page right in front of her.

"Right there. It's already translated. Have you not read that far yet?" She looked down at where I pointed and looked at me with her mouth wide open.

"Holy shit! Lareina, this part hasn't been translated yet." It was my turn to look at her like she was crazy.

"No, it's literally in English." She just shook her head no.

"Lala, we aren't seeing the same thing. Every part of the book that's been translated is written in this book right here." She held up a separate book that I didn't see before.

"Then what am I seeing right now?" I looked at the page, and it literally all looked like English to me.

"I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with you being supernatural." I stood there, kind of frozen in place for a second. Then realization crashed over me.

"Holy shit!" I said louder than what I intended. This got Hannah and Naiomi's attention. With that soon, Noor rushed in, with Rowan following in tow.

"What's going on, Lareina?" I didn't get a chance to say anything because Nina spoke for me.

"She can translate the rest of the book. She says she sees everything in English." Rowan quickened her steps over to us, looking down at the book then to me.

"Can you really translate it?" I nodded.

"Yes, this paragraph right here is talking about how the Puppeteer is a dark elf. It says they are the only one ever to exist too. Oh, and it says that the Puppeteer is genderless." She looked at me, surprised.

"That's crazy that you can see this in English. All I see are symbols. What else does it say?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't read any more than the first paragraph so far. I'll start reading over it now and take notes. Give you all the highlights." I took a seat, and Rowan sat beside me.

"Can you point to each word on the page and tell me which word it specifically is? That way, I can have a reference key on what it's saying?" I handed her the book she's written down translations along with a writing utensil.

"Yeah, of course, you can. Let's get started, shall we?" I smiled at her, and she gave me one back. She bent over her book, eagerly waiting for me to translate.