Enchained WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 4]

16

With no idea what was going on, the others had dived head-first into research mode. Aurora, Arthur, and the now-awake Lydia had been given free reign of the Palace, except for a few floors and rooms that were off-limits to everyone but very few people.

Aurora found herself on the highest floor she could access--third from the top. She rested her arms on the balcony, overlooking the coastal city of Lapide. Apparently this was one of six elemental cities, Lapide being the City of Light. A river cut straight through the middle. The buildings appeared to be glowing against green grass, grey stone, golden sand and blue water. Boats bobbed in the distance. Even from up here, laughter fluttered up from the city.

A cool breeze pushed her hair over her shoulders. Aurora shivered. She wasn't cold, it just felt nice. She could smell salt in the air and rain on the horizon, assuming that was what rain smelt like here. Gods, she was on another planet. Not just that. Another planet at the centre of the multiverse, in an alternate multiverse. Aurora didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

'Mind if we join you?' a kind female voice asked.

Aurora spun to find Xix, Carmin, and Blaze coming outside. 'Uh, sure.'

The little boy, Blaze, let go of Carmin's hand, dashing to Aurora. He stood with his hands behind his back, his wings spread wide, and the curious expression only children can do. 'Are you really a Human?'

'I am,' Aurora answered.

'Wow. I've met a Human,' he said proudly. 'Leo is one. Aunty Amneris doesn't like us going to Earth. She says Humans are bad. Are Humans bad?'

'They can be,' she said. 'But they can be nice when they want to be.'

'What's your planet like?'

'A lot more city, a lot less green. This one is much nicer. No smoke in the air.'

'Do Humans have magic?'

'Not that I know of. Though some members of my family like myself and Arthur can see the spirits of the dead.'

Blaze grinned. 'Mummy says I might be able to see the future one day like she can.' He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. 'Mummy is very strong but she never shows it.'

'Alright, that's enough,' Carmin said. 'Stop interrogating the poor girl, dear. She's had a hard enough day as it is.'

'Oh . . .' Blaze hugged Aurora's waist. 'Things will get better,' he said with a smile, before being lifted into his mother's arms.

'So sorry about my son,' Carmin said. She nuzzled his nose. 'He's at that age where everything is something new to learn.'

'How old is he?'

'Five.'

'How old are you?'

Carmin smiled. 'Closer to two thousand.'

'Wow.' Aurora glanced at Xix. 'How old are you?'

'A little over five thousand,' she answered.

'Damn.'

'In Human terms, I am around closer to twenty-five.'

Five thousand being closer to twenty-five . . . 'You guys live up to twenty-thousand years?'

'Exactly,' Xix said, resting her arms on the balcony beside her. 'How about you?'

'Almost seventeen.'

'And you're a Human who can see spirits, you say?' Aurora nodded. Xix smiled. 'I've met very few Humans with any sort of power. You're special among your kind.'

Aurora grasped her pendant. 'Special. A freak. Depends on your perspective.' She sighed. 'I suppose these things are normal here. Back home, people would run and hide if they saw any of you. Or shoot you on the spot.' She grimaced, remembering the child playing nearby. 'Sorry. Didn't mean to say that with him around.'

'No harm done,' Xix said. 'He's a bit distracted, anyway.'

They laughed.

Aurora eyed Xix. 'You know, we were studying you and Amneris and this other man when Jennix arrived.'

'Is that so?'

'Yeah. According to the stories, Amneris and her lookalike are dead, and you're the one with the Photon Core's power. But here, Amneris is alive and has it's power while you have the Silent Core.'

'Different multiverse, different timeline,' Xix put simply. 'Amneris died there so I got her power. Here, she was raised and I got my father's power.' She said 'father' which such distaste, as though the very word was sour.

'You got dad issues?'

'My father was the previous Silent King of Terpola.' Xix held out a hand, red sparks similar to the colour of her eyes dancing at her fingertips. 'He turned evil and tried to destroy Creation, killed my half-sister only to be killed by her five thousand years later, and still causing chaos here and there because of the rebels.'

Aurora stood in stunned silence. 'Wow.'

'Yeah.'

'Sounds like a villain's backstory, honestly.'

She laughed. 'No, Amneris is the one with the villain backstory.'

'Is that why she's a - uh . . .'

'No. Well, yes. Sort of.' Xix sighed. 'Amneris has a bad history with Humans. They keep trying to kill her, hurt her, experiment on her, and steal her powers. The same thing over and over again for five thousand years.' Xix shrugged sadly. 'You can hardly blame her for being a little, you know, around you and your cousin.'

'You seem nice enough.'

'I try.' Xix glanced to her hands. 'I doubt I'll be nice for much longer. My power is only increasing as Chaos becomes stronger. There is probably only a matter of time before I . . .' She shivered.

'You're too nice to be evil,' Aurora smiled.

Carmin came to stand beside them, carrying the dosing Blaze. 'There are hard times ahead. You both have a key role to play.' She held out a hand. Aurora took it. Carmin's crimson eyes--a shade darker than Xix's--glowed like fire. She smiled. 'You, my new, young friend, are a key to saving the world.'

Aurora blanched. 'Me?'

'Yes.'

'How do you know?'

'My power.'

Aurora glanced at Blaze, remembering what he'd said. 'You can see the future.'

Carmin took Xix's hand. Once again, her eyes glowed like fire. 'Things will be okay, in the end.'

Aurora, Xix, and Carmin turned to look over the city.

'What do we do now?' Aurora asked.

Amneris' voice came from behind. 'We find Jennix.'