Blood Queen || COMPLETED

Chapter Twelve

"Now now princess, if you play with fire you'll always get burned." He jokes as I feel myself drop roughly on the ground and my eyes close.

I'm burning. My body feels like it's in a sea of fire as I sway in its waves. I'm drowning in it and though I should feel suffocated by it, I relish the harsh way the flames lick my skin. Flashing my eyes open all I see is fire. Everywhere I look, endless flames.

'Alora'

A voice whispers. I look around but see no one.

'Alora'

I swim forward towards the sound.

'Alora'

As it gets louder I see a small opening through the flames. Once I approach it my body gets sucked from the flames and I land on all fours on cold damp dirt. The flames behind me disappear and I look around the darkness.

'Alora'

Rising to my feet I follow the voice as it echoes through the rocky walls surrounding me. It appears I am in some sort of cave. I walk further into the darkness and feel the walls begin to close in on me. The temperature drops, even more, the further I go. I wrap my arms around myself and hunch as the space becomes smaller. The narrow passage slowly opens up as I reach the end and I see a small body of water within the cave.

My warm breath creates a small misty cloud in the air. I look up to see icicles dangling from the top of the dome-shaped cave.

As I stare at the ceiling I notice a small circular opening, the moon's light casting a spotlight. My eyes followed the light to see it shining on a particular spot in the middle of the dark glistening water. The roar of a waterfall nearby was the only sound in the otherwise silent cave.

'Alora'

The voice called again. It was coming from inside the water. Squatting down I squint my eyes slightly as I try to see what is down there.

'Alora'

'Who are you?' I whisper

'The blood moon will rise in three days.' The voice whispers 'You must be prepared.'

'Who are you? Show yourself.' I demand impatiently.

'In due time child.' It answers 'Do not let the Kynda out of your sight. You will need it to defeat what is coming.'

'That thing just burned the hell out of me. What's so important about it? How am I meant to be prepared when no one tells me anything?'

'The Kynda is a crystal created centuries ago by very powerful beings. It is a prison world made for the most evil and vile creature to ever walk the Earth.'

'What am I supposed to do with it?' I groan in annoyance as I come to stand and rub my arms to create warmth. Emerson being trapped there makes sense but what about my grandfather? He doesn't have an evil bone in his body.

'You are meant to destroy it once and for all.' The voice whispers. The cave begins to shake and the icicles shatter as they hit the ground. 'You are beginning to wake. You must find me before the blood moon rises. It is our only hope of defeating this evil.'

'Wait, you have yet to provide me with any real answers. Who the hell are you? Where do I find you? What about my grandfather?' I ask as my body begins to disappear.

'I am the key, but also the lock

I am bound to nature, while others are not

Strong and fearless, endlessly divine