The air was thick, steam came out of Blake's mouth every time he breathes but he barely noticed the cold for the atmosphere was strange to him. Denesha, Elliott, and Leon had lit thousands of candles in the clearing. The candles were flickering under the moonlight and the starry sky glanced back at them.
Though Blake barely saw the starry sky because the air was filled with glowing lights, floating around and whispering to him. Will-o'-the-wisp, Denesha had called them. Small remnants of long-lost souls. Memories still floating around, slowly fading away.
Touching one of them sent it scattering away while the whispers from it erupt in a chorus of voices. Blake had a feeling that if he leaned closer, he would be able to hear them.
"Are you okay? Do you still see spirits?" asked Jaxon, worry written across his face. A shadow covered the moon and Blake looked up to see what looks like a flying whale with an island on its back, filled with trees whose roots clang to the giant beast moving across the sky.
"Oh yes," Blake said. "What is that?"
"The spirit of an island lost to time," Denesha said, looking up at the beast. "Quite marvelous isn't it. When islands vanish into the sea, the spirits take to the sky looking for a new place to nest. They will search for thousands of years before finally settling down again and give birth to a new island."
"You can see them too?" Blake asked, glancing at a large stag with white fur, moving among the trees. Its antlers were gigantic and adorned with hanging moss while its tail was long fluffy. Everywhere it walked, the plants turned green for a second. Its glowing green eyes glanced at Blake for a second making him catch his breath.
"Seems like the lord of the forest has come to greet you," Denesha said, her voice breathless as well.
"Where?" asked Jaxon looking around, seemingly not seeing the amazing creature.
"Do they all look like that?" Blake asked, unconsciously bowing his head when the stag did the same. The stag straightens and turned around, walking into the forest.
"No, I've been told that the forest of Britain often has a staglike creature as lord of their forests, but in North America I have seen a giant buffalo guarding the plains, the bear-like creature guards the north. In the deepest jungles of South America it's a giant feathered serpent that is the lord of the forest. India has the elephant while Australia has something like a giant Komodo dragon as its lord. I friend of mine said that it takes the form of an extinct animal from Australia called the Megalania, though the lords of Australia taking that form are far larger. He also found lords taking the form of Koalas and Dingos. I heard a lord in an old Russian forest look like Mammut covered in frost."
"They are all special and have their own temperament. I have come to find since I came here that the forest lords of the British isle are gentle in nature. Not as ferocious as the American ones or as old as the ones in Asia but gentle and wise," Denesha said, suddenly nodding to a couple of fairies.
They were all covered in autumn leaves with bright colors of red, orange, and yellow. "the Autumn fairies are preparing the Samhain feast to celebrate the last life before the rest."
"The rest?"
"Yes, the forest will fall asleep along with the autumn fairies while the winter fairies will wake up to bring winter to us. They will guard and care for the forest and the other fairies during the long and dark winter before waking up the spring fairies and go to sleep once more."
Denesha's lecture was interrupted by Leon who came over with a serious look on his face. "We are ready."
Blake turned and walked over to the circle of candles Denesha, Leon, and Elliott had created. "Are the light necessary?"
"They are appointed of focus. All realms are closer to each other on Samhain which means that you can easily get lost. The candles are specially made and have magical properties. They are to guide you back," Leon said, gesturing for the group to come closer. "Remember to trust no one on the other side. At least no one you don't know. Spirits not normally seen will come out and many of them will try and lure you to your death. Focus on the task at hand and don't take any detours."
"Recall what I have taught you," Denesha said. "Spirits keeping to the shadows are the most untrustworthy. Lights in a distance is a trap and so are sweet voices."
"I understand," Blake said, taking a deep breath. Alex, Jaxon, Dale, and Wallace stepped forward. All of them had the medallions ready and stood ready to go. Focusing on feeling the veil, it was there, flickering and fragile.
Reaching out with his mind, for a second almost getting lost as he could feel that void again. The void he had felt when he had gone to Moira's realm. This time, it didn't feel as frightening though. It almost felt familiar.
He continued, feeling realm after realm passes him by. There were so many of them. An old world with floating islands filled with magic. An ocean realm covered with ancient magical islands inhabited by creatures with the blood of gods running through them. A dangerous realm filled with magical creatures ruled by exiled gods whose name has long been forgotten. He could feel the hereafter, the realm of lost spirits but also a portal leading to the realm ruled by death gods handling the souls and preparing them for reincarnation. He saw it all and it was hard to focus for a second.
Searching for the spirit realm, reaching out for the familiar sensation of the old world tree. Crann Eolais was waiting, lifting its old head to greet him. Blake opened his eyes and as they opened, a portal did the same across from him. "I'm ready."
"Don't stay for long. The longer you stay, the less effective the charms will be," Leon warned them and the group nodded as they entered the portal and vanished from the mortal realm.
The sky shifted colors while shadows danced under a thousand lit stars as the group walked through a colorful forest. The leaves were purple while strange creatures flew between the branches, playing with the leaves falling from the trees.
Blake just walked, keeping an eye on the spirits hiding in the shadows. The others were tenser though, clearly not used to spirits.
Dale and Wallace were fascinated, Wallace kept trying to take pictures while Dale kept peering to peruse the creatures. Alex looked calm like he usually does but his eyes darted to every movement coming out of their surroundings. Jaxon just kept close to Blake, growling at the surroundings. He only halted when Blake did.
"What is it?" Alex asked as Blake was frowning at a dark spot on the ground.
"That wasn't there before."
"Where is this?"
"I think this is where Hadrien and Joshua were attacked."
"That is some seriously dark magic," Wallace said, still fascinated. "It is hard to think that some unexperienced witch from the coven could have done that."
Alex's expression clearly said that he had a hard time believing that the coven was responsible for that incident.
"We need to keep moving," Dale reminded them. Blake agreed, he could feel spirits moving in the shadows. Trying to get closer.
They continued but came to a halt soon again. Blake stared at the scene. The calm river he had scouted before was now flowing wildly and it was filled with dancing spirits in all shapes. They played and jumped in the water laughing but Blake could tell that though they might not mean it, they were currently very dangerous. If the group walked closer, the creatures would pull them down into the water and drown them.
The others clearly thought the same and tried to look for another way across.
"We will have to take a detour," Alex said grimly.
"That is a bad idea, it will take too long," Dale reminded them. Blake was about to turn around when something moved from the trees.
"Watch out!" Jaxon said as a familiar shape came out of the woods. Its horned mask and animalistic movement were still frightening but Blake now knew what they are.
"That's not a spirit. Your mother told me that's a druid," Blake said, grabbing his arm. "They belong to the Order of the Horned God."
Wallace's eyes dilated in pure excitement," They are among the most powerful druids in the world."
The druid moved closer, its hands moving across the dirt before he stopped in front of the river. He hit the ground twice, and before Blake could blink roots erupted from the ground, moving and twirling with each other to form a bridge.
Without saying anything, the druid gestured for them to cross. Feeling a bit uncertain, Blake didn't move but Jaxon did. Apparently feeling far more certain than he did, or maybe he just wanted to ensure it was safe before he let Blake cross.
The roots creaked under his weight but didn't crumble. When had reached the other side, he waved for them to follow.
"Thank you," Blake whispered to the druid who just waited for them to cross, watching them as they went on.
It didn't take long before they arrived at Crann Eolais, the old spirit just looked at the sky. Watching the spirits fly above them while hollering.
"It is always so noisy during Samhain," the spirits creaked, before nodding to Blake. "As promised, welcome to my heart."
Opening up an entrance, Blake was about to tell the group to hurry but before he could, something pushed him into the entrance, and in the next second he was inside Elan coven.