Ahren, Ahren Forest
Elfish Tribes, Coren Tribe
Castle of Life
Lydia Hollow
There she is; my mother.
Alora Hollow. The true ruler of Eiria.
"What a joke! The Great Alora's daughter. No magic!" the raspy voice whispers.
"She's weak! I mean, are we supposed to feel protected by this powerless little girl?" another voice pierces my ear. "Stop..." I mumble, almost unable to move my lips and tears glazing my eyes. The voices laugh.
"Aww, she's gonna cry!" I look all around me but nothing. Everything is just pitch black nothingness. I'm alone. All alone, staring at my mother and voices in my head. "They're right..." I sob, dropping to my knees, "I'm weak..." I cover my face with my hands and quietly sob as the voices laugh in my head.
But then I hear crying. I lift my head up and stand when I see a red door. It has a gold handle and the pane is white but its paint is chipped. I wipe my eyes and step forward.
"What are you going to do?" I stop. I clench my fists and take a deep breath.
"Anything I can to help whoever needs it." I grit out, baring my teeth at the invisible people. I expect them to laugh or make fun of my cringy line, but they don't. It's quiet. They're gone.
As I approach the door I feel a strange warmth on the palms of my hands. I hold them up and examine them, but they look the same.
I lower my hand to the gold doorknob and twist. I pull the door out to my right, as the crying becomes more clear; like it was muffled before through the door.
I cautiously step in, two steps, three steps, four steps. The crying seems closer. Five steps, six steps, seven steps. I close the door. Eight steps, nine steps, ten steps, the crying turns into sniffles. Eleven steps, twelve steps, thirteen steps.
Fern.
I inhale sharply, my hands flying up over my mouth. "Fern," I croak.
She gasps when she hears me, and her head flies around to look at me.
"No..!" she cries out, tears streaming down her face. "Fern!" I shout, stepping forward to her. The darkness around us quickly envelopes her crying face, stopping me from taking another step. But before she vanishes a pair of red eyes close behind her then disappear, and I'm sent up on the floor in a cold sweat.
My eyes shoot to the couch on my left, and my heart drops when Fern is not there. Fern...
I jump out of bed and look around at everyone. They're all here, fast asleep, even Dorian is passed out sitting by the window. I rush to Dorian and grip his shoulders, shaking him desperately.
"Dorian! Dorian, wake up! Wake up!" I shout, him groaning until his eyes squint open then widen. He grabs my arms and I stop shaking him.
"Lydia! Lydia! What! What!"
"Fern's missing!" my eyes glaze over with tears as a dark look crosses Dorian's face.
I pull away and kneel on the blankets I had slept on, retrieving my spellbook from the cozy mess. I stand, then jump surprised by Dorian's hand on the arm holding my spellbook.
"What are you doing?" his eyes gleam, showing he's serious.
"I'm getting her back!'
"Okay, just wait a second,"
"What's going on?" Elara pipes up from under the mountain of blankets, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"Fern's missing!" I exclaim in desperation. Elara sits and stands up quickly, glancing to the couch then to Dorian before her eyes set on me.
"Okay, I'll go search the house. She could have just woken up restless," and she disappears into the hall.
Ancy with worry, I summon my magic spear and stand near the front door. I hear Dorian summon his bow and arrows, Devan waking up and summoning his elemental weapon, too.
I hear Elara's loud and sharp footsteps before I see her unsheathed ice sword and something clutched in her left hand. As she approaches I realize it's a chunk of Fern's horn.
"Krills. Dorian, can you track her?" Elara hands the horn to Dorian and he eyes it for a moment before bringing the chunk to his nose and sniffing it. His eyes dilate when his head lifts up pointing behind us. "I got it," he says as he vanishes his bow and hurries to the door, waiting for us to follow.
Dorian's nose leads us to a path of the woods we didn't know was there, the air chilling the back of my neck and sending uneasy shivers down my back.
As we trudge further, the trees seem less alive. "Dia... is that tree... rotted?" Elara whispers to my left as I follow her finger to a black as midnight, completely rotted tree. I look back at her, trying to hide my thoughts with a small smile.
"Don't worry about it. Just keep going," she nods soberly and gazes to her left, examining each tree with rising alarm. A small squirrel squeaks under Devan as he jumps higher in the air with a shriek. We all turn and draw our weapons, looking for the danger. We roll our eyes and vanish our weapons, continuing.
"Sorry," Devan whispers behind us, hovering cautiously.
I watch as the good tries quickly vanish, and dead rotting trees surround the path. My gut clenches at the lack of life as a shadowy figure rustles behind a tree to my right. We all stop and turn, alarmed but our weapons stay vanished.
"Shadow?" Elara whispers. "Y- yeah... let's keep going."
The sound of the trees groaning and creatures running fill the air, along with Devan's tiny complaining whines.
Suddenly, the castle of life comes into view. I think? Its structure is the same, but the vines are now completely black and oozing red and black slime, the natural light green forest-y color now a damp brownish dark green.
"Dorian," I mumble, all of us stopping to look at the structure, "is she here?" he looks at me and nods, then looks back up at the castle.
I step forward first and then they follow, my hand reaching the front gate with a shaky breath. As we step closer the air grows heavier and it gets increasingly difficult to breathe. As I open the door a gasp escapes my lips as my hands cover my mouth. The inside is full of dead vines that ooze red and black slime, and they intertwine the stair railings. I take a deep breath and remember my friends behind me, then turn the corner. I see two cages on either side of the throne, and on it sits Inara. Her eyes slowly open, but they're not her eyes. The color is a dark muddy green, and a sly smirk crosses her lips when she sees us.
"My, my, Fern, look who's finally here," Inara announces, as my eyes shift to the cage furthest from us and spot Fern's small form hunched over holding herself. She looks up and her eyes widen when she sees me. I notice a missing part of her horn, and remember the chunk Elara found. My eyes glaze over but I stop myself.
"No! Get out of here, it's a trap!" She sounds so scared. Then Inara maliciously laughs, turning my attention back to her.
"Oh, how cute! I'm sorry dear Fern, but their minds seem to be set on saving you," my eyes look back to Fern with helplessness, "just look at the determination in their eyes..."
"It's not Inara! It's him! It's the Dark Entity! Please, save her," Kazumi cries out from the cage closest to me, as Inara flicks her hand and the cage is thrown at the wall, Kazumi grunting in pain.
"Dia, do you think she's still in there," Elara chimes in to my right. I'm slightly steadied by her presence.
I look at Inara, her once warm rosey cheeks now pale, and her once beautiful bright green eyes now red and dark, complimenting her evil smile. She has to be, I think, she has to be there. I turn to Elara, noticing Devan and Dorian, as Kazumi's groans surround our thoughts.
I nod, relief briefly crossing Elara's face, then back to seriousness.
"Di, what do we do? Does your book have a way to..."
"Remove an ancient and powerful demonic Entity from one of the thirteen sages? Well, I'm not sure, I- I would need time to read the page, which we don't have much of right now. I mean maybe the exorcism includes personal connection but wouldn't Kazumi have been enough to wake her up? If not personal connection then the Ancient Exorcism Method, which I am first of all not familiar with and second we don't even have the materials for it, plus-"
"Lydia, Lydia," Dorian grabs my shoulders, "breathe. We can buy you time. We'll distract her."
"B- But-"
"Dia, we got this," Elara steps forward, ice sword shining in the dim light.
"Yeah, leave it to us!" Devan lands on the ground, a smile on his face.
As I look at my friends, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I smile. Dorian lets go of my shoulders, and I retrieve my book, it falling into my hands.
"What's the plan, Dia," Elara asks. I take a deep breath.
"Distract her- him- it? It. distract it for as long as possible. Whatever you can do, just be careful. Also, don't seriously injure it. No matter who or what is possessing her it's still Inara's body. Sages do heal quickly, but not if the injury is too extensive. Just slow it down long enough for me to research the Exorcism, and then make me an opening."
They nod.
"Sages~ fleeing already? Without rescuing your precious mix-breaded Elfin friend?" it snickers as they all turn, Devan returning to the air and aiming an arrow straight at Inara's head.
"Devan! Were you not listening?! Slow down, not kill!" Elara shouts, Devan shooting his arrow at a Vinet that was starting to twist around Fern's cage. The vine is blasted back, but doesn't die.
"My bad," he says, dodging a Vinet as it slashes at him.
I run around the corner and sit on the ground, opening my book and pointing above the center of the page.
"Localiza, Ancient Exorcism Method."
The pages tremble, then quickly fly to the left, stopping on a page in the middle of the book.
My finger glides over the words as I say them in my head.
The Ancient Exorcism Method, Demonic Entities and more.
As my eyes hastily race down the page, sounds of Elara's ice sword slashing through Vinets pushes into my mind. I push it out and focus.
"Ellie?" Devan mumbles behind me as I turn to see him entangled in Vients. "Really, Devan," I roll my eyes, cutting him free as he flies higher in the air above me, "you have wings, yet you still get stuck?"
He rolls my eyes at me as I sense a Vinet behind me, and slash without looking, my sword coming into contact with a Vinet. Devan's mouth drops. He crosses his arms, "show off!" I chuckle at his jealousy, and resume cutting up Vinets.
Hurry, Lydia. They're getting stronger.
Exorcism of spirits...Exorcism of ghosts...Exorcism of Krills...Exorcism of Angels...
"Ellie," I hear Dorian whine behind me, Vinets gripping his ankle and both arms. I roll my eyes, cutting him free, and stopping a Vinet before it touches me. "Both of you need to focus-" I'm cut off as a Vinet wraps around my ankle and pulls me onto the ground and slides me towards Inara.
"Ellie!" Dorian exclames as I see him running for me with his spear, then Devan's arrow blasts it back and Dorian cuts his spear through it.
I stand and cut a few more Vinets circling us. C'mon Dia...
Exorcism of Witches...Exorcism of Vampires...Exorcism of Demonic Entities... wait, there!
I scan the page, playing each step in my head.
With salt chunks create a circle around the Demonic Entity.
Ensure the salt is completely circling the Demonic Entity.
Recite the words:
"Alora din Aiyana, vă rugăm să ne protejați în timp ce avem de-a face cu această entitate demonică. Te rog, dă-ne magia ta minunată pentru a alunga această creatură și a o trimite înapoi acolo unde a venit"
Remind the possessed of a personal memory, object or person to pull their soul back into their body.
I stand and turn, alarmed at the sight of how many Vinets there are.
"Dorian! I got it, can you help," he quickly runs past a Vinet, hiding around the corner with me. I excitedly point to the illustration of salt chunks and look at him.
"Salt chunks... where do we get salt chunks?" he asks. My excitement fades as my mind searches for salt.
"What," Dorian smirks, catching my skeptical look.
"There's a glass bottle of salt on my desk in my library. I can teleport you there, then back." his eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
"Dorian. I teleported myself to Azora then both me and Devan to Coldovea, then all three of us here! I can do this." he pauses, swayed by my assurance, then finally he takes a deep breath.
"Alright. But how will I get back?"
I stop. That's true, actually. How will I know when he needs to come back?
My hand reaches into my bag and pulls out two purple stones. I hand one to Dorian.
"Press on the button," I say, as he presses and my stone glows purple. His eyes widen in surprise.
"When you're ready to come back, squeeze the stone." he nods, more confidently, then takes a deep breath.
"Think of my library. The Eirian library. You've been there. Recall a memory from the room. Focus," I wait, "got it?"
He hums in affirmation.
"Alright. Now, recite the words, 'Transport la destinatia dorita'. In three, two, one,"
"Transport la destinatia dorita," he suddenly glows a bright greenish-yellow color, then the glowing disappears, along with Dorian.
"Lydia! Argh-! You got it, yet?!" Elara shouts to me as she kills a Vinet.
I nod. "Almost ready! Just keep going, thank you, you're doing amazing!" I shout back.
As my eyes open, I notice my surroundings and step back a bit once I realize where I am. "Woah,"
I turn around and gape at the tall bookshelves and then I see Lydia's desk. I walk towards it, and fiddle with a pencil in a dark blue cup, before spotting the glass of salt. I grab it, and pull out the stone, pressing the button in the middle.
I wait ten seconds before squeezing it again.
Hm? It's not working... Maybe the distance is too much?
I squeeze again. Nothing.
Panic starts to rise as I look around. I pause. Maybe I have to say the spell again?
I picture the castle of light, Lydia, Elara and Devan. Fern, Kazumi and Inara.
"Transport la destinatia dorita,"
Suddenly the quiet dissipates and when I open my eyes I'm back in the corner with Lydia. She looks at me, then my hand and takes the salt.
"Dorian, you okay?" she asks, snapping me back. "Yes! Sorry, that was weird..." her signature comforting smile crosses her face, as she runs out into the 'battlefield', and I follow.
"Lydia! Thank Alora! Tell us what to do," Elara exclaims, slicing Vinets. I look up at Devan who is blasting back Vinets, looking at me.
"This salt needs to surround Inara. Devan, can you-" before I even ask, he swoops down and takes the salt, zooming above Inara. With one quick motion he lays the salt around Inara without her even noticing.
"What now," Elara questions as she cuts two Viinets with one slicing motion. I glance down at my book, discontent written all over my face.
"What," Dorian inquiries, stepping forward from my side.
"It's an exorcism; it's all in sylvic."
"Sylvic?" Devan questions, confused.
"It's the language of magic. I've studied it - for the purpose of spellcasting - but it's definitely difficult... and I've never performed an exorcism, but I've seen my mother do one," I look up to see their worried faces and quickly change my tone, "but I- I'll be fine! I can do this."
"Hmm? Finally given up? Haha! You know I'm stronger than you - and only four! Hahaha,"
As Inara laughs, I glance at the words preparing myself.
Deep breath...
"Alora din Aiyana, vă rugăm să ne protejați în timp ce avem de-a face cu această entitate demonică. Te rog, dă-ne magia ta minunată pentru a alunga această creatură și a o trimite înapoi acolo unde a venit!"
As I finish the incantation, I notice the red in her eyes flicker, and her sly expression shifts quickly to terror.
"Inara..?" Dorian utters, Inara's head snapping to him. I put my hand out to stop him from stepping forward.
"Not yet. If any of us touch her before the Dark Entity is fully out of her it could possess one of us." he steps back.
Suddenly, Inara shrieks her bright green eyes flickering back behind the red glow. As her shrieking grows louder I see Kazumi's head peek up from the ball he pulled himself into and look at Inara. I look at Fern's cage and notice her eyes full of dread. She probably saw this in a vision... oh, Fern.
Suddenly, Inara is pushed onto the ground by an invisible force and starts to cough. Black and red malice start sputtering out of her mouth as her green eyes flicker stronger, the red dying in her eyes.
As the last goop of malice joins the pile on the floor in front of Inara, it shakes then vaporizes and rises up in the air until it's above the ceiling, and Inara collapses onto the floor.
"Nari," I mumble, kneeling in front of her, "are you okay?"
Small sniffles sound from under her, everyone joining on the floor with us except for Devan who is floating. She slowly looks up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry..!" she cries, my arms quickly wrapping around her trembling shoulders.
"I- Inara..?" Kazumi pipes up from inside the cage, Inara noticing him. She gasps and quickly breaks the cursed cage, the door swinging open as Kazumi jumps out and into Inara's arms. She breaks Fern's cage's curse as well, her hopping out and clinging immediately to my leg.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she apologies a million times. I kneel next to her again and wrap one arm around her shoulder. She looks at me.
"It's alright. It's okay," I smile at her, and she manages to return a small smile back.
Once everyone is out of a cage, reunited and calmed down a bit, Dorian walks up to me in the corner with my book.
"What's next?" He surprises me as he kneels in front of me.
"Um, probably Freya," he chuckles at my response.
"I mean, what's next today, silly," I giggle at myself. Regroup and go back to Azza village.
"We'll make our way back to Azza Village - hopefully to the Coren tribe, too. If the path isn't too risky. I know how worried you are about Lizx and the others," he smiles at me.
Suddenly, while walking down the path, a small mushroom monster leaps out onto the ground in front of me. Devan shrieks, hovering higher.
"Remi?"
The mushroom suddenly turns its head to Inara, and leaps into her arms. Inara giggles as she hugs the small thing.
"This is Remi! We played together a lot when I was a little kid. He's a kinoko. Their species are rather friendly, but Remi especially."
The mushroom wiggled itself up onto Inara's shoulder, as we continued walking.