Marinette POV
After what seemed like hours of hacking at the pole Nathanaël cut it in half. I slowly slipped my hands off it and nothing happened. It worked! Wow. I stepped over my tied hands so they were now in the front of me.
Marinette: You're a genius Nathanaël! Now, any ideas on how to stop the inevitable?
Nathanaël: Well... No. (He paused and thought for a moment) But I may know someone who might, well three someone's actually. They're witches so we may not be able to trust them, but it's our best shot.
Marinette: Ok, then let's do its. Where can we find them?
Nathanaël: Rumor has them located in the enchanted forest by the ladybug castle
Marinette: Ladybug castle?
Nathanaël: Yeah, King Bourgeois and his daughter live there.
Marinette: Wait! Chloé?
Nathanaël: Yes, some people call the princess Chloé but most just call her ladybug. We are hoping she will ease the iron fist from her father's rein when she marries and takes over
Marinette: (cough) good luck with that one (mumbles)
Nathanaël: What did you say?
Marinette: Oh... nothing
We started down the one long corridor not knowing where it lead because both of us had been poofed in, but it was after all the only option. It went on a long ways until it finally opened up into an empty entrance room with a door leading outside. Judging by the sun and the sugarstop hills Nathanaël figured out our position and said that we needed to head north to get to the enchanted forest. It was going to be a long journey so we started off quickly. We passed many meadows and bubbling streams, but I couldn't even enjoy the scenery because all that was going through my mind was ridding myself of this 'curse', getting my miraculous back, and finding Chat Noir, who would probably be heading towards that castle if he was looking for me. I also hoped that he knew how to get out of this crazy story, hmmm, where was the storyteller anyways? And why did he let me escape so easy. What's his strategy behind all this? He already has my Miraculous! Maybe he left the story or maybe he was watching from afar. Either way we would find him eventually and devilize his akuma. My thoughts were interrupted by Nathanaël.
Nathanaël: The enchanted forest is not an easy place to enter; most ways have monsters and guardians. This is the best way in; it's called the path of illusions. You need to stay on the path at all times no matter what you see, everything is an illusion.
Marinette: Ok I can do that
Nathanaël held out his hand and I took it. The path was well worn with fog around the edges and in the surrounding trees. We started down the path, so far so good, I didn't understand what Nathanaël was talking about, it was easy to stay on the path. Then off to the side I saw Alya
Alya: Marinette! Help!
She was on the forest floor with her leg at a weird angle, I assumed it was broken. Then I saw a wolf slowly making his way towards her.
Marinette: Alya! Hold on I'm coming!
I start to go off the path when Nathanaël yanked me back. I tried to break his grip, but he fought to keep me from getting to her.
Nathanaël: It's and illusion, she's not really there!
Marinette: No she's in trouble, I have to...
Nathanaël: Look at her! She doesn't even look like she's from here!
I stopped struggling, realizing what he was saying. Alya was dressed like she normally did instead of in a medieval get up like everyone else here. She really was an illusion. I looked to Nathanaël then back and she was gone. Man, this is harder than I thought. It's almost as bad as Volpina. Hmmm.
Marinette: Nathanaël, you said most paths were guarded by a guardian, right. Well I think this way has one too. Her name is Volpina and she has the ability to cause illusions and... Nathanaël, Nathanaël!
He was staring off into the woods, I couldn't tell what he was looking at, but I assumed it was another illusion. I tugged on his arm and he snapped out of it. He was a lot better than I was at staying on the path.
Nathanaël: Huh? Oh right you were talking about the guardian, yeah I think you're right. There were tales of an enchantress that caused illusions to lure men to there doom. One very clever sorcerer saw a path lending into the forest. It was an illusion of course and he realized it when his footprints sank down on dry gravel. He was the first one to outsmart her. He used his magic to make the illusion real creating the path we are using now. Since then she has been even more furious than normal to travelers that use the path.
Up ahead the path split with a road sign in the middle one arrow pointed left saying "enchanted meadow" two pointed right saying "ladybug castle" and "witches hunt".
Marinette: Let's keep going we're almost there!
Nathanaël: I think we should go left.
Marinette: What? But the sign says the witches hunt is to the right
Nathanaël: I think the sign and path may be an illusion. You take a step to the right and I'll take a step to the left and one of us will go off the path. Be care, the illusions intensify off the path and they are harder to turn away from. It's up to the one on the path to pull the other to safety.
We both took a step to each side then another and another until we could barely hold hands. Nothing happened at first, but then I saw her.
Marinette: Nathanaël it's an illusion, come on you need to get back on the path
But it wasn't me who said that it was another Marinette on Nathanaël's other side on a third path, holding his other hand. She looked exactly like me right down to not having earnings in her pierced ears. She tugged on Nathanaël's arm trying to make him go off path. At this point I didn't know who was on and the real path, me or Nathanaël.
Marinette: Don't listen to her! She's trying to make you go off path! I'm the real one remember I went towards the witches hunt to the right you went to the meadow to the left...
I looked back at the sign, only to realize it had switched direction. Rats! Now it looked like the fake me was headed towards the witches hunt. Man she was good, how could I make Nathanaël see I was real and she was the illusion. Then I thought of Nathanaël's story. I took a step back as saw no footprints. I was on the real path!
Marinette: Nathanaël, look down, remember the story you told me about...
Fake Marinette: ...about the man that made the path real, check beneath your feet.
Nathanaël stepped back seeing the way his footprints sunk into dry gravel. He was walking on the forest floor, only seeing an illusion of the path. We both looked at the fake me, but she was all ready for the test, she stepped back leaving no footprints. How could I trick her and get Nathanaël back on the path. Then I thought of something. Nathanaël said the illusions got worse off path. So I stepped off my path to the other side, Nathanaël must have realized that the fake would not be tempted by illusions because he came back to the actual path, but it was too late for me. I saw Adrien, he was fighting Volpina. I knew she was an illusion, but when it looked like Adrien was about to win she vanished and the real Volpina appeared behind him and struck him with her dagger.
Marinette: No! Come on we need to help Adrien, if you don't come... I don't care I need to save him! (Tears filled my eyes)
I tried to run to him to help, when Nathanaël started to pull me back and dragged me further down the path.
I kicked and screamed forgetting that I did this on purpose. The impact of the illusion broke my heart, my love was dying and I was being taken from him. Nathanaël ended up carrying me into the woods. I felt empty, a piece of me was gone, and I'd never get it or him back ever again.
Adrien POV
My head throbbed. What had I done? Was I skateboarding? Fighting beside ladybug? Ow. I reached up to rub the sore spot and heard a jingle. My right arm was shackled to a chain. I then realized where I was. I was in the castle still but it was darker here. The walls were slick with moss and felt slimy. It was dark and damp all around. Besides the chain on my wrist there was an iron bared door blocking my exit as well. If I could just use my cataclysm I could escape, but I couldn't even transform because Plagg was still in my saddlebag. As I took in my surroundings a shadow appear in the torchlight to produce a figure on the other side of the door. When he spoke I recognized his voice.
Kim: I told you, I said she would turn you in if you went to her for help. Sabrina is loyal to Chloé and it was a mistake going to her room.
Adrien: What?
Kim: Man she hit you with a frying pan.
Adrien: I didn't know what room I went into, I was just trying to hide. Where am I?
Kim: The dungeon
Adrien: Wow I guess Chloé wasn't kidding when she said she would have me locked up here if I tried to escape again.
Kim: Yeah. I've never seen a guest brought here before, what are they going to do after the wedding? Do they think you'll stay just because you're married? Ha, I know you better.
Adrien: Why are you here?
Kim: Because I have a proposition for you. I like you so here's my deal you get lost and never return. Then I will get to marry Chloé and you can ditch her. It's a win win.
Adrien: Ok even if I agree, I'm chained to the wall how do I get out?
Kim: That's what I'm here for.
He then went on to produce a key from his shirt that he had hidden. He threw me the key then started walking down the hall.
I unlocked myself and ran after him.
Adrien: Wait up! I don't know how to get out; it's a maze to me.
Kim: Well lucky for you I grew up here and know all the secret passageways. Follow me!
We passed countless guards all knocked out, and I mean there were like, fifty guards all guarding me. Wow! Kim said they were knocked out from a sleeping draft he drugged them with. I followed him up the stairs and out of the dungeon. We then made three lefts and came up to a tapestry which Kim pulled back revealing a passage. We slid through. The passage took us to the outskirts of the castle. When we got to the end something whacked Kim and he collapsed. I immediately drew my sword. As I slowly walked out I saw just one person. In front of me stood Nino with a big stick.
Adrien: What was that for! He was helping me escape!
Nino: What is wrong with you bro? You two are enemies even I know that, he was probably taking you to the enchantress Volpina; she has a ransom set for anyone who brings you to her.
Nino handed me a piece of parchment with a picture of me and 500 gold coins on it. It looked like a wanted poster, except it didn't say dead or alive, that was good, at least I think so.
Nino: He was going to get rid of you and profit form it? Come on I have the horses ready.
Adrien: Wait! (I paused and held out my sword) if he was going for the reward, how do I know I can trust you?
Nino: Don't be ridiculous, if I was against you I would need to have a way to over power you like Kim and his sleeping pills he was going to drug you with. I have neither that nor the physical abilities to overcome you. I'm on your side dude.
Adrien: Fine, I feel like I can trust you. (Sheaths sword) What about this Volpina character?
Nino: Well she resides in the enchanted forest near here, but we need to avoid that place as much a possible. People you care about can disappear in that forest and we need to find your lady, right?
Adrien: You sound like you speak from experience.
Nino: Sighs, the only girl I ever loved was taken by the enchantress. Her name was Alya.
Adrien: Alya!
Nino: yes, That's what I just said, she was the fairest maid in all of Storyland, in my opinion.
Adrien: Alya always follows the girl I'm looking for around, if we go and rescue her, we will both benefit because she may know where my lady is?
Nino's eyes filled with thanks and joy. We were off to save his lady, and together we may just succeed. So we started off to the enchanted forest which wasn't to far from the castle. We reached it in a matter of minutes. The path was dark and spooky but we headed into the forest none of the less.