Ari's POV
I sat down in a large cushioned chair that was positioned at the head of a large table in the great hall trying to think of the next move. The demon had been getting more volatile over the months and then suddenly it was silent. No explosions no new outbreaks of plague, no nothing, I can only assume this is bad news but Nate and I have other things to worry about such as the 'winged people' I'd rather call them Avalian's since they live in Avalia or something; winged people makes us sound like we don't have two brain cells to rub together.
We had spent the next few weeks after that day at waterfall trying to find out anything we could but so far we had come up with nothing apart from a thick tome that now sat in front of me. I had spent the last few days since we had discovered it trying to translate it but again the text was a mixture of Antorian and Avalian. The only thing I could gather was the Avalians travelled through rainbows. Weird I know but these days you never know what to expect. We just have to figure a way to contact them, I'm guessing there is something in that waterfall place but it's too soon to tell.
I was startled from my seat when I spotted the floor starting to glow out of the corner of my eye and as my head turned i recognised the tell tale symbols of the portal scorching themselves into the ground. The portal suddenly glowed into existence and two familiar figures stepped out. Both wearing earthen winter clothing they quickly shrugged out of the snow covered ski jackets as the overbearing heat from the Antoria summer engulfed them.
I pushed myself away from the table and pulled them both into a hug. "I missed you guys so much. You couldn't visit more often?" Trying to give them a stern gaze but failing and giving them huge grins but when they didn't return anything other than a weary smile my own slipped off of my face. "What's happened?" I asked anxiously as I stepped back and studied their expressions. In 18 months, yes that long, how time flies when you're having fun, in that time Blake and Holly have changed. Holly's hair was now cropped short and her face looked hardened and the new muscle tone she was packing, all in all with the combat gear underneath she was now looking more like G.I. Jane rather than my baby sister and Blake...well he still looked the same except there was a glint in his eye every time his eyes flickered to Holly and a ghost of a smile passed across his lips. "OH my god!!!" I shrieked as realisation dawned on me. "You slept with my sister!!" I said looking between the two of them who were both blushing at being caught.
"Yes we did have...relations together but that is not the reason we came back." Blake answered looking at Holly who suddenly looked grim. "We found the cage." He said tonelessly but I could detect something behind it.
"And...?" I asked. Please don't let it be open.
"Someone has let the demons out." Holly said with pain in her eyes. "The poor girl was traumatised. She's only 6 but the demons couldn't possess her for some reason so they scared the living crap out of her, won't be surprised if the poor kid is in therapy for a year." She said shaking her head in disgust.
"So they're out?" I whispered.
"Yeah and they're gaining power, apparently earth is a perfect place for them to refuel because it's full of war and murder. I don't know how long it will take them to establish their powers again but I can safely say that it won't take them too long to breach the space between realms." Blake said shaking his head, his eyes looking haunted.
"What about earth?" I asked but my eyes widened as I thought about the next question. "What about Ryan and the others?"
"Ryan and the other are safe, we opened a portal in Eastern Antoria, and they should be here in two days or so."Blake said. "As for earth, well, it literally will be hell on earth within a few months but until we find a way to deal with them permanently there is nothing we can do. However, we did find some allies on the other side, hunters of a sort so at least we've got some people battling them."
I just nodded numbly. "Well I think we have some clues on the earthen magic. As soon as Nate gets back we'll show you what we've found, but first I think you guys could use a nap." I said walking back to the table where I picked up the huge book and walked back over to the pair who looked absolutely exhausted. I gave them a small smile and walked out of the room, getting annoyed because of the dress which was really uncomfortable in this humidity. They followed along meekly as I expertly navigated the halls.
I led them to one of the spare bedrooms, not that there were many left with the current situation in the kingdom, the castle now held over 100 refugees from the western regions, damned demon.
I came to one of the large bedrooms on the same corridor as mine and Nate's room. I swung open the door and gestured them inside the room. It was huge but not as big as my room but the decor and the contents were pretty much the same.
"Here we go, I'm afraid you're going to have to share a room if we have more guests coming, we've been housing as many we can but that demon has been causing havoc and then suddenly he stopped a few days ago but now I can guess why. " I said shaking my head. Holly ran in the room and flopped onto the bed where as Blake just dropped his stuff on the floor and then turned to me.
"Thanks Ari. I always said you would be a great queen." He said with a smile before pulling me into a hug.
"How do you know I'm a good queen? I feel like I've done nothing for these people." I said weakly.
"I know you're a good queen because you care. The old kind would have left the demons to exterminate the people; he wouldn't have cared who died but not you." He said giving me a pat on the shoulder. He then disappeared into a door on the opposite wall which if I remembered right was a bathroom.
Holly was already fast asleep on the bed so I pulled off her shoes and lifted her legs so that she was on the bed. I placed a kiss on her forehead and left the room. I never thought I'd be so glad to see Holly, I never realised how hard it would be without her until she was gone but even though she is back I can tell our troubles are just beginning.