Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Escape?
We finally made it out of the gate, only to find ourselves in the middle of a dense, ancient forest. Tall, twisted trees surrounded us, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, blocking the moonlight and casting eerie shadows on the ground.
"This doesn't make sense. How did we get here?" I asked, bewildered.
"Mom and Dad must've discovered you escaped so they devised a means to slow you down so they can catch up to you and recapture you," Emily explained, looking around. "I don't know why but I recognize this place."
"What are you guys? Just let me know. That's why we were in your house in the first place," I demanded, frustration seeping into my voice.
Emily took a deep breath. "We're magical creatures. Half-elves and half-witches. Zero percent human. My grandparents came from families of witches and elves, so when they gave birth to my parents, there was no trace of human DNA in them even though they looked like humans. So, I'm a hybrid too."
I stared at her, trying to process this new information. Ava snickered. "Well, we were close," she said, rolling her eyes. "So, how do we get out of here?"
"I now know why I could recognize this place, I was born in this dimension. This forest is in Eldoria, our elf kingdom that's hidden in plain sight like another dimension. The only way out is through a hidden passage," Emily replied.
"Great. A hidden passage in a magical forest. What could possibly go wrong?" Ava muttered.
We began our journey through the forest, each step filled with uncertainty.
"So you were about falling in love with me?" Emily asked me, smirking with one cheek. It was at the moment that I remembered what I said when I was ranting in the cage. I was blinded by my anger so I spewed more than what I would've liked to expose. I was planning to tell her that I liked her... Eventually. But not that way. The way I told her was just wrong. I wish I could take it back and ask her out like a normal person. "it's cool 'cause I was falling for you too. I guess I'm into guys that can suck my blood whenever they're hungry."
"You know I don't eat that anymore" I whined. " But having my tongue on your neck doesn't really seem like a bad idea."
"Jeez, just get a room." Ava scoffed.
"Shut up Ava."
The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, and an eerie silence enveloped us. Every now and then, I thought I saw shadows flitting between the trees, but when I looked closer, there was nothing there.
"This place gives me the creeps," Ava whispered, her eyes darting around.
"Just stay close and keep moving," Emily urged, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a hint of fear.
As we walked, the forest seemed to grow denser, the trees pressing closer together. We stumbled upon a clearing, where the moonlight revealed a shimmering pond. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the moon and stars above. It was a stark contrast to the dark, foreboding forest around it.
"Let's rest for a moment," I suggested, feeling the fatigue in my limbs.
We sat by the pond, catching our breath. As I gazed into the water, I noticed faint, glowing shapes moving beneath the surface.
"What are those?" I asked, pointing to the pond.
"Water nymphs," Emily replied. "They're usually harmless, but it's best not to disturb them."
"Great. Just what we need," Ava grumbled. "More magical creatures that could kill us if provoked enough."
We continued our journey, the forest seeming to grow more alive with each step. Strange, glowing plants lined the path, and I could hear the faint rustle of unseen creatures in the underbrush. Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, and we froze.
"What was that?" Ava whispered, her eyes wide with fear.
"Stay calm," Emily instructed, scanning the area. "It might be a forest guardian. They're protective of this place."
A massive, wolf-like creature emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It bared its teeth and growled, its muscles tensed as if ready to pounce.
"Back away slowly," Emily whispered, her voice barely audible.
We did as she said, moving cautiously. The creature watched us with unblinking eyes but didn't attack. After what felt like an eternity, it turned and disappeared into the forest.
"That was too close," I muttered, my heart pounding.
"Let's keep moving," Emily urged, her voice shaking slightly.
We pressed on, the forest becoming increasingly labyrinthine. We encountered a group of small, mischievous creatures with glowing eyes and sharp teeth. They chattered and giggled, darting around us and trying to snatch our belongings.
"Pixies," Emily said, swatting at one that got too close. "They love causing trouble."
"Great," Ava said, swatting back. "We've been reduced to fighting fairy tales."
We hurried past them, our pace quickening. The forest seemed to be playing tricks on us, paths twisting and turning in impossible ways. Just when I thought we were hopelessly lost, we stumbled upon a massive, ancient tree with a door carved into its trunk.
"This is it," Emily said, relief evident in her voice. "The hidden passage."
"We have to go through a tree?" Ava asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
"Would you prefer staying here and making friends with the pixies?" I shot back.
"Point taken," Ava said, eyeing the tree warily.
We approached the door, but before we could open it, a loud shout echoed through the forest. Emily's parents had found us.
"Emily!" her father called, his voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "Come back to us!"
Emily hesitated, her hand on the door. Her mother appeared beside her father, both of them looking at her with pleading eyes.
"Emily, don't do this," her mother begged. "Come back. We can explain everything. You can keep the vampire if you want to. He can stay with us while your dad and I do what we have to do."
For a moment, it seemed like Emily might go back to them. But then she shook her head, resolute. "No. I can't. I won't. I'm tired of living in your shadow. Besides,you and I know quite well that if Ethan came back with me, he would not live long enough to hate me for bringing him back to you."
With a swift motion, she pushed us all through the door. We tumbled through the portal, the world around us spinning and distorting. When we emerged, we found ourselves back in the human world, the forest of Eldoria nothing but a distant memory.
I looked around, trying to get my bearings. We were in a clearing, the night air was cool and refreshing. Emily's parents were nowhere to be seen.
"We made it," Ava said, her voice filled with relief.
"Yeah," I agreed, looking at Emily. "Thanks for saving us."
Emily nodded, her expression a mix of sadness and determination. "I couldn't let them use you for their plan."
"So I have two questions. One, where the fuck are we? We're back on earth, that's for sure but which country? which state? Where exactly on earth are we?" I asked after looking at our surroundings.
"The portal is dynamic. It doesn't work the way you want it to." Emily replied. "Sometimes it takes you to where you want to be and other times it takes you to where it wants you to be."
"Okay good to know that we could be anywhere in the world." I replied sarcastically. "So are you ready to tell us what your parents were planning to do with me now?"
Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Seraphina
We found ourselves standing in a quiet, moonlit clearing. Tall grasses swayed gently in the night breeze, and the distant sound of chirping crickets filled the air. I looked around, trying to make sense of our surroundings.
"So, where the hell are we?" I asked, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "We're back on Earth, but which country? Which state? Where exactly on Earth are we?"
Emily sighed. "The portal is dynamic. It doesn't always work the way you want it to. Sometimes it takes you where you need to be, and other times it takes you where it wants you to be."
"Great. Good to know we could be anywhere in the world," I replied sarcastically.
Ava snickered. "Always wanted to be a world traveler. Guess the universe decided to make that dream come true."
"Okay, Emily," I said, turning to her. "Are you ready to tell us what your parents were planning to do with me now?"
Emily took a deep breath and nodded. "My parents are after something called the Elven Heartstone. It's a powerful artifact that can amplify magical abilities beyond imagination. They believe that by using the Heartstone, they can merge the magical and human worlds, bringing them both under their control."
"Sounds like your typical 'take over the world' plan," Ava said dryly.
"Unfortunately, yes," Emily continued. "But the process to merge the worlds is incredibly dangerous. It requires the life force of a powerful supernatural being. They planned to use you, Ethan."
"Of course they did," I muttered. "Why use a battery when you can use a vampire?"
Emily looked down, her expression pained. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would kill you. They lied to me."
I placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Emily. We'll stop them. Together. That is if you actually want to stop them though. You're their daughter after all so you should definitely be on board with their plan."
"No no. I was never on board. I just followed along because I had no choice and no reason to counter them." Emily said. "But I have one now. You've made me see how beautiful the world could be, just the way it is. There's no need to change a world that's perfect the way it is."
"But why me? I'm like the weakest vampire known to supernatural kind. Even Ava is stronger than me." I said. "Why didn't they take her?"
"Hey!" Ava exclaimed looking at me. "So you want your only sister to be taken captive instead? What a brother you are."
"Well the only sister has lived two years more than me. It's only right they take her." I said. "The younger brother has his whole life ahead of him."
"Thinking that two years is a long time is really funny coming from you. You know, 'cause we're vampires and all." Ava said before turning to Emily. "But on a serious note. Why him? He's the weakest vampire alive. He couldn't even kill a rat if he wanted to. Mom and dad had to hunt down the prey that he used to quench his thirst as a kid. He's basically useless."
"Come on. There had to be a nicer way to say that."
"There was. But saying it this way is more to my liking."
"There's something about you. Your blood that my parents need. No other vampire is like you. You might be weak now but you have the potential to become the strongest." Emily replied. "There's not much I can say. I can only tell you that if you come to age you have to potential to be the strongest creature in the whole supernatural world. Ask your parents how they conceived you. You'll understand better."
"But how did you and your parents come to know about this?"
"That's not important now. I'll let you know in due time but for now we have to keep moving."
"So, what's the plan?" Ava asked, glancing around. "We can't just stay here and wait for them to find us."
"We need to find Seraphina," Emily said. "She's an elf-witch and my mentor. She'll know how to help us stop my parents."
"Great. And where do we find this Seraphina?" I asked.
"There's a hidden sanctuary not far from here," Emily replied. "It's protected by powerful magic. We should be safe there."
"Well, lead the way," Ava said, gesturing grandly. "Let's go meet this magical mentor of yours."
We followed Emily through the woods, the moonlight barely penetrating the thick canopy above. After what felt like an eternity of walking, we arrived at a secluded grove. Ancient trees formed a natural archway, and a faint, shimmering barrier surrounded the area.
"Here we are," Emily said, stepping through the barrier. "When supernatural creatures with bad intent step into this barrier they get vapourised immediately and when humans step in through this barrier they don't go anywhere. They just keep moving into the forest. This place is like another dimension in a way. Seraphina is almost as powerful as my parents so please try not to annoy her with your excessive bickering. She can and will vaporize you if she feels threatened, so keep your claws and fangs to yourself."
The air inside the sanctuary felt different—calmer, more serene. We walked deeper into the grove, and soon we saw a small, quaint cottage nestled between the trees. Smoke curled from its chimney, and the soft glow of candlelight shone through the windows.
As we approached the cottage, the door creaked open, and a woman stepped out. She had long, silver hair that cascaded like a waterfall, and her eyes twinkled with a mixture of wisdom and mischief. She wore a patchwork robe adorned with various trinkets and charms.
"Well, well, what have we here?" she said, her voice melodic and warm. "A vampire, a hybrid, and another vampire. Sounds like the start of a bad joke."
"More like a nightmare," Ava muttered.
Seraphina chuckled. "Let's see if we can turn that around, shall we? Come in, come in."
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