บท 3: Chapter 2:
The moment of calm was short-lived. Mr. Edwin clapped his hands, and the walls of the room seemed to pulse with energy. "Gather round," he instructed, his voice calm but commanding. We followed him into the adjoining ballroom, which felt oddly out of place with its towering chandeliers and polished marble floor. Yet, despite its grandeur, an unsettling energy hung in the air.
Alohi and Xenos moved swiftly into position, standing in a wide circle with me and the others. I hesitated, feeling like I was about to cross into something unknown, something far beyond the strange fairy now nestled on my shoulder.
Mr. Edwin stepped into the center of the circle, his eyes gleaming with that same knowing look. "This is where your journey begins," he said, his voice echoing off the ballroom walls. "We will teleport to your first trial. Trust in yourselves and in each other. Keep your focus, and remember what I've said."
Teleport? My stomach twisted. Magic was one thing, but this... this felt too sudden. Panic flickered in my chest as I imagined being torn apart and reassembled in some unknown place. My breathing quickened.
Alohi, sensing my hesitation, shot me a warm, reassuring smile. "It's not as bad as it sounds," she said softly, her voice gentle. "Just close your eyes. Don't fight it."
Xenos moved beside me, his sharp gaze catching mine. His expression was unreadable, but he reached out with a steady hand, placing it on my shoulder. The coldness of his touch was startling—icy against my skin, like a winter breeze wrapping around my arm. His grip was firm, anchoring me in place.
"Don't worry," Xenos murmured, his voice low and calm. "We've got you. Just close your eyes, Sage."
For a moment, everything around me blurred—the ballroom, Mr. Edwin's calm gaze, Alohi's comforting smile—and all I could feel was the freezing weight of Xenos' hand grounding me, keeping me steady. I squeezed my eyes shut, heart pounding, trying to block out the fear that gnawed at me.
Then, I felt it—a rush of energy, like wind swirling around us, tugging at the edges of my consciousness. It was as if the ground beneath my feet vanished, replaced by a void of nothingness. My body felt light, suspended in a strange limbo. For an instant, I couldn't tell if I was falling or flying.
And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
I opened my eyes, blinking in the dim, shadowed light. The ballroom was gone. Instead, I stood in a gloomy forest, the air thick with dampness and the smell of moss. Towering trees stretched into the mist, their branches twisting and gnarled, like hands reaching for the sky. The fairy on my shoulder stirred, wings fluttering nervously as if sensing the shift.
"What... where are we?" I whispered, my voice barely audible in the heavy silence.
Xenos removed his hand from my shoulder, and I exhaled, grateful for a moment to just stand still and gather my thoughts. But something felt off. As I turned to look at him, I noticed his hand... it was purple.
"Xenos, what happened to your hand?" I asked, my voice tight with worry. His hand looked unnatural, like it had been drained of warmth and color. He didn't respond, just stared ahead, his face as cold and unreadable as ever.
Before I could press him, Alohi—ever the whirlwind—snorted. "Oh, don't worry about him! Xenos just likes to dabble in new skin tones for fun." She winked. "You should see him in blue."
Despite myself, I cracked a small smile, but the tension in my chest didn't completely ease. I glanced at Xenos again, but his eyes remained forward, distant, as if he hadn't heard anything at all.
Before I could ask again, Mr. Edwin's voice cut through the silence. "Follow me," he said. His tone was quiet, almost somber, and there was no room for questions. "We must move quickly and in silence."
We moved through the gloomy forest in a line, the cold seeping into my bones with every step. The trees around us towered like sentinels, their twisted branches blocking out what little light there was. The air felt thick, almost heavy, as if it held secrets we weren't meant to uncover. My fairy stayed close, hovering just above my shoulder, her wings fluttering nervously.
The deeper we went, the more the chill wrapped itself around me, gnawing at my skin. After what felt like an eternity of walking, we finally reached a massive stone wall. It was ancient, covered in thick vines and Burgmansia flowers that hung like silent, poisonous bells. Something about the flowers tugged at my mind, pulling me into a strange, heavy fog.
And then the pain hit.
It started as a dull throb, but quickly intensified, slicing through my head like a blade. I gasped, clutching at my temples, the world tilting beneath me. The last thing I saw before collapsing to the ground was the sickly white of the Burgmansia flowers swaying in the breeze.
"Sage!" Alohi's voice broke through the haze, sharp with concern. I felt her arms around me, pulling me upright. "Hey, hey, you okay? What's happening?"
"I don't know," I whispered, my voice trembling. The headache was blinding, and my legs felt like they were made of lead. I tried to stand, but my knees buckled beneath me.
Without a word, Xenos stepped forward. His cold hands gently lifted me onto his back as if I weighed nothing. I could feel the icy chill of him through my clothes, but I was too weak to protest. As we moved, the rhythm of his footsteps became the only thing keeping me grounded.
The forest around me blurred, the sounds of our footsteps swallowed by the silence. My eyelids grew heavier with each step, the pain in my head dulling into a strange, distant ache. I could barely keep my eyes open, the world slipping further away.
And then, darkness took over.
When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the dull ache still lingering in my head. It wasn't as sharp as before, but it pulsed gently behind my eyes, making it hard to focus. I groaned, rolling over on the soft bed beneath me, trying to remember how I had gotten here.
The second thing I noticed was that my clothes were different.
I looked down, confused, and found myself wearing a light silk nightgown, far too delicate for anything I owned. I blinked, sitting up slowly, trying to shake off the grogginess. How did I get changed? Who—?
Before I could spiral into panic, a voice broke the silence.
"Don't worry, it wasn't Xenos," Alohi's voice came from the corner, her tone dripping with mischief. "Though, if it were, I'm sure you'd have noticed his icicle hands by now."
She grinned, leaning casually against the wall with that signature smirk of hers, and for a second, I was too stunned to respond. Then the absurdity of it all hit me, and I couldn't help it—I burst out laughing. Alohi followed suit, her laughter contagious and wild. The headache faded a little with each laugh, and I couldn't even care about how ridiculous the situation was.
"Thanks, Alohi," I managed between fits of laughter. "Just what I needed to hear."
"No problem," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Though, seriously, it was me. Xenos would've frozen your clothes solid if he tried." She winked, as if the whole thing was a joke to her, and maybe it was. Knowing Alohi, everything was.
As my laughter died down, I finally took in what Alohi was wearing, and my eyes widened. She stood there in this elaborate green and white gown, almost pirate-like with its long flowing sleeves and lace-up front. It looked like she'd just stepped off the set of some adventurous period drama.
"What... what are you wearing?" I asked, incredulous, eyeing the gown from head to toe.
Alohi spread her arms, giving me a twirl. "Do you like it? I thought I'd lean into my inner pirate queen for the evening." She grinned, striking a ridiculous pose. "You never know when you'll need to commandeer a ship or two."
I rolled my eyes, still smiling. "Of course."
"Speaking of clothes," she said, suddenly serious, "you should get dressed. Dinner's in a bit, and you've slept long enough to miss breakfast, lunch, and pretty much everything in between. If you don't get up now, you'll miss dinner too."
I blinked. "Wait, I slept that long?"
"Oh, yeah," she said, waving a hand dramatically. "Like a rock. I thought Xenos was going to toss you in a river just to wake you up, but I convinced him you'd probably drown."
I snorted. "Good to know."
Alohi pointed to a desk near the bed where a fresh set of clothes was neatly folded. "Get those on. Unless you want to wear that nightgown to dinner, which, you know, would make quite the impression."
I glanced over at the desk and sighed, throwing my legs over the side of the bed. "Right. I guess I should try to look a little more presentable."
"Hey, you're alive. That's presentable enough." Alohi flashed another grin before turning toward the door. "I'll give you some privacy. Don't take too long, or I'll send in Xenos to speed things up."
"Very funny," I muttered, but I couldn't help but smile as she left.
I stood in front of the mirror, admiring the gown that lay draped on the desk. It was breathtaking—huge, white, and adorned with delicate pink flowers embroidered along the skirt and bodice. The corset hugged my curves perfectly, pulling me in just right. I'd never worn anything so beautiful in my life.
After slipping it on, I let my curls fall naturally around my shoulders, deciding to keep things simple. I picked up a small bottle of shimmer spray from the vanity, misting it lightly over my skin. It added just the right amount of glow to my tanned complexion, making me feel like I was glowing from the inside out.
Once I was ready, I took a deep breath and walked out of the room. Alohi was waiting outside, arms crossed, already tapping her foot impatiently.
"Took you long enough," she said, eyes narrowing as if she'd been waiting for hours.
"Hey, it's not my fault this thing has a million layers," I teased, gesturing to the gown.
Her scowl softened into a grin as she gave me a quick once-over. "Well, I'll forgive you. You look incredible, by the way."
"Thanks," I said, smiling. "So do you. Pirate queen and all."
Alohi rolled her eyes, but I could see she was pleased with the compliment. Together, we made our way down the hall and into the ballroom, where the sound of laughter and chatter spilled out into the corridor. The doors opened, revealing a long, grand table covered in food, with everyone already seated and having a good time.
But as soon as I stepped inside, the room went eerily quiet.
All eyes turned toward me, and I could feel the weight of their stares like a physical thing pressing down on me. The laughter died, replaced with whispers and the kind of looks that made my skin crawl. I tried to ignore it, but it was hard not to feel out of place, especially when someone muttered under their breath as I passed.
"It's not a ball," the guy sneered, just loud enough for me to hear. "It's just a dinner."
Before I could react, Alohi's hand shot out, grabbing the back of his chair. She leaned in close, her voice low and dangerous. "Watch your mouth," she warned, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Unless you want to regret it."
The guy immediately looked down, shrinking back under her icy glare. Alohi gave him one last look before motioning for me to follow her to our seats.
We sat down near the end of the table, and I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was still watching me, their whispers just on the edge of my hearing. I kept my head down, picking at the food in front of me, but my mind was elsewhere.
As I scanned the room, I couldn't help but notice the empty seat near the corner. It felt strange, like something—or someone—was missing. I glanced over at Alohi.
"If you're looking for Xenos," she said casually, her voice low, "you can stop. He won't be showing up."
I turned to her, confused. "Why not?"
Alohi leaned in, her voice just above a whisper. "Circumstances. Don't ask too many questions, but he's dealing with something... elsewhere."
I frowned, but before I could ask more, she changed the subject. "Besides, you have more important things to worry about. Mr. Edwin wants to see you after dinner. Something important."
My stomach flipped. "Important? What kind of important?"
She just shrugged, but there was a knowing glint in her eye. "You'll find out soon enough. Just be ready."
Great. More mysteries. Just what I needed.
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