Unknown Darkness (2)
Chapter 22

We had said our farewell to the giants and they inserted themselves back into valley disappearing before our eyes. Now we were just walking through the forest with a few hills for inclines and declines. But very quickly it started to feel like days. Every so often we would come across a stream that would oddly look familiar to the one I had seen before. But it was a vast area making sense that everything would look the same.

“We set up camp again,” Brock announced to the group. To that everyone shuffled and began unpacking and began eating and drinking. In order to renew our energy and keeping up strength.

Wolf and I had set up our tent and began to relax while the sky was darkening. The cooler air was beginning to sweep through but barely noticeable as a fire was built casting small shadows to darker one by the hour.

I leaned back into the log stump and looked to the sky, thinking about what the giants had told me yet I could not wrap my head around it. Just over a year ago, I was learning a new life and now I need to learn what I am truly?

My mind kept asking questions till we went to sleep and woke the next day of chirping birds and scattered sunlight seeping through the tent fabric.

Off we go again, travelling by foot to who knows where now as it seemed we felt lost. But I, Brock and others didn’t see the mansion meaning we just were not close as we thought we were. Which was odd because, I accidentally made the portal only a few meters away from the mansion. But here we are, accompanied by the forest with inclines of hills to streams of water. It was a repeat of the same day.

We were walking for hours, travelling through the thick green forest, that may be advantage to Wolf as he grown up with this. To Brock calling out ‘set up camp,’ when he shouted something was not right as two days have turned into four days and we were still not close. Seemed we were farther away now barely scratching the surface of a building that we would have found in the midst.

“Something is not right” I stopped, creating Wolf to halt in place avoiding not bumping into me.

Brock only a few feet around stopped around a couple steps and turned. “Explain further” He demanded; I could tell his temper was getting the best of him. He was annoyed not by me but this travelling.

“We have now been travelling for days to a close solid week and yet we have not arrived at this stupid mansion.” I gestured to the forest that seemed to be getting thicker every day. “Something not right, like the stream we keep passing, it’s the same.”

“What makes you suggest it is the same?” The taller blonde warrior asked, he was genuinely interested.

“Have you not seen the detailed? The way everything is placed? Or the way the trees tend to become denser where light is barely coming through now?”

All men looked at me, giving me the impression that I was only one who saw these details. “Am I the only one whose been noticing these things?”

They looked at one another as if I was speaking like a mad woman. I turned to Wolf and studied him. He too looked confused by my words.

Something was off, and why was I only one noticing it?

Instead of asking more questions, I eyed the closet tree and threw myself on the first branch with Wolf and Brock shouting for me to come back.

I didn’t listen and continued to climb the tree. It was actually difficult because of the moss and slime that was created but I made it through eventually reaching the top. As few rustle of leaves echoed my ear and the air become windy. I pushed through the surface of leaves and was welcomed by a brilliance blue sky with parted clouds.

Before me what seemed like ocean of trees given the landscape sense of meadow. I began to scan around the area already the wind was whistling in my ear and my hair was subtle blowing against my face.

I scanned behind and narrowed my eyes, the valley we just came out of was literally right behind me with the mouth opening up with only miles down where we last greeted the giants.

That could not be right. We had been travelling for days, surely, we be farther away from it. I hesitated and turned around to see another area and there only a few meters away was the mansion slightly hidden but enough to spot it.

“Asema,” Wolf’s voice came from the leaves and he pop out of the barrier on the other side of tree with branches rustling behind him. “What the hell is going on?”

I eyed him oddly, and looked back the mansion. I pointed to it hoping that would give my answer.

His gaze followed my hand and shrugged even more confused by what I pointing at.

“What is going on?” He repeated but softness to it.

My arm slunk back to the branch that was supporting me. “Don’t you see it? The mansion is right there… and we been travelling for days yet” I point behind me, “it seems we never left valleys mouth.

Wolf looked behind himself then back to where I point moments ago, but shook his head not understanding. “I am sorry but I just see nothing and valley is at a distance”

I studied him. Why was I the only one who could see this?

“Wolf how can you not see it?” I pointed the mansion in disbelief, “It’s right there…Kieran’s magic…he must be doing something…” A small realization comes to me.

“What did you mean Kieran’s magic?”

“Hold my hand” I demanded; my voice was harsh but the wind drowned it out a little.

Wolf took my hand still balancing himself on the branch below. We were standing on as the branch slightly creaked from our weight. Though they were thick enough to fit both Wolf and I on them. They would not break.

“Look” I demanded him again, and there was a slight gasp from Wolf mouth as if he could see. A spell taken away from him.

“How come I can see it now? holding your hand… Kieran magic must have improved since he ran out on me.” Wolf, I believe was thinking out loud.

I simply replied, “I don’t know… I just know that Kieran must have put some confusion ritual or spell around the mansion to make us barely touch it.” I looked to Wolf and back to the mansion that somehow became clearer. “Wait did everyday look normal to you?” I quickly asked.

Wolf and I locked eyes with another and he slowly nodded. I replied “Everyday for me felt we becoming more trapped in the forest as if it wasn’t engulf us.”

“What would happen if we went back down and went straight?” Wolf questioned, but there was worry in his voice and that idea was starting to cloud my judgement.

“I don’t know” I confessed, “But I want to try something” and gestured us back down.

We began to descended down on the branches with the leaves and branches rustling against our every movement. Though it was echoes in the forest but felt silent to my ears. I was the first to reach the solid ground again with all men staring at me with questioning looks but they darted their attention behind to where Wolf landed.

“What the hell is happening?” Brock came forward almost pissed to whatever is happening.

I held up my hands, “Kieran using some sort of confusion spell, that is not working on me, but I don’t think he expected for me to come…least that is what my hopes are. I want to try something.”

Brock eyed me with anger and was about to go on rampage when Wolf came to my side defending me.

“Brock, it is true. Kieran using a spell, it is confusion for us not to be aware of changing surrounding, but” he point to where we climbed the tree moments ago, “up there it looks like we barely made process as we stand just at the mouth of the valley.”

Brock jaw clenched and hands went into fist, but he looked from Wolf to me and studying me.

“What do you plan on doing?” a simple question, to an answer I am still trying to figure out.

Use your power within. A voice creeped into my mind. And I was thrusted back into different place, almost like a memory. Kadea stood before me.

’Asema, listen and find that inner power that you have, because it will be the most unique power for you to possess,” she looked deep into my eye as if she was searching for my soul.

“What greater power? I am not sure what you are getting at”

She sighed but then placed her right hand on my chest. “Do you feel that?”

Instantly there was a warmth in my chest, it began to spreading outward through my limbs. It somehow felt powerful, yet welcoming, though with a burning into my soul. She quickly removed her hand and the feeling along vanished.’

I gasped being thrown forward but arms wrapped around my waist catching me preventing me falling flat into the ground.

“Asema, are you okay?” your eyes went blue again.

I gasped again and looked around to find myself back in the forest surrounded by warriors and Wolf.

“I know how to break this spell” I whispered and urged Wolf to let go me as I knelt to the ground and thought of that warmth, the feeling of familiarity.

The warmth started in my chest and began to spread out through my limbs and down my hands almost creating a ripple against the ground.

“What’s happeni—” One of the brunettes started to ask but stop started as the scenery around began to change.

Light was splitting away trees as if they were wall paper to burning up our eyes like scales falling off. It gave a golden feel to blinding eyes to see what was truly around us. The thicken forest now no longer existing as we stood now in a medium sized meadow to before me few meters around with trees only obscuring the minimally. There stood the mansion slightly hidden but was standing before us.

“My goddess, by the power.” Brock whispered as he didn’t want us to hear him. But he did turn to face me. “What power do you have?” it wasn’t a question but a demand.

“I don’t know…but all four elements and some power of warmth, a gift from the goddess herself” I half confessed as I had no idea where this power truly came from but it may be from being ‘The Light’. I swallowed at that thought.

Brock looks at his men, turns back to the mansion, “Can you hide us… as we are in plain view right now.” Urgency in his voice.

I closed my eyes and breathed, thinking of all four elements and how they weaved together, balancing in a way to manipulate their power to help us.

Please hide us, I ask. There was a sense of heaviness but lightness on my skin. Slowly opening my eyes, I am not sure if it worked but I felt different.

“Does anyone else feel different,” I had to check searching each of them. They all slightly nodded and I smiled.

“Set up camp” Brock eyed me this time, “Lets go over the operation with a new set of eyes.”

To this I nodded knowing some things were about to change but I had no idea what was to come.

Sᴇarch the FindNovel.net website on G𝘰𝘰gle to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.