With one click, I was at home.
I felt secure.
Safer than any other location.
After everything that had happened, the smell of the blooming lilac mixed with the scent of the roses, hardwoods, pines, and mosses, the serenity that surrounded the place, and the guarantee that no one could harm me every time I was here was all I ever wanted.
The sun was setting. As the wind gently swayed the green leaves of the forest, butterflies and birds began to appear in a shelter.
We were now behind the house. And, based on the story about Sir Mikael, he was probably aware of our arrival despite being in a remote corner of the house. Ever since I mentioned the butler's name, Oswin has been agitated.
"Why do people sneak in through the backdoor? Always!" Myra frowned as she inquired.
"Even those who slip away," Oswin responded by laughing. But only for a brief moment because his expression abruptly changed. He also appeared to sense the arrival of a l
My remembrance of my parents will remain a constant in my mind forever. Truly. Someday, if my journey were to finish in death, I know they would be able to see me in the sky if they tried hard enough.Sure, they'd see me if I were there.With a sorrowful heart, I left my parents. They anticipated this. They thought they were prepared, but their reaction revealed everything. They weren't ready. I've never been.I was, too.As we proceeded towards the backyard, Myra never left my side. She comforted my back as I sobbed uncontrollably. "Stella, I can't promise that everything will be fine. Because it is never acceptable to abandon your loved ones."My tears dried on my cheeks. Myra was correct; nothing would be well because my life and the lives of my family were at stake in this predicament. I had no other option. There was no going back now.Avi had noticed it. Several times.It was likely that the outcome of my attempt to deflect dest
"Chase!" we exclaimed together.The uniformed man appeared to have recently learned of Oswin and my plans. A gaze came across his face and landed on mine. He looked at me like there was nothing else in the world. As his gaze settled firmly into mine, I noticed a renewed flash of gold."Please, Stella, do not do this. You will perish out there!" He clenched his teeth. As liquid began to trickle from his eyes, he strengthened his grip on the door frame. "There is an alternative!""There is no other option, Chase." A loud voice interrupted the conversation. I recognized it by its tone. "Stella's prospects of escaping her fate are dwindling."Oswin rolled his eyes. After Chase and Avi unexpectedly showed up, he seemed irritated. Before I could even see his fingers snap, he was already grinding his teeth.The man's actions shocked Isabel, Avi, and Chase. As if that weren't enough of a surprise, Oswin also led us to the hidden tunnel entrance, where I st
As we left the school and entered the woods behind it, the image of Avi's tearful face remained in my mind. With a sigh of relaxation, my shoulders rolled back. I miss being able to look her and my parents in the eyes.I wish...But it seemed to me that fate had other plans. None of our expectations will be met. It didn't look that way anymore.We traversed the lush grasses beneath a dense forest of ancient trees. The light was impossible to come by. Nothing but the gloomy forest, shaded by towering trees, with its damp shrubs and misty cover. From where I'm positioned, a random collection of wild trees and evergreens have been thrown together to create a pathless meadow.The sounds of the wild we encountered were all the night crickets and birds chirping, the distant screams of wild hounds, and the skulking of unseen creatures.In the lead, we found Isabel and Oswin. Myra, Oswin's assistant, was lurking in the shadows, watching my every move. Ther
Chase backed off on his own when we felt and heard what sounded like a series of explosions in the sky.It's as if the sporadic lightning flashing on the cloud cover was attempting to break through the whole thing. To be exact, tiny vortices encircled by lightning. Like fireworks, one swirl of deep purple and blue appears around a bend and then another."Oh, Stella, did you kiss D?" Myra inquired, trembling. She was practically touching my ear with her tongue. "Because Chase gets too hot, and then it gets too chilly."As I observed the happenings in the sky, I nodded."A kiss that sent a thousand black vortexes spinning! They seem to have picked up on our presence!" My friend's mood remained weak and controlled as she saw what seemed to be a single painting of dark powers in the sky. "They've arrived!""What did you do, Chase?" Isabel's curiosity was never satisfied. Her bolt-action rifle is loaded in a flash. Her rifle's surface shatters with ligh
It took Oswin some time, but eventually he led us to a forest that was close to the location where the wicked sorcerer was rumored to be hiding. Even though it was quite a distance away, we couldn't help but notice what appeared to be the crater of a volcano, complete with a mystical glow emanating from every crevice. This was due to the fact that this location is where a kaleidoscope of colors is cast. As the dark clouds approached the peak of that mountain, they brought with them a display of lightning that appeared to be made up of tiny sparks. Isabel posed the possibility that they had found the hideout of the black lair. Because of her tone, I was able to pick up on the tension and anxiety that was building up in his chest. Chase mumbled something in the background, "We've been here before, but I've never seen anything like that." "So, what are we going to do?" Fina inquired. It was right next to the brother, who appeared speechless as a result of what he had seen. As Fina tu
It was a firm hold.A single, long sigh.Instability in the knees.Those with apprehensive or doubtful hearts.As I held Oswin's arm tightly with my left hand, I felt a surge of warmth go through my body and into my arm. In a flash, that force went down the man's arms and into his veins, where it would remain like a tree's trunk. It included Myra, who was holding onto Oswin's left hand, and Chase, who was standing behind him."So that's what a ship does..." Mira exclaimed as she watched us get ready to go."Chase, Oswin, Myra... Stella," they called. Isabel walked over to chat with me. As she got closer, her eyes started to moisten. She studied me intently through her thick glasses, and then she hugged me fiercely. "If this is the final—""One tsk!" Chase snapped, evidently annoyed by those statements. His jaws have expanded once more.Isa slipped out of the embrace. Her left cheek was flushed with tears. "Stella, I've also seen it. But destiny may be extremely mysterious at times. It
I knew they were all staring at me, even though I couldn't see any eerie eyes. Like a delicious divine feast, they've been denied for ages. How much longer?Decades?I knew that they were prepared to use me as a vessel, but that was all I could be sure about.The shady sorcerers sitting on the branches of the huge dead tree moved together as if they had been told to find me.Myra was clutching my left arm. He stuttered, "They're on their way. They're going to launch an assault. T—to find Stella.""Sandro referenced it. That they need my assistance in bolstering their authority!" I didn't say anything, either."They are much too many. We're not going to make it here! Oswin! Flicker us away!" Chase yelled as he took a quick step forward, his veins and the mark on the back of his torso glowing.Oswin remained deafeningly silent."Oswin!" Myra shook the man's arm, who appeared immobile and lost. "Oswin! You squinted horse's son! Flicker us away!" Myra screamed furiously as she burst into
Each passing second was accompanied by the shrill sound of my heart. Then the noise level skyrocketed, and I could see everything happening right in front of my eyes. It felt like my body was going numb with each pulse of my heart and every pump of my veins.A part of me felt like it was wasting away, but my brain wouldn't let me give up.Yes. I did my best to stick to the established sequence. My world nearly came apart at the seams because I trusted the weaver's prophecy. I thought that the beginning and end of my story were written by the universe itself.But.In the middle of the beginning and the end, a pause gave me a chance to alter my fate, if I so chose.This was presented to me by him.I needed Chase to give me hope so that I could keep going until the battle was over. To fight back at every turn, and perhaps throw a wrench into what the foresightful weavers and seers have planned.As he raced to save me, I realized he wanted to prove that he would fight and try to change fa