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When we finally part, my eyes find his and I see the glowing of pride and admiration looking back at me.
“I won’t let you go inside alone. You and me– we are a team now. I will protect you,” Ason declares.
I can feel the urgency in his words and they give me strength to continue on.
“We are all a team. Each one of us will help and guide you along the way. We are a family now, and we protect our family,” Candi tells me.
I had almost forgotten that everyone else was watching us. I giggle as I smile at Ason. He smiles smugly back at me and then takes my hand.
“We need to devise the last step of our plan,” he announces, as the rest of our group assembles around us.
I stare at the faces of my new team– my new family. Each of them has powers and strengths and combined, we can be an unbeatable force. It’s still crazy to think that just a few short days ago, none of us were really friends. Now, we are joined together by a force stronger than any of us. However, that force won’t stop us nor will it tear us apart.
Leo steps up first. Waving his hand in the air, a green and blue light flashes from Leo’s hands. A silver wand appears out of thin air. The tip glows brightly like a shining diamond. “Here, take this and use it as a sort of flashlight. If you face any dangerous animals, the light can be used to blind and freeze them,” Leo tells me.
I graciously accept the wand and admire the glowing light in my hands.
“I will fly over the forest while you all are inside. I can observe any threats and alert you with a loud growl and shoot fire down if needed,” Stella says, looking down at the ground as she speaks.
Even though I can tell it pains her to be kind, I am beyond appreciative of her support. We all have the same end goal.
“If you get hurt, I can heal you quickly. I will remain close to the treeline so that I can keep tabs on your emotions,” Candi tells me and Ason. “If one of you is in despair, I can alert the others.”
“I will stalk the perimeter of the treeline in my feline form. If I need to alert others or cause a stir, I can do that swiftly,” Kindle adds.
“I will go in as my wolf form. Farrah, you can hop on my back and I can get us through the forest faster on all fours,” Ason shares.
With a plan in place, I watch as Stella, Kindle, and Ason shift. Once we are all prepared, I move over next to Ason. Grabbing hold of his strong shoulders, I climb onto his back, holding the wand in my hand.
“We have to do this for Lara and Lily and everyone else who has been affected by this evil being,” I say, looking back at my team.
Everyone nods and before anyone can say another word, Ason takes off into a full sprint toward the treeline. It’s now or never and like it or not, the fate of our world rests in our hands.
No pressure at all.
Not!
Chapter 18
Blues,purples,anddeepreds beckon me as we near the treeline.
Large, deadly thorns slither along the flowers like snakes.
There’s a strong magnetic pull calling me to enter, but I know that I have to resist the temptation. When Ason and I enter the woods, it has to be of our own free will. We have to remain in control of this situation.
“Are you ready?” Ason asks, as we both stare at the trees.
“Yes,” I lied.
With the necklace firmly around my neck, I glance up to spot Stella flying above us. Her dragon looks regal in the sky as it soars to great heights.
Slowly, Ason takes a step toward the trees. The thorns seem to sway, as though they are trying to reach us. I suck in a breath as Ason bends and moves to fight from being touched by one of the poisonous tips.
“Hold on tightly and don’t move,” Ason says, as we begin slipping through the thick groves of trees.
As we glide through the underbrush, I don’t breathe again until we are on the other side of the trees and in the heart of the forest. Massive oaks with heavy branches blotted out any chance of the moon or stars being able to shine through their tops and provide light for us to see. Removing the wand from my side, I allowed the bright light to glow and offer us a way to see through the darkness.
The forest was alive with movement and sound; every leaf rustled like footsteps in the night, every bird cry echoed like danger waiting around the next bend. And, at the center of it, all was an otherworldly presence. My heart hammered wildly in my chest as I realized we had just willingly entered the lair of dark magic. I refused to worry about that now. I needed to rely on my visions, because what I saw wasn't just some hallucination or fever dream-- it was a glimpse into a world beyond our own, where magic and wonder still thrived despite our best efforts to suppress them.
