Forced into Fantasy 2

Chapter 8 - Portals

Adomis;

‘It’s Ivy… she’s the Creator!’

‘How could I not have seen this until now?’

Suddenly I recall the marking on her back and how it all links in with this.

“The marking of the Creator. She has it on her back.” I announce aloud before turning to look at him again.

“I always thought it was nothing but a marking of her loyalty.”

“She’s been there under your nose the entire time, Adomis, and now she needs you more than ever.” the Ancient One’s leader reminds me.

“You must go to her, now before it’s too late. You are bonded with her; therefore your mystical bond is at its strongest when the two of you are together. Protect her from the Dark One at all costs, or all will be lost…”

I notice that his words are beginning to fade away, as if I am drifting further and further away from where he is standing.

Suddenly my vision begins to blur and everything around me starts fading into darkness.

“Wait… I need to know more…”

But those are my last words before everything around me disappears and I slip unknowingly back into an unconscious slumber.

-

Ivy;

My entire body is trembling as the hooded figure looms high over me with his intimidating gaze fixated on mine.

The air around me is freezing cold and I am unsure if I am shaking from the rapidly decreasing temperature of from the terror quickly consuming me.

“Adomis!” I try once more, but he’s still not moving.

‘Holy s**t, I’m about to die…’

My last chance is to try and reason with whatever this thing is. I open my mouth and try to speak, to form a sentence in my state of horror.

“W…w…what do you w…want from me?”

I can’t seem to control my stuttering for some reason. It’s strange, I don’t remember stuttering before in my life!

His eyes narrow slightly as his grin widens to unnatural lengths, revealing a set of horrifically pointed teeth that appear to fill his mouth.

‘Oh…my…god’

“I have searched many millennia to find you, child.”

His words were deep and utterly haunting as he suddenly lifted his pale hand up and rubbed his incredibly long, slender fingers down the side of my cheek.

The touch of his finger made my skin sting as if it had been frozen and I winced, turning my head in the opposite direction and closing my eyes.

‘Go away, go away, go away… please…’

I jumped slightly when I felt his other hand grasping the other side of my face and forcing me to meet his terrifying eyes again.

His grin sent chills running up the length of my spine.

But this time it was different.

As soon as I looked into his ghost-like eyes I suddenly felt paralysed, as if I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. My eyes began to change, turning a milky white shade as his power took a hold of me.

I could feel my entire body beginning to grow cold and I suddenly had an uncontrollable need to obey his every command.

I tried to move but my body wouldn’t react, not a leg or a finger. Nothing moved and I was forced to continue staring deep into his monstrously captivating gaze.

As each second passed by I felt more and more weak, as if he were somehow taking control of me and absorbing my life force.

I could almost feel as his mind and mine melded as one for a short amount of time.

But just long enough for me to get a picture of his true intentions.

‘HELL NO!’

As I felt yet another wave of weakness overcome me, I began to lose hope and felt the singular tear rolling down the side of my cheek as my lips trembled.

Suddenly the room lit up with a bright neon green light as a powerful energy bolt was sent hurtling directly towards the hooded figure, hitting him in the side and causing him to shriek an ungodly cry of pain.

At the same time, I too was released from my hypnotic state and fell to the floor with a grunt.

My eyes slowly began to change from the white colour back to their normal blue shade as I shook my head free from the magic being used against me.

Panting and confused, I looked up and watched as the hooded creature continued snarling, shrieking at Zarkin who unloaded bolt after bolt aimed directly at the intruder.

“Ivy… run towards me… move, now!” he commanded between hurtling each of his magical assaults.

Far too afraid to do anything else, I obeyed and made a frantic dash towards where the Mage stood fending off the evil creature. I was almost too afraid to look back as my bare feet hit the ground one at a time.

Another ear-piercing shriek and then finally a cloud of smoke began to reappear around the intruder.

As I reached Zarkin’s side, I got one final glance at the hooded figure before it was fully submerged by the smoke.

He didn’t speak… he didn’t need to.

I could almost read his mind as the smoke surrounded him entirely.

His white glowing eyes bored into mine angrily as I heard one last remark echoing over and over within my head.

“I will return to claim you, child… You belong to me...”

With that the smoke began to disappear and the hooded fiend along with it.

I was left standing beside Zarkin as he stood panting heavily from the excessive use of his powers.

Both his hands were outstretched and his still-glowing neon green eyes glared in the direction of where our intruder had been standing only seconds earlier.

“Ivy, you must come with me.” Zarkin suddenly announced.

He didn’t allow me the chance to voice my reply before he quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me along through the doorway and down the dimly lit corridor after him.

-

Adomis;

After hearing the news that Ivy… my Ivy is being stalked by some other-worldly creature, I needed to get back to her as soon as possible!

Luckily for me, the Ancient Ones had also agreed this was the best idea moving forward and were actively preparing a means of transportation for me to reach the castle in no time. Yes, another portal.

‘By the Gods, I HATE traveling through portals…’

Now standing before it, I turn around and glance at the strange beings who have given me so much in such a short amount of time. Without their support and guidance, I would not have regained my memories, nor would I know what needed to be done in order to protect the woman that I love.

“Thank you, for everything.” I announce with a genuine smile.

“Protect her, Adomis. She is the key to your survival… or to your demise.” their leader announces hauntingly before I turn back around and face the open portal before me.

He’s absolutely right.

And I will protect her, with my life.

Closing my eyes, I take the so called ‘leap of faith’ and step into the portal’s surface, instantly being sucked in through it.

Everything around me disappears within the fraction of a second and there is nothing but darkness once more.

-

I feel as though I had just stepped through the portal’s entrance and the very next second, I hear my boot ‘clump’ down against the stone floor now beneath my feet.

Opening my eyes, I look around and recoignise that these walls look familiar.

I immediately realise where I am and feel instantaneous relief.

I’m home.

A smile finds its way onto my face as I feel thankful for arriving so quickly at my scheduled destination.

Now I must find her, and fast!