Demon, Guardian, The Fallen, Oh My mates! Esmerelda's Story

Chapter five

Esmerelda’s POV

Ares and I have been walking for what felt like ages before we reached the ravine. It isn't very large in circumference, but it was very deep. The boys were fortunate they didn’t land just a few feet in the other direction or they would have been more seriously hurt than they were because the drop down was much further. I stopped at where I found the boys and sniffed.

I could catch a strong scent of them, but what I caught next gave me chills. I could feel the magic in the air. The air was tainted with it, and my magic recoiled and then went on the defensive. It was weird talking as if my magic were a living thing, but it really was just as alive as me or Harmonia. If I listened close enough I could hear it speaking.

‘Dark! Dangerous!’ I heard my magic calling frantically in my mind. I stopped and just looked around. Ares stopped too watching me. He knew I stopped for a reason. “What is it, sis?” He asked.

I don’t answer him as I keep looking. Sniffing. I followed the trail of the dark magic and it led a little deeper into the forest. I followed until we came to a ritual circle. I could feel the darkness pouring off of it in waves. Ares was about to take a step forward when I yelled, “STOP!”

He immediately froze and turned his head to look at me with a shocked look on his face. “What is it?” He asked with a bit of hesitation.

I began to whisper words that I had no idea meant or why I was, but I felt my magic taking control making my mouth utter the chant over and over. Each time I repeated my voice grew louder, ancient sounding. The ground inside the ritual circle began to cover with a white fog. With each repeat the fog grew denser. Then suddenly I stopped chanting and a crack of thunder boomed as a strong wind picked up.

My hair was blowing wildly around my face. My clothes were blowing in the wind that had come out of nowhere. The fog began to swirl until it formed a funnel. The funnel began to rise in the air higher and higher until the bottom of the funnel was well above their heads. With a flash of lightning the funnel disappeared as well as the dark essence that had lingered here. My body stumbled forward as I regained control of my weakened body.

“Careful! What was that?” Ares asks as he steadies me on my feet.

I shook my head a bit to try and get the fuzziness out, but it did nothing to help my dizzy state. I stumbled to a tree and slumped to the ground, leaning against the tree. “I don’t know. I could smell and taste the dark magic at the ravine. It caused my magic to go on the defensive I guess. There was a breadcrumb trail left here. When we came upon this site I felt the pure evilness surrounding it. My magic took over to protect you when you tried to step inside the circle. The area is cleansed now, but I am drained. That was a lot of magic to purify the area. It must have had a tremendous amount of dark magic here.” I said, panting, still trying to catch my breath.

Ares didn’t say anything, just nodded and left me on the ground while he investigated the circle more closely. He doesn’t have any magic, but he is smart and can remember everything he sees. He is very well versed in the ways of magic and what types of spells consist of what types of ingredients. What most people don’t understand is it isn’t the spell that is bad, but the caster who has evil intentions, therefore causing the spell to be negative.

As Ares called out what he was seeing at each point in the circle we both said at the same time, “Transportation spell.” The boys and Sierra. They weren’t playing on this side of the forest, just as they said. Someone transported them there. They were trying to kill them!

I tried to get up too fast and because I was still somewhat dizzy I nearly fell back down. “Here,” Ares said as he bent down, turning his back to me, “get on. It will be much faster and we need to let everyone know what we found.” I didn’t argue with him. I knew I needed time to recharge. I needed to eat so I could gain my energy back faster. Drinking blood would be more helpful and faster, but I didn’t have any readily available to me right now.

I climbed on his back and wrapped my arms loosely around his neck as his arms held my legs around his waist. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against his back as he stood up and began to make his way back to the castle. I must have fallen asleep on the walk back because it wasn’t long that he said over his shoulder, “We’re back.”

My head shot up and I said, “Can we go to the kitchen first? I need a snack.” He only laughed and headed in the direction of the kitchen. I started to do a little happy dance. I loved food!

Ares sat me down at the counter and made a sandwich for both of us with some french fries he threw in the air fryer. We ate in silence and I could feel my strength and energy coming back with each bite I took. Soon our plates were empty and I felt almost normal again. I got to say I really do love this supernatural healing we have.

I grabbed our plates and rinsed them off before putting them into the dishwasher. Sure we were a prince and princess, but that doesn’t mean we get out of every day chores. Our parents raised us to be hard workers like everyone else in the kingdom. We learned early on that each person in the kingdom was family, and we loved, appreciated, and protected family. So we do our own chores to show the Omegas who clean the castle that we appreciate them, and don’t take them for granted.

After we cleaned up the kitchen we headed up to my room to meet up with our brothers. I didn’t need to know what they found with the twins' story. I wanted to know if they came across a ritual circle as well. If they did I would need to go and see if I could cleanse that spot as well. When we reached the door to my room I could already smell Dimitri and Timberlink through the door.

As I opened the door the smell of fresh rain and berries nearly toppled me over. The scent was stronger than before, and it was making me have strange thoughts about my brother again. I had to shake my head a few times to clear the fog that his scent was causing in my mind.

“What did you guys find?,” Ares asked, bringing me out of the daze I was in.

“From what we could tell the boys are telling the truth.” Dimitri said.

“Their scent starts near the park and is all over the place in the forest nearby. Then it just vanishes.” Timberlink added in his deep husky voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“Did you guys find a ritual circle?” I asked.

They both just stared at me shaking their heads no. I sighed in relief before saying, “Thank the Goddess. I am not sure I could cleanse another one right now.”

“You did WHAT!?” An angry shout from the doorway startled us all. Daddy was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked pissed. Well s**t!