THE PROPHECY CHILD

CHAPTER 9: The Hidden Hut

"I am Princess Diana from Neathermore of Nirabeth," the girl declared, her voice slicing the air with chilling finality.

Betty’s parents stood frozen, their mouths agape, trembling under the weight of this revelation. The air in the room seemed to thicken with darkness. Betty’s mother staggered backward, clutching the wall, her lips quivering as tears burst from her eyes.

"What... what are you saying? Where is my daughter? Where is Betty?!" she cried, her voice breaking like glass under pressure.

Diana's laughter rolled through the room like a cruel melody, low and mocking. Her glowing green eyes sparkled with malice. "Why would I tell you that?" she taunted. "When this mission is complete, I’ll kill her and drink her blood. Slowly. Painfully."

She raised her hand as if to unleash her power—but then froze.

Her smile widened. "No... it’ll be more satisfying to see you transformed into something like me... or to watch you die among the ones who think they’re strong."

With a smug twist of her lips, Diana vanished into the darkness. Her voice echoed faintly, ghostlike: "Things are getting more complicated... and much more fun."

---

Far away, within Queen Latesha’s obsidian chamber, her cold eyes flared wide with disbelief. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice low and venomous.

"Your Highness," Anastasia replied, trembling, “I believe Queen Andrielle may still be alive. Dalia was always with her—there’s no way she survived without Andrielle’s protection."

Latesha’s lips curled into a snarl. "Of course... Royal blood doesn’t die so easily."

She paced with rigid grace, the tips of her long robes dragging across the marble like whispers of death.

"But Andrielle isn’t our priority. It’s Clara. We must stop Clara before she awakens her full potential."

"I will go with Anastasia," Diana volunteered, stepping forward with a grin. "I know how they think. I know where they hide."

Latesha gave her a long, hard stare before nodding once. "Fine. Go—and this time, do your job properly. On the night of the full moon, when wolves rise and the dead awaken, the Goddess of Death will be reborn."

She laughed—wild, hysterical, unhinged—and her voice rose like thunder as she spun in delight. "Let the world dare to stop me."

---

Meanwhile, Clara, Eric, and Danielle trudged through the dense, twisting forest. Sunlight barely cut through the thick leaves above. Their feet were heavy, their expressions weary.

"Claudia," Danielle huffed, collapsing under a tree, "Are we just going to keep walking in circles? We've done a full 360 and landed right back here!"

Clara dropped her pack and sat, frustration etched across her face. She dragged her hands through her hair and exhaled. "I... I don't know. The map keeps leading us back here. Maybe... maybe it’s broken."

Eric, standing nearby with furrowed brows, stared intently at the map. His mind was racing.

"Something’s not right," he murmured. "If the map keeps returning us to this same spot, then maybe this is where we're meant to be. Maybe this place is more than it seems."

Danielle crossed her arms, squinting toward the trees. "So what? We're supposed to dig through every root and rock until we fall into something magical?"

Clara's gaze sharpened. A flicker of understanding passed through her eyes. "No... wait. Maybe that’s it. What if the map doesn’t show a destination—but a starting point?"

The group fell silent.

Clara pulled out the book she carried and flipped frantically through its pages. "There has to be a clue... something..." Her voice trailed off as she stopped suddenly.

They all leaned closer.

On the ancient page were swirling symbols—undecipherable, cryptic, accompanied by strange numbers and signs. Beneath the symbols were faint, golden words:

"The Path to the Unknown."

They stared at the page for a while. Eric pulled out a notebook and pen. Together, the three of them sat cross-legged under the trees, decoding, scribbling, trying to make sense of it all.

Minutes became hours. Their brows dripped with sweat. Their fingers were smudged with ink and dirt. Their voices were soft, urgent, exhausted.

Danielle groaned. "We’ve tried everything. What if this is gibberish?"

Clara suddenly stopped.

Her eyes widened.

"Wait... the letters—they’re upside down."

She turned the book slowly.

Her lips parted as she whispered, "Beyond the sea lies the soul... and beyond its boundary, magic's free."

Eric’s eyes snapped to hers. "What did you say?"

Clara stood up slowly, clutching the book to her chest. She repeated the words, louder this time.

"Beyond the sea lies the soul... beyond its boundary, magic’s free!"

A sharp, blinding light exploded in front of them. The ground beneath them trembled. Trees bent slightly as if bowing to an unseen force. The light took form—an arched, swirling portal, glowing like a silver flame.

Danielle shielded her eyes, gasping. "Claudia, what in the world... how did you...?"

Clara stepped forward slowly, her voice steady despite the awe in her chest. "I don’t know. I just felt it. The symbols weren’t random. They were a message."

Eric shook his head in disbelief. "You’re brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

"We need to go," Clara said, glancing at the flickering edges of the portal. "Before it closes."

Without hesitation, she stepped through. Her body vanished into the light.

Eric followed close behind. "Let’s go, Danielle!"

Danielle stood there trembling. Her heart pounded. Her eyes darted from the glowing light to the dark forest behind her.

And then—a growl.

She turned.

A massive wolf, its fangs dripping with venom, emerged from the shadows, its eyes locked on her.

Without another thought, Danielle screamed and dove through the portal just as the light sealed shut behind her.

---

Danielle landed on damp moss, coughing. She opened her eyes to a dim, foggy forest. "Claudia? Eric?"

She looked around wildly.

Then—a whisper.

Clara was a few feet away, signaling to her in silence, her finger over her lips.

Danielle’s breath caught. She nodded, creeping toward Clara—until a dry twig snapped under her foot.

From the fog ahead, a terrifying growl echoed.

The creature stepped into view.

It was unlike anything they’d ever seen. The size of a house, it had the face of a tiger, the wings of a dragon, the hooves of an ox, and crimson eyes that glowed with rage.

Danielle froze. Her body trembled, her legs refusing to move. Tears spilled from her eyes.

The creature sniffed the air. Smelled her.

And then it charged.

Clara screamed, "RUN!"

They all bolted. Eric’s breaths came in sharp gasps. Clara grabbed Danielle’s arm and pulled her forward.

The beast was fast.

It closed in. Its jaws were open, ready to rip through flesh—

Clara spun mid-run and screamed, "NO!"

She raised her arms.

Just as the creature pounced, a blinding blue light burst into the clearing.

And from the trees—

A woman.

Old. Calm. Her long silver hair danced in the wind. She held a wooden wand high, glowing with ancient magic.

The beast froze. Mid-air. Suspended.

Then it fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

The forest went silent.

---

"What... who are you?" Clara asked, panting.

The woman stepped forward, voice soft but firm. "What are you children doing here? This land is not for the faint."

Eric stepped forward. "We—we followed a map."

The woman raised a brow. "Did you now? Then you're braver than most. Come. Stay the night. It’s not safe here."

Clara narrowed her eyes. Her voice was laced with suspicion. "Why should we trust you?"

The woman chuckled. "If I meant harm, I would've let the beast eat you."

Still unsure, Clara hesitated. Danielle and Eric exchanged glances.

"Claudia," Eric whispered. "She saved us. We owe her."

After a long silence, Clara nodded. "Fine. But one wrong move and we’re gone."

They followed the woman to a hut hidden deep within the trees. It was ancient, glowing faintly from within.

They stepped inside. Warmth. A fire crackled in the hearth. Herbs hung from the ceiling. Books lined every wall.

The woman sat near the fire. "Welcome... to the Other Side."

Clara's heart skipped. She pulled out the book. "You wrote this. You drew the map. Didn’t you?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, child. I did."

Eric’s eyes widened. "Why didn’t you finish it?"

Her gaze turned distant. "Because the wrong hands would use it to burn the world. Only those with true spirit could unlock its secrets. And you did."

Danielle leaned in. "What do you mean by spirit?"

"Only the blood of Neathermore—true descendants—can translate and feel magic instinctively. Maybe you're not just part of the prophecy. Maybe you are the prophecy."

Clara’s heart raced. Her voice cracked. "Then... what do we do next?"

The woman handed them a shimmering pearl and a second map.

"Take this. Find the Temple of the Prophecy. But beware—the golden tablet within will either accept you... or destroy you."

Her voice lowered to a whisper.

"If it rejects you... use the pearl. Escape. Or you will not survive."

The fire crackled. Shadows danced on their faces.

And Clara, sitting on the floor of a hidden hut in a world unknown, stared at the glowing pearl in her palm...

...and realized the journey had only just begun.