The Forgotten Queen

Into The Black Mist

The sun's warmth glazed the lands in the early morning. The camp was in a buzz as everyone prepared for today's mission. They chatted and laughed, preparing the magic wagon.

"This is my color!" Aiden said excitingly as he approached Sara and Isla.

They all wore black, as advised by Kai. The Mist Voyagers wore black from head to toe. This helped them hide within the mist and not get any notice from the shadow beasts.

Sara rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance, looking down at her black clothing. She pouted her lips and snapped her gaze at Isla. "Black is not my color," she said.

Isla giggled, staring down at her black clothing. At this time, this was her first time dressing in all black. But in her past life, she recalled wearing a black dress for King Vincent's funeral.

A smile graced Isla's lips. Isla snapped her gaze up, hearing Sara and Aiden's sudden laughter.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she giggled after seeing a clearly upset Edward. Edward's lips slightly pouted as he hated his clothing. His long snow-white hair braided down his back as he could not allow his hair out.

Edward looked good in the new look, but he did not find it suitable. "Let's not talk about this," Edward said.

"Awww, are you that upset?" Sara asked, childishly pouting her lips.

Aiden threw his head back and laughed loudly. Edward glared at Aiden, who ignored Edward's heated gaze and continued to laugh. Edward narrowed his gaze at Sara, biting her lips and looking away.

Isla giggled, approaching Edward and smiling warmly at him. "How are you, Edward?" Isla asked, biting her lower lip, trying not to laugh.

Edward sighed and cleared his throat. "I am well, Your Grace..."

"You look good in black," she giggled.

He smiled tightly and clearly did not like that he was wearing black.

"LOOKING GOOD!" Kai said.

He approached the group, coming behind Edward, and stood beside him. Kai grinned ear to ear at Isla. "Good morning, Isla," he said with a wink.

"Good morning, Kai," Isla said, smiling warmly.

Kai smirked, puffing his chest, and placed his hands on his hips. He glanced around the group, seeing everyone was ready for the mission. "We will be taking one magic wagon programmed to return once attacked..." Kai said.

"To minimum any casualties, I decided to keep this small. Meaning it is just the five of us." Kai continued, "It is an in and out situation."

"The five of us?" Aiden asked, stepping forward.

Kai glanced at Aiden and smirked. "Yes... His Holiness thought it wise to just have close members to Her Grace. Edward and I would watch the front as you, Sir Aiden, and Sara would be back."

"Wait! We're at the back!?" Sara asked. Her eyes widened, and she glanced at Edward and Kai. Edward nodded, and she stomped her feet, whining under her breath. "I don't want to be at the back!"

One of the voyagers approached Kai. She bowed at Isla and Edward, then resumed to hand Kai a wooden box. He muttered a 'thank you' as she walked away. "Please wear this crystal. They help the camp monitor our movement within the mist," he said as he opened the box, revealing midnight blue crystals.

"Keep them on you at all times."

Kai hands each one of them a crystal. Sara took her crystal, narrowed her gaze, then glanced back at Kai. "So, if I get lost, you use it to track me down?" Sara asked.

Everyone turned the gaze to Kai, who remained silent. He grinned awkwardly, staring back at all four pairs of eyes. His lips slightly lowered, he loudly cleared his throat, then smiled again. "Follow me!" he said.

He swiftly turned on his heels and walked away. Before placing it around his neck, Edward tied a brown rope around the crystal. He helped Isla with her crystal, making the same simple necklace, and put it on her neck. They followed behind Kai as a confused Sara glanced at the crystal, then Kai's back.

"What about my question?" Sara asked, glancing at Aiden.

Aiden looked away and shrugged his shoulders. He slipped his crystal into his pocket as he followed behind. Sara, still confused, stood frozen on the spot. She sighed, rolling her eyes and pouting her lips. "As long as I have a teleportation spell, I think I will be good..." Sara muttered to herself.

Sara rolled her eyes, creating a pin for the crystal, and slipped it on her hair as she followed.

They approached the magic wagon. The wagon looked like a simple, four-wheeled wagon with a champagne silky-lace bonnet. At first glimpse, it seems like an ordinary wagon, but it was heavily armed in magic. The bonnet acts as a shield, but if it fails, a light shines to frighten Shadow Beasts but can only be used once.

Loud, powerful thumps catch Isla, Aiden, and Sara's attention. They glanced over in the direction, seeing an armed covered horse. However, this was not a horse.

It was an enchanted armed horse. It was created to pull the wagon and transform into a warrior and fight alongside the travelers.

"That is my new friend..." Sara said under her breath. Both Isla and Aiden heard her, glancing at Sara, who grinned ear to ear. She sensed their gaze and snapped her gaze over at her. "Don't judge me!" she said.

Isla chuckled, and Aiden rolled his eyes. "Sadly, you are at the back with me, and your 'new friend' would be in the front," Aiden said with a chuckle.

Sara's grin dropped, and a pout returned on her lips. Isla giggled, stepped forward, and took Sara's hand. "You still have me," she said with a warm smile.

"Wow, how lucky am I?" she asked jokingly.

Isla rolled her eyes and laughed, pulling Sara into an embrace. Sara squealed, trying to tear away from my embrace until she gave up. Isla tightly embraced Sara, then Sara hugged Isla back as she tried pulling away.

The girls pulled away from their embrace and watched camp members prepare the wagon. The enchanted horse was attached to the wagon, and the magic was strong.

"We must ensure that Her Grace is unharmed within the mist," Edward said to Kai as they approached the wagon.

"Do not worry about that. You are not the only one reminding me about the importance of this task," Kai said, glancing over at Edward.

They stared at each other in silence. Both Kai and Edward knew their duties to the kingdom. They glanced over their shoulders, seeing Isla joking with Sara.

"I am a Blaise, fire clan, and never forget that," Kai said, turning to Edward. He grinned ear to ear, then walked ahead.

Edward sighed. "He may be like his father, but I see his scheming mother..." he whispered, then turned to the trio. "Sir Aiden, Sara, ready yourselves at the wagon," he said.

Both Aiden and Sara rolled their eyes. Sara groaned loudly as they walked towards the wagon. Once they were away, Edward turned his attention to Isla, who approached him.

Edward smiled warmly at Isla, and she smiled back. He noticed Isla's sword on her side and pointed at it. "Are you sure you wish to bring that?" he asked.

Isla glanced down at her sword, then scoffed under her breath and rolled her eyes. "You worry too much..." she chuckled and placed her hand on it. "I feel safe with this by my side, and you have seen my skills. I can handle things."

"I just worry you will upset the spirits."

"How can I upset them?" she asked, tilting her head.

Edward sighed deeply, then took both Isla's hands. He held them, staring down at her palms. "Let the fire within burning, remember the earth beneath as the wind carries you and flow like water into the world of spirits..."

"With the gods' guidance, I shall carry the honor..." Isla whispered, staring down at her palms.

"Let it be," Edward said, and Isla lifted her head and stared into his eyes.

"Let it be..." she whispered.

Aiden could not help but watch from afar. His brows furrowed, wondering what Edward and Isla were saying to each other. It looked to be a prayer being made between the two. However, he was uncertain, and he went back to his task.

Once Edward and Isla joined the group, everyone entered the wagon. Kai reminded everyone of their positions and rules.

The wagon drove towards the edge of the Black Mist. Everyone seated in the back leaned forward and stared intensely. Their heartbeat increased as the enchanted horse disappeared into the mist, dragging the wagon.

Isla clenched her eyes closed as they entered. The hairs on her skin jumped, feeling a cool breeze caress her face. Isla's ears peaked, hearing Sara squeal and hearing her whisper. She hesitantly opened her eyes, seeing the fog before them.

"How can one see?" Isla asked, narrowing her gaze to pierce through the thick fog.

She flinched slightly as fiery orange light appeared before them. The small light barely lit the path but was helpful to the travelers.

"We manage..." Kai muttered, keeping his gaze on the road.

Isla observed the small lantern as their wagon passed the lantern. Another lit up ahead and glanced over to the back of the wagon--the first lantern's light faded away.

"Silence from onwards..." Kai said.

The traveling group nodded in silence. Everyone kept their guard as the wagon traveled farther into the Black Mist. Eyes watched their adventure into the strange lands as they quietly watched out for the Shadow Beasts.

Sara yawned as her eyelids grew heavy, staring at nothingness. Aiden, too was bored but kept his guard up. Even though they had been traveling for hours, nothing happened.

Aiden could not help but wonder if the beasts within the mist were nothing more than myths.

Suddenly the wagon stopped. Both Aiden and Sara glanced at each other in confusion, then at the front. Edward and Kai were tense, narrowing their gaze to their sides. Isla leaned forward, seeing nothing back in the black mist.

"Do you see something?" she asked in a whisper.

Kai remains silent as a dark cloud catches his attention. He stared tensely at it while his hand slowly moved to his sword. Once his hand touched his sword, the dark cloud moved to lunge towards the wagon.

A gusty beast attacked, and Kai jumped to protect the group. His sword swiftly cut through the broad beast from front to back.

Kai's feet landed on the ground, and the beast's halves fell behind Kai. Isla gasped, staring wide-eyed at the lifeless creature. The black-gray skin creature, its talons pointing in Isla's direction as black blood flowed into a pool.

Isla felt chills, noticing the creature had no eyes and mouth opened, showing its sharpened fangs.

A chilling howl echoed through the black fog, causing everyone to take arms and ready themselves. Kai lifted his sword and stood prepared to fight. "Get ready!" Kai said.

Aiden summoned his shadow sword, and Edward and Sara readied their magic. Isla drew her sword and wanted to jump out of the wagon, but Edward stopped her. He shook his head.

"Stay..." he whispered.

Isla furrowed her eyebrows and remained silent, knowing this was not the time to argue. Aiden, Sara, and Edward stepped out of the wagon. Aiden and Sara kept their guard at the back as Edward and Kai guarded the front.

Growls and snarls rumbled within the shadows, roaming around the wagon. Kai took a deep breath and glared at the dark clouds. A roar echoed, and the horde of beasts busted out of the shadow, lifting their talons.

Isla clenched her sword, watching over everyone's back as they fought against the Shadow Beasts. The wagon shook, causing Isla to stumble and frown in confusion. The wagon shook again, and she stumbled until she ran out of the wagon.

Her sword drawn, she was ready to fight as the mist engulfed her.