The Crijan Kingdom Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Fairbell, Pennsylvania

            Time seemed to stand still as Sophia looked at the portal and felt at peace looking at it. She glanced at her and could tell that her companions were excited to go home finally which made her a bit anxious. Sophia’s thoughts started to get scattered with the fear of meeting her mother. What if I am not what she wanted? Am I good enough? These questions kept building with the anticipation. While she stood there Zeke and Kellan debated on the best tactical advantage of who should walk through and in what order due to the portal on the other side was not guarded and was made a few day journey from Aecrasos, therefore, they needed to take precautions.

    “I think I should go through first.” Zeke stated, “It makes more sense because once I am through I can shift and stand guard while the other three follow with you close behind.”

             “No, your shifting ability would not benefit them if you sense danger and can’t speak it to them. I am more skilled with my blade and arrow. Plus I can talk words if danger is near.” Kellan said sarcastically. He already distasted the fact that he had to follow in flank all the way to this point. It was time for him to lead as he was trained too. 

             “Listen to you stupid fae. You maybe...” but before Zeke could finish his sentences howling noises surrounded them. “We have company.” He chimed in with a laughing tone to his voice. A fight was just what his was itching for, and if he couldn’t snap at the warrior fae, he would gladly take some chunks out of a no real dark knight. Standing on his heels, he felt the urge to shift but knew he had to concentrate on what he needed to be.

            Startled by the oncoming threat Kellan accessed the problem quickly. Looking at the three ladies, he spoke to them as softly yet commanding as possible. “We need you three to stay as close to that portal as possible.” Then he focused his attention towards Sophia “If either one of us yells goes, you all go through that portal. It will remain open for five minutes after you walk through. As soon as it senses you, it will only remain open for five minutes. That should give us the time we need to get through to you.” After he said that he looked towards Janet and asked: “Should anything go wrong, do you remember your way around the Eastern Whispering Forest?”

            Janet listened intently to his instructions and answered his questions quickly “Yes, I still remember the lay of the land there. It was my home for many years, young one.” Smiling she reached for around for both of the girl’s hands and walked to the old oak, behind their two guards. “This is the most exciting adventure I have had in many years,” Janet said with a whimsical thrill in her voice. She used to have a love for adventure always out in the forests and caves that flanked each side of Aecrasos day in and out, often sneaking out with Arwen in their youth.

             “Hey, where is your sense of adventure?” Clair asked in a mocking tone to Sophia with a twinkle in her eyes. The two of them have been friends ultimately since birth and always talked about traveling to far off destinations full of adventure and now the time to do so has arrived.

             Sophia rolled her eyes at her best friend, of course, she would find a silver lining amidst all of this craziness. “Oh, I am sorry I forgot to pack it in my bag before we left.” She replied sarcastically laughing with Clair. She always knew when to use humor to distract Sophia from matters that could cause her high stress, and it made her grateful that she was going to be on this journey with her. Suddenly the laughter between them came to a halt when the noise of the enemy began the approach. She looked at the two men standing in front of them waiting to protect them from whatever made their way to them. It seemed as though even when they can’t hold each other the one thing they were willing to do together was to defend them and fight.

             “Well, well, well what do we have here?” a loud husky voice asked behind the thin line of trees ahead of them. His voice alone struck a nerve in Sophia that made her blood run cold. Frantically looking to see if she could find the man who said this he stepped out into the clearing. “It’s funny is it not, years of failed searching due to your protections spells, yet these two idiots never thought of cloaking themselves.” He said tauntingly. Sophia couldn’t help but to observe the man for he was strikingly handsome with his high cheekbones, silver hair and bright sea green eyes, it would make even a nun look twice. If it weren't for the fact that he had a smug look on his face and radiated darkness from his presence, she would be enchanted by him.

            As the mysterious man was daunting them, his companions took advantage of the lack of attention and made their way into the small clearing from the left, and right sides were nearly surrounding the small group. When Sophia finally noticed them, she started to panic and count in her head how many henchmen there was total. “Okay, so there are three men on the left, and two men and a woman on the right. Hmmm what is that behind mystery man?” she thought to herself. Suddenly the creatures behind him showed themselves.

            Startled she gasped “Oh my God those are Panthers.” She stated in a tone that made her the target of everyone’s eyes and a laughter of snickers rang through the air rising from the enemies. She slowly backed up wishing she could shrink in size and hide from the glares she received. As a natural reflex to calm her nerves, she grabbed Janet’s hand and squeezed tightly for a sense of comfort.

            Kellan stepped forward with his chest pushed out and his shoulders back he looked like he should have been a Roman Gladiator ready for battle. He looked at the fae in front of him and shook his head “I would never have thought you of all others would be a traitor Rein Trodor” He said with disappointment filling his voice. He was aware that many of the fae guards and people alike were changing sides in fear of the dark Queen succeeding in her plan or because she was holding members of their family hostage so they would do her bidding with the promise of their return.

            “It’s been a long time Janet, I am sorry it has come to this.” He spoke in an almost hypnotizing voice ignoring everyone around but her.

              Janet, could help but feel the pull on her heart as he talked to her, but those days were gone and they have chosen their sides. Standing proudly with a strength in her voice she spoke to Rein “We knew one day, this time, would come. Get on with it.” As she finished the last words her hands clasped together and in the blink of an eye, there were five more Janet’s standing around the girls.

            “Um, Holy Crap,” Sophia stated staring at all the multiple aunts surrounding her. She was shell shocked at the fact that this was even happening in the first place. “I am going crazy. There is no other possible explanation than the fact that I am hallucinating all of this.” Sophia thought to herself. Breathing in and out to try and calm her nerves she just couldn’t take in all of this at one time.

             Rein exhaled forgot how amazing it was to see Jan in action and mentally kicking himself for not thinking about her ability to create multiple illusions of whatever she wanted. “I see you still have your old tricks up your sleeves, sweetheart… Too bad, they won’t be able to save you or the Princess.” Then with a wave of his hand chaos exploded in the small opening of the woods.