Richard and Aspens lounged on the deck of the ship, the vast ocean stretching endlessly around them. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the bright blue waters. They watched as Zack moved with precision and grace, his swords glinting in the light as he practised his forms.
Aspens shifted her gaze from Zack to Richard, raising an eyebrow. "Who exactly are you fighting out here?" she asked, her tone tinged with curiosity as she folded her arms across her chest.
Zack, pausing mid-strike, glanced over at them with a smile. "No one in particular," he replied honestly, his voice carrying a note of weariness. "Diana's occupied with other matters, so I'm left to train on my own."
Suddenly, Henry burst onto the scene, his face contorted with pain and discomfort. He clutched his stomach tightly as he sprinted across the deck, his footsteps echoing with urgency. Without a word, he staggered to the edge of the ship, doubling over and expelling the contents of his stomach into the ocean below.
Richard watched, a frown deepening on his face. "That's the fourth time," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.
Aspens, leaning against the railing with an air of detached curiosity, shrugged slightly. "Actually, that's the sixth."
Zack, his brow furrowing with concern, set aside his swords and walked over to Henry. "No, that's like the ninth time at least," he said, his tone empathetic as he approached Henry's side.
The teens, sensing the gravity of the situation, followed Zack behind him.
"Are you alright, Henry?" Zack asked, concern evident in his voice as he stood beside him, waiting for him to finish emptying his stomach into the sea.
Henry, still leaning heavily on the railing, shook his head weakly. "N… no. This is why I hate sailing," he replied, his voice strained.
He gazed out at the horizon, his eyes lost in the distance. "Forget this," he muttered with frustration. "We're docking this ship. I see an island."
"What? Docking? We're supposed to head north," Aspens reminded him, her tone reflecting her surprise and concern.
"Shouldn't we inform Miss Diana if we're docking too?" Richard asked hesitantly, his voice almost a whisper.
Henry turned to them, his face a mix of pain and irritation. "I don't care!" he snapped, the force of his voice making the teens flinch.
Zack stepped forward, attempting to diffuse the tension. "Alright, let's see if we can find some garlic or garlic roots on the island," he suggested calmly, offering a reassuring smile.
Henry, still leaning on the railing, looked at Zack with a hint of skepticism. "Garlic?"
"Yes," Zack affirmed with a warm smile. "Garlic can help with seasickness. It works pretty well."
Henry, still feeling unwell, managed a weary nod, hoping that this solution might bring some relief.
✨🌙✨
The ship docked on the sandy shore of the island. Zack, Henry, Aspens, and Richard disembarked and surveyed their surroundings.
Henry, visibly relieved, shouted with enthusiasm, "Yes! Land! I will always love you!" He leapt into the air; his joy unmistakable.
Aspens turned to Richard, her expression one of bemusement. "That's just weird," she muttered, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.
Richard watched Henry with a smile, finding the display endearing despite its oddity.
The team's moment of relief was interrupted when Diana descended from the ship, her face set in a serious expression. "Why the sudden docking?" she demanded, her voice firm and authoritative. "I made it clear that we are heading north. We can't afford delays."
Zack stepped forward, his demeanour calm and composed. "Sorry, Diana. Henry is suffering from severe seasickness. We must find some garlic on this island to help him feel better."
Henry, looking pale and desperate, added, "Please, Diana. I can't stay on the ship any longer."
Diana's stern gaze softened slightly as she took in the urgency of Henry's condition. "Alright," she said after a moment, "We'll find the garlic quickly and get back on course."
Turning to the teens, she gave clear instructions. "Aspens, Richard—you're with Zack. Henry and I will search the other side of the island."
She continued, her tone firm but cautious, "When it gets dark, return to the ship. If we don't find any garlic today, we'll continue searching tomorrow. We don't know what's out here, so we mustn't be caught off guard when the sun sets."
With that, Diana led Henry towards the dense greenery on one side of the island.
"Alright, let's move," Zack said, motioning for the teens to follow him.
✨🌙✨
"We've been searching forever!" Aspens complained, trailing behind Zack and Richard, her frustration growing with each step.
"Richard isn't complaining," Zack replied calmly, glancing back at her.
"Richard is quiet; he doesn't count," Aspens retorted, rolling her eyes as she trudged along.
Suddenly, Richard's eyes lit up, and he pointed ahead. "I see it!" he called out, excitement in his voice as he spotted an open field of crops in the distance.
"Yes, finally!" Aspens exclaimed, grabbing Richard's hand and sprinting towards the field, with Zack following closely behind.
As they reached the edge of the field, Richard, Zack and Aspens quickly began searching through the plants. Aspens' eyes gleamed as she spotted the familiar green shoots of garlic sprouting from the soil.
"Here it is!" she shouted, bending down to start pulling the garlic from the ground.
Zack walked over to Aspens, kneeling beside her to help pluck the garlic. Meanwhile, Richard lingered a few steps back, his eyes scanning the area as he bent down to inspect the surrounding crops.
'This doesn't look like it grew here naturally,' Richard thought, noticing how the plants were meticulously arranged, almost as if someone had tended to them like a garden.
As he observed Zack and Aspens collecting the garlic, a sense of unease grew in his mind. Should he tell them? Richard wondered if he should mention his suspicion that someone might have deliberately planted this garden.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Zack and Aspens each tugged free a bulb of garlic. Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave a loud crack. Before they could react, the earth crumbled away, and both of them plummeted into the darkness below.
"Aspens! Zack!" Richard shouted, his voice filled with panic as he watched them vanish into the hidden cavern, the ground swallowing them up in an instant.
He stood frozen for a moment, his heart racing. Then, gathering his courage, Richard rushed to the edge of the newly formed hole, peering into the shadowy depths where his friends had disappeared.
"Ugh… what just happened?" Aspens groaned, trying to catch her breath as she pushed herself up from the cold, rocky ground.
Zack, wincing as he sat up, glanced around the dimly lit cave. The walls were uneven, and the dim light seeping down from the opening above cast spooky shadows across the cavern.
"Zack, Aspens!" Richard's voice echoed from above, filled with worry. They looked up to see him peering down at them from the edge of the hole.
"Are you alright?" Richard called out; his voice laced with concern. "I'm coming down!"
Aspens and Zack's eyes widened in alarm at his words. "No, don't—" Aspens began to shout urgently, but before she could finish, Richard jumped into the hole and tumbled down into the cave, landing with a thud beside them.
"Are you alright?" Richard asked breathlessly as he scrambled to his feet and moved toward them, seemingly oblivious to Aspens' frustrated expression.
Aspens stared at him in disbelief, her frustration boiling over. "Why would you jump down here with us?" she yelled, grabbing his arm in bafflement. "You could have called Henry and Diana to help us! Why, Richard? Why?"
Richard looked at her, his face flushed with embarrassment and regret. "I just… I didn't want to leave you two down here alone," he stammered.
"Now we're all stuck here!" Aspens snapped harshly, her voice echoing in the cavern. Richard shrank at her tone, visibly affected.
"Hey, that's enough," Zack said firmly, stepping between them. His gaze was steady and warned Aspens to back off. "We need to focus on finding a way out of here, not arguing, kid."
"I'm 13," Aspens muttered, her anger cooling slightly as she shifted her gaze away from Richard.
"And apparently the youngest one here," Zack replied calmly, his voice softening. "Let's work together and figure this out."
Aspens took a deep breath, nodding reluctantly. "Fine."
Zack sighed deeply, thinking to himself, 'Children'.
He moved towards the spot where Richard had landed, spotting sticks of various sizes and weights scattered around.
'At least we have a source of light. This should be enough for the three of us,′ Zack mused as he began to arrange the sticks into a makeshift torch.
Richard and Aspens stood apart from each other, the air between them charged with awkward tension. Richard glanced at Aspens, a wave of self-reproach washing over him. 'Great job, Richard. You've messed up your first mission,′ he thought bitterly, his gaze shifting uneasily towards her.
Aspens caught his stare, her brow furrowing in confusion as their eyes met. She opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure of how to address the situation.
Richard quickly averted his eyes, focusing on Zack as he worked. His discomfort was palpable, and he tried to hide it by pretending to be absorbed in the task at hand.
"Get some leaves for me," Zack commanded, sensing the lingering tension between Richard and Aspens. His tone was firm, aiming to refocus their energy on the task at hand.
Both Richard and Aspens nodded and set off to gather dry leaves from their surroundings.
✨🌙✨
The team ventured deeper into the cave, their torches casting flickering shadows on the walls.
"Do you know where we're going?" Aspens asked Zack, her voice calm but with a hint of weariness. She trailed behind him, clearly struggling to keep up.
"Yes," Zack replied, though the word felt hollow as he glanced around the dimly lit cavern.
Aspens let out a sigh and sat down abruptly, clearly exhausted. "Can we rest for a bit?" she asked, her voice strained.
Zack hesitated before nodding. "Sure." He watched as Aspens took out her water jar and drank deeply, grateful they had brought enough supplies.
Ahead of them, Richard, who was holding a torch, stopped and fidgeted.
"Where are you going, Richard?" Zack asked.
"I need to pee," Richard replied eagerly, glancing back with a sheepish smile.
Zack frowned. "Do you need me to come with you?"
Richard shook his head. "No, I can manage on my own," he said, his tone defensive. "I'm old enough to handle it."
As Richard wandered off, Zack turned his attention back to Aspens, who was trying to catch her breath.
As Richard wandered back, Zack refocused on him, his expression puzzled.
"Zack?" Richard called out, his voice low and urgent.
Zack shifted closer to Richard, lowering his voice. "Do you need help with your... issue?"
Richard shook his head, looking embarrassed. "No! You two need to see this."
Zack raised an eyebrow but nodded, his curiosity piqued. He walked over to Aspens, tapping her lightly on the shoulder to get her attention.
✨🌙✨
As they followed Richard, Aspens, still catching her breath, noticed something that made her gasp softly. "Oh, my goodness," she murmured.
Before them lay a sprawling civilization, a striking contrast to the cave's oppressive darkness. The settlement was a vibrant, bustling community. Houses made from bamboo, sticks, logs, and leaves were scattered around, blending seamlessly with the lush surroundings. The area was alive with activity—men, women, and children moved about comfortably, their daily lives unfolding in this hidden haven. The scene was illuminated by a warm glow from lanterns and candles, casting a soft light over the settlement and enhancing its enchanting, almost magical appearance.
"There are people living down here," Zack said aloud, his voice filled with relief.
"Thank goodness. I need food," Aspens muttered to herself, her exhaustion clear.
"We should go and ask them for help," Zack suggested, starting towards the settlement with Richard trailing behind him.
As Zack ventured deeper into the community, the people began to stare at them with growing fear. They hurried into their homes, their expressions a mix of panic and confusion.
"Huh? They seem scared," Aspens whispered to Zack.
Without warning, Zack was tackled to the ground by two men, their movements swift and aggressive. Aspens and Richard's eyes widened in shock.
"Hey! Stop that!" Aspens shouted, rushing to help Zack, only to be held back by another man.
Aspens turned, only to see that Richard had also been tackled and restrained.
"Great," Aspens muttered, frustration evident in her voice. "Today just keeps getting worse."
✨🌙✨
The team found themselves confined in a small hut made of bamboo and leaves. The interior was furnished with makeshift chairs and tables. Men and women sat on these seats, their eyes fixed with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on the team bound in the centre of the hut.
In the middle of the room, a larger, more decorated chair stood elevated, clearly reserved for someone of significance.
Aspens, her face flushed with frustration, glared at the onlookers as she struggled violently against her ropes. "You'd better let us go!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls of the hut.
"That explains the garden," Richard muttered with a sigh.
"What garden?" Zack asked, puzzled.
"The field of crops we saw on the Islands—it wasn't natural. Someone must have been tending to it for years," Richard explained quietly.
"You knew about this all along and didn't say anything?" Aspens shouted, her frustration boiling over despite the watching crowd.
"A lot happened. I... I forgot," Richard stammered, trying to justify himself.
"Damn it, Richard!" Aspens snapped, her anger evident.
"Enough!" Zack barked, his voice sharp and commanding. The force of his tone made both Richard and Aspens flinch. Aspens' eyes widened in shock, her mouth falling open as she stared at Zack, stunned by his sudden outburst. Richard's face turned a deep shade of red, his eyes downcast, a mix of embarrassment and shame evident in his expression. The intensity of Zack's voice had silenced their argument, leaving them both visibly shaken and regretful.
An elderly man entered the hut, his presence commanding attention. Zack's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp and calculating as he observed the newcomer. The man walked past the bound team and settled into the ornate, decorated chair in the centre of the room.
"So, trespassers," the elderly man began, his voice steady and authoritative. "What brings you to our village?"
"We're trapped in these caves," Zack replied calmly, his voice measured despite the situation. His eyes swept around the room, assessing the strength and positions of the men present, silently formulating a plan for escape or confrontation.
The elderly man's gaze shifted to Richard and Aspens, who were watching in silence, their expressions a mix of apprehension and curiosity.
"You two," the elderly man said with a knowing smile, "are magic users, aren't you?"
Aspens, swallowing her nervousness, met the elderly man's gaze. "You're from the West like me," she replied, her comment subtly affirming his assumption about their abilities.
A murmur spread through the room at Aspens' words, the villagers exchanging glances of intrigue and surprise.
The elderly man's eyes twinkled with approval. "And you also seem skilled in aura reading. It's good to see our culture hasn't entirely faded," he said, clearly impressed.
He then turned his attention to Richard. "You, the Southerner," he said with a penetrating look, "you can see visions, can't you?"
Richard nodded shyly, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and acknowledgement. "Yes," he admitted softly.
"Amazing. Release the teenagers," the elderly man commanded.
As the men began to unravel the ropes binding Aspens and Richard, Aspens glanced at the elderly man. "What about Zack?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"The no-magic user," the elderly man said with disdain, his voice carrying a note of bitterness. "The same kind of people who drove my ancestors into these caves."
Richard stood up; his hands now free. "He's a good person, sir," he said earnestly. "He helped us."
"Yes," Aspens added, moving to stand beside Richard. "He promised he would do everything in his power to ensure the freedom of my people."
The room fell into thoughtful murmurs as the villagers' exchanged looks. Aspens turned to Zack, offering him a reassuring smile. Zack met her gaze and returned the smile, a silent exchange of mutual support and understanding.
"We wouldn't have travelled with him if we didn't trust him," Richard spoke up firmly.
"If you two feel that way, then release him," Eldrin said with a nod.
As Zack's bonds were removed, he stood calmly, meeting Eldrin's gaze with a gesture of gratitude. "Thanks."
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Eldrin," the elderly man said, offering a formal introduction.
Eldrin approached Zack with measured steps, his gaze steady. "How do you plan on helping our people?" he inquired, his voice carrying a tone of genuine interest.
"Well," Zack began, gathering his thoughts, "my team and I are planning to travel back to the North to settle there and make some plans with the help of Richard's visions."
"We're also waiting on a group of friends," Aspens interjected abruptly, cutting Zack off.
"Where are they?" Eldrin asked, curiosity evident as he returned to his seat.
"They infiltrated an island in the middle of the map—a place known for its magic users," Zack explained.
"Oh," Eldrin said thoughtfully. "They are in King Ronan's land."
"King Ronan?" Aspens asked, her interest piqued.
"Yes," Eldrin replied. "King Ronan rules over the Islands. I admire his dedication, but he is somewhat sociopathic. His methods are often ruthless."
"To put it simply," Eldrin continued, "I do not like him. He wanted my people to move to his lands, but I don't trust him with them."
Zack and Aspens froze at Eldrin's comments, their thoughts immediately drifting to their friends who were currently in King Ronan's territory.
"Before we proceed further," Eldrin said, shifting his focus, "what are Richard's visions telling us?"
Richard took a deep breath before speaking. "I saw a woman seeking help from a goddess."
"A goddess?" Eldrin's interest was clearly piqued. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"Yeah, Richard believes that's where our powers originated—from a single lady. It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?" Aspens said, glancing at Richard.
"Actually, he's right," Eldrin said, his tone suddenly serious.
Aspens froze, chuckling awkwardly, not expecting the confirmation. "So, you're saying...?"
"I see that you two may know how to use your powers," Eldrin continued, his voice firm, "but you have no idea of their origin."
"Goddess Hecate, the goddess of the moon and spirits," Eldrin revealed, causing the teens and Zack to nod slowly as they processed the information.
"The woman who is likely communicating with Hecate is a Northerner," Eldrin explained. "They are the ones who possess the ability to speak with spirits."
"So, going to the North is useful," Zack said in relief, feeling more confident in their mission.
"Yes," Eldrin affirmed, "but although the visions point to Northern powers, the ability to speak with Hecate is nearly impossible. Such a connection can drain or even kill someone from speaking to a spirit of that level."
"Oh," Zack replied, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"Maybe the other visions can help me piece this together properly," Eldrin said, turning his gaze to Richard. "What else did you see?"
"I had another vision of a black dog and a woman named Emily," Richard said shyly, embarrassed by his memory lapse. "But I can't recall much about the woman."
"Memories? You're suffering from memory loss?" Eldrin exclaimed in shock. "That complicates things. The black dog, though—black dogs are common companions to Hecate, and that's all I know."
"And Emily? A woman, you say? Too bad you forgot the vision about her," Eldrin sighed, frustration evident in his voice.
"Actually, Emily's a Northerner," Zack interjected. "She's one of my friends currently residing on King Ronan's Island to gather intel."
Before Eldrin could respond, Aspens quickly added, "I want to mention something else." She glanced at Zack and then back at Eldrin. "I've never seen a Northerner before, but Emily's aura is the strongest I've ever encountered. Is it normal for Northerners to have such a powerful aura?"
Eldrin's eyes widened at her comment, his lips curling into a smile. "No, it's not normal for them to have such an aura," he said, clearly impressed. "If what you're saying is true, it could mean Emily is the only one who can communicate with Hecate."
"Okay, we might understand Richard's vision now," Zack said, his tone thoughtful. "But we still need to wait for the others to see what information they've gathered from the King."
Eldrin leaned forward, curiosity in his eyes. "Why exactly did you all infiltrate the islands? What makes you so suspicious of him?"
"Well, he's been hiring assassins to eliminate people," Aspens replied, her voice steady but laced with concern.
"And he's been attacking villages around the region," Richard added, shifting uncomfortably in his feet, his legs pressed together slightly.
"We also suspect he's the cause of the environment withering everywhere," Zack continued. "We believe he's got a much bigger plan in motion."
"Wow!" Eldrin exclaimed, genuinely impressed. "We've been hidden away from the rest of the land and regions, so I had no idea all this was happening. I met Ronan a few years ago, and he would occasionally send some of his people here to interact with us. He's been persistent in trying to convince us to join him."
"I... I..." Richard stammered, his face growing redder with each passing second. The others turned to him, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern. "I really have to pee," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, his legs pressed tightly together in embarrassment.
Zack couldn't help but smile. "Go ahead, Richard."
Eldrin chuckled lightly as he stood up from his seat. "We're done anyway, so leav—"
But before he could finish, Richard bolted out of the hut, not wasting a second.
Eldrin watched him go; eyebrows raised in mild amusement. "Does he even know where he's going?" he wondered out loud.
Aspens shook her head with a smirk, a mix of fondness and disbelief in her expression.
✨🌙✨
Aspens sat in front of a hut; her eyes wide with awe as she watched the people around her going about their lives. She marvelled at the different auras surrounding each person, her curiosity piqued as she tried to discern their origins.
From a distance, Zack spotted Aspens and approached her with a quiet, steady stride. He sat down beside her without a word, then greeted her softly, "Hey, kid."
Aspens frowned. "I'm not a—" she began, then sighed, "Whatever."
Zack noticed the wonder in her eyes as she took in the scene. "You seem to like this place," he observed.
Aspens nodded, her excitement bubbling over. "I've never seen so many magic users in one place before. Most of them seem to be Westerners."
Zack smiled a touch of pride in his voice. "In time, magic users will be everywhere."
"True," Aspens agreed, her eyes suddenly narrowing as she noticed the heavy bag Zack was carrying. "What's inside the bag?" she asked, curiosity lacing her tone.
Zack gave her a knowing smile. "We'll have to wait for Richard first."
"Here he comes," Aspens pointed out, noticing Richard approaching them awkwardly.
"Um, sorry about that," Richard said shyly, his cheeks still tinged with embarrassment.
"It's fine. Nature calls." Aspens teased, causing Richard's face to turn an even deeper shade of red.
Zack stood up more slowly, giving them both a reassuring nod. "Eldrin gave you two some books and scrolls to study. They should help with your magic—especially with the memory problems, Richard."
"Nice!" Aspens exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.
✨🌙✨
"It's nighttime, and they're still not here!" Diana shouted, her voice tinged with panic as she and Henry stood at the beach dock, anxiously waiting in front of the ship.
"Should we go search for them?" Henry asked, his concern evident.
"Wait, I think I see them," Diana said, her tone shifting to relief as she spotted silhouettes with torches approaching. She ran towards them, with Henry quickly following.
"Where have you been?" Diana called out, rushing to embrace the teenagers tightly.
"Huh?" Aspens said, taken aback by the sudden show of affection.
"We fell into a cave," Zack explained.
"What?" Henry said, his eyes widening in shock.
"Yes, and there's a civilization of magic users living down there," Aspens added, breaking free from Diana's hug along with Richard.
"It was really beautiful," Aspens continued, her awe evident.
"They've probably been hidden here for decades to avoid being hunted," Richard said, admiration in his voice.
"They hid well," Diana said, clearly impressed.
"And we brought back the garlic," Zack said, causing Henry's smile to widen.
"Also, we gathered some information about the island and Emily," Zack's comment piqued Diana and Henry's curiosity as they both looked at him, eager to know more.
"Okay, everyone, into the ship. It's time to go," Diana commanded, her authoritative tone back in place