AN. Hey everyone, I'm back! This one's for Michelle, who will now be joining us as 'Redheadstonekeeper'. Happy birthday, girlfriend!
Chapter 4They stood there for a time. Then one by one, as if breaking out of a trance, they began to make their way down to the water's edge. Their eyes flicked back and forth, their postures stiff, ready to fight or flee if the need arose.
Luger's gaze, however, remained fixed upon the house, his expression was hard to read. Then he spoke, "I remember this place. We used to live here before our uncle died and we were taken to Valcor. He lived in a hut on the other side of the pond." Trellis nodded in response. Emily tried to picture them growing up in that lake house, but couldn't. It was hard to imagine anyone being able to live here as it was now.
The two older individuals of the group had split off from the rest and where exploring the property while the other three walked further along the shore to stop beneath a lone weeping willow.
It was enormous; four adults with their arms wrapped around only would have encircled half of the trunk. The slender, trailing branches were covered in tiny emerald green leaves that whistled and sighed whenever a breeze came through.
"I was standing here. Right here." Emily turned to look at the prince, curiosity plain on her face. "What are you talking about?" But even as she asked, she guessed the answer.
Trellis continued: "Back when I visited the Void for the first time, I woke up here, covered in bandages." He gestured to the house some distance behind them. "I went outside and saw my younger self fishing under this tree."
He made a hopeless gesture with one hand. "Ah well, it's such a small thing. To be honest, I'm surprised that my brain even bothered." Emily simply shrugged, turning to the pond stretching off into the unknown distance, the curling mist obscuring the distant shore. She frowned.
"What's wrong Emily?" Trellis had noticed the ginger's facial expression and was now wearing one of concern.
"Something isn't right. Can't you tell?" The elf followed her gaze toward the cool grey water. He blinked once, twice, then tilted his head.
"The water. It's too still."
The surface was flawlessly smooth; as still as a pane of glass reflecting their faces back at them.
"Should we tell the others? This could be important." But before Emily could reply, the wolf barked, startling them. The animal was standing between the two glaring out over the mist-cloaked water. His hackles were raised, making him look twice his normal size; his tail was a bottlebrush of alarm; his lips peeled back, revealing deathly white canines in a snarl; a growl as loud as rolling thunder rumbled deep within his chest.
He looked like a monster from the coldest, darkest depths of the underworld but his fury wasn't directed at anything the two stonekeepers could see. Rather at something that they couldn't sense yet.
That's when the cold wind from earlier suddenly roared to life, this time it was much stronger than before; instead of it being a moderate breeze, it was like being hit by a brick wall.
Emily cried out as both she and Trellis were blasted backwards. She slammed into the trunk of the willow and heard a sickening crack. She moaned in pain as her vision blurred and went dark.
AN. Cliffy! I'm so mean to you, i'm sorry but I can't help it. I'm working on the next one and will post it very soon, so don't worry!