Chapter 13 #2
Torin stepped next to Ashton. “You’ll lead us to the City of Fire.”
The man trembled as he tilted his head to look at him.
Torin fell behind immediately, probably having noticed that his presence caused discomfort to this man.
Ashton cleared his throat. “We’re going to Tinias, the City of Fire and the North. There lies the fairy castle, home to the fairy King. It's most likely the place where the light witch is imprisoned."
Ashton spoke as if he’d never met my mother before, so I didn’t push him for more answers. I exchanged a glance with Torin and Robert, my heart hammering in my chest at the thought of finally finding my mother.
Crossing the withered field, I wondered if Hayden had already entered the fairy realm. As a cold chill ran down my spine, I glanced back but saw nothing other than the city wreckage. I hoped the demonic-looking gatekeepers of the realm slowed down Hayden’s advance.
As we neared the edge of the forest, a sudden rumble beneath our feet stopped us in our tracks. The small stones jumped when the ground trembled like there was an earthquake.
The earth opened and crumbled as three miniature-sized women emerged from the soil, making me gasp. Their heads reached no higher than my knees.
Flowers decorated their long blonde hair, giving them an angelic, innocent look. Under their thin eyebrows, the women had dark eyes—the white part almost nonexistent. They looked like triplet dolls, beautiful and alluring and perfect.
Except that the auras they radiated caused goose bumps to prick on my neck. Something felt off.
“That’s not good,” Ashton muttered, halting in his tracks, making us stop too. “Dark earth fairies.”
"Can we avoid them?" I asked, my grip tightening around my golden bracelet.
"It won’t work. We must pacify them. These dark earth fairies are unpredictable and dangerous," Ashton said.
But the women were so tiny. Why was Ashton trembling again?
As we cautiously edged forward, I couldn't help but feel my skin crawl as the dark fairies watched our every move, their eyes following us unblinkingly. Now closer, I could sense the malice radiating off them, the power of the corrupted earth element pulsing within them.
My heart pounded. If we couldn’t just walk around, would we have to fight them?
“Tell me more about them, Ashton.”
"These fairies were creatures of life and vitality. They were connected to the earth, responsible for nurturing its growth and maintaining balance. But when the City of Earth was destroyed, their connection became corrupted by dark magic. Now they are vengeful spirits."
“But we didn’t do anything to them,” Robert said in a low voice without disconnecting his gaze from the tiny creatures.
We stepped closer, but I had no idea how to pacify ruthless fairies.
"They blame all those who walk upon their land for the devastation that befell their city. And because of this, they will stop at nothing to seek retribution."
"Try to avoid them,” Torin said, nudging me to walk around the women.
"They are still creatures of the earth. They possess powers linked to the element they represent."
"Are there other types of fairies like them?" I asked.
"Many," Ashton said, nodding. "The fairy realm is home to countless species of fairies, each with their own unique abilities and attributes. Some dwell in forests, while others reside in the depths of the sea or soar high above the clouds."
"Sounds like a fascinating place," Robert murmured, his voice tinged with sarcasm.
"Let's just try to get past them," Torin said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword and the other on the small of my back. "If they attack, we'll defend ourselves."
Ashton shook his head. “Earth is all around us. We can’t avoid the earth spirits.”
As we pressed forward, the faint strains of music weaved their way through the air. It was a beautiful, haunting, and utterly captivating melody, and I finally realized it came from the dark earth fairies.
The strange thing was that the women’s mouths didn’t move, but I was sure the melody emanated from where they were. The song was like a chant—faint as breath, but it rang louder in my ears.
"The melody is that of the fairy musicians. It’s enchanting and deadly,” Ashton said. “They use it to lure unsuspecting travelers into their fairy circles, where they become trapped and eventually succumb to the magic."
"Trapped?" Robert’s gaze snapped to our guide. "What do you mean?"
"Once you step into a fairy circle, you cannot leave unless someone pulls you out," the humpback said, pointing a crooked finger towards the tiny women. "Those who remain within the ring are doomed to become like them."
I finally understood what Ashton was pointing at as numerous mushrooms sprang out of the ground around the women, forming a large circle.
Don’t get inside the mushroom circle.
“Mushrooms are bad news in the fairy realm,” Ashton said, taking a step back.
It sounded as if there was a lot more for us to learn about the fairy mushrooms, but the music distracted us. The alluring melody came out of the bite-size fairies—a bewitching call that pulled us into their circle.
Their dark eyes twinkled as the call of their melody intensified. Flowers decorated their see-through dresses, the straps resting on the sides of their shoulders.
Their magic was strong. The invisible, rhythmic pull drew us toward them. The enchanting sound tugged at the edges of my consciousness, tempting me to step closer, to join their dance and forget everything else.
But although I felt the pull, my legs stood planted on the ground firmly. I realized I had no trouble resisting the fairies’ call, so I glanced at the brothers to check on them. The men’s faces scrunched up in agony as they fought against the allure of the fairy musicians' song.
Robert took several steps forward, but Torin and I immediately leaped to his sides, holding his shoulders. Years of discipline and training must have helped Torin resist the fairies’ call, but Robert seemed more affected.
His hands flew to the sides of his head. “It feels like I have a worm crawling its way into my mind, seeking to control me.”
Torin’s fingers dug deeper into his brother’s shoulder. “Focus on something else, anything to keep your mind from being captured by their song."
Robert’s eyes glazed over, and his body swayed to the rhythm of the music.
"Robert, no," I shouted, reaching out to grab his arm, desperate to prevent him from falling prey to the fairies' deadly enchantment. "Stay with us."
We could use our guide’s help. I looked around for Ashton, but he was nowhere to be found. Twisting my head over my shoulder, I finally spotted him peering from behind a dry tree stump, positioned safely away from us.
Distracted, my grip on Robert must have loosened as he shook me and Torin off, and then he ran toward the fairies. My heart raced as I sprinted toward Torin’s brother.
Robert halted at the edge of the fairy ring, still in a trance. I gasped when the dark earth fairy women reached for him, their delicate fingers inches from his own.
“Robert, no,” I yelled.
Torin, faster than me, passed me and lunged forward, grabbing his brother's arm just as I did the same. Together, we pulled him back from the brink of the circle, away from the fairies' grasp.
The magnetic force of the fairy song tugged at my body, but I walked away from the mushroom circle with ease.
Although it was like an invisible chain, keeping me tethered to the spot, my mind felt clear, and I could control my body.
Was I less susceptible because I was a witch, a part of the elements?
Torin grunted, and I looked at him.
“What do you feel? Can you withstand it?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I can’t really run away, and my energy is rapidly dwindling.”
Gritting my teeth, I looked into Torin's eyes as we continued to hold on to Robert, who was inching past the mushrooms despite our hold on him. For now, Torin’s eyes still looked clear.
Suddenly, the melody playing in my mind became louder. The dark earth fairies’ faces contorted with anger. Their once lovely features became twisted and frightening, lined with wrinkles and dark circles under their eyes.
As the women grew larger, my eyes widened at the sight of their dark, torn, and translucent wings.
The sight filled me with dread as the ring of fairies expanded, the women increasing in size until they stood as tall as I did.
The melody grew louder and more alluring, filling the air with an intoxicating sweetness that made my head spin.
So much for staying unaffected.
I fought against it, but my vision blurred as Torin's brother walked helplessly into the circle of darkness.
The fairy women reached out to him, their slender fingers brushing his skin, which began to turn a sickly shade of gray. Torin’s hands flew to his head, and he hunched over as if in a lot of pain.
A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I swayed as I tried to orient myself to find Ashton.
"Help us, Ashton," I called out to the man.
Wide-eyed Ashton peered from the safety of the stump some distance apart from us. "Once he mates with them, he'll become one of them. There's nothing we can do,” he shouted.
My hands became cold, and my fingertips turned numb.
"Tell us what they want," I said and ground my teeth, watching Robert’s skin change color and his eyes flash.
"Earth holds the mystery of life," Ashton shouted. "It's where life grows and where our bodies go when we die. These fairies were once guardians of that cycle but were cursed with dark magic and corrupted. They're angry, seeking revenge on those who trespass in their realm."
Torin growled, dropping his hands to his sides and clenching his fists. His voice boomed over the music in my head. "We need to save my brother. You better start explaining now."
His eyes flashed crimson as he stared at Ashton in warning. But our guide had frozen, his gaze darting between Torin and the action in the mushroom circle.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped closer to the circle, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head. The fairy women hissed in anger, their dark eyes narrowing as they watched me approach.
The fairies' song intensified, now a violent, harsh cacophony that assaulted my senses. My lungs constricted as I attempted to take my next breath.
The moment I reached to grasp Robert, the women’s hands transformed into twisted claws, and stones materialized in their palms as if summoned from the depths of the earth itself. Without warning, they hurled the stones at Torin and me.
Sharp pain cut through my flesh at my shoulder and legs as a few rocks struck me. I had to dash away from the circle with my hands over my head, dodging the barrage of stones that came flying toward me. Even the ground beneath my feet trembled, as though the fairies were too enraged by us.
I reached Torin. His jaw clenched, and he gripped my wrist and gently pulled me to the stump where Ashton hid.
Releasing me, Torin grabbed Ashton by the collar of his shirt and lifted him into the air. “You better pull yourself together and think of a way to get my brother out of the circle, or I’ll toss you there myself.”