Chapter 3: Audowin Fortress

LOUD neighs of horses greeted me as I step on the grass field. Narrowing my eyes, trying to see things from afar, I forced a sigh and wandered my sight on the horses gathered around the large area. Medium tents are erected for the horses' shade. 

Yvonne held my hand and pressed it slightly. "Welcome to Audowin," she said. "We're heading to the Fortress, it's only a 10-minute walk, though. Ready?"

Audowin Fortress. 

I don't have a goddamn idea what that is. A castle? Some sort of a hideout? Headquarters?

I can't deny, this place looks pleasing. Just like the ones in the movies where buildings and houses are made of bricks and stones. Carriages and horses were strolling everywhere instead of modern vehicles. There were also small shops I can't even name, selling weird items. The streets were either so wide or so narrow and for the four of us, we took the dim and narrow one. 

"We don't bite. Don't worry," Exi said behind me. 

Yvonne was still holding my trembling hand while I look at every single thing as we passed by. 

"I don't know you, guys. How can I not worry?" I responded. They saved me from that stinky dungeon, I owe my life to them somehow, but they're still strangers — weird strangers.

Yvonne chuckled. "Just chill. We'll explain everything when we get there."

I nodded in silence and lowered my gaze but before doing so, I looked around and saw the blue-eyed man staring at me. He was the one who said, 'staring is rude' but he kept doing it. Is he nuts?

I sighed and kept myself together. I can't believe I'm letting these strangers take me to somewhere I don't know. 

After several minutes of walking, the three of them stopped, and so did I, but confusion filled my face when I realized this was a dead end. A giant boulder was blocking the alley and I have no idea what's behind it. 

Suddenly, Exi moved closer to the middle and pressed the boulder, or more like he pressed something only himself can see. He stayed in such position for about 10 seconds before his index finger glowed and just that— the boulder crumbled like melted plastic, forming a small passage enough for a person to pass through. 

I stared looking half amazed and half confused on the oval passage. Am I hallucinating? Technology must be a top priority here in Audowin, no doubt. 

"What just happened?"

Yvonne chuckled. "This is our gateway to the fortress," she said. "What you saw earlier is one of the things that we'll explain later."

It didn't help. It sparked up my curiosity even more but I took a deep breath and followed them silently. There's no point in mumbling things for now. 

"AMAZING." It was the only word my mouth could utter as my eyes locked on the silvery castle in front of us. I could imagine my eyes sparkling in amazement with my mouth agape. 

Meters away from where we're at was an enormous castle in silvery-white and metallic blue flags where an emblem can be seen — a winged shield with a huge letter A in the mid part. It wasn't a fairytale-like castle, it was like a warrior screaming elegance and chivalry. 

"We always get that tone of surprise," said Exi beside me. 

I rounded on him. "You live here?"

"No," he said. "We're trainees."

My eyebrows narrowed. "Trainees?"

"Do the small talk later," said the blue-eyed man coldly. He looked at me with a dark expression, "and shut your mouth."

My face crumbled at his remarks. I gritted my teeth and lowered my gaze as heat rushed to my face in humiliation. How dare he? Can't he just consider the fact that this place is a complete mystery to me? What an assh*le.

"Don't mind him," whispered Yvonne and tapped my shoulder. "Come on now."

I rolled my eyes before following her. Don't mind him? Uh-huh, easier said than done. 

I roamed my eyes once more, and the view took the thought of the blue-eyed man off my mind. It was beautiful enough from afar but seeing things up close was beyond amazing. The hallways, as we walked by, was wide enough for 10 people in a row, even it was in silver. The ceiling was high engraved with metallic blue vines swirling across the door and window frames — but what took my attention the most was the silver dagger gleaming and floating inside a transparent glass cube. The sight of it sends shivers and tingling sensations on my insides, and if I'm not mistaken, I have felt a sense of familiarity. 

"Aren't you aware that you're not in your own house?"

The voice knocked me back to reality. Looking puzzled, I hid my hand behind, which was unconsciously reaching for the glass cube. Damn. I didn't realize I was slowly walking towards it! 

"Know your place, lost girl, or you won't survive," said the voice again. 

I turned around and saw a tall woman staring furiously at me. Her eyes were squinting and her eyebrows narrowed. There was an aura of authority surrounding her and my best guess was that she's one of their so-called trainees, too. 

Why do all of them have to feel so intimidating? Geez.

"Sorry," I whispered and moved backwards. 

"The effect of the blade is normal to a girl like her, Astrid, you know that," Exi grimly spoke. 

The girl, Astrid, rolled her eyes on me and walked away. Yvonne and the others followed and so did I. We passed through several doors before reaching the biggest one yet, a wood-looking door made of some sort of metal. No one dared to break the silence, except our footsteps echoing, when we entered. 

I almost jumped in surprise when a face suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of me. "What the hell!" 

It was so close that I could not even recognize it.

The face laughed and I stood still at the sound of it. He seems familiar. Someone I know— my eyes widened. "Kentri?"

"The one and only."

"What? How? Are you—" 

"Welcome to our fortress, Miss Grevett," a baritone voice cut me off. I stared at his masculine physique, from his deep dark eyes, thin smirking lips, blond greasy hair, to his bandaged hand holding a glass of red wine. "I'm Juno of Terralona."

"'King' Juno of Terralona," said Astrid, emphasizing the honorific. 

Out of panic, I bowed down, and it was too late for me to realize that I was the only one who did that. 

"There's no need to bow before me, sweet girl, but I adore your courtesy," the king said. He looked around. "I see you've met Kentri before."

I glanced in Kentri's direction. He grinned and winked. 

The king cleared his throat and walked forwards. "Let us dine first before the long conversation, shall we?" Then, he started walking away in poise. 

The sound of cutleries went down low as we, one by one, finished our meals. There were some foods I can not name and I haven't even touched. I bit my lip and stared at them, who were staring at me, too. 

"How was the food?" asked King Juno.

I smiled. "It was great, majesty."

"Oh," he chuckled, "my pleasure." 

It was followed by an awkward silence. My feet started tapping against the cold marble floor while I wait for any of them to speak up. They shot me with incomprehensible stares and I couldn't help but feel conscious. 

Fortunately, the king must have understood the long pause. He faked a cough and gave an ear-to-ear smile. "Terralona," he said, "is a place where extraordinary things happen."

My mind seemed to stop working as I heard his words. I blinked and jerked my head forward, "Pardon?"

"You heard me right," said the king. "In the dungeon where the Evenfall rescued you, have you noticed nothing?"

Have I?

I stared down at my empty plate, trying to get my brain together. The dungeon... victims... the blind Yvonne... and the mystery of how I got out of that stinky place. I'm not that dumb to not notice anything, but not that stupid to believe those things either. 

"Where am I?" I whispered enough for them to hear. 

The King glanced at Exi and the latter nodded as if staring was their way of communication. Exi, then, rounded on me. "This is a world where people are born with extraordinary abilities, Ms. Despaire Grevett."

My mind went blank. I still don't understand this Terra-world thing that they have been saying since earlier. But in spite of the confusion enveloping me, I stayed silent and wait for him to continue. 

"This is the world that normal people, like you, will never believe — where life does not revolve on humans alone, but legacy and power, and the special abilities we, Terralonians, possess," he paused and looked directly into my eyes. As though he had read my mind, he continued, "To be specific, we aren't just normal humans. We are Terralonians, and are born with a special ability passed from generation to generation to continue our family's legacy."

With no second thoughts, I jumped off my seat and attempted to run but a hand gripped my wrist before I could go any farther. I looked up to see a pair of cold blue eyes staring at me in fury.

"Don't touch me!" I slumped down on the frigid floor and, shaking, I glared at them. "Is this some sort of a practical joke? Just so you, guys, know, I have better things to do with my time than dealing with weirdos like yourselves."

What did they expect? A nod and a hysterical laugh from me? I know something is going shit here but it's just... everything is just impossible. 

A world, they say? More like a place full of strange creatures, humans, for instance. 

"Despaire, you need to calm down first," said Yvonne. "We know this would happen, so I didn't explain everything to you on our way here. Just settle down for a moment. Hear us out." She got up on her seat and helped me rise from the floor. 

"How?" I whispered and gave her a weak smile. "How am I supposed to believe all these? Are you one of them—err weirdos?" 

She sighed, looking apologetic. "Despaire..."

I pulled my hand off her grip and moved backwards. Should I fall for this? I'm not a kid anymore. Magic nor special abilities can't fool me. 

But somehow, this felt real. 

Every bit of it. 

I bit my lip and shot Kentri a perplexed look. He shook his head as if he knew what I was thinking, but it didn't stop me. Slowly, one step after another, I walked backwards. Exi stood up but the king signaled him to stop, and muttered, "Just let her..."

As though air came rushing onto my lungs, I felt the overwhelming feeling of terror and panic. My feet decided to move on their own and I found myself running away from the stares of six strange acquaintances.

Whatever happens, wherever I am, please wake me up from this horrible nightmare.