Chapter 3

The faires stood in front of the tree; Mamock, watching the fragile human girl sleep.  "Are you sure she'll agree to this burden?" one of the faires asked.

"She has to, It's hard but she has to" mamock replied her

"What if she doesn't? What happens then?"

"I don't think I have to answer that because, deep down you know the answer" everyone looked down in sadness, doubt and fear clouding their minds. 

"I'll return to my root now, y'all should go to sleep. Tomorrow is another day" they all nodded and went their separate ways, leaving Elle to her beauty sleep.

—————

The students sat up while holding their head and groaning, "where the fuck am I?" One of them asked, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness surrounding him.

"All of us are here?" One of them asked shakily

"What are we all doing here?, How did we get here?" 

"Last thing I remember is trying to get the clue and falling into a ditch" 

"Same here" they all replied and they started piecing everything together and their eyes widened, they all immediately managed to scoot closer to each other in the darkness and hold each other's hand.

"You guys, I hope my theory isn't correct" one of them said in a shaky voice.

"If your theory is that the school lured you to the camp, set up the treasure hunt as a trap to drag you down here, then you are absolutely correct!" A low rough voice said to them, the dungeon immediately lit up right after the voice spoke but the person's face is covered. 

"But why?" One of the students managed to ask.

——————

Elle woke up and stretched with a smile on her face, she had a very beautiful and peaceful sleep  "I see you are awake" someone said and Elle jumped up startled, she looked around for the source of the voice and it's Mamock

"It wasn't a dream afterall" Elle said, disappointment and sadness thick in her voice. She honestly hoped that everything she witnessed yesterday was a dream

"Sadly, it isn't. You can wash your face with the water in lake so I can show you around in this realm" Elle nodded and did as she was told reluctantly

"Where are we going to?"

"Around" Mamock answered curtly, purposely avoiding eye contact.

Elle noticed her not so subtle act and continued her questions"Can't you just tell me the exact place?" 

"I'm taking you to see the creatures" mamock said and Elle immediately halted, she's so not ready to meet creatures that can harm her in this messed up realm especially when she doesn't think she'll accept whatever task they are placing on her.

"Why do I have to see them?" Mamock sighed and turned towards her

"I have to introduce you to them, as the life force" Elle shook her head stubbornly at the explanation

"Can't you summon them, like let them come here or something why do I have to go" she asked. 

"Because!" She sighed and reduced her voice "you are not going to meet everyone, just those in charge of taking care of the realm" mamoock explained but Elle was already trembling slightly "Don't be scared Elle they won't hurt you, they have been waiting for you" she said tenderly

"Then why can't they come see me instead? if they have been waiting for me they should have come to see me" Mamock's eyes darkness in annoyance. 

"There's something called respect little one!, You are not doing them any favour. Now be a respectful little girl and follow me" Elle tried to defend herself but seeing the angry look on mamock's face she quickly shut up and followed her.

Mamock felt bad for lying and shouting at the girl. Yes, some of the higher ups have been waiting for her, but this particular person she's going to meet isn't; he believed she'll be just like her predecessor but she knows it's not true, the little girl radiates innocence

"I'm sorry for yelling earlier, I just needed you to behave" she apologized, Elle looked at her and nodded

"I understand"

"We'll be going to the wolf pack first, the pack is closer"

"That's okay but I have a question" 

"Go on"

"How are you able to transport I mean you are a tree and trees don't move" Elle asked nervously, wondering if she asked something stupid and annoying but instead she heard mamock let out a little laugh. 

"You should know nothing is normal here Elle, I can transport because I can stretch my roots and turn it in any direction I want" she explained with amusement dancing in her eyes at the impressed look on Elle's face

"That's cool"

"We are here" mamock said, suddenly nervous because she doesn't know how the wolves, especially him will react to Elle's presence.

Elle noticed the change in the tree's mood but she just decided it's her switching to a professional mood or something and followed her inside, expecting to see houses or something but instead she saw trees lined up and a huge brown wolf came out growling.

She quickly clinged to the tree, "take me to Rus" mamock ordered but the wolf just growled  "now!" She ordered and the wolf whimpered and turned around 

"Let's go" she said gently to the shocked Elle

And soon they were moving in between the huge trees that lined up and they soon stopped in front of a half wolf half human, he has the structure of a human but had furs covering his entire body and he has claws instead of hands. Elle guessed he's the alpha because of the amount of power radiating from him.

"Rus" the tree called out as a greeting

"Mamock, what brings you here and who is this little one" his voice rumble and Elle looked at him shocked, it can talk? Ha! Obviously, this realm is abnormal.

"This is Elle and I'm here to introduce you to her. She's the one born with the life force, she's here to help" mamock said as calmly and as confidently as she can, hoping that Rus doesn't hate her or anything but when she saw his eyes darken and saw him stand to his full size, she sighed.

"The one with the life force!? And you brought her here to me mamock. The one with the life force that trapped him in there mamock! How dare you?!" he shouted with the fury evident in his eyes, he then turned towards Elle that looks like she's about to piss her pants and growled.

"RUS! she's innocent. She isn't the one that trapped him Rus, the poor girl doesn't know anything, she's here because it's time Rus" mamock tried to reason 

"Her predecessor also looked innocent and look what it caused us and I don't really care what happens, the world can go to hell for all I care but I'll never ever accept anyone with the life force again" 

Elle that stood by the side all these while trembling immediately broke down in tears and ran off. She didn't bargain for this, she did nothing that could warrant this type of hatred she isn't her predecessor or whatever they were saying, heck she didn't even want to be born with the life force.6

"Never say never Rus, give the girl a chance" mamock tried to reason

"Leave mamock, for the sake of old times leave" 

"I was about to" she replied and went in search of Elle.

Rus slumped down on the floor, he felt bad for what he said to the girl but he can't help it, each one of them with the life force has messed up one way or the other, her predecessor is the worst, his best friend is stuck because of him, he doesn't know if he's dead or alive anymore, "dammit, I'll be stupid to give another one of them a chance again" he muttered angrily.

Elle kept running aimlessly till she bumped into the faires, "hey Elle what are you doing in the faires abode?" One of them chirped happily but when she saw tears rolling down Elle's eyes she immediately altered the others and they all came out

"What's wrong Elle?", "Are you okay?", "Why are you crying"? All of them started questioning her altogether.

"Please get me out of here, please! I want to leave" she pleaded with them, her voice hoarse from crying, she just doesn't understand why she's hated for something she didn't do, she's sure the rest feels the same way and that's why they didn't come to see her

One of the human sized fairy, Ruri, went to her and held her "what happened Elle?" She asked softly "tell us"

"Tell us Elle let's help you" Daisy said while standing on Elle's shoulders

"It's Rus" another voice interrupted them, they all turned towards the direction of the voice and it's mamock

"What did Rus do to her?" Daisy asked sharply anger lacing her voice.

"How could you lie to me!? You told me they didn't want to come because they are my elders, because I have to respect them and go myself!" Elle shouted, angry at Mamock; she's the only person she trusts in this place and she lied to her "if you told me earlier, I would have prepared myself for it but no! You just had to make the decision yourself!"

"I'm sorry Elle, but there's no time you..."

"That's enough! Elle look at me" and Elle looked up at the human sized fairy, Ruri.

"I want you to calm down right now and rest Elle.. rest" she said calmly while looking into her eyes, and as if controlled by an unknown force Elle fell asleep

"Take her to the lake side, and let her rest" Ruri ordered the faires, then she turned to mamock "why did you take her there without telling her mamock"

"They are coming Ruri, everything is falling in place for them Ruri. They've started putting their plans in action" Mamock said to her, letting her fear show in her face.

"Shit"