Simon
My heart felt like it had been pierced with a dagger. How could I just stand, watching my mom in danger but had the inability to do anything. My sweet mother, why did you have to sacrifice yourself to save us? The portal brought Denora and I to sacred grounds.
We landed roughly on the sandy floor of the Forrest, surrounded by tall trees and the sight of the full moon. If I knew finding Esmien would cause me so much pain, then maybe I should have listened to Denora.
My tears began gushing out uncontrollably, I had no words to say. Denora got up from the floor, and came over to hug me. Her eyes were red and teary too. My mother was the only one I ever knew deeply besides Denora. How could I live without her?
"We have to go back and save her. We can't leave her there." I said to Denora, breaking free from the embrace. I couldn't read her mind, deep down I knew that she agreed with me silently. But wouldn't voice it out. She used her mind to project a calm and peaceful energy on me and it helped, relieving my grief a bit.
"Simon I want to agree with you, but you know we can't. I've seen the creature that attacked your mom multiple times in my dreams. If we want to save her, then finding Esmien is our best shot." She replied, pausing as she took in the view of our surroundings. I did the same, noticing the unique difference in the Forrest we were in. The trees had multi-colored leaves of pink and brown.
At the center which we stood in, a circular stony plate with rune symbols.
This must be it, the gate that led to Esmien.
Denora cleaned her tears and pulled us closer to the clay plate that had solidified into stone.
My eyes took in the carved ancient marks all over it, written in a language I had read about from my mom's books.
Oh, sweet mom. I began crying again. I felt rage inside me. Was I weak? Useless? Unable to do anything? Why couldn't I help my mother?
"Simon? Simon! Focus. We don't have time. The creatures, I sense them. They know where we are." I heard Denora say, snapping me out of my thoughts. She was the only one strong enough to face them anyway, even if her powers were in hibernation like she said.
Denora stepped on the stone, reading the words inscribed on it. A pool of water sat at the center, branching into 4 different paths on the stone. Each path has a different thing present in it. Gem stones, sand, vine leaves and branches. But water seems to be the most important one because it caught the reflection of the moon.
I trailed right behind her, waiting for her to speak.
"Stay calm Simon, I know how you feel," she echoed into my mind and turned to look at me. I felt like going back home to see if my mom was still alive, if she was still breathing.
I nodded. My eyes scanned the area, looking for unusual forces. I had to help Denora, protect her till we got out of here.
I stepped on the stone, feeling intrigued by how this place exists in a realm of its own and no one ever knew about it. My emotions were still heightened but I'm trying my best to keep it all together.
"Simon, hurry. I need you to help me block the paths on the stone. Pick as much gravel from the floor. The portal needs to be created in the water because its a pathway for Esmien."
"A portal in the Water?" I paused, thinking of how insane that sounds. "Denora, we don't even know what's in the water. How can we create a portal in it?"
Denora rushed to me, placing her hands on my shoulder.
"SIMON! Do you really want to come to Esmien?" Her voice grew louder, causing my glasses frame to shift against my face.
"You have to fight it. The pain. If you don't it will cloud your mind and we might end up dying too." She said as she hugged me, a sense of peace and calm filled my mind. She was really good with this, taking other peoples pain.
I didn't say a word. I feared that if I continued speaking, I would start to think of what we have lost, my mother.
I assisted her, picking up stones from the forest and placing it on the stony plate to block the paths. Denora was fast, trying her best to work with the strength she has left. I knew she wasn't weak, but this realm didn't bring out the best in her.
For nights I would hear her crying herself to sleep, asking the moon goddess why she was brought to the human realm and couldn't sense Esmien again.
How she missed and longed for her mate Victor, her family, the moments they all had together. She had to be strong in the midst of it all, through the pain, the sudden change in her life, a Princess from a royal family, reduced to a life of the mundane.
I fixed my glasses to sit properly on the bridge of my nose.
One more path to go before we could try to create the portal.
Suddenly, Denora froze, lifting her head as her eyes scanned the trees. She got up and moved slowly till she was right beside me. I followed her gaze and instantly, I felt it.
Fear.
Echoing in my bones. Shuffling noises from the trees grew louder, screeching came after, finishing with the ugly sight of their appearance. The same creatures that attacked us at my house.
Rage filled my whole being. These fuckers had the audacity to show up here as well? Unbelievable.
"Oh goddess, please help us. We can't do anything without you." Denora looked up to the moon, calling to the goddess with tear filled eyes.
The creatures began throwing dark balls of energy at us, one of them, cracking the corner of the circular plate we stood on.
Without thinking, I grabbed Denora by her hand and created a shield to protect us from their attacks. There was no way I am lettting those creatures come close to her, not in a million years.