The unknown

Chapter 12

POV Third person

The group had imagined the elements in their minds, and soon, it felt as if they were flying. Voices urged them to keep their eyes closed, so they did. There was no wind, yet their hair danced wildly as if they were underwater. The hands they had held just moments ago were no longer felt.

Their breaths grew heavier, more labored. Though their eyes remained shut, they could feel colors swirling around them-purple, blue, and green. The sensation of spinning took over, disorienting them further.

But then, everything abruptly stopped. The air was filled with the scent of nature, and birds began to chirp.

"Okay, open your eyes," Gaia's voice broke through the silence.

They opened their eyes slowly, adjusting to the bright light. It was like stepping into heaven. Pink petals floated in the sky, and butterflies flitted about. In the distance, a snow-covered volcano loomed, and at the edge of the world, an incredible waterfall cascaded down.

As they stood up, they noticed a port made of leaves and branches. Ladybugs crawled together, forming letters on the gate.

"Welcome to... A-e-p-u-a-l-a," one of them read aloud.

"Oh god, you can read," Gaia remarked sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, think of something positive and go through the gate. Ready?" Gaia instructed. Everyone nodded in agreement, but when they turned around, they saw Jayden struggling against giant ants, who were trying to drag him into their nest.

"Help me-" Jayden cried out, exhausted.

"Leave them alone and come here," one of them said, clearly annoyed.

"Easy for you to say-" Jayden retorted, trying to keep his hair out of his eyes.

Chloe, irritated, stepped toward him. Jayden turned pale with fear, knowing Chloe's temper. Even some of the ants scurried away from him.

"Um-I don't need help anymore, Chlo-" Jayden stammered.

"Oh, shut up." Chloe grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to the gate.

They all stood there, trying to think of something positive. One of them focused on memories of meeting Jayden, Chloe, and their mother for the first time. The thought of breaking the curse and bringing their mother back to life, regardless of the consequences, filled their mind.

The thought worked, and without realizing it, they stepped through the gate. Blade followed, brushing dust off his outfit. He looked up and smiled.

A fairy walked by, her green wings forming as she moved. Gaia turned to the group.

"Don't do anything dumb. First, I need to tell you what the fairies here can control, so listen carefully." Gaia's gaze shifted to Jayden, who wasn't paying attention.

"I am listening!" Jayden protested quickly, offended.

"We have the fire fairies: they speak their minds, they're brave, passionate, creative, spontaneous, inspirational, and have a competitive spirit. Then, we have the water fairies: they might seem and act dumb, but it's just a ruse to manipulate you. They're sensitive, highly intuitive, and intelligent in various aspects of life, not just science and math. We also have the air fairies: the thinkers, communicators, and doers of the fairy world. And lastly, my favorite group," Gaia smirked, "the nature fairies. These belong to one bloodline only, and I'm part of it. It can be stressful keeping a single bloodline going," she added proudly.

"Wait, you control everything?" Blade asked, intrigued.

"Yes and no," Gaia replied. "Fairies can only use their powers in dreams and our world. But as a nature fairy, you can use your powers anywhere, and blend in as a human if needed."