Veil of Shadow and Rain ✓ [TSC #1]

Chapter 4 - The Journey

'What are you talking about?' Wren asked.

Tanner glanced behind him, where Ladislaya and Jake shrugged. Tanner exhaled and gazed into Wren's eyes once again, hands on his bent knees.

Wren raised an eyebrow. 'Two statements. One - I'm not that short. Two - I would really much prefer you tell me everything now than later.'

'I'm sorry. We were asked not to.' Tanner straightened up. 'We just need you with us right now. So are you in, or are you out?'

'B-but,' Wren faltered, lowering her gaze, 'my - I can't just leave my uncle -'

'You came here for this, Wren,' Tanner said, trying to catch her eye. 'You want to turn back now? This is your chance. And trust me - we're going to let your uncle know. He knows it's your time.'

Wren frowned. 'You're all speaking like I'm about to die.'

'Good point, but no. We're talking serious.'

Wren looked into his eyes. 'Are you sure?'

'One hundred percent,' he, Ladislaya and Jake said together in unison. Jake turned to Ladislaya; she turned to Tanner, all three speaking at the same time.

'You just read my mind -'

'- what just happened?'

'Okay, alright!' Wren shouted, getting their attention. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. 'Alright. I'll come.'

The corner of Jake's mouth turned slightly. 'Knew you were gonna give in sometime.'

Wren surprised herself by smiling back.

'Right. Then we'd better get cracking.' Tanner cracked his head and knuckles. 'Okay, kids. Follow me.'

'Where to? Elryzian?' Wren asked. 'Are we gonna get there on foot? Is it like, another country?'

'No, it's not. Stop overthinking. We're going to the palace through a secret portal.'

'Wait, what?' Wren stood frozen. 'Palace? What palace? You didn't say anything about a palace!'

'Oh,' Tanner said, realisation hitting him. He continued walking. 'Yeah, that's the part we left out. You know you're a princess, and where else do you expect yourself to live?'

Wren gawked, saying nothing. She felt like she was hanging from an open door, deciding if she should stay up there or get down.

'The letter the Royal Advisor wrote,' Wren said, 'he said I had a sister named Odyssey.'

'Odyssey's the queen of Argonian. Just think of Argonian as a state in Elryzian,' Tanner said. 'I'm trying to speak in a language you understand, and I am bloody tired, so would you just hurry up?'

Wren noticed they had reached a broad, open sea. But instead of facing to the direction of the sea, Tanner, Ladislaya and Jake were facing a tall, oak tree. 'Whoa,' Wren said, taken by surprise. 'Didn't realise that was here.'

Tanner snapped his fingers twice. Snap, snap. The tree moaned, its branches creaking. Wren stared in misbelief as the tree straightened. It began to reform, its branches writhing and twisting as if they were alive. Its bark peeled off, revealing smooth, shimmering skin underneath, and the leaves morphed into iridescent feathers. The tree transformed into a majestic, mythical creature, spreading its wings and taking flight. The surrounding forest animals, startled by the sudden transformation, scurried away in all directions, leaving the newly formed creature to take in its new form under the serene moonlight.

Wren stared at the majestic creature, shimmering under the starry night sky. 'What,' she began, 'in the name of sorcery ... was that?'

Jake frowned. 'Oh, your trees can't turn into dragons here?'