The Shadow Wanderers

Chapter 32

Calista, Naomi, and Aurora walked through the halls of the Vakenian Palace together, cautious of every turn they took.

The Vakenian Palace had fallen into the hands of Arik and his followers, so Calista felt like she was walking into unlawful territory, despite this place having been her only sanctuary once.

Ransley had teleported them into a deserted hallway and closed the portal behind them, promising to be back in a while. The veins in Calista's arm had started throbbing as soon as she stepped foot in the Palace again, triggered by Arik's presence in the very place.

Calista balanced a sword in her arms while Naomi had her bow and arrows at the ready. A belt sheath of blades was tied at Aurora's waist, two blades already gleaming in her hands. Calista only hoped the need to use these weapons didn't arise at all.

The three descended a flight of stairs, instantly hiding behind a curtained wall as footsteps echoed through the hall. They had to take pathways that led them into the deepest chambers of the palace. A ball of light, Twinkle, helped them in the endeavor.

Peaking out of the curtain, Calista saw that the coast was clear once again, and whispered the girls to follow her. Even though Aurora had grown up in the palace, she seemed to be overtaken with confusion as Calista and Twinkle led them through uncharted corridors and labyrinthine hallways.

They passed by an open window and Naomi halted in her tracks, awed by the first visible layers of the Vakenian population. The other two had to stop for the umpteenth time because of Naomi's awe and unquenched curiosity for every artifact she laid eyes on and the vastness of every chamber they passed through.

Calista looked outside at the view with Naomi, sparing her a few moments to take it in out of respect for her wonder. The Vakenian population was unchanged for Calista, but a whole new world for Naomi.

She had only heard the descriptions from Calista, but looking at it with her own naked eyes—with its modern-like glass architecture and tilted roofs on the buildings, with the contagious cheeriness spread in the streets and the breathtaking sky filled with patches of pink clouds—was a marvel in its own.

Naomi's expression suddenly changed from amusement to melancholy. "Looking at extravagant worlds like such, you could never tell a small island full of mortals would be suffering somewhere in the universe," she said, her eyes glued to the scene in front of her.

The realization was not yet lost on Calista that Arik had already proclaimed war on the mortal island, but his burning hands hadn't yet touched the immortal worlds. The Vakenian population remained oblivious to the horrors he had started to inflict.

Calista placed a comforting hand on Naomi's shoulder. "We are here for the solution, Nom. All hope is not yet lost," she said, giving her a reassuring smile.

After they had landed in Erini, Claudia and Naomi found them near a cliff as Claudia sensed a portal. Calista's whole body had shuddered with relief at seeing the radiant face of her best friend. Naomi was exhausted and wounded at her knee, falling into Calista's embrace.

Naomi had smacked her arm then and told her off for disappearing to the Forbidden Cliffs without informing her. Calista had realized that Naomi had been as scared as her, assuming they would never get to see each other again.

Calista also realized with horror that Naomi had been fighting, seeing her cautious stance with her bow and arrows. She had reassured Calista that they had escorted as many Erinians to a safe place as they could, including her father.

Claudia, as she met with Zayden and the immortals, was wounded when she discovered the news of Xavier's demise. Nevertheless, she reported to them about Erini's situation which Zayden forbid Calista to listen to.