Pandora's Box

Chapter sixteen

The thunder and lightning intensify as June walks through the gates. She looks fed up as she continues to move forward towards the counter. Her feather earrings hangs in her hand as if she knows she has to give it up in order to get out. Her hand slams it down onto the table and the cloaked figure reaches for it without any hesitation.

June runs her hands through her hair then stretches her arms upward before turning around to lean to the table. She waits for her trade and resorts to admiring the unnatural purple and blue hues sky as a form of passing her time.

She is completely immersed in the beauty of the sky that she doesn't notice the cloak reaching out to cover her eyes for a split second before freeing her again. Then the door to her escape reveals itself in the corner signifying her trade has been completed.

She walks towards it confused. She doesn't realize that the gift she received is a new ability and not of material matter. She'll only discover its cover further down the road.

As the door shuts, Lilli strides through the entrance. Her usual jolly nature radiates through her carefree body language as she walks forward. She reaches the counter with a big smile on her face and looks at the cloaked figure whose gloved hand is stretched out in front of her.

It takes a while for her to realize that she must partake in an exchange. Her mind wanders for the object she must trade and she lands on the idea that it might be her butterfly broach, her personal reminder that things are constantly changing.

She slides it over and is met with a lilac leather belt with is pushes towards her. It's obviously too big for her waist but she wraps it multiple times because she has no idea what else to do with it. Little did she know that she's holding on to the collar which she will have to find its rightful owner.

She turns towards the door and steps towards it while still fidgeting with her 'belt'. The door creaks shut and the Aura is filled with silence. That is until Sonii runs through the entrance while huffing and puffing in exhaustion. She stops when she sees that she's close to the counter and drags her feet to reach her destination, emphasizing how little energy she has left.

However her experience is a little odd. No one sits at the counter. The cloaked figure has disappeared. Then the thunder and lightning echo even louder and she starts to feel pain searing down her back. She cries out in pain. Thankfully it only last a few seconds and then she sees the door. She uses whatever little energy she has left to move quickly towards her escape.

She didn't spare a moment to glance back and see the reason for her pain. If she did she would have noticed the legendary Hecate standing behind her. Sonii didn't realize that her trade took place in that single moment.
The trading of her fate for a new future and a stronger power that will only reveal itself if she can prove herself.