Prologue

A beeping sound woke me up from a long deep sleep. I realized that I am inside the car with my Dad, heading to our new home far away from our former one. Dad decided to move to a new house because of the strange things that happens in our old house. I’m not against that decision since our old house creeps the hell out of me. Sometimes, I wake up at 3 in the morning, only to find out that I’m not in my room anymore but on the floor of our living room. I also wake up because of unusual strange sounds coming from our yard and someone seems watching me from the window of my room.

While on our way, the rain started pouring. The sky turned to grey which made our surroundings look so much creepier. I got chills as I look at the swaying trees beside the road through the car window where the rain drops catch each other.

“We’re getting near.” Dad said out of nowhere. Instead of replying, I dozed back to sleep and waited for my father to wake me up.

I woke up again, only to find out that the car is in the middle of a forest. It’s still raining and I didn’t find my Dad on the driver’s seat so I went out of the car to check if he’s around but he’s nowhere to be found. I am now soaking wet due to the heavy rain and I don't have an umbrella.

Where could my father be?

“Dad? Where are you?” I yelled throughout the group of tall trees surrounding me and the car. There was no answer so I kept calling out until Dad finds his way back to me.

A strong cold wind swiftly brushed through my crossed arms and to my whole body. It doesn’t seem to be a normal wind, something’s like hugging my body. This sent shivers throughout my whole body which made my senses keen. I have experienced this on our old house but this time, it’s so much scarier with the thought of being alone in the middle of a forest and the raining won’t stop. I wish the rain would stop, it’ll make it easier to find my Dad.

“Celine? Celine! Get inside the car, now!” I stiffened when I saw my Dad, walking with his blooded legs and wounded arms. Instead of doing what he said, I rushed out to him to see his condition. His blood started mixing with the rain drops as I help him walk towards our car. It’s getting dark but we still managed to get inside our car in less than a minute. When we got in the car, I started showering him with questions with eyes full of curiosity and anger.

“Dad, what happened? Who did this to you? Where are we and why are we here in the middle of nowhere? I’m getting scared—” Dad cut me off by hugging me. I hugged him back and that’s when I realized that I am crying. My tears was brought by the feeling of fear and anger. Fear for what is happening and anger towards the asshole who did this to my Dad.

“I’ll explain it all later when we arrive at the house.” He answered after hugging me. He started the car but yelled in pain when his right leg hit the steering wheel. It also hurts me seeing my Dad at this state. Yelling in so much pain, I don’t know what to do and I didn’t do anything either. I just gazed at his leg, wide eyed. The wound isn’t just a normal one. It is a deep cut through my father’s flesh, more like a scratch of a big claw.

Dad started driving the car, holding back the pain he was feeling. He went straight through a bunch of trees and after almost three minutes, we reached a big old house, standing in the middle of the forest. This house was way more creepier than our old house but we have no choice but to live in it. But I think we are being chased by those monsters who kept on bugging us and now, they followed us here.

Without saying a word, Dad left the car and opened the back seat door to get our things. I helped my father by doing the same thing and brought them inside the house. Luckily, the rain subsided a bit which made us able to carry all our things without difficulties. Dad, whose legs and arms are wounded, still managed to lift heavy boxes with my help, of course. After all the chores, Dad sat at a dusty sofa in the house’s living room as I was making fire on the furnace to reduce the cold breeze in the house caused by the heavy rain.

The light of the fire came spreading throughout the house and I somehow felt safe when the house started heating. I sat next to my father who’s now cleaning his wounds without asking for my help. I just let him do so because he is a professional surgeon and I know that he can do it all by himself. I just helped him with tying bandages around his leg.

Dad looked like he doesn’t want to say a thing about what happened so I asked a question to open the topic about it.

“Where did those came from?” I asked, referring to his wounds.

Dad seemed hesitant about answering but he still did. “I was attacked by the dark spirits.” His answer left me dumbfounded. Dark spirits? Just what the hell are those things? I’ve never heard of it before.

I was going to ask another question but he spoke first. “Dark spirits are those spirits who you can give orders to. I’m sure that someone’s behind these happenings and that someone wants to take my life.” Those sentences made me more confused. I really don’t have a thing with fantasies and I don’t believe in supernatural things so these “spirits” my Dad is talking about is giving me non other than confusion. Dad noticed the confused look on my face so he started talking again, explaining everything I sought to understand.

“I know it’s so sudden telling these things to you but Celine, we aren’t normal people. You and I came from a land called Celestia where people have magic. I regret hiding these things from you since you were a kid but now, I want you to learn everything you need to learn. Those dark spirits are from Celestia and they’re now here to kill me.” My jaw dropped in shock and another confusion. I slowly let out a small laugh that turned into a loud one.

“Dad, I have no time for jokes! You could’ve just told me that you were attacked by a big crow or eagle in the forest where you got those wounds—”

“Celine, these things has nothing to laugh about. I am dead serious about this and it’s my fault if you won’t believe me but please, just listen to what I will tell you. I want you to go to Celestia and find your mother.” An awkward and deafening silence came in just after my Dad’s sentences. That silence was broken by a loud crashing sound on our yard, like something big came falling on the ground.

I rushed to the window to see what’s happening but I saw nothing. Dad also came to look and as soon as he did, a strong wind suddenly came in the house, killing off the fire on the furnace. Dad was thrown on the other side of the living room near the front door while I remained in front of the window. It’s now clear that they’re just attacking Dad and wants nothing with me. I don’t know why these things are happening to us but I will make sure that my Dad will be safe.

 “Celine! Dodge!” I did what my father said and another strong wind entered the house through the window. Dad crawled on the floor to reach for my hand but something sharp slid through his face before he even lay his hands on mine.

“Dad!” I shouted as soon as I saw thick, red blood emerging from my father’s cheek. My vision went blurry due to my tears. I rushed to him and held his face who’s now covered in blood and tears. Dad stared into my eyes and showed a dry smile which doubled up the heavy feeling inside of me. It seems like Dad is bidding his last good bye.

“Look at your hand. This is your soul art. Y-you are a Spirit user.” Dad said in between his sobs. I wiped my tears away to see my hands clearly. There I saw several white circles that seems like pearls. They’re emitting a radiant light and like dancing on my palm. “What are they?” I asked in awe but before I get an answer to my question, a massive grey smoke emerged from the marble floor. It started getting very cold, as if we were being locked up in a freezer. The coldness came from the dark shadow thing that came out of nowhere.

“Don’t look, don’t look. Listen to me. Leave this house and run straight into the forest behind this house. Don’t ever look back, okay? I’m trying to save you. If I can’t save myself, at least I am able to save you so go now, leave everything to me and find your mother. I love you so much my Celine. Dad is so proud of you.” After that, he leaned close to me and planted a kiss on my forehead. Sadness, fear, and anger mixed up inside me and I don’t know what to feel anymore. I’ve been with my father since the beginning and I never imagined myself leaving his side. He’s all that I have and now, I’m starting to lose him.

I shook my head and looked straight into his eyes. “No Dad, you’ll come with me into that world you were talking about. We’ll both find my mother and we’ll live happily with her. You’re not going to die here, not this way Dad so please, stay with me.” I said while I am still crying. Dad smiled at me before he was swept away by the dark smoke.

“No! Dad! Bring him back to me!” I shouted as if the dark smoke can hear me. I noticed that it is slowly devouring my father which made me really angry. I shouted as loud as I can and tried to grab my father’s hand inside the thick black smoke but my hands won’t get through it. Dad looked me in the eye and mouthed the word ‘run’. I still tried my best to get my Dad from the smoke even if my hands were getting numb due to the coldness but none of my actions got my father out of this situation. Dad’s face was the last thing I’m seeing. He’s still telling me to run but my legs won’t. I can’t leave my father behind.

“Find you mother. Her name’s Roswana.”

“NO!” The wind suddenly became stronger that everything including me is being swept away. Dad is no longer around and the thick smoke immediately dissolved in the air. I want to shout again but my voice seemed nonexistent so I just stood there, letting the wind sweep my entirety. After a few seconds, everything came back to normal. Even the rain stopped slowly and the rays of sun made it’s way inside the house through the same window where the strong wind entered. Dad is nowhere to be found. The father I grew up with is now gone. They abducted my father.

That’s when I realized that the house is now a whole mess. The tables and sofas are now turned upside down and the paintings on the wall are now on the floor. I suddenly remembered what my Dad showed me earlier so I slowly sat on the floor to see if it is real and my eyes weren’t deceiving me. Well of course, I still don’t know if I’m supposed to believe in everything that’s happening to me and if everything were real. There is a part of me thinking that this might just be a dream and I’m just mistaking it as the reality but in the moment my father disappeared before my very eyes, reality struck me harder than I thought.

I opened my palms and waited for the white pearls to come out but they didn’t. Maybe it was just my hallucination? Or was I doing it the wrong way?

I closed my hands tight and when I opened it once more, white pearl-like circles came dancing on my palm like a holographic figure. I tried touching them with my other hand but my fingers just went through it. Dad said something about it but my clouded mind didn’t seem to understand a thing. I’m still really confused about what happened this day but I collected myself and remembered the last thing my father asked me to do. Enter Celestia and find my mother.

After a few minutes of walking through the forest which my Dad told me to do, the rain started pouring again. I hugged myself tight to bear the coldness that lingers on my skin and to cover my body against the cold rain drops. I continued walking until I see something or I finally got out of this forest. Dad didn’t tell me the details about going to Celestia but I’m pretty sure that it’s somewhere near this forest or there will be signs that I am finally in my destination. I expect seeing elves or fairies or something mythical because they’re fantasy creatures and this day gave me something fantastic which I totally regret on not believing in.

I sat down on a rock beside a big tree to have myself covered even a little. Sadness came to me all over again. Flashbacks of my father’s last words echoed inside my head repeatedly. Everything sucks. From those unexplainable things in our former house to this forest and to those dark spirits who took my father away from me, all of them suck.

A strong wind went by which made the wet dead leaves to dance in the air. The same thing happened again but this time, it danced even more longer as if there was no gravity. I think the wind has its own life or maybe, I was hallucinating. The wind continued blowing while the rain’s still pouring, nourishing the dry soil on my feet, creating thick mud mixed with dried leaves.

I stood up in shock when a ball of fire came out in front of me out of nowhere. I stepped back until my back hits the tree trunk. The fire didn’t seem to be harmful but it still surprised me by suddenly showing up. Am I already in Celestia? Weird things are starting to happen again so I assume that I’m already in Celestia.

“Are you lost?”

My heart suddenly wanted to come out from my chest when I heard someone speak behind me. I held my chest before facing her. Good thing, there’s still people around here, or maybe she’s a mischievous creature who only wants to toy with me. The fire slowly faded away, thanks to the girl who just arrived.

“I have an umbrella, do you want me to take you home? Are you hurt?” She asked me with concerned eyes. I don’t know if I should believe in her since I am in a place I know nothing about but having someone's help isn’t bad.

“I am Odette Elrod, should I take you to my house first before taking you home? It’s dangerous out here, we should get out of here immediately. I think the spirits are mistaking you as an enemy but don’t worry, they won’t harm you.”

Her sweet voice echoed in my head. I suddenly felt dizzy and my vision went blurry. The next thing I know, I am lying on the cold mud before the darkness engulfed me.