Chapter 4

I immediately catch my breath the moment I open my eyes. And look around me to see where I am or if I'm still alive after what Mr. Satellitum did.

 

My god! My sanity and my heart are still crumbling. I fucking don't know what the hell is happening back there. And even though I want to go back there and help him, I don't know how and I'm still trembling.

 

And thankfully, there's no hole in my heart, "I guess there's nothing I should question in this kind of world," I said to myself while looking at the letter in my hand and at the place where I find myself.

 

I dusted myself after I got up and calmed myself a little. Then I started to walk to find a way back to Dale's father's home. Hoping I can help him even with little things, though I still don't know if there's even a chance.

 

After walking for an hour, I stumble on a plain field. There was nothing on it but yellowish grass.

 

I was amazed by what I'd seen. It's like it's soothing my feelings and making me feel safe. That's why I decided to explore this place. As I walk through the field, breezy air is hugging me, birds are singing, and butterflies greet me.

 

"Anne!" I snapped back from reality when Dale shook my shoulder.

 

When I came back to my sense, I saw myself at the edge of the cliff while the birds and butterflies that surround are now dead.

 

The forgotten emotions and memories came back like a river flowing to the sea. Oh my god! Why do I have to forget something important?

 

"What the hell are you doing here? And how come did you get here?" Dale asks in a confused and mad tone.

 

Before I answer him, I have to compose myself first. But it is hard to do that, especially with what happened earlier and to his father. My trembling won't stop.

 

"It's kinda a long story, but I need to go to where your father at," I said to him in between my trembling voice.

 

"What do you mean?" he asked with a serious face.

 

"Well, I don't know if this is a dream or reality. I met your father, but now he could die because of me," I said hysterically.

 

"Calm down," he said while holding my shoulder, "no one is dying"

 

"Bu--but, you father, the letter," I don't know what to say anymore, my thoughts aren't functioning right now.

 

Dale stole the letter in my hands and read it while I sat down and forced myself to stop crying.

 

"Sigh! Stop crying," Dale's said after he read the letter and offered me a hand to get up.

 

I look at him, waiting for him to blame me for all the misfortunate he experienced because of me. I know everything is my fault. Just why? "Why are you not saying anything? Blame me! Curse me," I shout at him and then cry.

 

"I'm not a hypocrite to say I'm not blaming you," he gets down to meet my eye level and wipe my tears.

 

"Blaming yourself for the things you didn't do

Blaming yourself cause you know you are the reason why

And yet you didn't do anything to change it.

But you know what, even if you are not there, it will still happen

It's just at that moment you are there

So stop blaming yourself,

And don't be confused about the fact and the truth

Cause there's a difference between them."

 

After Dale said those things, I started to cry like a child who lost their favorite toy. The guilt that I tried to bury is now on the surface of my consciousness. Everything that happens to Mr. Satellitium, Dale, and Red is my fault, but why does no one blame me? When everything is plain and clear to see that this is all my fault.

 

"Instead of blaming yourself, why don't you focus on what you should do from now on," Dale said after I calmed myself.

 

"You have responsibilities on your hands now. And everything you do and decisions that you make will now have consequences to the people around you and yourself," he continued while hugging me.

 

But after a minute, he pushed me to the edge of a cliff. I didn't have the time to react to what he did cause the next thing I knew. I'm already on the back of the gigantic eagle, flying away to where Dale is.

 

"Get her safe," he said after he drew his sword.

 

"NO!!!" I shout at the top of my lungs when I see a group of people surrounding Dale.

 

As we flew away to Dale, I saw the plain field turns red and grey. When the sky started to cry, my tears did the same as I saw the last image of Dale helplessly defending himself and giving us time to reach a safe place.

 

"Go back!! Please go back!" I said while begging the eagle to go back to where Dale is.

 

But we haven't gone a mile away when someone in front of us stops us.

 

She has a small face and long hair. And she's wearing pants and a t-shirt, but none of it are soaking wet.

 

The eagle tried to avoid her. But all of a sudden, the raindrop turned into strings and trapped its wings. The water she's riding moves towards us.

 

I don't have any room to move, and I don't want to call Dale because his plate is already full. I don't want to become a burden to anyone anymore. I need to stand on my own and start to protect myself so that no one will ever be hurt because they need to protect me.

 

"Not calling for help? How brave you are," she said and then slapped me using the hand shape she molded.

 

"Tch! I'm not brave, but I'm also not naive," I said to her as I jumped at the back of the eagle.

 

"SHIT!" She cursed at me while trying to catch up to me.

 

I just smiled at her and closed my eyes as I felt the cold air envelop my whole body. But a minute passes by, and I'm still falling like I'm in the endless loop.

 

I opened my eyes and saw the rain become the net and catch me.

 

"Don't pull a stunt like that cause you will never get away from me," she said in a sarcastic tone when she caught me.

 

She tied my hands using the water and dragged me as we landed on the surface.

 

I think she is also a Palen whose akiham is water.

 

As per Mr. Satellitium, akiham is what they call the powers you get, and every Palen has a different akiham.

 

"Are you one of them?" I ask her.

 

"Nope, we have different aims," she said while grinning.

 

After walking for an hour, we stopped at the lake. But what makes that lake unusual? There's an oak tree in the middle of it and nothing else but water.

 

"Okay, let's do it from the start," she said in a happy tone after she faced me, "my name is Chelle, and I want you to open the gate."

 

"What gate?" I ask

 

"Oh! They haven't told you yet. Well, there are seven gates you must open so we can cross easily to the world you don't know," she explains as we walk towards the tree.

 

Gate for the hidden world? But why me? I mean, there's plenty of Palen out there who can open that gate. It didn't have to be me. Isn't it?

 

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you. You are the only one who can open this gate," Chelle's said and then grabbed my hands and sliced my palm, "Why? Cause your blood is the only way."

 

I immediately took back my hand when she almost let my hand touch the oak tree. I looked at her, and she began to lose her sanity.

 

"What the fuck are you doing?!" she's trying to shout at me and stop what I'm doing.

 

But before I lost my control over her. I ran as fast as I could to get away from her. I fucking don't know what will happen when that gate she's talking about will opens. But one thing for sure and guts tells me that there will be more dangers than what is happening right now.

 

"As Arson's permission, where I must be

Through air over

Land and sea

Over land, sea, or through the air

My destination, take me there."

 

I recite the spell that Arson's taught me when I find myself in a strange place. After I finished the spell, a blinding light ate me, and in a split second, I found myself in the living room.

 

"Anne!" my mom said as she hugged me tightly.

 

My dad put a towel on me as he put me down on the couch.

 

"Tell me everything, please. I'm begging you!" I said while crying.