It took an hour to pack up everything we needed to make the journey into the Deep Grove. I couldn't help but feel excited and nervous; Raven Stalkers resided in the forest along with other dangerous creatures. This was going to be my first time meeting with another race from Arvora. Even though Thremael said his people were kind towards us, it didn't help my nerves.

Alice and Ember had come back from the store. They had picked up clothing for us to wear during our trip, along with food. It would take us all day and well into the night to reach the Elvellenoris. Stepping out the back of the small cottage, I pulled up my hood and looked to the sky.

Rolling dark clouds emanated from the center, where the swirling portal continued to taunt us. I wondered what Lilith was doing. Did she still not have the power to open the portal? What if she manages to before we can stop her?

These types of questions continued circling my mind, building up my anxiety and nausea. Ember came running out of the house towards the stable, gently touching my back for reassurance on her way. I shook myself out of my thoughts, then started down the cobblestone path, eager to get going. Ember was going to stay here with her sister while Thremael led us through the forest.

Leaning against the post, I watched as Isaac and Thremael fit tarps and blankets over the Engii.

Alice came out of the house and helped her husband into his coat, her expression grim. "Please be careful. Remember to stick to the path and keep your head down. We never know what's lurking in that forest or if Arvellalei are hiding in the bushes. Send a raven once you get there, alright?"

Thremael sighed fondly, taking his wife's hands in his large, calloused pair. "Do not worry, my love. You know I have made this journey many times before. The tribe knows we are coming; they will make sure the path is safe." And with this, he bent down and kissed her forehead.

The sight warmed my heart. I felt eyes on me so I turned around, and caught Isaac staring at me with a look of endearment. My cheeks flushed, imitating a tomato.

I opened my mouth to say something when Isabella came bursting out of the house. Her eyes were wide and frantic.

"We need to go now!"

"Why, what's going on?" Thremael asked, glancing towards the house.

"Guards out front, looking for us. Lilith knows we're here. We need to go! Ember is distracting them." Isabella belted out, guiding one of the engii out of the stalls and getting on him.

"I'll go help her! Please be safe." Alice kissed her husband and ran towards the house as we all got onto our mounts. Belle dug her feet into the dirt with unease.

"Alright, follow me!" Thremael called from the front of the group, and thunder clapped overhead. Engii stomped their feet in anticipation.

Thremael made a clicking noise, spurring the mount into action. The rest of us followed suit. We rounded the side of the house at an alarming speed, passing the startled guards. Shouts erupted behind us as the scary-looking magi, clad in armor, stumbled after us.

My grip tightened on Belle's reins, the heat from their fireballs scorching the back of my head. Rain began to fall, making the ground slick with mud. The guards were right on our tails, flinging various spells at us.

My eyes widened, gripping the reins I started to swerve as an immense heat came alarmingly close behind us.

"Belle—aaah!"A ball of red hot energy hit my back, searing my skin. The blast forced me off her and a guttural heart-wrenching sound of pain left her as she tumbled to the ground.

"No!" A gut-wrenching scream escaped me as I reached for her. She wasn't moving. I clenched my teeth as pain seared through my spine in waves as my skin bubbled and blisters formed. The world seemed to slow as smoke from the blasts surrounded us. I tried to get up, I needed to get to her, but the pain was too much.

Through blurry vision I dug my hands into the dirt, trying desperately to drag myself closer. A pair of arms wrapped around me, pulling me off the ground. Another set grabbed my legs.

"No! Belle!" I cried; she still hadn't gotten up. Her blue fur was tinged red and black. Tears burned down my face. Isaac and Thremael struggled to get my squirming body onto Isaac's Engii.

"Lizbeth! We need to keep moving!" He pulled me close, pressing my back against him. I clenched my teeth, seething from the immense pain. My body went limp as the fight in me vanished. He was right. Belle... how had we come to this. My eyes wandered back to her singed body. I quickly looked away, cinching my eyes tightly as more tears fell. The ringing in my ears faded and the sounds once muffled came rushing back. In one swift movement, I was on Issac's engii with him wrapped around me, guiding the reins.

The smoke was starting to clear and I saw the hesitation in Thremael's eyes. He was scared to leave his family behind. Screams and chaos echoed around us as magic was flung haphazardly into the streets, in an effort to hit us.

"Thremael! We need to go! We can get to the Elves without you!" Isaac's voice rose over the loud blasts of fire. We were running out of time to escape.

"I can't leave my family in this chaos!" he growled, his eyes wild as he looked back and forth between the way we needed to go and the chaos that was behind us. His jaw set and he clenched the reins, he was going to turn back!

"Go!" A familiar voice called from behind us.

Ember had caught up to us and stepped in front of the magi. The smoke had cleared and the magi were charging toward us.

"Ember, no! Run!" My body jerked towards her, nearly knocking Isaac and me off the mount. I can't lose you too!

"No!" My voice cracked as I screamed. "Go back! Get away from here! Please!"

Isaacs's arms tightened around me, struggling to keep me on the engii. Ember, widening her stance, mumbled a spell then clapped her hands and flung her arms out. My eyes widened and Isaac took a sharp intake of breath as a blue wall of energy rippled and expanded in front of her. It climbed high into the sky and stretched passed the small cottages that lined either side of the street. The magi on the other side skidded to a stop before unleashing their own blasts of energy against the wall.

Ember strained against the blasts, her legs shaking as she glanced behind her. At us. "I said; GO!"

Without another second wasted, Isaac clicked his tongue, spurring the engii into a sprint. Isabella followed closely behind and after a few more moments, Thremael turned his mount and raced after us.

The engii gracefully weaved around people walking in the streets and around corners. Thanks to Ember, we managed to escape the small town.

I leaned against Isaac. Finally having a moment to breathe, the muscles in my back trembled from the burn. It was going to take a long time to heal. Closing my eyes I tried and failed to calm my racing heart, images of Belle and Ember flashed across my mind, making my heart throb painfully and tears burn in my eyes. She better be okay... or I swear...

I shifted my attention in the direction of Listra and clenched my fists. Lilith will pay for what she's done.

The forest loomed on the horizon, mysterious and dangerous. Anxious, tired, and desperate, I hoped we would make it safely to the elven city.

After hours of traveling, we finally made it to the edge of the forest. I've never been this close to the Deep Grove. It was no wonder people stayed away from the forest.

We stopped for a moment to give the Engii a rest. Isaac helped me down, easing me slowly onto the soft grass. Thremael was already working on a paste for my wound.

"I'm going to lift your shirt, okay?" Isaac said gently. I held my breath as he pushed the coarse fabric up to my shoulders.

"Here, this will help with the pain and keep it stable until we reach the city." Thremael handed Isaac cream-colored paste.

He thanked the man, then turned back to me. "This won't be pleasant," he warned.

I felt his hands glide down my spine, spreading the paste. A soft whimper left my lips as the burning intensified. You would think a paste would soothe the burn, but it did the opposite.

"I'm so sorry, Lizbeth." His voice shook as he continued to spread the medicine. Once he finished, he gently pulled my shirt back down and wiped the tears from my sweating face.

Isabella came over and handed me a small biscuit. "Since we left in such a hurry, we didn't get time to eat." My stomach growled loudly as I thanked her.

We couldn't rest for very long. Isaac helped me onto Yale, his Engii, the absence of Belle had left a gaping hole in my heart.

I couldn't believe she was gone.

The trees towered above us with wide canopies that swallowed all sunlight. Birds chirped and flapped their colorful wings from tree to tree. Small rodents scurried and rustled the underbrush around us. The noises of the forest made me feel like I was deep in the Amazon.

Thremael slowed as the forest grew denser, "Keep your heads down and move slowly. We don't want to attract unwanted attention. Especially once the forest goes dark."

"How do you know the way? I can't even tell there's a path with how dense the underbrush is," I asked, ducking under a bunch of vines that fell from one of the many trees.

"There are markers along the trees. If you don't know what you're looking for, it's impossible to find the city." Thremael pointed to a small, faint red symbol that marked one of the trees. "My people have taken great measures to keep hidden, we have no problems with Arvora, but Belmor would see us enslaved. That and we try to avoid fighting with the Arvellalei."

"So, Thremael, if your people don't leave the safety of the forest, how did you meet Alice?" I asked. Curious as to how an Elf found themselves in a small town like Bellanshire.

Thremael smiled warmly, "The Elvellenoris leave the forest on occasion, but I didn't grow up among my people. My parents lived by lake Hephelia. I never knew why. One day a group of Arvorians came down to the lake and killed my parents. I was just a young boy, and they were going to kill me too, but I managed to escape into the forest. I wandered around for a while until I came to Bellanshire. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to avenge my parents. I wreaked havoc on the small town in any way I could. That is, until Alice's parents took me in. Alice and Ember became my first friends. They showed me that not all Arvorians are like those who killed my parents. Sweet Alice quelled my rage and stole my heart."

"What about you? How did you meet our Lord Isaac? Ember told us you grew up on Earth." Thremael glanced back, his eyes shifting between Isaac and me.

Isabella snickered quietly beside me, making the blush on my face intensify.

"He um... he just showed up at my school." I stuttered out. I snuck a glance at Isaac. His smile was wide, as if my bashfulness was the cutest thing in the world.

"Ah, young love." Thremael hummed, making Isabella laugh harder.

"Your face is so red you'd think he'd cast a spell or something!" She said through tears.

"What about you, Isabella? Do you have anyone?" Thremael asked. Isabella's laughter stopped, and she looked down.

"Ah no, I've lived in seclusion most my life. When I did go to school, nobody really paid attention to me." She mumbled emotionlessly.

Silence.

Thremael cleared his throat, slicing through the awkwardness. "Sorry... anyway, we're almost there. Just a bit farther and-"

Leaves rustled loudly like the wind. Shadows darted past low to the ground. Several bows crept out from the darkness armed with arrows, followed by the intimidating Elves that wielded them.

There were seven total. They looked a lot like Thremael, except they had white markings all over their bodies. Twisted elegant designs framed their faces and plummeted down their necks and limbs. Whatever moonlight filtered through the dense canopy danced off their silver armor.

A tall woman stepped through, her hair white as the moon cascaded down her back in waves. Her piercing yellow eyes studied us in the darkness. Her dressings looked ceremonial, likely the leader or high-ranking official. Ribbons of gold and royal blue flowed and wrapped around her figure, accentuating her hips.

Thremael raised his hands in defense, bowing his head slightly. "Keeper."

The lady paused, examining him closely. Her eyes slit in suspicion. She let out a low whistle. The bows and arrows lowered but still drawn.

"Thremael, it was you. I apologize. The Arvellalei have become craftier over the years. We can't help but be too cautious."

"No worries, Keeper. I bring my companions. Lord Isaac, Lady Isabella and-"

"Pfft, I'm hardly a lady," Isabella mumbled, interrupting Thremael. We all stared at her. The Keeper walked forward, reaching out, and she cupped my and Isabella's chin, turning our heads to face her. Her shimmering irises bored into our souls, and I felt uneasy under her gaze as she studied every inch of our being.

"...and Lady Elizabeth." Thremael finished his voice merely a whisper.

The Keeper's eyes widened. "Incredible. I had my suspicions. But I only expected one. Twin daughters bearing the mark of Twilight." Whispers erupted among the soldiers.

"Two daughters of Twilight? Impossible!"

"It can't be."

"Are you certain, Keeper?"

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked, looking over us, trying to see what the Keeper saw.

"I'll explain later. The forest has many ears. We must get back to the safety of our city. Come!"

What did the Keeper mean? Daughters of Twilight? Did it have something to do with the Goddess? What did the Keeper see? These questions bounced around in my head as we made our way to the elven city. She couldn't mean the visions. Isabella doesn't get them.

The trees cleared, revealing massive spires of crystal wrapped in vines and leaves. Soft yellow firelight emanated from the buildings, dancing off the crystal in an array of colors. A small glowing blue waterfall tumbled down into a small canal that flowed throughout the city. We walked along smooth cobblestone pathways gawking at the marvel that was elven craftsmanship.

"This is incredible!" Isaac whispered as he stared up at the clear dark sky. The elves had certainly carved themselves a slice of paradise inside these dangerous woods.

"Thank you. We have lived here for over a millennium, priding ourselves on our craft of magic and culture. Come this way." She motioned towards a tall cathedral-like building.

Since it was well past midnight, the streets were empty. I wondered what it would look like in daylight. How did the elves conduct their day-to-day lives?

Two guards opened the doors, and a third followed us inside. The rest filtered out into the city, likely going home to their families.

We entered a common area, plush couches and chairs circled a cold fire pit. Tall windows lined the crystal walls looking out into the luminescent forest. Paintings of various elves hung throughout the room. They all wore similar dressings to the Keeper.

With the wave of her hand, the fire pit lit ablaze, warming the space in a matter of minutes. She smiled at us, "Please take a seat, make yourselves comfortable. Would any of you like anything to drink?" She asked as a small servant girl hurried into the room with a tray of clear sparkling liquid. She called over another servant, "Send for a healer to look at Lady Elizabeth's wounds, will you dear?"

The young servant girl nodded and rushed down a corridor on the opposite side of the room. I picked up the sweet-smelling liquid and eyed it carefully. It wasn't sparkling water, that's for sure.

Noticing my confusion, the Keeper smiled, "Sparkling tree sap from the Lethle tree. It'll help you sleep tonight. But before I send you to your chambers, I have to ask, what brings you here?"

"Did Thremael not tell you?" Isaac asked.

"He told us that he had some Magi that needed to see us and that it was urgent. But could not go into specifics in a single letter. The fact that you bring two Daughters of Twilight is most intriguing." She said her voice, soft and calm.

"My mother, semi, opened a portal into the Earthly plane, it's slowly pulling things through. She's gone insane and will not listen to reason. She believes it's what the Goddess wants, that it will bring the Goddess back and usher in a new age for Arvora." Isaac's voice trembled with a simmering rage. I knew it must hurt him to see his mother like that, I wish I knew how to comfort him.

The Keeper's eyes widened in fear, "A portal? Well, that would definitely explain why we've been sent two daughters! This is very serious, we need to prepare!" Her calm demeanor changed to panic.

"Wait! What do you mean by Daughters of Twilight?" I was curious to know. I had never come across the name in any of the books I read in the Sanctuary of Hephelia.

"You do not know?" The Keeper's brow pinched in confusion.

"My sister and I were raised apart. I lived on Earth and she lived secluded with our mother," I said quickly.

"Curious. Maybe you will listen, unlike the countless other Arvorians we tried to share knowledge with." She lifted a shaky hand; magic flowed from her fingertips as she drew two symbols in the air. One was a crescent moon wrapped in golden silks, the other a blazing fire of silver.

"Know this. The Goddess Hephelia is not the only deity. Once, there were two others: The Goddess of the moon, Elysia, and the God of the sun, Estora...."

©2021 Jessica Powell. All Rights Reserved

****Thank you to my wonderful Editor Arco****