Less than two seconds. The blue bright lights engulfed them and blinded them. This is not how anybody expects a party night to end, sucked into a portal after trying to get rid of a broken pool table. Dante at least didn't expect this at all.

When the blue light left him and his friends were welcomed by dry sand and a scorching sun.  He looked around and saw mountains and cacti everywhere. He felt something touching his hand and panicked for a second to then realize it was Andrea's hair. Both her and Mona were still unconscious, lying on the sand. Thank goodness he wasn't alone. But, where the hell were they?

— 'ello! You ok over there? — A girl with green eyes and deep dark hair approached them. Dante's mouth was too dry to answer but the girl helped him get up anyways. — A Heat stroke, huh? Ya don't worry, I'll go get some help. But let's move you and your friends to the shade first.

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Hela opened her eyes to a blue bright sky and a cold but soft floor. Snow? Where? Moonbrooke? No, the sky was clear and the air clean.
She slowly got up and looked around. She recognized those walls. She built them herself when she first came back from moonbrooke, the castle.

The snow was starting to pile up in the inner yard she filled with flowers a while ago. There was a deep hole where she was laying, so she must had fallen from that portal and the snow made the landing a bit smoother. But, what was that portal that sucked them in? And how did Malroth find it?

Her train of thought was interrupted by something falling right next to her. Well, someone.

— Malroth?! Oh my goodness, are you alright?! I- where did you even fall from?!
— The roof. Mind giving me a hand here?
— Oh, right, yeah. — She helped him up the floor. — You landed on the roof?
— Yeah. So did Lulu but she doesn't want to jump, you're gonna have to go up there and get her with the windbreaker.
— She's up there too? Oh dear… Are you ok, tho?
— Of course! A fall is not gonna kill me! C'mon, go get her down before she starts complaining.
— Heh, ok..

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— So on this island there's a girl that might be able to help us?
— For what you've told me I think y'all come from another word just like her. If there's someone able to help you it's probably her. Anyway, are ya friends doing better?
— I think so… Andrea? How 's Mona?
— Well… she doesn't look green anymore? — Andrea was holding Mona's hair back while she fought the urge to throw up. Apparently ships were not her thing. Not that she could know before they accepted traveling to the "isle of awakening", it's not like she had ever been on a ship before, not even a boat. The salty air did not help her either, it only reminded her where she was.
— Well don't ya worry too much. We're almost there. See that over there? That's the isle of awakening. She only needs to put 'er feet on land and she'll be fine.

The ship arrived. There was no dock but it looked like someone was planning to build one because of the boxes and materials near the rocks. Dante and Andrea helped Mona out of the ship and sat her on the rocks. As she recovered from the seasickness they saw a girl approaching Babs. She had turquoise hair and freckled and slightly tanned skin. She cleaned her glasses while speaking to Babs.

— So they're back?
— They're back, yes. I don't know where they went, I thought they went on an expedition but apparently not.
— Well that's good news for our new visitors. They say they from another world.
— What? So- Oooh you are going to ask her for help?
— Yeah, that's the idea.
— I see… Are… the visitors ok?
— Yeah, one of em got seasick. It'll pass.
— Oh! Well that's a relief.— She put in her glasses again and noticed him looking at them. She nervously said goodbye and left.

She seemed like a shy person. The nerd stereotype. She looked cute tho. Or maybe Dante just liked girls with glasses. Looking back it was probably the second.

— Ok i think i feel better…— Mona caught his attention back.
— Why didn't you tell us you get seasick?
— I didn't know? My dad owns planes, not ships. I think my uncle Eide has ships tho…
— I keep forgetting you're a rich girl. Can you stand? Do you need help?
— Yeah yeah, I'm good…
— Is ya friend ready to move? We gotta walk to the other side of the island.

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They had been out for just two days, but it felt like years for Hela. She really thought she wouldn't see her friends again and that all her projects would stay unfinished. Even the snow in her boots freezing her toes as she walked felt like a relief.

See— I don't understand how we're back. And what are those…portals?
— Beats me. And I don't care, the thing is we're back.
— Well, you should care! That thing swallowed us two times. What if more portals appear?
— Well that will be a problem if it happens and it swallows Hela again…
— You only use your brain when you care now don't you? Anyways. Hela, what do we do about this? You've been quiet the whole time.
— Hm? Oh uhm… Sorry. I was just thinking I'm glad we're back here. We've been out for two days but I really missed it…
— Huh… are you ok?
— Oh yeah, I'm fine! Again, just thinking, so-
— Hey there! — Babs waved at them from the tunnel that connected the cerulean steppe and the green gardens, followed by a few people. She must have brought some people from Khrumbul-Dun.
— Oh- Hey Babs! You're back from your trip to-

Silence. She didn't recognize them before. Why didn't she recognize them before? How could they be here? The portal? She didn't even take a second to see who else was around when they found that thing. Was it them? But how? Why?! She was completely frozen, stuck in her fear. They were staring at her. Why are they staring? Can't they stop that?!

— Hela? You ok? Ya look like you just saw a ghost
— I…
— Wait. — Malroth chimed in. — Those three are…
— Ah yeah. Apparently they're from another world. They fell from nowhere in Khrumbul-Dun. Thought Hela might know something, since, ya know.
— … Yeah! Yeah UHM… thank you, Babs. I might… know a way to help them, yes. Just leave it to me! Hehe… And you can just… go see your dad? I'm sure he missed you a lot.
— Yeah, sounds like him. Well then, I'll leave em to you! Oh yeah, and don't put them in a boat, they don't have the stomach for it. G'bye!

Babs left. The place went silent for a few seconds until Malroth killed it.
— What the hell are they doing here?
— Not the words i would have used but I'll second that!— Said Lulu, making sure her hair was properly tied. One knows things are bad when Lulu look like she's about to throw hands, but Hela was still trying to process, too confused to stop them.
— Well… this is uncomfortable. — Dante seemed equally confused about the situation.
— You think?! Dante, we're dead! — Andrea was shaking Dante's arm like it was a maraca.
— You're dead alright, any last- — Hela stopped her friends. She was still unsure about how to handle the situation but she knew she'd be only giving herself more trouble if she let them attack this three, as much as a part of her wanted to see that happen.
Both parties stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Hela sighed. — Follow me, i guess…—

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— And that's… more or less how we got here. — Andrea explained the situation as best she could. She talked quick. One would think I'd be the stress but she just naturally talked like that.
— Hm…Hela, i say you build a really cool dungeon like the ones on skelkatraz and we throw them there.
— I agree-
— No, guys, we're not going to throw them into a dungeon.
— Oh c'mon! For once Lulu and i agree on something to build and you won't listen to us?
— I am not building a dungeon and you know why
— Why- … ooooooh ok-
— Why? Is it about what happened in moonbrooke? You guys never want to talk about it
— Yeah it- it does have to do with that- it's not the point now! I don't wanna throw them in a dungeon and that's final
— Wait, — Mona was the total opposite of Andrea. Her voice was soft and quiet.— You're not? But we did a lot of bad things to you
— Mona, for the love of god, don't bring that up in this exact moment- —Dante tried to hide his face behind his hands, as if he was trying to hide from the possible fate of being fed to whatever big and scary creatures they had in this world. Dragons? Possibly, yeah.
— Look… you three do not like me and I do not like you. But if i don't return you home whole i know you have parents that are going to miss you and that…might try to put blame on me since right now the four of us are gone and, thanks to you, I'm known as a "weirdo"... Goodness.. anyways! You three will…stay here with us until… I find out what to do. Ok?
—... Ok, thank-
— I'm not done Dante. You will stay here with us, but you're gonna have to help like everyone else… This place is a peaceful place where people help each other, so i don't want you ruining that for them, ok?
— Ok — The three of them said simultaneously.
— Great… Lulu, can you take them to any of the residential areas? Thank you…

Now she also had to process the fact that somehow coming back home have her her confidence back.

Home? ... Yes... Yes calling this home felt correct. This was home.

____________________________________

Yes, i am alive
Yes it's not that long
Yes i am very sorry but I've been struggling with writers block and artblock simultaneously for... A while, to not say all the year

Still i hope you guys enjoy and i promise I'm trying to bring new chapters

💕