Their Adventure Together 20

 Black Soldier

    My mind raced as I tried to recall any legends I had heard of Kai, the Keeper of the Key. I turned to ask my twin, then cursed softly as I remembered that she had grew up on Earth. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I my brains found bits and pieces of something Sha had told me. 

    " The Dragon Kai, Keeper of the Key is a calculating dragon. In fact, he's the smartest and most cunning dragon in the entire Balance Realm itself. He defeats his opponents by matches. " she had said.

    " Matches? " I asked her.

    She nodded. " Bets, games, anything that he can win. Before starting the game, he would list out the conditions first. Losers do whatever the winner wants them to, for example. Then, he will win the game and defeat you. So, if you want to defeat him, you will have to think from his perspective. Find his weaknesses and strengths. Suggest a game to him, something that sounds exciting. Market it, like advertisements do. But make sure you are confident you can win or the game will take place on your strength areas. The idea of something new will surely intrigue him. In his eagerness, he will get clumsy. That's where you play against his weaknesses by using your strengths to corner him in one of his own silly conditions that he listed. " Sha explained.

    Before this, I hadn't understood a thing she had said. But now, I knew what she meant, and decided to use her idea- but with a little bit of improvisation. Okay, so maybe I didn't use her plan at all.  I mean, I didn't exactly want to fight a mighty powerful dragon. I just hoped it would work. And it could only work if Sirena was a good actress. " Talk and delay him. " I hissed to Sirena. She nodded slightly, and began distracting the dragon by saying something.

    "So, uh, Mr Kai, do you live here alone?" she asked, putting giving the dragon a dazzling smile. 

    The dragon exhaled. " Yes, unfortunately. " " I used to live with my wife, Zerelda, but.." he said sadly.

    "Zerelda? " Sirena asked. " What a beautiful name. Who is she?" 

    " She was my wife. " the dragon replied.

    " Well, what happened to her? Can you tell me? " she asked the dragon, who was tearing by now.

    " Let me tell you the whole story. "     

    I grinned to myself. My twin was smart. While Sirena kept talking to the dragon, I sneaked away and looked around for somewhere the key would be. My sharp eyes spotted a tiny box just behind the dragon. It was placed on a red cushion, along with a faded piece of paper. Great. I tiptoed behind the dragon, and caught Sirena's eye. Her eyes widened. I forced a smile, signing her to pretend that nothing was happening. Then I pointed to the box and mouthed, " Don't let him turn". Thankfully, she understood. 

    " My wife, Zerelda and I were a happy dragon couple. We had just moved into this cave, when one day, a few strangers walked in. They introduced themselves as humans - hunters that is. We were delighted to have company, and welcomed them in our cave. We gave them food and drinks and treated them like kings. They stayed for a few days. " Kai said. 

    Sirena nodded. " Then what happened?" she asked, hanging on to his every word. I couldn't blame her, I wanted to listen to. But I had to get the box. I took out some spare rope and groaned silently. The rope was too short to make a lasso. Looks like I just had to get it with my hands.

    "One of them were injured. So my kind wife prepared a special healing soup made of one of her scales. You see, our scales aren't just scales. These scales have magical healing powers. So anyways, she gave the soup to the injured man and healed him. That night, my wife and I left to sleep, leaving the men alone. Without us knowing, they whispered plans to each other. They wanted to steal our scales to sell it to doctors and scientists to get money. So they decided to hunt a dragon and take it home. The next day after breakfast, they sneaked up on Zerelda and stabbed her in the back. They shot her and injured her, and killed her. Then they brought her along with them on their way home. " 

    " Weren't you there? Why didn't you help?" Sirena asked.

    By now I had reached the box. Light streamed through a small hole in the ceiling of the cave. Now I could see more clearly, I noticed the box was on the cushion and the cushion was on a dragon-sized stone pillar sort of thing. The faded piece of paper I saw earlier was just beside the box. 

    " I went out to get some berries. But the hunters bumped into me on their way back, and, overcome with anger, I ate them all up. It was then I decided to be a carnivore. Meat tasted surprisingly delicious. So now, whenever I see humans, I eat them because their kind killed my wife. " the dragon replied. Then he continued in a booming voice, " And so, I will eat you as well!" 

    Sirena gulped. I frantically shook my head, telling her to do something - quick. " Uh, do you have a, a picture? " She asked.     

    The dragon froze. " A what now?"

    Sirena became more confident. " A picture. A picture of your beautiful wife Zerelda. After your heartbreaking story, I insist on knowing how she looked like. " she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

    " A picture. Hmm... " While the dragon made up his mind, I quickly opened the box, emptied it, and placed it back on the cushion. " Well, I don't see any harm of it, after all, you'll die soon anyways. " the dragon said and swung around. It was then I realized that the faded piece of paper was actually a picture of his wife and him! I panicked, and hid behind the pillar. Luckily, the dragon didn't spot me.

    " There you are! This is a picture of our wedding day. Doesn't she look pretty?" he asked.

    Sirena nodded. " Very pretty. With her pink scales and warm brown eyes, she looks very kind. " she complimented. 

    "True. She was a great dragon, Zerelda. " the dragon said, a big fat tear rolling down his cheeks and landed with a plop on the picture. I know this sounds weird, but I actually felt sorry for the guy. That is, uh dragon. Seeing such a majestic creature be in so much pain because of something my ancestors did, well, that just makes me very sad. But considering the fact that he wanted to eat us alive, I didn't think feelings could help. 

    Sirena steered the dragon around 180 degrees, gesturing for me to leave and meet her outside. I ran outside, stuffed the key in my backpack and geared up. I waited, but she didn't come out. So I cautiously entered the cave and tried to hear what was going on.

    " I'm very sorry about your wife, sir. " Sirena said after a pause.

    " Me too, girl. Me too. But there's nothing we can do about it, can we? I can't leave my job, so I'll have to be all alone again. "

    " But why can't you leave your job?"

    " I've been cursed so that I can only leave when the intruder wants me to come with him or her. " the dragon said sadly.

   " Wait. Hold it right there. I have an idea. Kai, if we let you follow us, will you promise not to eat us?" Sirena said, and idea forming in her head.

    " What? Yes, of course! " the dragon exclaimed. Then he frowned. " But then I wouldn't be able to eat you. " 

    " True, but you will be free to go wherever you want, and to eat so many varieties of food! After all, just eating meat would make you unhealthy. " she coaxed him.

    The dragon thought about it for a while. " Fine. "

    Sirena grinned. " So do we have a deal?"

    " Deal." And they sealed it with a paw-handshake. ( a handshake, with a paw)

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Their Adventure Together 19

 Sirena

    I woke up to the sound of a CRUNCH, which my brains registered as a twig snapping. I groaned sleepily, assuming it was my twin. I turned, and my hands felt the bushy, thick fur of something huge - not human at all. That was when I heard a low growl, and a drop of something sticky on my face. My eyes flew open. I swallowed at the sight before me. My shock was so much, I had to remind myself to breathe. In front of me, an enormous black bear was growling just a few inches from my face. 

    I stared at the huge beast, my eyes open wide. My brains took in the bear's looks and started working. It was a Louisiana black bear, and I should slowly back away, making it known to the bear that I was not a threat. And not breakfast either. Thank god for the 'Recognizing Animals' lecture that my mother had forced me to attend. At least I knew what to do. 

    I put both my hands in what I hoped was a calming gesture to the bear, and slowly stood. All my instincts told me to run, but I forced myself to slowly inch behind, giving some distance between the bear and me. It was then that I looked around, and noticed I was in a cave. I assumed that the Mama Bear wanted to make this her new home, and I was an intruder. The bear growled at me again and glared at me. I gulped. I got the message. I spotted some maps and my twin's backpack. I grabbed our stuff and walked backward out the cave, smiling like an idiot all the way. Once I got out, the bear rolled a huge stone over the entrance, making it impossible for me, or anyone for a matter of fact, to go in again. I sighed, and squinted in the sun, scouting the area while looking for my twin. 

    Finally, I spotted him. I ran to him. " Come on! Let's go. We don't have much time. " I said, throwing the map to him.

     With his supernatural reflexes, he caught it mid-air and said sarcastically, " A very good morning to you too. "

    I smiled brightly. " So, where to now, Mr Map? " I asked. 

    " This way" he said, pointing to the left crossroad in front of us. Then he scowled. " And don't call me names. " he added.

    " Okay. " I said, and we followed the map. I wondered how Aisha and Chris we doing. 

    After a good 2 or 3 hours of walking- who's counting - we stopped as we reached the foot of a steep mountain.  I sighed. " Now you're going to tell me that we have to climb it right? " I asked. My twin nodded, amused. " Just our luck.. " I muttered, as he took out a rope to aid us on our crazy quest - scale up the mountain. At least, that's what I thought it was for. Apparently not.

        We used the rope as a marker.

     "To make sure we can find our way back down later on. " my twin had said. Earlier, I was confident that we could climb up the mountain. After all, I loved rock climbing back home. How much different could it be? Now I seriously regretted not taking the rope with me to use as a guide. The air was getting thinner and thinner, and I tried my best to not look down. Wrong again. Easy for me to say when I'm down on the land. Not easy to actually do while I'm walking sideways on the mountain's edge, where every now and then, a piece of rock falls and the sound of it hitting the other rocks echo for a very long time. 

    Eventually, with my twin's encouragement- " I said, don't look down. " " I'm this close to pushing you down myself. " "Step where I step, don't blame me when you die hitting your head on these sharp rocks. " (Tough love huh?) - I made it to the top of the mountain, at the entrance of a cave. 

    "Finally. I thought we were going to climb forever. " I breathed. Beside me, my twin grimaced. 

    " And now we have an even bigger job to do. " he said, taking out two torchlights. He handed one to me. 

    We entered the cave. " Hello? " I called tentatively. " Anybody home?" 

    " I'm home. " a voice boomed, echoing across the cave. " ome, ome, ome. "

    I looked up to find an enormous dragon with brilliant blue eyes, a black mane, and a shiny greenish-bluish scaled body that glinted whenever we shined it with our torches. " I am Kai, the Keeper of the Key. What purpose do you have in coming into my cave? " he continued, in the same booming voice. His eyes, which earlier looked like a calm sea, now looked like a tsunami was about to occur. I could sense his feelings of distrust and anger. I gulped and looked at my twin, hoping he had a plan. 

Chris

 

   I had absolutely no idea how on Earth we were going to find the True Beauty Flower, especially now that we were blindfolded. Aisha tried to be optimistic, but I knew that she felt the same too. Well, here's me assuming she was  feeling hopeless like me in the first place. After pondering on what Caroline had said, she got an idea. " I know! I think we have to do it together. " She said. 

    I snorted. " Like I haven't already figured that out. " 

    Aisha gave me a withering look that screamed Shut up!  at me. " I meant, we have to trust our instincts and pick any flower together. If we really deserve the flower, it would come into our hands, right?" she said.

    "What choice do we have? Its worth a shot. " I said. We held hands, and we bent down and picked a flower. My hands were shaking with the suspense. But before I could remove my blindfold, it disappeared and the garden around us withered and died. The flower in Aisha's hands glowed brightly. Too bright, in fact, that we had to shield our eyes. Slowly, the glow faded away, and we were staring at a beautiful transparent-like flower with many petals. 

    According to Ren, this should be " The True Beauty Flower" Aisha gasped. " It's beautiful." I nodded. 

    "Let's go into the cottage. " I said, and entered the cottage.

    

    When we entered through the back door, Caroline approached us. " Congratulations, children. I knew you could do it. " she said, smiling. " This is the True Beauty Flower, also known as the Pure Flower. I hope you succeed in your quest and manage to stop the evil sisters from spreading darkness. " she said.

    " Yeah, than-" I started, then stopped as a thought hit me. " Wait, how do you know that we are going to -" 

    " Oh, I know everything dear. Everything. From what your names are, to where you're going, to what your friends are doing. After all, I'm the wisest woman in the Hidden Realm. " she said, her eyes sparkling. 

    " But.. But I thought you said you were the Keeper of the Garden of Rare Flowers." Aisha said, confused. 

    " I'm a woman of many names and secrets. Don't fret, just remember me as Caroline. " the old woman said, smiling as she led us out the door. " Olga and I wish you have a wonderful journey and stop the darkness from spreading. You will be remembered as heroes forever, if you do. Thank you, and good luck. " she said, and closed the door. 

    " That was easier than expected. " I said, going out the fence gate. Aisha beamed happily. Little did I know that I just jinxed us. All of a sudden, the skies turned grey, and the cottage behind us disappeared. Thunder boomed, and lightning flashed across the sky. 

    " Well, maybe its about to get harder. " a voice started from behind us. Aisha and I froze. We slowly turned around and found ourselves face-to-face with a pack of menacing looking wolves. Behind the pack of wolves, stood a tall, muscular man with a quiver slung over his shoulder. His bow aimed at us and his red eyes glinted dangerously.

" Welcome to your doom." 

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Their Adventure Together 18

 Black Soldier

    The next day, I explained our mission to the elders. As I explained, Sirena, Aisha and Chris occasionally added a few sentences. In the end, we had told them the whole story. From Queen Bella to the curse in my twin's family, to Bellate and Trix's cooperation to get rid of us. 

    Ren, Ria and Beth listened carefully. "So, " Ren started when we finished, " Bellate and Trix have risen again. I knew I should have destroyed them before. " she said, looking weary, as if she was a hundred years older. 

    "You, uh, Earthlings, want us, the Hiddens, to give you access to our best soldiers to fight a war with the sisters?" asked Ria. When we nodded, she continued, " Very well. On one condition. " 

    " What condition?" my twin asked. 

    " You have to prove your trustworthiness to us. To do that, you have to go to the Pearl Mountains, retrieve the key to a cave from a dragon, Kai, and enter the cave. In there, you will have to find the Silver Pearl which has unlimited magic. Bring that to the Hidden territory, and you will pass the test by 50%. " Beth said. 

    Next Ren spoke. " The other part of the test is to find the True Beauty Flower that has a hundred petals. By the time you return with it, the flower would change colour from white to another colour, depending on your intentions. By looking at the colour of the flower, we will know whether or not you can be trusted. " 

    " Furthermore, " Ria started, but was interrupted by Aisha.

    " Moons and stars! There's more?" she exclaimed.

    " You have to do it all in five days. If you fail to return, you will never be able to step foot into the Hidden territory again, and that includes you soldier. " Ria finished. 

    There was silence in the room as my friends digested the information. After a while, Sirena nodded at me. They would accept the test. " We accept! " I said to the elders. The elders gave me a map, and gave another map to Chris. The maps showed the way to the True Beauty Flower and the Silver Pearl.

    " Your time starts now. "  

    " There's no way we can do all that in five days! " Aisha wailed once out of earshot of the elders. 

    I smiled grimly. " There is a way. But we have to split up. " I suggested. "Now go pack. Meet me back here in 10minutes. "

    A short while later, we gathered back at the main hall. " Here's what I suggest. Sirena and me go get the Silver Pearl, and you two," I gestured to Aisha and Chris, " retrieve the True Beauty Flower. " 

    Everyone agreed, and bid farewell to each other. I watched as Sirena hugged Aisha and comforted her by saying, " It'll be fine. Just tell Chris to call Sally and Jerold if things get out of hand. " 

    I shook Chris's hand. " Take care. Don't get hurt. Come back within two days, don't forget. " I said. He nodded, and Sirena and I left in the direction of the pearl as the other two went to find the flower. Both pairs hoped to be successful. 

True Beauty Flower    

    

Silver Pearl

    Sirena and I followed the map into a lush forest. We walked, and walked, and walked and kept walking until the sun started to set. " Um, excuse me?" Sirena said as she timidly tugged the sleeve of my black shirt. I stopped walking and turned to look at her. 

    " You can call me Ian. This is still Hidden territory. My name is Ian here. " I said. " I'll tell you my real name later. " 

    " Ian. Right. Um, don't you think we should find a place to sleep for the night? " she asked. I frowned. Was it night already? I didn't notice. " That is, if you want to. I was just suggesting. " she added hastily. 

    I smiled. " Its alright. I just didn't notice that it became night already. " I said. I looked around for a safe place to stay. " Why don't we keep walking? I'm sure we'll come across a campsite or somewhere we can rest. " I suggested. Sirena agreed, and we continued walking.  

    

    The forest abruptly ended, and we entered a cleared ground. No trees, no rivers, no animals, nothing. Just a wasted land. As we kept walking, I kept an eye out for danger. I knew it was getting late, not to mention dark, and I knew that my twin was getting weary and tired. I started walking faster, forcing her to stay awake and stumble behind me.  

    Finally, I spotted a small cave up ahead. I sighed in relief, and made my way there. " Almost there" I said to my twin, leading her to the cave. When we reached, I stopped and examined the cave for any animals or signs that an animal lived there. Thankfully, there was none. I gathered some twigs from outside to light a fire. Soon enough, the fire burned away, eating up all the sticks I had arranged. 

    Sirena stumbled into the cave, half asleep. Without even acknowledging me, she just dropped to the ground and fell asleep immediately. Shaking my head, I took out a blanket from my backpack and draped it over her. I studied the map for some time, and did some research about the Silver Pearl. I learned some interesting facts. I was so engrossed in reading, that I didn't add more logs to the fire. Eventually, the fire died, and I realized that it was very late. Since the fire had gone out, I lay down on the cave floor and fell asleep, dreaming of the Silver Pearl.

 

Aisha

    We parted ways. Chris and I left to retrieve the True Beauty Flower. We followed the map to a small, nice cottage in the countryside. I knocked on the wooden door. The door swung open and a tall, old lady with spectacles stood before us. She looked strict. We waited to hear what she would say. 

    " Who are you, and where did you come from?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. I gulped.

    " I'm Aisha, and this is Chris. We are from the Hidden territory. " I said, standing a little taller.

    " Hmm... why have you come here? " she asked.

    " We came to retrieve the True Beauty Flower. The map that the Hidden elders gave us led us here. " Chris said. 

    " Hidden elders? " the lady asked sharply. I nodded. She opened her mouth to continue, but was pushed aside by another old lady. The second lady was not as thin as the first one, and looked wise and regal. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked at us. 

    

    " Oh, let them in Olga. How can you turn away people from our door? " she said, and ushered us in. The first lady, Olga, frowned, stuck her nose in the air and walked away. 

    " Forgive my sister. She's just a little overprotective. " 

    " No problem. " I said.     

    " I am Caroline. Keeper of the Garden of Rare Flowers. How can I help you?" she asked.

    " We are looking for the True Beauty Flower. Do you have it here? " I asked. 

    " Yes, of course. But your intention must be pure, otherwise, you won't be able to see it nor pluck it. " Caroline said.

        Caroline led us to the back door of the cottage. She opened the door and I gasped as I saw a beautiful huge garden full of flowers. The petals shone in the sun. Caroline blindfolded Chris and me. " Pluck a flower together, only ONE flower. If the True Beauty Flower is yours to get and your intention is pure, then it will appear in your hand. But if you pluck the wrong flower, then you won't get another chance. " she said, and went back into the cottage. 

    " Aisha? Where are you? " Chris asked. 

    " Here. " I said, and felt a hand touching my sleeve. We found each other, and together, we started hunting for the True Beauty Flower. 

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Their Adventure Together 17

 Chris

    The next day, we woke up bright and early. I stretched, and startled when I saw someone at my bedside. After a moment, I realized it was the soldier. "What are you doing? Scaring me half to death when I open my eyes. If you had said anything, I would have just kicked you flat. " I said crossly, swinging my legs down the bed. 

    The soldier snorted. " Like as if you could kick me without ending up flat on the floor yourself." he said smoothly. I stopped mid-way of getting up, and glared at him. Then I sighed, knowing fully well that if we ended up arguing, I would come off worse. So I just ignored him and went to the bathroom. I literally felt him smirking behind me. 

    But before I could say anything else, the door opened, and Ren stepped in. "Good morning!" she said cheerfully. " I just wanted to check on you. Breakfast will be served in 10minutes!" she reminded. I was forced to swallow the sharp retort that sprang to my lips. Instead, I smiled and thanked her. "Ian, if you could come with me for a moment, " she called, and the soldier left with her, grinning at my inwardly-fuming face. He even gave me a little wave before heading out the door. Steam poured out of my ears. Sure, he was Sirena's twin, but seriously, that guy was the limit. He could try the patience of a saint. 

    I quickly got ready and went down to the dining hall. I slipped into a seat next to Aisha and Sirena. I glanced around the hall. "Where's the soldier?" I asked my friends. They shrugged. None of them had seen him. Breakfast was served. I recalled that the soldier went out with Ren earlier. But Ren was sitting at the head of the table, chattering animatedly with her sisters. I decided to ask her about the soldier.

    I walked up to Ren. "Um, excuse me, Ren. But can I know where the soldier, uh, the Black Soldier is?" I asked. 

    "You mean Ian?" she asked, surprised. I nodded. "I told him to come have breakfast. I had to go settle something, so I left him alone. I suppose he got lost. " she chuckled. 

    "Lost?" I echoed, worried. The soldier was reliable. He was capable, strong. He would never get lost. "Can you help us find him?" I asked Ren. Sure, the soldier was annoying, irritating, and defiant. But he was the one who helped us so many times. He was my...well, my friend. We argued, but that doesn't mean we don't care about each other. I realized how much I missed his sarcasm and humour, his cool as a cucumber posture - only when he wasn't here. 'I guess that old proverb is true. You never value someone until they're gone.' I thought.

    Ren nodded, and together, Sirena, Aisha and I separated to find him. An hour later, we met up in the oak tree. None of us found him. Everyone begun to get worried. Ren conducted a location spell. The arrow of her spell led us to an abandoned tree-tower. We climbed to the top to find it empty. "Ian? Are you there?" Ren called.

    We heard a peculiar noise. " BAM BAM BAM! Let me out!" the noise was muffled. 

    Aisha, with her sharp hearing, figured that the noise was coming from a large cupboard at the back of the room. The cupboard had a key in, and was shut. "Who is in there?" she asked, not turning the key.

Sirena

    "Its me! The Black Soldier! Let me out!" came a cry. Aisha unlocked the door, and swiftly ducked when the soldier fell out. He groaned in pain as he hit the floor. I rushed to help him. 

    "Oh my god!" I cried. " Why are you in here? Who locked you in? What happened?" I asked in a breath, then continued, " Are you alright?" while helping him up.

    "Ugh. I'm fine, thanks. I just saw this abandoned tower, and decided to explore. I opened the cupboard, and looked inside. Since it was such a huge cupboard, I stepped in to see what was inside. Suddenly, the door swung shut and somebody locked me from the outside! 

    "Hmm..interesting. " Ren mused. "There isn't anyone here with a bad intention, so my only guess is that it was the maid, Rose. She's always closing doors and locking them, for some reason. " Her voice lowered to a whisper as she continued, " Personally, I think she's afraid of intruders. Living in the past I'm afraid. " she concluded. " I don't think she knew you were inside. I'm so sorry dear. " Ren apologized. 

    " At least one good thing came out of this. " my twin said, grinning. " Look what I found! " he said, holding a shiny object in his palm. 

    "My bracelet!" Aisha exclaimed. " How did it end up here?" she asked, after a moment's thought. "I thought I had lost it forever!" she said.

    I was happy for her, but, once again, I felt someone else's feelings - someone worrying. I quickly identified who it was. It was my twin. I wondered what he was hiding, and decided to ask him about it, but, I didn't get to. We walked to the dining room. As I opened my mouth, Via grabbed hold of me and dragged me away to give me a full history lesson of her life long ago. (I didn't even understand a thing.)

    An hour later, I finally got away from Via and got directions to my twin's room. I knocked on the door. "Come in!" someone called. I turned the knob and entered the room. Chris was standing on a bed, playing an air guitar, and the music was blasting in the room. It was a miracle that nobody could hear it from outside. "Sirena wants to see you." my twin said, tossing something to Chris. "And put on a shirt. " he added, in a lower voice. I stifled a laugh. 

    "Actually, I wanted to see you." I said to my twin. The Black Soldier looked surprised. 

    "Me?" he asked. I nodded. " Well, what is it?" he asked.

    I hesitated. "Uh, its, its, a bit private." I said. Without another word, my twin grabbed my wrist and pulled me out the room. 

    Before I could begin, he started. " Look, I know, I know. You felt me worry right?" he asked.

    This time I was the surprised one. "Yeah. How do you know?" I asked.

    "Sirena, I'm your twin. I know what you're thinking. You know what I'm thinking. Its called twin bond. " he said.

    "Anyways, you see, Aisha's bracelet was stolen by Bellate and Trix's henchmen. So, if the bracelet was found here, there's only 2 thoughts that come into my head. " he said. "First, either the henchmen are Hiddens, and are staying here, or,-"

    "Or, the henchmen came here and laid it for us to find. " I finished. He nodded. " And, they might have been the ones to lock you in. " I added.

    "Exactly. Now you see why I'm worried. If they know where we are, its dangerous. Not only dangerous for us, but also for the people around us as well. " he explained. After a moment, he asked, " You do understand, right?" 

    "Yeah. I understand. And don't worry, I'll keep it to myself for now. We'll tell the others later." I said before he could tell me. " Also, how do I learn to use this 'twin bond'?" I asked.

    My twin, who had turned to leave, now turned back. He grinned. " You don't need to learn. " he said. Seeing my look of confusion, he added, " You just used it. Finishing my sentence is one of it. " he said, and left. 

    " Twin bond" I mused thoughtfully. "Interesting. " I said, as I walked away. 

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Their Adventure Together 16

 Aisha

    Lunch was DELICIOUS. I had never, ever eaten anything else that tasted so good. I would describe what I ate, but, seriously, I ate way too much to describe. You see, Marga-, um, Ren I should say, wanted to celebrate us being here, so she ordered lunch to be cooked - by the Hidden cooking expert. Remember how the Black Soldier told us that each Hidden has a different talent? Yup, this Hidden's talent was cooking. And oh man, did she cook! The food was wonderful. 

    There were so many varieties, "Pan Mee, Hakka Mee, Soup Mee, Char Kway Teow, fried rice, fried chicken, keropok, nasi lemak, ikan bilis sambal, dhal, thosai, tandoori chicken, cheese naan, roti canai, it just goes on and on and on! " Chris had exclaimed in surprise. I have no clue how on earth we managed to eat all that up. But we had a good time and stuffed ourselves to the brim. 

Pan Mee

Hakka Mee

Soup Mee

Char Kway Teow

Fried rice

Fried chicken

Keropok

Nasi lemak

Ikan bilis sambal

Dhal

Thosai

Tandoori chicken

    The Hiddens, who usually wore tops with pants, surprised us by wearing gowns that looked beautiful but darkly coloured at the same time. Ren was dressed in an elegant floor-length black dress with a maroon shawl. Ria and Beth came in matching dark blue sleeveless gowns. Dra wore a dark red knee length dress that had black lace in the shape of butterflies. A dark green floor-length dress with matching silk gloves were worn by Via, who looked really beautiful that night. Her granddaughter, Sha, came in a black top with an attached black skirt. Her skirt had intricate designs of flowers.

      I learned that Hiddens made the most beautiful clothes. As a matter of fact, Sirena and I had gotten ourselves measured so that the sewing Hidden - the Hidden who's talent is sewing - could tailor new clothes for us! I can't wait to receive them. 

Sha's outfit.

     We met a few other Hiddens, some of Sha's friends. At first Chris, Sirena and I couldn't call the Hiddens by their nicknames. We kept on calling them by their full names, " They're used to the Earth way" as the Black Soldier put it. Oh God, it was extremely embarrassing. Every time that happened, the Hiddens would go silent, and we would realize our mistake and immediately correct ourselves. Thank goodness we finally got used to it now. Here are some of our Hidden friends;

1. Via (Olivia), the librarian and "counter-lady" 
(she works in the oak tree's counter)

2. Sha (Sasha), Black Soldier's friend, her talent is defense
(archery mostly) 

3. Ren (Margaren), the leader of the elders, she is very powerful,

 but really nice as well (she has a staff to help her control her powers).

4. Ria (Victoria), Ren's sister, an elder, her gift is knowledge.

(she is highly educated, and knows her stuff, so nobody messes with her).

5. Beth (Elizabeth), Ren's sister, an elder. She reads the future, like a fortune-teller.

(Although she looks creepy, she is super kind to us)

6. Dra (Thandra), the Hidden who's talent is cooking. 

(she is good at cooking and at fighting too - you can tell from her face. Never debate with her.)

7. Adira, the Guardian of the Dark Realm. She's a simple but courageous person.

(although she looks weak, don't be deceived. She can beat a thousand giants in a battle.)

    We were shown to our lodgings and fell into a deep sleep. The journey was tiring, and we had "partied" for so long, making us weary. It seemed that Hiddens didn't have dinner, but had supper. We ate our supper in our lodgings. We ate a dish called 'Cabuela'. It was bread that was twisted together and had meat and veggies inside. Sort of like a sandwich, but the insides couldn't open and the filling was cooked. Dra taught me how to prepare it. 

   First, we had to make the dough of the bread, then roll out two pieces of dough into a long cylinder-shape. Then we had to twist it together. After twisting it, we slit a few parts to put in the filling of potatoes, tomatoes, and just about anything you want. Next, just pop it in the oven, and it was done. I thanked her for the recipe and decided to try it when we're back in our "carriage". 

     Sirena and I shared a room whereas Chris and the Black Soldier shared another. The rooms were made of wood, and the atmosphere was cool. It turned dark much faster in the Hidden territory compared to Earth. If we were on Earth, 5.00 in the evening would be 8.00 at night in the Hidden territory. Snuggling in my comforter, I smiled. What a wonderful day. I just hoped that the Hiddens would agree to help us defeat Bellate and Trix. If they agreed, the Black Soldiers would too. And that would mean the entire Dark Realm at our side. If Raju, Gowri and Deva managed to convince the Light Realm, and Asish and Neil could talk to the palace, then, we would be unstoppable. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYING OR REPRODUCING THIS STORY IN ANY FORM OR MANNER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Their Adventure Together 15

Black Soldier 

    The next day, I woke up bright and early. I dressed, and fed the horses. After checking the map and ensuring that we were on the right road, I started moving. The others weren't awake yet, so I let them sleep in. 'After all, ' I reasoned, ' they did have quite a shock last night.' 

    After a while on the road, I stopped. We had reached the Hidden's territory. Chris emerged from his cabin, yawning tiredly. " When did you wake up?" he asked. Then he looked around. " Where are we?" he asked, walking up to me.

    "Good morning to you too. " I replied. " We're in the Hidden's territory. " I said. 

    "Good mornin-" Aisha started, stretching. She stopped mid-way of her stretch and dropped her arms to her side. " Wow. Where in the world are we?" she asked.

    Before I could reply, my twin walked out of her cabin. Not wishing to hear the same question being repeated again, I stopped her before she could speak. "Welcome to the Hidden territory." I gestured to our surroundings. 

    "The Hidden's territory was huge. The girls really ruled over here. Our territory was 2 times smaller than theirs. To some people's eyes, this large territory looked like nothing. It looked like an empty, wasted land. The Hiddens themselves had created a magical illusion to deceive those who's hearts were not pure. Which is quite admirable, I suppose. We had asked them to make one for us, the Black Soldiers too." I started.

    "Those who knew the Hidden's and were searching for them however, saw an elegant group of girls, those who commanded respect and made sure they got it. They were powerful beyond words, and were unique in their own ways."

     "Each had their own talent and passion. Some were good archers, some good cooks, some good explorers, some good at fights, and the list goes on and on. Each new Hidden contributes a different talent and different knowledge to the rest of them. Their main power however, is the power to create magic. The Hiddens excel at using their magic powers. Being a neutral party, they have learned all the ancient magic that has been passed down generation to generation. From enchanting a person to dance, to conjuring a great feast out of thin air, to all sorts of self-defense. Their power, if fell into the wrong hands, had the potential to destroy the entire universe. Like I said, massively powerful. A tip; don't even dream of making them mad." I explained to my friends.

    They took in all this news readily, which surprised me. But I suppose they must have gotten used to having history lessons throughout their little "adventure". I had told my good friend, one of the Hiddens, that we would be coming earlier. I had sent her a pigeon. She had written back, promising to meet us there and bring us to her elders. I looked around to find her, and spotted a girl in the crowd, waving at me excitedly. 

    I waved back. Once she got out from the crowd, she rushed to me with a hug. " Ian! Its so good to see you again! How are you?" she asked, beaming. (Although the Hiddens command respect and are extremely powerful, they have excellent manners. In fact, I think they could win a prize for their hospitality. )

    I hugged her back, and requested to meet with her elders. She nodded, and almost immediately straightened her face. If you looked at her now, you wouldn't have known that just a millisecond ago, she was smiling so much that her it was impossible to return her smile.

    She weaved through the crowd of Hiddens, and made her way to a giant oak tree. " Come in. The elders are in here. " she said.

    "Why are the elders in an oak tree? " Sirena asked. "Not to be rude or anything, but I was just wondering. " she added hastily. 

    The Hidden didn't mind. " None taken. " she replied. " Oak trees represent wisdom, strength and justice. At least, that's what we believe in." she explained.

    We stepped in a lift. The Hidden knocked on the wooden wall thrice, and the lift started moving upwards. "Can I know why everyone here is in black? And totally covered?" Aisha asked next, as we passed other Hiddens, all similarly dressed as my friend. 

    "The Hiddens are a secluded community. We live in the Dark Realm, which is quite a cold place. Wearing dark colours helps to keep us warm. The other reason we are fully covered is because we try to expose as little of us as we can. As we practise magic, it is unwise to expose ourselves because if at all we get injured in a serious way, for example, loss of a limb, then we are useless to the entire Hidden community. We need every single pore on us to be able to practice magic. " she answered. "There's even an old saying here, 'An injured Hidden is a useless Hidden'." she quoted.

    My companions nodded. "That's interesting." Chris commented. The "lift" stopped, and everyone got out. The inside of the tree was astounding. From the outside, all one could see was an old oak tree. But on the inside, it looked very different that you began to wonder if you are still in your world! 

    Hiddens bustled around us, working and chattering at the top of their voices. "Wow. What a din!" Chris exclaimed, laughing. There was a wooden counter sort of thing, where an old looking Hidden was turning pages of a book feverishly. My friend brought us to her. 

    "This is Via. " she said. The lady didn't look up at us. After a few seconds, my friend continued in a whisper, " She's a real bookworm. She usually doesn't look up unless its important and you shout at her. Poor thing, she's slightly deaf. " she said. Then she winked and shouted, " VIA! I'M CALLING YOU!" 

    "Aah! " Via startled and almost fell out of her seat. " Did you have to shout? I was going to look up. " she frowned, pushing her glasses back on her nose. "Now what is it?" she asked. Then she noticed us. " Who are they? You do know that intruders aren't allowed-" 

    "Argh! Grandma! That was a longgggggggggg time ago. " my friend groaned. " How many times do we have to tell you? Don't live in the past!" 

    "Alright, alright. Whatever. Don't come crying to me when there's a problem later on. " Via grumbled.

    "We need to take my friend and his companions to our elders. Are they in?" she asked.

    "Yes, yes, they're in. Just go in. You don't need me to come in. Just go like you do every day. " Via said, still looking unhappy.

    "Thanks Grandma. " my friend said, placing a couple of notes in the old lady's hand. Don't forget to buy some snacks on the way back home. " she said. Before Via could reply, she pulled us in a room behind the counter. 

    When we entered, we saw 3 old ladies who, despite their age, looked quite fit and healthy. One of them, I think it was the oldest, was holding a staff. " Sasha. " the lady nodded. " How are you?" she asked warmly. 

    "I'm good, thanks Ren. " my friend replied, bowing. " I have brought some friends with me today. " she continued, gesturing to us. 

    " Ah yes. I had word they were coming. Did Olivia outside approve?" she asked.

    "Uh, well... kinda. " my friend answered, shrugging. 

    " Well Sasha, I think that you should introduce them to me then. I'm kinda confused at the situation. " another lady asked, smiling at us. 

    My friend began the introductions. " This is Ian, a Black Soldier, Sirena, his twin, Aisha and Chris. Everyone but the Black Soldier is from Earth. " she said, pointing to each of us. 

    The lady with the staff nodded. " Welcome to the Hidden territory. No doubt you have had a tiring and long journey. I'm Margaren, one of the elders here. These are Elizabeth and Victoria, the other elders. " she welcomed us. 

    " We would be delighted if you could stay, and we will show you to your lodgings. But before that, we have to explain a few rules that we have here in the Hidden territory. " Elizabeth said. 

    " Rule No.1: You should NEVER, ever, call a Hidden with her full name. Names are powerful. Names are strengths, names are weaknesses. You can however, call her with the last three letters of her name. For example, Sasha is Sha. Olivia is Via. Margaren is Ren. Do you understand? Also, Black Soldiers follow this rule as well, so don't be so confused." she said. 

    Next Victoria, or, Ria, as I should say, took over. "Rule No.2: As you three are from Earth, this might seem quite new to you. We Hiddens are extremely busy people. Some of our cultures and traditions might be weird to you, but please respect our culture and not badmouth us. " she said.

    " The other rules will be explained later on. Now, let us show you to your lodgings. " Margaren said, guiding us to the door. I looked at my companions. 

    "These Hiddens sure are strict. " Aisha said. " I can't wait to see what happens while we're here. " she added. The rest of us felt the same. Excited and nervous for what this place would bring. But now, as we go for lunch, I must end the story. Another story for another day. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYING OR REPRODUCING THIS STORY IN ANY FORM OR MANNER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.