Realm Wars

Chapter 14

Dash's eyes widened.

Was that a little girl's voice?

Astrea?

Bioluminescent lights glimmered from the treetops, highlighting the child's curly brunette locks. They spiraled down to the top of her shoulders. The girl wore a white enviro-suit that shimmered under the glowing fauna. A pair of blazing blue eyes stared back at Dash. The girl reminded her of one of the cherubic angels from the Daynanic murals in the ruins. How in the realms... It didn't matter. Now that she had found the child, all Dash needed to do was get her back. The drat walked over to the Astrea and dropped the helmet at her feet. The child giggled and stroked the creature's brow.

Dash raised her enviromask. "Astrea, thank the stars you're okay." she kneeled down to examine the girl.

The child ignored the comment, choosing to rub the lizard's belly instead. Dash removed the hover-ball and held it in front of Astrea. "I believe this belongs to you."

The child took the toy. "Thanks." She waved it in front of the animal. The creature's eyes followed the ball intently.

She threw it.

"Go get it."

The drat ran off after the toy.

The girl giggled.

"You have no idea how worried I was. Hopefully, your mother doesn't get too upset."

The animal raced back to Astrea with the hoverball in its mouth. She looked down at the drat. "He's a dragon."

Dash smiled. "Oh?" she glanced at the animal, "We've met."

Astrea's eyes went wide and she tugged at Dash's arm. "Miss Dash, I have to show you something!"

Dash didn't budge.

"Honey, we have to get back to camp. Chief Griff probably has every security officer in the camp out searching for us."

The girl hopped up and down and tugged on Dash's arm again. "But I found the best place to play. There's even a lake."

Dash frowned. This kid had no fear at all. She surveyed their surroundings. They couldn't stay too long. But maybe if she placated Astrea for a minute, the girl would come with her. Besides, it's not like they could get any more lost than they already were. "Okay, but once you show me, we need to head back to camp."

The girl nodded, then led Dash through the clearing.

Dash trudged behind her, pushing through brush and tree limbs. The girl ran ahead into an open field. Dash stood dead in her tracks when she saw what lay beyond the hill. Incredible. She'd never seen such an amazing sight. The treeline formed a perfect circle around a lake. Four ancient pillars surrounded the area. According to the enviromask HUD, they were located at each cardinal point, like the notches of a compass. Dash raised her mask. The tranquil water glistened under the red hues of the forest foliage. At the bank closest to them stood a horseshoe-shaped archway. In the center of the lake sat a platform of some sort. An obelisk shot out from the middle of the structure, like a sword pointing to the heavens. Beyond it, at the far edge of the water, towered the largest tree Dash had ever seen. The bark was white and the leaves gleamed a golden yellow.

"By the stars..."

Astrea skipped toward the archway. Ornate Daynanic designs decorated the monolith. Both sides of the arch converged to a single stone with a circular symbol etched into the face. Vines covered the ancient boulders intertwining at the base of each side, continuing into the ground like roots, almost as if they had been grafted into the structure purposely.