The Realm Protectors

Chapter 18 - Avani

The teleporter arrives right on time, opening a gateway in the Atrium. Nile goes first, stepping into the rip of planets and stars before we all follow. We emerge in the most beautiful forest I've ever seen. I gasp as the rip closes behind us, leaving us alone.

"Okay, it's about five o'clock." Nile says, checking his watch. "That means we only have about an hour until the sun sets. We should find a good place to set up camp for the night."

I reach for my ability and look at the green veins of life around us. I spot an area that's not as full as the other areas around us and point.

"There's a clearing over that way." I say. Enya nods and leads us over to it. The trees form a protective circle around the clearing, and their extensive boughs offer a natural canopy to protect us from the elements.

"This is perfect." Enya smiles. "Let's set up camp for the night, and we'll set out hiking first thing tomorrow."

"How do we even know that Tucker is in Dunia?" Ciana asks.

"I have access to all of the intelligence files in every country." Nile explains. "Sources indicate that there were some witnesses in Dunia who saw a man who fit Tucker's description. They said he was buying food items at the grocers."

"There's a grocery store in the middle of all these woods?" Ciana asks.

"There are cities here." I say. "I can feel them." My friends give me a weird look.

"You can... feel... cities?" Nikolina tilts her head.

"I can't explain it," I admit. "Everything here, the plants, the people, I can feel their life like a second heartbeat. Things like cities feel like... like a heavy hum. Full of life."

"Do people feel different from plants?" Ciana taps her chin in thought.

"Yes. It's more complex."

"So if we were to be out in the middle of the woods, you would be able to sense if there was someone nearby?" Enya asks.

I nod. "It's like my abilities are heightened here."

"The woods of Dunia are said to hold just as much power as the elementals who live in them." Lyra's voice is lyrical, almost like birdsong. She's huddled in a deep purple blanket covered in tiny white stars. "The storytellers of Stelluna talk of the wild magic of Dunia. It's said that the wild growth from these woods make better brews."

Enya snaps her fingers and a fire erupts to life in the middle of our little circle. "Do your storytellers say anything about what's best for making food?"

Lyra shrugs. "Depends on what flavor you want." We laugh and start setting up our tents. Soon enough we're roasting hot dogs over Enya's fire and bundling up for bed. I'm wrapped up in more blankets than I can count as I try to go to sleep. When I close my eyes, I see a sky full of stars. I open them again and see the top of my tent.

"What the–" I close my eyes again and I'm digging through the dirt for something. I open them and I'm back in my tent. Open, shut, open, shut.

"What is going on?" I sit up and grip the edge of my blanket, closing one eye. Through my open eye I see my tent, but through my closed eye, I see the outside of my tent. I hear a rustle outside and I crawl over to the zipper. I unzip the tent and peek outside to see a little squirrel staring at me.

"Phew, you scared me–" I mid-sentence, blinking again. When I close my eyes, I see myself. As if I'm seeing through the eyes of the squirrel.

I close my eyes fully and I see myself sitting there in my old high school shirt with my eyes closed.