What an adventure

Chapter six: ...What?

After changing into the short sleeve white shirt and blue jeans that Beatrice had made him, he walked out of the restroom, bumping into Ophelia which caused her to drop the basket that was in her arms, causing everything inside to fall out.

"What the- can't you watch where you're going?" she said as she kneeled to pick up all of her items. Nick kneeled and helped her collect the peculiar items on the floor. It was some herbs and turquoise crystals that were similar to the ones on her face.

"Are those-"

Ophelia snatched the last crystal from his hand and stood up. "Leave me alone." She stormed away to her room.

Nick stared at his hand where the crystal was, it was as if he could feel the crystal dying in his palm. He shrugged it off and just stood up, walking into the kitchen where Althea was. "Garden?"

"Right side of the cottage."

Nick nodded his head and walked out of the cottage, slipping on some shoes that Beatrice had found in some old boxes. He turned to the right side of the cottage to see her sprinkling something on the flowers. She stopped when she felt Nick's presence. She turned to him and smiled. "Follow me." She turned to a path that led to the forest and began walking, Nick quickly caught up to her.

"So, I suspect that Althea had told you most of what happened."

Nick nodded his head.

"Well, it is true. Finn had run off and Alvaro went to look for him. After both didn't appear in their beds the next morning, Iris and Argus went after them only to disappear, Alvaro was the only one to be found."

"The other side, what is the other side?"

Beatrice's eyes showed hurt and sadness. "The other side is the people who had taken over this world, taken over the kingdom. And Finn...He was manipulated into joining them. Their leader is Darian...Finn's and Iris's father."

Nick's eyes widened slightly.

"But they do not know, I trust you won't tell them."

"Uh...sure, I won't tell them. It's not my business to say anything."

"Thank you. I believe that Darian could have used his magic to freeze Alvaro in time and had taken Iris and Argus, sensing that Iris was his child."

"Ok but...what does this have to do with me?"

Beatrice stopped in front of a fountain. It was made of marble and the liquid was a lavender color. She turned to him, he looked up at her.

"I sense something special from you, you control your destiny. You are powerful. And I was hoping that maybe you could save us all. Get Darian to change, get Finn, Iris, and Argus back. I know that Darian can put Alvaro back to how he was. Because of Darian, the magic of this world is fading and I fear that it will spread to your world."

Nick looked at her, completely baffled. "I...uh...I'm just a normal human. I'm not even supposed to be here."

Beatrice turned to the fountain and examined the white flowers. "Nick, you are no normal human. No normal human should be able to enter our world. We need you, Nick, you are our last hope."

Nick watched as she examined the flowers, everything that had happened recently had finally come back to him. He realized that no normal human would be able to experience any of this. "Ah...alright. I'll help, what do I need to do?"

Beatrice smiled, her wrinkles showing "I have trust in the fact that we can repair a portal that could send you on your way to Darian's castle. I have some things that could help to destroy the crystal and restore all of the magic in this world."

"But why can't anyone else do it?"

"Because Darian had put up an invisible border that has a certain frequency that prevents us overworld beings from getting near. I know that you can pass through without a problem and get rid of the border."

Nick slowly nodded his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "So, when should I go? The faster I get this over with, the faster I get Eli back."

Beatrice picked up one of the flowers and held it in her hands. "First thing in the morning, the night is no good because of the manticore he lets out at night."

"Alright, then it's a plan."

"It is. Now for the time being, how about you help me collect herbs for" suddenly, Beatrice fell to the ground, dropping the white water lily on the ground. Nick quickly got down next to her and shook her a bit. "Beatrice? Beatrice?! Althea!!! Ophelia!!!"

~~

Darian walked into the huge room and walked over to Eli. "It's a new day and we still do not know how or why you are here. So, you're gonna tell me why you've come to my world."

Eli glared up at him, still staying silent.

"I'm going to need you to speak or else you will feel what real fear is," Darian kneeled in front of Eli. Eli smiled and spat at him.

"That's so cute. You think you're scary. But mister, I've seen scary --- and you ain't got his smile."

Darian kept his snarky demeanor, he grabbed Eli's face and made the younger look into his dark, red eyes. "Your snarky comments are only gonna bring you to have a terrible fate." He let go of his face and stood up. "When I come back, you better have some answers for me." Darian walked away and out of the room.

Eli tugged on the chains, he sat on the cold, stone floor. After a few minutes, the door opened then it closed. Footsteps became louder and louder. The footsteps stopped in front of Eli.

"Hey..."

"I'll never do anything for him. He pays for my silence, I'll scream. He threatens me to speak, I will sew my lips shut," Eli said as he continued to stare at the ground.

"I uh...do you know who Nick is?" the person asked, Eli's head shot up to the person who was speaking, that person being Finn. "Why? Is he here?"

"Well uh-"

"Nick! Nick! Help!"

"Stop it, no one outside of this room can hear you. And...no, he isn't here. Tell me where I can find him and I'll get you out of here."

"Where is here?! I don't even know where here is!" his voice broke "I don't know what I'm doing here. Please, leave me alone." tears started pouring from Eli's indicolite eyes, Finn sighed "Fine, please eat the next time food is brought for you. Darian would like to kill you himself instead of you dying from starvation." He walked towards the doors and out of the room.

Calypso walked over to Finn and began walking with him. "Why'd you go in there?"

"No reason, I just tried to convince him to do what Darian wants him to do. I have to tend to some matters, talk later." Finn ran off, Calypso raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Weird..."

As Finn ran off and turned the corner, he suddenly fell to the ground.

~~

Beatrice shot up, realizing that she was now in her bed. Althea rushed over to her side.

"Beatrice, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, what happened?"

"Nick said you just fell to the ground and passed out while you guys were in the forest."

Beatrice looked down at her blanket and sighed. "How long have I been out?"

"All afternoon, I think you should get some more rest."

Beatrice shook her head, "I have work to do, you can go to sleep with no worry." she smiled reassuringly at Althea, Althea nodded her head and walked out of the room. Beatrice slowly got out of bed and walked over to her bookcase. "No time."