Tangled in the Mystery of Magic

Betrayed

Cleo

I went into the meeting room and found the magician, my father and my friends standing there. I went and took the empty seat next to Alvin.

"So" I looked at my father as he began. " We all know that we can find all the answers only at one place... Our Kingdom." I nodded as I continued listening to him. "So, we must go there. And we must hurry because the gates disappear after the sun sets. The longer we delay the harder it will get." 

Whatever, as long as I save my friends I am ready. 

"And how will we get there?" I asked .

" That's not a problem" I can take you to the gates came the reply from my father.

He banged his staff and a portal appeared, sucking all of us in... Into what lay ahead.

I found myself standing beside my brother and before me stood the most magnificent sight I had ever laid my eyes on. It was a huge gate but it was so beautiful and intriguing... As if luring me in to find the mystery behind it. " What is this place?" I gasped in surprise, wonder and amazement... I heard my brother chuckle only to find him looking at me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite recognise and he didn't give me a chance to think about it further as he answered my question " Welcome home princess. We are at the gates of our Kingdom Ahtohallan..." "Ahtohallan" I whispered. It was a name as beautiful and mysterious as the gate before me .

" Cleo" my father called out. 

Oh right! The children. We are here to rescue them.

" I need your amulet.... The royal locket will help us get in as the gates recognise it's power." 

I nodded and my hands reached towards unclasping the amulet.. but for the first time... I felt hesitant.... I didn't want to give away my locket.

Seeing my hesitation, Ryker swiftly came and snatched the amulet from my hands. "Ryker!" I gasped. He gave me a smile.... But it wasn't like old times.... It was something sinister.... something evil.... Something which scared me. Ryker went towards the gate and started chanting. The sun was almost dipping, it's blood like glow cast on all of us. 

" Ryker! How.... How do you know these chants? And why did you snatch my amulet?" I asked desperate. He handed the locket to my father and sauntered towards me.

Please...please...I don't want this to be true..

" Yeah I was an old minister, I had to wait for you all this while because you had to find your way here...no one else could take you. Especially not by force... That was what was prophesied." He said spitefully. " Now, finally I can have what was destined to be mine.... I would love the look of desperation on you snobbish royals... Undeserving of the legacy bestowed upon you. "

The whole world stopped... 

"Traitor" shouted my brother. "Oh yeah I remember you. " He said suavely... "Foolish to be so loyal isn't it.... And then stand in helplessness because the whole world doesn't believe. Oh I remember you foiling our plans... Clever....but not anymore!"

"You were the traitor... You and my father. How could you be so blinded with greed that you couldn't see the lives you ruined?" He spat disgusted.

The gates would almost open anytime. But I couldn't move. My best friend betrayed me .... The people I trusted used me... A teardrop fell from my eyes.

Alvin

Oh my God! Ryker is such a traitor... How could he do this... I would kill him..

Suddenly my sight grew hazy and scattered bits of information came into my mind.