Lost in Ibalon (How I Disappeared): Rise Of The Enchantress Book 1

Twin-spirit

"Uldapul, spawns of the dark. If any one of them penetrated these glades, then we are compromised. They're preventing the same tragedy that happened on our last istillah. Some of our kinds were captured and enslaved." The elder dropped a sack on the platform, and my heart sank as it fell on the slab.

7

"Just follow my every step." He said and with the little illumination, I managed to. We are treading at what it seems like a membrane. It was like dried husk, only flat. No . . . like a mosquito net that looked like woods caverned by termites. It was a few minutes when I realized that the path were dried bamboo leaves. At first, I did not doubt that it wasn't sturdy because of the comb of each cavern, but I can hear a little creaking sound in my every step. I clutched my hands as I walk like sneaking out of the house at night. Below us was a bottomless pit of darkness obscured by layers of membranes of dried leaves. I can see a few dim dots of greenish white lights somewhere below.

"Stay in the middle of the path!" he exclaimed and leaped near me holding me by my arms, pulling me to the middle.

Pressing on, we came to a more complex network of cavernous paths. This area seems livelier than before. Lights can be seen from arch windows and a few open doors. There were little bridges with railing connecting the doors to the path. We met a few on the way, and exchanged greetings. I vowed but then they were looking at me bewilderedly. There seemed to be a greeting using only their hand, like a sign or something that only they know about. We pass on a man sitting by the bridge about to light a cigarette but got yelled on by a woman inside the house. It kind of got my attention, for he was holding just a stick, and it just glowed as he opened the cap, but there was no fire.

We came to a path which is a bit darker than the rest. The windows arch and doors are few here. But there were still a few heads popping out trying to look as we pass. And then there was a man looking at us ahead. He was illuminated by a light squinting at an open door. We were about a few paces from him when he exclaimed.

"They are here Imay!" He said and then entered the open door carve in the shoot.

"Let them in quick!" came the answer somewhere inside the shoot.

The house was spacious to my surprise. It was mostly open to the left filled only with a plant and couches. A dining table is waiting at the right judging by the chairs surrounding it. And adjacent to the main door is a wall where a closed door can be seen. Beside it is a stairway that leads to a hole up to another level of the shoot. Each of the areas are illuminated by an orb which gives a warm yellowish light. And it was the first time that I've seen such a thing.

We ate by the round table. I'm wondering why there is a spare chair, and it was in the table already. Are they expecting me? The food was root crop stew, but I cannot quite comprehend where did it come from? Are there small root crops here too? The food was freshly cooked, it was even boiling as it was placed by the table, but I can't feel any heat nor smoke in the house. I don't know what to do myself. I know that they are different, not just by the clothes and being small. Their ears are like leaves of a wild taro, and it was a bit big and full of holes by the helix. Their eyes are full black and it's making me uneasy.

"You know, you just looked like a normal Tipwasan." Their mother said, smiling at me. And there is the bottomless blackness in her eyes.

"Meet anyone on the way? Did someone ask?"