the books of hidden worlds

chapter fourteen: Alden

  
    Are you alright, Elias?" I asked, noticing his distant gaze.

"Huh... umm... I just saw something strange earlier," Elias muttered, clearly struggling to piece together the fragments of his experience.

"Sorry, I can't seem to remember it clearly. So much happened-it was like I was dreaming twice. In one dream, there was a crying child, and they whispered to me, asking for help.

In the second dream, I saw Mom, and she told me it was my birthday, but that doesn't make sense, right? It wasn't my birthday. There's so much running through my mind, I can't process it all."

"A dream?" Lucan raised a brow. "Maybe it's connected to that child and your mother."

"It's curious though, isn't it? You had two dreams," Evander added thoughtfully.

Dorian nodded, crossing his arms. "Maybe the child wants your help, Elias. You should dream again and see if it leads you to an answer."

"But that depends on what kind of help the child is asking for, right?" Salem chimed in, his tone more cautious.

Elias considered all their input, finally agreeing. "You all have a point. We'll understand more when I dream again. But for now, we should focus on finding the prince, shouldn't we?"

"Exactly," Kevin said, his voice firm. "The prince comes first. We'll deal with Elias' dream when the time comes."

"So, what's the plan?" Rowan asked as Kian reached for a piece of bread before speaking.

"Well, first, we eat. We need fuel for our brains if we're going to make a proper plan," Kian said with an air of confidence.

"He's right. I'm starving," Peter added. "Let's eat before the food gets cold."

Everyone agreed and soon the group was gathered, eating as they prepared for the task ahead.

Several hours passed, filled with discussions and strategies on how to locate the missing prince.

"For the first group-Elias, Dorian, Kian, Cassian, Kevin, and Lucan-you'll need to seek out the Poison Witch. She's the sister of the Darkness Witch, or Agnes, as her true name is," Salem explained.

"The Poison Witch? Who's that?" Cassian asked, confused.

"She was my teacher back in junior high," Salem responded, his voice casual.

"Your teacher?" Kian raised a skeptical brow.

"She's actually quite kind," Lucan chimed in.

"Where will we find her?" Elias directed the question at Salem.

"At the edge of Elyndor, beyond the town," Salem replied.

"And what exactly are we supposed to ask her?" I interrupted, earning annoyed glances from the others.

"You're part of this too," Elias reminded me, and I shot back defensively, "I'm just asking, alright?"

"Ahem, as I was saying..." Salem paused, casting a sly smile at me before continuing. "The Poison Witch might have knowledge of why the prince left the palace."

"Got it," Elias confirmed with a firm nod.

"The second group will be myself, Alden, Rowan, Peter, Orion, and Evander. Our task will be to search the woods surrounding Elyndor," Salem instructed.

With the plan laid out, everyone began gathering their supplies for the journey ahead. Once ready, we stepped outside, greeted by a row of horses waiting for us.

"Mount up," someone called out, and the group swiftly saddled their horses, preparing for the long ride ahead.

As the horses thundered down the path, the first and second groups parted ways, each heading toward their respective destinations.

Hours later, we found ourselves in the heart of the Elyndor woods. The forest was unnervingly dark, the shadows twisting in unnatural ways. "It's pitch black out here," I thought to myself, feeling a shiver crawl down my spine.

"Evander, light a fire so we can see our surroundings," Salem ordered, his eyes scanning the area.

Evander murmured an Italian spell under his breath, summoning fire to the torch in his hand. He passed the torch to Salem, illuminating the path ahead as the fire flickered and danced in the eerie stillness of the forest.

The first group arrived at the dwelling of the Poison Witch. Dismounting from their horses, Dorian approached the door and knocked. It creaked open, revealing the Poison Witch herself.

“Who are you?” she asked in a raspy voice.

“Good day, ma’am. We are in need of your assistance,” Elias spoke with deference.

“And what kind of help are you seeking?” she inquired, her eyes narrowing.

“Um… If it’s possible,” Kevin began, “we would like your aid in finding the prince.”

“The prince?” she echoed.

“Yes,” Kian affirmed with a nod.

“Very well, come inside,” she gestured.

“Thank you,” Lucan said as they all stepped into the witch’s dark abode.

Cassian wasted no time, his voice steady as he asked, “When was the last time you saw the prince?”

The witch, ignoring the question, motioned for them to sit. “Have a seat first. Before I help you, I need a strand of hair from each of you and some blood—but only from one person.”

“And whose blood would you require?” Dorian’s voice cut in, suspicion evident.

The witch's eyes glinted as she looked toward Lucan. “The one closest to the prince.”

All eyes turned to Lucan, who raised his brows in protest. “Why me?”

“Because it must be you,” the witch said with finality.

“Come, follow me,” she beckoned. Reluctantly, the group obeyed as she led them through a peculiar door. Inside, the room was filled with vials of poisons neatly arranged on shelves and countless books. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and mystery.

“Now, give me the hair,” she commanded. They handed over their strands, which she tossed into a large cauldron. With a few words of incantation, the water inside the cauldron shifted in hue.

Then, grabbing a small, sharp knife, the witch approached Lucan. Without hesitation, she drew it across his palm, collecting the blood as it trickled into the cauldron.

She stirred the mixture again, her bony hands moving deliberately.

“You must each drink this, one by one,” she said, her voice ominous.

“What?” the group gasped in unison, disgust clear in their faces.

“It’s necessary,” the witch said dryly. “This is nothing unusual here.”

With that, she poured the contents of the cauldron into a large goblet, adding a dose of her own poison concoction. Each of them took a reluctant sip.

As the liquid settled in their stomachs, Kian couldn’t help but whisper, “This is disgusting.”

The witch, unbothered, peered into the cauldron once more. “Ah, there,” she muttered. “The prince is nearby. His location is not far from my own home.”

“Thank you,” Elias said, his voice sincere.

“You are welcome, Elias Harrison,” she cackled, eyeing him one last time before they departed.

With haste, the group mounted their horses and made their way toward the prince’s residence, hidden deep within the nearby forest. To their surprise, the Poison Witch’s home had been close to him all along.