Blood

Chapter Twenty Three: The departure

Dad picked a deserted open field for us to use to see whom the card that Seraphina handed to me would call. We wouldn't want humans asking questions when something out of the ordinary happened. The clearing was so wide it felt like the whole world had opened up just for us, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was it—the beginning of something I’d never be able to turn back from. Sunlight streamed through the trees, casting long shadows that flickered as the breeze stirred the leaves. Ava stood on my left, looking determined, but there was something sad in her eyes, and Dad was on my right, steady and silent as always.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the card Seraphina had given me. The sleek black surface felt cool against my fingers, and strange silver symbols shimmered just beneath the surface, like they were waiting for something. I tapped it, and the air in front of us started to ripple. In an instant, a figure appeared.

The man was tall and lean, draped in flowing white robes that seemed to glow against the green of the forest. His hair was long and silver, tumbling down his back, and his skin was pale—almost like he wasn’t entirely human. But it was his eyes that really got to me—deep, piercing blue and filled with a kind of calm that came from seeing way more than I could ever imagine.

He gave a slight bow, his hands folded in front of him. "I’ve heard a lot about you, Ethan," he said, his voice smooth, almost hypnotic. "The new guardian of the Heartstone. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

The word "guardian" felt heavy, like a weight had dropped onto my shoulders. I forced myself to stand a little taller. "Are you ready to go now?" he asked, and his gaze was so intense I could feel it in my bones.

I nodded, steadying myself. "I guess I am."

But just as I took a step forward, Ava stepped in, crossing her arms and fixing me with her signature stare. "Make sure you call every week," she demanded, her voice trying to sound tough, but I could see the flicker of worry behind her words. "If you don’t, I’ll come over there myself and kick your ass."

I laughed, the sound almost foreign in the quiet. "Yeah, wouldn’t want that to happen."

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it with just enough strength that I knew he was holding back. "Take care of yourself, alright?" he said, his voice low and firm. "And remember, ‘everything is not as it seems.’"

I frowned, trying to read his expression. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

He just gave me one of his mysterious smiles, the ones he’d been giving me since I was a kid. "Don’t worry. You’ll understand soon enough."

The man in white raised his hand, and with a simple snap of his fingers, the air in front of us started to shimmer and twist. It was like looking at a mirage, only more intense, and before long, a swirling portal materialized, filled with shades of deep blue and vibrant purple. It felt like it was alive, pulsing in rhythm with some invisible heartbeat.

All three of us just stared, mesmerized. The light from the portal cast our faces in an eerie glow, like we were seeing each other for the first time.

The man turned toward me, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "Shall we proceed?" he asked, his tone polite, like he was inviting me to take a stroll instead of stepping into another world.

I took a deep breath and looked back one last time at Ava and Dad. They both nodded, and I could see the worry in their eyes, no matter how much they tried to hide it. Then, without another word, I turned and stepped forward, following the man into the portal.

As soon as I crossed the threshold, it felt like I’d stepped into another century. The air was different, somehow thicker, tinged with the faint scent of hay and wood smoke. Around us, people in simple, old-fashioned clothes were riding horses down a dirt road, their eyes wide with curiosity as they watched us appear out of thin air.

The landscape was nothing like home—wide open fields, scattered cottages, and no signs of any technology. It was all so…primitive. I found myself glancing around, trying to take it all in, as the man led me down a winding path toward a building that sat on the edge of a small town. It looked like an old castle, complete with stone towers and ivy creeping up the walls, but there was a big wooden sign out front that looked like something you’d see at a school.

When we stepped inside, the place was huge, but simple. Stone walls lined with tapestries, high ceilings, and rows of wooden benches that looked about as comfortable as rocks. It was all silent, like the walls were holding their breath, waiting.

Then, from a side room, six students filed out and lined up in front of us. They were dressed in similar white robes, and they all had the same expression—a mix of curiosity and caution, like they didn’t quite know what to make of me. The second they saw the man, though, they all bowed low, murmuring a greeting.

The man turned to them, a faint smile on his face. "Children," he announced, "welcome your new classmate."

My eyebrows shot up. "Classmate?" I echoed, not bothering to hide my surprise. "Shouldn’t there be only one guardian of the Heartstone? What's this about classmates?"

The man gave me an amused look. "Yes, you’re right. There’s only one guardian of a Heartstone...but there’s more than one Heartstone."

My jaw dropped. "Wait…you can't mean…"