The Guily Ones

Witchcraft

The sensation was indescribable—like being pulled through an endless tunnel of light and sound, yet weightless and untethered. My stomach churned as the world around me warped and stretched, every cell in my body vibrating with the strange energy of the vortex. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the new surroundings.
It was dark. We were standing on a dusty road near a swamp. I stumbled forward, catching myself before I fell. The world snapped back into focus, and I found myself standing in an entirely new place. Once my vision refocused, I had to stifle a laugh. Eric and Pam looked like they'd been dragged through a bog. Their clothes, their hair—everything was soaked and clung to them like a second skin. The real kicker, though, was their expressions. Pam looked furious, her mascara streaked and her lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line. Eric, on the other hand, wore an expression I'd never seen on him before—something between baffled and irritated. It was hilarious.

Pull yourself together, Meg's voice chided in my head, startling me enough that I visibly flinched. That, of course, drew the attention of the two agitated vampires, who now turned their focus to me in unison, tilting their heads like predators sizing up prey. I swallowed hard.

"What the hell was that?" I squeaked, my mind replaying the image of the tall, blond man who had blocked our escape—right after he had apparently melted a massive metal door just by being there. And that addictive, all-consuming sensation that had washed over me the moment I laid eyes on him...

Gone were the cold stone walls and suffocating darkness of the underground room. Instead, we were in a lush, open forest bathed in soft, golden light. The air was cool and fresh, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and damp earth. Tall trees with leaves of every imaginable hue—emerald green, deep crimson, and shimmering silver—formed a dense canopy overhead. The forest floor was soft with moss and speckled with tiny, glowing mushrooms that pulsed faintly like miniature lanterns.

"Well, that was a ride," Pam said, brushing dirt off her jacket. "Where are we, Megs?"

Megs didn't answer right away. She was busy inspecting a small crystal orb she had pulled from her pocket, the swirling energy inside casting faint rainbows on her face. Eric, on the other hand, was scanning the surroundings with an alertness that put me on edge.

I stepped toward him, still a bit unsteady from the journey. "Where are we?"

Eric's piercing gaze flicked to me, his expression unreadable. "Safe, for now."

"That's not an answer," I said, crossing my arms. "What is this place? Why are we here?"

Before Eric could respond, Megs cut in. "This is the Veilwood. A neutral zone between realms. Think of it as... a pocket dimension."

"A pocket dimension?" I repeated incredulously. "Like in sci-fi movies?"

"More like ancient magic," Megs corrected. "The Veilwood exists outside normal time and space. It's a safe haven—for now—but we can't stay long. The energy here is finite, and we'll start to attract unwanted attention if we linger."

I processed her words, trying to reconcile the fantastical explanation with the serene beauty around us. The glowing mushrooms, the otherworldly trees... it all felt like stepping into a dream—or a nightmare.

"Why did we come here, then?" I asked. "What are we running from?"

"Not what," Eric said, his voice low and dangerous. "Who."

Eric stepped closer, his gaze boring into me. "Are you telling me," he said, his tone tinged with disbelief, "that you didn't recognize him?"

I searched his face for some indication he was joking, but found none. Shaking my head, I confessed, "No clue."