The Underworlds

Great Portal Trip... Not!

Chapter 13 - Great Portal Trip... Not!

Mia's POV

"Please remind me of why we need to go to the scariest world of all?" I ask with attitude.

Kayne grunts, annoyed with my question. Oops. "First of all, it isn't the scariest world of all. It's the second. Secondly, we are going to Veentrois because we need to see a friend of mine. He should be able to help us find information about your parents, like how we can find them. My friend might be able to help you through the final stage of the change as well."

"Oh, right. I knew that." I say, pretending to sound clueless. My goal here is to annoy Kayne as much as I can until we get to Veentrois. Just because we are seeing each other doesn't mean that is an excuse not to annoy him. It works for us. He smiles at me, his dimples showing. I think I am one of the few people that can make him smile like that.

I am still worried about the second part of the change. Yes, I made it through the first stage, but I have no idea what to expect. The next change is supposed to be my body turning into a vampire. Apparently to jump start the vampire change you must work your body to its breaking point. Once that is achieved you will pass out. While you seem asleep your mind and body will be changing into a vampire's body. While this change is going on, I should be able to feel and hear everything going on outside my body, but I won't be able to react. Like a bad trip of lucid dreaming. The only reason I know all of this is because of that book I read. The day before we left for Hearus I was having a hard time sleeping. I went down to the library and read this golden book, it was practically calling for me. It had everything I should know about the different steps of the change.

"Earth to Mia." A voice says, bringing me back to reality.

"Right, sorry. I was just lost in thought."

"Well, are you ready to go?" Flora asks all of us. She is hovering in the air around us. One by one we all nod our heads.

"I'm all set." I have my weapons belt around my waist, stocked full. I'm heading into unknown territory with no idea what the terrain will be. I feel like I have to be over prepared compared to everyone else. Everyone else here is so much more experienced than me, I'm worried that I will get in their way and become a burden for them.

Flora closes her eyes and begins to focus her energy to create the portal. A vein on her forehead began to become noticeable as she continued to focus her energy. I could see natural energy forming around her, blue and green energy swirling around her hands. I look at the energy in shock, but no one else seems to notice it. They only see Flora's physical form collecting the energy. I stopped showing my surprise and wait patiently like everyone else. Flora then moves her arms slowly in an oval shape in front of us. As her arms moved a golden line followed, creating a door like image. When the portal was finished it was ominous. The portal looked like dark blue waves, like an angry ocean ready to burst. Even the ripples in the portal were acting wild. To be completely honest the portal was not inviting, it was terrifying.

"Alright, everyone join hands. We don't want to get separated going through the portal." Flora said, sounding like she really knows what she is talking about.

Kayne reached out for my hand, I gladly took it. His touch sends a shock of electricity through my body. I look up at him and smile. He smiles back causing me to blush. I look away with my face hot. I can feel his blue eyes looking down at me, which are not helping my blush go away any time soon.

Kayne grabs Zara's hand who is holding onto Flora's. After Flora made the portal, she grew to her human form to make it easier for traveling through. Something I think I will never get used to seeing.

Flora nods her head and begins leading us through the portal, "Be careful everybody. This is nothing like the portal to Airia. This one will be a lot harder to get through." With that, she takes the first step through the portal.

I tighten my grip on Kayne's hand, he squeezes my hand back and smiles to reassure me that everything is going to be okay. I then follow everyone else through the portal, scared to leave Airia and head to Veentrois, but ultimately I am thankful. I am thankful that I am not going through this alone, I have my friends with me.

As we step through, intense wind sends my hair flying everywhere. Causing it to whip Kayne once or twice in the back of the head. I put my one free arm in front of my face to try and make it easier to see. Above me I can hear thunder booming, and I could see lightning strikes in the distance.

"Are you okay?" Kayne yells over the ferocious wind.

"Yeah! I'm fine." I yell back.

"What!" He yells once more.

I'm guessing he couldn't hear me, "Nevermind!" I yell back, knowing he won't be able to hear it.

Kayne shrugs, giving up on what I was trying to tell him and turned around to continue marching forward.

Ouch, a hot burning sensation started to form on the arm not holding Kayne's hand, before long my skin turned red from the reaction. More and more of these red dots start appearing on my body. I try hiding the pain, thinking 'this is normal when traveling to Veentrois, I will be fine'. I flinched from the pain and Kayne noticed, turning around to investigate. As he turns, another dot forms on my hip, this time the size of a baseball. I take a sharp breath in through closed teeth. I couldn't hear it over the wind but I am pretty sure that Kayne was asking if I was okay again.

I couldn't hear him over the voices raging inside my head: You don't belong here! Go! Leave before we make you leave. Save us, please! Run! Run or die!

It was too much for me to handle. I dropped to my knees and let go of Kayne's head, holding onto my own now.

Kayne's POV

I notice Mia's hand flinch, so I turn to see if she is okay. She didn't answer me back, she just looked like she was on fire, holding in the pain. Mia let go of my hand, the one thing you do not do while traveling through a portal with others. She falls to her knees, holding her head with her hands, her face scrunch up in pain. I was forced to keep walking, but I was dragging the rest of the team back, trying to get back to her.

"Mia!" I yell, but she only continues to hold her head and lets out an overwhelming scream. One so loud it pierced the wind long enough for all of us to hear it.

Zara and Flora look back to see what was going on. Flora spoke up once she sawm, "Mia! No! She can't let go of your hand Kayne! You idiot!" I swear I could see a vein popping out of her right temple.

Flora never gets mad at me, and this wasn't even my fault. I ignore her harsh comment and look back towards Mia, she was still holding her head and screaming. I turn to Flora once more, "We have to go back for her!"

I try to let go of Zara's hand but she has me in a death grip, "I know you care for her, but you can't risk your life every time she is in danger. No way in hell am I losing you. You are coming with us!" Zara spits out, ready to knock me unconscious if I don't listen, "You have to wait until we get to Veentrois. Then we will go looking for her. Look, we are almost there!"

I know if I were to get out of Zara's death grip, that there is no guarantee that I will end up where Mia will. If I stay with my sister I can protect her once we get to Veentrois and I will have a better chance of finding Mia with more help. Logically, the best choice is to stay with Zara and Flora, but my heart is telling me to go with Mia. Take the chance that I might end up where she will be. I turn back once more to look at Mia. When I do the ominous fog that hung around our feet, is now blocking my view of Mia. All I see is a dark object through the fog. I turn back to the group, close my eyes, and continue to walk. Praying to myself that Mia is going to be okay.