Parallel Reality

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Max started to walk off and Adelyn looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"Where are you going?" She asked, jogging to catch up to him.

"I have to go."

"Oh..."

He stopped, "It's not you, it's just..."

"What is it?"

"I can't be around people. Chaz might take over and I cannot risk that around other people. I'm sorry."

"But-"

"No. I made my decision. I can't go back on it now." He said sternly, walking off again. Adelyn was about to go after him but he seemed serious, and he was only a stranger, after all.

The girl began to walk in the opposite direction, trying to get her mind off Max, who she would probably never see again. Sighing, she sat under a tree, listening to the sounds of the forest.

Adelyn could not help but think that Max was a little rude. She did save his life, and what was his thanks? To simply leave like nothing had happened.

Groaning, she stood up and began to have a wander around. Not even thirty seconds into her stroll, Adelyn heard a crack echo through the forest. Spinning around, she saw a beautiful white wolf running towards her. She then frowned before her eyes started to widen. Shit, it's coming after me! Adelyn thought to herself before diving into the bushes beside her. The animal sprinted right past her, and Adelyn was more than confused. Wait... did that wolf have... wings? Climbing out the bush and looking at the running wolf once more, Adelyn concluded that the wolf did, in fact, have wings.

That's when she remembered the fact that every supernatural animal in Acyle had been captured and killed by the knights.

She quickly held her arm up, the rainbow light circling her hand and the wolf, before she made it come back to her. The animal yelped a bit as it was brought against its will to Adelyn, before it started growling at her.

"I only want to talk, but you're going to have to shift." Adelyn said sternly.

She noticed blood slowly dripping out of the animal's side, staining its fur.

"Oh! You're hurt. Let me help-"

The wolf gives her a loud bark then darted off again, only seconds before Adelyn heard footsteps amd cries of people.

Knights.

Adelyn decided that her safest option was to follow the wolf. She was not sure of how many knights there were, and she did not want to wait to find out.

"Fuck where has that wolf gone?" she huffed, jogging at a reasonable pace. She decided not to call out for the animal so that she did not attract the knights to where she was. Instead, she followed in the general direction she thought the wolf went, although she knew she could have easily lost it.

The trees began to thin out, the forest becoming less dense as she ran. Not even a minute later, she came across a lake; the water shimmered in the sunlight, the trees reflected perfectly on it with no ripples in the liquid at all.

Crack.

Adelyn turned her head and watched as a white blur went into a cave. The girl stalked the animal, heading towards the cave herself.

It was cold. Damp. Dark.

A water droplet fell on her head and she flinched a bit, shaking her head. Then she saw the wolf, pure and white. It had wings, wings like a bird's.

"H-hello." Adelyn said, hoping the wolf would not attack her.

It growled.

"I'm not h-here to hurt you," she said, taking a small step backwards, "I-I want to help."

The animal snapped its jaws at her, baring its teeth. Adelyn closed her eyes tightly, waiting for it to harm her. She frowned when the growling stopped, and she cautiously opened her eyes, only to see a girl who looked around the same age as herself, collapsed on the groud, looking up at her with her ice blue eyes. The girl looked scared. What have those bastards done to her? She thought to herself.

"I know," the girl said, shattering the silence, "I just didn't want them to find us. The knights, I mean."

Adelyn laughed a bit, "That's perfectly understandable."

"I'm Crystal, by the way." she said, holding her side.

"Nice to meet you, Crystal. I'm Ade-"

"Adelyn, I know." She looked like she was in a lot of pain.

"How did yo-"

"I heard you talking to Max."

"Wait you whe-"

"I was only passing by, really. It was your commontion that caused those knights to chase me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Adelyn sighed.

"No, it's fine, you couldn't have... you wouldn't have known." Crystal reassured her, smiling lightly.

"So, what do we do now?"

"I need to go and clean this up, then I need to cover my wings before going anywhere near the village." Crystal said, standing up and stumbling a little.

"Do you need some help?"

"That's very kind of you, thanks."

Adelyn walked over to the girl and out her arm around her to hold her up. The two slowly walked towards to the lake, Adelyn being careful not to touch her bleeding side or hurt her in any way.

She helped Crystal undress herself, and put her clothes on a nearby rock, hoping to keep them dry and clean. Dirt was not something she needed on her wounds right now.

Adelyn turned back to see Crystal already in the water. A pool of blood sat on the water.

"Do you want me to he-"

"Shush, I'm listening. Shit!" Crystal whispered, swimming away. For a small girl, she was sure powerful. Adelyn picked up her clothes and ran back into the cave, presuming the knights were coming. She did not want to get caught, not because she was helping a stranger out.

"Where did it go?"

"We can't let it escape!"

Adelyn's heart beat increased as she heard some of the knights talking. She figured this dress was not going to hide her very well, and prayed that they did not come to the cave.

Footsteps got louder, and faded away, as the men walked around. One of the men's kept getting louder, and Adelyn shut her eyes tightly, trying to control her breathing.

"Ah, is the wolfie hiding in the cave?" He said as he approached it.

"Oi, men! There's blood in the lake! Maybe the bastard did get away!" Another one said, and the knight walked away. Adelyn sighed a sigh of relief. I'm glad that's over. But, how am I supposed to find Crystal if she's run off?