The Oracle

Chapter 2

That's how my amateur drawing skills depict Roxanne =>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you want a better quality picture, just copy and paste into a Word document. :)

Enjoy the chapter!

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I opened my eyes again to find myself... floating in a swirling void of midnight blue. It reminded me oddly of the place that Nerrianda and I travelled to during the hours of sleep. It did get a little troublesome at times, having my twin by my side every single hour of the day, but just being able to visit this place with my twin and my twin only, it was a welcome feeling. Except.

Today, I couldn't see her.

Nerrianda was nowhere in sight. And there was someone, something else here with me.

I mentioned the void being midnight blue. Well, usually it was a mixture of swirling pastel colours. This time, there was also a dark hole in the distance that seemed to be pulling the void into it... if that was possible.

You...

I whipped my head around, searching for the source of the voice. It seemed to resonate from all around the void.

Which child are you?

"I, what do you mean?"

There is another like yourself that visits often...

I kept my silence.

Do you two happen to be... Never mind. It's just a coincidence. Say, might you be from the tribe of the Oracle?

"Excuse me?" This, this thing, was referring to a lengendary, almost mythical being, said to have been destroyed eons ago.

You are too young. Perhaps you don't know. Ugh... Already time for me to go... Mark my words... Those who are close to you will soon be close no more... Your enemies will become your greatest allies... And do not, under any circumstances, enter the dark portal.

Ah, so that was what the hole was. I willed myself to wake up, but a force restrained me from leaving.

There was a collective sigh, or at least it sounded like one.

The other child visited earlier... She wanted to let you know that she would be fine.

I left this time, leaving the void behind me, rousing myself from rest.

But really, she's not. (A/N: Timothy didn't catch that last phrase :O)

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I awoke to the sound of metal sliding against metal. Alarmed, I sat up quickly, ignoring the bodily pain. It turned out to be Roxanne sharpening a hunting knife against the heel of her boot. Strange... The bottom of her boot was a thick metal plate...

"Morning, Tim." Roxanne tossed a jar of... something and a fist-sized fruit at me. "Rub that on your sores, and eat quickly. We're travelling east, to a camp. There we can talk... properly. Oh, and you'll be carrying the sleeping hides and the medicine kit. Hurry up!!"

I nodded sheepishly and complied.

----------Nerrianda's POV----------

"Let me go! Unhand me, you, you monsters! Let me go!"

The... demons held on tighter, drawing blood from my calf. I reckoned that it was pointless to struggle and so I stopped. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I blinked them away. I hoped Tim was alright. I couldn't bear to lose him after... after... what happened to Mum and Dad. I forced the memory into the back of my mind.

We were thrown into the caravan, and I closed my hands, expecting a jarring impact among the crush of bodies. Instead I landed facefirst on the ground. I lifted my head blearily. As far as I could see, Jacaranda hadn't landed with me. I glanced around a little more, and I realised that I was not inside the caravan. The room was a vast, stone chamber, and there were a lot more... presences inside the room.

Which lead me to the inhabitants of the chamber. The room was filled, packed with the demon-like creatures that had kidnapped me earlier. They were standing in neat rows, upright, like they were expecting orders from someone. It was almost as if... I turned my body around to face behind whatever lay behind me.

"Where the hell am I?"

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Hello readers! Okay, so each chapter, I will release an image of a scene or a character from the previous chapter. So in this case, last chapter, you met Roxanne, and this chapter, I released an image of Roxanne (in amateur anime-esque style XP). So next chapter... Expect an image of the "void", Nerrianda, or some of the demon-creatures (haven't given them a name yet :P).

Until next time!

makkukka