The Veiled Lands (REWRITING)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Friends in Strange Places

The air in the Whispering Realm tasted different- crispier, sweeter, alive. I stood frozen, struggling to comprehend the alien beauty around mer. The forest I landed in was unlike anything from back home. The trees around me seemed to touch the sky, their trunks wrapped in luminous vines that pulsed with a faint glow, as if the forest itself were breathing. The ground beneath my feet was soft with moss, and fireflies – at least, I thought they were fireflies – bobbed in the air, their light shifting between blue and gold.

Somewhere in the distance, a brook chuckled softly. I felt a warm breeze through my hair, carrying with faint whispers. I couldn't tell if the whispers were coming from the wind or the trees themselves

I blinked, looking around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Was this a dream? It had to be. I pinched my arm, hard.

"Ow." Nope. Not a dream.

The snap of a twig behind me made me spin, heart racing. "Who's there?" I called, my voice trembling.

No answer.

My instincts screamed at me to run, but there was nowhere to go. Everywhere I turn, the forest loomed, unfamiliar and endless. I picked up a stick that was laying nearby – hardly a weapon, but it made me feel a little less defenseless.

A figure darted between the trees, too fast for me to make out. The another. My chest tightened in panic. "I-I don't want any trouble," I stutter, backing up.

"Oh, we're the ones that are trouble?" a high, mocking voice chimed from above.

I squinted into the branches of a tree, spotting a tiny figure perched on a branch. It was no bigger than a squirrel. With wings like a dragonfly, and a face that had mischief and annoyance written all over it.

"What are you?" I blurted, my voice shaking.

The figure gasped in mock offense, placing a tiny hand on its chest. "What am I? What are you? You're the strange on here, human."

"Human?" I repeated.

The figure flitted down, its wings humming as it hovered in front of my face. "Big. Clumsy. Can't even see the ley lines. Yep, human."

"Ley lines?"

The figure groaned. "Oh great. Not only are you lost, but you're clueless. This is going to be so much fun."

Before I could respond, a second voice- low and gruff- interrupted coming from behind me. "Lyric, stop harassing her."

I turned to see a what I thought to be an elf, emerging from the shadows. He was tall and agile, with pointed ears peeking out from beneath his silvery hair. His pale eyes gauge me warily, and a bow was slung over his shoulder.

I really have to be dreaming, elves aren't real. I probably fell asleep reading that book, that's the most logical explanation for what's currently happening.

"She's human," Lyric said, darting over to the elf and circling his head. "She doesn't belong here. She's going to get us all killed."

The elf sighed, brushing the pixie aside like on might swat a fly. "Forgive Lyric. She has a flair for dramatics."

Lyric stuck out her tongue at him.

I tightened my grip on the stick. "Who are you? Where am I?"

The elf's expression softened, though his gaze remained cautious. "I'm Kael. You're in the Whispering Realm."

"The...what?"

Lyric rolled her eyes. "Oh, this is going to take forever."

Kael shot her a warning look before turning back to me. "You're not supposed to be here. This realm doesn't welcome your kind."

"Well, I didn't exactly ask to come here," I snapped, the day's frustrations boiling over. "One minute I'm in my room, and the next I'm – here." I gestured to the strange, glowing forest around them.

"What's your name, human?" Lyric asked.

"Avery," I replied while pushing myself up off the ground.

Kael studied me for a long moment, as if he was searching for something in my face. Finally, he nodded. "You should come with us."

"Us?" I asked warily.

"You didn't think it was just me and Mr. Sunshine here, did you?" Lyric said laughing.

-

Kael led the way through the forest, his movements silent and sure. I followed, feeling clumsy in comparison. Lyric flitted ahead, her chatter filling the air.

"So, what's your story?" Lyric asked. "Why'd the big scary book decide to dump you here?"

I hesitated. "I don't know. I just...I was trying to escape."

Lyric tilted her head. "Escape what?"

I glanced at Kael, who was pretending not to listen, "It doesn't matter," I say quietly.

Lyric opened her mouth to press further but was cut off as the trees parted, revealing a small clearing.

A woman stood in the center her skin the color of bark and her hair cascading in green vines. She turned toward them, her amber eyes glowing faintly.

"Eris," Kael said, tilting his head.

The dryad stepped forward, her gaze locking onto me. "You brought a human here?"

"This is Avery, and she isn't here by choice," Kael replied.

Eris studied me, her expression unreadable. "Interesting. Humans aren't meant to cross the veil."

"Well, she's here now," Lyric said. "So, what do we do with her?"

Before any could answer, a low growl rumbled from the trees.

Avery froze as three pairs of glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows. Creatures resembling wolves, but larger and with twisted, shadowy bodies, crept into the clearing.

"Stay behind me," Kael ordered, his voice low, drawing his bow.

Eris raised her hands, the vines in her hair beginning to writhe. Lyric darted upward, her wings a blur.

I gripped the stick, still in my hands, while my heart beats fast in my chest. I was way out of my depth here, but something inside stirred, a flicker of defiance.

As the creatures lunged, the battle began.