The Other Ones

Chapter 5

It had been about an hour before Dustin had me stop. There was no sign of a gate, only stone and few vegetation. I turn to Dustin with a frown. "Is this some kind of joke?" I ask, crossing my arms. He shook his head and moved me aside to approach the stone that stood before me. I watch him silently as he made blue aura appear on his hand, he then pressed it against the stone. The stone began to tremble and I took a step back in surprise. Den sparked a few times but went silent once more. After a few moments the stone was now opened like a door. Dustin stepped aside and gestured for me to go in first. I shake my head. "This is crazy...." I mutter as I walk past him and into the tunnel.

As I walked I heard him chuckle with amusement. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. I stop and look over my shoulder as the stone began to slide back into place. I see Dustin stop a foot behind me, blocking the view of the outside world. It was soon pitch dark and I turned around, feeling for a wall but touched Dustin's face. I felt his hands grab mine and pull them away from his face. "Hey, watch it..." He chuckled, keeping his hands on mine. I blushed madly, glad that there was darkness to hide it. He leaned his face close to mine and I could just imagine him smirking. I tried to pull away but he had a firm grip on me.

"You know, I know a trick to make it light up in here...." He said smoothly. I widened my eyes a little as he said that. What was he trying to do? A thousand thoughts ran through my mind as I felt him let go of my hands and then placed one of his on my cheek. Red flags went up and I started to pull away when his lips connected with mine. My mind went blank and I found myself putting my hands on his shoulders, leaning towards him a little and kissing him back. My heart fluttered madly for some reason. Why was I doing this? I hated him, didn't I...?

I blinked once and then pull away quickly before he could give me another kiss. I slap him across the face, Den sparking like mad. "How dare you do something like that!!!" I shout at him, moving back. He just rubbed the spot where I had slapped him, in the sparking light of Den I could see him frown. "Well, there's light for you..." He grumbled, he then mumbled something else but I couldn't catch what he said. I huff and spin around away from him, walking away swiftly with my hands curled into fists. "I'd rather kiss a rock than you again!" I snap, just to anger him a little more.

I heard Dustin following me, grumbling to himself as he did so. After a few minutes of walking and the atmosphere around us being heavy we came to a dead end. Den was still sparking, allowing us to see. I stare at the rock, as if expecting it to move on its own. Dustin stopped beside me and looked at the stone as well, acting as if nothing from earlier had happened. "This is also another gate, it can only be opened up with a Sky Person's power." He explained, lighting his hand up with blue aura and touching it to the stone as the electricity from Den started to fade. A soft voice rang from the choker, as if reading my thoughts and saying only a part of them. "Forgive you..." I put a hand quickly on Den, hoping that it would keep it quiet. I wondered if Dustin heard what Den said, but he didn't let on.

The stone rolled away and he walked out of the tunnel first, his guard clearly on. I walked out after him and looked around in awe. The trees here were marvelous, as if no man had ever set foot here. The animals looked the same as those back where I lived, though a few looked unlike any other. It was as if magic was at work here. I became so lost in my thoughts of the forest that Dustin had to grab my arm and pull me along, I didn't fight back. Something rustled overhead and I glanced up, but saw nothing. I return my gaze back to what lay before me and bumped into Dustin as he stopped suddenly. I pull my arm free from him and take a step back. "Watch it.... And where are we?" I say, looking around once more. Dustin turned to face me. "This forest here is called the Chiara Woods." He said, putting his hands in his pockets. I repeat that silently as I continued to look around. I stop my gaze as I see a cottage with a red roof and a small garden on the side. I point to it. "Who lives there?" I ask Dustin, looking at him now. He looked at the cottage and then at me. "That's where I live." He stated, just looking at me.

I widen my eyes a little, staring at him in shock a little. Did he really live out here in the forest? Didn't Sky People live in towns ruled by a king and queen?

"Are you a hermit then?!" I exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him a little. He blinked and continued to look at me as I shook him still. He then grabbed my head with his hands until I stopped shaking him.

"I'm not a hermit. The king and queen decreed that all assassins live far from the castle. Though that didn't really matter to me, my parents built this house when they got married. They loved this forest..." He said, walking towards the cottage now.

I blink as I watch him, he had used his parents in a past tense it seemed like. I jog to catch up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Don't you live with your parents?" I asked, still holding onto his arm. He glanced at me before looking back at the cottage as we continued to walk.

"I live alone." He said, as if that explained everything. I sigh and walk on, pulling my hand away from his arm.

We got closer to the cottage and a bark came from inside. I glance at Dustin to see him smile a little. I stop without warning as Den began to spark greatly, the electricity covering me. In the midst of all the electricity I could've sworn I saw Den fall off my neck and grow into the shape of a canine. A blue one at that. I fell to the ground, feeling numb and my energy leaving quickly. Darkness came over me, my sense of sound leaving as I lost consciousness