Stonebrook High School

Chapter 53

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With her energy sapped out from screaming and crying, she lost track of time and felt herself fall in and out of consciousness. Perhaps she was conscious but didn't remember anything - she wouldn't know.

"Jess." The voice behind her snapped her back to reality and she suddenly felt as if she was awake for the first time in years.

"Yeah?" She turned to see Axel behind her holding a book of sorts. They were huddled around a campfire in the middle of the forest with someone else sleeping soundly in a sleeping bag to their sides.

"You know anything about Ivor? Er– remember?"

"Ivor?"

"Yeah, the guy that created the Witherstorm? Sleeping to our right with long hair?"

Jess turned her head and glanced over the bunched-up sleeping bag, spotting the dark strands of hair sticking out at the end. She tilted her head, trying to recall anything it reminded her of.

"No." She shook her head and looked back at Axel. "I don't remember anything. All I know is what I've been told."

"Eh. I took this book from the temple - had the original legend of the Order with him in it. I read it a couple times and still don't understand anything. I also still don't know why they kicked him out in the first place but I can see why." Axel side-glanced the snoring adult and rolled his eyes. "But anyway, it's good to see you're back. You were really spacing out back there."

"Back there?" Her head cocked like a dog.

"Since Lukas left back at the cave, you were like a robot, dude. Mechanical, glassy eyes, never fazed even when we were calling you. You would just crane your head around and it was the creepiest thing ever."

The mention of Lukas sent her back and she reached for her head. "Lukas... wait... what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

Jess clenched her cranium. "I literally can't remember what happened in between. The last thing I remember is crying after he left for some reason and- and now we're here. What happened in between?"

"Ohhh. That's why you were all mechanical-looking. Well, Lukas left and we were super confused but he said to ask you. Except... we couldn't because your brain just shut down, you know? Then Soren started getting all mad and was like, 'What's the point?' and stuff and he went outside and, suddenly, Ivor appeared out of nowhere."

"And Ivor is... the guy right here?"

Axel nodded. "Of course, Soren was all mad like, 'You shouldn't be here!' and whatever else but Ivor apparently had a fix for the Witherstorm."

Jess leaned forward. "A fix?"

"Yeah. Somehow, he convinced Soren about it. Ivor said the solution was at his base very far away and so we were packing up to go when Gabriel just started coughing real badly. We were concerned for the guy and in the end, we made him stay at the cave and Magnus stayed with him. So it's just you and me with this creep."

Her face fell. "Should we really be alone with him? From what I know, he doesn't sound like the best person to be with."

"We're not completely alone. Soren's walking around, probably thinking of brainy stuff."

"How many more miles do we need until we get to this guy's base?"

"About 15."

Jess turned around and noticed the horses sleeping soundly. They must have gone more than 30 miles into the forest, a full day's ride. Poor things.