The Hybrid in Slender Woods

Chapter 5: Unlocking Secret Doors

Chapter 5: Unlocking Secret Doors

Lillian

It was a dark a cold abyss. I was just floating there. I tried looking around to see if I could find something-anything. Was I dead?

"No, you're not dead." I quickly turned around to see Angust floating behind me with a small smile on his face. Tears stung my eyes when I grabbed onto him and hugged him for dear life.

"Where were you?! I thought you totally left me, you jerk!" I cried into his shoulder. He held onto me tightly.

"I tried. But you haven't met the requirements yet." He stated quietly. I slowly backed away from him.

"What do you mean?" I questioned softly; confusion clear in my voice. He sighed before straightening up.

"In order to use your magic unlimited and to reach your full strength, you need to become one with yourself." He stated. I would've took him seriously if he hadn't said the last part. He knew that too. We both started giggling.

"Ahh, I always wanted to say that. But no. Seriously." He said. I tilted my head. "Yes, that is also why you cannot feel the children." I hummed.

"So, Sensei, what do I do?" I half joked. He rolled his eyes at me. He held out his hand and snapped. His snap echoed and suddenly we were standing on a red carpet. We were in a hallway with ten doors. I walked to the first on the right and turned the handle. It was locked. "Where are we again?" I asked.

"We're in your mind right now." He silently walked along the carpet to the end of the hallway. His footsteps made no sound, as if he wasn't really there.

"But if we're in my mind, why are all of the doors locked?" I questioned. He face me as two women appeared beside him. The woman on his right looked like a goddess with bright orange hair, soft pale skin, neon emerald green eyes and baby pink lips. Her arms looked like scales with shades of red blending into dark orange; her fingers had baby blue webbing in-between them and she had a beautiful, koi looking tail. She had golden seashell crown upon her head. I bowed to her, recognizing her royalty. I then looked over to his left and saw another goddess figure. Her hair was a long, silver white and her eyes we're a piercing red. A small smirk was graced upon her soft face, making her fangs stick out. She wore a black leathery outfit that hugged her curves in a nice way. Under her right eye was a small half moon and three stars. Moon crystals curved from her head and to the middle of her forehead. I continued to bow and show my neck, knowing of her royalty as well. Soft chuckles of amusement was hear from the Wolf Goddess and the Mermaid Goddess.

"You may stand." A light melodic voice said. I stood and kept my arms behind me shyly.

"These doors are tasks you must follow in order to be one with us." A strong yet gentle voice called out, making me look up. The Mermaid goddess pointed to herself.

"I am Anahita. Goddess of the Waters." She stated with power in her voice. Her hand floated to the line of doors. "These are my tasks you must complete in order to become one with me. If you fail to do so, you will die."

"I am Artemis, Wolf Goddess. If you defeat her you come to your next challenge." Artemis glided her hand towards her doors. "These are my tasks you must complete in order to be one with me. If not completed, I will kill you myself." She stated coldly. Finally Ace spoke up.

"You have three days. You can only fail twice and only twice. If you fail three times when the time is not right, the tasks will be near impossible and you will be certain to face your demise." I blinked back in surprise. "Time starts...Now." I quickly opened up the first door to my right, noticing it's not locked anymore. Once I walked inside, the door vanished. Water was everywhere like an ocean. I backed up against the wall panicking.

"The goal is to get to the door without dying. You don't have magic in here, so choose wisely." Anahita's voice floated through the air. I closed my eyes and ignored the tears that fell across my cheeks and reopened my eyes with determination. I saw a barely noticeable pattern of wood in the waving waters. I immediately ran, staring at the wood pieces and my goal. I jumped and landed on my first plank and let the water slightly drift me into the direction of the other plank before I jumped to it. Three more to go. I did the same action to the next two, nearly falling off. I panted a little bit startled.

"That was close..." I looked at how close I was to the door. I felt something off with the water. But maybe that's because I didn't trust it. I should've listened to my gut. I jumped to the last plank, but before I could land on it, it was swept away and I landed in the water. I freaked out, trying to swim up, but ended up going down. I thought swimming was supposed to be easy?! With all of my arms flailing I ran out of breath and strength. As I was ready to give up, I thought about it. If I'm a mermaid, I would be able to breathe under water. Well, it's worth a try. I took a deep breath, letting water fill my lungs...But..I could breathe. I popped my eyes opened, taking deeps breathes. I began to push myself up to the last plank and jumped out of the water, past the plank and onto the small island that the door was upon. I coughed and pukes up the water I had breathed in and slowly lifted myself up by the handle. I opened the door and fell onto the floor in the hallway with a grunt. I looked up at the tail in front of me.

"Level 1 of 5 completed. What's the lesson you learned?" She asked while I struggled to stand.

"Be one with the water," I panted. "Not one against it." I looked at her with determination and she smiled. She tapped my neck and I felt a little lighter.

"You've received your first ability. Time yourself. We are all friends if you show kindness." I was a little confused by what she said, but decided to ignore it when she pointed at the next door. I opened the door and started the next level...

Eyeless Jack

I was just finishing up when I heard Slender give me a warning call. I dialed Ben and told him to teleport us to the mansion as quick as he could. A hand shot out of the computer screen a second later, grabbing Jane and I, pulling us through. In a blink of an eye, we were in the living room. I pushed past the confused and concerned face and ran upstairs and too my room. I shut and locked the door, setting the bag of organs on the ground. She was soaked. I looked at Rake and he gave me a note on what happened. I walk up to the bed and see all of the things neatly organized. I kneeled beside her and grabbed a salted water bottle ready. She made different sets of faces and her fingers twitched, but she never got up. I set the battle back and watched her face a face of fear and a bruise appeared on her arm. It looked like a giant...bite mark? I rewrote everything that has happened and what was happening. I pointed to the bag with my pen before I continued to write. I ignored Rake eating and focused on her and the bruises that kept appearing. I stopped writing when I heard two heart beats outside my door. I glanced at a very bloody Rake. He hears it too. "Watch outside for me please. Scare them away and guard." He nodded and climbed up my wall, opened my window and crawled out. I simple went and shut my window. I waited on writing for a couple minutes before hearing people yell out. I grinned and continue to write my report to send to Slender. I stop and stared at what I just wrote. 'These are her trials. She completes them or she dies.' I didn't...I looked up at her, but she was still lying down, eyes closed. "Rake, I need Slenderman. Call for him immediately please." I said, knowing full well he could hear me. I hear a piercing screech outside my door. The door opened and I felt more than one presence. I sniffed the air and relaxed slightly. I turned towards all of the Slender brothers. They must've been is a meeting. "Trials! They're putting her through the trials already." I stated towards Slender. He leaned back in shock. I handed him the report I've took. I looked at Trenderman. "Trenderman, sir. Will you make some clothes for...um, her and give them to Jane please?" He nodded and walked up to her with a measurement tape. "Splendor, can you make her room sound proof and with a little bit more fun colours for when she wakes?"

"Sure!" He responded excitedly and left. I looked at Offender, but somehow, I'm scared leaving her with him.

"I need some of your sleeping roses to put around her." He simply nodded and left. "It's gonna be rough for her, boss."