Fantasizing a war - A Sanders Sides Trilogy

Portals

Storm paused and wouldn't move, no matter how many times Virgil shook his reigns. Suddenly, the thestral began moving again but it wasn't in a straight line. He darted side to side in a blind panic, whinnying in fear.

"Storm! Storm!" Yelled Virgil, hugging the thestral's' neck as he buried his face in the ruffle of feathers. The Heathers darted in front of the skeletal steed, trying to calm him down. The thestral stopped lashing slowly, calming down while still regaining the wild glaze in his eyes.

"Woah, buddy! Chill! Storm, what's the matter?" Virgil stroked the thestral's' feathers as he dismounted. "It's alright..."

The red Heather flicked her tongue across her lips, "There's something odd about here."

Virgil glanced at her. Five years had made him surprisingly tall and strong, and he was now dashingly elegant, not awkwardly long-limbed. It may have come from training wild thestrals or from all the martial arts he'd taken up. Maybe it was the magic. Whatever the cause was, he was taller than Logan and just smaller than Deceit.

"I feel it too!" McNamara said, fluttering around nervously as she darted around.

Duke nodded. "It's really powerful... And it's not our magic..."

Virgil hesitated, reaching for his dagger. He flicked a switch and pressed a button. The purple energy blade burst from both ends, creating a double-sided weapon. "Let's find this. Move carefully, guys." And leading storm by the reigns, the five of them walked ahead carefully, following the three imps' instincts.

.:*:. (Meet Boi. He's been named)

Storm reared up as they reached the border of the forest they'd been trekking through. He wasn't the only one reacting: the Heathers grabbed their heads, sinking to the ground as they kicked out at something invisible. Even Virgil heard the strange ringing in his ears that hurt his brain.

"We're close..." He whispered, shifting his weapon in his hands.

"Really?" Hissed Chandler, writhing in the air. "I hadn't noticed!"

Virgil yanked at Storm's' reigns, stopping the thestral from bucking as he kept advancing.

McNamara flitted to his shoulder. "Virgil, this is a bad idea!"

"I agree with blondie!" Duke murmured as she hid among the ruffled neck of Storm.

"Quiet, guys!" Virgil snapped quietly, dragging Storm along with him as he pushed a branch out of the way. His mouth dropped. "No way!" He began to laugh, stumbling forwards in surprise.

Right next to them, in a large meadow, was a shaking portal. The edges were frayed and ripped, slowly tearing wider and wider. It let off a low hum as it shivered in almost uncertainty. Storm began to shriek, kicking his front legs up high as he flapped his wings desperately. Virgil hardly noticed.

"This is amazing! It's a portal!" He said in delight, pulling the others with him as he dashed to it. "What we could do with a portal! How is it still open? Where does it lead?"

Chandler smiled sickly. "You know, these are all great questions. Let's ask them when we are back at the Dark Castle, theorising with your brother!"

"Shut up, Heather!" Virgil ordered, reaching his fingers out tentatively as he stroked the far edges of the portal. "This is revolutionary!" He laughed, picking a stick from the ground and feeding it in slowly. "Heathers, take us back to the castle! We need to tell Dee!"

A man in grey armour jumped out and Virgil yelped, stabbing him. The man died instantly, falling back into the portal. Suddenly men poured through the portal, swarming them like wasps to honey. They wrestled the Heathers and at least ten men had to hold Storm in place. One man approached Virgil then slammed his fist into his face.

And Virgil was out cold.