Knowing that there was no immediate danger and that in fact, their arrival would be welcomed, Mailee and Soren completely crossed the portal, and a few seconds later, it disappeared behind them. The other side of the portal seemed to be in the middle of a huge garden, in front of an enormous castle-like mansion.
Six broad, round towers piercing the sky are the first they saw of this castle and are connected by towering, solid walls made of dark grey stone.
Tall, wide windows are scattered generously across the walls in an asymmetric pattern, along with symmetric holes for archers and artillery.
A vast gate with wide metal doors, a draw bridge and strong defenses guards the inhabitants of this castle-like mansion, but it's not the only way in when one know the castle's secret passages. The two could see lights, and a small group of people, but no one had noticed them yet.
"Where are we, Mailee?" Soren asked looking around the surrounding area, and then the group of people in front of them that was a little away.
"Earth," Mailee growled out slightly displeased that they were in this realm.
"Calm down, Mailee. It's not the end of the world. We need-" Soren started to speak, but Mailee interrupt him.
"Shut up, Soren. I'm not here because I want to be, but because I have no choice but to be here to keep your ass alive. Let's just get to the group and get this over with." Mailee looked sideways towards Soren annoyed clearly written on her face as she spoke.
"Fine, but this is why you have no friends and you better keep my ass safe. So lead the way, dear big sister," Soren muttered unhappily about the new situation and Mailee's attitude. Mailee then lead the two royals to the group of people ignoring the part of him stating the 'no friends'. She had Nooroo and that's all she ever needed. They stopped next to a tree trunk when they got to the group, never forgetting their usually reserved and quiet demeanor. This was Soren's first time being here on earth, but this is most likely Mailee's fifth time traveling into this realm.
Normally other realms and the higher ranking beings did not socialize outside of their own groups, hence the awkward festival gathering. Mailee could see three other realms here, that would make six other candidates for the festival, not counting her or Soren.
The four realms chosen were Ashia, Mélamar, Gorus, and Athea.
A man then stepped out of the mansion doors and stood there with his hands behind his back as his glasses glistening off the lights.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, congratulations on being chosen for the Festival of Light. My name is Dean." Dean introduced himself as he welcomed everyone. "Unfortunately only one of you will be chosen at the end of the festival, but that is after a few challenges that are set out for each one of you." Dean informed as he smirked. There were a few murmurs going around the small group about what the challenges might be. Dean then gains a serious expression and snaps his fingers. An old lady with a cart comes over and stops it near Dean.
Mailee's eyes narrowed as she stared at the box on the cart. "Thank you, Hattie. I will need each one of you to pull out a small colored envelope from this box," Dean instructed in a serious tone.
"What for?" A girl from the looks of came from Athea asked. Dean smirks and the light's glare goes away so everyone can fully see his Brown eyes.
"To determine on what rooms and challenges one will get." He answered a little too excitedly for Mailee to feel comfortable with this whole festival. He then gestured to the box with one finger up. "Each envelope has a list of items or challenges that needs to be completed and one key to your champers in which you will stay in during your stay here. Will everyone please come up and pull one out?" He asked and gestured his hand once again towards the box with a cold stone expression.
Mailee watched everyone start to get into a line to the box and pulling one color after the other as she and Soren were at them and on the line. It was soon came to be their turn to pull from the box. Mailee and Soren looked at each other to see who would go first of the two. It didn't take long for a smirk to appear on Soren's face.
"Ladies first, Mailee," he teased as he gestured to the box in front of them. She scoffed at him.
"So be it," she grumbled. She then put her hand into the box and pulled out a tan envelope with a red wax seal. Mailee walked back to her spot and watched Soren pull out a black envelope with a golden wax seal. He too then came back over to stand next to her while everyone looked at their envelope in hand.
"Everyone taken a envelope? Then remove the deal and open what you have." Dean instructed everyone to do. Everyone did just that. Mailee looked at what was on the list first and then the skeleton key that came with it. After looking over the list Mailee was pretty sure she could get it all done faster than anyone here without a problem.
"This should be doable and shouldn't be too hard." She thought too soon because next things she knew after blowing turns appeared on all around the contestants' wrists. It was a disenchantment or a spell bond. "Well fuck... spoke too soon I see..." Mailee realized as everyone else started to complain that their powers or abilities were sealed away and their pretty much nothing but human at this point.
"Listen carefully! The seals are placed so that it's a fair game. However, you can use any means to win as well. You can even kill others if you want too. However remember, what you see and hear beyond this door stays here. Does everyone understand?" The group heard his hard tone voice. All candidates that were present nodded their heads in understanding before wondering off to find their chambers for the night.
YOU ARE READING
The Mirror Guardian
Random((Book One of The Guardian Series.)) She was the Flame of Light craving peace... They say she is powerful. They say she is the Flame of Life. They say she instill fear into the hearts of many. It is even said that the Devil himself is afraid of her...
