Egrariand Chronicles Book 1: The Curse of the Black Stone

The Enchanted Forest

"Lucas..."

Lucas opened his heavy eyelids. He saw Steve and Emily on their knees as they checked on him. He tried to sit up but his head was in a whirlwind of pain.

It was the dream again.

"Careful!" he heard them say.

"W-what happened?" he asked as he placed his hand on his head and stroked it. Why do I have a strange feeling I almost died? He tried to remember back in his room where he and Jack had a fight. Steve and Emily had appeared and tried to calm them both down. He was so angry... because... the dagger... with... the black stone had been broken by his cousins.

No! Amara! She's gone!

He clenched his fists upon remembering her. He felt his chest tighten as if the air had escaped from his lungs. Memories of the very bright light coming from the black stone also flashed into his mind. Then the strong earthquake and flying debris. After that, darkness. He shook his head to brush off those memories flooding his mind.

"I had a strange dream, there was a strong earthquake and we were trapped in the basement and the house collapsed on us! It was scary!"

"Shhhhh. Calm down, Lucas," said Steve as Emily managed to give him water from a coiled leaf.

Lucas hastily reached for it to drink, he was so thirsty, but then dropped it abruptly the moment he realized... water on a leaf?

He looked around.

They were not in his room anymore. They were in a forest, an almond-brown forest. It looked primitive like no one had ever stepped foot here. He stood up and walked around and felt the crispy grass and twigs beneath his feet. Lucas was in awe of the size and majesty of everything here as he gazed on skyscraper-tall trees, barely letting the rays of the sun pass through. He saw hares and squirrels, scampering away from them up ahead. The birds were singing like an orchestra in a cathedral hall as they drifted away.

Where in the world are we?

Lucas was sitting on a nearby huge root which was spreading and twisting like giant spider webs. He inhaled deeply as he closed his eyes.

Is this happening for real?

But why would he still doubt it? Since Amara had entered his life, he viewed the world differently.

If this is a dream, maybe I want to stay asleep a little bit longer, he thought as he felt his soul soothed with the refreshing and organic aroma of the forest. He felt the cold breeze brushing his skin.

Lucas opened his eyes. He was not dreaming at all. Everything that was happening was real.

Steve patted his back.

"You're not alone, pal. Even to me, it's mind-fucking confusing!" Steve couldn't believe it too. How had they been transported from Lucas's room to this strange enchanted forest? It was driving him crazy, seriously. From what he had learned about Amara, to that bright light causing the strong earthquake, and to this... How could it be possible?

Like Lucas, he was also dumbfounded. Emily was no exception. Everything here felt awesome, yes, but terrifying.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

"Nooooooo!"

They were interrupted by screams coming from the far corner of the forest. It sounded like Jane and Jack. They instinctively rushed to find them.

The three of them gasped and were petrified.

They didn't see Lucas's cousins. Instead, they saw a three-foot mole rat and a pangolin, who... could talk and sounded like Lucas's cousins?