Jasmine wakes up after being absorbed by the darkness. As she comes to, she sees dark sky lit by the fool moon and the sky in a dark red hue. She smells the air but no fragrance and the ground is dry and cold.
She dusts herself and starts to inspect the area. She sees herself in a rocky mountain with steps leading further somewhere to the distance. No animals are running around nor insects flying; a desolated area.
Jasmine wonders if this hell or an illusion made by the devil. She is scared for sure but her new found confidence is stronger; all thanks to Juan small pep talk. Even with her legs shaking, she has the strength to stand up and defend herself and the guardians against all odds.
"This time . . . I will do the guarding. I will save my soul and the guardians from this mess!" she tells herself as she starts to walk toward the stoned path.
As she walks she felt her book breathing again but this time it is breathing in a faster pace – as if it is catching its breath after a fast job. She inspects it and sees nothing out of the ordinary. Jasmine knows the book is breathing even she didn't see any physical breathing from the book.
"I know this happened before back at the underworld. I wonder what triggered it in the first place." As she ponders as she continue to walk down the path.
Finally, the path leads her to a circular clearing within the mountain side. And in the middle of it she sees the devil sitting on his chair and table with a contract.
"And finally, the princess wakes up. Heavy sleeper aren't we?" the devil asked as he twirls his hair and tapping his feet with a rhythm.
Jasmine walks up to the table and sits across the devil. "That's what happens when my parents let me sleep late in the night".
The devil grins and smoke can be seen coming out of his ears. His smile grows as his eyes glows brighter. "So you want to play a game. If you win I will leave you alone for good and if you lose I will get your and the other guardian souls. Is this your term?"
Jasmine nods. The contract in front of them began to write itself with ink and fire blazing trails. Jasmine is trying herself not to cry but she knows she can do this, she must.
"And so the conditions are set. So what are we playing?" Jasmine asked as she is still looking at the contract as it writes itself.
"Well, what games are you good at? Cards? Oh wait, kids like you don't play that. . ." the devil then pouts as he is trying to think a game that suits a kid like Jasmine. "I'll be honest here; my games I play with adults are to tease them until they break in their own terms. I can't show those since you won't even get the temptations I will show you like power, wealth and other adult stuff".
"Temptations? I love candies and other sweets!" Jasmine replies
The devil looks at her with disappointment and he slams is head to the table in rage. He picks his head up and yells "No! This is what I meant! You are too innocent to tempt!"
"Well, I am good at riddles. I always get the answers when playing bugtong with my friends at school. And I am also good at playing hide and seek. I always find my friends within 10 minutes!"
The devil then smiles and he giggle in excitement. "Then we shall play a riddle with hide and seek. So I will take that from you"
The devil conjures a big hourglass in front of them and he puts it on the table. "Now! I will hide with in this realm I made, this playground of mine. I will give you a clue where I will hide and where to find me. This hourglass is 10 minutes long and once this hourglass finished its time before you find me . . . then I am afraid I will have to get your soul and your friends'. Is that a deal?"
YOU ARE READING
The White Chronicle
AdventureJoin Jasmine as she travel a mysterious world filled with mystery and creatures of the unknown. As she becomes the owner of the White Chronicle and protected by her Guardians, will she fulfill the role of protecting this world or see it to ruin?
