A Parallel Universe

Chapter 6

"Why didn't you and Cyrus leave this place," I asked Cyan.

"It doesn't concern you," he snapped.

"Could you try to be the least bit nice," Aaren demanded.

We had just woken up from the deep sleep in the hollow tree. The place seemed like it was made for living. There were wooden beds with leaf mattresses and quilts, various rooms, and an entire spiraling case of wooden stairs that seemed to reach the sky. It reminded me of the Beanstalk.

"You come to our living place and make yourself comfortable, and then you start demanding things?! Unbelievable," Cyan snapped again. Sparks flecked around him, threatening to sting anyone who dared to come nearby.

"I am out of her," I said, taking calming breaths to stop myself from screaming in his face. I turned my back to him and started walking away. I marked more trees on our way to the hollow trees without anyone noticing so that I could return back to the lake or even our old tent. I didn't need anyone with me. I followed the markings back to the lake. I was going to wake Cyrus up and ask him some questions. At least he had no problem answering them. When I reached the lake, he was there. Wide awake and playing with some..... freezing orbs of water. He no longer wore the gloves and scarf he had been wearing when I first saw him.

"Good morning," I said.

All the orbs fell to the ground and shattered to a million tiny shards of ice.

"Good morning. How are you," he said in a nervous voice.

"I am fine. I came here to ask you about...things related to this place since Cyan won't answer anything."

"Tell me about it. He is all snappy and temperamental. Can you just give a second?"

"Yes sure."

He disappeared behind some trees and bushes and when he came back he was wearing his scarf and gloves again. I wanted to ask him about the reason he wears them despite the weather being super hot but decided against it. So I settled for the same question I asked Cyan.

"Why don't you and Cyan leave this place," I asked.

"Leave? We can't leave."

"Why?"

"The Leaders banished us here and blocked us from going out."

"Is there any way we can end this banishment?"

"Certain people can. But those must have certain qualities."

"Like what?"

"I have no idea. But it is said that the person chosen will face certain hardships to determine whether they are worthy or not."

"Why were you banished in the first place?"

"Those are enough questions"

His usually calm and soft voice was now a little shaky. And the air suddenly felt more humid. I knew that I should drop the subject but I was curious. Even though my curiosity nearly killed someone, I gave it a second chance.

"Please just answer this question," I pleaded.

"This is for another time." Now the water in the lake was swirling into what looked like a mini cyclone and the air was getting chiller by the second.

"Just drop the matter," part of my brain screamed but the other one screamed "If he is reacting this way then this is important". As usual the second part won.

"If you answer this I won't bother you with any more questions."

"I said this should be discussed another time."

Dark clouds began to gather in the sky, looking like they were overloaded by water and would release it any second. Water started to seep from the cracks in the soil and rocks. I had a feeling that if I didn't change the subject right now, I would be flooded and drowned. I would try to ask him another time but right now I should drop the subject and return to the peaceful atmosphere.

"Fine. It will be for another time," I said, finally defeated.

"Great."

I waited for a few seconds for the symptoms to disappear but surprisingly, they didn't. They got stronger. The humidity in the air became unbearable, the cyclone in the lake grew stronger and I had a feeling that if I placed my finger in the water, I would be immediately drowned. The air got so cold I started to shiver. The clouds hanging in the atmosphere began to rain heavily. The seeping water reached my ankle. Everything seemed to take place in a particular area. When I looked around the opposite side of the lake, there was nothing there. No clouds, and no seeping water. I was trapped in an invisible barrier and once more my curiosity had led to negative results.

"Cyrus can you please stop this," I pleaded, genuinely terrified.

"I am trying!"

"You lost control?!"

"Can you please let me focus."

I tried to focus on anything else but failed. Everytime I began to lose sense of my surroundings, the low air temperature or the seeping water that was getting higher and higher would remind me.

"DO SOMETHING! I DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE," I screamed.

" I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

"THIS IS YOUR POWER NOT MINE! YOU LOST CONTROL OVER IT!"

"Let me try something."

He closed his eyes and I could tell that he was focusing hard. The Darks really were dangerous. But not because they are powerful, because they can't control it! Then after some minutes, when the water reached my thighs, everything stopped.

The humidity started to drop, the cyclone in the lake stopped spinning, the air temperature began to increase, the clouds stopped raining and began to dissipate, the seeping water stopped, and the barrier vanished. All the gathering water splashed on the ground. It was like a thin sheet of water covering the ground. I couldn't believe that I was afraid to drown in it minutes ago.

"Selina I am-," Cyrus began but I interrupted him.

"I don't want to hear anything. You nearly killed me. I know why they banished you, because you are dangerous. Not because they want to be the most powerful. All they wanted was to make sure that you don't cause any casualties."

With that said, I turned and walked away. Ignoring his calls for me to stop and listen. They were dangerous and the last thing I wanted was to be around someone dangerous.