The Cursed Lycan's Beloved

Chapter 11

ALPHA LUKE’S POV
I couldn’t understand the fear and anxiety filling me up. It wasn’t the first time I had been on a journey, or been faced with dangerous creatures, and people, but still there was that nervousness.
That whispering voice that told me my fears were not twisting lies in my head, but trying to bore the truth into me.
Something really awful could happen, and I might be unable to escape it with Ariana by my side. She was just human, and this was really dangerous for her.
Either way, I hated the feeling. The whole place spoke, and gave an aura of power, dark power, and it boasted too easily of how we could get killed. It was the main reason for my fears.
The man looked at us, and even without the features on his face, I was somehow able to tell that he had a smile on. Then, I looked at Ariana. She also seemed lost in thoughts, and I wished there was another way out of this.
“We are willing to try. After all, it is why we are here.” I spoke up. “I don’t reckon we can just turn back and leave just like that. We already started, so why stop?” I asked, and Ariana nodded.
“We are determined. We came here knowing this place is no joke, so we are definitely not thinking of stepping back. It is not an option.” Ariana replied, looking at the man, with eyes that looked like they were trying to bore into his soul.
“Since we passed your test,” I began, with a wave of my hand in the direction of the cards. “You should let us go now. We don’t have much time, you know. Show us the way to the Herb Land. Keep to your word.” I said, in case he turned out to be an ultimate trickster, who tricked us into playing a game to waste our time. “Keep your word.” I repeated, and I heard a low chuckle.
“Face your palms to the sky.” He ordered, and Ariana and I exchanged looks before we opened our palms hesitantly.
The man held out a hand with short, stubby fingers, and countless black rings lining each finger, and did a kind of weird show, like he was a magician preparing to trick kids.
Slowly, a leaf swayed gently downwards. It was just a normal leaf, but its beauty was captivating. A deep green, with rich gold, lining the edges, as it turned side to side, falling slowly.
He tilted his palm downwards, and the leaf fell gently on it, sliding down his fingers.
Then it parted, and became two leaves. One fell into my hand, and the other into Ariana’s.
It was warm, and I could feel the magic tingling through it.
“You will go through the portal now. When you do, you will need the leaves in your hands. The first challenge you will encounter would be made easier with the leaf I have just given you.” He explained, and I could see his legs disappearing, fast turning into sand.
“Thank you so much.” Ariana said, with her eyes alive in gratitude. “You were just supposed to show us the way. Why are you helping with this?” She asked, and he smiled.
“You will need a lot more than a leaf to consider this as help. This is just to welcome you, and brace you for what you will encounter. This will prepare you, so you know how hard the next challenge will be. And if you die, even with the help of the leaves, then maybe you aren’t as determined, or as in love as we expected you to be. Many have come here, only to discover they didn’t love themselves as they thought they did. Let’s find out about you both.” He said, and I could see his thighs were turning into sand too, dropping to the ground in a pile.
Then, a horrible gust of wind blew our way, throwing sand into our faces, and blowing our clothes, and hair ferociously.
A large portal appeared out of nowhere, an abyss of darkness within. Staring at it alone provoked fear. Even if ten people decided to go in together, it would swallow them up greedily without hesitation.
Leaves and vines snaked around the body of the portal, and the darkness looked like it was calling out to us.
“Go. Before I do. Once I leave, the portal closes.” The man said, and I held out a hand to Ariana. She looked at me, reflecting my anxiety in her eyes, and placed her hand gently in mine. I held it tight, just as tight as I held the leaf in the other hand.
We walked towards the portal briskly because if we walked hesitantly, then we might never bring ourselves to climb into it.
As we moved closer, it seemed to have a magnetic force, pulling us. Ariana held onto me tight. The fact that it was pulling us, instead of us walking in freely made the idea of going in, terrifying.
At once, it sucked us in, and Ariana let out a loud scream, as we were turned upside down, falling endlessly.
I made sure to hold her, and my leaf tight, not wanting to lose any of them, and I hoped she did the same too.
I expected a fall. We both did, but strangely, we didn’t even fall. It felt like we woke up from our dream. Like we were never falling, like we had never gone through the portal.
We just opened our eyes to meet ourselves somewhere new, and the first thing that caught us was the striking sunset, dipping in the sky, and spreading its tendrils of glory in streaks of orange, and pink.
I looked at my leaf, and sighed in relief. It was still with me.
“Will it look like this till we get out of here, or it’s going to become night?” Ariana asked, and I could hear the traces of fear in her voice.
“If night falls, then this just got a lot more terrifying. We only have time to tell us what will happen. Let’s go.” I said, holding her tight.
However, with our first step, came loud clanking sounds, sounding everywhere, and seeming to come from nowhere.
Fear gripped my heart in its iron grasp.