Tatiana - Imperial Ruler Of Dragon's

Chapter 10

We stared into the growing darkness; eyes wide at the sight of the visitors we failed to notice slowly surrounding the forest perimeters.

They are tall, ugly a*s beings with silver scales for skins, elongated fangs flashing through sharp canines, curved skeletal wings sticking out of their backs, claws for nails and angular features with sharp angles, and sunken eyes with pupils so dark I’m afraid I’d be trapped in an abyss of darkness if I stare into them for too long. Their faces are painted with some kind of white chalk, they held wooden spears with weird cravings and shapes engraved around each stick. And despite how weak looking these wooden spears appear, they glow at their pointed tips with soft, blue lights.

These beings, whatever they are, wore black chokers around their necks, and golden armours with the crest of a tree craved at the top of their helmets. At the roots, there appears to the body of a woman embedded with the trunk, as if the tree grew itself out of the woman’s body.

“f**k me, she sent Dark Elves.” Katrina hissed.

I turn to her in confusion, wondering what she’s talking about, but the fear in her voice and on her face is enough to alert me that our “visitors” are not of the friendly kind. “Dark Elves… you mean like your boyfriend?”

“No,” Katrina snapped, a look of disgust slipping onto her face. “Not like Troy.”

“But you told me he’s Elven, and if he isn't like them but some other type of Elven, he must at least be related to-”

“Tatiana now is not the time!” Gavin snapped, promptly shutting me up.

Feeling scolded, I frown and turn my attention back towards the creatures before us. As they began to draw closer, the three of us instinctively stepped back until we stood with our backs to one another in a circle. I notice how they didn’t try to step out from the forest line, seemly unable to step out from the shadows into the light.

Instead, they surrounded the forest in a way that ensures there will be no slip of escape for us. Making me believe our best bet for staying alive right now would be to continue to stay on this stage.

Suddenly, a line among the creatures broke apart and a tall, striking female came into view. She wore a black, full-body leather suit with knee pads and an elbow-length device with a transparent screen strapped to her wrist. A leather belt is strapped around her tiny waist, with low heeled boots covering her feet, and held in one hand is a golden staff as tall as she is. A badge, with the symbol of the same tree identified on the helmets of the Dark Elves, is pinned to the breast side of her suit. She stands with a proud tilt of her head, stormy blue eyes piercing us with a gaze that promised pain. Her appearance fitted that of a general, or warrior if those muscles are any indication. And it doesn’t take much to know she commands the small army having us surrounded.

“Daughter of Star, member of the Triquetra Coven and Son of Martin, member of the Eternal Flame Coven… you are both under arrest by orders of the Seelie Queen under the charges of treason, thievery, murder, and instigating a slave uprising. You will return with us to the palace for trial and execution, and any resisting on your part will be met with a quick death.”

“Oh please,” Katrina snorts, her tone smug. “You’d have to come up here for that to happen.”

“We will,” The female general replies, her response as deadly and threatening as the smile on her face. “By sundown, you can be sure the barrier protecting your little group will come down and my army will immediately feast on your party. We just have to wait you out.”

“Okay, what the f**k is she talking about?” I ask in bafflement.

“Nothing important,” Katrina hisses, missing the glare I threw her way as she tilts her head in Gavin’s direction. “What is the percentage of us cutting through this bitches army and securing even a tiny chance of escape.”

“Zilch.”

She curses beneath her breathe and was about to ask something else when the metal plate clutched in Gavin's hands made a loud beeping sound, he brought it up in confusion and the three of us stared at the red dots moving very quickly down the line. I’m not sure what’s going on, but something tells me those dots are heading in our direction. And the look exchanged by both Gavin and Katrina only solidifies my suspicion.

Taking a step forward, she separates from our little circle and raised her hands in the air before falling on one knee. “I, Daughter of Star, member of the Triquetra Coven does not resist arrest.”

The lips of the female general tilted upward in triumph, and it only grew when Gavin fell to his knees in a similar pose. “I, Son of Martin, member of the Eternal Flame coven does not resist arrest.”

Glancing between the two of them, I wonder if this is some kind of joke. This was supposed to be a simple trip to a school full of non-human, supernatural beings like me who train their powers at a young age and… do who knows what else. I had thought the biggest challenge I’d have to face will be me not possibly killing another person with my unstable powers, but I stand corrected.

In the face of danger, with no b****y clue as to why I’m being roped into the crimes possibly committed by my cousin, I fall in a similar pose and resign myself to whatever fate has in store for me.

“Uhh, I, Tatiana Valdez, the clueless human who-”

I don’t get the chance to finish my sentence as grenades appeared in the air and explode with a loud blast. But rather than explosives, it seems this grenade was equipped with something else instead. A white gaseous chemical. Confused and prepared should in case an attack happen, the fae’s centre their focus on the surrounding lands with alertness as they searched around for their attackers.

Not happens and everyone begins to relax, but after 2-3mins, one by one the fae's start to fall unconscious. Their weapons cluttering to the ground. The chemical had been Chloroform.

Despite the fog and approaching darkness we could see the line of short creatures slowly crawling out of the forest at all corners, all of them dwarves just like Kimmy. Except, they aren’t green nor do they look grotesque. Instead, they appear quite human, with a sturdy build and tanned skin. They carried weapons, not medieval-style kind of weapons like the Dark Elves but heavy guns which look like those laser blasters from Star Wars. They approach the unconscious fae’s littered all over the forest, rummaging through their suit and amour for anything shiny which they snatch and hideaway like little thieves. Following behind the dwarves are Katrina’s friends, Troy, Kimmy, and Candy.

At the sight of her boyfriend Katrina brightened up in relief and hurried down the stage, her exit caused an invisible barrier to appear for merely a second or two and shimmered with a soft light. Carefully, I follow after her and stepped down from the stage, expecting some kind of change after my exit. What I never expected was the rancid smell permeating the air, it smelled toxic and revolting and it made my stomach swirl with nausea.

Doubling to my knees, I can’t help but regurgitate as bile threatens to rise. “Tatiana, are you okay?” Gavin questions, his voice clouded by worry as he crunches down next to me.

“C-ca-can’t breathe.” I cry, my groan a desperate cry for help.

Cursing out loud he leaves my side and I don’t have the energy to stop him. I hear him talk to someone, and not less than a minute later two footsteps hurry in my direction. I start to panic when it feels like the smell is growing stronger and clogging up my nostrils. Coughing blood into my hands, I ignore the red stain which causes my heart to race with panic and try to obscure my nose from the smell. Except, my hands don’t do much. The need to breathe burns my lungs, but when I do, I feel like digging a hole in the ground and sticking my head inside. There’s no escape. Then to make things worse hives begin to grow on my body, red blotchy spots spreading along my skin like rapid fire.

A warm hand on my back startles me but what surprises me the most is the plastic mask pressed to my face. Turning, I see Gavin kneeling next to me with a reassuring expression on his face while he held the mask to my nose. He motions for me to breathe in slowly and I do so, taking in long and hard breathes as clean air filled my nostrils.

Relief makes my shoulders sag to the point where I almost topple over, and if it weren’t for Gavin I would have fallen on my face. He wraps his arms around me in a warm embrace and supports my weight, I glance up when muddy boots appear in my line of vision and come face to face with a female dwarf bent at the waist.

Just like the males, she has a bulky build, her ears adorned by silver earrings with a single chain necklace wrapped around her neck, her silver-blonde hair is up in a rough ponytail and green eyes stare at me with nothing but open curiosity. She’s wearing a white cotton shirt with a high collar and black leather pants just like the rest of the dwarves, with a fanny pack resting casually on her waist.

“Damn, she must be new to be reacting this way.” The female says to Gavin with a rough accent.

“Yes,” Gavin replies, picking me up so he could slowly help me to my feet. “She’s a new changeling we rescued before the hybrid vampires got her.”

“Oi, that explains it.” She sighs with what has to be a look of understanding.

Pushing myself off Gavin, I place a hand over the mask and signal to him that I could stand on my own. Letting me go slowly, I try to take a step forward but dizziness assaults my vision and my legs give out beneath me. The fall made me hit my head so hard I blackout.

~*~*~*~

As my eyes flutter open, a groan of pain slips out of my lips and my hand automatically rises to rest on the aching bump behind my head. Rolling to my side, I stare around the darkened cave in confusion. It’s surprising how warm I feel despite the sharp edges of cold rock digging into my back beneath the cushy blanket I’ve been wrapped in, but soon the mystery is solved when I turn my head the other way and came face to face with a small bonfire.

It’s so close I had to shift slightly just so I don’t get my face burned, struggling around the bundle wrapped around me I wonder where everyone is and what the hell, I’m doing here. I can feel perspiration coating and sliding down every part of my skin. My continuous struggling makes me realize I’m completely n***d beneath the wool blankets. Thanks to my position so close to the fire the heat has made one side of my face pretty warm.

Decorated on the walls are tribal markings and incomprehensive symbols similar in style to the one in my dreams. They are drawn in white paint, covering every surface of the walls with a story completely foreign to me. And hanging over what may be the exit is a red curtain made of thin cotton material.

As I struggle to sit up or free myself from the insufferable heat, the curtain is pushed aside and someone slowly crawls in. It’s taken me a second or two, but I recognize Katrina despite the dim lighting in here and feel a small sense of relief. Though it’s short-lived. She comes in holding a small bowl filled with water and a red clothe hanging off her hand, dressed in a loose cotton shirt with laces at the collar, black boots, and tight leather pants I wonder why she’s dressed so weirdly. Even her hair is up in a neat bun which is a style I’ve never seen Katrina wear before, she’s the only girl I know who likes her hair getting in her face.

As soon as she realizes I’m awake her expression lights up in relief and tears cloud her eyes, she rushes to my side immediately and throws her entire weight over me. Her body heat making things absurdly worse for me. “Thank God your awake, I was so scared the poison got to you and it was too late.”

“Katrina… g-get off. T-t-too hot.” I gasp.

Immediately, and much to my relief she rises but keeps herself looming over me with both hands beside my head. Probably noticing how uncomfortable the blankets are, she hurries to free me and I welcome the cool air on my n***d skin with a sigh of relief. Katrina soaks the clothing she brought along with her into the bowl and lightly runs it down my sweaty skin, making things easier for me. She does this for the next couple of minutes in silence while I stare at her intensively. I can see the inner struggle she has, her guilt and possibly shame over neglecting me.

I have no idea what’s going on or why she’s been so evasive, then there are the lies she has been feeding me and has been unwilling to clear up. I don’t know what to do or how to trust her anymore, she brought me into a strange world and introduced me to strange people but has left me feeling completely blinded. This world is so different from earth, a world where the paranormal is normal and normal is probably... abnormal.

“You have some major explanations to give.”

“I know.” She responds solemnly, her throat moving up and down as she swallowed. “I know you're probably feeling hurt, and betrayed. I haven’t been a subpar cousin since we got here,” Letting out a sigh, she finally meets my eyes and I feel a little bit of warmth spread over my skin to see the undiluted worry in her eyes. It’s nice to know she still cares about me. “But right now, your health is what matters the most and I just want us to focus on that before anything else. With how dire your condition is, or was, you don’t need any added stress.”

“Fine. I’ll wait a little while longer to hear the truth, but I have to ask though. Where are we and, what the hell happened to me back at the… what did Gavin call that place again?” I frown, my brows coming together to form a v-line. “Portal point?” I ask unsurely.

“Yeah. That the correct name. It’s a point where at the right time, and calculated down to the perfect second a portal appears twice every year and creates a link between both worlds. The poisonous darkness contaminating the magic surrounding Edora almost killed you. Normally, all strangers who arrive in Edora are required to have a claiming mark craved on their skin when they first step foot into the realm. This seal connects you to not just the magic but the land and helps the realm slowly accept you as one of its own.”

“What is this claiming mark?”

Pulling down the collar of her shirt, on the upper part of her left breast is a familiar emblem of a tree tattooed to her skin. The tattoo of a tree appears to be the same as the crest I’d seen on the helmets of the other fae’s, the Dark Elves, though her tattoo is coloured silver, and fades in and out of view depending on lighting.

“It’s kind of like a stamp of ownership, similar to a mate’s mark in cliché werewolf stories humans write about. The seal means Edora has declared you as one of its own, a passage of acceptance for all supernatural creatures. The realm is very protective of its people and harsh to strangers who cross the veil by using its magic against them, whether they do so intentionally or not. When this happens, a person or group of persons are forced into a deep slumber until the seal appears on their skin.”

“And when it does?”

“That’s it, it means Edora has claimed another soul as hers so there’s usually a celebration of acceptance.”

“But if one is only put to sleep, how come I reacted that way earlier-”

“Ever since Edora’s pure magic started to become infested and diluted by dark magic, things have been going haywire around here and the magic as twisted into something scary and violent. The darkness contaminating the magic created the poison within your system in minutes, and because you’re a foreigner without a seal, the magic was trying to kill you.”

“Do I have this claiming mark now or-”

“Yes, now you do.” She replies, holding my hand up and pulling it forward so I could see the dim, silver colour of the tree at the top of her left breast now below my elbow. “The mark is placed in two ways; one way is for the realm to choose you all on its own. This method is usually tough to execute because the realm doesn't just accept anybody. The second way is through a sealing ceremony, which is usually done by a very powerful line of witches from the Wyietlan Line. But, due to circumstances, we couldn’t have the ceremony performed. Thankfully, once we were able to stop the poison slowly killing you the sealing happened all on its own and now Edora has accepted you as one of its own.”