Chapter 6 — Never Lost and Strang Creatures

I spaced out. I was thinking about what the sisters have told me. I have the eye of a witch, just like my mother. Then it means that we are witches! We're not cursed because we are capable of doing the curses ourselves?!

I looked at my trembling hands. Their answers just justified how I killed hundreds of people with my eye. Did my mother killed hundreds of people before, too? Like I did?

I gasped when something nudged my arm. The wolf was staring at me. It purred and moved its head sideways then  walked. Without a word, I followed it.

Whoever that boss is, she needs to answer all my questions.

The wolf led me in the deeper part of the town where trees are bigger as well as their roots and vines. I can hear different kinds of sounds like the squeaking of rats, deers, hissing, and most especially... the voices. It sounds loud and clear in my ear but like the Raven sisters, I can see nothing.

The wolf leaped through the large roots and afraid that I might be left behind, I half ran and carefully jumped to avoid getting tripped.

It was tiring. I'm not used to running and these heels are giving me a hard time.

I stopped jumping when I noticed a batch of black puppies nearby. They were barking and wagging their tails at me. I stilled and watched them as they playfully run around and would bark at me again. They're children...

Unconsciously, my hand went to cover my left eye. I wonder if I can see differently with this witch's eye.

But I see nothing has changed. It's just the same place.

Suddenly, the puppies ran away as if something scared them. I straightened and searched what they're afraid of but I only see the white wolf. It's watching me differently. Pissed, I guess? Cause its eyes turned to slits.

Wind blew around us here on top of the large root as we stared at each other. I studied its face and body. This wolf is bigger than a horse. Its white, tamed furs were swaying with the wind and it shone against the sun that makes it look magically glowing. Its golden eyes were sorrounded with a white line as well as its pupils that dilates every now and then.

Mesmerized, I walked towards it. I lifted my hands to reach its face. It purred and closed its eyes when my finger touched  his head until I was gently carressing it with my palms. I sucked in a breath when I felt its softness, as well as the undeniably tingling magnetic pull it had on me. It purred again and when its eyes opened, his golden eyes were glowing even more. My lips parted in awe.

"You're beautiful..." I whispered.

I wonder if this wolf is also one of the people of this cursed city? If it is, then its lucky. Because instead of being a small black puppy, a big tree, or an invinsible spirit... it was transformed into a very beautiful creature.

Our walk continued. I followed it towards somewhere in this ghost city. I ignored the creepy voices calling me and the weird animals that we encounter.

There are spotted cats, pointed-ear monkeys, then the black playful puppies running along us. Big trees looks really old but not rotten, nor the vines or the flowers. Even if it looks gray and dark and creepy, I can feel life everywhere. An active life sorrounding this place.

Small crows, huge hawks and eagles are the only birds that I can see sitting in tree branches. The way their eyes followed my movements, I know they are once people, too.

For years, we believed that people of Haldorre vanished. Some said they died, some said they moved. But the truth is, they were never gone. They were cursed and not ghosts.

Though with that thought, I can't still control my fear when I see one of them. Especially when a large red snake fell in the ground right behind the wolf. Too shocked, I screamed and stumbled to the ground with widened eyes.

"G-Go away!" I stuttered but it didn't budge. It even crawled closer to me!

When it was inches away from my feet, I shut my eyes tightly and waited for it to eat me whole but a loud growl came.

Trembling, I opened my eyes and the snake was gone. The white wolf came to me and watched me as I stood up.

The next thing I knew, I was riding its back for the second time. My hands clung to its furs as it leaped from roots to roots and ran fast in the haunted road.

"You should have carried me from the start," I mumbled and enjoyed the comfort of the ride.

I looked up when I saw a tall tower ahead. Looks like its the center of the city because it was sorrounded by the houses and towns. Minutes later, the wolf stopped and we are already in front of the tall tower. It lowered its back so I can safely go down.

The tower isn't as tall as our palace, but among the other buildings here, it's one of the highest. Slowly, the large and old double doors moved, making a loud creaking sound and ended with a boom when it was fully opened.

It was not entirely dark inside. The glass painted windows are enabling light to enter the wide hall. With slow steps, I walked inside. The wolf following behind me.

I'm in a wide hall with gray and vined walls. In the middle, there's a white, dusty statue that is sorrounded by a dry fountain. The statue is a man wearing a princely attire and holding a sword that's pointed upwards. Must be the ruler of Haldorre.

My eyes caught the wide staircase in both side of the hall. I went to the right side and climbed it with cautious steps.

The blue carpet looks real old and dirty. The banister's color was obviously golden but because of ancientness, it has turned into gray and thick dust. But I had took a glimpse in the intricate design it had. Those were heads of a wolf. I looked to the other side of the stair and the wolf was there, climbing too, mimicking my slow speed.

I sighed heavily and when I completely reached the top, another hall greeted me. With cushioned sofas bathed in dust, and a single round table at the center. I gasped when I saw a basket of fresh fruits!

Not thinking twice, I went towards it and grabbed the first fruit that I saw. I was close to having a biteful of it when I heard a snarl. I raised my brow at the wolf.

"What? I'm hungry!"

It just growled for an answer. I rolled my eyes and ignoring the wolf, I readied for another big bite. But this time, another sound stopped me.

It wasn't a snarl but a giggle of a child. I stiffened and stood up.

"W-What's that sound, dog?"

Another giggle came from somewhere. I gasped loudly. "H-Hello? Who's there?"

"I've been waiting for you, Princess," said a tiny voice and when I turned around, there was another creature waiting for my sight. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped in total shock and awe when I saw a tiny girl with glowing red eyes.

"Y-You..."

*

I blinked a countless of times but the creature didn't go away. It even smiled charmingly at me, proving that its real!

"Y-You... You're the boss they're talking about?" I stammered.

"Yes, Princess Ciara." I gasped with it's high-pitched voice. "Don't be afraid of me, I'm harmless."

Of course, she is. With that triangular baby face, small body like of a three-year old kid, I know she's harmless. I'm just... surprised! It's a really small creature with a red glowing skin up from her head to her toes. Her flying and moving hair, her big doe eyes, they're all red! She's wearing a red dress, too and they're floating in the air. A breathtaking creature, to be exact!

She walked nearer, her footsteps leaving a trail of red glowing smoky light but then disappears. The wolf stepped aside and the creature smiled at it before at me. She stopped inches away and her presence gaves off a weird feeling within me.

"I've seen you coming, Princess Ciara..."

I gasped and clasped my hands together. I don't know why they're shaking.

It giggled. "I know you have a lot of questions, Princess. But I'll try to answer them one by one..."

"Uhm, t-that's generous of you. Thanks."

The red creature giggled again and suddenly, it floated in the air until our eyes are leveled. I noticed something different from her eyes. It's red but her black pupils are kinda moving. Like me?! I watched as they swirled constantly.

When she blinked, that made me blink, too. She smiled sweetly. "I'm Yohan... Before this city was cursed by a Hymea witch, I served as the leader of Haldorre. That's the reason why among other creatures that you saw here in this city, I look different."

I swallowed. She smiled and then suddenly took my hands. It was real cold and I felt like something soft is wrapping in my wrist. I looked at her eyes. "Let's talk upstairs, Princess."

"O-Okay..." I said when she started pulling me away. I once again stopped when I remember the wolf. "Wait, how about the wolf?"

We both turned to see it. It was watching us, too.

"Don't worry about him, he'll be fine.

The wolf growled a bit and left.

Thankfully, we didn't have to walk hundreds of flights of stairs. They have an elevator here. Dusty and rusty, but it still managed to lift us 'til the highest of the tower. I was nervous the whole time, though.

One thing I noticed in this place it's not dirty with dust or vines or whatever. It's neat and clean.

"Welcome to my home. This has been my home for decades now..."

I walked towards the large room, which seems to be the highest here in the tower. It's sorrounded with red curtains. At the center is a very large bed with piling fluffy pillows. There's a fireplace at the left side of the bed, in front is a leather sofa. At the right side is a door.

Yohan started to walk past me. My gaze followed her red smoky footprints. If not for my eye, I would really think I am in a dreamland.

"So, Princess. What do you want to know first?"

I cleared my throat and thought. I want to know what happened to me but real mystery lies in this city. "I want to know what happened here first. What happened to Haldorre and its people?"

Yohan smirked and sat on the middle of the bed. She motioned me to sit so I went to the bed, too, and sat on its edge.

"Almost thirty years ago, Haldorre is a very ideal city. A place full of life, and many people go on and off here for market. But one day, we had strange visitors."

The town is very noisy with all the people busy to buy or sell in that crowded market. Stalls after stalls, vendors after vendors. It was definitely a busy day. But it was common. What wasn't are three ladies. All with resembling white skins, and undeniably unique beauties. But hid in a specific and uniformed black cloaks that covered their bodies.

The woman at the center has auburn curly hair. The two at the back has similar black hairs but the woman at the left had it sleek and long, while the other had it curled reaching above her surface.

Some people who saw them despite the business, were both in awe and curiousity. They walked with no sense of urgency nor delay. They're like queens, claiming the road as it theirs, and continued to ignore the stares on them, until they reach a tall tower, highest among other buildings in town. They walked inside. It was quiet and had some people doing their businesses.

One woman passed by and the woman at the center stopped her by the arm.

"Tell me where is Princess Yohan?" Her voice was slow, menacing, and velvety.

"U-Uhm," the woman stammered while eyeing them. She flinched when she saw the strange eyes of the curly black haired womam. "P-Princess Yohan is at her room."

"Which room?"

"A-Above. At the top floor."

The auburn woman looked up the ceiling, gritted her teeth, and let go of the poor woman's arm who scurried away with fear.

In the blink of an eye, they were in their desired place. A beautiful princess was there on her red gown. She was talking to one guy and her eyes shifted to the abrupt guests.

"Who are you?" She asked and neared them. But the auburn woman already lifted her finger and with one snap, everything changed. The once colorful and lively place, turned into something dark and tedious.

"They came and without notice, they changed the whole city. All in one snap of the finger. The people turned into animals or plants. Some became...I don't know, non-living things? Invisible became those who were lucky. Some turned to something unpleasant. Children became puppies, insects, birds, snakes. That day, everyone inside the city changed. No one escaped the binding curse, not even me."

My lips parted in shock. "But why? Who are they?"

Yohan smiled. "For years, I have been searching for answers, Princess. I've read books about witches that once I don't even believe. But nothing can explain more to what happened to us. So I searched until I found them."

She went to a certain part of the room, where she pushed aside the curtain covering what seems like a bookshelf. She took out a single but large book and carried it effortlessly.

I took it when she gave me. It was a bit heavy in my arms.

"This book can tell you a lot about witches. Read it and come back to me after. We still have a lot to talk about."

I nodded and looked at the book. It looks really old and mysterious. Witches You Never Knew Existed, I read. Anonymously written and the cover is just plain brown.

I looked up when I realized ome thing. "Where am I supposed to sleep?"

Yohan giggled. "Yulen and the Ravens already have something for you to stay for tonight. You'll like it."

"Okay, then. I'll read this. But tommorow, I'll be back for more."

She nodded and before I could say anything, she floated and leveled her gaze to mine. She eyed my right eye then smiled.

"You have the eyes of a Castherra," she said once again. I noted to ask of it tommorow, before I left.

Carrying the book, I step out of the tower. And there outside, the big white wolf already awaits me. It lowered its body and without further ado, I climbed its back and it started running.