Returning To The 14th century

“It worked?” Silvia stood back, gazing in awe at the portal before her. She had done it. She had opened a doorway to her own time, a doorway that would lead her home.

Amich returned to the stream with a rabbit clutched tightly between his silver fangs, his eyes widened in shock as he laid eyes on the shimmering portal hovering by the stream. The Cronus Monolith was giving off radiant green energies, the swirling vortex of the portal beckoning them home.

"Sister, is that what I think it is?" Amich asked, his eyes fixed on the glowing portal.

"Yes, we can finally go home," Silvia’s reply was filled with excitement. "Amich, get over here."

The siblings rushed towards the portal, their hearts racing with excitement at the prospect of finally returning home. The ancient scenery of a dark town area swirled within the eye of the portal.

"Is it safe?" Amich wondered. He was very cautious. He proposed they toss the black cat inside just to make sure.

"No, we can't do that," Silvia protested against her brother’s idea. "We can't just use the cat as a guinea pig. We have to trust that the spell will work."

But before they could make a decision, the Cronus Monolith produced a flicker that started sucking them into the portal. The siblings resisted, struggling against the sudden force that was pulling them in. They fragmented into smaller pieces, their bodies absorbed by the portal as they were transported back to their own time.

“Meow.” The black cat was left staring at the empty stream, its golden eyes calmly observing the sudden disappearance of its recently acquainted companions.

***

“Woah!”

With a thud, Silvia and Amich emerged from the swirling portal, feeling disoriented and discombobulated. They stumbled on the forest floor, struggling to regain their footing as they took in their surroundings.

The first thing that struck them was the fresh, pure air that filled their lungs. It was a stark contrast to the polluted and stagnant air of the 21st century. Silvia could feel the mana coursing through her veins, invigorating her as a witch.

As they took in the beauty of their homeland, a sense of joy and relief washed over them. They were finally home, back in the 14th century, back in Astasia.

However, the initial thrill of their return faded, replaced by a sliver of fear that suddenly creep in. They remembered the state that Astasia was in when they left, with the Grand Inquisitor's nationwide crusade to eliminate all witches and werewolves from the face of the land. They knew that they would have to be careful and avoid detection at all costs.

But despite their fear, they were glad to be home. They vowed to do whatever it took to protect their loved ones and to fight against the tyranny of the Grand Inquisitor. This would not be easy, yet, they were pressing to succeed, no matter the cost.

"We're home," Silvia’s voice filled with emotion. "We're finally home."

"Yeah," a big smile spread across Amich’s face. "It's so good to be back."

"Indeed it is. But we can’t be careless." Silvia cautioned. "We don't know what's happened in the time we were gone. We don't know who's in power or what dangers might be lurking."

"I know," Amich said, his smile fading. "But we'll be okay. We have each other, and we have our powers. We can take on anything."

"You're right," Said Silvia fiercely. “We'll take on anything, as long as we're together."

They stood in the forest, surrounded by the beauty of their homeland, not really sure where to go from there. They needed to find out where exactly in Astasis they were.

"Where to now?" inquired Amich.

"First we need to find a way out of these woods." Replied Silvia.

“Ok.”

They began walking ahead while being cautious of their surroundings. During the trek, Silvia realized that she had left her grimoires along with the precious Cronus Monolith behind. Due to the suddenness of how they were absorbed by the portal, she didn’t get to bring her stuff. She started thinking that The Supreme Magus is going to be upset that she left the Cronus Monolith behind in a distant timeline.

"I shouldn't be thinking about that right now." Silvia shook her head and pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Finished doing so, she continued to lead her brother along the path.

Eventually, something caught Silvia's eye. "Look!" Silvia cried, pointing at the light. "Do you think that's the way out?"

Amich squinted at the light, trying to make out its source. "I'm not sure. But I think it's worth a try. Maybe it's a way out of this forest."

“Ok, let’s go over there.”

The siblings’ curiosity brought them closer to the light. Getting closer, they saw that it was coming from a small clearing up ahead, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery.

As they stepped into the clearing, they were greeted by the sight of a small cottage nestled amongst the trees. It was a humble structure, with a thatched roof and a stone chimney. Smoke was curling from the chimney, and the warm glow of firelight could be seen through the windows.

Silvia and Amich looked at each other in shock. They couldn't believe that they had stumbled upon such a haven in the midst of the dark forest.

"It looks like someone lives here," Amich’s voice was filled with wonder. "Do you think they'll help us sister?"

Silvia nodded, her heart filled with hope. "I think we can ask."

And with that, Silvia and Amich made their way towards the cottage. Despite the cold and the danger that lurked in the forest, they were filled with hope as they approached the warm and welcoming structure.