THE DEAD LAND

GUAN, ELPHIA, MELDA

Liam's point of view:

They are probably gone by now. I had to force my parents to give me the teleportation pill because it could've taken longer for me to fly to the station, they didn't want to but eventually they gave up and hand it to me.

I'm on a random guy's horse, he's just helping me get to the guardian school as quickly as possible so I can get my ring. I wonder what's happening right now in Musiana.

"Is she okay?"

"Are you sure you know where Elphia is?" I ask the guy riding the horse with me just to make sure.

"Yes of course, Elphia school is the most well known school in the whole of Melda, everyone knows where it is," he claims

***

SHIFORT, MUSIANA, MELDA

Harmony's pov:

I can't believe we are finally here. Just a few more steps and we will enter into the dead land. The guardians leave the horses back on the green side and we slowly make our way forward, you can clearly see the difference between the side we are and the side we are going. The grass on the other side is dark and dead.

"You know what?" Clyden softly says

"What?" Alina questions as we've all fixed our eyes in front.

" I think now I'm the one who's scared," Clyden claims as we set foot on the dead grass

"Not funny," Cari responds. I

finally notice the dark statues of man, women, children; babies. It makes my heart cry.

"I'm serious," Clyden claims

"Come on guys, this place can smell your fear, don't let it get to you," Tecno says, while I'm just looking around...I feel such a deep connection to this place

"Do you know where the tree is?" Michael asks Teva

"Yeah, " Teva says

"Okay then, we will be right here watching out for the Menace, you go with Harmony to the tree," Tecno instructs

Teva nods, "Okay."

"Be careful," Max says to me while Teva approaches me so we can get going.

"I will," I assure

"Be sure not to touch any of the statues, and only Harmony should approach the tree," Tecno reminds.

"Understood," Teva replies.

"And here is a light ball, use it to see your way," Reseda forms a bright light ball in her hands and it floats into Teva's left hand, but it does not touch her hand, it floats above it.

"Thanks," Teva says before we depart forward

"Be safe!" Reseda shouts

***

GUAN, ELPHIA, MELDA

Liam's point of view:

"Are you sure?" Asks the headmistress

"Yes, please," I beg and she opens her desk drawer. She gets up; walk to me and hands me my white ring.

"You are brave, Liam, be safe," she says

"I will headmistress," I smile and turn to walk out

"Wait," she says and I turn around, " it will take long for you to travel to the station and then to Wacheon, so, here," she walks to the cupboards on the other side of the wall and takes out something. " Take it and it will send you to where you want to go in Wacheon," she gives me the light blue teleportation pill.

I smile gratefully, "Thank you headmistress,"

"You may go," she permits and I walk out. Immediately when I reach the staircase I tell the pill to take me to Nessan, you can only use the pill once, I hope the others have pills to bring us back or maybe we will use the teleportation of Musiana if we succeed.

***

SHIFORT, MUSIANA, MELDA

Harmony's point of view:

Teva and I arrive to a big ground, most of the buildings are damaged, there's also a dry, damaged water fountain and further in front there's a big dark castle that's damaged on the side. There are four statues near the castle. Two adults ,one small child and another lady in front of them wearing what I recognize as guardian armour, like mine.

"Are you okay, Harmony?" Teva asks

"Yeah," I assure, "where's the tree?"

"It's in the castle," she informs.

We continue forward and walk past the fountain. When we reach the three statues I notice the crown on the man and the woman

"These must be my parents."

"That's your parents," she informsand I look at her. "and your sister, Melody." She looks at the small child.

"Can I touch them?" I ask

"No," she responds, " there's dark energy flowing inside them."

"Oh…" I stare at the statues for a moment

"Come, we must move forward before the menace get here," Teva reminds and we continue to the entrance of the castle, the two door entrance is already wide open with a statue of a guard running inside.

As we walk in the corridor, there are statues of men; women carrying babies and children running with fear on their faces, and teddy bears.

"How could they do this to such innocent children?" Teva questions as we are both looking around at the statues.

"I don't have any words to say right now," I emotionally respond

"But It's okay, we help them." She looks at me. "They are counting on you."

"That's what I fear the most."

"I'll do my best," I try to smile and she smiles back, placing her right hand on my shoulder.

the corridor leads us to a big ground where there is a staircase. She leads me in the direction of the staircase

"Down here," she leads me under the staircase where there's a door that's halfway closed.

"This is it," she stops.

"That's where the tree is?" I clarify

"Yes, you know what to do right?" She asks

"Yeah," I , and she opens the door wider.

"Here," she gives me the light and it floats beside me.

"What about you?" I ask

"I will be fine," she assures

"Okay,"

"Be careful," she warns.

"I will," I slowly enter…into the darkness.