chapter 2

Evan and Aaron were cowering on the ground, their hands were still fastened with the vine.

A crowd of elves were surrounding them.

Everyone were intriguingly gazing at the trespassers with short ears and strange outfit.

Carter waded through the crowd and reached near Evan.

He saw Alfred standing beside them poising the knife. "Bellators will only reach after a few days till then we should keep them somewhere, locked" said Alfred to Carter.

"Who are Bellators?" Evan asked to Aaron again curiously.

"How do I know?" Aaron said irritated by shrugging.

" Will you keep them in your house till Bellators arrive?" Alfred inquired to Carter.

"But remember, don't let them go out" he said by wagging his forefinger, warning him.

"Okay.." Carter said nodding. "I will keep them in my house." his eyes fixed at Evan and Aaron crouching on the ground.

"Get up.. get up" Alfred kicked them and gestured to get up.

Evan and Aaron rose to their feet, haggard.

"Everyone leave" Alfred said to the crowd of elves.

Crowd of Elves dispersed but some still stood there gazing at the three of them. "I said LEAVE..." Alfred said raising his voice.

Other elves strolled away reluctantly looking back at the three.

"You three, go with him" said Alfred nodding towards Carter.

Aaron and Evan were tired, They staggered towards Carter.

"This way" said Carter beckoning to a trekked path. They followed Carter and Blake, Blake was still sobbing and wiping his burning mouth occasionally.

Carter walked through the trekked path through a forest. Everyone strolled behind him one after another.

There were tall trees on both sides of the trekked path and small shrubs covered with red resplendent flowers beside them.

After some distance they came across short trees with bunch of ripe fruits dangling on them

Aaron plucked a bunch of fruits and passed some of them to Evan and the helmsman who were trudging behind.

They walked through the narrow path behind Carter nibbling the fruit, it was very sweet, and it subsided their hunger.

After a while they came across an stone wall, it extended to a long distance, as they walked nearby it Aaron noticed a strange image of an animals engraved in it. It was of a horse with long mane, it had a long horn on it's forehead.

Something was written below the image of the animal in capital fonts but the letters were obscured by algae.

Beside the image of the horse there was an image of a bird with enormous wings, it resembled a peacock.

As they walked past the image next there was the image of a gruesome creature with sharp fangs crammed in it's mouth and with two enormous wings. It had four claws. It was of a dragon.

Next to the dragon, there was the image of another creature, half lion and half eagle. It was the Griffin.

Next picture was of a fox with nine tails. It was depicted with fire on the tips of it's tails and fire emanating from it's mouth as well. It's the image of the same fox which they saw on the shore earlier.

After walking for some more distance they came across a village, there were several houses, all the houses were triangle shaped, and all of their roofs were white in colour.

As they came close to one of the house they could see that it's roof of the house was covered with white flowers, like jasmine, air was filled with it's pleasant aroma which invigorated them.

House was too small and was made of wood and straw and It had a intricately carved wooden door. Carter knocked on the door and a girl came out. She had long ears and her white hair was tied up behind. She was beautiful with bright green eyes and long nose.

"Where were you?" she asked by looking at Carter.

"Oliver fought with a leprechaun today. He is wounded badly." she said.

"Why?"he asked.

Suddenly the three strangers standing behind him grabbed her attention, her eyes darted from their short ears to their outfit, then to their shoes.

"Who are they?" she whispered to Carter.

"My friends" he averted his gaze towards them. We will have to keep them in our house for few days, until Bellators arrive"

"Okay" she looked at them and gave a sham smile "Come in" she said by beckoning them to come inside the house.

They entered the house, it had only one room and there was staircase on the corner leading to underground.

"Follow me" she said and walked towards the staircase. But she suddenly noticed Blake who was clinging to Carter "Blake, what happened to your face?" her face contorted by seeing his swelled mouth.

"He just ate blue oramon" Carter said nonchalantly.

She touched Blake's cheek softly and scrutinized the swelling "Why didn't you stopped him Carter?" she asked to Carter.

"I tried but he ate it before I reached near him."

She turned to Blake "It's okay. I will give you some medicine for it. Stop crying" she wiped Blake's tears and stroked his forehead to console him.

Then she turned her attention to Evan "Come, this way" she said beckoning to Evan and descended down the staircase. Evan, Aaron and helmsman pursued her.

Stairs was lit up with lantherns dangling on the ceiling. Foot of the stairs they could see the ground floor which had several spacious rooms unlike the upper part of the house.

The girl went to one of the room. Evan and Aaron looked around and checked out the place.

There was a small fountain in the middle of the room, tree stumps were placed around it to sit.

Vines were hanging down from the ceiling it had tiny blue and white flowers. Aroma of the flowers kept the room fresh. a glass box was mounted on the wall green light flickering in it, which illuminated the room. Helmsman walked towards it and took a closer look at the glass box, it was awash with fireflies, green light was coming from the fireflies crammed inside the glass box.

"Come on Blake" the girl said strolling out of the room. There was a stalk of red leaves, some fruits and a wooden bowl on her hand.

She kept it on one of the tree stump and took the leaves and crushed it between her palm and then smeared it all over Blake's face.

"Would you like to have some food?" she asked to Aaron, while continuing smearing the crushed leaves on Blake's face.

"You look quite tired" she said kindly extending three fruits towards him. He grabbed it. Then she passed the fruit's to others and gave them the wooden bowl. It was filled with clear water.

Aaron took a big bite of the fruit, it was very sweet. Evan gulped the water hastily and quenched his thirst.

"We will provide you food and water but you can't go out of this house. " said Carter.

They nodded.

" I will have to lock you inside a room and make sure that you don't go out until Bellators arrive." said Carter.

"Get inside." Carter said by opening a grilled door of the adjacent room.

Evan and Aaron exchanged glances. "Do we have any other option? No." Evan muttered to Aaron. Three of them walked inside the room silently . Carter locked the room from outside.

Carter gave the key of the room to the girl and said. "Emily, don't let them go out."

"Okay" she nodded little confused. "but you said they are your friends then why are you locking them up?" she whispered in his ears.

"They are not my friends they trespassed the island and we caught them" he replied.

"Oh...." she said glancing at them sideways.

"Yes, we are waiting for Bellators. They would decide what to do with them." he muttered to her.

Aaron and Evan were listening to their conversation.

"Who are Bellators?" Aaron again asked to Evan.