The Labyrinth Forest!

- Hey, look! It's the Labyrinth Forest! - said a boy with his head out the window.

- Yes, it is! - said another boy doing the same.

- Anyway, here we are... - said John with a more relaxed voice.

- It was already taking time! I can't take it anymore," complained Aisha.

- I'm the one who has to say this - I spoke while looking out the window in the woods - I've been in this van longer than anyone.

- You're the first one John's looking for, aren't you? - asked Aisha.

- Yes, I always am - I answered looking in your direction.

We stopped in front of the trail that we always followed in the forest and got out of the van, waiting for John to park it in a secret place he had near the road. Then as soon as he returned, we started walking towards the secret entrance of Castle Minori. Our small hike would be a bit difficult because of the climb and we still had to carry our suitcase. Two Dominator boys offered their help to those who had a lot of suitcases and were having trouble carrying them alone.

- Has Aria arrived yet? - Aisha suddenly asked.

- I think so, remember that her van always comes first - I answered while taking big steps.

- Really... - Aisha started looking around. - Even though I've been through this forest several times, I still get the creeps, it's very creepy. Has anyone come here yet, John? Like... "The normal people."

- Yes Miss Aisha, many young people come here but they don't go into the forest much for fear of getting lost - replied John as he went on. - After all, the forest lives up to its name.

- Anybody ever get lost here, John? - I asked while I was walking next to you.

- Yes, Miss Diana, several so to speak. And well... they were never seen again and no one could find the bodies - replied John as he passed his hand on his head.

- Why aren't the bodies found? - asked Morpheus.

- Legend has it there's a keeper in the forest who doesn't like humans. If any human enters his forest he makes him get lost, he traces a path that goes towards the resting place of the forest ogre. So the bodies, well... they're not found," explained John.

- Wow... But what about us? Even though we have powers, we're still human, right? The guardian hates us too? - Melissa asked.

- Um... in a way, no. We never had any problems with him... - John replied after he strayed from a branch full of thorns.

- Why is that? Now I was curious," said Aisha as she walked beside John.

- I think it's because we're not the same as humans, we see the world differently. We don't harm nature, we're practically part of it because of our powers and our teachings," explained John. - But it's not all humans that the guardian hates, those with a good heart he doesn't hurt, those young people who come into the forest and return are those with pure hearts, and those who don't return. Well, you already know the answer.

- Wow, it's kind of bizarre... but it's still amazing," said Aisha.

- Any Castle students missing yet, John? - I asked.

- Yeah, his name was Erick Flow. It was a rainy day and everything seemed quiet until we heard a bang echoing through the Castle. Erick was a Shadow Dominar, and mastering that power was hard and he's pretty rare. That day he was trained with his father as usual, but he ended up rebelling and let the shadows speak louder. We tried to calm him down and stop him from leaving the Castle but we couldn't... After he entered it we never saw him again, he just... disappeared.

- Dad? Who's his father? - asked Morpheus.

- Cloud... Cloud Vangor, it's your teacher - John answered.

- Professor Cloud is also a Shadowbender, right? - said Melissa. - Wow... even the son had that power...

- Yes, Miss Melissa. But unlike his son, he's managed to master the power of the shadows. Cloud's always been a great teacher, don't you think? - said John.

- NO! - said most students at the same time.

- He always yells at us - he mumbles a boy.

- He's very strict - claimed a girl.

- He's boring," said a girl as she looked at her fingernails.

- He makes us practice a lot... - said a boy with a muffled voice. - And I'm a little afraid of him.

Aisha laughs and talks - Fear?

- He won't let us rest straight - he mumbled another boy. - Always telling us to do this, that...

- Ah... Come on, he's a nice teacher - John said while smiling.

- NOT EVEN! - said most students at the same time again.

- I think he's cool - I did.

- I think so too, and I'm kind of used to his way of teaching and training - Aisha spoke after wiping a sweat on his forehead. - They complain because they are fresh!

- I have nothing against him," said Melissa. - And I don't think he's scary, I see no reason to be afraid of him.

- I think the same thing, sister - Morpheus said as he looked in your direction.

As we walked the students still complained about Professor Cloud, Aisha kept talking to them and trying to change the way they saw the teacher more in vain. He could be very strict at times, but he is a good teacher.

So after a while, we finally arrived at the secret passage of Castle Minori. It was a wall of extremely large rocks, if anyone came near it, they would think it was just a cluster of rocks, and nothing more than that. John approached it and took a bugle out of his backpack and touched it, then the passage in front of us slowly released.

- Guys, we're here! - said John standing in front of the entrance already shows it. - Welcome to Castle Minori!