Chapter Eighty-nine: New powers

I raise my eyebrow at Nuria. She can go to her Father’s realm whenever she wants from what she’s told me previously, and has never had issues with it before.

She looks at me, probably already knowing I have further questions. “I already know what you’re thinking. Yes, I can go there whenever I like, I’ve been able to do it for ages.” She looks into the fire which is now burning brightly. “However It’s never been as easy. Now I know where it is like the back of my hand. Plus, the strange thing is, I can now locate power sources within his realm.”

She smiles slightly which I catch, before she continues. “My Father’s realm is what you would call dynamic. It’s always changing, to his whim of course. He can mould it to his wishes, it’s his creation of course. However, I can now tell what is fading and what is being created. I can locate objects…I found out just before I came back that I can also locate people….”

I feel her shift uneasily, as if she wants to tell me something. I look to her patiently.

She sighs. “I found Lukas, among others…” She looks to my surprised face. “He’s not doing well Aliana. He’s in a bad shape.”

I feel my heart drop to my stomach. I also feel Athena stirring in my mind, starting to find interest in listening in to the conversation I’m holding. I take a deep breath, calming myself. I don’t want to get too excited just to be disappointed later.

“Did you speak to him? Did he say anything?” I ask hurriedly.

“I did. Not for long though, as I was nearly caught. I can’t have my Father finding out I can move around his realm freely. He’s hanging in there. They’re torturing him daily, they know he’s connected to you and making you and your wolf weak. They’re feeding him little, keeping him weak as well. It’s getting worse.” She says with sadness in her eyes.

I can feel Athena howl in the back of my mind for her mate. I look to Nuria. “Thank you for letting me know. I’m glad he’s still alive, it means there’s a small chance he can be saved. And I’ll take little over nothing.”

She nods in response and I know she feels bad for not being able to do more, but I appreciate her for finding him.

“So, you said there were others there as well? Does he have like a dungeon or something?” Elijah asks curiously.

“Yeah, something like that. It’s just darkness but I can tell there are bars surrounding each person in there.” She looks right at Elijah. “It seems not everyone from Druida was murdered.”

Elijah instantly stands. “What! He’s taken someone there?” He asks with a range of emotions.

“Yeah, an Elder called Liandor. When I mentioned Aliana’s name to Lukas he asked about you as well.”

I look at Elijah who looks about as much as I feel. Happy to hear that one of his own has survived but devastated that he can’t do anything.

“Did he look….is he ok?” Is all he manages to stutter.

Nuria shakes her head. “If I’m being honest with you, he looked worse than what Lukas did. But he’s hanging on. He said for the sake of his people’s memory, he is holding on.”

Elijah releases a deep breath that he had seemingly been holding. I muster up a smile and look over at him, glad to see he’s looking relived that someone from Druida survived.

I look back at Nuria. “Did you manage to find anything else out? About your powers, that is?” I ask questioningly.

She ponders for a few moments. “Not specifically, however I believe I can teleport more people now then what I could before.” She thinks for a few seconds. “I’ve not managed to try it yet, but moving the Goose across was easier than what it had been before. I didn’t break a sweat. When I was moving any object across that wasn’t part of me or my clothing it always took a toll on me, hence why I needed to take a rest after. But this time, nothing”

I think on it for a few moments. “Do you want to try it?” I ask, wondering if she’s keen.

She looks at me hesitantly. “I can’t take you to the darkness realm, if that’s what you’re asking. If you step foot in there, Erebus will know for sure you’re there. You’re a huge power source for him, and it would be hard to miss in his own domain.”

I sigh, understanding why she’d jump to that conclusion. “I miss Lukas very much, yes, but I would never endanger him. I know I can’t go there, at least not yet, not till we are ready. No I was thinking more of somewhere else.”

She looks at me apologetically. “I’m sorry Aliana. Sure, where are you thinking then?”

“Take me to my homeland. It should be safe and isn’t so far away it’s unreasonable.”

Elijah stands. “I’ll stay here but don’t leave me long. Maybe you could try teleporting all three of us after if this goes well.”

Nuria nods her head and walks over to me. She opens up the portal beside me. “No time like the present. I know where we’re going, I’ve been there before, a long time ago though.” She takes my hand. “Let’s go.”

She pulls me through her portal after her, and I feel the strange sensation of the weird tunnel. I feel like my stomach is being twisted in several directions making me want to spew as I’m being whizzed through.

In a few moments, I feel my body thrust forward and I see the familiar sky again as we stand still. I pant with my hands on my knees as if I’ve just been for an hour long run.
Nuria pats me on the back softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to that.” She chuckles.

“I highly doubt that.” I pant back.

I take a few moments and brush myself off, the feeling of needing to be sick disappearing. I look to her, as she stands very differently from the last time I portaled with her.
“How are you feeling? Different from last time?”

She smiles proudly. “It was fine. I felt next to nothing at all. Honestly I’ve no idea how this stone grants me power but it makes it much easier to use my powers.”

I smile, happy that she’s enjoying to power the stone gives her. I take a breath and look at my surroundings.

We were just outside what used to be the human safe-zone. I turn and see the unmissable walls that used to keep everything out and the humans safe and snug inside. I try to recollect where we are exactly but I’m unsure I can tell.

“Do you know where we are?” I ask Nuria, hoping she’d have some idea.

She shakes her head. “Unfortunately not. I don’t remember much from when I was last here.” She scrunches up her nose. “It smells like death though. How long ago was this virus?”

“Must have been around six or seven years ago now.” I respond.

I try to look towards the distance but don’t see anything I recognise. I turn to Nuria.

“Do you know where the Northern district is?”

She thinks for a moment. “I know where the Hallomous caves are?” She replies.

I give her a strange look. “The Hallomous caves are in the mountains. When did you go up there?” I ask, not expecting her response.

“I once had to get something from there, a very long time ago. Probably a few hundred years ago.”

I raise my eyebrows at her. I wonder what it was. She doesn’t seem to part with any more information so I don’t push.

“Ok, we can go and start from there. The place I want to go isn’t too far away from the mountains, but you could teleport us a few miles down, you should be able to see the location from the top.”

She nods her head and opens a portal with ease again, pulling me through with her. Again the sickness wrings through me and she pulls me out the other side, causing me to feel uneasy once again. I do feel myself starting to slightly get used to it each time I go through a portal with her.

I look at my surroundings and can see we’re close to the peak of the mountain. It’s quite windy up here and I can feel a few cold drops fall on my face, signalling rain.

I see Nuria waiting for me. I look down the mountain and see our destination. I point out where we should go. “Can you take us there, close to the tree-line?”

She nods and says nothing, opening a portal and taking my hand once again, pulling me through gently. I’m out on the other side before I know it, a bit disorientated and shaking my head, wanting to check around me.

I see the familiar streets leading up to where my cousins lived in the North district.

I say nothing but start walking towards the house I once knew to belong to my cousins, and where my family died. I can hear Nuria behind me but keeping a distance.

I take a right turn, then a left turn, then I walk past all the doors on my right side, counting the numbers. twenty-three, twenty-five. Then I stop. Twenty-seven. I turn to face the house fully and look along the bricked walls. There were vines climbing up them, and the grass in front of the house was way overdue a trim. I look to the garage and remember that the car that was once there is now gone after I had taken it to return home.

I walk up to the door and open it, knowing that I never locked it when I had left. What was the point, everyone was dead anyway.

I make my way out to the back garden, only wanting to do one thing. I open the back door and walk straight to the largish grave I had made for them all and the small sign I had created with the words ‘Not alone anymore.’ Etched into it.

I hadn’t realised till now that I had a tear rolling down my cheek. I miss my Mother and Father. They were the most caring people I had known. They raised me to be who I am today, even though I was not of their blood. I send a prayer to the Moon Goddess and Sun God to watch over them in death, and that I hope to meet them again one day.

I feel a hand on my shoulder after several minutes and know it’s Nuria trying to comfort me.

“You know, I wish I could visit my Mother’s grave. But my Father took that away from me and I will never forgive him for that.” She says with sadness.

I look at her. “When all this is over, we should create a shrine for her. That way you’ll have somewhere to remember her whenever you please. She raised a good woman, she should be known for it.”

She gives me a sad smile and a nod, not saying anything.

“I think it’s time to go.” I say, looking at the grave in front of me one last time. I suspect I probably won’t be back, but I needed to say goodbye.

Nuria opens a portal. “Ready when you are.”

I take her hand and we go through together this time, the exit opening right besides Elijah, who jumps up when he sees us.

I take a moment to recuperate, then look up at him. “You were sleeping, weren’t you?” I ask mockingly.

He tuts. “No….maybe.” Nuria and I laugh at him, causing him to scowl.

Nuria shakes her head. “I think it’s time we return to the pack. I reckon I can take you both at once.”

I smile at her and nod, whilst Elijah gawks at her. “You’re not tired at all? Are you sure? Do you want to rest a bit first?”

I narrow my eyes at him, wondering where his excitements went….then it hits me.

“You’re worried about what Loretta will say to you when we get back, aren’t you?”

He sighs deeply. ”I don’t like how I just left her. I’ve been worried she’s going to push me aside when I get back.”

I know she would never, but he better be prepared for a telling off when he’s back.

“We’ll see when we get back. But we have to go. It’s time to start planning our attack.”