WordWeaver

Lilies Garden

The light around them gradually fades, enveloping them in an eerie darkness. As they touch a solid surface, they are immediately engulfed in a thick fog that hangs heavily in the air. The fog is so dense that they can barely see before them and makes breathing more difficult.

"Where are we?" Tikor asked, attempting to clear the fog from his eyes. "I thought this would be a beautiful garden with a lily pond."

Lyra looks around; her memory of this book is not strong. This one was selected purely because it was very unlikely that Lavinia would enter it.

"Let's head this way and hope we find who we're looking for," Lyra says, trembling.

"Who are we searching for?" Emrys tightens his grip on the hilt of his sheathed sword as his eyes scan the fog with intensity.

"His name is Berith, but I am unsure how to find hi..." Lyra's voice is cut off by the sound of screams from behind them.

"Demons! Run!" screams a woman in a white gown. "Call the guard!" She yanks a nearby handle.

Bell rings out loudly across the area, and lights from windows begin to flicker in the night.

"What do we do?" Zopha asks.

Lyra pauses momentarily as memories of this story come flooding back to her.

"Run!" she yells, taking off and pulling Kyda. "Keep up, or I'll leave you behind!" she shouts at Kyda.

As they run, their footsteps echo around them, and the fog begins to lift, revealing tall buildings surrounding them.

Lyra abruptly stops, scanning the winding paths of the stone maze for the correct route. She jolts her head towards the sound of clashing armor, which grows louder as it approaches.

Emrys panics, "I can't carry all of us on Whims. What should we do?" Lyra touches his hand and signals him to wait. Her gaze remains fixed on the bells, her mind racing for a plan.

"This way!" Lyra motions.

Tikor breathes heavily as he jogs behind them. "Why are we running towards the bells? They are what warned them of our presence. Might also be a bad time to mention, but Orges are not strong runners."

"Because if the monster's bells are signaled, he is watching us. And the one place they don't expect us to go is towards them." Lyra calls back to the struggling Tikor.

The sound of the bells grows louder as they continue their frantic race down the winding cobblestone streets, their feet pounding against the uneven stones. The dull thud of their breath mixes with the clanging bells, creating a clamor of sound that echoes through the deserted alleyways. As they approach their destination, a magnificent cathedral suddenly emerges from the stone forest, encircled by a serene forest. The intricate details of the cathedral are breathtaking, with stained-glass windows that glisten in the moonlight. The forest was lush with greenery, and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air.

Kyda whispers, "Should we enter?" Lyra responds, "No, let's go to the back of the church. Tikor, make the garden thicker to hide us."

Tikor removes his shoes and smiles, "Oh soil, I could feel you crying from under the rock. Let me help you." He wiggles his toes, and the forest transforms into a lush garden. The trees create a gorgeous canopy, providing shelter for the companions from the guards.

The guards march past the church, their swords gleaming in the moonlight. one stops, peers into the garden, and strides toward them.

"Oh no. Azure's glow isn't fully hidden." Zopha's eyes grow wide as she looks at her.