25 - Hayley

                                    

                                          
I follow Drecca and Lilith through a portal to a new world. 

This new world is full of strange energy that churns and writhes all around us. I take a deep breath in, then turn to Lilith. When she looks at me, a soft smile crosses her face. She is a scary woman, but she's also kind. Kinder than Drecca is. 


"What are we looking for?" I ask her. 

"Not so much as looking, but more of .... sensing. They are no signs that can be seen, but plenty can be felt. So, if you are sensing with an open mind, with your powers."


"This place is wrong, Hayley," Aldrea whispers in my mind. 


I walk ahead of them, concentrating on that weird feeling Aldrea is sensing. I feel it deeply, thrumming in my veins, pounding in my head and chest, like a loud pulse. I walk deeper into the strange world. 


The sky here is dark red, and the sands below my feet are blood-red and sway in the hot breeze. I hug myself with my wings, and tighten my grip on my cane. The energy in here is like a pulse, like I said before, but this is growing stronger and louder and faster as I draw near a crater. 


This crater is massive, and when I step to the lip of it, and peer inside, I see a swirling mass of black energy that just floats over the sand. It churns and twists, then morphs into a winged serpent. The serpent itself is made of shadows. 


"That is it," says Lilith, who's suddenly beside me. She peers over my shoulder at the shifting shadow-serpent. "Move quick like I showed you, you can do this, Hayley."


I nod. Then, holding my cane tight, I unfurl my wings and leap down into the crater. I fly down like a dark angel — which I guess I am — and I drive my magick into the body of the shadow serpent. It shrieks, tossing its head back, eyes glowing red. 


Then, it swishes around me, curling its body around my already weak legs. I unfurl my wings and ascend, driving my power through the beast's body like a spear of light. It screams in pain and releases me, and when I turn back to it, the Mimik itself is dead, turned to ash. 


I fly up over the edge of the crater and collapse on the sand before Lilith and Drecca. They both look down at me, but it is actually Drecca who kneels beside me to help me up. I stare at him, eyes wide in shock. 


My cane slips from my hand, and Lilith picks it up, handing it back to me and smiling. "You did great, Hayley."


"You did indeed," Drecca says. "Thank you for that. But we need to search for a specific one."


"Which one? And why?" I ask. 


"It's.... personal," he says. 


"I'm sorry to press, Drecca, but if I am to kill something for you, I'd like to know what and why. I know you likely don't want to tell me, but please. I'd like to know."


He nods solemnly. "Yes, well, this Mimik is .... one that ended up devouring someone I cared about very much. And when I found out about you, and about your power's possibilities, I knew I had to find you."


"I'm sorry for your loss, Drecca. I'll help you, I just need to know that you'll help me with finding my family. With figuring out what I am."


"I will, Hayley. We will." He steps forward, inching closer to me. "But right now, follow me. We can't portal through here, as there's likely wards up. But if we can reach there by flying or walking, then it's good. It'll take a while, though."


I nod. "Okay, so, let's fly, then."