As I wander, my eyes fall on one of the bookshelves. The old, weathered appearance of the books triggers a memory of the forbidden room in the town's library. Grasping the key around my neck, I smile warmly, reminded of the love I have for Magnus. I release the key, allowing it to rest against my chest, and peruse the titles of the nearest books.
'Book of Spells, Book of Potions, Book of Magic, Book of Wards,' I read aloud, my eyes lighting up with fascination. They all seem very interesting, and they are all books I would love to one day read.
Yiselda beckons me over, standing by the back of the library where two double doors await. Fern eagerly swings them open, and my breath catches at the breathtaking sight. The garden looks as though it doesn’t have an end. I can see it extends miles ahead, like a never-ending magical garden. There are small balls of light floating around in different shades of colour. I chuckle and lean down as I peer at the cutest garden gnome statues in different poses. Some even have their bellies hanging out.
I straighten myself and look around. ‘This reminds me of the trees from Silverfay Forest,’ I say to Yiselda as I reach up and touch a purple-coloured leaf from a tree. ‘I've never seen such a colourful abundance of flowers at once either.' I smile and caress the different coloured flowers and smell their charming scents.
Rushing toward a giant toadstool, I peer up from underneath. It towers over me, and my smile widens in wonder. Lilac joins me, giggling, and exclaims, 'It’s so wondrous, isn’t it?' I nod, agreeing, 'More than I could ever imagine.'
Suddenly, I notice something moving through the brush and brambles—a subtly glowing white light. I squint and remain quiet, waiting for it to come closer into view. My mouth drops open. 'Is that a horse?' I ask, hopeful.
Everyone stares in the direction I’m looking. 'No, Luna, it's a unicorn,’ Fern says matter of factly.
I give Fern a doubtful glance, but then the horse steps forward, a horn illuminating a white glow on its head.
‘Wait! 'It is a unicorn! You weren’t joking?' I reply.
'No, I was serious,' Fern laughs.
'This place is incredible. I can't believe you've even got a unicorn here!' I exclaim, shaking my head in disbelief.
I stroke and pat the unicorn softly. 'She’s so beautiful,' I say to Ria as she stands beside me and pets the unicorn.
‘Her name is Star,’ Ria smiles.
'Hello, Star, my name is Nina,' I smile kindly at her. Star gently sniffs my face, then rubs her head against my cheek.
Star steps back, then turns, returning into the brush of the never-ending garden.
I notice the gnomes again, but now they seem to be in different positions than before. Intrigued, I approach them and kneel in front of the one with the red-pointed hat and green shirt, its belly playfully exposed. My face is millimetres away from his, and I express my amazement to the others standing behind me. 'I swear he had his hands on his hips, and now he's waving his hand,' I tell them.
Suddenly, the gnome leans forward, grabs my face, snatches a kiss from my lips, and then grins mischievously.
My cheeks flush, and I scold him, 'You, you tiny gnome! You can't simply steal a kiss like that!' The chubby gnome snickers, then turns and rushes into the bushes.
My sisters from the Midnight Coven, along with Yiselda, are trying hard not to burst into laughter.
'It's time to see the rest of Pandora's Box,' Yiselda says, stifling her laughter.
We exit the garden and the library, re-entering the hallway with the three doors. Yiselda proceeds to explain, 'Now, the door on your right is one you should never enter on your own. The Vampire King and his minions are held under spell and ward in the dungeon, and this door will lead you to them.’
Yiselda pushes the door open, revealing nothing but darkness. There doesn't even appear to be a floor. She waves her wand and says, 'Materialise,' summoning a book into her hand. Placing it at the foot of the door, she utters, 'Sprouto Spawniate.' The book expands five times in size, then multiplies and stacks up, forming a staircase made from books.
'Woah, this is brilliant,' I tell her, marvelling at the magical construction. Yiselda's smile widens, and we begin our descent into the unknown depths of Pandora's Box.
Everyone holds their wands up and flicks the tip, creating heatless flames that illuminate the dark room. I grab my wand, spark a light, and cautiously ascend the stairs behind the others. Inside, a black wooden door with a white circle containing sigils stands before us.
'These sigils are wards designed to prevent the Vampire King from escaping. Under any circumstances, you are never to wipe them away,' Yiselda warns sternly.
I gulp and nod, heeding her words.
Yiselda opens the large black wooden door, and we enter the dungeon. The atmosphere is gloomy and dark, filled with many threatening noises—shrills, moans, growls, hisses, squeaks from rats, and the trickles of water and drips echo through the cavernous space.
Many of the dungeon rooms are filled with abhorrent creatures. They reach through the bars, their hands reaching out toward us. As I approach, I notice the long, menacing claws on some of them. Upon closer inspection, I see countless little goblin creatures. They are shades of green with razor-sharp teeth, snarling and gnarling, trying to push themselves through the bars. Their claws reach out, attempting to grab me, and I gasp, covering my mouth in fright. The goblins snarl louder, displaying their ominous eyes. I realize I'm witnessing some of the most frightening creatures ever to exist.
'Grimghouls,' Ela whispers in my ear, making me jolt again in fright. 'They're horrible little things. With those teeth, they can rip anyone to shreds in seconds. Flesh is their favourite food,' she explains with a casual smile, clearly accustomed to encountering these monstrous creatures regularly.
The concept of these creatures ripping us to shreds with their gnarled-clawed fingers and razor-sharp teeth sends shivers down my spine.
We proceed deeper into the dungeon. As I gaze into the cells, I notice an eerie darkness moving within. I purse my lips into a straight line as I peer in closer. 'How come it appears that something is in there, yet no one is there?' I ask, my curiosity mingled with a tinge of fear.
'Shadow Reapers,' Ela replies nonchalantly. 'They are shadow entities, hiding in the shadows, so you don't notice them. These creatures take control of your mind and body, making you see things that aren't there. They act as hallucinogens, compelling you to do their bidding, typically leading to your death or the killing of others,' she explains with an air of casualness.
I instinctively back up a few steps, trying to distance myself from the unseen threat. 'Yeah, no thanks,' I reply nervously, quickening my pace to catch up with the others. My feet splash through shallow puddles of water along the cold, damp ground, and my breath fogs before me in the chilling air. The dungeon seems to grow more ominous with each step, and the haunting sounds of the Shadow Reapers linger in the air.