Chapter 3 – Part 2
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(…) And just as Aerin thought she couldn’t take it any longer, she suddenly disappeared before Maeglor’s eyes. She just vanished, as if she had been swallowed up by the air.
When she reappeared, Aerin was outside the cellar, confused and dizzy. She didn’t know what had happened or how she had escaped. But she didn’t waste time wondering.
Maeglor was initially confused, but anger quickly took over as he realized the truth. Aerin was a fairy! He stood up, staggering a little, and headed towards her with a look of rage on his face. “YOU’RE ONE OF THEM!” he yelled. “I always knew there was something different about you!!”
Aerin ran and ran fast. She knew Maeglor would chase her to the ends of the world if necessary.
She ran frantically through the long corridors, her feet pounding the stone floor with an echo. Finally, she reached the central courtyard of the mansion, where the sun shone intensely, blinding her for a moment.
She could hear him shouting for the guards.
Aerin looked around, searching for an escape. She saw the iron gates and realized it was her only chance. So she ran in that direction, hoping not to be caught by Maeglor or his guards. She ran through the gardens and reached the gate, pushing it with all her might and passing through it with a last effort, falling to her knees on the dirt outside. She looked back, seeing Maeglor approaching, the anger on his face turning to pure desperation.
Panting, Aerin took a moment to figure out where she was and which direction to turn. She was so tired that she couldn’t think straight. She realized that the forest was the Blackcrystal Forest and if she was correct, Gareth’s village would be in a place near the edge… but she didn’t know which way to turn.
That forest was ancient, shrouded in shadows. The trees were tall and imposing, with wide, thick trunks covered in moss and lichen. They seemed old and wise, as if they had seen many things and kept many secrets over the centuries.
The air was fresh and perfumed with the scent of wildflowers and the sound of birds singing echoed throughout the place. The ground was covered in a thick layer of moss and dead leaves.
But this forest was not a place to get lost in. The creatures that inhabited it were strange and dangerous, and the shadows hid unknown threats. The place seemed to be alive, with a mystical energy pulsing in every tree and leaf. Many said that the forest hid a magic power that should not be toyed with.
It was a dangerous and mysterious place, full of secrets and creatures that only the bravest would dare to explore.
A noise startled her and, fearing it was one of Maeglor’s guards, Aerin bolted through the trees. She ran until her lungs hurt and her feet were about to break. Stumbling over roots, taking minor scratches here and there, slipping, until she finally collapsed, exhausted, in a clearing and everything went dark.
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After hours, Aerin finally stirred. Night had already fallen. Her eyes opened slowly. She felt a movement in front of her, realizing that she was no longer alone. Without even looking at who was with her, imagining it was Maeglor or one of his men, she stifled a cry of terror and moved away on the ground, feeling the fear return. But a male voice hurried to say, “Calm down, girl. I won’t hurt you.”