The Paragon Antaris - a secret World of magic #2
Chapter 8

After I stormed the war council and explained my plan, King Avery dismissed everyone to discuss what was to come. He called all the important beings who were obviously his closest friends.

"I want to wait for Bael. Since she wants to go to Portus Mali, I also need him to make the plan," Devas said as he sat down.

Bael was the companion of Elyon's aunt Ava, and after a short wait, the two appeared with Nyllis sleeping in Bael's arms. They put her on the lounge sofa in the corner of the room and stood next to us. After Devas informed them about everything, I noticed Ava's expression. I had seen this expression so often over the years that everything became immediately clear to me. Elyon told me that his aunt was once abducted by Abbadon's henchmen before the great war and taken to Portus Mali. She was only there for a few days and returned to Antaris unharmed. I had seen what those creatures did to abducted women in just hours, and I now understood why Ava could never have children.

Her face was pale, and her eyes stared at Devas, as she was obviously reminded of what she had experienced and everything that happened when she was likely unconscious. She held her mate's hand, and he looked at her and knew what that meant to her.

King Avery gave the names of those who would accompany us, including women.

"No women... No women will come with us," I said firmly.

The king and Devas looked at me, and when they were about to say something, I interrupted them.

"No women come with me, and I don't care how skilled they are or what strength they have!" I answered firmly again.

My determination must have worked, because the king and Devas looked at each other, and the demon just nodded. It was not about not letting any of the women know about my life; it was about protecting them if something went wrong. Ava looked at me, and I saw gratitude in her eyes. It was not about her not going, but about preventing what she had experienced from happening to someone else.

"And how do you think you'll get back if I don't go?" Jade asked angrily.

The king looked at me, and I looked at Jade. I knew she was worried, but taking her with me wasn't an option for me.

"You're a witch, Jade. Put yourself in a constant sleep until we can't get into your dream. Then I'll bring you to us when we're safe and you open a portal," I said calmly.

The beings talked among themselves and shared their opinions, but I knew what to expect in Portus Mali, and I didn't have time for all the ideas that endangered even more lives.

"I'm taking Elyon with me. Devas and his son Vaell can come too. Everyone else is waiting here in case something goes wrong. We're leaving at midnight," I said to King Avery, and everyone stared at me.

"I am the prophet. I say what to do," I added.

I didn't know where I had the courage to talk like that, but as long as they didn't take me seriously, there was no point in talking anymore. Taking more than four people with me would be crazy and too stressful for me. I didn't want to take any women with me because I was afraid for them, so I had to play my prophet card.

I knew that no one would contradict me because when Evelyn talked about prophets, she called me a higher being. The king just nodded, and I got up, took my sister, and left the room. I heard everyone behind me talking all at once as I left the room, but the decision was made.

Nyllis woke up and seemed rested from her nap. She told me in our room about the great things she had learned at school, and I was happy for her. She had obviously made friends on the first day and wanted to play with them, so I brought her in front of the mansion where the children were playing. Seeing Nyllis so happy was the greatest reward for me after all those years we lived in fear. I sat down on the large staircase in front of the mansion and watched them as Ava sat down next to me.

"Thank you," she said briefly and looked at me.

I just nodded without elaborating because, without saying many words, we both conveyed more to each other than others would understand. I knew what Portus Mali was like. I knew about all the terrible things that happened there; she didn't have to tell me anything.

Elyon and Vaell joined us, and Ava, who had seemed serious and sad a few moments ago, put a smile on her face. She talked to them briefly and apologized when she had to leave. I wondered how many times she had to hide her true feelings and thoughts from others like that. As I watched her go, she took her mate in her arms, and they entered the mansion, hugging. At least he knew about everything and could help her.

Vaell talked about the plan, but Elyon just looked at me the whole time. After a while, Miriel came, and Vaell went with his mate, promising to come on time.

"What's the matter?" Elyon asked.

And even though I didn't want to say anything, I had the feeling to tell him about my thoughts. That must be the soulmate bond.

"You might see bad things there...things that happened to me," I said, still looking at the children and avoiding his gaze.

"Innia..." Elyon interrupted me and gently turned my face towards him, looking into my eyes.

"It doesn't matter what I see. Nothing could ever change my feelings for you," he said firmly.

I looked at his beautiful face and smiled gratefully. Leaning my head on his shoulder brought me comfort, but I could feel his body tense up. I knew it must be difficult for him to be so close to me without wanting more, but he kept his promise and gave me time, which I greatly appreciated. After dinner, I put Nyllis to bed and, once she was fast asleep, I went to the meeting room where everyone was waiting. Elyon's parents were worried and hugged him when the time came. No one was allowed to be there. I didn't want to take any chances, but King Avery assured us that after we left, everyone would be ready for battle and would wait for us to return or call for help. Jade was lying on the lounge sofa, and there was a yellow aura around her as she drifted off to sleep. Devas and Vaell hugged their mates, and Elyon took my hand when it was time to go into my dream. I whispered the incantation as if I knew the words by heart as we stood in a circle, holding hands. It didn't even take a second, and the four of us were no longer in Antaris but in my dream in Portus Mali.

We found ourselves in my cell, where I saw myself being beaten unconscious while chained to the wall once again. No one else was in the cell, and the whip marks on my body looked fresh, so Abbadon must have left recently. Seeing myself in that state was terrible, but Elyon took me by the hand, bringing me back from my state of shock to reality. When I saw his face, everything became clear again. The unpleasant feeling quickly subsided when Devas spoke to me, "Remember, it's just a dream. Stay focused." I led them through the wall as if we were ghosts because in dreams, anything is possible.

We heard the dark beings in Portus Mali roaring and making all sorts of strange noises. I had to suppress my fear and focus on what was important. My mother.

We crept towards my mother's cell, and I heard Abbadon angrily throwing things around.

"At some point, he will come. Until then, I will torture her or kill her in the end," he shouted.

I looked at Elyon, who was barely keeping his anger under control, but the touch of my hand caught his attention. I pointed to the room at the end of the hallway, and we silently moved along, unnoticed, until we reached my mother's cell. Seeing her lying there made my heart ache. Her body was thin, starved, and abused. Devas covered her half-naked body with a cloth and looked at me.

"You can't help her anymore. I'm sorry, her body is already dead. What you see is just your dream, a memory, a wish from the past," he said softly.

I understood his words, but it pained me to see her like that. I knelt down beside her and stroked her face. She slowly opened her eyes, and when she saw me, she became frightened, and I had to cover her mouth.

"Mother...you have to help me," I whispered, trying to go unnoticed.

She looked at me and stroked my face. Her eyes filled with tears, and she nodded as a sign that she understood.

"Tell me about the angel that visited you when you were pregnant with me," I said calmly.

"That was a dream," she said weakly.

"Tell me about the dream, Mother. Please," I pleaded with her. "Close your eyes and tell me about the dream," I repeated, kissing her tear-stained face.

"You have to hide. He will come. He always comes back," she said weakly.

"You have to hurry! Someone is coming down the hall," Vaell said from the door, serving as lookout.

"Tell me about the dream, Mom... I love you, Mom. But now, tell me about the dream. Please," I said as I gently caressed her face.

She smiled tiredly at me when I told her that I loved her and closed her eyes. As soon as she began to talk about the dream, I placed my index finger on her forehead, and Elyon held Devas and Vaell's hands while I held him with my other hand so we were all connected. As I heard myself speaking in a foreign language once again, I knew that I would transport us into her dream, unaware of what awaited us there. Just as someone opened my mother's cell door, we disappeared unnoticed.