The Time Tournament (Order of the Dragon #1)

CHAPTER 3

Elena

Present time

"M aybe we wandered too far. I don’t see the trail anymore,” Petra said as we strolled through the grove.“We’re not lost. The trail is right there.” I pointed to the oak we used as a hideout.

“Then why does it seem like we are?” Petra asked. “Maybe we should head back.”

“No, I wanna see more. That lying guide didn’t even show us the best part of these woods,” I said. Why didn’t she tell us about this beforehand?

A strange sound echoed from the other side, and we both froze.

“What if we get lost?” Petra said.

“Do I hear a chicken clucking?” I grinned.

“I’m not a chicken. Mommy says I’m brave.”

“Well, if Mommy said so, it must be true,” I said.

“Will you quit making fun of me?” Petra clenched her fists.

“I’ll stop if you race me to the other side of the grove.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“What, you don’t trust your big sister? Didn’t you say I can do no wrong?”

“I did.”

“Then let’s go.” We raced to the other side until we stumbled upon a stream.

“I didn’t see the stream from the other side,” Petra said.

“That’s because it’s lower than the ground.”

The stream trickled louder than a whisper as it meandered through the grove, vanishing into the massive, gnarled roots of an oak tree. Its water was crystal clear, revealing every glinting grain of sand under the sunlight. Its gentle babbling matched the calming rustle of leaves overhead. Occasionally, tiny silvery fish darted through the water, resembling forest spirits cautiously searching for trespassers. Trespassers like us. A sudden fear gripped me. I tried to dismiss it, but it persisted. I shook my head. Everything was fine. We were just a few steps away from the tourist trail, safe and sound .

“I want to jump in,” Petra said as she began taking off her shoes.

“No way, it’s too risky. The rocks in these streams are super slippery, and you’re going to hurt yourself or, worse, get soaked. I’m not gonna get in trouble because of you.”

“So, when you decide to play hide and seek with Mom and Dad, it’s a great idea, but when I want to do something, suddenly it’s a disaster waiting to happen? Well, guess what? I’m done listening to you.” The first thing she did was jump straight into the stream. And the second thing she did was fall right on her butt, grazing her ankle.

“I told you so,” I said.

But that didn’t help. Petra started wailing so loudly it scared off the nearby birds.

“It’s okay, Petra. Let me help you.” I tried to calm her, but she wasn’t having it. I pulled her onto the grassy bank and knelt beside her.

“Ow, ow. It hurts, it hurts. There’s blood too.” Panic filled her eyes.

“Hey, hey, don’t worry. I’ll make you feel better.”

But her miserable face said otherwise.

“How about I say one of the spells from the book?”

“You still remember them?” She sniffled.

“A few, but I’m sure it’ll be enough to help.”

“How do you know?” She looked at me with hope.

“Because it’s magic,” I said, then placed my hands on my knees, closed my eyes, and focused on remembering the words:

“ Magnus Omnipotens, stella cadens,

Rogito tua superiora potentia.

Da mihi quod fata decreverunt,

Aperi paginas temporis in saeculo decimo tertio.

“See? Now you should feel much better,” I said, but when I opened my eyes, Petra was gone. Not just her, but the stream had vanished too. The trees had turned into gray clouds, and the green grass had become fierce winds that started tearing through me. At first, the gusts just swirled around me, but then they began to lash at my body. It was hard to describe or even understand how air could hurt so much as it slammed into me over and over. Every time I tried to open my eyes, tears would fill them, forcing me to keep them shut. Through the few glimpses I caught, it looked like an old film reel spinning too fast across a grainy, widescreen. And somehow, I was its only viewer.

Maybe I was dreaming. This had to be a nightmare. Maybe I was still at the hotel, and Mom hadn’t woken me up yet. I took a deep breath. I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming, I repeated, trying to convince myself of the impossible. The problem was, even with my eyes shut, I could feel the wind gusts whipping through my hair, tugging at my cheeks, and stealing my breath away. Literally. I couldn’t ignore the heartbeats pounding in my chest either. It had to be a tornado, but then why did Petra disappear so suddenly? The more I searched for a logical explanation, the more confusing it became.

Then everything stopped. When I opened my eyes, everything looked the same, except for my disheveled state. And Petra was still missing.

“Petra, where are you? Are you hiding from me? Let’s head back. Mom and Dad will get worried.” No reply. “Petra,” I said, getting more annoyed, “this isn’t the time to play. Come out already.” Nothing. The only sounds were the afternoon wind lazily rustling the leaves and the occasional chirp. Normally, those sounds would be nice, but now they were creeping me the hell out. What was going on?

Maybe Petra went back on her own. The traitor. She always loved snitching on me. Mom and Dad’s perfect daughter. “Just wait till I get my hands on her.” I stomped across the meadow. The closer I got to the tourist trail, the further away it seemed. The colors around me grew muted and darker, like night was falling faster than it should. A few more steps and… “Where is it? Hello, is anybody here?” I yelled. No answer. And I was in the middle of a huge problem. A thorny, bushy problem. Where there had been a clear path with an annoying forest guide, there were now thorny vines everywhere. Where did these come from? And why was I the only one getting my legs all scratched up? This couldn’t get any worse.

I probably messed up, and this wasn’t the right road. Even though my memories seemed crystal clear, the tornado must’ve scrambled them. There’s no way I got lost this easily. I had to go back to the one place I knew for sure: the stream. I could follow it and hopefully find a town or something. As I sprinted toward the stream, panic dried up my throat. I knelt to scoop up some water when something flickered in the corner of my eye. What made it unusual was its color, purple. Maybe it was a rescue post for lost hikers. Or a woodman’s cabin used as a trail marker. Either way, it was the answer I needed. After two more gulps of water, I jumped across the stream and ran toward the light at the end of a twisted tunnel of branches.

The closer I got, the tougher it became. Everywhere I stepped either pricked, stung, or scratched me, like the forest itself was testing me. I didn’t want to pass a test. I just wanted to go home. At some point, the light shrank to a small tunnel made of thorny vines. Everything just kept getting harder. And it didn’t have to be. But the longer I stayed here, the sooner night would bring out the creepy crawlies. Crap. I braced myself and leaped through the circle of pain like a fish. Phew. With bloodied cheeks and scratches all over, I marched on. This wasn’t the time to think about the wave of pain coursing through my body. The end was near.

Once I reached the damned light, I realized it was a gas lamp covered in purple-tinted glass. Whoever lives here must be pretty isolated to not even use electricity . The shabby front didn’t exactly scream civilization either. But who was I to judge? As long as they could help me get home, they could live in a cave for all I cared. I rushed to the door and knocked loudly. The door opened with a whiny creak. Did they forget to lock it? Then again, did they really need to lock their door in the forest? If a bear decided to drop by, a door wouldn’t be much of an obstacle.

Suddenly, a strange feeling formed in my stomach. Something didn’t feel right. What if I was stepping into an even more dangerous situation? Wait, what could be more dangerous than a forest swarming with predatory animals? Yep, humans. I had to make a choice: stay inside or head back out. I glanced at the darkening forest and saw a pair of bright eyes staring back at me. Humans, it is.

As soon as I entered the house, the smell of an apothecary explosion hit my nostrils. Shelves filled with dusty jars lined the walls, organized meticulously a long time ago. Dried weeds, mushrooms, and plants I couldn’t name hung beside them. A soot-darkened fireplace with a cauldron hanging in the middle caught my eye. To my surprise, there was a fire burning. If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was a witch’s lair.

Then I saw her. A woman sitting at the table across from me, sipping from a cup. I hadn’t noticed her until now. She wore a black cloak that obscured most of her robust figure. The way she held the cup close to her mouth forced me to focus on her eyes—piercing green eyes that could annihilate anyone with a single look. Her gaze held mine in a spell-like grip and released me only when she shifted her focus to another cup of tea sitting close to me. Steam was rising from it.

“You’re right on time, my daughter. Sit. The tea is getting cold.”