Kingdom: Chapter 2

Instructions

`~°☆ Chapter One: The Chest "Well that's not weird at all." Remarked Jasper as he threw his water-soaked clock over his shoulder, "Oh well, we should head back now. Alora's curiosity got the better of her. "We should follow them," she said, already moving in the direction of the mysterious figure. "Wait, what? Why?" Jasper called after her, reluctantly trotting along. "They could be dangerous!" "Or they could be holding onto something important," Alora replied, quickening her pace. The narrow alleyways of Avalon twisted and turned, but Alora's determination never wavered. Jasper, still grumbling about his wet clothes, had no choice but to keep up. As they rounded a corner, the figure was nowhere in sight. Alora stopped, scanning the area. "They must have gone this way," she said, pointing to a narrow passage that led to the old part of the village, where abandoned buildings and overgrown gardens whispered tales of days gone by. The air was thick with the scent of moss and earth as they ventured deeper into the passage. Shadows danced on the walls, making the journey feel like stepping into a forgotten storybook. Suddenly, a faint rustling sound caught their attention. "Did you hear that?" Jasper whispered, his eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear. Alora nodded, motioning for silence. They crept forward, the sound growing louder. It led them to a hidden courtyard, where the mysterious figure was now kneeling in front of a large, ancient tree. The tree's gnarled branches stretched out like skeletal fingers, and at its base lay a small, intricately carved chest. "That wasn't there before.." Alora said under her breath. The figure seemed to be whispering to the tree, their voice too low to make out the words. Alora and Jasper exchanged a glance, their curiosity piqued even further. Suddenly, the figure stood up, slowly removing their hood. A cascade of silver hair spilled out, revealing a woman with piercing green eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. "Who are you?" Alora asked, stepping forward. The woman turned sharply, her eyes narrowing. "I could ask you the same," she replied, her voice a blend of authority and mystery. "Why are you following me?" "We saw you in the village," Jasper said, trying to sound braver than he felt. "And, well, you looked suspicious." The woman let out a soft, almost amused laugh. "Suspicious, am I? Perhaps. But appearances can be deceiving." She looked at the chest, then back at them. She opened her mouth to speak but hesistated. "That chest, it wasn't here before." Remarked Alora. "And how would you know that?" the woman quipped. "I come here often." "Do you now?" "Yes." Alora declared, however as she looked around her, her expression changed... The once familiar landscape surrounding her looked /off/. Something was very wrong..