After what felt like an eternity, I finally came back to my senses. My head throbbed, and my limbs felt heavy, as if I had slept for a century. Blinking against the soft glow of the cave, I realized... my friends were nowhere in sight.
"Um... I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice cracking. "Did you see anyone else... besides me?" I asked, my eyes darting nervously around the dim cavern.
The Angel-Amelía-smiled. Soft. Warm. Her gaze seemed to hold centuries of wisdom. "Yes," she said gently, her voice like a lullaby, "they are outside the cave."
Relief washed over me. My friends were alive. Vincent. Camila. George. Somehow, the world still made sense. I exhaled deeply, feeling a weight lift from my chest.
"Come," she said, stepping closer. She extended her arm toward me. "I shall show you the way out of the border."
I looked into her eyes and felt a strange, unexplainable pull. Something deep inside me stirred, like a missing piece of my soul had just been found. I took her offered hand. The moment our fingers touched, a warmth spread through me-a sense of belonging I couldn't quite name. She felt it too, I realized. She tightened her grip slightly, her gaze lifting to meet mine. There was something in her eyes... happiness. Or was it a relief? Perhaps both. I wanted to speak, to tell her I felt it too-but the words failed me.
We stepped forward together, and the cave's dim light faded behind us. The cold air of the outside world hit me like a sharp wave, crisp and alive. I inhaled, tasting the freedom and the scent of something wild, something ancient.
The forest before me was breathtaking. Trees stretched high into the sky, their leaves shimmering like emeralds under a golden light. Streams of water cut through the ground, reflecting the soft glow of the sun. I searched for the right words to describe it, but none came. It was... mesmerizing, enchanting, a living painting that defied imagination.
Amelía stood beside me, serene and poised. "Welcome to Hrafnheima Kingdom, the Huldufork," she said, her voice steady, yet tinged with pride. "Now, I must take you to meet the king and queen. Come-now, all of you."
I blinked, still absorbing the splendor around us. And then I noticed movement-figures emerging from the forest, their forms graceful, powerful, otherworldly. My friends were there, safe, along with countless others, their wings shimmering in the sunlight. I realized we were surrounded. Humans, fairies, creatures I had only read about in myths-all of them watching us, waiting, curious.
Vincent's face broke into a relieved grin when he spotted me, and Camila's eyes widened as she took in the spectacle. Even George looked stunned, momentarily speechless.
And Amelía? She didn't let go of my arm. Not even for a moment. I glanced down at her hand in mine, feeling a quiet thrill in the contact. Something told me this connection-this unspoken bond-was the beginning of something far bigger than either of us could imagine.
I followed her gaze forward. The kingdom stretched beyond anything I had ever seen-towers carved from stone, bridges over sparkling rivers, gardens that seemed to glow with their own light. The air vibrated with magic and history, and somewhere deep in my chest, my pulse quickened.
"This way," Amelía said again, guiding us along a winding path. I kept my eyes on her, on the way her silver-blonde braided hair caught the sunlight, on the confidence in her every movement. My chest ached in a way I didn't understand, and yet it felt... right.
For the first time since waking in that cave, I believed we were not only safe-but that I had stumbled into a world that would change everything.
And somehow... I knew that Amelía Freysdóttir would be at the center of it all.
We followed Amelía along the winding path from the cave, my head still throbbing and my
thoughts a jumble. The cave, the blinding light, the sudden shift-it all felt unreal. I glanced at
my friends-Vincent rubbing his temples, Camila clutching her bag tightly, George stiff and
pale-and realized none of us truly understood where we were.
The forest around us seemed alive. Trees shimmered as if lit from within, streams reflected
strange glimmers, and soft hums vibrated through the air. Fairies and creatures I had only read
about in myths peeked from the foliage, their wings sparkling in the sunlight. I felt awe,
disbelief, and an unsettling sense of being utterly small in this world. How could this possibly be
real?
Amelía's hand hovered near mine. Instinctively, I took it. A warmth spread through me, sudden
and intense, like a missing piece of my chest had been found. She looked up at me, her eyes
bright and knowing, and I sensed she felt it too. A strange, inexplicable longing filled me, one I
couldn't ignore.
The path led us to a grand palace of white stone, towers glinting like ice in the sun. Guards in
polished armor bowed as we approached. The hall inside was vast, its soaring ceiling adorned
with intricate carvings depicting the kingdom's history. Sunlight streamed through tall windows,
illuminating golden mosaics that shimmered like stars.
At the far end, on a raised dais, sat the king and queen. The King radiated authority, yet warmth
and wisdom softened his gaze. Beside him, the Queen exuded quiet power, every movement
graceful, every glance commanding respect. Their presence was magnetic, almost
overwhelming.
"I am Queen Annýbjörg Fríðadóttir of Hrafnheima Kingdom," she declared. "Mother of all Fairies."
"And this is my husband, King Bjarke Fríðadóttir, Father of Huldufolk," she continued, her voice
calm yet commanding.
I swallowed hard, glancing at my friends. We were all as confused as each other, trying to make
sense of how we had gone from an Icelandic road to this realm, surrounded by beings we had
only imagined in myths.
"Your Majesties," I began, voice unsteady, "my name is Mikael Howler, and these are my
friends-Vincent Fisher, Camila Rivera, and George Lawerthin. We... We don't understand how we
got here. We found a casket... and Jem Stones... and now... we're in your realm. I think it has
something to do with what we discovered-but we don't know how or why."
The King's piercing eyes studied us intently, expression unreadable. Queen Annýbjörg's gaze
swept over us, sharp and discerning, as if she could peer into the depths of our souls.
Amelía stepped forward, brushing her hand against mine once more. "Your Majesties, they did
not arrive here by accident. Fate has brought them to this realm, to the stones, and to the
casket... at the precise moment their power begins to awaken again."
A shiver ran down my spine. Every instinct screamed that this was bigger than our expedition,
bigger than Iceland, bigger than anything I had ever imagined. The casket. The stones. Amelía. It
all connected to this world-and somehow, it all connected to me.
King Bjarke rose, voice firm but inviting. "You will stay under our protection, travelers. Your
arrival, the casket, the stones... none of it is coincidence. Soon, you will understand why the
realm has called you here."
I glanced at my friends and then at Amelía. None of us had answers, none of us understood what
had happened. But one thing was certain: nothing in our world could have prepared us for the
secrets and destiny awaiting in Hrafnheima Kingdom.