The air is ice cold around me as I dig my fingers into the soft dirt. This is the spot, it has to be. Old madam Lizanne swore by it the last time I went to her shop. Her words remain locked in my mind, set on replay like a broken record playing the sweetest tune of hope, and I grasped it with both hands. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAWXnYGtyu6A
511Please respect copyright.PENANAB4NcJGlgyv
511Please respect copyright.PENANAoKix0C9CVc
511Please respect copyright.PENANAdilvwIADZ7
No matter how far fetched it seemed at the time, I'd do anything to achieve my dream. "Go to the forest at midnight, dear boy," She told me, her wrinkled hands clasping a large velvet bag. "there you will find an old oak tree. You must use your bare hands to dig to the root that calls you. Once you find it, place these objects beside the root and bury them." 511Please respect copyright.PENANAR9Xj2uf5MB
511Please respect copyright.PENANA6K9raXhV12
511Please respect copyright.PENANAGFD06Dbt3b
511Please respect copyright.PENANA7h4iZXegYD
She thrusts the bag into my hands. I grip it tight, pulling it away but her hands remain wrapped around the thin rope knotted at the top. She turns her wise, hazel eyes towards me and says, "Once the root is covered, you will start to fall asleep. Lay facing north and when you wake, the fae will come." 511Please respect copyright.PENANAQKEGu2SONx
511Please respect copyright.PENANAKHOyQSLWDn
511Please respect copyright.PENANA66dZjd8knz
511Please respect copyright.PENANA9RR5XWgafl
So here I am, digging a hole in the middle of the forest, looking for God knows what. I dig for about an hour, my body feeling exhausted from all the manual labour I'm not accustomed to. Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do to get to where you want to be in life, at least she didn't tell me to murder anyone or summon a demon in a witches circle or something like that.511Please respect copyright.PENANA7eYAEXHd2m
511Please respect copyright.PENANAgVje0amKRf
511Please respect copyright.PENANARxKL7qBuGv
511Please respect copyright.PENANACphMkCpUEL
Eventually, I push into something solid. I gently wipe away the sand to expose a large root. I squint my eyes, not believing the glow emanating from the dark brown soil as I study the odd looking wood.511Please respect copyright.PENANAJZfh17OKfc
511Please respect copyright.PENANAclksKtjd2e
511Please respect copyright.PENANAqCrlPWIEfF
511Please respect copyright.PENANAVVJhhEYeRN
I quickly open the bag, taking out each object one at a time and placing it next the root that, I assume, is calling to me. I place a small animal's skull, a few sharks teeth, a bag of herbs and another smaller pouch filled with crystals in the hole and cover it up. 511Please respect copyright.PENANArfFQYbtfiN
511Please respect copyright.PENANAJfTqUNgnrf
511Please respect copyright.PENANAlUJ2oVf211
511Please respect copyright.PENANAtn1faRJzgh
Once everything is buried, I take out my compass to ensure I was laying in the correct direction, lay my head on the cool grass and close my eyes, allowing my fatigued body to finally rest.511Please respect copyright.PENANAxmxx0PBFjG
511Please respect copyright.PENANA6aQnBX8ZIm
511Please respect copyright.PENANAPo8AGLoWer
511Please respect copyright.PENANAI7MOTFWV1h
Moments later, my eyes fly open. I'm greeted with nothing but darkness and the feeling of damp soil under my hands. Immediately I start to panic, sure that something's gone horribly wrong when suddenly I hear a light, melodic voice and instantly a wave of calmness washes over me.511Please respect copyright.PENANAZNBDwgh8JP
511Please respect copyright.PENANAfHlMEospEa
511Please respect copyright.PENANArecusSbzdQ
511Please respect copyright.PENANAvBwWpy023j
"Hello, Jonathan. I've been waiting for you." Immediately as she speaks, the small room is lit up by thousands of fireflies. Only then do I lay eyes on the beautiful creature who spoke.511Please respect copyright.PENANAV36sXFjwUL
511Please respect copyright.PENANA6kjCYKBPkm
511Please respect copyright.PENANAVq3VMf05QA
511Please respect copyright.PENANAvN27fsbmni
Her hair is bright violet, falling to her waist in large, thick curls. Butterflies and flowers of all different kids are woven around her stark naked body along vines. Her light blue skin is complimented by her bright green eyes. In short, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAZ239DYUsM9
511Please respect copyright.PENANAeGK5RMmAnY
511Please respect copyright.PENANA6JfIyyXUnn
511Please respect copyright.PENANADeNl2qN0ga
She smiles and walks forward, placing one hand on my cheek. "What is it that you seek, my child?" I gulp, trying to find the words to speak. This is it, this is really happening. I wet my lips, take a deep breath and look into her eyes. "I want to be the most talented artist to ever live." 511Please respect copyright.PENANAYTG9e7BAvT
511Please respect copyright.PENANARfv2RvNEyN
511Please respect copyright.PENANAzzezam3guO
511Please respect copyright.PENANAAcUdCtlu4n
She smiles and drops her hand before turning around and walking to the centre of the small room. "Your wish is my command." She tells me before facing me again. "There is just one thing you must do for me first." 511Please respect copyright.PENANA2lxZWSOuB4
511Please respect copyright.PENANA4IVN8kvVR5
511Please respect copyright.PENANAEjKEzQbyCf
511Please respect copyright.PENANAZWNHTakEj7
My heart starts hammering in my chest, excitement building as I take two quick steps towards her. "Anything! I'll do anything, just tell me." She waves her hand above her head and four doors appear behind her.511Please respect copyright.PENANAzgdfWshhr5
511Please respect copyright.PENANAh9Omu8TqiY
511Please respect copyright.PENANAYHs9K6qeQL
511Please respect copyright.PENANAIe7Mo3PO25
"You have a choice to make. To get your gift, your intentions need to be pure, your heart, needs to be pure. You have four powerful artifacts, one of them is the key to the door that'll lead you to your wish. Each door will lead you down a different passage, only one of them holds what you desire at the end. If you choose incorrectly, I must warn you, the consequences are dire. Choose wisely, my child. You have two attempts."511Please respect copyright.PENANACrlD1wsXSw
511Please respect copyright.PENANAFYK0hDkn4q
511Please respect copyright.PENANAzOMTlLTGJ4
511Please respect copyright.PENANAXkD6wjhUHk
In a blink of an eye she disappears and I'm left holding the same bag I buried at the root, except this time, I assume they hold the four artifacts. I lay the bag down on the floor and undo the knot, excited to see what these keys are. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAib2HoIseev
511Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1ylYcbkJR
511Please respect copyright.PENANAzCiVw9NRtD
511Please respect copyright.PENANAZcRrtQSzY3
One is a set of earplugs, or at least, that's what I think they are. They're shaped the same except for the two sharp thorns on each small, yellow bud. Well, those can't be of use, I'm sure. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAmRLW5HpCTi
511Please respect copyright.PENANAKCouwwaRBV
511Please respect copyright.PENANA43SxxxQ6Ma
511Please respect copyright.PENANAowhaHq0iCS
I set them aside and pull out a large golden hammer with green jewels arranged neatly along the wide handle. The weight of it sets me off balance and I drop it quickly onto the floor next to the earplugs.511Please respect copyright.PENANA4f2B5zyMAm
511Please respect copyright.PENANA8Eds66mQie
511Please respect copyright.PENANAvoOmwqGCsp
511Please respect copyright.PENANARuf7fE6UIS
Next, I find a pair of gloves. Made from the finest silk, they're softer than any material I've ever come across. I carefully place it on my left hand and find that the inside is laced with leather. I have no idea how this could help either.511Please respect copyright.PENANA3aHQzYKjP2
511Please respect copyright.PENANAgIKGriPkIH
511Please respect copyright.PENANAppIB3Bfw68
511Please respect copyright.PENANAOILrbadGZd
I pull the glove off, fold both neatly and lay them down, eager to pull out the last object. Finally, I pull out a large book. A book? How could this possibly be a key for anything? I pick it up and run my finger along the leather binding. No doubt it's old, but what does it say? I start pulling at the belt-like buckle keeping the book shut tight, and stop. Wait, I should look at the doors and asses each before interacting with the keys too much.511Please respect copyright.PENANACot2OF0MP5
511Please respect copyright.PENANAKHGe9GzPNP
511Please respect copyright.PENANA2YezTNGEcR
511Please respect copyright.PENANAnyZMFEhzK2
I stand up and brush the dirt off my pants before standing in front of all four doors. They don't look dangerous, but something deep inside warns me not to take this situation lightly. I bite down on my lower lip as I let my eyes settle on the first door to my left. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAPgR6m3uztl
511Please respect copyright.PENANAZa3VNqliwm
511Please respect copyright.PENANA5OtD6wsw1o
511Please respect copyright.PENANARA0Qz7szQg
Well, it looks pretty harmless. It looks like it's made purely of rose quartz. I walk up to it until I'm standing inches away. The first thing I notice is the smell. It smells like candy floss! It instantly reminds me of the many festivals my mother would take us to as kids, where we'd spend the day stuffing ourselves with all things sweet as we tried out every children's ride available. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAdIxJs8M8jV
511Please respect copyright.PENANAi9ZNxTW82i
511Please respect copyright.PENANAzVCQaBJt4V
511Please respect copyright.PENANA9mUU5tu6qh
It brings back many happy memories, but the one thing throwing me off is the intense heat radiating from the door. I didn't even realize that I'd started sweating until I felt a drop slowly slip down the side of my face. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAuWa38Hfib3
511Please respect copyright.PENANA8Syu1UhpNP
511Please respect copyright.PENANAm9FnlG0xEx
511Please respect copyright.PENANAFbdDbEKanh
I step back, moving onto the next door. This one is covered in bright green vines, I shrug and move closer. The closer I get, the more I'm sure I hear something coming from behind the door. As soon as I'm standing right in front of it, I let my hand hover over the green vines. Well, at least this one isn't insanely hot. Satisfied that I won't be burned the moment I touch it, I press my ear against the door and listen.511Please respect copyright.PENANAn0edLeze4W
511Please respect copyright.PENANADFJ4nrqbHl
511Please respect copyright.PENANAhBOq8qIu0q
511Please respect copyright.PENANAGBAWcCeEvy
The moment I do this, the most beautiful melody starts playing on a piano. I listen quietly as the tune changes and goes on to play something I'm very familiar with. It's the same tune my sister would hum to me as a small child when I couldn't sleep. I smile and lean back with a smile. Yeah, I hope it's this one. Before moving to the next, I glance towards the top of the green door and spot the initials K.N engraved on a golden plaque. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAuM4cgEYrer
511Please respect copyright.PENANAtlFcBMpSc3
511Please respect copyright.PENANA7qXzFszbKx
511Please respect copyright.PENANAvt2qtpKChh
I think nothing of it as I move onto the second last door. This one is simple, there's no music coming from behind the door, no smell of candy floss or anything like that. It's just a simple door that looks like it's been made of solid gold. The main thing I notice that sets it apart from the rest, is the lack of a handle. Where the others had round, brass knobs, this one has a little golden bell. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAAdVYnYzHWH
511Please respect copyright.PENANAJyR1Ag4O8P
511Please respect copyright.PENANAwTkAmTxhiY
511Please respect copyright.PENANAjkfsufEbV2
Slowly I make my way to the final door. This one is further away from the others and made up of nothing more than wood and bright red paint. I walk forward, examining it closely. I place one finger on the hard wood and look down, shocked at what I see. The red on the door which I assumed was paint, looks more to me like blood. I quickly wipe the sticky substance off on my jeans and walk over to the artifacts. 511Please respect copyright.PENANA7BbevHfw5W
511Please respect copyright.PENANADCYwGtl875
511Please respect copyright.PENANAOUEG0wszUS
511Please respect copyright.PENANATVJwLBq9KE
She said I had two chances, right? I think the most logical thing to try first would be the gloves on the hot door. That seems to be the most logical choice, the door is hot, the glove should protect my hand, right? Right.511Please respect copyright.PENANAuRIcqHNoKE
511Please respect copyright.PENANA7vVZzNFtNP
511Please respect copyright.PENANAC9Oi2qXXwh
511Please respect copyright.PENANAp5HEsovgIp
I slip both white gloves on quickly before flexing my fingers. I must admit, they're quite comfortable and look quite strong, so they should prevent the heat from seeping through.511Please respect copyright.PENANAwKrPk6OorO
511Please respect copyright.PENANAz2rDAQjtXr
511Please respect copyright.PENANAyDzL8B2mv3
511Please respect copyright.PENANAey76nyn6SA
I walk over to the pink door and place my hand on the doorknob. As soon as I grip it tightly, my hand starts to burn. I open my mouth and scream out in pain as I try to let go, but for some reason my hand won't move. The smell of candy floss and burnt flesh fills the air around me as I continue to scream in agony. Eventually I manage to pull my hand out of the glove and watch in horror as it melts onto the door handle, sizzling as the once beautiful material glues itself onto the brass.511Please respect copyright.PENANAex0g7PLLAR
511Please respect copyright.PENANA9V2zBd8RKQ
511Please respect copyright.PENANAcLceMNWVFZ
511Please respect copyright.PENANAlJ4qk3QHp1
Taking off my shirt, I wrap it around my blistering hand and look to the other artifacts, now eager to get out of here whether I get what I came for or not. I grab the hammer in my other hand and walk towards the red door, even if it's covered in blood, it should still break into pieces if I knock this thing into it. I heave it up and over my shoulder, sweating as I slowly walk towards the door. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAqWwBJ3mn14
511Please respect copyright.PENANARNEYGAo0Rz
511Please respect copyright.PENANAXGSGHkY2Lu
511Please respect copyright.PENANAKYhI9Tm8SK
The second I get there I swing the hammer back and bring it down onto the door, ignoring the cries of pain from my body. I fall back as the door splinters. Yes! This must be it! I leave the hammer laying where it is and pull at the splintered wood until there's just enough space for me to squeeze through. Once I'm through, I find myself in a long, dark tunnel. The only light being the lit torches set on either side of the stone walls. 511Please respect copyright.PENANABaPjAY9PRt
511Please respect copyright.PENANAInJ6l54jGl
511Please respect copyright.PENANAXUgEvAhz2u
511Please respect copyright.PENANAdwXWYiUphP
She never told me what to do once I got to the other side of the door, so I follow my instincts and run as fast as I can. Giving my adrenaline a chance to shine as I dash down the quiet underground passage. After running for what feels like hours I come to yet another door. I open it quickly and come face to face with the fae I saw earlier. 511Please respect copyright.PENANAEV7XKKirrf
511Please respect copyright.PENANAKco17rzKtq
511Please respect copyright.PENANAQDk8QLIwPE
511Please respect copyright.PENANAeOYuSXthPh
Except this time, her purple hair is thin and frayed, her large green eyes have been replaced with dark, emotionless marbles of black. She looks to me and smiles, but instead of feeling calm like before, a feeling of dread washes over me. She opens her mouth and I wait, staring at the terrifying woman, hoping that she's about to tell me that this was all a joke, that I won and I get my wish, but instead she just throws her head back and starts laughing. 511Please respect copyright.PENANA1yPYJADeca
511Please respect copyright.PENANASm2oOaLxSE
511Please respect copyright.PENANAfrEEBiSwtE
511Please respect copyright.PENANA1FUKDchmCf
The deep maniacal laughter sends shivers down my spine as she blinks twice and stops laughing. She leans closer to me, and I find myself paralyzed by fear as she whispers. "Run." I waste no time turning around, eager to get away from this hellish nightmare when I run straight into the door. I try the handle again, only to find it locked. I turn back around, flattening myself into the door as much as I can as the creature slowly stalks towards me. 511Please respect copyright.PENANANsRKhj8UXR
511Please respect copyright.PENANAGC2AqRWz38
511Please respect copyright.PENANAmT4CK5BhSX
511Please respect copyright.PENANAxIhUoS1aq6
"You failed, my child, and now you're mine." Those were the last words I heard before she rushed towards me and everything went black.
arrow_back
The Fae's Request
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
Sponsor
-
report_problem Report
-
account_circle Login
Search stories, writers or societies
Continue ReadingClear All
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
The Fae's Request
Author:
Nixi
ISSUE #1
The Fae's Request
LIKES 0
READS 507
BOOKMARKS 2
campaign
Request update 0
Sponsor
Suggest Edits
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
Click to load the next chapter
X
After each update request, the author will receive a notification!
smartphone100 → Request update
X
Sponsor again
Click to login
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.
Thank you for supporting the story! :)
Please Login first.
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:
Font Size:
Line Spacing:
Paragraph Spacing:
Load the next issue automatically
Reset to default
×
People Who Like This