Rise of the Darkness — CHAPTER 51

Dear Calla and Ethan,

Now that you have found all the letters, it's time to know how to save Sophie. As you both know that the solar eclipse is near. You have to go to the darkest part of the forest. Near the lake of blood, you will find a circle of the seven pine trees. Take that mirror I had gifted to Lilly. You have to place the mirror right in the middle of the circle. The mirror should face the sun. Then you have to write "aftah" on the mirror with Calla's blood. You'll get a door to the Riders world. You have to do that as the sun will start to get eclipsed. And you have to come out before the sun is fully eclipsed. If you stayed there until the sun was fully eclipsed then you would be stuck in that world forever. I know it's impossible to defeat the Storm Riders but there is always a way. Find that way.

Good luck.

Calla and Ethan read all the letters together and found the hidden message from Dalton. Ethan grabbed all the weapons he could find in his house. Ashley also came with his vampires. Alpha Drew also decided to help them in return for saving his life. Sidney also came with Alpha Drew to help her friend to find her niece. Beta Adam was with them as well. A few more packs joined them who were trying to find their missing pack members.

Once everything and everyone was ready, they hopped into their cars and started their journey towards the darkest part of the forest. Nobody dared to go there. Ethan parked his truck and hopped out. Once every one arrived, they all walked towards the lake of blood. "Why is it called the lake of blood?" Calla asked in confusion.

"About a thousand years ago, a pack of wolves ruled this part of the forest. They were all murdered by that lake. Since then, the lake is red and this part is still haunted by the ghosts of the dead wolves. That's why people started to call it the lake of blood. No one comes here and whoever came here, never went back." He replied.

"Then what about us all?" She asked.

"We are all protected by the pendant you are wearing. It will protect us from the pack so we can finish our job and go back home." He replied. She nodded her head and kept following Ethan. After an hour and a half, they reached the lake of blood. Quickly they found the circle of the seven pine trees. They all went there together. Ethan placed the mirror in the middle of the circle facing the sun, as Dalton had instructed.

He then made a small cut on Calla's palm and wrote "aftah" on the mirror. In a few seconds the doors to the Riders world opened. They all stepped into the Riders world. The Riders were nowhere to be found. They ran inside and started freeing the hostages. Calla and Ethan went to find Sophie.

Ethan heard a giggle. He grabbed Calla's hand and pulled her into that direction. There, they saw a beautiful garden. Sophie was playing hide and seek with someone. Calla gasped when she saw her dead sister standing in the middle of the garden, trying to find the little Sophie. A tear escaped Calla's eye when she looked at her niece. Her smile made her heart warm with all the emotions. Calla ran towards the garden but hit a wall and fell back. She looked up and found a thick glass wall.

"Sophie…" Calla screamed loudly. Sophie turned around and found her aunt standing. She just waved her hand and hid again.

"Sophie, come on baby. We have to get out of here." Calla yelled loudly. Sophie shook her head.

"I don't want to, aunt Cal. I want to stay here with mommy and Dada." She replied.

"They aren't your mommy and Dada. They are just an illusion. You have to come with us. Let's go home baby." Calla said and Sophie again shook her head.

"No! I want to stay with mommy." Sophie yelled at Calla. Calla knew they were running out of time.

"Please Sophie. We don't have much time. Come with me. I can't live without you." Calla pleaded between her sobs.

"My mommy is here. So I will stay here." Sophie said and started stepping away.

"No Sophie, please come back. Please…" Calla said and started sobbing hard but Sophie didn't stop. She grabbed the hand of the woman who looked like Mara. She was walking away when she heard someone that made her feet froze in the middle of the way.

"When the night falls l,

And the birds go to sleep.

Princess Sophie is awake,

What does she need?

Does she wants a big horse,

Or a shining castle.

Does she wanna look pretty,

Or is just being naughty.

Oh the moon want to know,

The sun is already snoring.

And the stars twinkle to ask too,

but only her daddy is knowing.

She wants a hug,

And a goodnight kiss.

I will rock her to and fro now,

And thus she will sleep."

Sophie heard the lullaby and turned around to face the couple. She remembered that lullaby. She had heard that before. She looked at Calla, then Ethan who was smiling widely at the sweet little girl. He knelt on the ground and opened his arms wide for the little girl. She smiled seeing Ethan. She snatched her hand back from the woman and ran towards Ethan. She jumped out of the garden and wrapped her tiny arms around Ethan's neck. He wrapped his arms around her as well and stood up. Calla also wrapped her arms around both of them and they shared their family hug.

Ethan grabbed Calla's hand and pulled her out of the Riders world. Everyone was waiting for them to come out. Ethan and Calla came out with Sophie in Ethan's arms. Once everyone was out, they turned around and left. but as they came out, they were already surrounded by the Riders.

All the creatures lunged themselves at the Riders. But even though they were thrice in number against the Riders, still the Riders were winning. Most of the creatures were lying on the ground unconscious. The leader of the Riders lunged himself at Ethan. Ethan wrapped his arms around Sophie to keep her safe. Calla pulled the sword from Ethan's back. She attacked the leader of the Riders.

With one easy swing of his hand, he slapped Calla and she fell on the ground. Riders encircled Ethan and started beating him mercilessly. The leader of the Riders kicked his stomach and he spat blood on the ground. He was coughing hard. The Riders pulled Sophie away from Ethan and was taking her back. The leader of the Riders took a broken branch of the tree and stabbed Ethan in his chest. "No!!!" Sophie screamed loudly and started punching the Rider that was carrying her back.

Poetry credit goes to Niharika Katane (Serena.)