It was hard not to smile at the tired looking girl sitting among friends and family nibbing on some flat bread. Ali sat thinking and stewing about her next move. Earlier she found and spoke to each person who had been preparing to head out to the Trading Circle in search of Geo and Lake. The only response she got was a shrug of the shoulders, noncommittal words, and suggestions that waiting was the right course of action. The impromptu party seemed to wipe everyone's minds of the plans made before Fern stumbled out of her room and celebrating was all they could think about. Ali finished the plate of food foisted on her, you did not waist food, as she was focused on pleading with Rolly to support her party leaving immediately. She shared her feelings that they were in danger hoping to get some movement from the Stone Circles leader, but just like everyone else he felt Geo could take care of himself and he trusted him to bring his son safely home. Ali's stood leaving her dishes on the table and the music and laughter behind. Enveloped in her growing feelings of impending danger her mind wandered to thoughts of her husband and the air pulsed with sparks of light.
The air was damp the forest thick, Ali could feel a tingling to the air like a nearby thunderstorm was approaching and a rippling thrumming energy was all around. Ali stared unsure of what she was seeing, she was in a strange forest of twisted branches and dark green leaves. She focused on a disturbance she felt in the distance and moved toward it. She was fascinated by the strange circle of electric energy It was bright around the boarder swirling colors of light in purple, yellow, white and silver. The energy moved in a steady pattern of swirling sparks and flashes on the outside, but the space in the center was consistent like that of a window with a steady picture into another place. A scene of beautiful trees wider than she was tall, with plants filling every space. All was covered in a beautiful artistry of nature, plants crawled across the ground and through the trees, flowers larger than anything she had ever seen added color and fragrance to the place, and a dirt path led to a sturdy wooden door made of thick dark planks with brass pulls. It was obvious after watching the plants and leaves on the trees shake and sway gently that it was a real living space instead of a picture or painting.
Startled by a sudden sound reverberating through the eerie mist, Ali spun around just in time to catch a glimpse of a mysterious figure emerging from the shadows. The figure stood tall and robust; his rugged features obscured by the swirling fog. Clad in tattered brown garments, the man exuded an air of resilience, though the dark stains marring his clothes hinted at a grim past. Intrigued, Ali watched as he deftly pulled on a rope, conjuring from the mist a majestic horse burdened with countless bags and a lifeless body. With each step, the man's hand rested on the back of the figure draped over the horse, a tender gesture that stirred an inexplicable sense of longing within Ali's heart. Suddenly, the man's hand moved to the side of his face, as if deep in contemplation. His shoulders slumped momentarily, burdened by an unseen weight, before he straightened himself and pressed forward. As the mist gradually dissipated, revealing his features, Ali's breath hitched in her throat. It was Geo, her long-lost husband. Before she could utter a word, the surrounding woods were engulfed in a blinding light, rendering Ali momentarily blind. And just like that, darkness descended upon her, leaving her yearning for answers while standing in Rolly's home hand rested on the frame of the front door.
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Waiting a few moments till her dizziness cleared she continued outside the horses were still standing where they had been tied, she walked over checking the cinches and the bags. Ali startled when Rolly walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.
Rolly's voice boomed through the air, demanding attention. "Are you alright? We need to discuss our journey to the trading circle. Circumstances have changed, and so must our plans."
Ali shook her head, her voice tinged with hidden anger. " We have missing loved ones, but they can wait until we've had our share of enjoyment." She took a deep breath, pausing as she observed Rolly's face darken. "I have a terrible feeling about this entire ordeal."
Rolly's voice, always chilly, felt colder than ice as he replied, "I never suggested that we ignore our missing family members. However, we should wait until tomorrow or-"
Before Rolly could finish his sentence, Ali interrupted him. "No! We must leave today. We should have left hours ago, but since that didn't happen, we must leave now."
Suddenly, the air crackled with an otherworldly shimmer, capturing the attention of both Ali and Rolly. Their eyes instinctively turned towards the sky, where a blinding flash followed by a distant boom had just occurred. In the blink of an eye, a fiery ball streaked across the heavens, leaving Ali and Rolly speechless, their mouths agape and their eyes wide with astonishment.
Their argument was immediately forgotten as Rolly found his voice first. "What in the blazes was that?" he exclaimed, rushing to ring the bell, alerting everyone to the imminent danger.
People poured out of their houses, joining them at the stone circle, as two more fiery balls crashed into the western horizon.