"Stella, we need to discuss this under four eyes."
Silas was very tense for some reason right now.
The urgency in what he said made Stella tense too. She nodded warily
"Do you think it's safe to go outside Orren?"
"Sure, as long as you two close your eyes while your at it."
They headed outside without saying another word. Eyes closed.
"Do you think we can trust what he says? I mean it sounds pretty weird, doesn't it?"
Stella whispered.
"Humans becoming godlike and having strange powers? He must be fooling us. It sounds like he's trying to use us for something."
Silas thought for a moment before answering.
"Well you're right somehow. He definitely didn't tell us everything, but I feel like most of what he said is still true... But he is definitely right about one thing. We can't go anywhere without risking to be in dangerous situations. The marble mountains are taboo for a reason. The forest isn't better either so there are only two options."
Stella completed the thought.
"Returning to beyond the marble mountains. I came from downstream, but as I already told you it's also too dangerous."
Silas thought about earlier today.
***
'Brr. The river is so cold. I'm shivering all over.' After he went out of the river, he hid behind a small bush, rolled on grass to dry himself and put his clothes on.
'I have to be fast now!'
Rushing toward the dungeon, he thought about how to free Stella.
'I could try to steal the key. But that's too risky. The paper clips I bought once should be enough for the task.'
As soon as he reached the dungeon, he glanced through the window. Inside, there was a desk, three chairs and a closet for the keys. A police officer slept on the chair, his head leaning on some documents. He held a pen he probably used to fill out the forms. A gas lamp stood beside him. The room was only lit by the moonlight shining through the window. The wooden floor looking dangerously loud.
'I better hurry.'
He slowly opened the door and entered. The sheriff was still sleeping deeply. Silas decided to head toward the basement first, since the prisoners were encaged there.
'I haven't been here for a long time. The last time I had to spend a night here was after stealing some berries from a fruit garden... Well it must have worked, cause I've never tried to steal something since.'
Silas' thoughts were interrupted by the snoring of the sheriff.
'Right, now's not the time for reminiscing.'
He sneaked toward the stairs, one eye always looked in the direction of the sheriff, one looked on the ground.
'No wrong steps now. I can't let the officer wake up.'
Step. Step. One more step...
'Phew. The wooden floor didn't creak.'
Silas opened the wooden door headed down the stairs hastily and closed it quietly. When he reached the last step, he observed the cells. There was a 10 meter long hallway. Four cells on each side, separated by metal bars.
Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down Silas' back as he saw someone standing in the middle of the aisle. It was a woman, massaging her neck and leaning her head toward the other side. She was probably about 165 cm tall. Not being able to see well in this darkness, Silas squinted his eyes and realized, that it was Stella. As soon as he recognized her, Silas fell to one knee, making her turn around rapidly. His eyes burned again. This time, his body still aching from being in the freezing water, his eyes hurt even more.
"Sill!" she said quietly, her voice full of surprise.
The feeling of a snake biting his eyes was the same, but there was also something else happening. The supposed snake, didn't just bite once. It bit twice this time. Once into his left eye then into the right one, making drops of blood run down his cheeks. Afterwards, the snake slid deeper, making it feel like it dug through his right eye, straight into his brain. There, a feeling of pure emotionlessness took place as it coiled around Silas' brain. As soon as the feeling of excruciating pain ended, his mind was cleared from thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes, the crimson moon, shining through an opening in the cells reflecting in his emerald green eyes. His eyes look like yellow topazes. The first thing he saw was his sister kneeling near his weakened body. She had a concerned countenance.
Silas' body wanted to move on it's own again. He slowly rose into a sitting position, grabing her neck. That's at least what his body wanted.
'Ugh, what is this? Can't you one time do what I tell you to do.?'
So he slowly rose, opened his mouth and said
"You... can... go.. die!"
As soon as the last word left his lips, the pain of the snakes bite resumed to take over his senses, just this time he felt it in his head. After a short moment, or an eternity of supposed venom filling his nervous system and the same excruciating pain filling all of his body, not just his eyes, he regained his senses. Finally in control of his body again, he sat up rapidly. His eyes were shining emerald green once again. The moon moved on.
Stella looked at him again, worry gleaming in her eyes.
"Are you alright?" she whispered.
Silas tested his senses cautiously. He raised his hand in front of his face, making a palm while looking at it. He opened his mouth to say something again.
"Stella."
Stellas eyes lit up with relief.
"Sill!" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. She practically jumped him him, taking Silas into a strong hug which caused both to fall towards the ground.
'It worked! But even though that pain was devastating, I am in a rarely good condition. My body feels stronger than before and there is no stiffness after the pain. My senses are also much sharper. I can practically hear the heartbeat of Stella, as well as the slight grating of her throat. She must not have drank much after arriving here. There is also the smell of infections in the air. Does she have untreated wounds? We need to get out of here fast!'
Silas slowly rose, pulling his sister with him.
"We need to get out here." He said with a strong voice.
'What's up with me? I also feel different. As if something has changed inside of me.'
Stella didn't look fully convinced yet.
"Is it really you? Everyone behaved different since i have returned."
"It's me, now we really need to go. The guard is still sleeping but we don't know when he will wake up. You can tell me everything when we're out of here but it's too dangerous to stay... And try to be quiet."
With a determination, new to him, Silas and Stella sneaked toward the exit. Without disturbing the sheriff, they left into the streets of the town. The twins kept to the shadows, walking in small sideways to not attract attention.
"Where are we going, Sill?" Stella asked with a hint of doubt, still resting in her eyes.
"We will leave the town." Silas said without emotion.
Stella suddenly slowed down and stopped.
"What?"
"As I said, we will leave the town. It is too dangerous for you here. Who knows what's going to happen during your trial tomorrow if they don't even listen to a word you have to say." Silas was still cold as ice.
"You're right I guess. But it's still way too dangerous!"
The fear in her voice showed deep scares.
Silas turned to her looking straight into her eyes.
"Do you trust me?" Silas let his emotional guard down a little now
Stella thought for two seconds then answered with renewed certainty.
"Yes, I do."
Silas looked around shyly, scratching the back of his head.
"I am sorry by the way. For saying all of that stuff to you."
Stella was suddenly backing away, a memory gaining ground as she was about to answer.
"I... I need to tell you something."
"I'm listening." he said assuringly.
"You see, I was chosen to be the bride of a noble from across the mountain. You know that right? That's the reason I had to go."
The memory took over Silas mind. Saying goodbye to his sister was pretty painful for him. So he put the thought away and looked at her again.
"Yes I do."
"Six months after arriving there, I had learned the proper etiquette. Then, suddenly, my soon to be husband died unexpectedly. The family wanted to adopt me... but since I wanted to return home, I rather became the guide of the new colonization campaign. I knew the maps home and the way. We needed to prepare a new route though. One where civilians could travel safely. So half a year later, after learning necessary protocols and mapping abilities, I finally traveled home."
Silas was surprised.
"So that's why you're here. But why did you come alone though?"
"We usually only traveled at daytime... But one night, I couldn't hold myself from going outside. We were nearly there and..."
"Any way, the reason is irrelevant right now. Fact is that I saw a red crimson light, flickering around. As soon as I saw it, it rapidly accelerated towards me and upon reaching me, it disappeared. The important part is, that when I returned... Everyone suddenly wanted to kill me."
Deep shadows were masking her eyes.
"Afterwards I ran home."
Silas went one step forward, and hugged her. A lone tear running down her cheek.
"It's alright." he said calmingly
***
"Silas are you listening? Heeello?"
Taken out of his memories, he suddenly tensed.
'Oh right, I have focus now.'
Silas continued.
"The village isn't safe for you either, so the only chance we have is to listen to the old man."
Stella suddenly looked sad.
"You don't have to do anything really..."
"Stella, don't even think about trying to convince me to stay back while you are in danger."
Stella suddenly blushed a little.
"You're right."
Silas finished the thought.
"So we are going to trust the old man, right?"
"Yes."
They headed inside once more.
The old man still sat on his chair, smiling.
"I see you have decided to trust me, no?"
'I really hate that smile for some reason."