For a second, she didn't move, her heart pounded hard against her chest.
She stood upright and turned around slowly with her eyes closed.
She opened her eyes slowly and came face to face with a boy, who was standing not too far away from her.
She blinked twice trying to be sure she was seeing right.
"What do think you're doing?" He asked again, his hands akimbo.
Marinelle stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to reply to his question.
Deep down, she was happy to see another soul in the forest just like her.
"Who are you?" He asked again, coming closer to her.
Marinelle didn't reply, she just kept staring at the boy.
He looked a lot older than her and way taller.
She just kept mute and was staring at him.
He kept walking till he was a few inches away from where she stood, then he stopped.
The boy looked closely at Marinelle, he was really surprised to see her in the forest alone.
This was really unusual, nobody had the bravery to come to the forest alone.
She must be really powerful or special, he looked at her more intensely again.
He could feel the aura surrounding her and he could tell that she wasn't ordinary.
"I'll ask again, what are you doing here?" He asked again, giving her a more serious look.
"Who are you to ask me such?" She retorted, staring back at him with a cold piercing gaze.
The boy was taken aback by her response, she didn't show any sign of fear or nervousness.
He smiled a little and decided to be more calm with her, he really wanted to know how she got there and if he was being rude she might not tell him.
"This is a dangerous place, how come you're here alone?" The boy asked again, his tone softening a bit.
Marinelle was surprised at his tone shift.
She decided to play it calm, she figured, If she was calm with him, he might show her out of the forest.
"I lost my way" came the swift reply.
"Oh!, you're also from the sorcery camp?" He asked.
"Yes I am," she answered.
"How did you get lost?" He asked.
"It's a long story, can you help me get out of here?" She asked, clearly evading the question he asked.
The boy looked at her again, he knew she clearly just evaded his question.
This was his first time seeing her in the sorcery camp.
He had been attending the camp since he was a child.
"This is your first time here?" He asked.
*Yes it is" she answered.
"Who invited you?" He asked again.
Marinelle started to get a little bit edgy, why was he asking her all these dumb questions?
"I came here with my best friend, please can we leave this place, it's getting dark." Marinelle requested, unable to take it any longer.
"No we can't just leave, I have to tell you the gravity of what you were just about to do" The boy said walking round her in circles.
Marinelle heaved a sigh, trying to hint him that she was bored, but deep down it piqued her interest and she was curious.
"This is the sacred place of Shadowfell Sanctum. What you were about to do would have ended your life in split seconds" The boy explained.
Marinelle's facial expressions didn't change or shift, she was nervous inside but she didn't let her facial expressions betray her.
She kept her cool and looked at the boy with a cold stare.
"And?" She asked with a smug look.
The boy was surprised, she didn't look scared or surprised at the mention of death.
"Wow, you don't seem scared. That's nice, my name is Kieran Shadow, I'm a young wizard, pleased to meet you" He said and stretched forth his hands for a handshake.
Marinelle looked at him thoroughly up to down before taking his hands.
"I'm Marinelle Estrella, pleased to meet you too." She said, smiling a bit.
"Let's get out of here, it's getting dark" Kieran said and turned his back heading for the other way.
Marinelle murmured okay and followed him from behind.
They were both walking in silence for a while, then Marinelle broke the silence.
"What were you doing back there?, are you lost too?" She asked.
" Lost?" He asked, chuckling a bit.
"I'm not lost, I know this entire Forest like the back of my palms." Kieran replied.
"So what exactly were you doing there?" Marinelle asked.
"I happened to be there just in time by coincidence" came the swift reply.
"Coincidence?" Marinelle asked finding it hard to believe it was just coincidence.
"Yes it is, take it or leave it" Kieran replied, his tone suggesting that he wasn't going to entertain anymore questions.
"Oh" Marinelle murmured and kept on walking, following Kieran closely from behind.
She took time to observe Kieran. He moved swiftly,making it hard for Marinelle to keep up.
She kept a good distance away from him.
Despite the fact that he said he was from the sorcery camp, she didn't entirely believe him.
She couldn't feel any dark sensation emanating from him which was strange because every person she came in contact with in the camp had that dark aura hovering around them, except Luna.
As time went by, they kept walking on and on. Marinelle was so tired, exhausted and hungry. Even with her disposition she really wanted to make it out of the forest in no time.
She fought hard to keep up with Kieran's fast moving pace.
"This forest is really dangerous, do not come out here alone next time" Kieran said to her after many minutes of silence.
There wasn't any response, he turned around to see no one behind him.
Marinelle was nowhere to be found. He looked around but didn't see the likes of her anywhere around.
"Marinelle!" He called out, but was greeted by silence.
After a while, he decided to go back to where they were coming from.
After some time walking, he saw Marinelle sprawled out on the floor, laying face down, obviously exhausted.
Her face peeking out over her covered hair, she was sweating profusely.
Kieran rolled his eyes, crouched down as was about to pick her when he heard someone say.
"What do you want with her?".