Enchained WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 4]

29

Two shining portals opened side-by-side. From the first came Amneris, her Court, Aurora, Arthur, Lydia and Horus. From the second came Xix and Ema. The group took in their surroundings. On one side, they were surrounded by a dense green-red forest, the sound of water running nearby. The grass was easily knee length. On their other side was a wall covered in worn markings, all providing a warning. The wall was not to be crossed. Despite the overgrowth of vegetation covering it, the wall stood strong. 

The place looked normal at first glance, but it was far from. While it was filled with nature and life and all things good, the air smelt of death and decay. There was something very wrong nearby. It put the entire group on edge, even the three without powers or supernatural origins. 

Amneris looked up at the wall, its stone tinted red by the light of the Sun coming through the red sky. She crossed her arms and pouted at the warnings. "Oh, come on. I didn't do that much damage when I was here. I only destroyed one city!"

"And the entire surrounding area." Xix placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You know how Silent Energy is bad for Lyriumia and Photon Energy is bad for Terpola?"

"Yeah?" She blinked. "Ah. Did I really go that far?"

"Just a bit."

Amneris laughed. "Whoops! Sorry about that."

Carmin looked to the top of the wall, folding her arms across her chest. "I have a feeling that getting over won't be so simple that we can just fly."

Xix shook her head. "No, there's a--"

Amneris spread her wings. She took off so fast she was a blur to the eyes of all. She flew over the first half of the wall and bang! She ran straight into an invisible force shield. Amneris crashed down through the trees to the ground with a frustrated cry.

"--Barrier," Xix finished, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It was put in place around the Wastelands to make sure no Photon Energy escaped to damage the planet."

Amneris folded her wings behind her. They vanished into nothing. She begun pulling small twigs and leaves from her hair. "Then why didn't you say so?"

"Well, if you had of waited for once instead of rushing in recklessly like you always do--"

"Okay!" Aurora stepped between the two women, raising her hands as their powers flared against each other. "How do we get to whatever this city thing is called if there's a giant wall and magic barrier blocking the way?"

Zoe raised a finger. "Actually, it's not magic. It's a form of particle manipulation which, when done correctly, can prevent exotic particles from escaping the surrounded area and--"

"There should be an entrance around here somewhere," Xix interrupted. "My guess would be it's covered by all these vines and overgrowth. We, uh, don't use it all that often."

"Right," Aurora said, clapping her hands together. "So, we all split up and search the length of the wall until we--"

"Found it!" Arthur called. Aurora's head dropped and she groaned. 

The group rushed to where Arthur waved. He'd pulled back the multi-colored vines to reveal a small square passageway. There were symbols of warning surrounding its length and it was currently blocked up by brickwork.  Xix moved to the left of the blocked passage, feeling around until a keypad appeared on one of the stones. She put in six numbers. The keypad beeped confirmation and disappeared back into the stones. The brickwork shook and slid into the stone as though it were a sliding door, creating a passage which allowed the group to move to the other side of the wall. 

It was very different. The grass was stained a dead yellow-brown which normally only came after drought. A nearby river ran, its water varying shades of orange, green and yellow. Skeletons of animals littered the landscape. The entire place screamed of death and decay. Even the sky looked wrong, somehow being changed from an eerie red to a toxic yellow-green colour. It was safe to say the name 'Wastelands' was very appropriate. 

Aurora raised her hand to cover her mouth in disgust. "What is that smell? It's horrible!"

"Probably all the decayed flesh and toxins in everything," Zoe said, copying the movement. 

Amneris looked around in awe. "Seriously . . ." she breathed. "I destroyed a city. One city! One city that's not even anywhere near the wall. How did this B.S. happen?"

"Photon energy is bad for our environment," Xix repeated. "Come on, we can follow the Old Road to reach Ilsbrook. Oh, and watch out for mutations." 

"Mutations?" Dan asked. He made to step forward, only to trip and fall face-first into the dirt. Looking back, he saw some sort of brown vine was wrapped around his legs. "What the heck?" The vines moved up, wrapping around his thighs and waist, pinning his arms to the side. The vines lifted him into the air. "Guys!"

Amneris looked up at him, hands braced on her hips. "What is it with you and being the damsel in distress? "

"Get me the fuck down from here!"

She shook her head with a laugh. "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming. Don't lose your scales." Amneris raised her hands, currently wreathed in cyan energy, and shot at the vines with her power. Nothing happened. She frowned. "Okay." She shot at them again. Still no effect. It was almost like the vines were absorbing her power. 

They lashed out at her. Amneris jumped out of the way. The browned vines followed. They grabbed her arms and flung her from her feet, holding Amneris up in the air beside Dan, the pair struggling against their grip.

"Great rescue, Your Majesty," Dan muttered.

"Oh, don't you start." 

Carmin unsheathed her katana from where it rested on her spine. She spread her wings and, with a roar, rushed toward the vines. Carmin raised the silver blade and sliced straight through them. Amneris and Dan dropped to the ground, but Carmin wasn't done yet. She looked around, sword at the ready, and saw the vines were coming from one direction in particular. She followed them. 

The vines were coming from a hole in the ground. What looked like a mass infestation of the brown vines wriggled below the surface. They parted slightly and a large, oozing, bloodshot eye was revealed. "Ew," Carmin said, shivering. The eye blinked in response, vines wriggling around it as though preparing for an attack. Carmin drove her katana's blade straight through the eye. The vine movement stopped.

"Yeah!" Dan cheered from behind as she stood. "That's my wife! She's fucking awesome!" 

"We all know you're in love, Dan," Amneris muttered. "Please do shut up."

"Ah, you're just jealous my wife's better than yours."

"I am not her wife," Colt muttered as he sawed through the now-dead vines holding Dan with a knife.

Carmin giggled. She pulled her sword from the eye, recoiling at the fluids dripping from it. She shivered again, attempting to shake some off to no avail. "Double ew."