Chapter 18- Back again

(ellie)

Minutes prior.

The wheel on the table spun, and everything changed—the room, the world outside, and James himself. Now, I stood before James, both of us in shock. My eyes widened as I stared at him. My friend looked different, well, kinda, but his ears? They were pointy. Were they real? I wanted to touch them to check, but he seemed to want to check them himself.

I saw him run off to the windows, and then it reminded me of that vision I had prior to all of this.

"James, don't! There might be gh—" He didn't listen, that idiot. The last thing I wanted was to see my friend hurt. Honestly, the only person in this damn forsaken cabin-tavernish place with whom I didn't have a unfamiliar or toxic relationship was him, and I valued that.

"Ugh! Why is everything loud," Maddie said behind me. I was shocked; I had only seen her slip up once before, but to see it again... What are you doing Ellie? No matter your past, The proper thing to do is help her. Come on, Ellie, it ain't hard. She was your friend, still is, somewhat, Do your thing, girl.

But I didn't. I don't know why. Right now, I feel strange. I didn't know why, but deep inside me, there was a bitch! What the hell is wrong with me? Is it really that hard to help someone, but I needed to check myself out first. As I touched my body, I noticed the only strange thing was on top of my head—two little horns sticking out. I touched them, outlining their shape with my fingers. In my mind, they resembled two little goat horns. Cute, from an outsider's perspective, but to me, they were freaky.

Were they connected to me, to my brain? I started breathing much faster. Was I hyperventilating again? I didn't need this, they always come at a bad time. Guess karma's a bitch, like me.

But I noticed something. I was freaking out, but my nose, my breath... If this was before the space hopping or world hopping, I would be having a really bad asthma attack by now. But it didn't seem like it. My body... this feeling of morphing and adapting was strange! it was all too abnormal. Had my body changed to adapt?

I tried to remembered my class card, and it hit me. The rank, what the hell happened? Yet nothing came to mind. I tried to think, but nothing. Strange? But not the strangest thing so far.

Then I tried to remember the race of my first card, which luckily I do remember.

[Half Druid, half Pixie

Rank: High Blood. 

Background: To sign a peace treaty for the myriad races of the Mordtail Woods, the Pixie and Fairy sent an envoy to marry a Druid higher up. Since Druids are naturally talented when producing other lifeforms, it wasn't a challenge for your father. You were the product of that treaty; thus you had two responsibilities to uphold, two lineages to succeed. From birth, you were trained by the best of both worlds—ancient magic, also known as forbidden magic, and also nature's daughter. All plant-based lifeforms already had a good impression of you.]

I looked back at my choice. I remembered choosing without hesitation, but if I knew that I would transform into my choice, I would have totally chosen a female pirate. They have that pose, that sass, and that ass—no other cards would have. But I only had two chances, and I wasn't willing to gamble or trade.

I noticed a chaotic scene starting to play out within the tavern, but my attention was caught by a particular spot— the Realm Master. I knew I shouldn't stare, and I knew I was the only one, by some miracle, who could see that old man, smiling as he watched the room unfold in mayhem.

But I realized that the old man focused his attention towards one spot, and he didn't move his eyes. And I knew exactly where he was staring—it was towards me. I felt my heart throb violently, more than the shock of feeling horns or moving to space. This shock was primal, it was instinctual. I had never felt so small, never felt so afraid.

Then, with an echo, I felt my surroundings change as mist appeared and surrounded me. What is happening? The figure was gone, as were my classmates.

"James?" I called out, receiving no response. No...