PERIL 10

In the morning after breakfast, I was having a hard time eating my meal since Lance kept on sending me some stares just like last night. And to be honest, it was almost reaching my peak of annoyance! He looks like some perverted guy around!

We decided to just go to the river by the afternoon and after lunch, I fixed the trees back to their original form and we proceed to our journey. As soon as we reached the river, the witch flew in the air riding on her broom she was probably waiting for our arrival.

"I see the wizard girl again along with her friends."- she was now laughing and then I let out the Piri. Her laugh suddenly stops the moment I held it. "You seemed to be surprised there, Miss Wicth"- Zeke exclaimed.

"Where did you get that?! We destroy all the Piri in all these years!!"- she angrily said.

"I want some answers from you as well, guardian of the rivers."

She crossed her arms while still sitting on her broom. "And what it could be?"

"I want you to fix the notes from this scroll. And I want to know a lot of answers from you."

"No can do!"- she laughs. I smirk and begin to play some annoying sounds from the piri, the guys are coving their ears because of it and the horses are now very noisy the witch flew down the ground while covering her ears like her life depends on it then kneels down and raised both of her hands.

"OK OK I'LL STOP, PLEASE STOP PLAYING THAT THING!! IT'S ALREADY KILLING MY EARDRUMS!!"- she yelled and I now stop.

"My ears are almost exploding"- Fred said. "Thank goodness for stopping"- Zeke heaves a sigh. "To be honest, the tone was also killing me and the horses"- Hunter added.

"Now Witch, tell me if this is the repetition of the cursed year. Tell me why did you get my magic doll."

"Yes, it's true. This was the repetition of the cursed year. We witches are decreasing since 1884 because of those magic dolls! It all started when the orphanage and the academy have come to the public. They created magic dolls that could destroy all monsters and even planned to rule the world!"

"Magic dolls?! What?! A-anyway, I want to save my Grandma. The magic doll you took from me said that my Grandma was taken by a shadow."

"Shadow? I only have 3; the Devil which lives in the underworld. The Founder of those establishments and the Queen of the Shadows named Selena."

"Queen of the Shadows, I never heard such a thing"- I didn't even hear any monster from the shadows.

"Yes. Selena lives on the island where the trolls formally live. She was connected to the Devil. And here is the purple gem, you need it for your journey."- a gem now floats into the air and is placed on the left side right next to the yellow gem. So this is the gem of Determination.

"Last question Witch, I wanted to know where is the orphanage and the academy are located."

"The academy was just right around the corner from the orphanage. Oh, those establishments? It was located in a very very very very very far away from here."

"5 veries?! How come it said on the map.......?!"

"Those other pieces from the dolls that the last troll has the final pieces may give you the right paths of your journey. But this is the real map that can take you to the orphanage and academy...."

She then re-arranged the map. I now see the part of the orphanage and the academy. The island where the Queen of the Shadows lives. Indeed the orphanage and the academy are way too far. "But, how can I approach Queen Selena?"

"Offer her a shadow or a soul. But mostly, she wants to be entertained. But be careful, she was the type who is very close to the Devil. And she was kinda tricky."

"Ok, but what's with this Piri and the notes you fixed?"

"The piri is a flute that is designed in calling for an emergency and even do something miraculous acts. Every note of it can call all elements of nature and even heal everyone. The mixed-up notes are for the annoying sound of all the monsters in order for them to vanish. This is why we witches are destroying all of it. The only way to reverse the notes like before is to play the notes in a backward form like playing the notes from the ending to the beginning. And by the way, your magic doll has lost her memories as I have speculated when I ask her about where she came from. Do everything in order to regain her memory so that she will guide you all to save your Grandma."

"Ok, I really appreciate your answers. Thank you so much!"- I did a half-bow. She rides again on her broom before she speaks up. "May all the powers be with you"- she said and flew away. I now use the Piri to the river. The waters then moved away and we saw many dolls.

I jumped off the horse and begins to look for Mina. The other guys also helped me out. "Gosh, there are many dolls like us here. I wonder where they came from"- Fred asked. "True, I mean some of it might be part of us in the missing 18"- Logan remarked.

"Come on guys, help me out. We need to find Mina. I need to know what to do to regain her memories"- I just remembered that Mina said before on the day I meet her that she doesn't really remember anything so I will help her to fix her memory.

"Over here Gesielle!!"- I heard Axel call so we all went near to him and Mina was actually hugging him. The moment she sees me, she jumped to me for a hug. "I thought I never see you again"- she said. "It's ok Mina. I will help you fix your memory ok?"

"Uh Gesielle, you might wanna see this. It's no. 10"- I heard Hunter say so I went near to him and he was now holding a doll. On its shoes, it has no. 10 in it. I do what I have to do on the dollhouse, the moment he opened his eyes.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Gesielle Stoneheart-Lee. You are?"

"My name is Robert Gailman. And....wow! What a pretty doorknob on this dollhouse you got."- the moment he touches it....all the doors of the dollhouse light up and have colors now. "I remember! I used to be a doll who guards and opens the door of my former home in the museum!"- he said.

"Where's that museum you have been saying?"- Lance asked.

"Ah yes it was located after the island where Queen Selena lives, a museum there was closed in years. But all of the stuff in there was old as well. Hence, I was taken by a witch when she sees me in the museum"- he explained. "Well then, we are going to the island now and talk to the Queen of the Shadows"- I said.

"Cool!"- Robert said. "Uh Gesielle, you might wanna make him like a human. I see a toy horse over there, we have to move fast since it's almost night time"- Calix said. I did magic to Robert and the horse. "This is an adventure!"- he said.

"Indeed, let's all go!"- then off to the island which is a bit far from here. I hope we can find someplace to stay on the island, gosh meeting the Queen of the Shadows gives me some shivers and excitement at the same time.