The Castle Hidden in Leaves

As Ezreal and Eulie scampered across the college campus over to the Tech Lab, Cadeance made her way from the professor's lounge back into the main testing lobby. Ezreal pushed his way through the double doors, catching Cad off guard.

"What on earth are you doing?" Eulie said, dropping her book bag on the floor to assist Cadeance up.

"It's quite alright," Cad stood up and dusted off her dress as Ezreal rolled his eyes.

"She's fine, look, she's standing, now come on Eul, let's go!" Ezreal huffed and darted off once again to the left of the hall.

"Where are you both headed?" Cadeance inquired.

Eulie picked her backpack off the ground and glanced behind her, "You're welcome to join us if you'd like. We're heading over to Grimley's Time Lab to take data on time fluxes."

Cadeance swiftly gathered her notebook and pen and proceeded to tail Eulie down the main hall.

In the Time Lab, Ezreal had already gotten the tablets and necessary safety equipment. He glanced up from the work table and gave Eulie a soft glare.

"Took you long enough," his icy blue eyes darted to her right and finally taking notice of Cadeance. "Oh welcome back twinkle toes, have a nice rest?"

"Be nice Ez!" Eulie chastised her twin brother as she swept her strawberry blonde locks back from her eyes. Her piercing blue gaze once again fell on Cad. "It's been a while Cadeance, we haven't spoken since last semester in Brook's Quantum Mechanics Lecture."

"Oh yes, it has been a while." Cadeance agreed, squeezing the blue fabric of her dress between her fingers.

"Hey, we have an experiment to do, so keep the girl talk for later!" Ezreal picked up a pencil and threw it at Eulie's head.

Annoyed, Eul just rolled her eyes and sauntered over to the lab desk. Cadeance stood awkwardly in the entrance of the door, contemplating whether or not to leave and come back later. Eulie patted the chair next to her, without glancing up, intent on reading the screen laid in front of her. 

Professor Grimley casually walked in, sliding past the students as he made his way into the Time Capsule. he was a very stumpy old man, his hair crazy as if he had been hit with electricity a few too many times. his demeanor was definitely that of the cooky evil scientist. 

"Okay Forkers, shall we commence this junk bucket into working? It's practically archaic!" He joked as Cadeance covered her mouth from mock humor. Ezreal and Eulie grinned at each other and they both simultaneously pressed a pulsating orange button. The room fizzed and crackled with electricity. Grimley glanced up and then back at the Capsule behind him. It started to glow a faint turquoise, catching him off guard as he fell back into the room. Eulie quickly stood to help him up as Ezreal gulped with nervousness.

Cadeance narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she asked, "Was that supposed to happen?"

Ezreal hesitated before responding, "Uhhhhh, let's just say we didn't have it charted for that blue thing."

"It's not just blue, you bonobo!" Eulie scowled at her brother while helping Grimley off the floor.

But despite the chaos and confusion, Cad's attention was drawn to the alluring warm light in the distance. Her legs moved on their own accord, pulling her towards it. And before she knew it, she had stuck her hand through the tangible light, causing everyone to gawk in astonishment.

"It doesn't feel too weird..." Cad said with a hint of surprise as she proceeded to walk through the light completely.

Ezreal's jaw dropped in panic and he frantically looked to the professor for guidance.

"What are you doing, you nerd? Go after her!" Grimley exclaimed in a pale, shaking state that revealed his mix of fear and amazement. But instead of following his own advice, he watched as Eulie bolted through the light after Cad, with Ezreal soon following suit.

And then, almost like magic, the blue light closed behind them, leaving no trace of their presence

They all stumbled onto the luscious green grass, their bodies aching and disoriented from the sudden time shift. "Where... where are we?" Eulie gasped, frantically scanning their surroundings. Ezreal coughed up a mouthful of bright green fluid, his face twisted in disgust. "This is a time machine, right? We should be asking WHEN." His words were followed by a snarl of discomfort at their precarious situation. "We need to find Cadeance and figure out how to get back," he growled, his anger focused on finding a solution. But before they could even begin to formulate a plan, they heard Cadeance's blood-curdling scream in the distance. They both shot up and raced towards the sound, their hearts racing with fear and adrenaline. As they reached the bottom of a nearby hill, they saw Cadeance crouched down by a bed of leaves, cradling something in her arms. Eulie stumbled and scrambled down the hill, nearly tripping multiple times, but finally made it to her friend's side. She looked down and saw Cadeance holding a slimy, slithering lizard with fiery red scales and piercing yellow eyes that seemed to be watching them with an eerie intelligence. Fear and shock washed over Eulie as she realized that this was not just any ordinary lizard - it was something otherworldly and dangerous.

Eulie's eyes widened in shock and horror as she stared at the mysterious creature in Cad's arms. Its scaly skin shimmered in the sunlight, every inch of its body pulsing with an otherworldly energy. "What...what is that thing?" she stammered.

Cad's face was filled with awe and wonder as she hugged the creature close to her chest. "I believe it's a genus of reptilia, possibly a flying one. Maybe even a dragon," she replied breathlessly.

As Ezreal stumbled down the hill, his tired eyes caught sight of the magnificent creature and he let out a blood-curdling scream. "A dragon?!" he exclaimed, his jaw dropping in disbelief. He fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air as he tried to make sense of this new world they were in. "This can't be real...we must have crossed into another universe...or maybe even another planet." His mind reeled with possibilities as he struggled to keep up with the intense reality unfolding before him.

Eulie's eyes widened in disbelief as she surveyed her surroundings, taking in the imposing castle looming in the distance and the small village nestled beneath it. A sudden movement caught her attention and she froze as a massive creature with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle approached her, its golden eyes fixated on her like a predator stalking its prey.

"Oh my...oh my lord," Eulie stuttered, her heart racing as she cautiously reached out to touch the strange hybrid creature. It nuzzled against her legs and she couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh as she scooped up the baby griffon, careful not to let its sharp claws tear through her blouse. The griffon purred against her chest, its tiny body radiating warmth against her skin.

Meanwhile, Ezreal sat frozen in shock, his eyes wide and mouth agape as he watched the scene unfold before him. "You have got to be kidding me," he muttered in disbelief. "This isn't some fairytale where you stumble upon magical creatures as pets." But before he could finish his sentence, something landed on his head and he instinctively swatted at it. His hand came away with a tiny glowing pink pixie perched on his palm, its high-pitched voice squealing a greeting.

"What in the actual HELL is going on here?" Ezreal exclaimed, his mind reeling at the sight of these fantastical creatures. As he looked at Eulie cradling the griffon and the pixie fluttering around them both, he couldn't shake off the feeling that they had stumbled into a whole other world filled with magic and wonder.

"What in the name of all that is holy is happening?!" He frantically swatted at the tiny creatures, only to be surrounded by more. "Oh no, oh no, this can't be real!" As he looked over at the girls, they were doubled over in hysterics. They pointed at his head and he could feel something crawling through his hair. "Get them off! Get them off!" Eulie managed to choke out between giggles, "Your hair, it's turning purple! You have a mini pixie afro now!" The pixies were braiding his hair and singing praises to their new "king". He collapsed onto the ground in defeat, muttering, "This is it...this is how I go out." A single tear escaped his eye as he tried to fend off the playful creatures.

Eulie, still laughing, walked over to her brother who was still in hysterics and patted his back.

"Ez, are you okay? The pixies just styled your hair! It actually looks pretty good!" she snickered, causing Cadeance to burst into laughter again. Ezreal scowled at the girls.

Another small squeak came from the original pixie. "Hello young ones, my name is Gazella. We noticed that you look very different from the villagers and got excited. We didn't mean to upset you. We were just curious about your unique appearance."

Ezreal looked down with annoyance. "You touched my hair; that's unforgivable! Eul, what did these pixies do to my hair?"

"Ezreal, be nice. All they did was braid it. They can probably undo it," Eulie snapped at her brother.

"Keyword being 'probably'! Maybe they can't fix it because they're incompetent!" Ezreal retorted. Gazella whimpered at his insult.

"That was very rude of you. We can easily fix it, but it wouldn't make you look any better," a blue pixie spoke up before muttering some profanities. Ez glared at the pixie before turning his attention to his sister, who had already moved on from the situation.

"We should go to the village and answer some of our questions," Eulie suggested. Cadeance nodded in agreement as she continued to pet her new dragon. The griffin, which had jumped away when Eulie laughed earlier, slowly made its way back to her side with a soft purr.The pixies, now agitated with Ezreal, distanced themselves from him and moved towards the girls.

"Can we join you?" one of the blue pixies asked eagerly, earning an eye roll from Ezreal and a smile from Eulie.

"All are welcome to join us on our journey to the village of…?" Eulie invited the pixies.

"Meade!" both blue pixies replied in unison.

Cadeance's heart raced as they descended the hill towards the decaying village of Meade. The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding and she couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched.

As they approached, Eulie suddenly froze in place. Her eyes scanned the villagers' dull green tunics and then settled on their own bright and eye-catching clothes. "We'll stand out like beacons," she muttered, her voice tense with worry. Cadeance followed her gaze and noticed the golden grass beneath their feet, a stark contrast to the desolate surroundings.

"Maybe we can ask the pixies for help?" Cadeance suggested, hoping her dragon could lend some guidance.

The pink pixies immediately tuned in to her question, but one of them hesitated before responding, "We can help you blend in, but there's a complication." The pixie turned to the twins and trailed her finger over her head. "Your hair is too vibrant, almost like royalty."

Ezreal's eyes widened at the mention of royalty and Gazella quickly added, "But don't get your hopes up. The royal family left years ago without explanation."

"Why did they leave?" Eulie asked eagerly, while Cadeance rummaged through her bag, desperate to find something useful.

"No one knows for sure. They just vanished overnight and no one dared to investigate their grand castle on the hill," Gazella explained with a shiver.

Cadeance finally looked up from her backpack, a determined gleam in her eye. Ezreal stared at her incredulously. Ezreal's earlier insult echoed through the air as he taunted Cadeance. She turned a bright shade of pink and slowly reached into her bag, pulling out a small box filled with creams. Eulie couldn't help but tune in, curious about the mysterious object.

"What is that, Cad?" Eulie pointed towards the case.

Cadeance hesitated before answering, "Well, after struggling in Quantum Mechanics, I decided to take up some art classes while still pursuing my engineering degree. This is my latest experiment - a melanin changing cream." She stumbled over her words, allowing Ezreal to jump in.

"That's actually quite clever," he surprisingly complimented her, causing Cadeance to blush even darker. A rare smile graced Ezreal's face before quickly fading into his usual frown.

"Okay, how does it work?" Eulie interjected, trying to move past the awkward moment. At least she saw it as awkward. Ezreal shot her a glare before dismissing the topic with a wave of his hand.

"Well, when you lather the cream onto your skin or hair, it alters the composition of the melanin in those areas. At least, that's the basic principle behind it," Cadeance explained while tapping on the box.

"What are the potential drawbacks?" Ezreal, who was starting to doubt the invention, asked skeptically.

Cadeance coughed nervously before responding, "Um, if applied incorrectly, it can damage some cells."

"How do you use it properly?" Eulie's eyes widened as she instinctively ran her fingers through her soft curls. "Just make sure not to rub it in, use a brush or comb to gently distribute it throughout your hair." Cadeance answered swiftly, handing each of them a tube of cream.

The twins stared at the tubes apprehensively, fearing for their precious locks.

"Okay, we should probably get going now. You two are starting to attract attention. While you were chatting, the other pixies gathered some cover for us," a blue pixie spoke up loudly as a ball of purple light dropped some outrageously green dresses and a tunic-like garment. The girls turned away quickly, with Eulie cursing at her brother as he started to strip off his modern clothing.

"You couldn't wait or warn us first?" Eulie groaned, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I'll turn around so you two can change. Just hurry up," Ezreal rolled his eyes as he turned towards a wall of purple light.

"Don't worry, my fairies have got you covered. We don't want to attract too much attention," Gazella reassured them from beyond the glowing barrier.

Eulie smiled gratefully and thanked Gazella before quickly changing into the dreadfully green Victorian-style dress. Cadeance followed suit, keeping an eye out for anyone who might see them. She was quite self-conscious about her curvaceous yet thin body.

"Is everyone decent?" a new voice called out from behind the purple wall. Cadeance let out a blood-curdling shriek as the unknown voice echoed through the field, her friends eyes widening in terror. "Who the hell is there?" Ezreal growled, his protective stance shielding the girls who stood trembling behind him. The purple wall shimmered and dissipated, revealing not one, but three young men dressed in royal blue tunics. The closest one smirked devilishly, his shaggy black hair dancing in the slightest breeze. Eulie scrunched her face in annoyance. The trio turned their attention to Ezreal, who seemed to tower over them with his height and authority. "Sir, I am Prince Areno. Son of the late king. May I inquire as to why you three have trespassed into my summer castle?" he spoke condescendingly, completely ignoring Eulie's presence. Her anger boiled over and she stepped forward aggressively. "We don't owe you any explanation, buddy!" she spat, her fists clenched in frustration. A smirk played on Areno's lips as he looked down at her. "You've got quite the mouth for a 15-year-old," he sneered, pushing all of Eulie's buttons with his mocking tone. Ezreal's face paled in fear as he saw his sister's visible irritation rising dangerously high. Cadeance tapped his shoulder nervously. "Should we stop her?" she whispered, watching as Eulie let out a guttural scream of rage. "FUCKER! You know NOTHING about me or my family! I am a 21-year-old woman who's probably smarter and more talented than your entire kingdom!" she ranted, her words more piercing than a thousand swords. Areno's face turned beet red with fury, his jaw clenching so hard it could break. "ARREST HER!" he bellowed, and two guards behind him lunged forward to grab Eulie's arms. She fought back with all her might, cursing and kicking wildly as Cadeance and Ezreal tried to intervene. But then suddenly, they both fell to the ground with a loud thud, their eyes sliding shut. Eulie's scream of shock and horror was muffled by the strong arms holding her back. "What the fuck did you do?! Are they okay? Let me go, you bastards!" she shouted, her voice trembling with fear and confusion. Her cries turned into desperate sobs as Areno grinned triumphantly, already planning to present this fiery woman to his mother as the perfect candidate for a new queen. If she approved, then Areno would finally become king.

Areno barked orders at his men, frustration lacing his tone. "Pick her up and place her on the horse, she can't be any dirtier than she already is." The men looked to the prince in confusion, unsure of which horse he meant - his or theirs. It seemed nonsensical to them.

"Quit dawdling and put her in front of me," Areno growled, scooting back slightly on his horse. With a nod, his men bound the girl's wrists with rope before hoisting her up in front of him. She struggled and fought against them, but the prince held onto her tightly, his grip firm as he pulled her close against himself. Eulie growled in defiance, but stopped when she felt his hot breath on her neck.

"Fight me again and you'll regret it," he whispered into her ear, digging his fingers into her sides until she winced in pain. Tears poured down her cheeks as she pleaded through sobs, "I won't fight anymore, but please tell me if my brother will be okay." Areno eased his grip, still frustrated that she had tried to resist him, but the sound of her soft cries tugged at his heart. He reached back and grabbed a blue quilt from the satchel hanging from his white horse's saddle, wrapping both himself and the girl in its warmth.

"Your friends will be fine. They were just stunned by a low volt of electricity. They should wake up by the time we reach my mother," he responded gruffly, almost demanding. Questions swirled in Eulie's mind - where was he taking her? Why had he taken only her and not her friends? - but every time she opened her mouth to ask, Areno would snarl at her to stay quiet.

"Do not move away from me," he ground out each word through gritted teeth, ignoring her protests. Eulie clenched her fists in frustration, the restraints making it difficult to do much else. As she looked up from her hands, she realized they had passed the village of Meade, now a mere blur behind them. She strained to see if her brother was still nearby, but they were too far away from the familiar golden-green hill that had been their home. The red castle loomed in the distance, its beauty shining through even in the midst of chaos and destruction. Eulie longed to go back to her brother's side - she hadn't been apart from him since she had run away.

"I can't do this anymore Adam!" her stepmother yelled at her father. This was their fifth fight this week. Eulie couldn't keep up anymore. She just wanted to be away. Away from her wretched life, from her perfect sister, despicable stepmother. But she knew she couldn't leave. She'd never have the courage to leave. Why wouldn't the bitch just die and leave her family alone?

"Lindsie would you please listen to me for once in this awful marriage!" That was the first time she ever heard her dad yell. After that, she zoned out not wanting to hear any more of the fight until there was a slam on the front door. She quickly ran to the frozen window to see her father storming into the car...

The memories of that night threatened to consume her, but she refused to let them. Yet the tears still streamed down her face, unable to be contained any longer. She let out a guttural scream, raw with pain and anger. The sudden sound spooked the horse, causing it to gallop faster and nearly toss its riders off. Areno's hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries.

"Shut up!" he snarled in her ear. "You startled Lenny." His words only fueled her rage, determined not to give in to his threats. But as they rode on, she couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. She needed her brother now more than ever.