Page 26 of Her Immortal Protector

Akeldama's voice, a blend of my father's familiar tones and something ancient and powerful, fills the air. "Interesting, isn't it? How we all see something different?" He smirks. "Did Nyx not tell you that I do love a little…trickery? A little chaos? And what are you all but my best trick of all?"

I stand transfixed as Akeldama's words wash over us. I am standing before a god, and the time has come. We're really leaving Earth. The reality of it hits me like a physical blow, and I struggle to breathe.

My grip on Aria's hand tightens as memories flood my mind. The small Greek village where I grew up, the salty breeze off the Aegean, my mother's laughter echoing through our kitchen. The countless hours I spent in university labs, pursuing my passion for marine biology. All of it - gone forever.

I think of my parents, blissfully unaware that their son is about to vanish from this world. Will they spend years searching for me, hoping against hope that I'll return? The thought twists like a knife in my gut.

Even the simple pleasures - the taste of my favorite souvlaki, the feeling of warm sand between my toes, the sight of a sunset over the Mediterranean - I'll never experience them again. The weight of what I'm leaving behind threatens to crush me.

I glance at Aria, seeing the mix of excitement and trepidation in her eyes. She's giving up her entire world too, and for what? A leap into the unknown, based on a connection we've barely had time to explore.

Doubt creeps in, cold and insidious. Have I made a terrible mistake? Am I dragging Aria into something she can't possibly understand? The responsibility of it all feels overwhelming.

As Akeldama continues to speak, his words become a distant hum. My mind races, grappling with the finality of what's about to happen. There's no going back, no changing my mind. In mere moments, everything I've ever known will be left behind.

The enormity of it all leaves me reeling. I'm about to step into a new world, with new rules, new dangers. Can I protect Aria there? Can I even protect myself?

16

ARIA

Istand before the portal, my heart racing with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Christos squeezes my hand, his touch grounding me in this surreal moment. The air crackles with energy as Akeldama — now looking like my brother — raises his hands, his form shimmering like a mirage.

The portal opens, a swirling vortex of darkness and light. It's mesmerizing, pulling at something deep inside me. I watch as Akeldama steps through, vanishing in an instant. Nyx follows, her ethereal form seeming to melt into the void.

One by one, the other vrakken slip through. Their graceful movements belie the enormity of what we're about to do. I take a deep breath, steeling myself.

"Ready?" Christos whispers.

I nod, unable to find my voice. We step forward together.

The moment we cross the threshold, reality warps. Colors I've never seen before explode around us. The sensation is indescribable - like being pulled apart and put back together simultaneously. I feel weightless, yet crushed by an immense pressure.

Time loses all meaning. We could be traveling for seconds or centuries. Flashes of otherworldly landscapes flicker past - crystal mountains, forests of living shadow, oceans of liquid starlight. Each glimpse is gone before I can fully process it.

Through it all, I cling to Christos. His presence is my anchor in this sea of chaos. I focus on the feel of his hand in mine, using it to remind myself who I am.

Suddenly, everything stops. The cacophony of sensations cuts off abruptly, leaving me reeling. I blink, trying to orient myself in this new reality.

I stumble as my feet touch solid ground, my new wings flaring instinctively to keep me balanced. The first thing that hits me is the air - it's thick with magic, making every breath feel charged and alive. I gasp, overwhelmed by the sensations flooding my enhanced senses.

"Christos," I whisper, gripping his hand tighter. "Is this... real?"

He nods, his eyes wide with wonder. "Welcome to Protheka."

I look up and my breath catches in my throat. Two moons hang in the sky, startling me. They bathe the landscape in an ethereal glow, revealing a world unlike anything I've ever seen.

The flora around us is alien and breathtaking. Trees with translucent leaves shimmer in the moonlight, their branches swaying to an unfelt breeze. Flowers pulse with bioluminescence, creating a living tapestry of color across the ground. In the distance, I see mountains that seem to defy gravity, their peaks twisting into impossible shapes.

A sweet, unfamiliar scent wafts through the air, making my newly heightened senses tingle. I take a deep breath, tasting the magic on my tongue. It's intoxicating.

"Look," Christos murmurs, pointing to the sky.

I follow his gaze and gasp. The night sky is a canvas of stars, more vibrant and numerous than I've ever seen on Earth.Constellations I don't recognize dance across the heavens, and ribbons of colorful light - like auroras - weave between them.

As my eyes adjust, I notice movement in the shadows. Creatures unlike anything I've ever imagined flit between the trees. Some look like a cross between birds and butterflies, their wings leaving trails of sparkling dust. Others resemble small, floating jellyfish, pulsing with inner light as they drift by.

"It's... incredible," I breathe, trying to take it all in. The journalist in me itches to document everything, to understand this new world. But for now, I'm content to simply experience it.

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