The Crystal 3, Jones M [fox in socks read aloud TXT] 📗

in Crystalia so far?" Liam inquired, and I was glad he changed the subject.

"It's perfect," I replied. "I have always loved the mountain scenery. The Joshalia forest makes the view better."

Liam smiled at me before facing forwards.

"We're here," he said, making me stop in shock. I staggered in the air, almost dropping onto the ground. I managed to gain back control of my powers, still holding myself up in the air.

Indeed, we had arrived. The mountain up close was larger than the thumb-sized version from my home. It was mostly covered in snow with the rough gray rocks barely visible. In fact, gray clouds were slowly gathering around the top and light snow was falling.

Liam, Ethan and I landed on the snow-covered rocks. Once I landed, my feet sank a little in the snow. I had already known that it was dangerous to even be there. Who knew how much snow had actually covered the rocky surface? Moreover, what were the chances of an avalanche happening?

"It's beautiful," Liam said. I turned around, noticing that he and Ethan were looking towards the direction we came. My eyes widened at the view in front of me. It was indeed beautiful.

The Joshalia forest began from the area near the castle towards the mountains. All I could see was white and patches varying between black and brown. I looked forwards, unable to notice Crystalia. The afternoon sky was blue with the sun in front of us. The sky was partially covered with gray clouds that originated from where the three of us stood, stopping around the area I believed Crystalia was. The ground away from the mountain had been partially darkened due to the shadows formed, and that still made the view look magnificent.

I spotted something glistening on my left. I turned to it, spotting the rivers that came from the mountains. One of them led towards Crystalia, and the other led towards unknown territory on the west. They looked like curved lines from where I stood.

"Can you believe how high we are?" Ethan questioned. I faced him, noticing his head was pointed downwards. I looked down, trying to see what he was observing. Something else caught my attention.

"Ethan!" I yelled his name as I quickly moved towards him. I grabbed a shoulder, pushing him back to the snow that seemed safer than the far ground below us. He moved back with the force and stared at me in confusion.

"What did you do that for? I could have fallen!" Ethan told me in disbelief.

"You were standing too close for your own good. Didn't want you to fall to your death."

Ethan said nothing, seeing that I was right. I turned my attention away from him and to the area behind me. I recalled what lay on the other side of the mountain. It once belonged to Eva, and I was curious to find out how it had turned out after all the past years. I began walking towards it.

"Emery? Where're you going?" Liam asked, but I ignored him. I walked to the high point of the mountain, almost slipping on the snow. The view of the other side slowly became visible as I climbed higher.

I came to a sudden halt as I saw all of it, and it shocked me.

"Is this normal?" I asked Liam and Ethan, hearing their feet approaching as they walked towards me.

"It is," Ethan said once he was next to me.

The other side, otherwise known as Eva's domain, was not affected by snow. The forest in front of me seemed the same. In fact, it seemed like it had grown denser over the years. Although weirdly, the side was being affected by heavy rainfall. Lightning flashed in front of me as thunder sounded through the area, making their vibrations known through. I moved back a foot as I observed my surroundings.

"Wow," I said. I thought that the ever-present stars were weird, but what I saw was the weirdest.

"This side, also known as Andreladia, is a bit different in times of climate. It's usually cold and rainy for most of the time," Ethan informed me.

"Andreladia?" I questioned.

Really, Erick? Joshalia, flysbee, and now Andreladia?

"Yes. Would you like to go see it?"

"Is there anyone living here?" I inquired.

"Yes," Liam said. My eyes blinked as I expressed my shock to Ethan and Liam.

"We grow our food here. There is a road some miles in front of us that circulates your left of the mountain, leading to a processing industry that is environmentally-friendly."

Crystalia continued to amaze me as I learned new improvements about it.

"Then there is another road that originates from the processing industries that lead to the city. Would you like to go visit some?"

"Let's go see the farms," I said. Ethan and Liam smiled at me.

"You may want to use a magical umbrella," Ethan said.

"What?" I asked just as I saw him emit stardust from his hands that went above him and Liam. The stardust formed a pale blue translucent cover above him.

"Another one of Crystalia's improvements," Liam explained as an answer to my shocked expression. He helped me form my own magical umbrella before he formed his. Then he and Ethan formed their flysbees. Soon, we were taking off towards the forest.

It was a good thing the 'umbrella' wasn't affected by the wind around us.

About five minutes later, Ethan, Liam and I had landed on a large plantation. It covered a very large field. It was still raining, and we still had our magical umbrellas. Ethan, Liam and I spent a long time touring the area. I was surprised and amazed with the changes Erick had included in Crystalia.

The plantation included flora that we could eat. That included vegetables and fruits. I was informed of a livestock ranch a mile away from the plantation, but none of us were too eager to go there.

At least I knew the means through which Crystalia was able to get food in winter.

Ethan, Liam and I had spent a lot of time in the field. We went around, asking for more information about the crops. One of the workers told us that the field was designed for irrigation purposes. In case there was no rain, they would use a large pipe that would suck water from one of Crystalia's rivers.

Hours later, Ethan, Liam and I had explored most of the area. By then, the rain had stopped, but the gray clouds were still around. We were flying, going towards Crystalia when I spotted a gray building below me. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering how I couldn't have noticed it before going to land on the earth beside it.

I couldn't believe I didn't notice it. Maybe we had used a different route, or maybe it was because of the forest that was around. The building had been surrounded by brick walls that had an electrical fence. I looked at it in curiosity, and I quickly realized what it was.

It was a maximum security prison.

"Emery, there is no need to go in there," Liam said, almost shocking me to death. I also spotted Ethan looking at me with concern.

"When was this here?" I questioned. I never knew Crystalia had a prison.

"It never was. It was quickly created after you defeated Eva."

What Liam said made sense. Then I caught up on the last part of his sentence.

Eva.

I had not seen her in quite a long time. I didn't plan to see her anytime soon, or ever. Facing the prison made me curious to know how she had turned out over the past years.

"She's in there, isn't she?"

"Yep," Ethan replied, knowing exactly who I was talking about. "Look. You don't have to..."

I found myself changing my mind as I walked towards the entrance of the maximum-security prison, not listening to what Ethan was saying. The building looked like a normal prison building, but I knew it had different methods of imprisoning criminals.

I mean, we were witches! We could teleport, chant spells and form fireballs. A normal security prison would not be enough to hold us.

I heard feet behind me, and I knew that Liam and Ethan were following me. I passed the guards who were stationed at the open wired gate after going through the security procedures. I walked forwards and entered the main building.

I soon found myself in some kind of waiting room that definitely looked like some kind of hotel lobby. A large brown table was placed at the left where blue sofa seats surrounded it. A large flat-screen TV was placed on the right of the room with a blue couch below it.

In front of me was a large desk where a secretary was busy on the phone. Liam, Ethan and I approached her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes. We're here to see Eva."

"No one is allowed to see her," the secretary replied.

"I'm the one who brought her here."

She looked at me with narrowed eyelids. Then she shrugged before handing Ethan, Liam and I some forms to fill.

Five minutes later, I found myself staring at a large clear window positioned at the center of the wall. I could see some bars that resembled prison gates. However, what garnered my attention was the woman on the other side of the room. 

"She can't see or hear us," Ethan said. The space on the other side looked like some kind of a padded psychiatric ward. Eva still looked the same as I had left her, except for her clothes. She had worn a long-sleeved gray shirt and gray trousers that definitely looked like pajamas. Her skin was as pale as usual. She had laid on the concrete ground, and it looked like she had fallen asleep. I spotted orange rocks placed around her, and I knew she was being kept in the cell because of the rocks' powers.

I did not know what possessed me to go see her. I thought it was because I needed to see for myself if the bitch was around. Seeing her confirmed my thoughts. 

I did not know how to feel about it. I was glad that the bitch was in her cell, but I was not happy that she was alive. I was also not happy that she was close to Crystalia. Would it have been bad if I wished she had died?

"Let's go, Emery," Ethan said. I took one long glance at Eva before nodding. I followed Ethan and Liam out of the room, glad that I was not the one in the cell.

 

Chapter 17

Eva's P.O.V

"Eva," someone spoke through the walls just as a plate of food was teleported in front of me. I got up from the floor and looked around, seeing no one and practically marveling at the kind of magic that had been used.

It had been like that ever since I was locked up. I recalled the first time I woke up in whatever prison the witches had placed me in. I was shocked, but anger took over and remained ever since then.

That crystal bitch brought me here! 

I had tried to get out, but I soon experienced a lot of pain that had me collapsing onto the ground. I couldn't get up for a while, and when I did, I looked for whatever it was that had stopped me from using my powers.

I spotted orange rocks that had been