“What do you mean we are in the Animal Realm? That’s impossible! Just mere hours ago, I was in the Human realm. It would be impossible for me to end up in the Animal Realm, let alone a prison!”

  Toflann scoffed as he trudged on, not caring to slow his pace to match the children behind him. “Then how did you come across three Annoids in what you think is the Human Realm, and where Annoids are scarcely allowed to set foot?”

  “You..” Jack stumbled on his words, but quickly found a plausible answer. “You three must have sneaked into the Human Realm illegally! But it will all be forgiven if you return me and my little brother to our family!”

  The minotaur continued through the forest, ignoring Jack. Jack instead switched his attention to Liam.

  “We aren’t far from home, Liam. If it’s you and me, we could potentially make it ourselves and report these Annoids!”

  Liam shook his head. “I’m inclined to believe Toflann. He would have no reason or benefit to lie to us.”

  Jack laughed. “His reason is greed! He knows of what he has to gain from keeping us captive! Annoids are all the same.”

  Toflann paused in step, which caused Jack to jump back and Liam to scoot out of Jack’s way. “You naive child. You considered yourself captive? You are not tied up, and you are the one following me. Nothing is stopping you or your brother from going off on your own. I’ve no need for a burden for when the blood moon comes.” Toflann snarled at Jack, making him cower.

  “Blood moon?” Liam asked. “Please forgive my brother’s ignorance and disrespect. It is something that needs much work.”

  Jack threw Liam a scowl. “And your ignorance and disrespect towards me is no better!”

  Liam ignored Jack’s outburst and continued to talk to Toflann. “What is the blood moon?”

  Toflann frowned at Liam, then turned around to continue walking with the two children following while Jack muttered curses under his breath.

  “Nablar is split into 5 different layers based on the 5 realms. The layer we are on is the Human layer. This layer consists of two cycles. Blue moon and blood moon. On blue moons, the Human layer blooms with plants, fruits, bodies of water, and weak beasts. It would be considered a paradise depending on the soul. Though the blood moons happen so erratically, the last place you want to be when the blood moon comes is to be around said resources. Especially a resource like the Alcina tree. When the blood moon occurs, the land rots and the trees wither to dead wood, with some able to kill you with one hidden swipe of their branch. The weak beasts become high-tiered beasts that are blinded by the blood moon and filled with blood thirst, with some stronger creatures appearing as if they were summoned.”

  “How long till the next blood moon?” Liam asked, with Jack surprisingly quiet for once.

  “There is no indication of when any moon happens. It randomly occurs when the layer wants it to occur. Though blue moons do tend to be shorter than blood moons. Which is why we need to arrive at my cabin before the blood moon occurs. Blood moons are always longer than their previous blue moons.” They walked in silence for a moment, no doubt the two children were soaking in the information until Liam asked another question.

  “You said there were 5 layers. How come no one has traveled down the layers? Surely there is a means of escape or perhaps a better environment than living here.”

  Toflann shook his head. “There are only rumors of the other layers, and none of them are exactly confirmed. Those who have traveled beyond have never traveled back to this layer to relay information. And with how the human layer is already, assumptions would lead most to believe going deeper into the prison would only be worse. And no one has escaped from here. Ever. We would know.”

  “How?” Jack now asked.

  Toflann growled at the sound of Jack’s voice, but answered him anyway. “This is a trial prison. At least that is what the souls of old times have labeled it. Though there is one in every realm and each is different, one thing is the same with each one. One just needs to pass or escape the prison, and the prison opens up for all occupants to leave. At least that’s what the tale says. No one knows the purpose of these trial prisons or if they were always called a trial prison. I can only assume that it was never intended for these places to be a prison, but over time, when countless souls are sent here and when none have ever been reported to leave, the souls on the outside used it as a prison.”

  Silence again took to the group as they made their way back to Toflann’s cabin. Jack did not want to believe a single word Toflann spoke, but this all seemed too elaborate. Like a ploy to trap and kidnap him and Liam for whatever cruel and disgusting deeds they have planned. Jack fell further behind Toflann, urging Liam to do the same.

  “You don’t really believe this, Annoid, do you? He’s just fear-mongering us into believing his lies to get us further away from human civilization.” Jack whispered. Liam glanced at Jack with no expression, which unnerved Jack.

  “When I said I was inclined to believe Toflann, I meant to say I fully believe him.”

  Jack gave Liam an incredulous look. “We should really wait to talk when not in present company.” Liam nudged his head at the giant minotaur quickly disappearing ahead. By quickly, Jack was more than positive it was his normal stride. The pair quickened their pace to keep the minotaur in sight and hopefully out of ear range. He dropped into a lower whisper.

  “You can’t tell me a quick summary?”

  Liam glanced at Jack impassively before dropping his eyes. “It’s not good news. You’ll want to hear this sitting down. And he might hear us regardless of how quiet we talk.”

  Jack looked ahead to see the silhouette of the minotaur and considered Liam’s words. Bad news could mean a number of things, and when it came to his clan, it usually meant disagreements with another clan that would have to be settled in court. How bad could the bad news be? Bad enough for the minotaur to take advantage? Maybe. It was probably best to try and discuss everything without his prying ears, but curiosity gnawed at Jack.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Even if it was another clan’s attempt to kidnap and ransom Jack, it was obviously not successful. But considering he has only seen Annoids along with the tale the minotaur gave, his gut only gave him a feeling that the bad news was really bad.

  “Just tell me!” Jack whispered loudly. Jack glanced ahead to see if the minotaur reacted and continued when he didn’t notice anything different in the Annoid’s stride.

  “I woke up injured and hunted by null beasts! I deserve to know why I am in this position.” Jack whispered more quietly.

  Liam sighed. “Wind Flygon clan has fallen.”

  The ruffles of tree branches and wind navigating through the trees filled the air around them, but all Jack heard was his heartbeat. Then he laughed hysterically, causing even Toflann to stop and turn towards them.

  “That’s a funny joke. I like you, Liam. You know how to brighten a bad situation!” Jack patted his shoulder in laughable praise. When he finally calmed to look at Liam, realization dawned on Jack. Liam’s cold blue eyes stared back at Jack before dropping down as Jack came to terms with what he said.

  “You aren’t joking.”

  “I hardly do.”

  The minotaur puffed out smoke from his nose, causing Jack and Liam to shiver. “We are almost to my cabin. Let’s hurry.” Liam followed him with Jack in tow, but now Jack was in stunned silence.

  He wanted to ask Liam more questions, like how that was even possible, who had befell his clan, and how that led to them ending up in the Animal Realm. He was now more inclined to believe the minotaur named Toflann, and that only made his situation all the more terrifying. Barely a seedling who is essentially stuck inside a prison with beasts that gives even a 9-foot minotaur a challenge.

  How would he survive here? Live here even? Jack would need to increase his cultivation, but how could he be nurtured here to become strong? Perhaps on blue moons, he could get away with cultivating and killing weak beasts to eventually increase his cultivation, but considering what Toflann has revealed, that would take a long time.

  Blood moons occur longer than blue moons, and there was no way to tell how long each would last. But surviving here was one of Jack’s main concerns. Another would be how to escape a prison no one has ever escaped. Stooped in his thoughts, he walked straight into Toflann’s leg, bouncing backwards and cursing as he rubbed his head.

  “Watch where you’re go-” The words died in Jack’s mouth as he looked upon Toflann’s home.

  A cabin was one word to describe it. Logs made up the exterior of the cabin and looked to be two stories tall. The roof was also ramped up with logs and shingles made out of black material that shone in the torches set around the cabin. If this were a cabin of an Annoid, what would a regular home look like?

  “Go in and clean yourselves up. Do not touch anything that you might be curious about.”

  “Where are you going?” Jack asked in a panic.

  Toflann grunted. “We’re going to need more food. You’ll find some scraps on the meat drying rack behind the cabin and the shower next to it. I will be back.”

  “But what if the blood moon comes and you’re not here?”

  Toflann slowed his steps and then chuckled. “There are some knives in the kitchen, I’m sure would be like swords in your hands.”

  Jack paled as Toflann disappeared into the forest.

  “Jack.” Jack turned around to see Liam waiting in the doorway of the cabin. The door was made out of wood like everything else, but the snarling minotaur face carved into the door gave it a terrifying aura. Not only that, but the size of the door was huge. It was twice as tall as he was and thrice as wide. Liam must be physically strong to push that open. Jack walked inside the cabin and wasn’t too sure what to expect, but it truly looked normal. It looked as if a giant human decorated the cabin. A lone cushioned chair that was large enough for Jack to use as a bed sat in front of a fireplace.

  The edge of the tables was easily reached with his forehead when he stood full height. And like the minotaur said, the knives hanging on the wall of his kitchen were certainly big enough to look like oversized daggers in his hands. Besides everything being abnormally large for him, it would be comfortable for a human if everything were smaller. Homey even. This goes against everything he’s heard about how Annoids live. His father always told him Annoids were closest in line to beasts. And like beasts, they would not care about the finer things. Only to kill, torture, enslave, and materialize humans. Out of their remains. But this told him something else.

  “I first woke here after Toflann tended to my wounds. I doubt I would have found you if it weren’t for him.” Liam spoke after letting Jack take in the cabin.

  Jack raised an eyebrow. “That Annoid tended to your wounds? And helped you find me? I find that hard to believe.” He scoffed.

  “And yet he not only saved you from other Annoids who detained you, but also allowed you into his home and is out hunting for food due to having guests. If his actions alone do not warrant your belief in his generosity, what would?”

  Jack admitted to himself that Liam spoke some sense, but everything he learned about Annoids is being challenged by what he is experiencing.

  “But why?”

  Liam’s eyebrows raised in question, showing more emotion than Jack had seen before.

  “Why what?”

  “Why is he helping us? We are humans. And they are Annoids. They hate us and we hate them. The only reason I can see why he is helping us is because there’s an angle he’s trying to get at.”

  Liam found a bundle of fur on the ground, which he promptly sat on. “And what is the angle? If we were to take Toflann at face value and we are stuck in an inescapable prison, what does he have to gain by taking two children under his care when he has to fight hordes of monsters for days on end? Foregoing all suspicion, he has no reason other than he simply wants to.”

  Jack didn’t want to listen to Liam, but what he said made sense and no sense. “You said Wind Flygon has fallen. How do we know this whole debacle isn’t part of their fall? Annoids had to be involved.”

  Liam sighed. “Forget Toflann is an Annoid. What if he were a human? What difference would it make?” Jack leaned against a wall. He couldn’t quite answer that. Back at his clan, he has ran into more than enough kids his age who tried to befriend him due to his status. They never wanted to be his friend without any other hidden intentions. Given the situation, it would make more sense to kill Jack and be done with the clan.

  If Toflann was human, then it depended on which clan he was in, which would give more inclination of what his intentions were. In the end, him being human would make more sense to all of Jack’s claims. But Jack refused to believe any of it.

  “Well, he would be more trustworthy. We do not stoop to Annoid’s level of debauchery.”

  Liam shook his head and muttered under his breath. “Humans are more than capable of everything you think an Annoid is.”

  “What do you mean?” Jack asked. Liam sighed, and his shoulders sagged.

  “The realms aren’t as black and white as you see them. You claim all of this about Annoids based on what your clan has told you, but haven’t met any of them to make your own judgment.” Jack wanted to interject, but Liam quickly spoke again.

  “It wasn’t Annoids who befell the clan. It was the Misty Flames.”

  Jack’s breath caught. The Misty Flames were the closest allies of the Wind Flygon. They were Wind Flygon’s biggest supporters when they rose to power, so what happened for them to rebel and turn against them? Liam read Jack’s look and continued.

  “I don’t know the details. It was an obvious surprise to everyone. But you know as much as I do that the two clans were united, but their betrayal showed the true intentions they had. And they are humans.”

  Jack, once again, was in stunned silence as he struggled to believe Liam’s words. After a long moment, Liam stood.

  “Let’s freshen up and get some of the meat Toflann said was on the drying rack. I’ll tell you what I know.”