Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 68: Unbreakable Bonds

It was early on a chilly autumn morning when Onyx received an unexpected call from Caleb, asking for him and Amelia to come meet him in Forgotten Hollow. There, he informed the two about recent developments in the plans of The Arcane and, more importantly, the new headquarters in a place called the Realm of Magic. He insisted that Onyx and Amelia needed to know about this safe haven in case they ever faced a worst case scenario and sent them off to see it for themselves. So here they were, after what felt like an endless drive to Glimmerbrook, standing in front of an ominous portal.

"Well, I guess this is it," Amelia began, "at least judging by the fact that Caleb gave us directions that lead here and said we'd be looking for a giant glowy portal."

Onyx chuckled lightly. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing else here that qualifies."

"You're right." She nodded, then took a step closer to the portal. "I'm excited to see this Realm of Magic place."

She reached out with caution, yet there wasn't even a hint of fear in her. "He didn't elaborate on how we use this thing, though..."

"Be careful," Onyx warned her. "Don't just recklessly jump into it."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine." Amelia edged closer. "Maybe if I just..."

"Wait--"

He didn't finish as her hand made contact with the swirling magic inside of the stone arch. In an instant, an unknown force pulled her through. The last he heard of her was a surprised gasp and, panicking, he lunged into the portal after her. "Amelia!"

-----

The world began to refocus around Onyx and he noticed he was lying on his side. Slowly, he pushed himself up with his arms, still slightly disoriented. 

"Oww..." 

His attention snapped beside of him when he heard Amelia's voice. Much to his relief, she was sitting on the ground beside of him, but he frowned when he noticed her cringing. "Are you okay?"

"How come you landed gracefully and I landed on my butt?" She stood up with a grimace. 

Onyx suppressed a snicker, but only barely. "I wouldn't call my landing graceful, but I'm sorry about your butt."

Amelia laughed and offered her hand to him. "It's fine. You're okay, right?"

He stood with her help and nodded. "Yeah, I..." his voice trailed off as his eyes began to scan the world around him. "...wow, this place is amazing."

Amelia smiled and turned to face the same direction as him, toward the huge building in front of them. "Wow... it is."

"This must be the Magic HQ that Caleb told us about. The Arcane base is there too," Onyx said. "Let's go."

"Are you kidding? Without checking out everything else first?" Amelia grinned and took his hand, starting to lead him in another direction. "I don't think so!"

Onyx smiled and followed her, knowing that there wasn't any changing her mind. "Alright, fine. We'll explore first and come back to the HQ later."

The two of them excitedly headed off to see what the rest of the magical realm had to offer, and soon found themselves surrounded by small shops and buildings. Amelia glanced around the large area, which was bustling with other Supernaturals. "Look at all the shops! I wonder what they sell here?" 

"I don't know. Want to go inside of one?" Onyx wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She nodded and clung to his waist, heading in the direction of an eerie building at the end of a long row of similar ones.  "Let's go here."

"It doesn't have a sign..." Onyx frowned. "I wonder what it is?"

"That's what I want to find out."

"Welcome," a voice called as they entered, and a man emerged from the shadows, his vivid green eyes glistening in the darkness. Inside was far more eerie than outside -- strange trinkets and skulls and magical objects cluttered every inch of available space, the only sound aside from his voice was the faint croaking of frogs -- why frogs? -- and the room was pitch dark, lined with curtains to block out any light coming from the glass panes on the door and windows. The man, clearly a wizard of some sort, was an oddly unsettling sight as well. "What brings you here?"

A chill immediately ran down Amelia's spine and she moved closer to Onyx, locking eyes with the stranger. "We were just... checking out the shops. I'm sorry if we're bothering you."

Onyx was tense as the man moved closer, studying Amelia intensely. He bit his tongue before he said something about the staring.

"No. You came here because you were supposed to," the man paused, "Amelia."

Her eyes widened. "H-How did you know--"

"I am a necromancer, psychic, and possess the abilities of divination," the man listed off with an unsettling smile. "I know many things. And I know that you require my help."

"I..." Amelia was speechless, and she silently glanced at Onyx, who seemed to be having the same reaction. "...I do...? W-Wait, who even... are you?"

"To answer your second question, you may call me Macha," he replied. "As for the other one... that is a much more complicated answer. Tell me, Amelia, have you had any... strange dreams, by chance? About a woman that resembles you?"

An uneasy feeling that Onyx already had was growing stronger. "How do you know all of this about her?" His eyes narrowed.

"I already told you. Now please, Onyx, allow her to answer," Macha said calmly.

Onyx fell silent. 'He knows my name too? Guess that can't be lucky guessing.'

"...Yes," Amelia answered hesitantly, "I have."

"Just as I suspected." Macha gave an affirmative nod. "You have... spirits attempting to contact you."

"Spirits?" Amelia was dumbfounded. "But why? And who?"

"If you wish to proceed, you'll have to follow me," Macha said as he turned to walk away, and once again disappeared into the darkness.

Without hesitance, Amelia attempted to take a step forward only to find that Onyx wasn't budging. She sighed and leaned closer against him. "I can already tell you're skeptical..."

"He gives me the creeps," Onyx said plainly. "But... I guess this is the Realm of Magic. What are the chances you'd find a fraud here?"

"And what are the chances a fraud would know any of this?" Amelia frowned. "I have to find out what he knows that I don't. Even if he's creepy... what if this is important? What if those dreams aren't just dreams? What if... that woman I saw..." 

Onyx nodded. "You're right..." 

Nervously, she stepped forward and lead Onyx to where she could see a faintly glowing, purple light. As they approached, it became clear it was a crystal ball, sitting on a table which was surrounded by a few chairs. In one of them sat Macha, waiting patiently, as if he'd already known that she would follow. His eyes were glowing nearly as bright as the ball, the only source of light aside from some candles. "Sit," he said.

Obediently, Amelia sat across from him and Onyx followed suit by sitting in a chair near the table.

"Do you know who the spirits are?" Amelia asked anxiously. "Is it the woman from my dreams? Or... my mom and dad?"

Seeming to be in deep concentration, Macha took a moment to respond. "I do sense an energy of the one you called your father, a faint lingering emotion of... pride."

Amelia smiled sadly, exchanging a quick glance with Onyx. "It doesn't surprise me you don't mention mom, but... dad... he's proud of me? You can... talk to the dead, right? Is there anyway you could... "

"Garrett is not one of the spirits pursuing you." Macha frowned. "He isn't here. I can't speak with him."

"Oh," she quietly replied. "Then... who is pursuing me, if it isn't dad or mom?"

Macha raised an eyebrow, half-amused. "Are you sure that it isn't?"

Her face contorted in confusion. "...What do you mean?"

The purple ball in front of them glowed brighter as Macha silently reached out and locked his gaze onto it, searching deeply for the answers she sought. "It's as if they aren't here either. I cannot speak to them, but I can see someething... I can hear..."

Amelia pursed her lips, watching him intently. "What do you see?"

"An anguished woman, calling for someone. Ariana. Amelia. One and the same..." His eyes closed tightly. "She reaches out desperately, manifesting only in a realm outside of reality, in dreams. Sofia. Her name is Sofia, and... she is... your mother."

"M-my... mother?" Amelia was nearly speechless. "My birth mother...?"

"Yes," Macha affirmed. "I can hear her voice..."

"What is she telling you?" Amelia leaned forward in her seat eagerly. "Please... tell me everything I can possibly know..."

Macha's eyes opened, his intense green gaze piercing into Amelia's brown eyes. "You will find the answers you seek in Selvadorada -- the place where she is from, and where you were born. You must go in seven days."

"G-Go to Selvadorada?" Amelia looked to Onyx for a sense of approval but was met only with a shocked stare. "But that's such a long trip, on a short notice... not to mention the expense..."

"Go." Macha's eyebrows furrowed. "It is your destiny, Amelia."

Destiny. The word sparked a fire in her heart, a chain reaction set off that couldn't be stopped. "...I will."

Macha grinned approvingly, and Amelia gasped as he snapped his fingers, causing the tarot cards in front of her to glow brightly, but as soon as the light came, it vanished.

Quickly, she glanced down at the cards and smiled when she noticed that one of them had turned into a photograph. "It's her. The woman from my dreams." 

Onyx curiously leaned forward, squinting to see the small photograph from where he sat. "That's Sofia...?"

"Yes," Macha answered. "You must take this photo with you to Selvadorada. It is extremely important, so don't lose it."

"But why do I need to take it?" Amelia frowned. "I mean, obviously I'm thankful to have a picture of her, but..."

Macha smiled. "Even though I know the answer, it is something you must discover for yourself."

"Alright. Thank you for everything." She gave him a slow nod and reached out to grab the photo from the table.

"Wait!"

Clearly concerned, Macha consulted his crystal ball once more. "...There is something else you must know."

Amelia froze and looked back up at him anxiously. 

"There is another spirit seeking you out," he began quietly, "a very dangerous and malicious one, that seeks to harm you, to haunt you... to send you into a neverending darkness..." 

Onyx's eyes widened, and he spoke before Amelia had the chance to react. "What? Who would... why would anyone want to hurt her?"

"He is mysterious," Macha continued. "He keeps himself well concealed. But I can sense his feelings of resentment, anger, and hatred... he exists only to destroy and feast upon sadness and pain. You must be careful."

Amelia chewed her lower lip, feeling the fear begin to set in. "Can he hurt me?"

Macha looked up from his crystal ball, his voice and piercing gaze suddenly seeming cold. "Only if you allow him to."

---

The airport was busy, filled with noise and people rushing to get to their flights on time. Orion and Tiffany watched as Onyx lugged a heavy suitcase alongside him, leading Amelia forward as they prepared to board the plane. Brynn and Alexander, who had joined them on this unexpected trip, were walking just ahead. The flight would depart in fifteen minutes, so there was no extra time to say more goodbyes.

"Bye!" Tiffany called cheerfully with one last wave. "Have fun! Everything will be just fine at home, so don't worry about us!"

"Yeah, don't worry about us," Orion sighed, unable to smile. "Have a great trip..." He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about staying behind with Tiffany. He tried to remind himself that they'd only be gone for three days, but when he imagined all of the things that could go wrong, it didn't help. His hand slowly fell limp at his side as Onyx and Amelia disappeared, and he felt increasingly uneasy with every second that passed, allowing the reality to sink in that he was all alone...

"Do you really think they'll be okay?" Amelia asked Onyx with a frown. "I mean, I know I shouldn't worry so much, but..."

"You're right, you shouldn't worry." He smiled reassuringly. "They must have told you everything would be fine ten times. Try to enjoy this trip. We've never gotten the chance to go on vacation, if that's what you want to call this. Besides... I'd be more worried about who's coming than who's staying behind."

"What do you mean by that?" She playfully raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, you're talking about--"

Onyx grinned. "Alexander. Sorry, but your brother coming on this trip is a recipe for disaster."

"I know," Amelia laughed, "but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend time with him. Besides, he and Brynn are helping us pay for this, so don't complain!"

Onyx pulled her closer. "Complain about going to a beautiful country in a nice rental with a suite all to ourselves? I wouldn't dream of it," he winked.

-----

It didn't take anyone long to realize that Selvadorada's beauty was far beyond what words could describe upon arriving there. The towns and villages were nestled in backdrops of lush, green jungle, and it seemed as though every corner blossomed with life. The air was far more pure and fresh than any you'd find in a city or suburb, and every breath of it was filled with the faint scent of rain and spices. It was also humid and hot, a sharp contrast to the fall weather they came from.

The home that the four of them rented for their stay was modest, but near the busiest part of any nearby civilization. Alexander liked the idea of something more private than a hotel or inn, and so he dished out the extra money for it from his hefty salary despite everyone else's objections. But no one complained when they laid eyes on the simple but homey place they'd be staying in.

"This place is breathtaking!" Brynn gasped as they approached the stairs leading to the front door. "You really outdid yourself, Alexander..."

"I told you guys that you wouldn't regret letting me splurge on a nice place to stay. Besides, it's the least I could do for Amelia, since she's probably all stressed out about that psychic guy sending her here for who knows what," Alexander said, "which by the way, I still question if this is a wild goose chase..."

Amelia was silent, zoning out the rest of everyone's conversation past that point. Something about this place felt so familiar, as if she had been here before... her head was pounding, and for a moment, it was as though all of reality slipped away. She could see it so clearly in her mind: an old woman sitting on the bench by the window, alongside Sofia, watching the leaves swaying in the gentle breeze...

It felt like home.

She snapped out of it as the pain in her head turned sharp. She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her temple, not even realizing that she stopped walking until she felt Onyx's hand rubbing her back lightly. 

"Amelia? What's wrong?" He asked, concern laced in his voice. 

Her eyebrows furrowed and she lowered her hand. "N-Nothing... just... that long flight is probably catching up with me..."

Onyx seemed unconvinced. "Are you sure? Maybe you should go inside and lie down for a while before we go anywhere..."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." She nodded. "We'll go see the sights in a while, but first a little rest might do us all some good." 

Together, the pair walked inside and Amelia tried her best not to worry him, but she could already tell this trip was going to be more than she bargained for...

-----

It was early evening when the four finally went out to explore town. The center of town was full of both locals and tourists, with markets and stalls strewn about. Of course, where there are markets, there are plenty of things to waste money on...

"Wow, look at all of that stuff!" Amelia exclaimed as she and Onyx approached a market table. "Maybe buying just one more thing wouldn't--"

"Amelia," Onyx interrupted, "I've had just as much fun shopping as you, but if we buy anything else, we'll be bankrupt."

She laughed and clutched the large paper bag full of clothes and souvenirs in her hand a little tighter. "I guess you're right... maybe we should find Alexander and Brynn before they overdo it too."

Almost on cue, Alexander and Brynn showed up, toting shopping bags of their own. 

"Hey!" Alexander called as they approached. "Did you find anything?"

"We shopped until we dropped. Or at least until our wallets did." Amelia grinned playfully. "What about you?"

"Alexander spent way too much money." Brynn laughed. 

He pretended to be offended. "Hey, you bought stuff too!" 

"Not as much as you," she teased.

"So," Onyx interrupted, "rather than arguing about whose fault it is that we're all broke now, what do you say we go to the cantina for dinner?" 

"And drinks," Alexander added. "I'd love to try some--"

Amelia cut him off. "Oh, no you don't! You're not getting wasted on my watch. I have enough to worry about when you're sober." 

Brynn snickered quietly as Alexander tried to think of an argument against that, but he knew she was right, so he just shook his head. "Okay, whatever, fine. Dinner it is."

-----

Once their orders were placed at the cantina, they were all caught up in excited conversation about what was to come next. 

"...and so I was talking to the guy selling this stuff at the market, and he told me that somewhere deep in the jungle you can find ruins from the ancient civilization of Omnisca!" Alexander exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat. "He had tons of supplies for jungle exploration, so guess what I bought?"

Onyx sighed. "Alexander, we didn't come here for a jungle adventure." 

"Yeah, but you also don't even know what we're specifically here for. Didn't that Macha guy tell Amelia she had to discover things for herself and some mumbo jumbo about destiny?" Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Maybe she's supposed to go to the jungle."

Amelia finally spoke up. "You know what? I think we should do it! It sounds fun. Fearless jungle explorer, Amelia Nightshade, embarking on a perilous journey to discover hidden treasures in the ancient ruins of Omnisca..."

"Sounds like a video game," Alexander said. "Isn't that basically just Tomb--"

She laughed. "Hey, let me live a little!" 

"Well, it does sound fun..." Onyx finally smiled. "Alright, I'm in."

Brynn smirked. "Me too, as long as Alexander doesn't do anything stupid. As usual."

"Okay, first of all," Alexander began, "when do I ever do anything stupid--"

"Constantly," Amelia interrupted. "Like, pretty much on a daily basis--"

"Second of all," Alexander continued, "if everyone's in, then we'll head out to the jungle in the morning. Deal?"

"Deal," Amelia replied with a smile. 

-----

Everything was quiet in the darkness of the sweltering Selvadorada night. Onyx's arm was loosely draped around Amelia, who rested her head on his chest, but even in her sleep put a little space between them to avoid overheating. She began to squirm as her peaceful expression turned to a frown, and what once were pleasant dreams turned into nightmares...

The familiarity of darkness surrounded her. It was like an endless void, and though she wasn't blinded she could barely see...

"Not again," she whispered quietly. And as always, a voice came through the darkness.

Unlike in her previous dreams, it called the right name. Yet somehow, it almost felt like the wrong one. "Amelia..."

Amelia looked around, but just barely visualized a woman reaching out to her. "Sofia? ...mom?"

Sofia called for her again, but more urgently. "Amelia!"

She stumbled forward, but in the endless darkness, everything seemed so far away. "Why did you want me to come here? What do you want me to see?"

Amelia froze as the voice faded away. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but a piercing scream broke through the darkness.

She could see and hear it so clearly in the distorted reality: Sofia's anguished screams, the tears streaming down her face as a man she didn't recognized yelled, his anger becoming almost too much to bear.

"Amelia..." the voice was sinister and cold. "You will never escape the reality of what you are..."

The screams surrounded her, engulfed her, and Amelia struggled to keep her composure. "Then tell me! What am I!? Who am I...? I-I... I don't know anymore..." 

She could no longer see him, but his voice taunted her, ringing even louder than the screams.

"Worthless..."

"Mistake..."

"Unwanted..."

Amelia covered her ears as Sofia's screams dulled to sobs, causing him only to seem louder.

"Pathetic..."

"No," Amelia barely managed to whisper.

"You were never meant to exist, Amelia..."

"No!" She yelled, tightening her hands over her ears. Remembering the other spirit that Macha told her about, she realized this man must be him. "I won't let you hurt me!"

"You hurt me!" The voice growled. "Because of you... my life was ruined!"

"Who are you!?" Amelia screamed, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. There was something about him that filled her with pure anguish. The dream was falling apart, becoming distant and unfocused, but she managed to hear his response:

"...your father..."

She jolted awake, her heart pounding and her eyes wide as she began to process that it was only a dream. She then noticed that Onyx was no longer beside of her and, trembling, shifted to look out of the open window. The bright sunlight burned her eyes, but she quickly sat up in realization of how late it was. 'I slept way too late! I hope I didn't keep everyone waiting too long...'

Pushing the dream to the back of her mind, Amelia got up and hurriedly changed clothes, then ran a brush through her hair a few times before pulling it into a sloppy but adequate bun. Briskly, she left the bedroom and closed the door behind her, pausing when she encountered Alexander and Brynn.

"Hey, guys," she said quietly, only now noticing how drained she felt despite a good night's sleep. "Sorry I slept in so late... where's Onyx?"

"Outside," Alexander replied, motioning to the front door with his head. "It's about time you woke up, sleeping beauty."

"Yeah, we were starting to think you weren't going to." Brynn playfully arched an eyebrow. "We're all ready to go when you are. Just don't forget a sun resistance drink."

Amelia nodded and managed a slight smile before walking outside. "Onyx?" she called, glancing around but finding no sight of him.

She gasped as an arm wrapped around her from behind and quickly turned to look.

 "Good morning," Onyx said, leaning closer to her height. "Your hair looks amazing. You should wear it like that more often."

"Amazing?" Amelia laughed, a light blush appearing on her cheeks. "Onyx, I brushed it for all of five seconds and put it up as quickly as possible." 

"That's just you being effortlessly beautiful as always." He smiled and kissed her cheek, then removed his arm from around her shoulder and straightened up. "So, are you ready to be a fearless jungle explorer?" 

She smirked playfully. "I was born ready."

-----

"Um, guys, should we be concerned about what this sign says?" Amelia asked, already feeling as though she was melting from the scorching hot sun, despite the fact they'd only just started their hike. "Like... how it's dangerous beyond this point because of the deadly snakes and stinging insects and poisonous plants...?"

Onyx slashed through another section of overgrown vines blocking their path forward with a large machete. "Hopefully those poisonous plants aren't the ones I'm touching now."

Brynn gave a skeptical glance to Alexander, who simply smiled in response. "Oh, come on, Amelia. Don't tell me you'd think about backing out of this! That's not the sister I know."

"I mean, she does have some valid points. Are we prepared to deal with deadly snakes and plants?" Brynn asked. 

"Well..." Alexander paused. "Uh... I'm sure we'll be just fine."

"Comforting," Amelia said, her playful sarcasm obvious. 

"Well, I finally cut through these vines, so I guess we're going in. Don't let all of that work be for nothing." Onyx laughed lightly. 

Amelia grinned. "You know what? Alexander is right. I'm no chicken, so let's go."

The four proceeded forward through the new clearing that lead deep into the jungle. The air was even more humid, and the vegetation was doused in light mist. There were paths leading in every possible direction, and now they'd have to find what awaited at the end of one...

"Wow, this is all so beautiful," Amelia gasped. She looked around, taking in as much of the scenery around her as possible. 

Alexander sighed. "Okay, which one of these paths are we taking?"

"How about one that doesn't require another twenty minutes of me chopping vines with a machete?" Onyx suggested hopefully.

"Fat chance," Alexander murmured.

"Hmm..." Amelia scanned the area until her eyes landed on a wildly overgrown, nearly hidden pathway. It called to her, beckoning her to follow it. Confidently, she stepped forward. "We're going that way."

Alexander gave Onyx a smug grin. "See? Told you." 

With a sigh, Onyx lifted his machete and followed Amelia to the pathway. "Just my luck..."

-----

Every minute felt like hours crawling by as the group trudged through the long, seemingly neverending jungle pathway. It was narrow and blocked by plants that had to be cut back every few feet, and by the time they reached the end, Amelia almost felt guilty for exhausting everyone, but just ahead turned out to be a flimsy bridge across a stunning waterfall. No one seemed to show fear as they began to cross it, willing themselves to ignore the creaking and swaying underneath their feet. But if there was anyone who was beyond unafraid, it was Alexander.

"Stop leaning over the side of this thing!" Brynn barked. "If your hand slips out of mine, you're as good as dead!" 

"But it's not slipping and you're not going to let go!" Alexander exclaimed. "Besides, the adrenaline rush is fun."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Stop being dumb and take this seriously!"

Onyx and Amelia, caught up in a conversation, couldn't help laughing as they overheard the squabble. "Brynn," Amelia said, "you're not going to convince him to stop being dumb. Believe me, I've tried."

"Wow, rude." Alexander pouted.

As they reached the end of the bridge, just beyond the waterfall was a ledge overlooking the lush jungle beneath them. Alexander and Brynn continued forward, but Amelia couldn't stop herself from going to the ledge and admiring the view.

She smiled when she felt strong, familiar arms wrap around her torso, and she returned the embrace with a sigh. "You know, Onyx, someday we should plan a vacation like this for just the two of us."

"You mean like an extremely belated honeymoon?" Onyx smiled warmly and held her closer. "I'd like that."

"Yeah, me too..."

-----

After a while of more hiking through another stretch of dense jungle, they finally stumbled upon a clearing. All around them were the remains of what once must have been a great Omniscan temple, but it was now nothing more than crumbling ruins. It sent a chill down Amelia's spine just to look at it, but it stirred an intense desire for adventure deep within her.

"Omniscan ruins..." Brynn murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. "I wonder what's inside?" 

"I'm pretty sure this used to be a temple of some sort," Alexander said. "There's no telling what's in there, but with any luck it will be something valuable. Maybe we could take it and donate it to the museum and they'll pay us a ton of money for uncovering a priceless historical artifact? We'll be, like, famous archaeologists."

 Brynn frowned. "I know you wanna find treasure, but I don't know if that's a good idea..."

"Don't tell me you think it'll cause some kind of superstition to happen, like a curse or a ghost or..."

"Well, I'm surrounded by vampires who were sent here on a ghost hunt by a necromancer, so nothing surprises me is all I'm saying."

While their banter continued, Amelia turned to Onyx with a sense of determination. "I guess now... we see what awaits us inside, but with all Alexander and Brynn's talk about curses, maybe we should be rethinking this, huh?"

Onyx frowned. "Are you afraid?"

"Me? Afraid?" Amelia was completely confident in her answer. "Never."

-----

Once inside the ruins, Amelia was speechless. It was like turning back the hands of time itself. The scent of dust and moss overwhelmed her nostrils, yet somehow in that moment, it wasn't unpleasant. She could only stare in awe and fascination as the others walked past her to investigate.

"Does anyone care to explain to me how this fire is still burning?" Onyx asked. "This place has been abandoned for thousands of years."

"Good question, I have no answers," Alexander said, making his way to another segment of the room with Brynn.

"Well, it appears to be burning to bar entry from deeper inside. The only way to proceed is through here." Onyx frowned.

"So...we have to douse the fire?" Amelia finally spoke, taking a few steps closer to Onyx. "We don't have enough water for that, just a few drinking bottles..."

"Wait, I think I've got it!" Alexander said. "This mechanism has... strange switches. I bet this deactivates it." 

"Good idea," Brynn began, "but which..." Her voice trailed off as he reached for one of the switches without a second thought. 

"Um... don't you think you should try to make sure you use the right switch first?" Brynn asked cautiously.

"Why bother?" He shrugged. "If one doesn't work, I'll try another one. What's the worst thing that can happen?" He pressed the switch, which made a loud clicking noise, followed by dead silence.

The fire didn't disappear, and the mechanism began to glow an eerie red. The walls quaked with a deep rumble, causing small pieces of rubble to fall from the ceiling.

Alexander grimaced. "Okay, uhh, I don't think this is supposed to happen so maybe you were right...?"

"Crap," Brynn hissed. "What did you just do...!?"

From the wall on the far end of the room, a trap door opened to release large, poisoned arrows, complety silent as they flew through the air. Everyone was too busy panicking about the possibility that the building was going to collapse on top of them to notice the arrows rapidly approaching Onyx...

Except Amelia.

Once her eyes locked onto the arrows, she had no time to think, only to act. Without a moment's hesitance she lunged forward, bracing herself in case she fell victim instead.

"Onyx!"

Amelia's voice echoed as the two of them toppled roughly to the ground. She clung tightly to him, taking deep, shaky breaths as she realized both of them were safe. Even a second more and the arrows could have killed him...

"A-Amelia!?" Onyx sounded confused and perhaps a little disoriented. "What..."

"T-there were arrows... they were h-heading straight for you and..." Amelia stammered, still shaking from her moment of panic. "A-Are you okay...?"

Onyx pushed her away only enough to lock his eyes onto hers and smiled reassuringly, though his heart was pounding at the realization of what almost happened. "I'm fine, thanks to you. Don't worry." 

She couldn't hold back tears. "I-I could have lost you. I was so afraid that I did..."

"You? Afraid? Never." Onyx mimicked her words from earlier as his smile widened. "And you were right about that. You're so brave..."

Smiling through her teary eyes, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips, and the two stood up as Alexander hurriedly approached them, looking terrified and a bit pale.

"You scared me to death!" Alexander was in a frantic frenzy. "I'm so sorry! This is my fault..."

Onyx crossed his arms, clearly unamused, but simply sighed heavily and shook his head. "At least no one was hurt. It's not like you did it on purpose." 

"Yeah," Amelia nodded in agreement but her expression turned harsh. "But... next time you decide to play around with an ancient booby trap in the jungle, leave me out of it."

Alexander snorted. "Booby trap."

Onyx rolled his eyes. "Can you get your mind out of the gutter for five minutes?"

Brynn, who was approaching, answered for him. "Nope."

Amelia playfully punched his arm and walked past him. "Shut up and help me figure out how to deactivate this thing." 

-----

"How long have we even been in here? It feels like it's been forever... and getting through this place is harder than I thought," Amelia complained. "Not to mention the lack of air conditioning..."

"Because it's totally reasonable to complain about air conditioning in ancient ruins." Alexander laughed, falling into step alongside her. "But hey, at least this is great quality time for us all to spend together, right?"

"Yeah, quality time spent disarming potentially deadly traps," Onyx grumbled, closely examining some small statues.

"Oh, where's your sense of adventure, Onyx?" Amelia teased. "I think it's been fun."

"Well, I can agree with that!" Brynn chimed in. "I'm fascinated by seeing all the historical insights here."

Alexander grinned. "That goes double for me."

"That's because you're both nerds. And geeks. I'll combine that as... nerks," Amelia decided. "Has a nice ring to it."

Alexander and Brynn laughed, but went quiet as a loud click could be heard and the trap blocking the archway ahead of them was disarmed.

"Ah-ha!" Onyx called triumphantly. "I knew I'd figure that out eventually."

Amelia smiled and proceeded to see what was beyond the arch. "Good job. We must be near the end now... this just looks like a long hall leading to some sort of small chamber?"

Curiously, the others followed. The hall somehow seemed more undisturbed than the rest of the temple ruins, and every step closer to the chamber at the end made Amelia more anxious. Something bigger than they would have imagined was here... she could feel it. And she was proven right the moment they set foot inside.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. There wasn't anyone who didn't feel overwhelmed as they stared in awe at the sight.

Amelia's voice was just barely above a whisper. "It's... a tomb?"

"A royal tomb," Brynn said. "Covered in riches. It certainly didn't belong to someone of low status."

"So, an ancient Omniscan king or queen must be buried here," Alexander nodded toward the aged, wooden coffin. It was nearly falling apart. "...very ancient. Let's look around at everything to see if we can find out more information."

They split up to cover all corners of the room, examining every object with fascination.

"There are inscriptions here on the walls, but it would be impossible for us to decipher this language..." Onyx said, squinting to get a better look at the strange symbols.

Brynn nodded. "Yeah, we won't be reading anything here, but perhaps there are clues in the paintings and imagery?"

Amelia silently walked up to a painting on the farthest wall. It was aged and faded, but the details were still there: a woman that must be the queen buried here. Her straight brown hair laid elegantly on her shoulders, and there was black paint forming thick, extravagant liner around her eyes, as well as red paint defining her lips. Most notable was the large crown on her head and her determined brown eyes that seemed to stare right into Amelia's soul. 

'She almost looks like...' Amelia's train of thought ended before it finished as her eyes scanned down to the Omniscan writing beneath the painting. It was the same as all the rest: illegible. Yet her eyes locked onto it, focusing intently... 

"Eztli. Queen Eztli," she said quietly, but gasped as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

Alexander spun quickly to look at her, his eyebrows furrowing. "How did you..."

"I-I don't know, I just... I..." Amelia put a hand on her head, wincing as she felt an ache beginning. "I just knew... it almost felt like she told me somehow..." 

Onyx nodded, but then frowned and scurried over to her. "Hey, let's get out of here. You must be exhausted. It's been a long, stressful day, and we're at the end of the ruins anyway..."

"Okay," Amelia agreed, then lowered her voice. "Onyx... do you think I'm going crazy?" 

"Of course not," he whispered in response. 

'Then,' she thought, 'why do I feel like I am?'

-----

Amelia, now cozied up in bed, drowsily looked up at Onyx as he ran his fingers through her hair and sighed softly. "You were right... I'm exhausted..."

"You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is our last day in Selvadorada, and I'm assuming by what Macha said it's going to be something big if you're supposed to find out about Sofia," he said. 

"Yeah... you'd think it would be today since it was Halloween. You know, spooky death day. It felt so strange not being home to celebrate this year, but I guess the jungle was way more fun anyway." Amelia laughed quietly and closed her eyes.

Onyx smiled. "Well, I'll get you all the candy you want when we get back home."

Already half-asleep, Amelia managed to murmur a response but barely coherently. "Even chocolate...?" 

His smile only widened. "Even chocolate."

-----

The next afternoon, after spending the morning out in town, the group found themselves examining a poster plastered on the wall.

"It says there's a Día de Los Muertos festival this evening," Amelia said. "Should we go? It sounds fun, and maybe I can learn some more about my heritage..." 

"Yeah, why not?" Onyx nodded. "I'd love to learn more about the culture too."

"I'm in." Alexander grinned. "You know I'm always down to party!"

Brynn smiled. "Well, guess that seals my vote. Let's make this last day a memorable one."

The soft glow of the sunset tinted the world orange. String lights hung gracefully from wooden poles, suspended above the rose petals scattered on the ground, and there were decorations everywhere. Selvadoradians danced to the sound of music and conversed cheerfully, their faces adorned with makeup and paint depicting sugar skulls. Brynn and Alexander were doing their own thing, and Onyx was focused on the scene around him as he waited for Amelia, who had went to purchase a festive dress and get her face painted by the locals. Her approaching footsteps were completely silent against the flower-littered tiles, but she softly called out to him when he didn't notice her presence. 

"Well? What do you think, Onyx?"

The only reaction Onyx could manage was a soft gasp as he turned to face her. "Amelia, you look amazing..."

"Really?" Amelia smiled. "Not as amazing as you." 

With a playful smirk, he stepped closer. "I don't believe that for a second. This is an argument you'll have to lose, honey."

It was like she was glowing along with the lights above her, and a soft breeze tousled her hair in a perfectly imperfect way. Onyx couldn't take his eyes off of her, and he wasn't sure if he ever even wanted to. Soft music played nearby, and as their eyes met, Amelia reached for his hand. "Dance with me."

"Dance?" Onyx laughed nervously. "I haven't really danced since high school..."

Amelia smiled fondly at the memory of prom. "So? Now's the time to change that!" 

Before he could protest, her arm was around his neck and his hand was grasped firmly in hers. "Come on!"

"Alright!" Onyx laughed softly and lead her in a messy, energetic dance. It was uncoordinated and they stepped on each other's toes, but her cheerful laughter was the real music to his ears. 

Of course, they were far from the only ones dancing.

"Where did you learn to dance like this!?" Brynn yelped, being swung and swayed faster than she could keep up with.

Alexander paused, perhaps to catch his breath, and smirked friskily. "I was just born talented."

She suppressed a snicker and pulled him closer. "Show me more of your talents, then."

They came on this vacation based purely on the faith that they would find answers to important questions. Perhaps everyone was unprepared and skeptical, perhaps they'd find nothing and return home empty-handed and heavy-hearted. But one thing was for sure: they wouldn't regret it. Because every single, simple moment...

...would be memories that lasted them a lifetime.

-----

"The decorations here are so beautiful, but... what is all of this for?" Amelia pondered aloud, examining the table filled with candles and a few sugar skulls. 

Onyx glanced at her. "It must be part of the celebration, but I'm not sure..."

A Selvadoradian woman overheard their conversation. "Is this your first time celebrating Día de Los Muertos?"

"Oh, um... yes," Amelia replied, seemingly embarrassed. "I'm really not even sure what it's all about."

The woman smiled reassuringly. "This is an ofrenda. On Día de Los Muertos, the spirits of our loved ones who have passed on can return to visit us, and we use it to leave their photo and gifts to honor them... and to guide them to us."

Amelia's eyes widened as Macha's words flashed in her mind: 'You must take this photo with you to Selvadorada. It is extremely important, so don't lose it.'

It was then that the missing piece of the puzzle fell perfectly into place. "Onyx... I know what I'm supposed to do!"

-----

After heading back to the rental with unexpected supplies, and a thorough face washing, Amelia soon stood in front of her completed ofrenda. "Do you think this is good enough?" She asked anxiously. "I know it probably doesn't have everything it's supposed to, but..."

Onyx smiled. "It's beautiful, Amelia. Sofia... I think she just wanted to be remembered, and to have a way to visit you. I know she's happy."

She returned the smile, although a bit sadly. "You're right. I hope this brings her peace."

"It will," he said softly and wrapped an arm around her. "Now, what do you say we get some rest? Our flight home is pretty early tomorrow."

She nodded quietly, and the two turned to head for their room.

Despite the heat, there was a sudden chill in the air, and they froze in place. There was no denying the sense of presence, like someone else was there...

"Ariana--" a voice began, but quickly corrected itself, "Amelia."

Alexander and Brynn's quiet gasps could be heard as Amelia slowly turned to face the source of the voice.

"M-Mom," Amelia stammered quietly, "Is... is it really you?" 

"Mi hija..." Sofia was lit up in a bright smile, almost as bright as the ethereal glow around her. "You've grown into such a beautiful woman..."

"I..." Amelia was speechless. "I can't believe it... I have so many questions...!"

Sofia stepped closer. "And I will answer them all. You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment... to finally be reunited with you..."

"How long you've waited? But..." Amelia's face fell as she looked at the floor. "...You didn't even want me..."

"No!" Sofia reached out and placed her hands firmly on Amelia's arms, but her sudden harsh expression turned into a smile. "I was so happy when you were born. It was here, in this very house, long ago that I cradled you in my arms and lulled you to sleep..."

Amelia's eyes widened. "T-This house? It was yours?"

"It belonged to your grandparents," Sofia explained. "Amelia... I wanted you more than anything..."

Amelia managed a smile. "You... you did?"

"I promise you that." Sofia's eyes glistened with gold-tinted tears. "But the circumstances... I... I couldn't give you the life you deserved. I could not sacrifice your happiness... so I sacrificed mine."

Amelia was silent for a moment. "...Tell me everything. Please."

Sofia nodded and took a deep breath. "Your father, Sebastian... my husband at the time... I lived away from my family with him. He wasn't the best, but he had money, and my family was very poor. When he found out I was pregnant, he got angry and made me choose between having him and having you. That's the day he left me," she said. "I returned to Selvadorada to live with my parents. I named you Ariana, which I now know your adoptive family changed. I wanted to keep you so badly... but we couldn't afford it. I knew you'd be happier and well cared for somewhere else, so I placed you for adoption..."

Amelia blinked back tears. "I never knew that. I thought you just wanted to get rid of me..."

"Never," Sofia said. "It was... a few years after that... when Sebastian came crawling back to me with his life in a mess, expecting me to take him back and fix it. When I refused... he..." She looked away, struggling to find words. "...he murdered me, and then took his own life."

Amelia gasped, her eyes now brimming with tears. "...Sebastian... is the man I was warned about. The man in my dream."

Sofia nodded silently. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. I wish things could have been different. But the life you have lived, the woman you have become... I couldn't be more proud of you."

The tears came as she pulled her mother into a hug. It was caring, it was full of love, it was everything that her adoptive mother never was. She let all of her emotions overflow and clung desperately to Sofia, once again like a young child seeking comfort from her mother as though she could make the whole world disappear. 

"Don't cry, mi hija... I love you..."

And then, there was only a fading light where Sofia once stood.

Amelia turned away as her sobs grew desperate. "D-Don't leave me... please... come back..." 

Onyx snapped out of his shocked state and rushed forward, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "Hey, shhh... it's okay..."

"There were so many things I wanted to know, and do, a-and... she's gone..." Amelia sobbed, holding on to him tightly. 

"I know," he whispered, feeling tears form in his own eyes. "I know..."

---

For once, the night was chilly, and the cool breeze was refreshing. Amelia stared blankly at the sky, unfeeling, as though she was searching for something she knew she'd never find. Noticing the grass rustling behind her, she turned to see Alexander approaching.

"Hey, um..." Alexander began, "Onyx said you needed some time to yourself, but I couldn't stop worrying. How are you feeling?"

"...overwhelmed," Amelia replied after a moment. "Who wouldn't be? I came here to find answers, but... I think I only have more questions now. Of what could have been."

His head tilted slightly. "What could have been?" 

She nodded. "What if she hadn't given me up for adoption, I mean. What would my life be like now?"

"Well, you'd probably never have met Onyx, and..." Alexander paused. "...I wouldn't be your brother."

"I wouldn't want that. I can't imagine my life without either of you. I guess... even seemingly bad things are meant to be sometimes," she said. 

"Amelia... can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

There was a long pause.

"Now that you know about your real family... does that change how you feel about me?" Alexander looked down.

"Alexander," Amelia said gently, "you are my real family." 

"...thank you. Maybe it seems like a dumb question, but I needed to hear that." Alexander looked up and smiled. "...you know, she isn't really gone."

"What do you mean?" Amelia followed his gaze upward, to the sky.

He smiled wider. "She's up there somewhere, watching over you. And if she looks at you like I do, she'll only get more and more proud of you. Because just when I think you can't get stronger, kinder, smarter... more amazing than you already are... you prove me wrong."

Tears filled her eyes as she reached out and hugged Alexander tightly. "...I love you..."

He returned her hug with watery eyes. "I love you too."

Amelia smiled to herself at the realization that what she did today wasn't finding her family, it was simply discovering more of it. Because whether the people she cared about were bonded to her by blood or by love, one thing was certain: she wouldn't trade the life she was living or the family she had for the whole world.