“The magic is fading due to the witch, Agatha Lebedev, taking it all for herself. But, since you found my paintbrush, I feel like you could help me,” he said confidently.
”Well, I don't know. You see, we have this party tonight…“ she started.
“We have to go!” Aidan said suddenly with a determination in his voice.
As Chloe tried to think of a response the paintbrush started floating again and then zipped towards the door and down the hall. They all got up and started running to catch up to it. They ran all along the house past the kitchen and the living room. Aidan almost fell down the stairs as it flew upstairs towards the ballroom.
“No! Not the ballroom! That's for the party!” Chloe insisted.
Zapier ran ahead and jumped for the brush but missed and flew into a table. A few moments later, he limped back out after recovering. The brush flew past the ballroom and stopped at the end of the hall.
“It stopped,” Aidan said. The paintbrush started to glow again and shake frantically in the air at the end of the hallway.
“Already? But they're not ready…” Zapier mumbled.
“What do you mean?” Chloe questioned.
“You two follow me, I will create a doorway into my realm. You must help me save my home. It's your destiny,” he implored.
Chloe hesitated and then said, “We’ll go.” '
“We will?” Aidan said, with a terrified look.
“You don’t have to go, Aidan,” she responded.
“No, I will,” he agreed, “It’s what mom would’ve wanted.”
Zapier used the brush and created a doorway on the wall. Then the wall crumbled to reveal a glowing warm, tinted light. Zapier jumped first, then Aidan, and then it was Chloe’s turn. She hesitated.
“I have to do this,” she accepted.
While turning back to the doorway, she jumped into the light. It engulfed her. It felt warm and embracing. Then she closed her eyes as the portal took her to the realm of Alisteria.
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