"Untitled" (1)

In the woods of southern Terid, Dmitri and his troupe prepared to build a Gateway. The process was more complicated that it appeared, for days of preparation were required if the other world were to be unaffected in the end. The art of world travel wasn’t well known and kept for the stuff of legends.1

“I don’t think this is going to work.” Rachel said as she dropped a pile of herbs on a blanket near the wooden arch. “I mean, you of all people know about the magic and folklore, but this cannot work.”2

“It will, Rachel.” Dmitri replied as he nailed two planks of wood together. “Charles, take over for Arden.”3

Charles nodded and took the axe from Arden, and began to split what was left of the logs. Rachel shook her head. “But what if you don’t come back? The resistance needs every man they have, and you’re like a priest to them.”4

Dmitri chuckled and kicked the arch to make sure it wouldn’t fall in the wind, or if someone bumped into it. “If I’m a priest, then what I’m doing is good work. This is the divine journey that will bring me closer to God. Pah! Like I’d be alive if they hailed me priest.”5

Rachel scowled and stomped her foot. “Enough of your bashing! You won’t go to any afterlife of happiness if you keep offending every Mayandar you meet. Besides,” she brushed a long light brown strand of hair out of her face. “It’s not like they did anything to you.”6

She sat down and began sorting the herbs from their current spots into classes, and then sub-classes. The way she moved reminded Dmitri of a doe. Her frame was thin and agile, although there was no need for her to climb trees like a hooligan. She was a lady in every respect and maintained that state of mind even in dirty conditions such as this one. Although she was the only girl in the troupe of four, she was the strongest, next to Dmitri, and was like their mother. And to that, Arden often teased her because she was the youngest of them all.7

Arden was older than Dmitri by two years, and was his closest friend. He was taller, too, with short auburn hair and warm dark blue eyes. If it weren’t for his occasional drinking habits, he would already be happily married to a wonderful woman with a decent job in a wealthy city. He, like Dmitri, was an eager member of the resistance.8

Dmitri snorted. He had ghostly grey eyes and hair as black as obsidian. He was second tallest, followed by Charles, who was only shorter by a few inches. “Yes, of course. Well, I think the Gateway is nearly done. How long has it been since we got here?”9

“Three days,” Charles said. “But I don’t think that magic is what will make it work.”10

“Yeah, aren’t there many theories about the starting process? It would take weeks to short through them all. Or, you know, the ones we have.” Arden said from under a hat that he covered his face with as he tried to nap.11

“I’ve picked a method already. Why else would we be in the southern forests, so far from Rnaevu. No one in their right mind goes more south than that town.”12

Charles shuddered visibly. Rachel noticed and patted his shoulder. “You’re out of there. Don’t worry.”13

“Can’t help it.” He passed a hand over his face. “Twenty years in hell and when you’re outta there . . . you can’t help but worry.”14

“Subject change!” Arden shouted, his voice rebounding strangely in the forest.15

There was a silence instead of more talk. Dmitri hammered at the archway and it’s support while Rachel calmly stacked up the logs that Charles split and put them in a separate pile. Arden pretended to snore, which was normal. The noises of birds or chatter of animals weren’t heard. Everything was oddly quiet.16

Dmitri finished the arch and kicked it once more. It didn’t even move. He smiled happily and gathered up a few split logs and began to construct a rough alter-like thing.17

“Arden . . . could you help?” he said.18

His reply came as a grunt.19

“What are you thinking of doing?”20

Dmitri lowered his voice to a whisper and made sure Rachel and Charles didn’t hear. “It’s going to be an altar. I don’t know what I’m going to sacrifice yet, but . . .”21

“You are out of your mind to rely on mere figments to world travel? Rachel would have you for that!”22

“I know, I know. But religious auras cling to me and it makes me sick. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”23

For the next few hours the two worked diligently while Rachel taught the names and properties of herbs to Charles. And at last, at sunset, the forest came alive with nocturnal creatures waking from their slumber. Dmitri and Arden also finished the altar, which didn’t really look at all like an altar, but under Dmitri’s criteria—it didn’t creak and had a flat surface. It would do.24

“It’s best if we try and get some sleep. The other world most likely shares the same times we do, and it would be night when we go over. It would be better in the morning.”25

“Do you have first watch?” Rachel asked.26

He nodded and suppressed a yawn. “Sleep well.”27

The night was uneventful, even if the woods were overly active with creatures. With nothing of important notice, Dmitri passed the watch to Arden, who then passed it to Charles, who then woke Rachel in the morning so he could go to sleep. Rachel began to ready a breakfast of stale bread and warm water while complaining about the food stores to Dmitri in hushed tones.28

“I can’t believe . . . so long since we’ve been near any kind of civilization—”29

“And you’re saying this isn’t civilized?” he waved a hand around him angrily. From the other side of camp, so Charles wouldn’t wake up, Arden howled in a mix between a moan, groan, and yawn. Rachel rolled her eyes.30

“Yes,” She whispered as she held back a smile. “I am.”31

The corners of Dmitri’s mouth twitched upward. It was only a matter of time before they both deflated a bit, or maybe spent a few years away from each other. He turned and walked toward Arden and held his shoulder.32

“For godly speed and luck we need a rabbit. Up to it?” he said.33

Arden smiled wickedly a whooped once before running into the forest.34

“Alive!” Dmitri shouted.35

“Let’s hope he doesn’t eat it!” Rachel muttered, loud enough for Dmitri to hear.36

“We aren’t that bad!” he called, and then paused. “Er . . . are we?”37

She laughed, but quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry, Charles!” she whispered.38

Charles only rolled over and groaned, mumbling something that sounded like, “Too bright.”39

“When Arden gets back, I’ll set everything up and be back as soon as I can.” He told Rachel.40

“What, we’re not going, too?” she said, putting down the canteen.41

“Um, no. It’d be better if I left alone. Just in case. You know . . .”42

“Casualties, troubles on our side, etcetera.” She sighed.43

“Exactly.” He began to pace around the camp.44

There was a faded path that led northwest out of the camp if he faced north, and it led on through the forest until it forked two miles from Lerie, a slave compound where Charles lived, miserably, for the first twenty years of his life. If you turned right, you came to the rear entrance of the place. If you turned left, you kept going north until you reached Rnaevu, a small town that suffered from the lack of business because of the lack of interest in Lerie, even though everyone there hated the business of slave trade. Past Rnaevu there was still miles of wood before you reached Eru, the last wealthy city of the south, and yet it was no richer than Rnaevu in trade or exports. It was only better in population.45

On the northeastern edge of Terid there was Imoupi, the second largest city in population in Terid and richer in trade than Ce, the capital. Then there was Ce, the crown jewel of the country. Dmitri sighed. If only.46

A whooping yell told them that Arden had returned, and an unconscious rabbit hung upside down in his left hand. Rachel was standing, hands on her hips, and her face bright red. She was furious.47

“What are you—? Arden!” she shrieked, rushing to grab the rabbit from him. It was too bad he was a fair amount taller than her.48

“Squeak, mother mouse.” He chided. “Squeak ’till your bonnet falls off and your hair grows grey! Squeak ’till the little ones have grown and gone away! Ha!”49

She stamped her foot, and Dmitri took the rabbit from Arden. “Calm down!” he said.50

“But the rabbit, and the taunting, and oh why do I put up with you, you barbarians!” Rachel burst into tears and Arden immediately shut up, looking worried as if he’d broken something.51

“Sorry.” He mumbled.52

Dmitri missed the flow of guilt through his friend, that or he ignored it. Taking the rabbit over to the alter, he knelt and snapped it’s neck. Charles had begun to console Rachel, so he was on his own with the Gateway ceremony.53

He bowed his head and closed his eyes. “Terra Mater, bless and forgive this poor soul, this lepus capensis. Ah, no, maybe that was not correct. Forgive me for that, Terra Mater . . . But I must go to Earth, your counter soul. Safe passage and safe return would be kind.”54

“Holy shit.”55

“Arden!”56

“Sorry. It’s just, well, holy shit!”57

Dmitri looked up and felt his jaw drop. If only he could curse without being lectured about going to Hel. Arden was lucky—he swore so much he was only scolded sternly. The archway was glowing; the inner part of the arch didn’t show the path that extended farther south, to the shoreline. Instead, it showed the rear of a building, with large boxes made of what looked like metal by the door. He stood up and, completely unaware of anything around him, stepped through the arch and into the Other World.58

The first thing remembered thinking was of how loud and stinking it was. But in his heart he trusted Terra Mater and followed her lead, bunching his hands in his pockets and heading off for Hyperion Park. Storm clouds gathered behind him and he tried not to worry about the weather for there was more to this place than any warning.59

Large metal wagons pulled by Darkened magic coughed and rumbled through roads paved by many small and smooth stones, so smooth and small that it made the road look like black silk. Strange yellow lines on the road and too many people . . . It made his head spin and wish that he hadn’t even built the alter.60

But the force was controlled by a subconscious part of him, so he followed blindly, letting it guide him. Hyperion Park wasn’t that hard to find, and the clouds were gathering in. At the entrance of the park, this girl looked behind her, into the park, and quickly left, brushing shoulders with him as she left.61

Something turned him around and he knew what he was going to do. At least, he thought, I think I know.62

As he followed the girl, making sure not to loose sight of her as he walked and thought in the large crowds, he began to understand why he might have been sent to this spot in particular. It was true he hadn’t really asked for a specific spot on Earth, but if it all was to play out right . . . No. They would have to stop following him at some point.63

The skies broke just as she disappeared inside a small house, thin, and two stories high. It was wedged between houses of similar structure. He followed and hesitated before knocking on the door. There was an instant when he regretted it, but then the rain began to pour down and he forced a smile to the girl.64

“Who are you?” she said.65

“Dmitri. Do you mind if I come in?”66

She hesitated, uncertainty written all over her face and he added, “I don’t bite.”67

The girl scowled, but let him in.68

“I don’t suppose . . . you’ll tell me your name?”69

“Not until you state you business, Jack.”70

“Jack?”71

“Ass.”72

“Right.” He sighed. “By forces unknown to me, I’ve come to take you elsewhere.”73

“In the rain?”74

“No, later, sunset maybe, or late afternoon. Whenever this storm lets up.” He smiled.75

She scowled. To him, the only bad thing about her was her manners. Other than that, she was very, very pretty. She looked around Rachel’s age, though perhaps a bit younger. She had thick red hair that fell down just at her shoulders, and it clouded around her face like fire in every respect for it was wild and tangled. Her face was angled much like the murals of elves that were painted on the inner walls of very old churches and her eyes were bright green, in an almost unnatural way.76

“So?” she said impatiently. “Why do I have to go with you?”77

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it, to go home?”78

“Home.”79

“Yes. You weren’t born here. I can tell you that you stand out, less than I do of course, but you stand apart nonetheless. That was why it was so easy to find you.” He shrugged. “If you want to go over just once, or see Terra Mater from this world . . . it’s fine with me.”80

She narrowed her eyes. “I was born here. My grandmother has lived here for her whole life. Her lineage goes to before The City was even founded!”81

“That could be true, but your parents were not from this world. Did your grandmother ever prove to you she was your biological grandmother?”82

“N-No but that doesn’t mean that—”83

Thunder shook the house, or perhaps it was the wind. She jumped.84

“I told you why I was here.” He said. “What is your name?”85

“Natalie Evans.”86

It didn’t ring a bell, but he was determined to take her with him. “Natalie, if I would have known where you lived, you’d be unconscious and in our world right now. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to. Will you promise to come with me?”87

She looked troubled. “But my . . .”88

“She’ll be fine. Do you promise?”89

“Yes.”90

“Good. I’ll be back later.” He said as he turned to leave.91

“Wait!”92

He looked back at her. “Hm?”93

“Let’s leave now. I could never say goodbye to . . . her without . . . I wouldn’t be able to leave.”94

Dmitri nodded and held out his hand. “Come on, then.”95

Natalie took his hand and paused at the umbrella stand. He stopped her and opened the door. “Best not take anything with us. Just in case it screws something up.”96

“What do you mean?”97

“Our world is less . . . chaotic. It’s more spacious with more green than grey in more ways than one. No smoke, no wagons with Darkened magic—”98

“You mean cars?”99

“Cars? Well, anyway, it’s best we get going before the Gateway closes.”100

“Gateway?” she asked, looking more appalled than Dmitri when she said the ‘Darkened magic wagons’ were cars.101

He chuckled. “I’ll be teaching you more than you’ll be teaching me for a while. Now, I wonder if it would be raining there if it is here . . .”102

Dmitri absently led the way across the street and farther down for some time. The Gateway wasn’t as close to the house as he had imagined, but it was considerably closer to the house than the park. He led her behind an old post office, and remembered that it had two metal boxes in the back. This one had two. Natalie shivered, he could feel it even though he held her wrist.103

“Here,” He said after he found the arch. Instead of wood, the air shimmered. In a hushed voice he said, “Light magic . . .”104

“So I have to go through there?” she said.105

He tightened his hold on her wrist. “Yes.”106

“Okay, then! Let’s go!” She pulled him through the Gateway, and tripped and fell forward.107

Dmitri, in the shock of passing through the Gateway, let go of her wrist. Charles was more alert than anyone at the moment and grabbed Natalie by the shoulder before she hit the ground. Her small hands were clenched in the folds of his thin jacket. Rachel shrieked and fell to her knees, but quickly recovered when Arden cursed loudly.108

“Are you . . . okay?” he said softly in a quiet voice, searching Natalie’s eyes and letting go of her arms.109

“Um, yeah. Thanks.” She said as she brushed her self down.110

Charles was as tall and as old as Dmitri, and built the same way, too: with amble joints and such to live on one’s own for a long time. He had sandy-blond hair and was as tan as Arden, who was the darkest of the four in the summers, as well as warm blue eyes that Rachel remarked were just like sapphires. She had also commented on how much he looked like royalty.111

“Dmitri, the arch—” Arden warned.112

“Yes.” Dmitri kicked the arch, and it collapsed to piles of wood.113

Rachel was still on her knees, mouth open. “Didn’t you . . . didn’t you nail the thing until it wouldn’t budge no matter what?”114

“The magic weakened it Rachel. Most Gateways, the ones of legend at least, were only strong enough to last one journey. I’m surprised this one didn’t split Dmitri in half as soon as it realized one soul passed through.” Arden explained.115

She didn’t look as if she understood any more than before, but she knew that a religious debate was not what they all wanted to put up with at the moment. She looked over at Charles, who was explaining everything about the Gateway and what they were doing to their new traveler as she huddled under a blanket, trying to dry off. Near the pile of wood that had now begun to smolder and smoke unnaturally, Arden was arguing—or debating—with Dmitri over what had happened in the other world. She realized her place wasn’t in either conversation because Arden and Dmitri were their own men and the poor new girl shouldn’t be overwhelmed so soon. Rachel then began to gather a few of the smoldering logs in the hopes of lighting a fire. After a while, Charles joined her commenting only to point out that the girl’s name was Natalie and she was going to rest a bit. To relieve shock, he added.116

“Hm, poor girl.” She said.117

“More shocked than Dmitri expected, it seems.”118

Arden came over and joined them, staring silently into the flames.119

The three just sat, occasionally talking while Natalie slept. Dmitri had moved over to where they all slept. She was sleeping fitfully in Rachel’s spot.120

He knelt and stared at her face, twisted in something he couldn’t identify. The poor thing was what everyone had concluded. Though he had to admit she was something else. He wasn’t sure how or why, but he was drawn to her like flies to honey. After a few minutes, the fitful movements stopped and he sat on the ground, crossing his legs.121

“You aren’t really asleep, are you?” he asked quietly.122

Natalie sat up but kept her eyes on her lap. “No. Not anymore.”123

“You don’t have to stay.” He offered. “As soon as we can find another place to build a Gateway . . . you can go home.”124

She shook her head. “You said this was my home. I want to find out why.”125

He smiled crookedly, his expression sad. “Honestly, though—”126

“I want to stay.”127

“Okay, then.” He paused. “It hasn’t even been . . . that was like a lifetime I just used to go and come back. I think I’ll try to sleep. Feel free to go join Charles and the others. The girl is—”128

“Rachel. I know. Get some sleep, Dmitri.” She looked at him, her eyes clouded over by thoughts and emotions he couldn’t read.129

“You should rest, too.”130

“Sleep well.” She said sternly as she left.131

He yawned and put his face in his hands. He scooted himself to the opposite side of the ‘bedroom’ and lay down on his flimsy bed, his eyes still closed. The scene from her house was frozen in his mind’s eye, endlessly repeating the moment when he introduced himself. The look on her face . . . 132

“I don’t suppose . . . you’ll tell me your name?”133

“Not until you state you business, Jack.”134

“Jack?”135

“Ass.”136

He smiled and eventually fell asleep.