Nevermore's End

Nevermore’s End1

A tale of fantasy.2

Prologue3

When I was young, my grandmother told me stories about mystical worlds and paradises that used to exist once but are now either hidden away from mortals, or in a state of ruin and decay. I vowed to myself that I would travel the whole world and find these places, and come home with treasure chests spilling with gold and jewels, and jars of spices and exotic pickles. It was considered a respectable profession, to be a traveler that is, back then and the romance of it all appealed to me. I would dream of princesses that would feed me grapes and kings that would openly hand over their daughters to me and also give me a quite handsome dowry. 4

But I traveled the whole world, was infatuated with my fair share of beautiful ladies, and even been wooed by their fathers, though their brothers never seemed to like me. I would have married one of them too, and settled down, perhaps as a merchant, but one legend kept me wrapped in its enchanting threads-the legend of the dream realm of Nevermore’s End.5

Day One of the Quest6

After relentlessly asking people about the place, I was guided to an inn where the innkeeper was supposed to be the local expert on legends. When I asked him about Nevermore’s End, he casually replied that he had never heard about it. He also warned me that for a young man like me to become forever obsessed with what might be a non-existential place would be foolish. However there was something in his tone that told me he was lying, and I asked whether I could stay there for a while. He replied that I could stay there only for a night and no more. It was a strange request but I complied.7

Day Two of the Quest8

This morning the innkeeper politely asked me to leave, but I refused. I felt that he did not want me to find the place, though I couldn’t wonder why. My curiosity compelled me to request him whether I could stay here another night. He refused, but when I gave him double the coins, the greedy innkeeper immediately allowed me to stay for as many nights as I wanted, provided I paid triple the price on the third night, quadruple the price on the fourth night and so on. I knew that I would have to leave sooner or later, or else I would lose all my coins. 9

Day One in the Realmt10

I had a troubled sleep last night. When I woke up this morning, I realized that I was not in the inn anymore-a strange, but wonderful fragrance greeted me, while I always woke up to the smell of sweat and vomit. I found I was lying under the boughs of a cherry tree. When I got up I knew I had arrived in the realm-it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. It was truly like a dream, as the legends said, except that the morning chill that covered my arms was hardly so. I was surprised I had found the realm in such a short span of time. Strangely enough, the light was not coming in from the sun but from a single large, dazzling white full moon. The sky was cast with purplish-red clouds that surrounded the tall spires of a castle made entirely of ice. The castle rose from a lake with crystal clear water-when I looked into it, I could see my face clearly. Tall mountains rose in the distance. Everything was absolutely still-there was no sound, and there was no life. This strangely chilled me, but I ignored my paranoia and dived into the lake.11

The feel of the icy waters on my body made me feel like I was a snowman-I thought I would die from the cold. I bravely swam onwards, the castle’s beauty drawing me in. I realized that it was too dark to be morning, and too light to be night-I couldn’t say it was dusk either. This was a strange world. Everything in it seemed like it was part of a fairytale. When I finally reached the castle, I was dripping wet, but I was hardly interested in the state of my clothes-I could almost hear angels playing harps in my mind, though there were no angels there. When I stepped inside the castle, the sound of my feet was greeted by a large number of echoes, each coming from large caverns that had been carved out from the castle’s walls. In the middle of the large foyer was a grand staircase of ice that seemed to spiral upwards into eternity. For the first time in my life I felt like a stranger, when usually I blended in with foreign places with ease. 12

I was hesitant to place my feet on the staircase-what if it broke? My paranoia was stupid, yet I found it logical-the staircase seemed so delicate. I moved on slowly, feeling that I could spend an eternity over here, and never grow bored despite the lack of human civilization. I wanted to explore the place’s beauty forever. 13

Suddenly, I heard a moan.14

When I turned around, a feeling of dread rising in my throat, I saw an old hag coming out of one of the caverns. Her grey hair was limp, her hands were trembling and liver spotted, but she in no way looked weak. She looked a complete horror she did. She pointed an accusing finger at me and said, “Go away…this world is not yours.” She crawled back into the cavern, but not before giving me a haunting stare.15

If only I had listened!16

Day Two in the Realm17

I never realized when I went to sleep, but I woke up feeling exceptionally well-refreshed on the staircase! I decided to explore the castle even more. I realized that there were certain levels on the staircase where you could actually step into the caverns. 18

There was one group of caverns filled with old hags like the one I’d seen the day before, and old men too, who were no better than their female counterparts. These, I deduced were the caverns of the past. Remnants of the years before were scattered throughout them-diaries, manuscripts, artifacts-but the caverns were in no way a historian’s paradise. Many of the artifacts were ones I’d never seen of or heard of before. I had a feeling these were not made by humans but by otherworldly creatures. I was tempted to take them, but then I realized that they may be the carriers of hidden curses or spells.19

There was another group of caverns which were dark and forbidding or filled with a mysterious bright light. I deduced these were the caverns of the future-no one could tell what they exactly held. For all I knew the white light could be a trap and the darkness might be a façade.20

The group of caverns that interested me the most was the caverns of the present. Imagine knowing what was happening in the whole world at the same time! I knew for instance, that Columbus of a Spain had discovered a new land. I immediately felt a longing to go back, but my exploration of this strange place was not over. 21

Many a times, the caverns would not concern time but other things. One cavern did not have walls of ice but was made out of mirrors. Each mirror I looked into showed a different vision-one of me on fire, the other of me frozen-which I realized were facets of my personality! Some mirrors did not show anything at all.22

However, not all the caverns were filled with wondrous things. There was a cavern with a floor of bricks. The moment I stepped inside, it began shaking! The bricks started dropping into a dark nothingness, one by one. I got out of that place just when the part of the floor I was standing on fell!23

I think, in a way, those caverns signify life. I could stay here for many years gathering knowledge. I wonder what the other caverns hold.24

Day Three in the Realm25

While I was exploring the caverns again, I found a mysterious girl playing on the staircase. She was surprisingly dark-skinned, though her eyes were a frozen blue-they seemed to stare all the way into my soul. I openly told her that the place was not for children and she’d better return to her parents like any other responsible adult would tell a child. She only laughed and ran away. This led me to believe she lived here.26

I went deep inside the caverns to search the child-till I finally arrived at one of the dark ones that I had avoided. I was about to go back but I heard a child’s playful laugh and was immediately attracted. When I went inside, I came inside another cavern, this one slightly smaller, almost like a room. The little girl I had seen earlier had transformed into a beautiful woman! When I touched her shoulders, a spark ran throughout my body-her skin was as smooth as silk. She turned back and looked at me again and I noticed how her frosty brownish-red lips sparkled. I had never seen such a beauty before. She touched my hand ever so delicately and kissed it. “Welcome traveler,” she said in a strange voice.27

I was so scared of this nymph that I ran away from her, and I could hear her laughing behind me, not too cruel, but lacking amusement.28

Day Four in the Realm29

I had a troubled sleep the night before-I wondered whether the woman was the child I had seen earlier, only grown-up, or whether she was the child’s mother. My question was answered when I found her running up the staircase laughing again. When she saw me, she smiled and kissed my hands again-I felt like an old man compared to her. However, she felt differently, for she said, “You’re handsome traveler.” I felt like running away again, but she seemed to keep me rooted to the spot.30

“Who are you?” I asked.31

She laughed again-how could anyone laugh so many times a day? 32

“You are the stranger, so you should answer that.”33

I told her my name and my occupation, and she laughed whenever I replied-what was it about me that brought happiness to her features? I never even realized how time passed in her company, and the visions in the caverns changed-I began to enjoy her company. She told me that she had been living in the castle with her two brothers for many years; there was no one else living in that world besides them. 34

“Get up!” a deep voice came, and we were shaken out of our reverie. I looked up to see the face of a man with thick, slanting eyebrows, dark eyes, and an olive complexion glaring at both of us. He had a thin build, but a strong, intimidating presence. The girl immediately got up and fled, and he warned me in booming tones, “This place is not for you traveler. Go away till you get entranced too far.”35

Before I could ask what he meant, he disappeared.36

Day Five in the Realm37

I woke up expecting a surprise for me, and I was right-the woman I had talked to earlier that day was sitting next to me, her long hair caressing my face. She kissed me on the cheek and asked me to meet her brothers. I was taken aback by her affection but I agreed. She guided me to a large hall where, along with the surly one I had met yesterday was a mischievous looking one with a grin plastered on his face and eyebrows that did not slant, but went upwards when he greeted me. He was not has handsome as his brother either. I was surprised by the difference between the siblings, both in looks and personality.38

The younger one suddenly transformed into a cat, and grinned. I felt strangely scared of him. “Goodbye sister,” he said, and walked away.39

After introducing me to them, she led me on a tour of the castle, and many other caverns. I even learnt time travel with her. Her ability to travel different dimensions amazed me. I began to view her as a friend. But she viewed me as something else.40

After the tour was finished and we came back to the castle, she told me, “I love you.”41

“Are you joking?” I asked, shocked.42

“No, I’m not,” she said, shyly looking down at the ground.43

“But we’ve known each other only a few days!” I sputtered.44

“But you are the one written in my fate,” she answered.45

“Nonsense,” I said, at which she suddenly grew angry.46

“You can’t tell me what nonsense is and what it is not. I always get what I want. I’m Fate,” she said, “and my brothers are Luck and Destiny. We live far away from the world, so as to not let what we see there affect our judgments and decisions.”47

I was astounded by this new discovery-and also horrified. She had been trying to seduce me the whole while! I was helpless to her charm. But I tried to resist her.48

“You’re a horrible woman,” I said. “You ruin so many people’s lives everyday. You make them your puppets. You can’t possibly love me.”49

Her tone softened, and her eyes grew moist. “Please,” she whispered, “try to understand. We are only bound by the Upper Command,” she said, pointing her finger upwards. “We only do what our magic compels us to do. My poor brothers and I, forever trapped, without asking, without our permission! Of what use is beauty when there’s no one else to appreciate it! We only seek Paradise, but we were denied that! Don’t deny me love at least.” She looked at me with her enchanting blue eyes and I did, momentarily, feel a pang of pity for her, that was soon replaced by anger.50

“Your love is selfish,” I said. “You want to keep me trapped here with you forever, your pawn, instead of letting me go.”51

“Yes I am selfish!” she shrieked. “I deserve to be selfish! So many boons and so many curses I grant, but no one ever thanks me! Everyone thanks Him!” she said, pointing upwards again. 52

“Let me go,” I said sharply. 53

“Let him go,” a booming voice said. I looked up to see the surly one glaring at me. “He is not what I have planned for you.”54

“You can’t win this time Destiny!” she yelled. “You drove all my lovers away, but not this one!”55

“Go to sleep...,” he whispered, “Go to sleep…” He continued looking at me while he said it, and I felt my eyes grow heavy.56

When I woke up, I was back in the inn again, the quietness and stillness of the world replaced by the sound of laughing men.57

Epilogue58

My story is not over yet. After I left the inn, I wandered the dreary desert, thirsty and hungry. I stopped at another in, where again the innkeeper had a mysterious gleam in his eye when he spoke. I had given up my search for magical realms-my experience in that place had made me so exhausted I simply wanted to go home, marry and become a merchant, like my father had.59

I had trouble going to sleep my first night at the inn. Sleep came, but slowly. The last thing I saw before sleeping was the innkeeper standing over me, smiling. It occurred to me how Luck always came in different forms to his sister’s help-and how Destiny, the wiser one, would always interfere in their plans.60

When I woke up, I was under the boughs of the same cherry tree I had found myself beneath on the first day I arrived in this horrible place. I knew I was trapped forever in this cycle of Luck, Fate and Destiny, all three of which would continue bringing me forevermore to Nevermore’s End.61