Through the Portal

William heard a knock at his door just a few minutes after he lay down and a familiar voice called his name. He looked towards the sound and smiled. “Come in, Josie.”

The child opened the door and looked at him, her silhouette outlined by the hallway lights. “I don’t want to sleep by myself.”

He lifted the covers and she climbed into bed beside him. “Soon, you’re going to be too old for this.”

“I’ll be as strong as you are, right?” She smiled and closed her eyes.

He pushed a curl out of her face. “Stronger, I think.”

She giggled. “Nobody could be stronger than you, Will.” She scooted closer, feeling safer with him by her side.

An image of her shaking uncontrollably flashed through his mind and he frowned. He pushed the thought away as he lay beside her, thinking he would do everything in his power to keep her from coming to further harm. He closed his eyes, hoping they were as safe as Katherine insisted.

Henry woke up just as light was beginning to shine through their window. He was anxious to get answers and hadn’t felt like sleeping much. He walked over to the window and stared down at the city below. It seemed different from the night before, but still lively. He wondered if it ever slept. That made him think of the active city they had left behind. It felt like years since they had come to Mirra. Asheville was beginning to seem like a dream.

“You couldn’t sleep, either?” Jake asked, sitting up on the bed. They had been offered their own rooms, but the twins refused to be separated and the large bed easily fit both of them.

Henry turned to him and smiled. “Today’s the day we finally get answers. I don’t see how anyone could sleep.”

His brother nodded and stretched as he stepped out of the bed. “The others probably won’t be up for a while. Care to do a bit of exploring?”

“Are you sure we’re allowed?”

Jake gave him a mischievous grin. “Since when does that matter?”

Henry returned the smile and they pulled on some shoes before heading out.

There seemed to be endless hallways and rooms to the palace. The twins walked quietly down them, doing their best not to wake anyone. When they found a flight of steps heading upwards, they started climbing, wanting to see where they went. Eventually, they found a door that led them out onto the roof of the palace. Henry stepped out first and stopped in his tracks.

A girl stood in front of them, her head tilted upwards, as though she was praying to the colorful sky. She was young, maybe fourteen. She had long, blonde hair that fell down her back in waves. She wore a pale blue dress with silver embroidery. Her eyes were also a pale blue. She looked at them, in surprise, and Henry thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

“Sorry.” Jake smiled at her. “We didn’t mean to startle you. We were just wandering around.”

“No, it’s fine.” She smiled at them, in return. “You came here with the guardian, didn’t you?”

He nodded. “I’m Jake and this is my brother, Henry.”

Henry realized he was staring and he blushed. “Hi.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she replied. “I’m Gabriella. I suppose I am the guardian’s future sister-in-law.”

Jake considered that. “So, that would mean Nicholas is your brother?”

She nodded.

“But that would make you a princess!” Henry blurted it out and immediately felt like an idiot. Pretty girls had a way of making him feel extra-foolish.

Gabriella giggled. “I suppose it would.” She gave a curtsey. “I’m sorry, but I must be going, now. I have studies and Nicholas will be upset if I skip them. It was nice to meet you, Jake and Henry.”

“Nice to meet you,” Henry mumbled as she left.

Jake looked at his brother’s expression and smiled, easily reading his mind. He stepped out onto the roof and looked down at the people wandering the streets far below. “It is certainly a nice city.”

“Yes,” Henry agreed, his gaze still fixed on the door Gabriella had left through. “It really is.”

The twins managed to find the rest of the group and they all had breakfast in a dining area that seemed to have been built to seat half the city. They sat on one end of a ridiculously long table, eating bread and fruit in silence. Katherine had insisted they eat before she told them what was happening. To everyone’s surprise, even Kaelen showed up. He acted as if it were completely normal for a dark elf to be up that early and no one wanted to question him.

Finally, after all their stomachs were full, Katherine and her father led them to a sitting room and waited for the children and elves to take their seats, although the guardians remained standing. Everybody sat, quickly, eager to finally get some answers.

Jeremiah was the first to speak. “I understand you have encountered some shadow creatures, but have not had their significance explained, so we should start there.” Nobody disagreed, so he went on. “There is a dark sorcerer. We call him the shadow master, but he has many different names. We never use his given name because such a thing carries too much weight. That is unimportant, anyway. What is important is that he poses a great threat to Mirra and everyone in it.” He gestured towards the window. “I assume you have all noticed the lights that fill our skies.” The children nodded. “Well, those lights keep this world going, much like your sun does. Actually, those lights are more important. They sustain all life in Mirra and we could not exist without them. However, the shadow master believes his darkness is just as powerful and he seeks to transform Mirra, so that he may control it. You understand why we can’t let that happen, I’m sure.”

“Wait, so there is literally a war between light and darkness?” Jake couldn’t resist commenting on that. It just seemed too cliché to be real. However, Jeremiah gave him a cold look that made the boy regret the comment.

“Yes, but it is no laughing matter,” the guardian told him. “He threatens all life in this realm. The lights grow weaker as his power grows stronger. Katherine and I live by the power of those lights. As they fade, so do we.”

William looked to Katherine, suddenly worried about her. “So, you’ll die if he gets his way?”

She nodded. “But that is the least of our concerns. What he would turn Mirra into would not sustain anything good. The people who survived would be filled by the darkness and you’ve seen what that is like.”

William nodded, remembering the elf that tried to kill him. “So how do you intend to stop him?”

The guardians exchanged a look before Jeremiah resumed speaking. “We have been fighting this war for years, but his power still grows. He tempts people and bends them to his will. We have lost many people to him and we fear we may not have the strength to destroy the darkness. Thus far, we have only been able to hold it back and that becomes increasingly difficult, for as his power grows, ours wanes.”

The group stared at him, none of them liking the idea of darkness overpowering light. They had all read many stories and every one ended with the good guys winning, but this wasn’t the same. Based on Jeremiah’s expression, they knew there was no guarantee that light would be stronger, in the end.

William was the first to find his voice. He looked to Katherine, starting to put some pieces together. “You didn’t bring us to Mirra to be consumed by darkness with your land, so why are we here?”

She swallowed, knowing the time had come to reveal everything. “As guardians, we have different powers that help us protect Mirra. Father has the power to travel between worlds. I have the power to glimpse the future. We call these visions, but it’s really more complicated. I see things and sense things. I don’t often get all the pieces, but I am given enough to perform the task needed.”

“And what kind of vision did you have that brought you to us?” Meredith asked, her gaze fixed on the girl.

Katherine looked down, not wanting to see their expressions. “I saw your masks and I knew you would bear the names of fairies.” She took a breath. “I also sensed that you were destined to save our realm.” She looked at them. “I don’t know how. I thought you would be warriors, but…”

“We’re just children,” William stated the fact they had been reminded of since they came to Mirra. He looked at Katherine. “You still want us to fight, don’t you? You think we can face this shadow master and win.”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “There just wasn’t enough information. I know it is within your power to save us, but I don’t know how.” Her gaze fell on Josie and she felt guiltier than ever. “I came to your world and brought you here because I felt I had no choice.”

“So, you decided not to give us a choice.” Meredith wanted to be angry, but she was mostly frightened. She had seen the shadow wyrm and she didn’t want to meet the person who created it.

“We never said that,” Jeremiah pointed out. He looked at the group, easily drawing their attention. “I have recovered enough that I can open a portal to send you home, if that is your choice. We will not force you to fight our war. You can go back to your old lives and never think on us again, if that is what you want. There is no need for you to risk your lives for a world that isn’t even your own.”

Meredith blinked, surprised by the response. “You would let us leave, even if it means the destruction of your world?”

He nodded. “If we force people to fight on our behalf, we will be no better than the shadow master. You must choose your own path.”

She looked down, not sure what to say.

William looked at him. “Do you expect us to choose now?” It was all happening so fast, he could hardly think straight.

Jeremiah shook his head. “You may take as much time as you need. However, you should try to make your decisions at the same time. As you know, I cannot open the portal very often.”

William nodded his understanding and looked at his group. They all seemed as stunned as him. “Would it be alright if we walked around for a while? I think we need time to process.”

Katherine offered a weak smile. “Feel free to go anywhere you like. You are not prisoners, but honored guests.”

He did his best to return the smile as he stood. The rest of his friends followed him out of the room, half-dazed.

The elves had stayed silent through the meeting, but Valda spoke up, now. “You ask a lot of those children. I am not sure if they are strong enough for such a task.”

“They are,” Kaelen responded, much to everyone’s surprise. As ever, his face was unreadable and his tone cool.

“What makes you so sure?” Tristan demanded. He didn’t like the situation any better than the rest of them. The idea of placing their fate in the hands of Dunyan children seemed insane.

“I have watched them,” Kaelen replied, simply. “Wood elves are always busy doing things, but dark elves are better at waiting and watching. We see things your kind miss.” He held up a hand to stop Valda’s argument. “I mean no offense. However, I have watched those children and I see a strength in them that might surprise you.”

“That’s assuming they stay,” Katherine pointed out. She wasn’t sure whether she was hoping they would stay or go.

“Well, that decision is up to them, now.” Kaelen stood and headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Valda demanded.

“Bed,” Kaelen answered, never looking back. “It is much too early to be awake.” He exited the room without another word.

The children separated as soon as they were out of the room, each needing space to think. The twins went one way and Meredith went another. Josie stayed by William’s side, holding onto his hand. She looked up at him. “I want to stay and help Katherine.”

He gave her hand a squeeze and nodded. “So do I.”

As much as he hated the idea of putting his friends in danger, he couldn’t allow a whole world to be destroyed for their sake. When he thought of Katherine fading away, he knew he couldn’t leave her. Even so, he couldn’t ask them to risk their lives. It had to be a decision each made alone.

He looked down at Josie and smiled. “Shall we explore the palace, a bit?”

She nodded and returned the smile, allowing him to lead her down a hallway.

Meredith wandered through the palace until she found an exit. She looked around, uncertainly. There were maids mulling about, but no one seemed to be trying to stop her from leaving, so she stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air, willing her mind to stop spinning. She looked at the busy shops and all the people going about their daily tasks. She stepped into the crowd and started walking with no destination in mind. She figured she could always find her way back to the palace. It was impossible to miss, after all.

“What do you think?” Henry asked as he walked beside his brother.

Jake shrugged. “I don’t really want to leave this place to ruin, but I don’t know if we can help that much.” He thought of Galen, who had been so kind to him. He remembered promising to visit him, again, and the idea of the healer being filled with darkness was enough to make Jake willing to risk his own life. However, he was more hesitant to suggest his twin stay to help and he knew Henry would never leave him behind.

“It’s not really our fight, right?” Henry felt guilty for saying that, but he was scared. He wasn’t a fighter. He liked fairy tales, but he never planned to be part of one. He wasn’t a daring prince. He was just a stupid teenager. They walked in silence for a little while. As they rounded a corner, he ran into someone and stumbled backward. “Sorry.” He felt his cheeks heating up as he realized he had run into Gabriella. “I’m really sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“It’s fine,” she assured him with a smile. “I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.” She looked at the pair. “I heard the guardians talked to you. That would make anyone a little heavy-minded.”

“It’s a big decision,” Jake admitted when he realized Henry was too busy staring at the girl to say anything. “We were just discussing it, actually.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to say something to pressure you, either way,” Gabriella told them. “We can’t expect you to fight our battles.”

“They could be our battles, too.” The words were out of Henry’s mouth before he knew where they came from. He felt his cheeks growing redder and cleared his throat. “I mean…we really like Mirra and we didn’t have much going for us back home.”

She cocked her head (which Henry found to be unlawfully cute) and her big eyes studied him. “What about your parents?”

“None of those,” he replied, simply. “It’s just us and our friends.”

“How sad.” Her voice held honest sympathy. “I lost my parents a few years ago, so I understand how hard it can be. Family is very important, after all.”

Henry nodded his agreement. “There’s nothing that matters more.”

“Indeed.” She offered him another smile. “Well, it was nice seeing you again. Perhaps, I will see you around more.”

“Perhaps.” He couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from her face.

“You might see me around, too,” Jake told her, cheerfully.

She smiled at him, as well, and walked away, not seeming to notice that Henry was staring after her.

“You’d might want to close your mouth before you start drooling,” Jake suggested.

Henry seemed to be pulled from a daze by his words. “Shut up.” He began walking away and Jake grinned as he followed, realizing that they wouldn’t be leaving Mirra anytime soon. He was a little surprised by how happy that made him.

Meredith walked around the city for a while, taking in the sights. There were shops and stalls like in Asheville, but that was where the similarities ended. She had always thought her home city was full of strange people, but this was a whole new level. “Race” didn’t refer to black or white. It meant elf, dwarf, human and various other beings that called the city home. It was all so unfamiliar. She had never really had a place to call home, but she found it hard to believe that she could ever live in such a strange place. She couldn’t imagine fitting in there.

Those thoughts were rushing through her mind when a nearby sight caused her to stop in her tracks. On a stone wall sat a young girl, reading a book. She had long, brown hair hanging down around her face. Her feet dangled off the wall and she paid no mind to the activity going on around her. It was exactly the kind of thing Meredith had done when she was younger.

She couldn’t resist walking over and smiling at the child. “Good book?”

The little girl looked up, clearly startled. Her eyes widened as she stared at Meredith, looking like she might run away.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Meredith assured her, quickly. “I was just wondering about what you were reading.”

The girl continued staring at her, blankly, for a few seconds. “I don’t know you.”

Meredith couldn’t help smiling at that. “Sorry. I’m Meredith. What’s your name?”

She seemed to think about it for a moment. “Chloe.”

“I like that name.” Meredith gestured toward the wall beside her. “May I sit down?”

Chloe looked at the wall. “Okay.”

Meredith sat beside the girl, looking her over. “So where are your parents?” She looked around, trying to figure out if anyone was keeping an eye on the girl who didn’t look to be much older than Josie.

“They left,” Chloe replied, vaguely, staring down at her book.

“Are they going to pick you up, later?” Meredith asked.

“No.” Chloe’s voice was soft and the teenager started to understand the situation.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She paused, trying to think of a good thing to say. “My parents are gone, too.”

“They’re not coming back.” Chloe still didn’t look at her.

“Neither are mine,” Meredith replied. The pair sat in silence for a little while. Meredith didn’t know if Chloe was actually reading her book, but she knew there was nothing more to say to the child. As daylight began to fade, Meredith looked at her, taking a breath. “You have somewhere to stay at night, right?”

Chloe nodded and closed her book, looking at the sky. “I should probably go.”

Meredith offered her a warm smile. “Would it be okay if I walked you home?”

“Okay.” She pushed herself off the wall and started walking.

Meredith followed behind, wondering if she was always so quiet. They reached a building that was larger than the houses. Some children ran past Meredith, nearly knocking her over.

A flustered woman called out and they turned to face her.

“You nearly ran her over,” the woman scolded. “You should apologize.” The children looked at their feet and mumbled apologies. The woman looked at Meredith. “Are you alright?”

She nodded and smiled. “No harm done. They’re just playing.”

The woman returned the smile. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you around before.”

“No. I’m rather new.” She wasn’t eager to go into detail. She looked at the children, who were running around, again. “Are they yours?”

“Sort of.” The woman brushed some hair out of her face. “I run the orphanage.”

Meredith’s eyes widened. “Oh. I suppose that must be a difficult job.” She looked at Chloe, who barely seemed to be paying attention.

The woman smiled at the child. “Well, it’s good to see you back, safe and sound.”

Chloe nodded and ran into the building without a word.

Meredith frowned as she watched her go.

The woman sighed and looked back at Meredith. “Most of these kids lose their parents in the war. It’s difficult to help them cope with such a thing. Chloe is no exception.” She cleared her throat. “But I guess you don’t need to hear about that.”

Meredith paused, looking at the door where Chloe had disappeared, then watching the other children play. “Actually, I think that was exactly what I needed to hear.” She realized that she had known what her answer would be from the beginning. She just needed something to make her figure it out.

That night, the group gathered in William’s room to discuss their plans. For a while, they all stood around in awkward silence, nobody wanting to be the first to say what they were thinking.

Finally, William stepped forward and looked at the group. “I guess we’ll do this the simple way. Raise your hand if you want to stay in Mirra.”

They all looked at each other, nobody moving, at first. Slowly, Josie lifted her hand into the air, raising it over her head. “I want to help Katherine.”

William smiled at her and raised his hand. “So do I.”

Meredith took a breath and raised her hand. “I can’t let a whole world fall to ruins just because I’m scared.”

“Same here.” Henry raised his hand.

Jake shrugged and raised his, as well. “It’s not like I have anything better to do back home.”

William smiled at them and nodded his approval of their decision. “I suppose all that’s left is to tell Katherine.”

“And then face almost certain death.” Jake made his voice as cheerful as possible, but nobody laughed.

The room fell silent until Josie spoke up. “We’ll be alright. I know we will. The good guys always win, right?”

The group nodded, but they weren’t convinced. Thinking back to their stories, they couldn’t help but remember how often the good guys died or lost people they loved in their efforts to save the world. They looked at each other, wondering if they would really all make it out alive. However, nobody was willing to voice that idea.

Tristan stood outside the room. He had seen them all go in and listened to the conversation. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard them each decide to stay.

“I was right, wasn’t I?” Kaelen was standing nearby and looking at the wood elf.

Tristan looked away. “The children have decided to help us. That’s a good thing, I suppose.”

“You are worried for them,” the dark elf commented, watching his expression.

“Why should I care what happens to some foolish Dunyans?” Tristan demanded, not meeting his gaze.

“Because you are not as cold as you pretend to be,” Kaelen replied, simply. “Dark elves see these things, remember?”

Tristan was about to respond when the door opened to reveal the group, getting ready to leave. He looked at them, showing no emotion. “So, you’re staying.”

William nodded, deciding not to ask what the elves were doing there. “We all are. We want to help, if we can.”

“I don’t know how much help you can be,” Tristan told him, then sighed. “Well, I suppose you might as well run along to tell our lady. I’m sure she will be relieved.”

William nodded, glancing between the elves as he led the group away.

Once they were out of earshot, Tristan looked back to Kaelen. “I suppose you’ll be heading home, soon.

The dark elf thought about that, but shook his head. “I think I might stay a little longer.” He watched the path the children had taken. “After all, the real fight is just about to begin. It would be dishonorable for me to leave, now.”

“We don’t need a dark elf.”

“No more than you need the Dunyans,” Kaelen retorted. “I get the feeling we will all have parts to play in this fight. Even my people don’t want the world to be consumed by darkness, after all.”

Tristan looked at him. “I can’t seem to figure out what is going on in your head.”

Kaelen held his gaze, but didn’t respond. “I’m going to go see how our lady is taking the good news.” He headed towards her room.

Tristan followed after him, not wanting a dark elf to see something he missed.