by Teri Barnett
Bethany leaned forward. “Can the priestess be stopped?”
“The legends say she can be killed…” Her eyes narrowed as she continued to weave. “I am sorry, they do not reveal how it can be done. It will be up to you to discover the truth on your journey.”
“Do you know any stories of travelers from the Earth plane?”
Maud’s eyes widened. Her hands fell to her sides and the illuminated fabric burst into flames and disappeared. Maud’s gaze locked with Bethany’s. “Why do you ask?”
“In my vision, I saw a woman. She came from Earth and carried the Book of Eitel with her. I have the box she brought, with the manuscript, but no key. I read the container and found out that whoever forces the lock will die.” Bethany took hold of Maud’s hands to show her what her vision had been but instead she saw a glimpse into the old one’s past…
There, in the darkness of her mind, she saw Maud as a child, walking between a young couple, her hands clasped in theirs. Maud and the woman were wearing matching bright dresses made of a soft light blue fabric, decorated with tiny yellow flowers. The young man wore trousers with a crisp white shirt and suspenders, a hat at a jaunty angle on his head. They strolled along the side of a mountain, smiling and singing as they walked.
With a gasp, Bethany let go of Maud’s hands. “You’re from Earth!” she exclaimed. “I wasn’t sure it was possible.”
“Of course it’s possible, if you know the secrets.” Maud chuckled. “But, I’m not truly an Earth being. It was my mother who crossed the planes. I’m part of Earth and part of Keilah, as my father is from Paran.”
“How do I get there? I need to seek out the traveler’s husband and find what he knows of her connection to Eitel.”
“Why haven’t you looked for the traveler herself?” Maud asked.
“I believe she’s dead. I saw flames shooting up around the woman and the man who followed her in my vision. And there was a great deal of ash and bone fragments at the Digger site where I was working and the book was found.” Bethany shivered.
“Hmm, I see.” Maud was silent for a moment. “Well, it’s a dangerous journey to the Earth plane but, as one Knower to another, I won’t try to stop you. Whatever I tell you, though, you must not repeat. Not everyone is suited for traveling in such a way.”
“Agreed.”
“Good. Now, do you know the stories of the portal?” Maud asked.
Bethany nodded. “Some.”
“Travel to the mountains in the north. There, you’ll find a sheer wall of solid stone. Look closely for a break about a hand’s breadth wide.” Maud held up her hand sideways. “Look closer still and you’ll also see a blue glow. Call out to the Keeper for permission to enter. His name is Zachariah.”
“He will let me pass?”
Maud shrugged. “Only if it suits him.”
Bethany rose to leave. “Thank you for sharing your stories with me, Maud.” She reached into her waist pouch and extracted a small gold ingot. She pressed it into Maud’s palm. “Peace to you, Sister.”
Bethany left the hut and took a deep cleansing breath. “Zachariah will let me pass,” she whispered. “He has to.”
Chapter 5
As the moon reached its apex in the night sky, Bethany emerged from her resting place in the hollow of a tree and began her journey north. Not wanting to draw undue attention from anyone who might be nearby, she paused for a moment and bound her golden tresses tightly to her head lest they attract the moon’s glow. She reached into her pouch and extracted a long wooden pin, fastening the knot in place.
A breeze swirled around her, and the small hollow bones in her earrings caught the wind and whistled. It was a low, primeval moan, carrying the song of the soul.
She shivered and hugged her arms tightly about her as she walked, pulling her shawl close.
Winter will soon be here… I must find Sarah before the ice storms start.
Once the ice came, the people of Paran would be house-bound because of the dangerous shards that fell from the sky.
Bethany made her way through rough terrain, crowded by giant conifers and jagged rocks until she arrived at a clearing in the midst of it all. Able to see the sky, she looked up and surveyed the stars. Though they were beginning to fade with the rising of the sun, their position told her she wasn’t far from her destination. Finally, at full light, she reached the mountains.
As Bethany continued northward, the landscape changed drastically. The tall conifers disappeared, replaced with low, dense brush. Already, the heavy frosts that preceded the ice storms had started to kill the foliage, turning it a rusty brown. The rocks grew in size the farther she traveled, impeding her progress.
As she climbed over a boulder, something caught her eye. She stopped and examined the flat wall of shale before her. A soft blue glow emanated from a crack in the side of the mountain, just as Maud said it would. Bethany leapt down from the boulder and approached the opening cautiously.
“Who are you?” a loud voice bellowed from within the stone.
So the stories were true! There really was a Keeper. And a portal. She fought to steady her nerves. “I am Bethany M’Doro, Sir.”
“What is it you seek, Bethany M’Doro?”
“Zachariah, the Keeper of the Portal.”
“If it’s your fortune you want told, he’s not working today. Don’t waste your time here. Leave now.”
Of course, she should have expected this. The legends said the Keeper was able to reveal the future. “I don’t seek a reading, Sir, nor am I going anywhere until I talk to Zachariah himself.”
Bethany stood her ground, waiting for a reply. After several moments, the stones started to shake. She took a step backward, her eyes wide. Slowly, the crevice in the mountain opened, a loud scraping sound filled the air. Behind the wall of rock, a floating mass of color was revealed—milky opal, filled with fiery bursts of color. She waited until the opening was wide enough to slip through then, bracing herself, entered the portal. As she walked, a deep vibration shook her body.
Once through the opal fog, Bethany struggled to gain her footing. She took a step forward and reached a large window, blinking against the brightness that emanated from the other side. Here, in the world between the planes, two suns rotated around each other filling the sky almost completely with their light.
“Come away from the window, you,” a voice called impatiently from behind her. “Those mortal eyes of yours will burn out if you stay there staring like that.”
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, turning away from the light. As she did so, her vision filled with the sight of a huge pyramid-shaped hall, hewn from the solid rock. Here and there were paintings encrusted with multi-colored gems set into the stone walls. The wind that passed from her world to this one swirled around her feet, tugging at the bottom of her heavy cotton leggings.
“Mmm. I suppose, but it is within this beauty that lies the danger. Allow yourself to become entangled in the spell those suns cast and you’ll live the remainder of your life a slave.” The man turned around to face Bethany squarely. “A slave to darkness.”
Bethany took a step backward as her stomach lurched. The man’s eyes were as milky white as the portal she had just crossed. “I see you must speak from experience, Sir.”
“So it would seem.” The man laughed, the deep rattling sound echoing through the chamber. “So it would seem.”
“Are you Zachariah?” Bethany asked. The man before her didn’t quite fit her image of what a Keeper should look like with his bald head and long white mustache. But then, she didn’t really have a point of reference.
“I am.” He motioned with his hand toward a pair of gilt chairs positioned before a great fireplace. “Sit with me.”
Bethany obliged nervously, waiting until Zachariah had taken his place before sitting down. When she did, the soft red and purple velve
t cushions molded around her body. After walking for so many hours she was exhausted. The muscles in her legs tightened and cramped. She gasped and had to massage her thighs to lessen the ache.
She leaned against the high back of the chair, focusing on Zachariah. Around his body hovered what seemed dust motes of varying colors.
The shades of life.
The outermost ring was composed of light blue particles, followed by indigo and, finally, deep purple. The colors reflected his great knowledge and deep spirituality.
“I need your help, Zachariah,” she began.
“As does everyone who crosses the portal.” He sighed and shook his head wearily. “But then, you did say you didn’t want to know your fortune, didn’t you?” He cocked his head toward her, waiting for a response.
She nodded and her earrings chimed together. “I wish to travel to the Earth plane. I seek answers to my daughter’s disappearance.”
Zachariah snorted. “What makes you think they can be found there? Many have sought to journey and return disappointed.
Bethany shifted in her chair. There wasn’t time for lengthy explanations, but she forced herself to calmly speak of her need. “I believe my child was taken by the Eitellans. The Eitellans are—”
“I know who the Eitellans are, Bethany M’Doro. Don’t belabor your story,” Zachariah interrupted.
She eyed the man intently before continuing. “I don’t appreciate your rudeness, Sir. I was merely trying to tell you the sequence of events that brought me here. My daughter Sarah has disappeared. My only clue in finding her at this time is a man from the Earth plane, Connor Jessup.” She crossed her arms against her chest. “Was that brief enough for you?”
Zachariah chuckled. “You do have fire, girl. I’ll give you that. No one has addressed me in such a tone in a long time. I must say I find it quite refreshing.”
Bethany took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Good. She hadn’t angered him. “So, will you let me pass?”
“Not so fast. First, we’ll need to see what we can find out about this Connor Jessup. You just can’t go running across the planes without any kind of direction, you know!” He twirled the long hairs of his mustache thoughtfully. “And, there’s the matter of payment.”
“Payment?” Bethany echoed.
“You didn’t think I’d let you pass without some kind of retribution, did you?”
“No, no. Of course not,” Bethany murmured. “I have modest means, but I’ll try to pay whatever you demand.”
“There now. That’s what I like to hear. But, what could you give me that I don’t already have? I don’t need food or gold.” He smiled slyly. “I know! I think I’ll take one of those eyes of yours.”
Bethany jumped to her feet. “My eye? You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m quite serious. It’s the only thing I really need at this point in my life. Mark my words, though.” He shook his fist toward the window. The ruby ring he wore glinted in the light, casting a red beam onto the smooth stone floor. “This time I’ll not let those blasted suns ruin it.”
“You really mean it.” Bethany fell back into the chair. She closed first one eye, then the other, trying to imagine a world with single vision.
Would the loss affect the Knowing?
It didn’t really matter, though. Had she been asked, she’d gladly have given her life to save Sarah’s. If an eye was the price of passage, she would pay it.
“All right, Zachariah. I’ll give what you ask of me.”
Zachariah tilted his head to one side. If he had been able to see, Bethany would have guessed he was considering her sincerity. She shifted uncomfortably, needing to be on her way. Every moment delayed meant that much longer before she would be able to help Sarah.
“I said I’d give you an eye, Zachariah. But there’s something I must tell you.” She leaned forward. “I’m a Knower and there’s a chance this power may be transferred with the eye. You may get more than you bargained for.”
Zachariah waved his hand. “None of that matters to me. The chance to see this world of mine again is all I want.” He stood slowly and motioned for her to come nearer. “I grow weary of this chatter. Here. Stand directly in front of me.” He took hold of her shoulders and steadied her. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he felt a slight dampness.
“What’s this? Crying are we?”
“Please, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Bethany’s mind was in a whirl. She wondered again what life would be like with only single sight. Would the extraction be painful? She cringed. For a brief moment, vanity overcame her. What would she look like? Would children run from the one-eyed woman? Bethany took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts away. “I’m ready. Take the eye.”
“Close them, then.”
Bethany looked at the man, taken aback. “How can you take it if my eyes are closed?”
“It’s a simple magical process I use. The transference will take place quickly and painlessly. Well, almost painlessly. Now, do as I say.”
She complied. So much in her world was beyond belief these days, why should she question this? Zachariah moved his hands from the sides of her face. His fingers traced the lines of her profile— the pert nose, full lips, and wide set eyes. “I’ll bet you’re considered quite lovely in your world, aren’t you?”
Bethany found it impossible to answer as she steeled herself against the pain Zachariah spoke of.
“And so serious, I see.” Zachariah moved his hands again, placing an index finger over each eye. “Let’s see. Which one shall I take?”
“Take whichever one pleases you the most. It doesn’t matter to me. Just do it now!”
Zachariah paused for a moment, then deposited a light kiss on her forehead. He lowered his hands. “There now, that didn’t hurt too much, did it?”
Bethany stood frozen. Actually, it hadn’t hurt at all. She slowly opened her eyes. The room came into complete focus. “Zachariah, what’s going on here? I can still see perfectly.”
He laughed. “Of course, you can. What use would I have for sight at my age? There’s nothing left that I haven’t already seen.” He shuffled over to his seat near the fire and sat down. Bethany was fast on his heels.
“Why did you put me through that? Is this how you amuse yourself?”
Zachariah leaned forward, his face serious. “Listen to me, Bethany M’Doro. What just happened was neither for my pleasure nor for your agony. It was a test.”
“A test?” she repeated quietly, sinking into her chair.
“Of course. Do you think I grant passage to just anyone? This is a serious thing, traveling between the planes. I had to be certain of your commitment to your goal. If you would seek this man, Connor Jessup, then I will help you find him. There is one condition, though.”
Bethany looked at the man warily. She’d had enough of his games. “What now?”
“You won’t be allowed to cross over to Earth in the physical form.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re too emotionally involved with this quest of yours. You could become locked into that plane with no hope of ever returning to Keilah. What good would you be to your daughter then?” He stood and walked over to the window, his face toward the suns. “I will, however, permit you to travel as a shadow. Being a Knower, you should have no problem with this form of mental imagery.”
“A shadow? I fail to see what good that will do me. I need to talk to the man and find out what he knows.” She stood next to Zachariah and placed her hand on his arm. “Is there no other way?”
“Not for you, Bethany M’Doro. Not for you.” He turned to face her. “But if you can draw him to the portal’s entry in his world, I will allow him to cross over to this place, the same as I allowed you. You can talk to him here.” He held out his hand. “We need to consult the Akashic Records to see exactly where
–and when-this Connor Jessup exists.”
Chapter 6
Bethany followed Zachariah down a long winding corridor. The ceiling was high and vaulted and, though carved from the mountain, glowed with its own light. She looked closer, realizing the entire surface of the passageway was covered with a thin layer of gold. Bethany ran her hand along the wall as she walked, feeling the uneven texture of the plating against the rock.
“How did this place come to be?” she whispered.
“The portal was created by an ancient race of beings known as the Aztecs. They lived on the plane of Tectal and were often visited by travelers from other planes. These people came to admire the Aztec’s great ability to form gold and jewels into almost any shape.” He stopped walking just as they reached a junction in the passage. “Feel this.” Zachariah ran his hand along the opening’s casing. “Here’s an example of what I mean.”
“It’s beautiful,” Bethany breathed, touching the intricate carvings of panthers and gods, their eyes encrusted with cabochon emeralds and sapphires.
“The Aztec’s contact with these people led them to understand the secrets of crossing from one realm to another. Eventually, they migrated to the Earth plane. During this time, they created the elaborate portal you’re now visiting. One of them became the Keeper. All Keepers after are direct descendants as the duty is passed from parent to child.”
“Do you have any children, Zachariah?”
Zachariah smiled. “I have a son. He is living on the plane of Satore and will return to take over when I die.” He pointed down another hall. “Come, it’s this way to the records.”
Bethany gasped when she stepped over the threshold to the great hall of the Akashic Records. It contained the story of every person’s life who ever existed from all the planes. “How long have the records been kept?” She turned in a slow circle as she took in the magnitude of the hall.