The Portals of Tartae- the Land With the Two Moons

by Marcia Soligo

  “Couldn’t you have remembered this before? Like before we slept?” said Trevor.

  “I still have a hard time remembering this stuff. I’m sorry, Trev. I still don’t feel comfortable using magic; it’s not something that comes easily to me. And if it helps, I had an awful night of sleep too.”

  “What matters now is that you remembered,” continued Trevor, who had a fraternal smile on his face. “Any chance of bringing some horses to us?”

  Olivia laughed and thought about how that would be amazing. But, even though magic was wonderful and full of possibilities, it didn’t work that way, and she still didn’t know most of it. The three of them started to walk, and their breakfast was an apple, which they ate while on their way. All they had now were fruits, mushrooms and leaves that the forest had to offer. It wasn’t bad, but sometimes it didn’t seem quite enough.

  They walked in silence almost the whole time, exchanging only a few words here and there. No one seemed to be up for conversation. They were tired and still quite disturbed by what had happened the previous day. Somehow, those unexpected events made them feel that they should be prepared for everything and that they should always stay together. No one else could get lost. The day was passing and the sun getting stronger, making the temperature rise. At least there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky anymore, and the possibility of another storm seemed blissfully distant.

  “Bran, be honest with us. How long do you think we’ll take to get to where Lars is hiding by foot?” asked Trevor. Bran took a deep breath, and his eyes lost a little bit of light.

  “I don’t know for sure, Trev. It will take longer ...” he answered, clearly disturbed by his own response.

  “I have an idea,” continued Trevor. “Tria is a city, isn’t it? We need to go there and find ourselves some horses.”

  “We can’t expose ourselves, Trevor. No one can see us or recognize us. It could put our plan at risk,” said Bran.

  “Bran, I really think we should consider Trevor’s idea,” said Olivia, meeting Trevor’s eyes, which were full of expectation. “We are losing time and energy walking for so many hours. What will happen when we finally face Lars? Not to mention that we can’t carry much and we don’t have any provisions. And frankly, I don’t think we will catch up with the others anymore. There’s no sign of them; we are too far behind.”

  “And if we are late, the whole plan will be late,” completed Trevor.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea ...” stressed Bran. He was trying hard not to look directly at Olivia and Trevor. He knew that once he did, it would be hard to say no. As if even a simple look was enough to make him change his mind.

  “It’s risky, Bran, but some risks are worth taking,” said Trevor. He knew he was almost winning.

  “Anyway, we are far away from any kind of civilization right now. It’s pointless to try to convince me.”

  “Actually, there isn’t a lot of convincing to do. We are two against one. It’s pretty much settled,” declared Olivia firmly, raising her eyebrows.

  “And who said this is a democracy?” said Bran, smiling.

  “Oh, don’t freak me out even more now, Bran. The last thing I want is to find out that we are trying to help someone who believes in oppressive governments!” joked Trevor.

  Bran paused and still looked quite bothered by this idea, but apparently, going by foot all the way to the Tria Plains didn’t sound very inviting, even to him.

  “All right then. We will need to divert considerably from our way to find somewhere where we can get some horses. If we take a left now, we will get to a village called Lotrium. The only problem is that it’s not that close either,” said Bran.

  “How far?” asked Trevor.

  “About forty miles. One day of travel, give or take,” answered Bran, and Trevor looked a little bummed.

  “It’s not that bad. Come on! If we don’t start, we will never get there.” Olivia tried to sound upbeat. But the truth was that taking that detour would make them lose hours and get further away from Edmund Lars when they were supposed to be doing the exact opposite.

  “I don’t think we have another choice … Not a good one, I mean. We should go, Bran,” said Trevor.

  Bran nodded and took a deep breath. He seemed a little upset but began to guide Olivia and Trevor once more. And off they went through the Ancient Forest, heading to Lotrium.

  Lotrium was a small and humble city of farmers, where Bran hoped that no one would know who they were or who Edmund Lars was. Bran could barely imagine the size of the problem if something went wrong.

  They walked for hours. And since by now they didn’t have a lot to eat, they wouldn’t take long breaks to rest. Normally, they would just grab a fruit from a tree and keep walking and eating along the way. They were now like wild animals, living from what the forest had to offer, like birds and bats. Olivia couldn’t help but think that maybe in Lotrium there would be bread, cake, and potatoes. Things that could give her a little more sustenance.

  Even though the Ancient Forest wasn’t very inviting, it seemed welcoming enough. Other than the storm, they didn’t have any kind of trouble walking around there. And according to Bran, that would happen sometimes. Word had it that people would get trapped, go hungry or lose their minds trying to find their way out of the woods. The forest eagerly wanted to protect itself, but only against those who had bad intentions. However, it made one wonder what the forest judged as a bad intention, and how it would choose to punish them.

  Of course, all of those stories didn’t make their way any easier. Bran tried to hide, but he was a little bit afraid of what might happen between those trees. But the reality was that things were going fairly smooth for them. They were able to find a good amount of fruits any time they wanted, all the paths they chose were clear, they could find water even on leaves, and they didn’t see any dangerous wild animal prowling. If it wasn’t for the stories or the murmuring winds, the forest would seem light and pleasing enough at this moment.

  As for Olivia, she couldn’t help but feel that the forest was hurting somehow. She wished that she could heal it and make it breathe a new life with no fear. Olivia didn’t even know if the forest was once that way, carefree and just wildly living. However, she longed for such a time.

  Olivia and Trevor kept following Bran around. The two friends had no idea how Bran knew the way, as it all seemed pretty much the same to them. Finally, after a long time only seeing trees that looked the same, something different created a shadow inside the woods.

  “Look, standing stones,” said Bran, pointing to three standing stones in the middle of the forest, almost hidden between the trees.

  “What is that?” asked Trevor, and they all stopped to admire the stones and the shadows they cast on the forest floor.

  “They were put there by old forest folk, who lived in older, much older times. They are some sort of reverence to nature and a place of meditation, or a temple. I read about them when we were at Belenos’. Nowadays, they are not as common, that’s why we don’t see them very often,” said Olivia. “People believed that the first Portals would happen there. They would appear inside the circle of standing stones because of all the energy they channel. But that is just an old saying. No one is sure about that.”

  “They are usually hidden in the forests, sometimes built inside a clearing, sometimes like they are here. In between the trees. Here in Tartae, we take good care of them. We don’t dare to put them down. Which is great, because they sure are magnificent,” said Bran.

  “Wow. I’ve never heard about it. They feel old, that much I can tell.” Trevor was analyzing the stones from afar. The stones were strong and full of energy. They were magnificent, as some kind of a portrait of old times. A picture of old lore and beliefs that had been forgotten.

  Olivia walked toward the stones, stepping into the carpet of tiny yellow wildflowers on the ground.

  “Olie, we don’t have time. We must keep going,” said Bran.

&n
bsp; “I know, but it’ll only take a minute. I need to get closer. I’ll probably never have this opportunity again.” Olivia got closer to the stones while Trevor and Bran only watched her. The scent of the wildflowers got so strong that she could almost taste them, and then, when she was already under a stone’s shadow, she touched it. Immediately a rush of energy ran through her body, and she felt loved and full.

  “Can we go now, Olie? I’m worried. We must go on,” insisted Bran. Olivia looked at him and wished she had more time.

  “Okay, okay. I’m going!” said Olivia, smiling. She turned her head briefly to the stones and whispered, “Thank you.” She had no idea why she said that, the words just jumped out of her heart.

  As they kept moving forward, the energy in the group got a little lighter. Maybe because the stones were truly powerful and gave them more stamina to keep going, or because Olivia, Trevor, and Bran had a little time to chat, and that alone already made them happier and less tense.

  They had been walking and running the whole day, and now the sun was almost setting. Every night in the forest was a challenge: the blasts of wind were harsh and loud, and the mist would come up and cover the grounds quickly. By now, Olivia truly believed that there was no danger in all of that, but she would still get goosebumps. And they knew that as soon as the mists were born, they couldn’t run through the forest anymore. It was hard to see even a foot in front of them when that happened; it was as though the forest was telling them to stop and rest and keep on only tomorrow when it was day and warmer.

  Olivia, Bran, and Trevor saw one more dusk from inside the woods. Now that the close of the day was near, they were running fast, trying to get the best of the time they still had today. Olivia was exhausted, her heart pounding and her throat completely dry. It was time to stop and rest, but she didn’t dare to say anything. She knew what was at stake now; they had no time to lose.

  After a while of running like three crazy wolves through the dark forest, they stopped.

  “We can stay here for tonight. Let’s rest now … I’m sure we all need it,” said Bran, almost out of breath.

  They all sat down next to a giant fallen tree. Its big trunk and roots would make a good shelter for the night, and the place looked fairly cozy, considering the conditions provided in these surroundings. All around them were more trees and ferns, and now the mists were already very tall and thick.

  “That was a good call to stop,” said Olivia, studying the rising mist.

  “Sure was …” agreed Trevor. “Bran, have we been here before? I mean, me and Olivia.”

  “No, this is the first time for you two. So, no need to blame yourselves for not knowing the way.”

  “I’m not blaming myself for anything … I had no say in any of this,” said Trevor.

  “You say that, but I understand that you two put too much pressure on yourselves. I wish I could help more, truly.”

  “Were you always with us when we came here before this time?” asked Olivia. Intrigued by what they could discover. The night was young still, and they weren’t feeling that sleepy yet. There was time for a conversation, something that seemed very rare in Tartae. At least for them.

  “Pretty much,” answered Bran. “But you were just with Cordella sometimes, especially in the beginning. I believe she was teaching you more about magic, Tartae’s history, and even heavier and more dangerous stuff. You two would always look more serious after those times with Cordella, and I know that learning some things about our history might be quite depressing. I’ve been there too.”

  “Yeah … I guess if I learned all at once about what happened in our world, I would be bummed too. There’s so much darkness that sometimes it’s hard to believe there’s also light,” said Trevor. After a brief pause, he continued, changing his tone a bit. “And what have we done all those times? Because sometimes, it doesn’t seem that we helped at all. Everything is still so lost. Edmund Lars is still around.”

  “Everything is not lost, Trevor. And you two had helped a lot. At first, you would come and train, learn things about the Portals and magic; you were getting prepared for all that was going to come your way. And you did that for a long time. You see, you had to be prepared for everything. Really, truly prepared. And then, when you were ready, we went on a quest to find the lost Key of the Portal.”

  “And that’s when I got hurt?” asked Olivia, putting together the pieces of the story she already had.

  “Yes, but not as soon as we started,” answered Bran. “We weren’t sure of where the Key was hidden. We were looking for it, asking about it and studying the traces the Keys can leave behind. After a while looking for it, we probably got very close, but we were hunted by trolls. And that’s when you got hurt. But you were not the only one. That was a harsh fight. We must have been pretty close.” Bran seemed sad and a little disturbed by remembering this. Olivia’s eyes were getting heavier as he told the story. She was so tired at this point that not even that could make her stay awake.

  “And there I was in Leve, worrying about my final grades and the fact that my dad couldn’t bear me living at the university dorms … That sounds so stupid now,” said Trevor, shaking his head. Their life in Leve was so distant at this point that it felt like something they read in a book a long time ago.

  “That was your life, Trev. We can’t compare to what we are living now. We didn’t even know that this existed … Sometimes I wished that there was only one world, and Tartae could be shared with everybody from where we came from. But other times, most of the time actually, I think it’s best to keep them separate,” said Olivia, but she was under the impression that she had lost track of her thoughts and nothing was making much sense anymore. “I’m gonna sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  Trevor and Bran followed her cue, and they spent some time still thinking about the conversation they’d just had. Olivia and Trevor couldn’t help but wonder how all of this would be going if they still had their memories. However, by now, after all this time in Tartae, they had almost no hope that this could ever happen. They would have to face everything that had to be faced exactly how they were now.

  They managed to wake very early the next morning. The sky was still dark, but there was no more mist covering the forest ground. They ate some of the fruits they have gathered the day before, and they were soon on their way again, heading to Lotrium.

  Olivia, Bran, and Trevor walked for half a day until the Ancient Forest got less dense, but this change was still very subtle. There wasn’t a sign of civilization yet or any sort of demarcation or trail on the ground. And as for the three friends, there was just a reigning feeling of hope hovering over them. They hoped with all their hearts that there would be someone with horses to spare and maybe a very warm, out of the oven, delicious honey cake. As the path they were on got less wild, the tree roots were getting smaller, and they didn’t jump out of the earth creating obstacles like before. Everything was getting easier, and if not for the weight they felt constantly on their shoulders, they would be relieved and fairly more relaxed with the success they were having until now.

  After a long time marching between pine trees and beeches, the trees were getting spaced out. The sun kissed the forest and passed more easily through the leaves, and the air was not so humid anymore. They walked through somewhere with just a few trees that was full of bluebell flowers, and in the silence of the forest, the sound of swords clanging got louder. Olivia, Trevor, and Bran looked at each other and ran toward the noise, already wielding their weapons.

  They tried to hide between the bushes and tree trunks and slowly got closer to the noise. It didn’t take long for them to see a stone cabin and two children playing with swords that were clearly too big for them.

  “It’s now or never!” exclaimed Trevor, walking toward the hut. But he was quickly held by Bran.

  “No. You two stay here, and I will go,” said Bran. Olivia and Trevor started protesting, only to be interrupted by Bran. “Listen to me. You tw
o are not from Tartae, and it’s pretty noticeable. You stay here, and I will get us some horses.”

  “Try to get some food too! Not that I don’t appreciate fruits, but I’m really hungry. And I wanted to eat something heavier ... you know, heavy carbs,” Olivia said, and Bran nodded, putting away his sword.

  “If something happens to me, you two need to keep moving. Head north and you will eventually arrive in Tria.” Bran then left and walked to where the children were playing.

  “Eventually. Quite encouraging,” said Trevor sarcastically. He and Olivia were now observing their friend from afar, and they were alert, in case those children were not that innocent. They were playing with real swords, for crying out loud. Something could definitely go wrong.

  Bran was talking to the kids, and one of them went inside. It didn’t take long for a middle-aged, short man to come outside the hut. He had just a few hairs on his head and a big round belly that was squeezed inside a blue vest with its buttons about to explode. The man had an inviting smile, making it clear that he didn’t see in Bran any kind of threat and that he didn’t recognize him at all. Bran walked inside the cabin and stayed there for a good thirty minutes until he appeared again, coming from the other side of the hut bringing two horses and a brown paper bag.

  Bran made a discreet sign to Olivia and Trevor. They ran in the direction they had come from and found Bran feeding some carrots to the horses by the shadow of a tree, far enough from the stone hut. The animals were strong and well taken care of.

  “There you go. Now we can continue. I hope you two are happy!” said Bran, handing the rein of one of the horses to Olivia, who was already petting the animal.

  “What about my horse?” asked Trevor, looking around.

  “We didn’t have enough money to buy three horses, and that would also draw more unwanted attention. You will need to ride with us, and we can take turns,” suggested Bran. Trevor seemed a bit upset, but he didn’t protest.