by K. M. Bonde
“You knew about it?” Elora asks in disbelief.
“We never wanted you to find it,” her mother says. “Now you have started something that cannot be undone.”
“Mother! What is going on? You and who else? What is that place?” demands Elora, her voice tinged with mistrust.
“There’s no turning back now.” Her mother sighs. “I guess you have a right to know. A long time ago, your father and I escaped that world with you. It was to save you from the horrors happening at the time. Your father thought it was best to make this world your home. You were never supposed to know about your birth world.”
Elora sits down next to her mother, staring down at her hands. Finally, she asks, “I… I was born in that place?”
Catherine nods. “Yes, you were. So were your father and I.”
Is that why I could read the letters on that sword? Elora wonders. Is that why that place felt so right to me?
“I can't believe this,” she shouts, wiping at the tears dripping down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was to protect you, sweetheart. You’ll understand someday,” Catherine says. She stands and walks toward the door, then turns back to Elora. “Come, we need to go see someone.”
Elora follows her mother downstairs and out to the car. As her mother reaches for the door, Elora halts. “No, Mom! I can’t get in that car. I need to know what’s going on. Where are we going? Why haven’t you ever told me about where we’re from? I’m an adult!”
Her mother sighs, looking at Elora with tired eyes, worn from all the lies and frail from the sickness. “I wish I could, but I don't have all the answers as I don't remember clearly. Perhaps I don't want to remember. Please, forgive me. Let's go and get the answers together.”
Elora can't say anymore after looking into her mother's eyes. They are so frail. Elora looks down at the light brown car in front of her; it’s seen better days. Reluctantly, she opens the door and gets in the passenger seat. Her mother starts it with ease, surprising considering the years of use. They drive off down the street, the sun is making its way high in the sky.
The car ride is quiet, but Elora doesn’t feel like talking, and Catherine doesn’t have anything to say.
Eventually, Elora speaks up. “Mom, are we going to see Dad?”
Catherine raises her eyebrows. “You knew?... We had to, it was for the best.”
Elora turns away from her mom, looking out the window instead. “I always suspected, it was almost like I could feel his presence.”
Catherine smiles. “You are special, Elora. You know and feel things more strongly than other people. It’s very hard to keep things from you.”
“Why, Mom?” Elora cries out suddenly. The questions are burning in her head, and mixed with her restless sleep and high emotions, she can’t keep herself in control. “I had a right to know!”
“I know, sweetie. I know. We’ll tell you everything.” Her mother pauses, her face sad. “It’s time that you make your own decisions. You are old enough now.”
Soon, they drive past an industrial area and into a garage under a large building. As they get out of the car, a nearby door automatically opens. The whole garage has a fence around it with only one exit: the door that just opened. Catherine leads Elora through the door and up some stairs, and soon, they arrive at another door. Catherine uses her hand on the security reading pad next to the door. The lock clicks, and Catherine opens the door.
As they enter Elora sees a tall person at a desk and she knows it’s her father. She wants to run to him and hug him, to feel his warm embrace once more. It’s been so long, she thinks. She wants to be angry with him, for leaving her and her mom alone for so long, but she only feels love.
He turns around, and his face looks old, scarred from stress and uncertainty. But, he grins when he sees Elora, and he suddenly seems much younger.
“Elora, my brave daughter, I am so sorry that we have to meet like this, that I have not been able to be there for you. Come, sit, we have much to tell you.” Elora and Catherine take a seat near his desk. “I will tell you as much as I know, and then you can decide what you want to do.”
When did Mom even have time to warn him? Elora wonders. She decides it’s better not to ask—she’s already learning so many new secrets today.
Bruce begins his story slowly, carefully. “Your mother and I were born in that world you traveled to. She was born in a small village called Flaxan, and I was born in the town of Sprax'a...”
Elora interrupts him. “Wait, I was in Flaxan yesterday! I met a family, Eadric, Myrna, and Remus.”
Catherine’s eye shine with tears, but she doesn’t look sad. “Are they okay?”
Elora takes in her mother’s hopeful face, then nods. “Yes, it seems, but Eadric was upset about some cave. We actually helped him escape the cave.”
“Eadric and Myrna are Catherine's parents,” Bruce says. Elora’s face scrunches up in confusion, and before she can ask a question, her father continues. “Time is different there. You must have noticed some time difference when coming back here.”
She shrugs. “It was night when we got back yesterday, but the first time we crossed over, we saw the difference.”
“Time moves faster here,” Bruce continues, “and that's why we are older. We were younger when we left. It has been eighteen years in this world, but only six years in the other world.”
“There was a war coming and Dark Forces led by a cruel warrior mage, Grimdar Blackhand. He brought much chaos in all the lands, and his forces swiftly took over the Capital and most of the surrounding lands. The King and Queen were murdered, and he put himself on the throne. Our rebellion forces were small, and ultimately, we had to go into hiding. I oversaw one of the forces and was almost captured, so we fled through the portal to keep you safe.”
“Why didn’t they follow you?”
“Only certain people can go through the portal,” Bruce explains. “For others nothing happens, as if the portal isn’t there. We came here to hide and wait for things to calm down, but unfortunately, your mother got ill, and we could never return. After a year, we decided to stay apart. That way, if someone else made it through, they would only find me, not you and your mother.”
“The war was cruel; the Dark Forces came over the kingdom like a wave of fire, burning and crushing everything in its path. We stood on the field near the mountains of Silvburgh for a final battle, and Grimdar’s forces came at us in thousands. We never stood a chance; it was a massacre. He commanded not only men, but beasts, wielding a magic not seen for hundreds of years. Not even our Elders could stand against him. The few of us who survived fled to all corners of the world, trying to hide, rebuild. The Elders moved to the Seven Conclaves of the World, waiting for the legend to come true.”
Elora pauses, waiting for Bruce to continue. When he doesn’t, she asks, “What legend?”
“It has been foretold of a person who will come and bring back the ways of old,” Catherine says. “Someone pure and of immense power. This person will defeat the Dark Forces and bring back the Light to the Capital. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rumors these days, and only a handful know the whole legend. What we do know is that this person will lead the forces of good and bring peace to the lands.”
“Well, we have to go back,” Elora says, standing up and looking at her father. “You have to fight again! If this person from the legend is there now to free our world, we should be part of it and help.”
When they don’t respond, Elora examines her parents carefully. They’re thinking hard about her suggestion, but their eyes give way to sadness… and even a spark of hope. Why do they look proud? she wonders.
“Elora.” Bruce is the first to break the silence. “If we go back... please know that there are things you will learn that will be hard on you. Confusing things that we are not entitled to tell you. Near the village, there is a wise being who holds all the information. You will meet him, and it will not be easy for any one of
us.”
Elora rolls her eyes. Why is it so hard to just give me a straight answer? Instead of pushing the matter, Elora says, “I need to talk to Ryan. I want him to come with us.”
Catherine puts her hand up. “No, out of the question. He is from this world, he would not understand. Besides, it would be devastating to his family since time goes so much quicker here. There is no way to know when he can return home.”
Elora shrugs and heads to the door. “I think that’s for him to decide.” She wouldn’t admit it to her parents, but the thought of leaving Ryan was too much. As much as she was drawn to that other world, and as much as she wanted to go back, she couldn’t do it without him.
She heads into the hallway outside of her father’s office, punching Ryan’s number into her phone. When he picks up, he’s sniffling and crying. Elora’s heart drops. “Ryan? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Ryan stumbles over his words, but she hears explosion and why through his weak, crying voice.
“I'll be right over, stay there, I'll help you,” Elora says, panicking. She hangs up, then runs back into her dad’s office. “I need to leave! Something has happened to Ryan!”
Her parents look at each other and grab their things, following Elora to the car.
* * *
Later, when they arrive at Ryan's house, the street is covered in ashes and there are firetrucks, police, and ambulances all over the place. Elora rushes out of the car and slams the door as she runs toward the house. Her legs feel weak, and her face is damp from a few tears falling from her eyes. Suddenly, she stops, a large man in a blue jacket with a shield on the chest blocking her path. She struggles to pass, but two big arms hold her in place. Behind the police, she can see Ryan's family's house in ruins with flames and smoke rising toward the sky.
“Where is he?” she screams. “Ryan!”
“Elora…” The weak voice comes from a nearby ambulance. Ryan’s laying on a stretcher ready to be moved into the ambulance.
Elora runs over there and hugs him. His face is covered in blisters and black ashes, but he seems ok otherwise. “What happened, Ryan?”
Ryan puts his face in his hands, his voice shaking. “The… the explosion, it took my family.” Taking a deep breath, he finally meets Elora’s gaze, his eyes sad. “I heard the explosion as I was walking home, if I had gotten here earlier... I... could I have saved them?” Ryan hits his hands on the side of the stretcher and grunts from the pain. “I should have done more to keep John away from those punks,” he says, tears flowing down his dirty cheeks.
Elora pulls him into a tight hug, holding him while he cries into her shoulder. “It's not your fault,” she says, her voice soft and comforting. “Sometimes teenagers do whatever they want and don't listen to anyone. You did what you could. There was nothing more you could do.”
A police officer comes by and starts talking to Ryan, his voice soft. “We found pieces of a bomb in the garage area along with five bodies. We were able to identify your brother and two of his friends. We believe that they have been experimenting with explosives and something went wrong. They… they died instantly. It was painless. I’m so, so sorry for your loss.”
Ryan continues sniffling, but his voice turns angry. “I told him to stay away from that gang, they were up to no good. My mother and father were home… have you found them?”
“Not yet,” says the police officer.
“Maybe they survived?” Ryan asks.
The police officer frowns. “It’s not likely anyone could have survived the blast, son.”
“That's enough.” says the ambulance driver. “We need to take him to the hospital for a checkup and to treat his burns.”
The EMTs lift Ryan’s stretcher into the ambulance, and Elora gets in with him. She looks down at Ryan as he lays in silent defeat. His face is wet from the tears, his eyes empty from the loss. The ambulance takes off down the street, lights flashing and sirens blaring. It’s only then that Elora realizes she completely forgot her parents are still waiting in the car.
* * *
Several hours later at the hospital, Elora is sitting at Ryan's bed, holding his hand. Ryan is laying very still, gazing out the window.
Eventually, he turns and looks at her with empty eyes. “You’re all I have left, Elora. What should I do?” he asks, his voice cracking. “How can I possibly go on without my family?”
Elora gives him a small smile and squeezes his hand. “You’ll survive, you’re strong. Besides, you will always have me.” Then, she frowns, her face turning serious. “Maybe this isn’t the right time, but I’m going back to the other world. There’s so much I need to tell you.”
Elora recounts the story of what her parents told her, and Ryan listens intently.
I can't believe all of this is happening, he thinks. What should I do? Could I leave all this to travel to that other world? I just lost so much. Perhaps there is no other way but forward now.
After Elora is done telling him the stories of the other world, and of her own family, he reaches out and touches her face. “I need time to think. Please, give me just a little bit of time.”
Elora nods. “I’ll go home and pack my things. We’re leaving early tomorrow, but I’ll come by to see you before I leave. I love you and can’t be happy without having you with me in that other world.” She kisses him and leaves.
Ryan looks at her as she leaves and then slowly starts to drift away into his dreams while thinking about her offer and all that has happened.
* * *
When Elora arrives in his room the next morning, Ryan’s sitting in his bed, a packed bag next to him. He looks at his bag and then at Elora.
“This is all I have left.”
Elora reaches down and takes his hand. “We’ll figure something out.”
Ryan stands up, squeezing her hand. “I'm coming with you,” he says. “There’s nothing more for me here now, and I want to help you with your mission. I won’t fail you like I failed my brother.”
Elora nods, then stands on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. They leave the hospital room just as the sun stretches to reach the window. It’s still early in the morning when they leave the hospital.
They go to the park, and Elora’s parents are waiting for them. Catherine embraces him in a warm hug, and Bruce stretches his hand out.
“Ryan, it’s nice to finally meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances. I’m Elora’s father, Bruce.”
Ryan shakes his hand. “It’s nice to meet you too, sir.”
“Shall we go?” Elora steps forward, meeting both of her parents’ eyes. They nod, and she quickly puts her hand on her pocket. Good, she thinks as she touches the rose Ryan gave her a few days ago. She couldn’t leave it behind. It’s a reminder of what’s important and about all the amazing moments with Ryan in this world.
The city is just starting to wake up as they approach the portal. Buses and cars pass by, and office workers are trickling down the sidewalks, rushing on their way to work. A lone man with his accordion sits at his usual spot playing a beautiful tune.
Elora, Ryan, and her parents, walk toward the bush containing the portal and in an instant, they are no longer part of this world.
Chapter 5: The Reunion
After a brilliant flash of light, the group are blinded by the beauty of the wondrous world before them. They take a few trembling steps away from the portal and stand next to the big oak tree on the hill. They stand still as if the world has suddenly changed to a dream.
Bruce sighs happily. “It’s good being back again.”
Elora smiles as she looks at the world in front of her. I feel more alive than ever, she thinks. Something here feels so familiar. This is the adventure I’ve been dreaming about.
Bruce takes Catherine's hand and walks toward the village. Ryan moves toward the large roots of the tree, bending down to pick up the sword he left there earlier. Then, he takes Elora's hand, and they follow closely behind her parents.
“Where
did you find that sword?” asks Bruce, eyeing the weapon out of the corner of his eye.
“It was a gift from Eadric.”
Bruce smiles. “That’s a nice gift.”
By the time they reach Flaxan, the sun is high, and people are out and about doing their chores. A few of the villagers watch the group as they make their way into the village center, and suddenly, Alric moves toward them, his large staff in his hand. As soon as he sees Bruce, he shouts, “Seramon nor kadin!”
“Elder, well met,” says Bruce, placing his hand over his chest and bowing his head to Alric. Alric takes another step forward, and he and Bruce embrace.
Ryan raises an eyebrow, then glances down at Elora and whispers, “ What does that mean? What did he say?”
“Warrior of Seramon,” Elora says without thinking, as if the language is natural to her and has always been there.
“So, it is true,” says Alric. “You have come to us.”
Elora shrugs, glancing nervously between Alric and Bruce. “I know you said I’m from the world,” she begins, “but please explain what’s going on. How could I know that? The same thing happened with the inscription on Ryan’s sword.”
Alric smiles at her and takes her hand. “Please come with me,” he says. “There is someone you need to meet.”
The village is bursting with life, much more now than during the last visit. Children run around playing, the mill catches the vibrant light dancing off the river water, farmers are working their field looking up to see what the commotion is about. There’s a signpost at the center of the village, and its six wooden arrows all indicate names of faraway places: Peculiar Woods, Storm Crest, Silvburgh, The Great Sea, The Dark Forest, and The Deep Marsh. They are all very nicely carved, each one unique. The houses in the village comes in different shapes and sizes, all unique and unlike those in the other world. Most of them are small with round windows, but the one thing they all have in common is the grass growing on the roofs.
As Alric and the party walk through the village, Eadric and Myrna come out of their house and approach Alric. Eadric opens his mouth to speak to the Elder, but when he looks at the rest of the party, he freezes. “Catherine?” he asks, his voice cracking. “Is it you? My little Catherine?”