The Fourth World

by Marina Sandoval

  Lorne gave them a small bottle of golden liquid, the same kind Azura took when they’d fled from the bats.

  “Wasn’t that the thing that turned her into a cheetah?” Steven asked. “How can this help us?”

  “It will turn you into what you are thinking about,” Lorne replied. “Now, what are you are going to think about?”

  They both reflected a little.

  “Sermerios,” answered Virginia.

  “Good girl,” Lorne praised her. “Pay attention; there should be no other thought in your head. The effect only lasts a day, so it’s better to choose the right moment to drink it. My suggestion is waiting until you are on the road. For those who are not used to the transformation, it’s painful, so... get ready. When you see the portal, you should burn this incense. It will be our sign.”

  “How will you get there?” Steven asked. “It might take too long…”

  “Leave it to us,” said Lorne, glancing at Azura.

  “Wait a minute,” Steven replied. “If you have something that can put us right there, why don’t we use it right now?”

  “Don’t you think that if I could, I would have done it already?” Lorne countered. “As soon as we appeared, arrows would fly right through our chests. The portal is always under watch, and it would not surprise me if Zauber has put a hex on it. We cannot risk it. We’ll show up near enough when you’re already there; that should suffice, and maybe it will work out.”

  “They should have something that can get them out of there if they are in danger,” said Theo, “or in case something happens to us. Virginia could ask Ivy to become that bird again.”

  “Those animals do not carry out that kind of order,” said Azura, “and these transformations do not happen overnight.”

  “If she starts the mutation now, she can be ready when they need it,” Theo insisted. “Virginia has a good connection to her; maybe she’ll understand.”

  “I do not know how to do it,” replied Virginia.

  “Just ask her, and pray it will work,” Kyla said.

  Virginia ran her hand over the wolf, who was resting beside her.

  “What if we don’t see the sign?” Hubert asked Lorne.

  Lorne thought about it for a while before he replied, “If I think you should have already communicated with us, but you haven’t done so... we will try to approach the portal in the same way, and whoever wishes to come with me will be welcome.”

  “But, someone may capture them,” Hubert countered. “We have to...” Lorne threw him a heated look, and Hubert corrected himself. “I’ll help them, and I’m sure Richard and Thomas... Richard is going, too.”

  The conversation ended there. Each got lost in their own thoughts. For the first time, everyone felt helpless, and the possibility of being alone was becoming increasingly real.

  Lorne and Azura went to make the balm, and Hubert followed them because he wanted to learn how. The others slept or stood silently, staring at the fire.

  Virginia moved away from everyone to talk to Ivy. She did not know where to start. She sat down on the floor with the wolf in front of her. “I need you to help me one more time. I must get out of here... I want you to turn into that bird again. In fact, anything that flies will work...” She sank her face into her hands. “You can’t understand anything like this! I need you to become something that will get us out of here!”

  She tried again and again, but it was no use; she had no means of perceiving whether the wolf understood her or not.

  At dawn the next day, Lorne and Azura were still working on the balm. They sent Hubert to search for a rose in the surroundings. He did not understand how anything could bloom in the cold, but he had already seen a rose the way they came. It was bigger than a regular rose, white with red spots and large thorns. He looked for the flower from dawn until the sunrise helped him see better. In the midst of the white snow, he saw a red bloom. There it was. He had no way to avoid cutting himself when he picked it up, but he was proud anyway.

  When the two saw Hubert with the flower, they did not show the smallest sign of satisfaction.

  “You already knew it would be easy to find, didn’t you?” Hubert asked.

  “They’re in season,” Lorne replied.

  “You also knew you would need this balm?” Hubert asked.

  “I guessed it might be helpful,” Lorne replied.

  “So, that is why you already had all the ingredients and did not care about the flower that was missing,” Hubert realized, “because you knew you would find it here.”

  Lorne looked up. “I do not know why you think it’s so wrong to plan for things before you need them.”

  “I do not think it is wrong,” Hubert replied. “I just want to understand...”

  “If I ever teach you to be a wizard,” Lorne interrupted, “that does not mean you will need to think like me.”

  Hubert watched whatLorne was doing carefully. He’ll train me, he realized.

  When the balm was ready, Lorne divided it into six bowls. He cut his arm and shed his blood into one. Azura did the same and poured it into another.

  “Take blood from the others Zauber has seen,” Lorne told Hubert, “including yours, and mix it with the other balms.”

  Once everything was ready, it was time to separate. Lorne reached for Steven, who clutched his hand with confidence.

  “Take care of my friends,” Steven said. “At least, while they are with you.”

  “I always have,” Lorne replied.

  Steven lowered his head and let go of his hand. “Promise you will take them with you, even if something happens to me. Do not go away without them. Make them sleep with your potions and take them away with you, if you have to.”

  “You have my word,” Lorne vowed. “I will do my best.”

  Hubert came to say goodbye with a lump in his throat. “Be careful... don’t die...” He tried to smile to ease the tension but could not.

  Richard and Habel slept, and Thomas was still paralyzed. Steven approached them and spoke to Hubert. “As long as you’re with Lorne, you’ll be fine. I do not want you to come after me. If I do not send the signal, forget it. Stay with Lorne and do as he says. I realize it may sound strange, but it’s the best chance you have.”

  “But...”

  “If they capture you while you’re trying to save me, all this will have been for nothing.”

  “He will want to go after you.” Hubert glanced at Richard, who seemed to be caught in a restless dream.

  “You will not let him.”

  They embraced, and the others joined them to say goodbye with heavy hearts.

  “Thank you for what you’re doing,” Kyla said.

  Steven hugged her, and Virginia did the same.

  “I can’t find Ivy,” said Virginia to Azura.

  “That’s a good sign,” Azura replied. “She must have understood. They hide when they are shifting, because they are vulnerable and need to avoid predators.”

  “I wanted to say goodbye,” said Virginia, sounding upset. “For a long time, she was my only company.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Azura asked. “He can travel alone, and without wanting to sound fatalist, if a sermerio gets his hands on you, you will not have a chance.”

  “I know.” But, Virginia was determined and changed the subject. “If Zauber knows where we are, why he has not attacked yet?”

  “He needs time to locate who he’s searching for, and now, he will need even more time. If he has not attacked yet, it’s because he has not found us.” Azura embraced her. “See you soon.” She tried to sound confident, but could not.

  Virginia only nodded.

  The two of them left, looking back once more and waving. Their companions did not take their eyes off them until they disappeared between the trees.

  Chapter XXI - Secret Passage

  Virginia and Steven moved quickly, and the scenery changed at the same pace. There was a strong smell of blood, mixed with myrrh. The forest gave way to
a road that seemed to be no longer used, and they came across gigantic, snow-capped mountains. Azura had described the path, so everything they saw was no surprise, and it was a relief to see what she had described, because it provided them with the certainty that they were heading in the right direction.

  On the second day of travel, a violent rain fell, but they did not stop. Thunder crept across the heavens and made them shudder.

  “At least the sermerios will have difficulties with this weather,” said Virginia, trying to start a conversation. The cold was intense; the icy and violent wind reached their bones; their knees trembled; their fingers were numb, and words got lost on the way.

  Steven was in front of Virginia. He felt torn inside and had difficulty keeping his eyes open. He struggled to focus his attention on the path and not think about anything else, until he couldn’t hear Virginia’s footsteps and glanced back.

  She was not there.

  Steven stumbled back and found her lying on the road. Her pale face gave the impression she was dead, but her lips and body trembled. He took her in his arms and carried her to a valley in the middle of the mountains. Steven put all the covers they had on top of her, and at great cost, lit a fire.

  I need to stay awake, he thought, but his muscles did not obey, and exhaustion carried him away.

  ***

  Virginia woke up with a band of light warming her face. Her body felt heavy, and her mouth cried for water. She picked up her canteen and drank from it.

  The sky was blue with scattered, violet clouds. It was not as cold as it had been the night before, and that was already a great relief. She picked up her bow and sought something to eat. She found a raven on an old branch. The arrow was accurate; at least they would eat well. She returned with the dead bird, plucked it, cleaned it, and placed it in the fire.

  The smell of food woke up Steven. “You look better. Where did you find that?” he asked as he opened his eyes.

  “Yes, I feel better. I was lucky to find this bird.”

  They ate the raven with some nuts and bread they still had with them and left afterward.

  “We cannot deny that everything here is remarkably beautiful,” declared Virginia, admiring the mountains.

  “You mentioned you were a nurse; why did you not tell me before?” Steven asked.

  “I don’t know... I do not think it ever occurred to me. After some time here, I began to overlook who I was and what I did; it seemed to lose importance.”

  They were silent for a moment.

  “How did you get here?” Steven asked.

  “I remember a lot of confusion; the camp was being attacked; I think something exploded, and... that’s all. I opened my eyes, and I was here. I arrived in a place called Utgaard—a place you would not enjoy—but I was lucky; I encountered a dwarf, and he looked after me and helped me get here. If it were not for him, I would have died before I even learned where I was.”

  “A dwarf! Was I the first human you associated with?” he joked.

  She let out an embarrassed laugh. “Actually, that’s right. You saw how it is: Every man for himself.”

  “That’s why we’re in this situation—because there is no one to represent us, no one to fight for us... no one cares.”

  They said nothing for a while; what Steven had mentioned was an unhappy fact, and they could do nothing about it.

  “What about your husband?” Steven asked, breaking the silence.

  “He was... he’s a soldier, which is why I signed up.”

  “Look!” Steven said, pointing to a bifurcation in the road.

  “According to Azura, that road leads to the old gates of the city,” Virginia declared.

  Fearing that someone would appear, they promptly moved on from there. They proceeded without significant complications for two more days. The plaster was gone; the last place they marked the mountain stones, shortly after the bifurcation. On the evening of the third day, they were stopping to set up camp when they heard something that sounded like a mixture of thunder and roaring. They glanced at the sky and saw two dragons in the distance; they searched desperately for an entrance to the mountain but found no fissures or loose rocks.

  “We have to drink the potion!” declared Virginia in anguish.

  “No! We’re still a long way off.” Steven pulled Virginia into the woods. The trees in were scarce and devoid of leaves. They threw themselves on the ground and covered themselves with snow. The dragons let out another blast. “From above, they will not see us... the night will help,” Steven spoke, trying to calm Virginia, not taking his eyes off the dragons, who were getting closer and closer. They remained still, trying to control their breathing. The doctor already regretted not having taken the potion. They’re after the plaster! Steven thought. His only comfort was to assume his friends were safe—at least, for now.

  The dragons approached; they could hear the flapping of their wings; they seemed to be flying low, and that thought was petrifying. It’s Zauber! thought Virginia. They heard the growling of the creatures and considered that it might be best to close their eyes, but their bodies did not comply. They held their breath...

  The dragons passed. They flew close to the mountain, along the road, without given a single look to the forest.

  Steven and Virginia waited for the noise of the dragons to drift away. Steven was the first to get up; he could still see the dragons far away. “Better not camp here today. Let’s continue,” he said, still shaking and reaching out to help her up.

  “Do you think they’re going after the others?” Virginia asked disappointedly.

  First, Steven thought it was the plaster that had lured them, but now, he was not so certain. He put his hand on her shoulder. “They’ll be fine. They’re with Lorne... maybe it worked, and they’re going after the fake trail…”

  They picked up their things and continued the journey into the night. At dawn, a remarkable cliff appeared before them. Below, a violent sea smashed its waves against the rocks; on the right, there was a narrow pathway between the mountains and the cliff, where they should pass. The passage on the edge of the cliff seemed to have no end—even though they had no intention of reaching the end, that sight was frightening, nonetheless. Azura had said they should find an entrance in the middle of the mountain. Before they started the hike in the gorge, they stopped to rest and eat something. They did not want to have to stop in the middle of that passage. They tried to sleep, but neither of them could.

  “Let’s go; we’re just wasting time,” suggested Virginia in agony, wanting to get it over with.

  They collected their things and moved without delay. Steven was in the lead. In some stretches, the route was so narrow, they had to walk sideways; in others, it widened, and they could walk normally and breathe, a little more relieved.

  “We have to find this entrance before it gets dark; I will not enjoy spending the night here,” Steven said.

  “It should not be too far away... at least, that’s what Azura said.”

  They groped the rocks, trying to locate something that showed an entrance. It’s a narrow crack, Steven thought. You can only get one arm in there, but that’s enough...

  However, they did not encounter the crack as fast as they expected; they stopped twice because of the wind that prevented them from advancing. They sat in the little space until the gale proposed a truce. Steven became more and more apprehensive; the darkness was falling with every step they took. Steven went over Azura’s words in his head many times; maybe he missed something, or they did not see the crack, and now, he did not know whether they should go back or continue down that accursed path. He felt Virginia’s grip on his. She was panicking and could not disguise it, but there was nothing he could say to appease her. They could not avoid it; the night arrived, and they were doing what Steven feared: They were walking in that little crevice in the dark.

  “Let’s stop the next time the road widens enough to sit down,” Steven suggested.

  As soon as he fi
nished speaking, Virginia let out a squeal, he turned, worried, thinking she had slipped, but what he could make out in the dark was the outline of a smile.

  “There’s an opening here!” She was already exploring what was inside the hole; she grabbed something that felt like a lever—just as Azura had described it—and pulled it. They heard a commotion that resembled gears grinding. Virginia immediately took her hand away. The rocks opened before them enough for a person to enter; it was an even tighter fit than the path they were on. “We have to go in,” declared Virginia, struggling to sound brave.

  “What if the walls close?”

  “I believe if that could happen, Azura would have mentioned it.”

  “Maybe she does not know. If we get in, we will not have any way to get back.”

  “I did not come here to go back.”

  She stepped forward, and he followed. They walked sideways; the light of the night was not enough to illuminate that place; in no time, they saw nothing at all. The walk in the dark continued for a long time—or, at least, it seemed like a long time. The place was claustrophobic; their legs trembled with fatigue; their stomachs complained, and panic overwhelmed them.

  “Let’s go back!” Virginia cried. She could not handle anymore; she would suffocate, and she needed to get out of there. She tried to push past him, forcing him to hold her tight.

  We cannot go back! he wanted to shout, but the phrase was in his head; he did not have the air to speak. With no alternative, he pushed her; they had to get out of there, and she was ahead of him, so it was the only way.

  After a while in that torment, the walls widened. Virginia felt a breath of air on her face and calmed down. The exit! A few steps ahead, they were outside. They pulled air into their lungs. In the distance, they looked at the city lights of Sermeria.

  “Let’s stay here tonight; we’ll go on tomorrow,” Steven said, exhausted.

  Drained as she was, Virginia agreed, collapsed on the floor, and fell asleep.