"You wish." May laughed halfheartedly, keeping her eyes on Ely's hands.
"Shut up," Oliver said, his cheeks warming.
"And now I can stop looking this old." Ely chuckled and ran a hand over his face, the lines decreasing and the grey in his hair disappearing.
Oliver narrowed his eyes as he took in Ely's appearance. "This is how you looked when we first met."
Ely nodded. "Mages age a little slower than other people. I was careless not to have aged myself before we were introduced, it completely slipped my mind."
May's eyes roamed over his face. "And do you not work? You never leave the house."
"The tree within Oakway Manor contains the Gateway to the next world, Aleva. I am its Keeper. I'm employed by the Council to regulate the challenge for those who wish to go through to Aleva."
"And that's why so many people are here all the time? They're from the other worlds?" May said slowly, clearly trying to understand.
"Yes, precisely," Ely said. "Your arrival coincided with the celebrations for those who had just won keys to Earth. Anyone coming through from Aleva for the first time has to be briefed about the rules here. I've also been telling anyone who came through the Gateway that you two were unaware of the other worlds so they didn't reveal the truth."
"Why don't we already know about these other worlds though?" Oliver interjected, confronting the notion.
"A King decided long ago that Earth wasn't to know the truth. It was at a time where Britain was undergoing great change; the Normans had just taken the throne and the new King, William the Conqueror, wanted the secret kept."
"How come?" May asked, tilting her head to one side.
"The King wanted to be the first to step through to the other worlds but he was unable to complete the challenge. So, in the meantime, he established a secret society to make sure word never got out, on pain of death. However, he never passed the test and instead told his son the truth about the other worlds.
"But as each King was succeeded the secret was passed down from son to son, none of them ever managing to complete the challenge. Today, the descendants of that society still uphold it, though it is unknown whether today's royal family are aware that it exists. You, yourselves have met a member of that society."
They looked at him with confused expressions.
"Hawking," Ely revealed.
"But why did he hide evidence of Mum's disappearance?" Oliver asked angrily.
Ely frowned. "There are very few people on Earth who know about the other worlds and the society has a list of every single one. Alison is, of course, on that list. So if anything mysterious happens to someone involved with the other worlds the society will step in to ensure that nothing compromises their secret. It would appear that Alison's room was destroyed by magic and, as she seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth, they have concluded that she actually has."
"What? So Mum's in one of the other worlds?" May asked incredulously.
Ely nodded, looking grave. "All the evidence points in that direction."
"But doesn't that mean she would have had to come here to go through the Gateway?" Oliver asked.
Ely continued to nod and a sparkle of light caught in his eyes. "Yes," he breathed. "She would have passed right under my nose."
"Are you even allowed to tell us all this, about the other worlds?" May asked, looking around like Hawking might burst into the room at any moment.
"Yes, those permitted to know are the families that learn about them because of their ancestry, like mine. So I have every right to tell you. It's just..." Ely trailed off.
"Just what?" Oliver asked, frowning.
"Your mother didn't want either of you to know. That's why I never met you before. When the police tracked me down and asked me to take you in I couldn't say no, but I had to honour her wishes. That's why I've been so distant and why I hid my children's belongings. I'm sorry, I just didn't see any other way."
Oliver suddenly felt furious. Not only had his mum inexplicably disappeared, but now it turned out that she had lied to him his whole life and kept them from meeting their family.
A lump formed in his throat which he forced down before looking Ely in the eye.
"Why didn't she want us to know?" Oliver asked through gritted teeth.
"I'm sure she was just trying to protect you."
"Protect us from what?" May asked, a crease forming between her eyes.
"Perhaps." Ely hesitated a moment. "Perhaps she was protecting you from the truth about your father, Oliver."
"My father? He died when I was a baby." He felt the blood rising in his face, the heat of it burning his cheeks.
"Yes he died, but not in the way you've been told. And not when you were a baby."
"What do you mean?" Oliver asked, fighting to keep his voice level.
"Your father was an explorer from Aleva. He set out to gain the keys to all seven worlds."
"And what's wrong with that?" Oliver asked, his curiosity overriding his anger.
"Nothing, not the first six keys anyway. But the seventh world is Vale," Ely said, the tone of his voice darkening.
"Why's that bad?" May asked, her voice hushed.
"Only two people have ever entered the seventh world. The first returned just a shell of a man, he was weak and wasted. The second was never seen again. Vale isn't a human world, you see? These creatures live there, varks we call them, they're vicious and alien."
"Why would someone go there, then?" May asked.
"The first man didn't know what he'd find," Ely said. "He was an incredibly powerful mage and highly skilled scientist named Dorian Ganderfield. His experiments led to the discovery of the other worlds and, eventually, Ganderfield found a way to tear holes between them. It was only later that he realised he couldn't repair the rifts."
"Why did it matter?" May asked.
Ely shook his head gravely. "The worlds have evolved separately from each other for millions of years. Without restricting access between them, what is to stop one world from waging war on another? The more advanced worlds would conquer those that are weaker."
Oliver nodded.
"So Ganderfield created Gateways between the worlds and set up the Council of Heptus to maintain intraverse-wide laws. He planned to lock the Gateway to Vale so that no one would ever be tempted to go there. But, alas, it was impossible. The Gateways could only be restricted."
"Restricted how?" Oliver asked.
"Ganderfield designed challenges for those wishing to pass through them. He wanted to restrict the Gateway to Vale with a challenge that he hoped no one would ever want to complete, thereby, effectively locking it."
"What was the challenge?" Oliver asked, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck inexplicably creep up.
May leant forward in her seat.
"Vale's challenge is to sacrifice someone you love before the Gateway: a family member, a friend, a partner - anyone that you hold dear. Ganderfield believed that even the most coldhearted of people would never murder someone they loved."
Oliver nodded slowly and leant back in his seat. "But what's any of this got to do with my father?"
"Everything, Oliver." Ely let out a slow breath. "Because, your father was murdered by the second person to ever enter Vale: his closest friend, Isaac Rimori."
6
What Lies Within
The words seemed to bounce off of Oliver's ears, taking a moment for them to unfold in his mind until he understood the implications of what he'd been told.
May looked between Oliver and Ely, chewing at her lip.
"You're telling me my dad was murdered?" Oliver got up, unable to stay seated a moment longer.
"I'm sorry you had to hear it this way, but you need to know the facts before we go to Aleva. It's for the best that you find out from me and not someone else," Ely said softly.
"Why? Who else would tell me?" Oliver demanded.
"Your father is somewhat famous in the other worlds. He, Rimori and ano
ther man travelled to Vale's Gateway with the supposed intention of finding a way around the challenge. Rimori betrayed your father, murdered him and entered Vale alone. The other man fled to the Council and recounted what had happened. When the public found out, the story spread like wildfire."
Oliver nodded slowly and realised he was pacing. May reached out an arm to stop him and he met her eye, softening at her worried expression. He returned to his seat and dropped his head into his hands.
"But why did they want to enter Vale?" May asked.
"There's a cult in the other worlds that worship a god-like being called the Arc which resides in Vale. They call themselves the Arclites. Their ideology teaches that the Arc is the source of all power across the seven worlds and that it alone is responsible for bestowing magic upon the mages. "Arclites believe that the Arc will one day come to the other worlds in human form, gifting each of its followers with magic. The Arc would supposedly destroy the Gateways which would leave the rifts open for anyone to walk through then unite the seven worlds as a single empire under its one rule," Ely explained.
"So you're saying my dad was one of these Arclites? Oliver asked.
Ely nodded. "All of them were, he and his friends."
"Including Mum?" May asked with a concerned frown.
"I think perhaps she was, for a time," Ely said. "Though I'm certain that is far behind her now. Once she had you, Oliver, your mother's priorities changed."
Oliver nodded, feeling marginally comforted by the thought.
"Is that why they went to Vale then? To find the Arc?" May asked.
Ely nodded. "Though no doubt what awaited Isaac Rimori on the other side of Vale's Gateway was death."
Oliver couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at his grandfather's words, knowing that the man had paid for murdering his father.
"Wait. You said my dad didn't die when I was a baby. How long ago was this?" Oliver asked.
"You were six," Ely breathed.
Oliver had grown up with an idyllic picture in his mind of the man he had never known. The person he had imagined was a lie, he knew nothing about the real William Knight. His father had been murdered for something that Oliver hadn't even known existed.
"You'll have to complete Aleva's challenge to get the key to the Gateway," Ely said.
"What's the challenge? Is it difficult?" May asked.
"I'm sure you'll both pass." Ely tutted to himself. "I've not been to Aleva in months, much too long. Follow me."
"Where to?" May gripped the table anxiously.
"You'll see." Ely chuckled to himself and headed off towards the staircase.
They stood and followed him out into the entrance hall. Oliver felt frustrated and hurt by his mother's lies but his gut also burned with curiosity at the possibility of other worlds truly existing.
Humphrey appeared from the staircase and wound his way around Ely's legs. May scooped the cat up and placed him on her shoulder where he nuzzled her neck and began purring loudly.
Ely entered the tree but, instead of going up, placed his palm on the inside of the trunk and pushed. A door swung open, revealing a staircase that spiralled down into the cellar. Oliver peered after Ely as he disappeared down it out of sight.
The door was left open, inviting them in to its mysterious depths. May moved inside and Oliver crept after her.
Dim lights cast an eerie, green glow in the darkness. The tree trunk gave way to mud walls filled with gigantic, tangled roots. As he descended, Oliver felt the wooden steps beneath his feet meld into soft earth.
The passage began to open up and they emerged in a large, underground chamber.
At one end of the room was an enormous, arching gateway created by roots hanging from the ceiling and winding up from the floor, weaving together as they met in mid-air. Thinner roots formed intricate patterns on the archway and, embedded within them, were twinkling jewels.
The Gateway looked onto nothing but the earthy wall behind it, no trace of a portal to be seen. Despite this, a low humming noise emitted from the structure and Oliver was overwhelmed by the sense that he was stood in the presence of something immeasurably powerful.
He raised his eyebrows in awe.
"Whoa," May whispered into the cool air, putting Humphrey on the ground.
"This." Ely pointed. "Is the Gateway to Aleva."
"It's incredible." May stepped forward to get a better look, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"This Gateway was created almost a thousand years ago by Dorian Ganderfield himself. He also designed the challenge that you are about to attempt."
"What do we have to do?" May asked, scanning the surroundings for a clue.
"You'll find out momentarily. But first, I must send a message to my daughter." Ely knelt down and Humphrey trotted over.
He stroked the cat then held his hand beside the animal's head. Golden mist seeped from his palm, disappearing into the cat's pointed ears. Humphrey's eyes glinted gold momentarily then returned to their usual fiery orange. He mewed happily then trotted towards the Gateway.
Lightning flashed across the Gateway in ribbons of white and blue. Humphrey walked confidently into it and vanished instantly, the lightning dying as he disappeared. Oliver started and took an instinctive step backwards, suddenly fearing what lay beyond the portal.
Ely chuckled at the looks on Oliver and Mays' faces. "Right, follow me."
They hurried after Ely towards the darkest corner of the chamber, moving away from the Gateway as he started rubbing his hands together until a glow emitted from them. Oliver blinked his eyes as an orb of light gathered between his hands, growing stronger and brighter by the second.
Ely widened the gap between his palms and the light burst away from them towards the high ceiling that was formed from compacted earth and roots. It cast a warm, orange glow in the chamber and illuminated a single, wooden doorway embedded in the dirt wall.
Ely gazed at them seriously. "You will only be successful in this challenge if you can stay in it long enough."
"And how long is that?" Oliver asked.
"I don't know, it differs for everyone," Ely said.
"Why?" May asked, looking nervous.
"You will want to leave the challenge. Knowing how long you have would make the process easier to bear."
"What do you mean we'll want to leave?" Oliver asked, his mouth becoming dry.
"And bear what?" May said with wide eyes.
"You'll find out shortly. If you wish to exit the challenge at any time you need only ring one of the bells."
"Bells?" May questioned.
Ely nodded. "There will always be one close by."
"But what do we actually have to do in this challenge?" Oliver asked.
"Put simply, my boy, survive it," Ely said, his face darkening. "So, who's first?"
Before Oliver could consider volunteering May piped up.
"I'll go first," she said. "I'm the one who's caused all of this."
"May, it's not your fault," Oliver said earnestly.
"I know but, I'd feel better about it if I go first," she said, her gaze dropping to her feet.
Oliver chewed the inside of his cheek as he watched her turn away from him.
"Off you go then, May. Good luck," Ely said, gesturing for her to go through the door ahead of them.
"Good luck," Oliver mumbled, his pulse quickening as he watched her.
May opened the door and Oliver tried to catch a glimpse inside but it was pitch black. May stepped forward and Oliver saw her pale face and bright, green eyes glancing back at him as Ely shut the door.
"She'll be fine," Ely said, catching Oliver's eye. "You can go in in a minute."
Oliver nodded and his stomach fluttered.
The minutes stretched on. Oliver couldn't think of anything to say so kept silent. He gazed around at the chamber and eyed the twinkling gemstones that were inlaid in the thick, gnarled roots that formed the Gateway to another world. The magical light that Ely had
cast above them barely penetrated the heavy darkness of the earthen room.
The air was cool and held a dankness to it that Oliver assumed was to do with being underground. He could smell the damp soil and was suddenly filled with the uneasy feeling of being in a grave. He shivered and was grateful when Ely finally addressed him.
"In you go, Oliver. Good luck," Ely said encouragingly.
Oliver swallowed to wet his increasingly dry mouth as he stepped across the threshold and Ely shut the door, plunging him into darkness. He reached out with splayed hands and found a solid wall in front of him which he trailed his fingers along, discovering he was in a narrow corridor.
He followed it, keeping contact with the wall as he went.
"Oliver."
He froze. The voice was no more than a whisper, spoken too quietly for him to tell if it was male or female.
"Hello?" Oliver called.
He waited, moments stretching on into minutes but no one answered. Cautiously, he continued onwards and emerged high up on a ledge overlooking a large cavern. The colossal roof was tinted navy blue from minerals in the rock that twinkled like stars in the night sky.
Burning torches illuminated a stone maze that stretched out below him the size of a football pitch. Its towering walls were moist and green with algae. Somewhere nearby, water dripped in a continual stream with a rhythmic splat, splat, splat as it hit the wet floor.
Oliver spied a dark set of stairs winding down towards the maze, leading to a tall, rectangular entrance where firelight flickered and danced. He steeled himself and started to make his way down the steps, keeping an eye on the amber glow emitting from the maze.
He moved into the light and approached the gap, gazing up at the walls. They seemed monstrous now that he was on the ground, perhaps twenty feet in height.
Oliver eyed the entrance to the maze where a corridor ran forward several feet toward a burning torch, before turning sharply to the right. A wind picked up and howled as it travelled through the narrow corridors of the maze, making the flames flutter in a frenzy.
A gust rushed through the gap with the sound of a sighing beast, ruffling Oliver's hair as the icy breath swept over him. He shivered and crept hesitantly inside towards the fire.
Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) Page 6