REALM'S END (BOOK OF FEY 1)

by Jules Hancock

  “You’ve come to tell me of the Nextl bird,” the sage said as she made her way slowly back across the room to her seat.

  Lisl stopped and stared at the older Fey, “It’s very hard to surprise you, old one,” she said, her voice bright with laughter.

  “I think you can surprise the others with the details little one,” her deep laughter reverberating throughout the room. I too have some news regarding the coming changes and they are going to affect you, child. Briok will play a great part in this change, greater than any of us had imagined. Here sit down child,” the Fey said, pointing at a chair nearest the star filled hearth.

  “Oh mother, it’s all right he already did, it was his kindness that brought the reincarnation about,” Lisl said sitting down in the chair offered.

  “Yes, I saw that. The great Rowan shared it all with me earlier, it is what brought me to the seeing chamber, but there is something more, Lisl.” Sephoria motioned towards the hearth at the constellation. “They, suggest that Briok will face great peril. The Rowan has seen the same energy pattern as well. It’s all coming now, very quickly and there will come a time, my child when he will be lost to you,” she said, as she reached out and rested her hand on Lisl’s shoulder.

  Lisl flew up from her seat. “No mother, that can’t be. I will not give Briok,” Lisl said, shrugging off the sage’s hand and flying upward to hover near the ceiling. She stared down at the sage.

  “Come down now Lisl, it is hard on my neck to look at you up there.” The sage said, as she stood waving up at Lisl. I know child there is no mother here that would give any child willingly, but whether you give him or not he will be taken. I don’t believe he will die, but you and I both know that time goes on, and must change.” her voice petered out.

  “But why Briok,” Lisl cried out to the old woman?

  “It is his destiny, that much is clear,” the old sage shrugged. It will not be easy for him, neither choice is good. He will have to choose between this world, and the one coming. If he chooses this world, we may go on for a while longer, but in the end we will all lose, or he can choose the new world and we will absolutely cease to exist in this world, but in that scenario the line of Fey, would be saved, and carried forward.”

  So great was her grief, Lisl nearly fell from the air. “Briok lost no, no, no, that isn’t possible! How can our world change so much? Are you saying all this time we have been working to bring our world to extinction,” she asked? Her voice filled with anger and fear Lisl flew down to sit near the sage.

  The old sage sighed, “Child, please understand this world was always going to end. All worlds end, it is the way of nature. What we have been working at so long was to have a chance to try and create an opportunity, to send someone forward into a new world, to save at least one race.

  “You expect me to understand? All these years wasted, not knowing!”

  “Lisl you have to understand, originally we did try and share the news, we went so far as to tell a few of the time keepers and the strain was too great, it shortened their lives, by hundreds of years and after that, well we felt the pain of knowing was too great for any Fey to bear. We decided then, to keep the truth to ourselves. Now, I have no choice but to share this knowledge with you, so that perhaps we can encourage Briok to choose correctly when the time comes,” she said laying her hand on the Lisl’s shoulder in comfort. “I wish I could offer more comfort, but know that your son because of his bond with the red haired girl and the Nextl bird, he is the only one who has this chance to go forward in time. I can’t offer any of the other mothers even that much comfort,” her voice cracked with grief.

  Lisl sat slumped in the chair her head hung low and her wings trembled with the sadness that ran through her body. “Is this really the only way?”

  “Yes it is. Within two moons the world will turn and both Briok and Lillith must find their way to the new world or they die and all of the Feys’ chances die with them. Come now. I’m sorry little one. I wish that we all could have more time, but even the Rowan and I cannot stop this. Now we must tell the others of Briok’s story of meeting the Nextl bird. There is still much to be done, if we are to help the children. Be strong for your son Lisl,” the wise woman said, resting her hand briefly on Lisl’s shoulder before shuffling past her.

  Lillith’s Prison

  Gwenth came slowly awake, she was sure she heard voices, but when she sat up there were only the glowing walls and the flask of water and of course her stick. The stick had changed so much since she had carried it inside the house; where once it had been only a long dead branch, nearly bereft of bark, it was now almost a living tree. Shoots had sprouted and young green leaves had grown from those shoots. Gwenth examined the stick, it was clear that the sprouts were spreading, and, somewhere along the way, roots had appeared at one end of the stick, and were growing into a thick and succulent jungle of vine. It boggled her mind to think that she was not in Scotland, and from the looks of the tree branch, and her feather covered clothes; from the wings on the boy and the cavern walls, wherever she was, she didn’t really think it was or could be in her own world at all. She considered for a moment that she was sick, and dreaming all this in a bad fever, but she knew even as she considered the thought, that it couldn’t be. This wasn’t a dream. She wasn’t sick. This was real. She could feel the truth of it deep inside herself.

  Gwenth looked about the cavern, no matter where her eyes landed there were thousands of stones, glowing softly. The warm glow helped ease her fears, it even made the cave, feel almost cozy. She felt further comforted in the resting area, with its warm sands, and its tight close walls. Gwenth was grateful not to feel any more overwhelmed then she did. Rising up, she walked a circuit that took her around the circumference of the cavern, slowly she moved clockwise, letting her fingertips glide over a ridge of stones as she walked. Clearly the rest had done her some good, her headache had left and she felt more like her old self. Looking down she blanched as her eyes once caught on the feathered skin, she was still wearing. Gwenth shook her head. She didn’t understand what was going on, or how she had come to be here, wherever here was. She couldn’t make any sense of it all. This wasn’t what she imagined fairy land would be like at all. She wandered over toward the cave entrance, but recalled Briok’s warning. Briok hadn’t said why she shouldn’t go outside. Were there monsters here in this place? Was she being held captive? Of course without Briok there were no answers. Slowly she walked back to the warm sand and realized with a start, that Briok must have returned while she slept. She stooped over, and picked up the water container. Gwenth pulled the fitted stopper, and breathed in the sweet aroma of the water, before she lifted it to her mouth and drank. The water tickled her nose. It felt bubbly. Looking about the cavern she swore that the room glowed brighter, as she swallowed another mouthful.

  Suddenly the dream came washing back over her, she had been within a great tree, and there was a girl being held as a prisoner, and the tree was begging Gwenth to free her. As she relived the dream, she looked at the wall nearest her with its millions of shining stones; they seemed to flare up in brilliance. Gwenth grew intent on examining the stones. She moved close to the wall and saw it was if a million drops of water were suspended on the wall, each one reflecting an image of herself, but then just as quickly the image changed. She gasped and stepped back. Clearly there was magic here, and she like everyone else she knew had a strong fear of magic.

  As Gwenth continued to watch the wall began to shift again, the image began to change and coalesce into another scene. Gwenth saw the girl in the dream again. This time Briok was also imprisoned within the tree, his wings were torn and bleeding. Then the image shifted again and a woman who looked curiously like a tree was leading them through a tunnel. Gwenth didn’t understand how the wall did this. Out of her curiosity she stepped closer. She hesitantly reached out to touch a small stone. Suddenly Gwenth felt the wall sucking at her; her hand was pulled closer to the stone. She cried out and tried to step
back, but the wall was stronger and in a split second she had been pulled through the wall and deposited in a room with no windows.

  “Oh dear, that looked as if it hurt. Here let me help you up.”

  Gwenth turned her head and there before her was a girl younger than herself, wearing what looked to Gwenth like the priests robe back home but in shades of brown and green. The girl’s face was smooth and her eyes were a stormy grey. Her hair was the oddest shade of red she had ever seen. Gwenth realized this was the girl she had seen reflected in the stone wall. “Stay back,” she said. She skittered backward toward the wall of the room.

  The girl froze momentarily, in her half bend before Gwenth. “Well,” she said, as she resumed her reach for the girl. “As to how you got here, I can only guess that the Rowan brought you through, though I don’t know why. Please don’t be afraid. I promise I won’t hurt you. If you won’t let me help you, at least come and sit at the table,” the girl said, as she straightened up and pointed out the table that stood near the opposite wall. “I’ll bring us tea and we can talk, I’m sure the Rowan can help us understand,” and with that the girl disappeared.

  Gwenth stood up and looked about the room. The room was not big. There were no windows, but it was softly lit, as if the walls themselves glowed from within. It was bare except for a woven chair and a small wooden table jutting out from the wall itself. Then Gwenth noticed the small built in space tucked unobtrusively into the corner next to the chair. She could see something filled the space. Gwenth went to there, and pulled a soft cylinder loose from the bunch. She untied the bit of material that kept it closed, and unrolled the soft scroll. It was some kind of material, and it was covered with markings. She realized it must be writing, but not like any writing she had ever seen. She continued to look at the scroll, but gave up when she realized she couldn’t decipher it at all. Gwenth rolled it back up and laid it on top of the others. Turning back to the room she saw a shelf she had not noticed before, she hurried over to it and looked at what lay on its curious gnarly surface. There was an acorn, a bit of green leaf and an odd shining stone. Gwenth reached up to take the stone down.

  “You are a curious one, aren’t you?”

  Gwenth jerked her hand back and quickly turned around. A yelp of sorts escaped her mouth.

  There in the chair, that had been empty only seconds before a very strange creature sat watching her.

  “Come and sit by me,” the old woman said. As she finished speaking a second chair suddenly appeared.

  Gwenth closed her mouth, but stood trembling before the old woman. She wasn’t sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, but the person before her seemed to be more tree than woman. Her hair was an unruly crown of branches and leaves, her skin was rough and dark like bark, and even her hands seemed gnarled and covered in leaves. “Where did you come from? How did you get here?”

  The old woman chuckled, “the same way you came here child, through the door of course.”

  “But I don’t know how I got here. I was only touching a wall of stones, and then I was here.”

  “Yes, yes of course, a door doesn’t have to look like a door, any more than a way to travel has to look like wings. Come now, I have many questions and the hour is late,” she said, beckoning Gwenth to the chair.

  Gwenth was still deciding the merit of stepping any closer to the old woman when the red haired girl reappeared. “Oh grandmother, we are honored you would come to visit us. I’m sorry I only brought tea for two,” she said bowing low before the woman.

  Do not worry my child there will be enough for three and here is another cup,” the old woman said as she reached into her pocket and drew out an acorn and sat it down on the table. Then in a blink of an eye, the acorn changed into a cup.

  “How did you do that,” Gwenth asked?

  “Oh that, it was nothing really, simple magic only, anyone can do as much. I’ve noticed that everyone has the potential to be much more than what they allow themselves to be. You might remember that child; it may come in handy someday. Lillith, please pour the tea, I find I’m parched.”

  Lillith poured out the tea, and of course there was enough for each of them.

  “Child what do they call you in your world,” the old woman asked as she sipped the hot liquid from her cup?

  “In my world,” she said as she coughed and sputtered, as she hastily swallowed her drink of tea. “Oh dear I truly hope this is all a bad dream, and I wake up soon. Gwenth said sitting her tea cup down on the table.”

  Lillith laughed. “You aren’t dreaming silly! Is it true then you are from a different world? Is that why you don’t have wings?”

  “Now, now, girl give the child sometime to adjust. She hasn’t long been in our world and in her world things are much different. That’s right isn’t it?”

  Gwenth’s hands shook as she lifted the cup to her mouth. “If this isn’t a dream, then how did I get here, and where is here?”

  “I can see child that you have many questions, I will try to answer those questions, the best I can. First though tell me what does your family call you?”

  Gwenth looked at the old woman who looked more and more like a tree. She seemed kind, and not very scary, really. “My name is Gwenth. I come from Scotland. We have a croft there and my family raises sheep. Now, tell me please, where is this place?”

  The Rowan had already shared Briok’s story with her, she wanted to be sure of the child. The sage watched closely as the girl spoke. She could feel there was no deception in the child, and so she too would answer honestly. “Welcome Gwenth, you are in a world called the Realm of All Time. I am Sephoria, sage to the Fey, companion of the Rowan, and Caretaker of the Keepers of Time as well, and this girl, is our Lillith. For many eons our people have been responsible for keeping time moving as it should. But as all of life must pass away, our world is no exception, our time is nearly over. Long ago, we sent a call out for assistance, and now, you have come answering that call.”

  Gwenth considered what the woman said, “I’m sorry, but I answered no call I assure you my lady.”

  “You have the Rowan branch, do you not? Only one, who was truly of the Fey, could use such a branch to reach us. How is it that you could not know of this? Is there no magic or Fey in your land?”

  Gwenth hung her head. “Fey, well there are those that say, there is a magical race of people, called Fey, or fairy, but I have not seen them myself, though they don’t have wings that I know of, and as for magic where I am from people are hanged or drowned if they are involved with magic.”

  Lillith broke in, “Wise one, what’s this talk about the end of our time? I don’t understand.”

  Sephoria took a moment to listen quietly to her nagging intuition. She had missed something. Studying the girls she saw what she hadn’t noticed before, a small pale ribbon of blue light that traveled from one girl to the other. Sephoria almost gasped in surprise. She tried to gather her thoughts. “Its true child until you were taken we had great hope, but when you were condemned it somehow sealed our fate, as well as your own. We sent timekeepers to try and heal the wound, but it did no good. Who can say how the Universe unfolds, but in this timeline, our world will soon end. Yet even now I see a reason to it all. Long ago, the Rowan felt she had to do something extreme, out of her love for you. So she sent out a branch on the sea of all time, a distress call to be answered by any Fey who could come from the future to help us. This girl came, and while even I wondered why a girl without obvious magical skill would come, it has just come to my attention that she is one of your ancestors.”

  Both girls looked at one another, and then turned in unison, and stared in disbelief at the old woman.

  “It’s true,” Sephoria said, as she set down her tea cup. “I will show you if you think it will help?”

  Gwenth looked over at Lillith and swallowed hard. “Alright then but only if it won’t hurt.”

  Sephoria laughed, “It won’t hurt child. Here look, she said making clear the l
ine of energy flowing back and forth between them. This is the line of energy that each member of a family has going from one member to another. It seems that even in your time of trying to kill off magic, people are clearly still connected by energy to their family members and of course to everyone else too but that story I think would only confuse you right now. Suffice it to say you are related, which gives me a great deal of hope right now.”

  Lillith watched as she saw the energy stream flowing between her and the strange young girl. “Grandmother, does this mean I am her Mother?”

  Sephoria chuckled, “No I don’t think you are that closely related. It’s more likely that many, many generations fall between you two.”

  “You mean this bit of moving stuff means we are connected?”

  “Yes child, everything is energy, all of life. All of life is connected by such energy. Do you understand that?”

  Gwenth thought about what the woman said. “Well, no I don’t understand, but I am trying.”

  Suddenly, Sephoria held a mother rabbit and its kit in her arms. “Look, here, see the thread of energy between the rabbits? That is the line of energy between mother and child. They are related. Understand?”

  “Yes I see it,” Gwenth said.

  “Good. “Thank you for helping me dear friend,” Sephoria said, to the mother rabbit and snapping her fingers they disappeared.”

  “So if I’m related, which I’m not saying I am, can I do magic?”

  “Yes, of course child, it is the only way you could have come here. Your mother must be a powerful Fey.”

  Gwenth hung her head, “My mother is dead.”

  Sephoria frowned but her voice grew even more kindly, “I am sorry child, I can see that a grief lies heavy upon your heart. I wish you had not had to learn the lesson of death, so soon, though it does make me wonder how you got here on your own.”