by Janeen Abdo
Wyatt cupped Terra’s face in his hands and looked in her eyes, “I swore to protect you, and not much I would not do to protect you. I cannot enter the left side to be with you, I am not an Elemental. This is how the Faye’s control who enters and who does not.”
Terra looked in Wyatt’s eyes and seen compassion and believed him, “how will I know you are getting through the passage safely.” Her heart beating quickly, this was not fear of dying in the waters it was the fear of never finding him again. His stoic quiet persona somehow has made her feel so safe this whole journey. She has not felt like anything would come near her. She just stared back into his eyes and to never move from this spot.
“You will find me again, I promise you I will find you, and I always do. She will not kill me.” The look in his eyes gave me shivers I wanted to curl into him and make this journey over. I do not want to meet this Queen that would let me drown if I can’t withstand my own past. I have no idea what to expect. It must be done. Without responding I walked toward the swamp on the left of the W. Walking into the slimy water, algae wraps around my legs and pull me into the waters.
The water is clear as I swim toward the gate, the algae guides me without hindering my ability to swim. I pass through the gate way, the light is blinding and the temperatures just rose by several degrees, the cold swamp is now like a warm bath. I hear voices speak in my head; it is the Faye Queen, Adara.
Chapter 5: Adara the Faye Queen
“SHE IS ENTERING THE waters, your majesty” the young male fairy advises his queen as he bows to her. The queen is sitting on her throne made of tree trunks and leaves of the birch trees. She sighs, and she knows she must let the Elemental into her realm. Terra will not even know how much hate lies between them. I have the power to crush her today, yet the Fates have warned me, I cannot.
I can remember like yesterday the day our Fates collided. We despised each other the moment we met and that idiot Horardo considers himself deserving of her. I made sure she saw me seduce him and I could tell she didn’t care. Her birds take flight; they are so free and have no destiny with those they hate, just live. Why did the great mother and Father create so many creatures just for life, yet created us to deal with destinies and gave the Fates control of them all? Why did they create humans and allow them to destroy everything that was beautiful; my fairies have done their best to save creatures and plants and do their duties. The Fates have made us the enemy and now I have to help the worst Elemental of them all. Gaia groomed Terra to resume her powers so she may rest and then Terra broke her vow.
She should be in the waters now, I can release her memories, have some fun before we are to become “partners”, and the idea repelled the queen. She walked closer to the pool that Terra would raise; the eels should shock her memories back so she will know at least what to do next. She released the eels in the water and leaned back against the weeping willow. Her brown eyes close and she can now see through her eel’s eyes, and Tera slowly descending into her waters, who is she speaking with?
The queen’s eyes open wide, shocked to recognize the Timekeeper journeying with Terra. How did they find each other, they were forbidden? Deep breath and dread fills her, closing her eyes to be one with her eels.
“Terra you will remember me before anyone, the one who your entire destiny depends on. If I do not allow you one memory, you will fail. I hope you understand what you owe me at this time. All the Timekeepers in this world, you are not a friend to time.
Horardo is the keeper you should be with your betrothed, your Mother Gaia chose him. You are the chosen Element; your creation was only to allow Gaia to step down. I will not hurt you, your memories will bring you sorrows, and the eels will give them to you. Wrap the eels around your wrists and close your eyes, they will bring you to me.”
Terra seeing the eels and hearing the queen’s voice is not cheering her forward. Wyatt’s warning keeps coming back to her and the fact that the queen seduced her betrothed. I wonder what she means that I am not a friend to time. She holds her hands up and allows the eels to wrap their long bodies around her arms. Then the glowing began and electricity surged through her, the pain overwhelmed her blackness became all she could see. The queen is a liar, but Wyatt said she could not lie, she said she would not hurt me, then blackness won and Terra passed out from the pain.
A tall woman with long red hair, green eyes, the pointy chin and bright smile, Gaia she is with me again. She is pointing to the other women, my sisters. Adrianna is the tallest; she floats over bodies of water. They are beautiful, so much life in oceans and fresh scents, she never seen so much beauty in her world of stone. Adrianna has the long blonde hair and the blue eyes. Then wind comes in and the warm breeze gently blows Terra’s black hair back, the breeze becomes stronger and Vanilla steps forward, she is much smaller than Adrianna. Seraphina, the Elemental of Fire, she was full of passion and always protected Terra. The memory of love for these women is so strong. She could feel the tears well in her eyes as she sensed the longing of not seeing them in five hundred years.
Another jolt from the eels seared through her and the agony of the electricity left her limp. She was not sure she could continue to hold on to the eels as they carry her through the waters. A man with golden blonde hair stands before her; he is an Adonis, the most beautiful man she has ever seen. It is Horardo, her betrothed. She expected to feel something when she looked at the beautiful man, but distrust and anger filled her. He is with a tiny woman, she is naked and laughing as they make love, and her wings flutter and are transparent yet colorful as a rainbow. Taking the scroll out of the Queen's hands and knows he has betrayal in him. Her mother stands before her and shows she is to marry him, anyway; Terra’s heart is breaking and longing for someone else. She sees herself pleading to her sisters and Seraphina standing up to the Mother as she tells her to allow Terra to follow her heart just as Gaia did.
Terra felt her heart breaking as her mother turned her away, then the humans came. Father had created them to think for themselves and the Earth was suffering. Gaia became weaker as the Earth suffered from the humans’ buildings and cutting trees, polluting the air and waters. Her sisters fought to protect the Earth, hurricanes, tornadoes and forest fires were going rampant trying to get the humans to understand what they were doing. Humans did not catch on, the greed filled them and instead of trying to save the Earth, they fought amongst each other. The Elementals suffered for the pains they caused the Earth. Mother felt it the most; she collapses from searing pain, her movements slowed, as she became so weak. As men filled the oceans to create more living space Adrianna became weaker. She became frail and depressed as her sea creatures perished.
Verniella became ill when the pollution took over she, collapse during tornadoes and they become dust storms. Seraphina is the only one who remained strong, but men learned to use her gifts of fire to destroy the earth more. They polluted the air and burned trees to create more living space. Terra watched her sisters and mother and the pain enveloped her. Father became a recluse and disappeared.
The dark witches came out and they sacrifice the animals and the other humans. They tapped in to Gaia’s magic from the core of the earth and hunted Timekeepers. They torture and kill them for information on how to kill the Elementals. The Druids and Wicca came forward and tried to battle the dark witches. The magic they had tapped into was even too much for ancient druid magic, the pain was intolerable; Terra’s lungs filled with pain and water as the eels continued shocking her. She should have drowned by now. She thought of Wyatt, how he has been there, warning her. All went to blackness as she lost consciousness again in the deep waters and dreaming of Wyatt and his eyes.
Chapter 6: The Dark Witches
DEAD TREES REACHED through the skies, Desdemona walks past the sleeping Gaia, stops and looks at how peaceful she looks asleep. The smirk comes across her mouth as she reminisces of her last battle with Gaia. She did it exactly as she planned. Gaia put her favorite to sleep, Terra was only to sleep
and become human for a mere 50 mortal years. 500 years later and Terra still sleeps, with her gone no one can ever wake Gaia. The humans will kill themselves off and the witches will grow stronger.
I will even let a few Druids and Wiccans stay for my pleasure, they are so righteous. I will find a way to rid the Earth of the Elementals. That stupid Horardo had better get me answers before a stupid druid wakes Terra again and she regains her memories.
“No one goes back there!! Desdemona forbids it!!” Loud screaming and commotion is coming from outside the cave. Desdemona sighed; with a wave of her hand the sleeping Gaia vanished. She stormed from the cave fuming, “Who is disturbing me, I have work to do!” She bellowed as she came across Horardo standing before her.
“My, my, Horardo, what brings you to our den? Most of you Timekeepers are afraid to come to our home?” A bright grin comes across Desdemona’s long bony face. She brushes black hair off her shoulder and strolls over to Horardo.
“It is Terra, she is awake!” Horardo was panicking, “her sister tells me nothing.”
“Rewrite her story, so she goes back to sleep like you have been doing the last few hundred years.”
“I can’t, Wyatt has gotten to her, he is getting help this time, and she is regaining her memories. I can’t rewrite anything if she has knowledge of her gifts.”
Horardo closes his eyes, “You promised me we would rule this world. All I do is betray my brothers and keep my betrothed asleep, who I could have ruled the world with but I chose you. You keep me at an arm’s length, let me know this plan. Let me be with you so we can take care of this together Desdemona.”
“We will be together once the Elementals are destroyed. They will overthrow me if Terra wakes Gaia. We need to find the oldest Timekeeper, the one who knows how the creator made Gaia; I can then reverse it and take her place.” She walks toward him and runs her hand across his chest, she smiled and leaned in toward him and he grabs her waist and pulls her to him.
Desdemona leans back as Horardo takers her to the ground and they make love through the night. They promise each other they will rule together.
The sun was rising and Horardo wanted to please Desdemona. He snuck out while she slept to find where Terra is and find a way to put her back to sleep. He is the only Timekeeper who can stop time. No other Timekeeper was created with this and Horardo was going to make sure no one knew of his ability. He looked back at Desdemona asleep on the mat; a sneer across his face. We will rule together my love and Terra will be trapped in an eternal sleep.
Desdemona heard Horardo leaving, as she shook her head, poor fool, I will be the death if him. She stretched out rose to check her followers. The humans that followed her thought of her as a Goddess. It was she, who ended the storms, the earthquakes, all the natural disasters that were killing the humans off by the thousands. The Earth may look like a wasteland, but it’s her wasteland, and it was her magic that stopped the Elementals. No other witch figured out how to tap in Gaia’s magic and how to turn the Elementals against themselves. The humans believed she saved them and poor Horardo believes I will share with him. She couldn’t help but laugh at the weakness surrounding her.
Shesha and Belinda, the keepers of the serpents, walk in on Desdemona admiring herself. “What of the others Desdemona, the dragons, the elves, and Faye ?”
Shesha demanded, “We serpents are not so easily fooled, we know you are up to much more than you are leading on and we do not trust you. I advise you to remember who you are dealing with and that magic much older than what you.”
Desdemona looked at the serpent keepers carefully, noticing every detail. Shesha was a tall male, could intimidate if she was anyone else. He has a long thin torso that connected the broad shoulder to rest of his body. A cobra comes to mind when looking at him and his soft slithery voice enhance that image. Belinda was not much different, softer features but cobra shoulders on her as well. These two are not ones to take lightly and necessary allies. I must tread lightly.
“Shesha, Belinda, I was not expecting you today. You are always welcome to join me. To answer your questions all that I do is to bring back the old ways, to learn of the old magic and recognize we are in our rightful places. I promise you, I keep you and the serpents in my highest regard.”
A small smile crossed Belinda’s face, as she took her husband’s hand and just walked out as silently as they had walked.
Chapter 7: Wyatt
WYATT SITS AMONGST the rocks in the Faye lands, waiting to see Terra rise from the water. Taking a deep breath as anticipation runs deep in him. The air is so much fresher in this realm and trees still surrounding the calm waters. In this realm the trees are alive and the waters are flawless. He thought of the swamp Terra and he had to tread through to get here. Crossing past the dead trees with white trunks and knotted bark, you notice with each crossing of the realms. The green swamp surrounding these trees becomes such blue waters once it joins the realm of the Faye with its clean air and grassy lands. What Earth looked like before the humans joined with the witches, before the betrayal, before Desdemona put Gaia to sleep. He closed his eyes hoping she will rise from the waters. She is our last hope to save the Earth.
Shadows formed from the depths of the waters he could see Terra floating to the top of the waters. The sight made him catch his breath. Her long black hair swirling around her body, her eyes closed as if asleep. He never gets used to how beautiful she is. Her full lips slightly parted, her features are strong, yet she has a softness to her that none of the Elementals have. He waited for her eyes to open and hoped her memories returned. He walks toward the water waiting for movement from her. He sees the burns around her arms and knows Adara tortured her, he thought it would be all in her mind. Electric eels burning her arms; does not fit the Faye Queens style of revenge.
He walks out and finds himself waist deep in the water, reaching out to her, slowly working his arms around Terra to help her from the water. She so limp, no movement comes from her small frame, as he lifts her from the water, his memories stir. He stops to breathe he knows he has to do what is right this time; he cannot go through this punishment again. Not having to watch her from a far, knowing she is the secret to turn the world back into the plush lands and oceans. The Earth must come first this time and push my own needs and wants aside.
Terra’s eyes are opening, the green in her eyes are coming to focus, and I can see she is overwhelmed. “Terra, are you ok? Can you stand?”
Her voice shaky, “I am not even sure where I am right now” She stops talking and stares into Wyatt’s eyes. “All I wanted was to see is you again.”
She tries to stand and I catch her small frame and she faints once again, I carry her to the beach on the side of the pond. Fluttery lights move toward me and Adara is here. She is but a tiny speck but she flutters around my head, just to annoy me. Her wings resembling a transparent rainbow as she makes herself grow in to the same size as me.
“I thought you would show mercy considering the situation we are in Adara! Electric eels, really!”
“I was kind, the eels were necessary to speed up the whole memory process. She would still be in there if I did not use the eels to shock her. Your precious Terra will be fine and she should have most of her memories, and she knows where to go and who to find. Just remember this Wyatt; it was me you had to come to for help.”
“I know Adara we are in debt; I will pay for it one day. Did you give her all her memories, of me?”
“No, she does not remember any more than you are just another Timekeeper and not the reason for her banishments. She has enough suffrage to work through with her family.”
“Why are you being so careful with her, you always despised her?”
“The Fates twisted my destiny with hers; I unlike others can separate my feelings from my duties to my destiny.”
“Your destiny does not force you to watch the one you love marry a prick; that makes it easier to separate your feelings, your highness.”
�
�I suppose, but I watch my desire love another while she marries a prick.”
Wyatt stood shocked and speechless as he stared at where the Queen of the Faye’s once stood. She is the keeper of the birds, ruler of the Faye’s and for some reason she has wanted him since she came into existence. He shook his head, the Fates can be cruel, and they create your paths and watch as you stumble through them. Then he heard the light cough and sees that Terra has awoken and she looks strong and ready.
Terra is in awe with the land of Wondra, they Faye queen keeps it truly beautiful. The birds are flying over her head, she sees the fish in the pond she was just retrieved from and horses running through the meadows. She looked over at Wyatt and flashed him a mischievous grin, “Let’s go find my sisters!”
Chapter 8: The Fates
WE WALK THROUGH WONDRA in eerie silence. I thought he would be happy, I have my memories, but he is still broody. Since we met a few weeks ago he has wanted my memories and now nothing. I would give anything for what is going on in his head. At the heart of the Faye land he seemed to be opening up to me and seemed empathetic. This journey he has been watching over me for, his words not mine. The Faye Queen tortured my memories back into me and I am stronger than I have ever felt. I remember the wars and horror that inflicted our home. Why should I care if he talks to me, we are stuck in this journey together? I do not understand how he seemed to care and now it is gone. I wonder if he was hoping that Adara would kill me so he no longer had to watch over me.
“We have to find the Fates and then Adrianna; she is the direction the Queen pointed me in:” I hope I sounded as defiant as I wanted; I want to show I am ready for this.
“Adrianna,” Wyatt looks puzzled, “not Seraphina?”