The Call of Mount Sumeru

by Elyse Salpeter

  Ari turned to her, his eyes wide in astonishment. “You took me to Xanadu? This is Xanadu? I thought it would be… different.”

  Kelsey stood up, winced and gripped her side. The blood flow had slowed down greatly, but it still bled, and hurt. “No, this isn’t Xanadu. Based on the battle going on above, I’m pretty sure this is Aihika. One of the three human realms. The realm that is closest to the Deva realms.”

  “Holy shit.” That was all Ari could muster and then furrowed his brow. “Wait, are we really here or did we collapse back in the cave and are now drowning in that pool of water?”

  “We’re actually here. Xanadu is only a consciousness realm for Earthlings. For other realms, it’s real and your entire body transports.” Kelsey rose to her knees and stood, but her vision clouded and she stumbled. She felt strong hands catch her before she fell back to the ground. “Thanks, Ari,” she started, but then gasped. She glanced up into the scarred face of the brown-haired Yeti. Next to him stood another Yeti, a female. Her fur was a bright white but streaked with blood. She’d been injured recently and Kelsey could see the gashes stretching across her torso.

  Ari made to grab his gun, but Kelsey stayed him with a shake of her head.

  The Yeti still held her arm and she felt his energy course through her. His inner force pulled at her deep in her core. She knew him.

  You were the same one that tried to save me once before. When I was a Tlingit girl.

  The female pointed towards the woods and uttered a grunt. And then Kelsey was lifted by the male Yeti. He followed his mate into the woods, holding Kelsey as if she weighed no more than a doll. They moved so fast, it was all Ari could do to keep up with them.

  The two Yetis lumbered right into the camp of startled humans and a woman raced up to greet them. The Yeti placed Kelsey on the ground a few feet away from her and the other Aihikians who had quickly gathered. Everyone remained on guard and kept their distance.

  The woman bravely stepped forward. “Thank you, we’ll take her from here.”

  Kelsey uttered a startled sound at the woman’s speech. She spoke Tedanaleese. The language of Xanadu. Her speech was accented differently than the people she spoke to in Xanadu, but Kelsey understood it perfectly.

  So did Ari. “Kelsey!” he said, stunned. “Did you hear her?” he replied, in English.

  They exchanged a look. Kelsey was sure he was now thankful she taught him the language all those years ago.

  With a nod, the Yetis returned to woods. Kelsey watched them go and then her vision clouded. Dizziness threatened to overwhelm her and she felt her lids close and the world blurred. Suddenly everyone moved into action. She heard the woman order others around her and Kelsey realized she was likely a doctor. Shadows surrounded her. She felt her shirt lifted and a painful pressure as someone examined her wound.

  Kelsey’s dizziness subsided and she glanced down at the woman, but only saw the top of her messy brown bun piled in a heap on the top of her head. People handed her supplies and she worked diligently, cleaning the wound and preparing to add stitches. “I’m sorry, this is going to hurt. We don’t have any anesthetic. But I’ll work quickly. Do you understand me?”

  She stared into Kelsey’s eyes and Kelsey sucked in her breath. Blue-green eyes she knew so well stared back at her.

  “Yes, I understand,” she whispered back, in Tedanaleese.

  The woman stared at her curiously, but then smiled kindly and Kelsey noticed the corners of her mouth quirk up. It’s not possible. It’s just a coincidence. It has to be. But she knew better. She didn’t believe in coincidences. Not even for a second.

  The doctor continued. “You were lucky, whatever nicked you went straight through and just gave you a bad wound. A little rest and you’ll be up and running again soon. Just let me stitch you up.”

  Ari gripped Kelsey’s hand hard as the woman closed up her wound. When she finally finished, the doctor turned her gaze on her and Ari and simply stared at them for a moment. “Why don’t you both come with me?”

  She helped Kelsey to her feet, and she and Ari guided Kelsey back to a campsite in the middle of what had once been a bustling farm village, but now seemingly sat in the midst of a war zone. Many of the buildings had caved in, and it appeared from the many blackened remains that a fire had once raged through this town. The doctor bade them to sit by a firepit and then handed Kelsey and Ari each a cup of water. She squatted next to them and just studied them for a moment. The sky brightened as another array of explosive lightning strikes volleyed across the heavens, followed by a violent peal of thunder, but the woman paid it no mind. In fact, no one did. Hundreds of people continued to move about the camp on various missions while the world above them continued to rage with the war.

  An unusual, loud clanging noise caught her attention, and Kelsey turned her head to notice a group of Dwarves at the far end of camp, situated behind a set of tents. They were hammering weapons and she watched them place the tips of spears directly into the flames of a roaring fire. The scene reminded her exactly of one of the fantasy movies on Earth.

  The doctor took a sip of water. “So, where are you two from?” A sprite flew by her face and she swatted it away as if it were a fly. It came to rest in front of her and the doctor turned to the Fairy with a resigned sigh. She took out a sweet from her pocket and gave it to the little nymph who gripped it in her arms like a basketball and took off.

  Kelsey and Ari exchanged a glance. Fairies, Dwarves? “The Four Kings, Ari?” Kelsey whispered, in English.

  The doctor squinted and repeated her question. “Where are you from?”

  What do I say? What if she knows nothing about the portals? She couldn’t even tell I was nicked from a bullet.

  The woman pursed her lips. “And don’t even try to say you’re from Aihika, because I know you’re not. You’re speaking a language I’ve heard is called English. That is not spoken here except by a select few. Yet you also speak Aihikian, but your accent is unusual. Not to mention the sight of the Dwarves and Fairies stuns you. You are obviously not from this world.” She raised her brows. “Are you originally from Earth? Or Prithvi?”

  Kelsey spoke up. “We’re from Earth.” She took a chance. She had to know. “Do you know Desmond Gisborne?”

  The woman’s eyes widened and she rocked on her feet. Ari left Kelsey’s side to catch the doctor before she fell.

  The woman composed herself quickly. “You know of my Garrett?”

  Kelsey’s shoulders trembled as she realized she stared at Desmond’s birth mother. She nodded. “I do. I’ve come to find him.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened in understanding and her jaw dropped. “You’re Kelsey from Earth, aren’t you?” From her expression, Kelsey realized Desmond had spoken to his mother of her.

  “Is he safe?” Kelsey asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Please be alive.

  The woman puckered her face in distaste and glanced at the mountains. “I hope so. He was when he left on the most recent mission. But he’s strong, so I have faith he will return.” She glanced at Ari. “And who are you?”

  Ari grimaced. “I think I’d rather not say. It’s probably far better for my health, under the circumstances.” He stared around at all the soldiers, who gave the doctor a wide berth, but kept checking on her to see if she needed help with the strangers.

  The woman grunted. “Nothing here is good for your health.” She reached out and gripped Kelsey’s hand and squeezed. “I don’t know how you got here, or what portal you took, but I’m glad you’re here. We can use all the help we can get and I know Garrett… I mean, Desmond, will be ecstatic to see you when he returns.”

  “Where is he exactly?”

  The woman pointed at the mountain. “He, Finley, and the others are on their way up the mountain to try to free some of the children kept prisoner by the Asuras.” Her voice was measured, but trembled, betraying the fear she obviously felt. Kelsey could see beneath the calm façade that she was terrified.

&nb
sp; They’re going up the mountain? Sitaula might be up there, too, right now. Kelsey rose. “I have to help them.”

  The doctor shook her head. “It’s a mile walk to the base of the mountain and then as far up and more. There’s no way you can do it right now in your condition. You need to rest or you’ll open up the stitches. Garrett should return by nightfall.”

  Kelsey couldn’t wait. She hadn’t come here to play patient. If she only had a quicker way to get up the mountain. If only she could fly.

  An idea formed. The portals were opening. Could her pet fedelia, Ishu, come through one of them? Were some of the portals in Xanadu? Was that even possible that her fedelia could move to a physical realm? People couldn’t, but what about the animals? They were not of the human realm in the first place. They’re from the animal realm… maybe their physical journey was different. Even in Xanadu.

  The doctor rose and spoke to Kelsey. “I have to attend to some things. You’re stable now. I’m going to ask that you please wait here and rest, and we’ll have plenty of things for you to do when Garrett and his unit returns.” And with that, Desmond’s mother was whisked away to tend to other patients.

  Kelsey watched her go and then closed her eyes. She lay her hands on her lap, palms up and began to wiggle her fingers in the age old motion.

  “Kelsey, what are you doing?” Ari ask, flabbergasted. “You’re meditating, here? Right now?”

  She squinted one eye open. “For once, will you just be quiet? I have a plan.” She closed her eyes and breathed. Concentrating on her breaths, she drowned out the thunder. She drowned out the intermittent cries she heard from the injured around her. She drowned out her brother who muttered how ridiculous she was being. She drowned out all of it until she felt her mind drifting towards emptiness. Like a wave rushing to shore, in and out, she breathed, and over and over she wiggled her fingers. She felt herself enter Xanadu, but she did not go to her hut. Her soul soared across the valley, searching for her pet. Golden lights lit up the valley around her and she realized now what they were. A golden pinprick of light in the garden glen where Desmond had first arrived in Xanadu, a light by the castle where she’d jumped between the worlds. All throughout Xanadu, little pockets of shining gold dots shone like beacons. All of them were portals. Yes, there… she saw Ishu resting in a field next to Dorje and her heart swelled with emotion.

  “Ishu… to me...” she breathed.

  In and out, in and out… she heard the flapping of wings, felt the wind whip her face, felt the presence of Ishu as she settled next to her on a hill above the valley in Xanadu. The great creature, a mix between a creamy white horse and a dragon, nudged her snout against Kelsey’s cheek and then wrapped her enormous wings around her lovingly.

  She cooed her instructions into her pet’s ear. With a whinny, the creature took flight and soared across the sky towards the pinprick of light at the edge of the kingdom…

  Once Kelsey felt sure the fedelia was on her way, she sent herself back to Aihika.

  Chapter 24

  Kelsey woke up in Ari’s arms. His face was a mask of concern and he exhaled in apparent relief. “I didn’t know if you passed out or took yourself to Xanadu.”

  “I thought you’d be used to this by now.” She sat up slowly and peered over the urban landscape towards Mount Sumeru. A small dot appeared on the horizon and Kelsey smiled triumphantly. It had worked. But, then, she tensed.

  “What’s wrong, Kelsey?” He’d obviously felt her stiffen.

  Not one, but a hundred dots now streaked across the sky, all coming closer.

  “Incoming!” Aihikians shrieked and screamed around her and suddenly everyone was in a panic. Soldiers readied their weapons and the doctors covered their patients. Others fled into the makeshift huts and ruined buildings to hide.

  They think they’re being attacked. It wasn’t just her Fedelia coming to greet her. What were they? Kelsey peered closer and saw they were dragons. One of the retinue of the Four Kings! Huge, iridescent creatures three times the size of her Ishu flanked her pet and streaked towards them.

  Kelsey stood. “We have to intercept them. We have to get away from the camp, Ari. People won’t understand.” Kelsey lurched unsteadily towards the edge of the base. With a cry, she stumbled and fell to her knees. Dammit to hell. I’m a Buddha, I’ve got powers. I should be able to withstand a stupid nick to my side.

  Ari was instantly by her side. In one motion, he scooped her up in his arms and without missing a beat, ran with her towards the incoming flock, while everyone else fled. “You’re a stubborn ass, Kelsey. One day you’ll realize you’re still human.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  They made it to the empty field and the herd descended in a thunderous roar around them. When they landed, the earth hammered under their feet.

  Ari sucked in his breath and coughed as the ash plumed around them.

  Kelsey whispered in his ear. “Not quite like your dreams, eh? You wanted to be here in another world, so I suggest you keep your cool, Ari.”

  As the dust settled, Ishu alit next to Kelsey and nudged her cheek with her snout. The hundreds of dragons surrounding her dwarfed her in size. It was hot, nearly suffocating in the glen with the heat the dragons created. Their breath steamed in the air in curls of smoke and the smell caused her eyes to burn. A dragon, triple her size, hopped forwards and sniffed Kelsey’s face intimately. She could feel the energy surging within the creature and her skin burned at his touch. Smoke curled from his nostrils and he bared his teeth.

  Ishu neighed loudly and nipped at the dragon. The creature hissed back at her but before he did anything else another thunder of wings sounded and another fedelia flew down into the throng to place himself directly between Ishu and the dragon. This creature, though smaller than the dragons, brayed threateningly and the dragon hissed and backed away.

  Kelsey blinked in surprise and she took a step towards Ishu’s protector. “Dorje? How did you possibly get here?”

  Dorje turned to Kelsey, whinnied and brushed her cheek tenderly with his muzzle. He then turned his stare to Ari and studied him with a steely, all-knowing intelligence that made Ari take an unconscious step back. Malevolence poured forth from Dorje and he flared his nostrils. A loud braying sound of contempt emanated from deep within his chest.

  “This is Desmond’s steed, isn’t it?” Ari asked, swallowing hard.

  Kelsey patted Dorje’s head. “Yes, he is. I’d watch yourself around him, if I were you. He doesn’t seem to like you all that much.”

  Ari paled.

  “It’s okay, Dorje. He’s with me.”

  The dragons became restless and flapped their wings in impatience. Some had already begun to take flight back to the sky to return to the mountain. Ishu bent down and gently helped Kelsey onto her back.

  “Come on, Ari, jump on Dorje. He’ll let you. Here’s your chance to finally ride a fedelia. For real this time and not just in your dreams.”

  Ari stared at Dorje and swore the animal seethed in indignation.

  “Dorje,” Kelsey ordered. “Take him. Desmond is here as well. I promise you that you’ll see him soon. He’s up on the mountain.”

  The creature made another braying sound of contempt, but bent low and allowed Ari to climb onto his massive back. Ari gripped the creature’s mane for dear life as it took to the sky to follow after the horde of dragons. They flew back towards the mountain and right into the middle of the battle.

  #

  Desmond and Finley stood on the crest of the mountain, a mile and a half up from sea level. The eagle had disappeared some time before and they’d waited for it to reappear. With a caw announcing its return, it soared up ahead and disappeared behind one of the cliff walls. They resumed their trek and hiked precariously around one of the more dangerously narrow trails. True to Odran’s warning, the trail ahead appeared virtually impassable.

  “Finley, down!” Desmond yelled. He pushed his sister to her knees and held onto her as hundreds of drag
ons suddenly flew overhead in their race up the mountain. Desmond and Finley grasped onto branches, and anything they could find to stop from falling over the cliff’s edge caused by the tumultuous wind the dragons created.

  Desmond took a peek at the collection of massive creatures that soared past. A fleeting image of a smaller animal with a chocolate mahogany mane peeked out between the great beasts, but in a blink of an eye, it was gone. A second creature, creamy white and delicate, also appeared for just a moment and Desmond, in his surprise, stood up and stared.

  What the…? No, it couldn’t be.

  Finley gripped his arm tight. “What is it, Desmond?”

  Desmond bit his cheek. “I could have sworn I recognized Dorje. My steed from Xanadu. Are there any other creatures besides dragons that live up here? Anything… smaller?”

  She crinkled her brows, thinking. “Just the Four Great Kings. The Fairies, Goblins and Dwarves. Why do you ask? And who is Dorje?”

  “Never mind, Finn. If the dragons have returned, the battle is right around the bend. Let’s go.”

  They readied their weapons. Suddenly, they heard a baby’s cry and a whistle in three parts.And then a scream.

  Desmond flinched. Impossible… it couldn’t be. That sounded like… Kelsey?

  He began to run.

  He rounded the next bend and saw the battle raging above. Dragons, Asuras, Trāyastriṃśa Devas and Garudas converged in a hail of power above him.

  A lightning strike hit a bush next to Finley and a spark set her tunic on fire. She cried out and Desmond threw her to the ground to extinguish the flames.

  He glanced towards the top of the mountain. The violent wind had picked up and it was hard to hear himself think. Was what I saw real? Was Kelsey also up there? Did I actually see Dorje and Ishu or is my mind playing tricks on me?

  There was only one way to find out.

  Desmond rose and steadied himself. He cupped his hands together and shouted loudly to be heard above the storm, “Dorje, to me!”