by Pamita Rao
Thoughts filled her mind with worry, and Alaira felt the pull of sleep beckoning her. Exhaustion took over Neelahaim and he yawned. For a few moments, she stayed still, until she heard his breathing become softer. Her eyes felt heavy, and she was about to give in to the demand of her body, when a scurrying sound from inside the cave jolted her. A stench like that of rotten food drifted from within the cave, and she scrunched her nose, wondering what had caused it.
A voice echoed through the cave. “Who are you, and what do you think you are doing trespassing into our home!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Trolls
A troll with a beard that swept down to his feet emerged from within the darkness of the cave, holding a candle that illuminated his face. The crooked nose, three-toed feet, and eyes that were too large for his body would make most people scream and run, but Alaira knew they were generally harmless from the mythological stories she had heard. Their powerful smell was all they had to protect themselves, and they radiated a stench when someone threatened them. Many beings of Myrth fainted from this stench when attacked by a troll, and many had complained of losing their senses forever after an attack. The only way to protect oneself was to offer a piece of jewelry.
“We have travelled a long distance and seek shelter to rest for the night.”
Two more trolls padded their way to her. One was bald, with a long nose and a moustache, while the other had earrings and wore a gown. “You can’t stay here,” said the troll with the moustache. “Off you go.” He waved his hand in the direction of the exit.
Alaira took out her earrings and extended her hands to them. “Take these,” she said. The troll with the beard took the earring from her hand, but the moment he saw Neelahaim, he threw them back to Alaira.
“We cannot accept your jewelry,” he said, moving his family away as if she were an untouchable. “The king will behead us if he finds us harboring his son!”
“Please, the king intends to kill my nephew. We are running away from his soldiers as a favor to Queen Elora, who is my sister.” The bearded troll’s eyes softened at Elora’s name. Alaira lifted the earrings and held them back to him. “Please, accept it as a token of my gratitude.”
The trolls blinked at her but did not move. “Please,” she said, “I don’t have anything else with me, but that is worth a fortune. You can sell it in a thieves’ market and make some money out of it.”
The troll with earrings sneaked a peek at Alaira’s outstretched hand and snatched the earring. “It is beautiful!” she said in awe. “Just imagine what Aunt Jemima will say when she sees me wearing one of these?”
She looked at Alaira and clasped her hand. “My name is Talia. This is my husband, Hubbard, and my father, Groel. We do not mean to be inhospitable, but not everyone who hides in these woods has the best intentions. The enchanted forests have had their share of dangers, you know. We all went into hiding after a particular war that—”
“That’s enough, Talia!” Hubbard pulled her back and gave a stern look to Alaira. “Fine, you can stay, but on one condition: you both leave tomorrow by dawn. We do not want any trouble from your kind.”
Alaira nodded. “I give you my word. We will be on our way before the first ray hits Myrth. Can you tell us where these forests lead to?”
“Where are you headed?” asked Groel, staring at Neelahaim. He sat on a small rock within the cave, resting his feet.
“We are headed to the gate that will lead us to other realms. Do you know where it is?”
“Are you a criminal? If so, we do not harbor criminals,” said Hubbard.
“Oh hush,” said Talia. “Does that small child look like a criminal to you? I am sure she has an explanation as to why they seek the gates of heaven.”
“There is a threat on my nephew’s life, and I was told it was the safest place to go.”
Talia hesitated before speaking. “There is a place not far from here—”
“Talia! You are not to tell anyone of that place.” Hubbard roared in anger.
Talia frowned. “If someone were to threaten to hurt our child, would we not do the same?”
She turned to Alaira. “It’s called the great glacier. There is a frozen sea that one needs to cross to reach the glacier.” She bent close to her ear and whispered. “Inside one of those glaciers lies the gate, one that the Gods used to travel between realms. Since the last war, where the forest was almost destroyed, the Gods, along with Balthasar himself, created enchantments to protect it.”
Alaira took a moment to absorb that information. She still had to find the frozen sea, cross it somehow, reach the Great Glaciers, and then find the gate. The mere thought seemed impossible.
“Let me warn you,” continued Talia. “The frozen sea and the glaciers are enchanted as well, erected by the gods themselves. It will not be an easy feat. Tread carefully. We will let you rest for now.”
While the rest of his family left, Groel walked back to Alaira, stumbling over his long beard. “There is one more thing you should know. The gate you seek are not visible to our eyes. When you reach the icy glaciers, the gate will chose whether to reveal themselves to you. If they do not, you will die in the Glaciers.” He scurried back to where his family stood, and they disappeared inside the darkness of the cave.
Alaira stared at them as they retreated. She would rest for now, but soon she and Neelahaim would have to leave. She still did not know where Freddic, Horace, or Elora were, but if she chose to wait for them, then they could be in grave danger, as she did not know what other creatures lurked in these enchanted forests.
She gazed out at the night sky and watched as the stars disappeared one by one. Soon the sky would turn a shade of purple and daylight would set in. Some food would have been good, but the trolls had been kind enough to let them stay the night and she was not one to impose. Tomorrow, she would find something proper for Neelahaim to eat. Maybe they would find a deer in the forest.
Neelahaim had stayed quiet during their journey and had not complained about food or water the whole time. Maybe he had sensed her fear and remained quiet. Alaira marveled at his resolve. He would turn out to be a great emperor one day, and she only hoped he took after his grandfather rather than his father. She pulled the cover higher up his chest, and he turned to his side and curled on her lap. The moisture from the ground seeped into her gown, leaving her chilled to the bone, but she let the exhaustion take her over as she drifted off to sleep despite the cold wetness that surrounded her.
Alaira woke up the next morning to find Neelahaim playing with a smaller version of Hubbard. It must be Talia and Hubbard’s child, she thought to herself. Talia held out a green fluid in a greasy pot, and Neelahaim scrunched his nose and shook his head. Alaira smiled but stayed in her place, watching him in silence. She turned onto her back, and something pinched her. She touched the rough surface of the cut on her back and the memories flooded back. She remembered the tree branch that had fallen on her, its bark piercing into her skin. She winced as she touched her wounds. She did not have the courage to ask for more help. She would tend to her wounds once they were safe.
Neelahaim strode back to her. “Khala, I don’t want to eat that,” he whined. Alaira took the bowl from the outstretched hand of Talia and almost threw it away. It looked like worms mashed together and boiled to a stew.
“Talia, I am thankful for your hospitality. You have done more for us than we could have asked. I wish everyone in your family always has good fortune, but we will leave now. Daylight will soon be upon us, and we must leave.”
Talia nodded. “Very well then. Have a safe journey, but before you leave, won’t you give me your names?”
Alaira smiled. Just for a day, she had found a friend. She would remember this courtesy forever. “My name is Alaira, and he is Neelahaim”
Talia smiled. “Then our prayers will be with you, Alaira and Neelahaim.”
Alaira waved at Talia, and she waved back with enthusiasm as they picked the same path they were on the previo
us night. Letting Neelahaim walk was better on her still-sore shoulders, but it was slowing down their pace. Alaira plucked a few fruits from the low-hanging trees and gave some to Neelahaim. He ate in silence while they walked. A heard of deer hopped in front of her and Neelahaim followed them. Alaira stopped to watch his amazement.
Every child had to have such simple pleasures, and they had never allowed Neelahaim to go out with anyone. He had friends, but they never allowed him to wander far. They had raised him in Nimah secretly, his entire world being her father, Horace, and herself. She wanted to let him wander, to explore, but the impending threat stopped her.
“We will come back for the deer,” she said, dragging him back on their path. Far out in the distance, she could see a shimmer in the horizon. Was that the Frozen Sea? she wondered, slowing her pace. The bushes were too high for her to see, so she climbed the trunk of a tree.
“Stay close,” she said as she parted the bushes, revealing an icy sea that glittered like glass under the rising sun. She climbed back down and pulled Neelahaim with her to the edge of the beach.
A small boat hovered over the ice, empty, with no rider inside. If it is ice, we could still walk over it, she thought. She took off her footwear and dipped her toe to touch the sea with her feet. As her feet touched the surface, the ice melted and turned to water. Small bubbles formed on the water’ surface. Before she could grasp what was happening, tentacles emerged from the water and grabbed her, pulling her in. She slipped and fell into the water as they dragged her away.
Alaira screamed and tried to pull her leg back, but she was dragged even more, the tug being too strong for her to resist. Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched Neelahaim crying. He wailed and called out for her, but it was too late—she was already drowning, with the tentacles covering her whole body.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Frozen Sea
The force of the water pulled her deeper into the sea. Her arms flailed as she fought to break free, trying to move her legs, but the tentacles bound them together. Neelahaim held out his wand for her to grab on to, but it was too far for her to reach. He closed his eyes, and his forehead creased as if he was in deep thought. The wand glowed and vibrated in his hand. It moved, extending itself towards her. It dipped into the water, allowing Alaira to hold one end of the wand, and it began to pulling her back along with it. She felt the tentacles let go of her legs, and she allowed the wand to pull her up onto the safety of the beach.
Alaira’s eyes teared as she watched Neelahaim’s tiny form pulling with all his strength. The wand dragged her back to the shore and left Alaira on the sand. Her head half-buried in sand, she heaved and coughed, sputtering water. Neelahaim stared at the wand as it settled itself at his feet and ran towards Alaira, hugging her.
“The wand saved you, Khala.” His eyes gleamed with pride. Alaira wiped her face. The sea bubbled as she made her way towards where he left the wand and picked it up. It was almost as if it listened to him. It must have sensed his fear of losing her and acted on its own to save her. She wondered what other miracles it could do. Suddenly the water rose a few feet above them with a loud growl. It slowly took the shape of a face.
“I am the gatekeeper of the great glaciers. What purpose do you have to enter?”
Droplets of water drizzled on them as it spoke, and Alaira placed her hand above her head to shield herself from them. “We are in search of the gate that will lead us to other realms. King Creed has threatened to harm my nephew. Please let us pass, so that we may find the gate.”
“The gates of heaven are not meant for beings such as you. They are meant only for the Gods who travel between realms to maintain order among beings. I do not know how you crossed all the enchantments, but you must return. You are mistaken, for what you seek cannot be found.” Its eyes tightened as it watched Alaira. “I am curious though. How did you cross the enchantments of the forest?”
“My nephew holds the power over Kaikra’s wand. It has helped us escape so far.”
The face turned to Neelahaim. “But the enchantment was performed by Balthasar himself. How did he manage to break through it?”
“He is the grandson of Balthasar and the son of Creed and Elora. It is in his destiny to go through the gate.”
The face stayed motionless for a while, as if in deep thought. “Many years ago, a boy found the gate here on Myrth and went through it. We all thought he was dead, as the journey through these gates can be very painful to one’s body. However, this boy came back, grown into a man; he brought back along with him many dangerous creatures. These creatures tore and destroyed our forests until the Gods had to come down themselves and close the gates in both the realms. After that incident, the Gods, realizing this man’s power, granted him the wand that you hold. This man was none other than Balthasar, and it is his wand that you hold.”
Alaira raised her eyebrows at the revelation. She had never questioned what happened to the boy or who he was in those stories, but she knew now. “That is why the wand listens to Neelahaim, and that is why it has been protecting him.”
The face nodded. “With this wand, Balthasar created enchantments around the forest, and along with the Gods created the frozen sea and glaciers that hide the gates of heaven. The Gods believe that anyone who crosses these gates may cause destruction in the other realms.” Its eyes softened, and its voice strained like the words brought out a memory. “I have seen it happen before, and I do not intend for it to repeat. Those who cross the gates abuse their powers in other realms. You see, other realms are not as mature as Myrth. The creatures in other realms are still in their nascent stages. In order to protect them, the Gods came together and closed the path to the gates. They have done the same in all other realms, so that no one can escape from their own lands.”
Its eyes blazed as it spoke. “There is a reason we are not allowed to let anyone pass. We cannot let such devastation occur again. It has been many centuries since anyone came my way. I suggest you return back to your land and let the gate on Myrth remain hidden.”
Alaira folded her hands as if in prayer. “Queen Elora has been taken prisoner by Creed, and her son is now in danger, as Creed, his own father, intends on killing him for his powers,” she implored. “I beg you to let us pass before he arrives. He is a dangerous man, not to be trifled with, and I am escaping with his only son. He will not spare anyone once he finds Neelahaim.” Her knees touched the ground and she bowed. “Allow Neelahaim to pass, if not me.”
The face remained motionless, and when Alaira thought that she would no longer get an answer, the face nodded. “Very well then. Neelahaim will have to prove himself to me. Only then will I determine whether he is worthy of this journey or not. Answer a few questions, son.”
Alaira held onto Neelahaim’s hand, wondering what he could possibly ask a boy of three. Neelahaim was but a child. How could he answer questions posed by elders such as ‘the face’?
“Tell me, child,” the face said, turning towards him. “How does God get his divinity?”
Neelahaim strained his neck to look up at the face. He gripped Alaira tighter than before. She knelt in front of him and held his shoulders. “Do you remember stories that grandfather told you? Stories of Gods and of various enchanted creatures?”
He nodded.
“Try and remember the answer from what he taught you.”
He thought for a moment but remained quiet. It was as if he did not know whether to speak or not. The face tried again, asked the same question, but Neelahaim remained quiet. Alaira wondered if Neelahaim understood the question. He loved listening to mythology, and he always sat at his grandfather’s lap, listening to stories. She opened her mouth to answer the question, but ‘the face’ shook his head.
“The answer must come from the chosen one. If it is in his destiny to cross the gate here on Myrth, the Gods will give him strength to speak.”
Just as Alaira was giving up hope, Neelahaim spoke. “Belief,” he said.
The
face raised its eyebrows as Neelahaim continued. “Grandfather says we should never be scared because if we truly believe in God, then he will get strength to protect us. That is why we should pray, to let him know that we believe in him. It makes him stronger.” He gave a nod with his head, finalizing his answer.
The face smiled. “You are very intelligent for someone your age.”
Alaira beamed at him. She was curious to know what else he had learned but would do so in the safety of the new realm.
Someone clapped from behind her. “What a heart-wrenching speech, dear boy.” Alaira spun to find dark, hollow eyes staring back at her. “You are a difficult woman to find, my dear sister-in-law.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Evil within
More than twenty-five horses trotted towards them, headed by Walahal and other soldiers. Alaira pulled Neelahaim behind her as a gold and velvet ornamented horse approached them, carrying a man with hollow eyes that burnt like fire.
“You have something that belongs to me,” he growled. “Thought you were clever, did you not?”
Neelahaim clutched her clothes from behind her. Alaira put her arm around him and held him in place. She turned towards the sea, but the face had disappeared, and the sea glittered like glass once more. Alaira panicked, as her only path to the gates of heaven was closed once again. She was now cornered and alone. Her skills were no match for Creed’s powers, and she could see no other way to escape but to stall him with her words.
“A child belongs to those who pledge their lives to love and protect him. You lost your rights as a father the day you chose to sacrifice Neelahaim for your own desires. He does not belong to you anymore.”
“I am curious. Tell me: why you would seek to protect someone who has my blood coursing through his veins? You know there will come a day when he will be like me. The day he realizes the kind of powers he has, he will be nothing like the boy who stands beside you today. That day you will wonder why you stood in my way. You cannot control him, Alaira. It will be best for all of us if you give him back to me.”
