Journey to Rainbow Island

by Christie Hsiao

  In the commotion, the platform began to sway as it lifted off the ground. “Easy, everyone. It’s like being on a boat—we need to remain steady, and not rock one way or another. Take a deep breath, and here we go!”

  Eight

  Anteroom

  YU-NING SLOWLY DISENGAGED the locking mechanism on the platform, which jolted into motion once again. This time, however, the passengers remained calm and steady, and the platform began to move smoothly skyward.

  Yu-ning looked out at the faces of those below—those who chose to stay behind. Some were weeping, knowing instantly once the platform left that they had made a mistake. Others were still scoffing dismissively, as if to convince one another that they were the only sensible people. A hushed silence fell over the platform. Everyone was breathless, not knowing what to expect next. They watched the faces of those below and saw bitterness, confusion, and sadness. Their attention was drawn back to Yu-ning.

  She whispered reverently, “You did it, and now all you have to do is believe.”

  Voices called out, “I believe. I can get to the top!” Everyone on the platform was suffused with yellow, beaming light. It was shining down, covering their entire bodies.

  “I don’t know. I’m scared,” a man said, as he nervously looked down at the growing distance below. “Oh no,” he shouted. “It’s too dangerous! We have to get off!”

  He and a panic-stricken woman next to him started to climb over the ropes to jump off the platform, which was now about thirty feet off the ground. Yu-ning moved over to them and gently placed a hand on each of them. “Don’t worry, you only need to believe and trust. Just close your eyes, and in just a few minutes we will be at the top. Everything is fine.” People were taking deep breaths and bowing their heads in prayer, perhaps not even knowing they were intuitively guided to do so.

  “All right,” said the man, holding Yu-ning’s hand. His eyes were closed and he began to feel the platform accelerating. “Oh, it’s working. We are moving skyward!” he exclaimed. When others saw him, they were encouraged too. People looked up and nodded in disbelief. They were traveling ever upward, while at the same time, the platform was accelerating faster. It was as if they were flying above the platform, rather than simply riding it to the top floor.

  Up they went, past the atrium and racing past floor after floor, the city now spreading out before them. They also noticed that the rain clouds were breaking up, as if the lights of the tower were melting them and causing the rain to dissipate. They raced ever higher, the entire city now laid out below them as the sun broke through the clouds to the west. The platform was moving so fast now that people began to have a sense that they were actually flying.

  With no warning, the platform jolted to a stop, and those who had been closing their eyes throughout the journey blinked with amazement at the sight in front of them.

  The platform had emerged from the enclosed glass of the main tower column and was now resting high over the city; the ropes of the pulley fell hundreds of feet downward to a small opening in the roof of the atrium, through which the platform had risen. As they looked down, it was as if the tower was still growing, and they were rising higher above the city. But the large, sturdy ropes were connected to massive beams above them—this was as high as the platform could go. They had indeed reached the top floor!

  “Are we here?” several people queried.

  “Is this the top?” a few others inquired.

  “Yes, we are here,” said Yu-ning.” She took a step forward off of the platform and was standing on a white shining marble floor. Everyone else followed with reverence and trepidation. Waiting to greet them was a smiling woman, dressed in a beautiful, wispy white robe. She had plaited blonde hair, interwoven with small white daisies. Her eyes shone bright blue and reflected warmth and kindness.

  “We have been expecting you. Please follow me.” She walked over to Yu-ning, took her hand, and they walked in front of the others down a long, glass-lined hallway, the city visible far below, growing ever farther away, but still somehow close. All the faces that were once gripped in doubt and apprehension were lighter now, smiling and hopeful. Some closed their eyes and felt the air flowing around them. The entire hallway was infused with pure white light, and its energy and sensation were purifying and cleansing. They didn’t know what they were experiencing, only that it felt heavenly.

  They arrived at large, frosted glass doors, which the woman opened, beckoning them to enter. The group entered silently and with awe, for before them was the most beautiful room they had ever seen. It was wall-to-ceiling glass, stretching from the marble floors to at least 100 feet into the air. The ceiling above them was vaulted, and also pure glass, with nothing but pillowed clouds and cerulean sky above.

  The room was empty except for a stately mahogany desk sitting in the very center. Behind the desk sat a dark-haired man wearing a green shirt and black coat. His hair was long and dark, as was his beard. His eyes were a vibrant blue-grey, with the focus and regality of a hawk. He had a kind face, and as the group entered, he rose from his desk, opened wide his arms, and smiled.

  “Welcome, everyone . . . and you, my girl, must be Yu-ning! My name is Balthazar, and I am pleased to see you all.” He strode from around the desk and reached out his hands, grasping Yu-ning’s in his own. “We have much to discuss, young lady, but first things first!”

  He released Yu-ning’s hands and turned to address Julian and the adults who had braved the ride to the top of the tower.

  “Yes, welcome, welcome,” Balthazar repeated.

  “Are you the only one up here?” a man from the back called out quietly.

  “Yes, my assistant, Melodia, and I,” Balthazar replied, nodding respectfully to his assistant standing by the door. He had an air of power and dignity that stilled everyone in the crowd, but he was warm and welcoming, so they continued with their questions.

  “Why is this place called the Anteroom of Heaven?” asked a little girl standing next to her mother.

  Balthazar knelt down and smiled at the little girl. “Do you believe in heaven, sweetheart?”

  “Yes, I do,” said the little girl sweetly.

  “I do too,” answered Balthazar, gently squeezing the little girl’s hand. “And it is my life’s mission to help other people believe in it, just as you do. To find paradise, we first must find the light. That is the first step. And that is what I help people to do.”

  “Oh!” exclaimed the girl. “Like the way Yu-ning showed us the pretty pink path?”

  “Yes, exactly,” said Balthazar. “Yu-ning simply helped you have faith to see the lights. And faith is always the first step on the journey.” He turned and motioned them over to the enormous floor-to-ceiling glass windows. They gazed out the windows in astonishment: the city below them had been transformed from darkness to shimmering light. The tower seemed to be rising, growing ever taller, but they could still make out the details of the city below.

  A beautiful cascade of light was spreading from the tower throughout the once grey city. The rains cleared, and life was springing up everywhere. All the streets, alleys, and once-dark corners were now repositories of light. Interspersed through the sidewalks and streets were beautiful pockets of green vibrant grass and trees. The brightness continued to spread throughout the entire city until every square foot was gleaming in the light, including the now-sparkling blue sky and late-afternoon sun.

  “What is happening? Where is the light coming from?” said Julian.

  “The city has been grey because no one chose to believe in the light—that is why none of you could see the light from this tower until Yu-ning had the courage to believe,” explained Balthazar. “By believing, we embrace faith, and in faith, we find the power to act. And when we act—well, that is when miracles happen.” Even though the sun was setting, the entire city was emblazoned by some miraculous light source. As the people watched the city transform, they began to smile and weep with joy.

  “Yes, very good!” B
althazar added. “Thanks to you, this city and each of you shines with all of the light you have required for this time.” As he said this, he looked far off in the distance, at something coming from outside the boundaries of the city. “Come, everyone, and see.” They all followed Balthazar to the glass windows that faced north, away from the city. The light ended at the outskirts of the city, and though the moon had not yet risen, an object could clearly be seen now, with the lights of the city reflecting off it. It was flying upward, and as it grew closer, Yu-ning gave a shout of recognition.

  “It’s Suparna! Oh, I was wondering where he was!”

  The magnificent bird looked majestic in midair, his wings spreading out wide against the dusky sky, his rainbow feathers illuminated by the shining lights of the tower. Slowly, as if by secret command, the great glass windows began to slide apart, and the night air poured in. Balthazar walked through the opening and stepped onto a large marble balcony that encircled the top floor of the tower. Yu-ning, Julian, and the group of passengers followed Balthazar outside, overcome by the brightness of the rising stars and by the beauty of the city below, bathed in beautiful light.

  The crowd grew hushed as the regal figure of Suparna slowly became visible from below. His wings were making a soft whooshing sound as he flew up and over the balcony railing and landed softly on the marble floor nearby.

  Yu-ning rushed forward and embraced him; Suparna enveloped her in his enormous wings, returning the warm embrace. “I was so scared, Suparna,” said Yu-ning. “I kept looking for you in the sky as I walked through the city, but saw no sign.”

  “The storm was just too strong for me to successfully navigate the city,” said Suparna. “Several times I tried to find you, but each time the rain and wind were too strong, and forced me back to the outskirts. I began to circle the perimeter of the metropolis and was becoming more and more worried. But then I saw a brilliant pink light shoot out from under the city—it flowed swiftly along the path of a dry watercourse, and led me into those nearby hills.”

  Suparna pointed with his wing to a long dark line of hills about a mile outside the city to the northeast. “I decided to follow the light, because I was fairly certain it was coming from your pink crystal heart. Because of the storm hovering over the city, I couldn’t follow the light into the city, so I followed it into the hills. It led me to a large wall of debris, where the dry watercourse ended.”

  Suparna gestured again toward the hills, his voice husky. “Somehow, I sensed that the light was trying to tell me something—and I guessed that it had to do with the blocked canyon where the pink stream of light ended abruptly. I quickly cleared the rocks and debris, and as I did, the light kept leading me to a certain spot—like it was telling me where to dig. Finally, as I dug deeper, I released the waters of a blocked spring.

  “The water rushed down the waterway, across the plain, and disappeared through a tunnel leading below the city. Slowly, the storm began to clear, and the once-grey city was filled with magnificent light—that is when I could finally see the lights of this tower, and fly here to meet you.”

  Yu-ning clapped and jumped. “It’s another miracle! My pink crystal heart sent a beam of light under the city and out into the hills, Suparna, which guided you to the old spring. And by releasing the water, you allowed the millrace to flow once again, so it could power the sky platform that allowed all of us to come to the top! Thank you, Suparna, for believing.” Yu-ning gave her feathered friend another hug and turned back toward Balthazar.

  “It is very good to see you, my wise friend,” Balthazar said to Suparna, stepping forward to greet his old comrade. “It’s hard to believe that so many years have flowed past us in the winding course of life’s river.”

  “It has been ages, good Balthazar, since we were last together on the barren plains of Darqendia,” marveled Suparna. “But look at you! You haven’t aged a bit, even though an entire century has passed since you tasted victory over that dragon horde.”

  The two of them walked to the far side of the balcony, leaving the rest of the group to marvel at the city lights below. Balthazar and Suparna struck a serious tone and talked for quite a while. Yu-ning could not make out what they were saying but could see that it was of great importance. The two nodded in agreement, as if a plan had been decided upon, and Balthazar walked back to speak with Yu-ning.

  Balthazar said, “Do you bear the mark, child?”

  “Yes—how did you know?” asked Yu-ning, startled. She slowly rolled up the sleeve on her left arm, showing the old man the bow-shaped birthmark, unharmed by the dragon’s fire, and surrounded by the burned skin still in the process of healing.

  He stared at it for a long time and said, “Then it is you,” as if making a decision. “But you are too young—this cannot be.” He seemed unsure as he stared first at Yu-ning, then at Suparna, and then walked back toward Yu-ning. “You are not yet ready to face an obisidigon. You will stay with me, and I will teach you what I can; but admittedly, we don’t have as much time as is truly needed. I have months of teaching to share, and only days in which to share it!”

  “Also, sir, I have this,” said Yu-ning, reaching into her pack and pulling out the Light of Balthazar. “Metatron told me to show this to you.”

  He reached out and took the Light of Balthazar from Yu-ning’s hands, holding it up to the light. “It is good to see this again, my child. I have not seen it since the day I gave it to your master. But I’m afraid this crystal orb won’t protect you against an obsidigon,” he said, handing it back to Yu-ning, who placed it in her pack. “However, it does have its uses,” he added for good measure. “So it is settled. You will stay with me, then,” said Balthazar, in the form of a statement.

  Yu-ning glanced at Suparna, who slowly nodded his head, as if to confirm what Balthazar was telling her. Not wanting to fight, she accepted the fact that she would need to stay behind with Balthazar rather than return to Rainbow Island. She looked at Balthazar, and pointed at the people who had come to the tower with her. “Sir, many of these people would like to go to Rainbow Island. Is it all right for them to leave?” asked Yu-ning, her eyes wide with anticipation.

  “Of course it is, Yu-ning. They are free to choose their own paths,” said Balthazar, who turned toward the large crowd of adults. Many of them were anxious to leave the Grey City for the promise of a quiet, peaceful life on Rainbow Island. A few, however, had changed their minds, as they had loved ones and families in the city.

  The elderly man who had been hit by the whirlicon stepped forward. “Thank you, Yu-ning, for all that you have done for me—for us,” he said, as he motioned to those standing behind him.” I have decided to stay, as my children and grandchildren are here in the city.” He turned to the many adults, and Julian, who had decided to leave for Rainbow Island. “I wish you all safe travels. Be safe, and be blessed.”

  It was decided that Suparna would transport those who wished to go to Rainbow Island, and then return for Yu-ning in several days’ time. If others decided to go to Rainbow Island at any time in the future, transport would be arranged. The adults were given blankets and provisions for the journey and said goodbye to the adults who had decided to stay behind in their newly reborn, illuminated city.

  Julian walked up to Yu-ning and gave her a strong hug. She could feel his tears against her forehead as he whispered, “Thank you, Yu-ning, for caring about me. I hope to see you again some day.”

  “You can count on it, Julian. I wish you safe travels—until we meet again.”

  “Make haste, everyone,” said Suparna. “I want to get a good start before the sun rises and the heat of the day is upon us.” With that, the travelers, starting with Julian—who took the first position atop Suparna’s neck—climbed upon the great bird’s back. In all, more than fifty people were able to climb aboard and find secure positions within the thick layers of feathers upon his back.

  Yu-ning approached Suparna and said her goodbyes. “I will see you within seven days’ time, Yu
-ning. Learn well what Balthazar has to teach you.”

  As Suparna rose above the tower balcony, Julian and the other travelers waved to those below. In one swift motion, Suparna glided away from the tower and into the evening sky, heading north, in the direction of Rainbow Island. Within a few moments, his beautiful rainbow wings faded into the starry night.

  Nine

  Balthazar

  IT HAD BEEN A LONG, EVENTFUL DAY, and Yu-ning was exhausted. She had flown through the night with Suparna, catching only snatches of sleep as they made their way over the ocean during the storm, before arriving at the Grey City. Then she had walked miles through the city streets during the storm, found the center, and led her fellow travelers to the top of the Tower of Light. The adrenaline that had been pushing her onward had now subsided, leaving her utterly spent.

  “Come, Yu-ning,” said Balthazar. “A hot meal and a comfortable bed await you. Dragoncraft can wait until morning.” Yu-ning did not argue and followed Balthazar down a small corridor off the main room. There were doors on either side, and toward the end of the hallway, Balthazar led her into the last room on the left.

  The room was appointed with a large bed with a down comforter and soft pillows, a closet with robes and other finely woven garments hanging inside (that seemed to be just her size), a table with two chairs, an antique desk, and a large, floor-to-ceiling window with the lights of the city shining below. On the table was a platter covered with a silver lid.

  “Eat, rest. A hot bath waits just down the hall. Just let Melodia know if you need anything at all by ringing that bell.” He pointed to a small silver bell on the table next to the food.

  Yu-ning thanked Balthazar, who started to close the door to leave Yu-ning to her meal. “Master Balthazar?” said Yu-ning.

  “Yes, Yu-ning?” he said, poking his head back through the door.