by A. A. Volts
After a few very stressful minutes, we stopped near a boulder to rest, mainly because Jonas kept complaining that he was too tired to continue.
“Quiet, he is still nearby,” said another tree-like creature.
“Who are you?” asked Carla.
“I’m Broto. Listen, your only chance to escape Phasma is to the head straight to Nightwell. Once there, you can take the aerobus to the City of Lights. You should be safe there. I’m pretty sure he won’t dare to follow you there,” Broto explained, looking truly concerned for our well-being.
“Aerobus? What’s that?” I asked.
“Sounds like some sort of subway,” Jonas said as he rested. We were all tired since we had been running.
“It kind of is, but it would take too long to explain, besides you can’t miss it,” replied Broto as he motioned us to press on.
We did as we were told. We didn’t have another option. We walked some and at times ran. Most of the time, Jonas sounded like he was about to pass out.
Soon I saw a tall wooden structure in the distance. At first I didn’t know what it was, but as we got closer I noticed that it looked like an improvised dam.
“How are we supposed to get past that?” Jonas asked as the current became stronger the closer we got to the structure.
“I’m sure we’ll find a way,” replied Carla.
“It’s not that steep,” I said as I moved closer to the dam.
“I just hope it’s not deep,” Jonas responded.
Apparently Jonas wasn’t the only one who didn’t like all that murky water, because Spark still clutched my shoulder. I must confess that my shoulders were sore from carrying him around. Even though he wasn’t very heavy—a few pounds at most—it was tiring.
I wanted to put him down, but I didn’t want to risk it. After all there was a lot of water around, and I didn’t know what an Everwell was exactly.
We all decided we should just climb the wooden dam. As we climbed it, I tried to decide which way to go. I noticed there was a little path by the riverbank and decided to follow it.
Slowly, as we followed the riverbank path, the swamp became a luscious green forest. On this side of the dam, the vegetation thrived.
As we moved toward Dayside, as Nyx would say, the sky became increasingly lighter, and its colors more varied and vivid.
CHAPTER TWELVE
CITY OF LIGHTS
“What’s that?” Jonas asked, pointing into the distance. But nobody replied. To be fair, I don’t think any of us knew the answer.
We had arrived at our destination, a sprawling riverside city.
When we got closer, I saw a long and shiny object floating almost in the center of the river.
“Is that the aerobus Broto told us about?” I asked, perplexed.
“I guess so,” replied Jonas.
“It’s huge. I didn’t picture it being that big,” I said as we picked up the pace.
“I suppose that’s Nightwell,” said Nyx, following me closely.
Contrary to every place we had been so far, Nightwell was a stunning and modern riverside town. Towering spires and glass structures lit up in the sky.
But Nightwell was more than a town; it had all the characteristics of a metropolis. The river divided the city into two distinctive areas. Throughout, translucent bridges connected both sides of Nightwell.
Another remarkable feature of Nightwell was the modern structures, which were intertwined with vines and foliage. If someone on Earth decided to build a megacity right in the middle of the Amazon forest, I imagined it would look a lot like Nightwell.
As we got closer, the path slowly widened. It wasn’t long before we reached the entrance archway, which read in big, bold, and reflective letters, “Nightwell.”
“I guess we’re here,” said Jonas.
“Good job, you how to read,” joked Carla.
I looked around and noticed that most of the locals looked a lot like Manuk, except they seemed better cared for.
Up close, the city looked even more spectacular. Long, translucent, and brightly lit spires covered in green vines and a variety of plants occupied the sky. After everything I’d encountered in Threshold, Nightwell was by far the hardest thing to describe. It was a perfect marriage between technology and nature.
“Wow, this place is freaking huge!” said Jonas.
The people moving around the city were also different. They didn’t look anything like the Night Dwellers or the Bog. And even though their features were similar to Manuk’s, their attitudes were completely different.
All of them had very fair skin and slightly pointed ears. They had well-proportioned faces and slightly rounded green eyes that looked almost friendly, if it weren’t for the puzzled looks I got from some of them.
“Why are they looking at us like that?” Nyx asked.
“I don’t know. I’d imagine we look like an interesting bunch,” I replied. “We should find the aerobus before Phasma finds us.”
And that’s when I saw him. He would have gone unnoticed, if it wasn’t for his clumsy style that made him stand out as he struggled to balance his own weight and the weight of several books and scrolls he held in his hands and arms—perhaps he had misjudged how much he could carry. I wished I had noticed him just a second earlier. That way, I could have warned Carla, and she would’ve never crashed into the poor thing, sending his books and scrolls flying everywhere.
Nyx let out a gasp when she saw him. The exquisite Night Dweller elder had several eye-catching features. His feline eyes were better suited for the dark. They were remarkable, even though they sent chills down my spine. His dark garments defined his personality and served as a warning to anyone who intended to mess with him. His dark black hair seemed alive and changed shapes in unimaginable patterns.
My immediate concern was with Carla’s well-being. Once I made sure that she was fine, I tended to the elder.
“Oh my… I’m so very sorry,” he said, sounding sincere. His voice was the complete opposite of his appearance.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“I’m fine. I’m so disastrous… it was completely my fault. I hope your friend isn’t hurt,” he replied. “But where are my manners? My name is Dr. Thomas Rainer, it’s a pleasure to meet you all.” Dr. Rainer sounded genuinely pleased to meet us as he looked around to see where his books and scrolls had landed.
“Nice to meet you too,” I replied as Nyx looked at him in fear.
I’d spotted a couple of his books, so I went to get them. As I bent to get the books, I caught a glimpse of their titles:
Dweller on the Threshold
The Constant Struggle Between Light and Darkness
By Simon Sin
Kunkan Endangered Species
What Tomorrow May Hold
By Charles Whithin
I carefully grabbed the fallen books and handed them to the doctor. He gave me a warm smile that didn’t seem to fit his looks.
“Ah, what a fine dragon specimen you have. Let me guess. He’s a Draconoides Volan Ventralis. How intriguing. These markings… I’ve seen them before,” Dr. Rainer said as he opened the book titled Kunkan Endangered Species and flipped through its pages.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, seeing the concerned look on his face.
“I knew I had seen those markings before. This dragon is a direct descendant of Sparkus, isn’t he? What’s his name?”
“His name is Spark. But don’t worry, he’s harmless,” I said.
“Oh my boy, he is many things, but harmless is not one of them,” Dr. Rainer replied, surprising me. After all, Spark just seemed like a docile and scared if not scarred creature.
“Spark? Hum… seems fitting. He’s remarkable, I wish I could examine him further,” Dr. Rainer said. Spark seemed to understand him, because when Dr. Rainer said that, Spark cowered. I felt his nails digging into my collarbone. I could swear that Spark’s claws felt stronger, longer, and sharper than before.
“Dr.
Rainer, can I ask you a question?” I ventured.
“Sure.”
“You see, we have this creature chasing us. His name is Phasma, and I was wondering if you knew where we could go to get away from him,” I said hopefully. I didn’t know why but I felt like I could trust him even though his appearance looked menacing.
“Well, if I were in your shoes I would go seek help at the City of Lights,” suggest the old doctor.
“Excuse me, but aren’t you a Night Dweller? How come you can roam freely in these parts?” Nyx asked, finally breaking her silence.
“I am indeed. I’ll explain. When I was much younger, I tried to escape the confines of the Night Peaks, but I would always end up getting recaptured. Unsure of what to do, I did the only thing I could do. I studied and researched everyone and everything carefully. After many years, I came to the most stupendous realization of my life. I realized that the key to being free wasn’t in others. It was inside me all along. All that I needed to change was my way of thinking. So that’s what I did. After that, things just fell right into place,” explained Dr. Rainer. “Nyxy? Don’t you remember me?”
“Do I know you?” Nyx asked.
“Well, yes and no. You probably don’t remember me. You were too young,” said Dr. Rainer as he approached and gently grabbed her hand. His eyes welled up with tears.
“What do you mean?” Nyx asked, unsure of how to react.
“I took care of you ever since your first wind cycle,” replied Dr. Rainer.
“Then maybe you can explain why I seem to ignite whenever I get upset and why I’m the only one that this happens to,” said Nyx.
“Calm down, dear, first things first. You’re not the only one, but you’re very special. You see, that’s why he chose you,” explained Dr. Rainer.
“What do you mean? Please tell me more, I need to know everything,” Nyx said.
“Nyxy, before you can understand your past, there’s someone we need to see first,” said Dr. Rainer. “As a matter of fact, I’m going that way right now. Care to follow me?”
“Can we please have a moment to discuss it?” I asked politely, based on the skeptical look on Carla’s face.
We moved a few yards away and gathered in a small circle.
“Don’t tell me we’re trusting this guy,” said Jonas as he looked suspiciously at Dr. Rainer.
“Why not?” Carla asked.
“Are you kidding me? Look at him, he looks evil,” Jonas replied.
“Jonas, you can’t judge anyone based on how they look,” I intervened. “Besides, I have a good feeling about him.”
“I want to trust him, but I don’t know if I should. Sounds like he can give me some answers, though,” Nyx said.
“If you want to follow him, we’ll go with you just to be safe,” added Carla to make Nyx’s decision easier.
“Okay, I don’t trust him yet, but I do trust you guys. If you guys come, I’ll follow him,” Nyx replied.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this again. Remember what I said about Oldroot and nobody listened? You guys saw what happened,” complained Jonas.
“Shh, nobody asked you, Jonas,” said Carla.
I walked over to Dr. Rainer and explained that Nyx had decided to follow him and that we wanted to come too as a precaution.
“Great, follow me. The aerobus station is just around the corner,” said Dr. Rainer. “Would you mind helping me with these books since we’re going to the same place?”
“Not at all,” I replied as he handed me two big and fairly heavy volumes.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of doctor are you?” I asked.
“I’m not the kind you’re probably thinking of. I’m a philosopher. I know you must be thinking, what is a Night Dweller doing as a philosopher? Well, there isn’t anything else in the world I would rather do even if some people think that I’m crazy.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy,” said Carla. “On earth, we’re all taught to follow our dreams.”
“Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for Threshold, but things are slowly changing,” explained Dr. Rainer.
We started to walk through the amazing city. I followed Dr. Rainer closely and looked all around.
***
“Here we are,” said Dr. Rainer after a while.
We came to a stop near a translucent covered bridge. The bridge stretched over the light green river waters, leading to a long, strange vehicle that resembled a bullet train.
We followed Dr. Rainer as he went inside the vehicle. He sat down and apparently left the window seat open for me.
“Relax, my boy. This aerobus will take us where we need to go. Just relax and enjoy the ride,” said Dr. Rainer as he opened one of his books and started to read.
I took Spark off my shoulder and placed him on my lap while I petted him to calm him down. He seemed a bit stressed.
“Hum, very strange, it’s not very common for a Draconoides Volan Ventralis to be this friendly… or this scared, as a matter of fact,” Dr. Rainer said.
“He’s just a bit shy, that’s all. I’m sure he’ll make a great guard dragon one day,” I said.
“Of course he will, I have no doubt. He’s still too young and has much to learn. Let’s just hope he’ll have a different destiny than his predecessors. But I’m sure he will. You seem to be a good trainer,” said Dr. Rainer.
“I’m not a trainer. I don’t even live in Threshold, I couldn’t possibly train him,” I said, realizing that Spark and I would have to part ways eventually.
“Hasn’t anyone told you yet? Once you put on that ring collar, you and Spark are one. He’s your sole responsibility, and you’re his trainer. That’s how it has been, that’s how it is, and that’s how it should be,” explained Dr. Rainer. “Besides, even if you were to return to Earth, it wouldn’t prevent you from being his trainer. For one, dragons are inter-dimensional beings, and two, you still need sleep in the physical world, which gives you roughly about eight Earth hours to spend here in Threshold.”
“So I can return here whenever I want?” I asked.
“Sure, if that’s what you want and with enough practice,” replied Dr. Rainer.
“Doctor, I have a question that I think you may be able to answer. I’ve been looking for my mother, but I can’t seem to find her,” I asked, figuring it couldn’t hurt to ask.
“So you think your mother is in Threshold?” Dr. Rainer asked as he closed his book and placed it on the pile with the rest.
“I’m not sure. But I hope she is,” I replied as my heart started to beat faster.
“Oh dear boy, I’m afraid I may have some bad news,” Dr. Rainer replied. I stopped petting Spark in anticipation.
“Your mother may or may not be in Threshold. While it is true that everyone comes to Threshold at some point once they pass away from the physical realm, not everyone stays in Threshold. The universe is a pretty big place, and Threshold is just one of its many realms,” Dr. Rainer said, looking straight into my eyes.
“So you’re telling me that I may be searching for her in the wrong place?” I asked.
“It’s possible. Humans do come to Threshold after their physical bodies are no longer suitable to sustain physical life—the reasons that happens can vary tremendously, for example if a person led a life of crime, their vibrational rate would be so low that the only place they could survive is on the Night Peaks. And chances are that person would turn into a Night Dweller—”
“But you’re a Night Dweller. I mean, you don’t strike me as a bad person,” I said.
As I waited for Dr. Rainer to reply, I looked around and noticed that my friends were looking at me, which I must confess made me feel a bit awkward and self-conscious.
Suddenly, a gentle warning tone filled the air as the aerobus door closed and formed an airtight seal.
“Indeed, I’m a Night Dweller, but before I was a Night Dweller I was…,” Dr. Rainer paused, before continuing in a much lower tone, “I was human. I led
a life of vanity, leisure, crime, and cruelty. I woke up to find myself here almost as though I was being punished for my crimes. I can honestly say that I thought that I’d woken up in hell.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to risk being insensitive to his ordeal, so I just asked another question.
“So only the criminal and cruel come to Threshold?” I asked.
“No, not at all. Threshold is not a place in itself. It’s just one more region of the vast astral realm. Good people are known to come to Threshold as well. Everything in nature is perfectly balanced. For example, where there is bad, there must be an equal and greater amount of good. The universe is not poised to fail, as many seem to think. On the contrary, the universe is destined to succeed. Threshold is not a place of punishment. It’s a place of change. Sometimes drastic change is required, like in my case,” Dr. Rainer explained as the aerobus started to move.
I was mesmerized. I didn’t know if I should look outside the window and take in the wondrous sights before me, or if I should concentrate on the information Dr. Rainer was giving me. Unable to decide, I tried to do both.
“But to answer your question more clearly, no, there are also a lot of good souls in Threshold. Lots of them are humans much like you and I. You’ll understand it better once we arrive at our destination,” Dr. Rainer said as the aerobus started to hover.
“Ah, guys, I thought this was a train and not a plane,” said Jonas, making his disappointment very clear.
“Since you have never been here before, I figured it would be best to take the scenic route,” said Dr. Rainer. “Nyxy, I suspect that our trip will be very interesting for you as well.”
“Please, Doctor, call me Nyx,” she replied.
For a few minutes, all I heard was the gentle humming noise the aerobus made as it glided effortlessly through the air.
As I looked outside the window, questions filled my mind. A large glowing bridge caught my attention, as did the emerald-green river that flowed east.
“Wow, that’s beautiful,” I said in awe.
“That’s Night River, it’s a sight to behold,” replied Dr. Rainer.
