Danger
Dr. Elstein stood by, watching as each and every member of the group unleashed his or her powers. His expression was one of amazement, like a small child discovering the wonders of the world for the first time.
Lillian had developed an incredible fortitude, one that allowed her to lift dozens of times her weight and take incredible hits without suffering any damage to herself. The doctor studied her and realized it wasn’t actually her body that had been altered; it was a field around her that stuck to her skin like an extra layer.
Zack had been gifted the ability to call upon the energy of nature itself. After creating the blade, Elstein urged him to use his imagination and form other things with different adjustments. Only then did the group realize that Zack could use the power of earth and water as well.
But not fire.
Fire was Shinji’s element. It coursed through his hands, it lit his eyes and throat up when he called upon it, and it followed him where he went in softly shining embers. He could form his own weapons but he could also light himself aflame and not suffer a single burn. The quiet boy was smiling and laughing now and the rest of the group felt happy for him. This is amazing, he thought, just like my vision…
Julia’s gift was different to the rest, her power giving her the ability to heal, not to destroy. She could do anything from fixing the wall that Lillian had destroyed to replenish her own thirst. Dr. Elstein assured her that her superpower was possibly the strongest of them all.
“How?” she asked, amazed with the energy flowing from her fingertips but slightly disappointed that she would be more of a figure of support for the rest than an actual warrior when the fighting came.
Elstein smiled knowingly.
“You are the only one out of us — if I may take a risk in guessing so — that is practically immortal.” Julia’s eyebrows rose as she considered that. He’s right.
Samantha lifted her rifle and allowed her energy to run down it. It began to fire destructive projectiles that slammed into the rocky walls, piercing them right through and smashing out into the other side.
“Be careful, you might reveal our position,” the doctor warned. Samantha nodded. She still had a bullet remaining in her firearm, but it was unnecessary. She could even turn stones into deadly missiles now. Her eyesight had improved considerably as well as if to make her all the better at marksmanship. If only I’d had these powers when we fought the Stripes and the Imps back home…
Faye was sitting on a boulder, staring at the group as they practiced their skills. Finally, Dr. Elstein reached her and put her hand in his.
“What did you receive, little one?”
Faye shook her head.
“I feel something within, but it scares me. Is this even good news for us? We were normal before entering the shrine.” Elstein looked at her and sighed. At least she doesn’t have that creepy face she had before, he thought. “Don’t worry, child. We’ll soon get to justify our newly-acquired powers when we face the terrible creatures out there. The biggest issue now is to control ourselves and to keep resolving our problems the old way, without the need for our magic.”
“Magic?” Zack asked with a loud chuckle. “This is the first time I’ve heard a scientist explain something with that word.” Elstein looked embarrassed. “Hey, you haven’t shown us your own ‘magic’ yet!”
The doctor stuttered as everyone turned to look at him. He hadn’t really thought about that yet; his mind focused on learning the strengths and weaknesses of his group. They had all received something that enhanced their existing abilities, he noticed. Even I.
“I believe I feel healthier, but that’s about it,” he lied. “Maybe it gave me the ‘powers of observation’ instead.” The others shook their heads at the lame joke. He knew they didn’t believe him, but he didn’t mind. He opened his mouth to speak but saw something in the small slit they had entered through. Movement. “Something is watching us!”
The group ran towards the hidden onlooker and saw as he or she burst into a fast run, outpacing them and disappearing into the trees as they reached the space between the rocks.
Shinji lifted his palm to set the forest aflame, but Zack stopped him.
“No,” he said, noticing some letters on the rocks. The individual that had spotted them had probably written them and escaped since a piece of chalk-like material lay in the grass nearby. “It’s a shame we don’t understand what this say—”
“Split up and leave now, beings of the other world. The Dark King has felt the birth of your powers and has already moved to silence it once more. The Lieutenant approaches, and she is as bloodthirsty as she is ruthless. Do not overestimate your abilities, for you are not the only ones who possess gifts in this world. Leave; do not doubt these words or you shall perish. Signed, Relar, the Scout.” Dr. Elstein bit his lip in thought, and the others looked at him.
“So finally we get to see what powers were given to you, Dr. Genius,” Lillian said. “We are in danger, then?”
Elstein nodded. “Yes…we should follow his instructions. Whether we want to or not. We don’t know this world and whether Relar is a friend or a foe, he has given us useful information.”
The group looked at each other and nodded. It was for the best, after all. If it turned out to be a lie, they could always find a way to regroup.
“We split up, anywhere but south which is where we came from,” Zack said with a swift nod. “If possible, meet up again at the hill where we arrived. If anything goes wrong, always remember that the hill is our meeting point. One day the veil might even be open.”
“Let’s hope we have something to take back home if that’s the case,” Lillian added. The group was divided into three groups. Zack would join Samantha; Lillian and Dr. Elstein formed another pairing; and Shinji would escort Faye and Julia to safety.
The group began to say their farewells. Embraces were shared, and words of wisdom offered from one adventurer to the other. Faye was standing aside, her empty gaze pointing away from the group as they talked.
“Faye,” Dr. Elstein said softly. “Faye, what’s wrong?”
“Faye, are you alright?” Julia asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. The little girl turned at the woman’s touch and her eyes widened.
“The beast is here,” she uttered, her voice entirely different now.
A roar blasted all around the forest from the sky above them, and the sound of huge flapping wings hit their ears. Sammy grabbed Zack and they ran, escaping the ringed wall through the small crevice and running east as far as they could. Close behind came Elstein and Lillian, who ran north. Finally, the trio of Julia, Shinji, and a strangely absent-looking Faye headed east.
Not a moment too soon, Zack realized as he and Samantha made their way through the woods and hid in the hollow of a tree as the first shadows crossed over them, the roaring creatures flying above the forest without much care for anything but their destination. The shrine.
“The big bad guys,” Samantha whispered. She could only guess that this was the race in charge in this world and finally they were getting to see them: Dragons. They were huge: their thick, scaled armor-like skin covered them from head to toe and their long tails ending with sharp spikes.
But it wasn’t just any of the six dragons that Sammy was watching.
“Look at the one at the front,” Zack said, echoing her thoughts. It was massive, each of its claws the size of a small tree. Its wingspan was enormous, and with each flap, the trees below rocked and heaved.
The dragons landed on the top of the rocky wall and looked down below in disappointment, realizing that they had arrived too late to find the beings that had released the magic of the Ancients.
The largest one growled in fury and lifted itself off the surface of the wall with an ear-splitting roar that echoed for miles. It flew high up as its companions launched themselves out of the way of its fury and reached the clouds before plummeting down again. A huge gust of fire left its throat and the creature slammed its body right
through the rocks, destroying them in a single furious blow.
Samantha and Zack looked at each other for a few instants…
…before running out of their hiding place as fast as they could.
The furious roars followed them for miles. Today they had been lucky.
Maybe next time they’d be less fortunate.
Chapter 11
Revelations
“Do you think they’re out there looking for us?” Samantha asked as she leaped down from a tree, landing lightly beside her brother.
“They must be. If I were a king’s lieutenant I wouldn’t want to come back empty handed, just saying…” Zack breathed the air in as he looked around. The magic within him had brought about other changes. He could sense the nature around him: the plants growing in the sunlight and the animals hiding among the bushes. It was a feeling he would have never been able to feel in his own world.
“Let’s just keep going, I’ve spotted a village a bit further east from here.”
The siblings made their careful way through the forest, making sure to follow the mysterious scout’s advice not to grow arrogant with their newfound powers.
Truly enough, there was a village ahead. However, what should have filled them with relief instead drowned them with despair. More Goblins. These didn’t look as curious and mischievous as the ones from before, though. Their heads were helmeted and their bodies armored. Crude swords and simple bows were picked off a table as the entire village got ready to set off for battle somewhere.
“They’re leaving,” Sammy breathed. The two adventurers ran over to a small hut on the fringes of the village and watched as the green creatures marched out among cackling cries and battle chants. Once they were gone, Zack and Samantha began to check out each home for food, drink, maps or any other useful tools.
It wasn’t until Zack entered the largest building that he found something.
“Sammy, come take a look!” He had found a book that didn’t look like it belonged in a Goblin hut.
“What is this?” Sammy asked with wonder. The book was coated with velvet and lined with golden thread. The letters were similar to those left behind on the wall by the scout, but there were drawings inside. On further inspection, they reached a page where a long series of drawings began. There were no letters, so the interpretation was theirs to decide:
There was once a race that coexisted with all the others — the Ancients, Zack and Sammy realized. Their power kept their cities strong and their people safe from the rare attacks of Goblins, Orcs and another larger race that Zack called ‘Trolls.’ The Ancients soon grew more and more curious with their magic, and together with the taller, more delicate (Elves?) began to experiment on different animals with the elements.
Before long and after many failed and somewhat cruel experiments, they managed to bind fire into a species of reptiles. From this combination came the first dragons, small dog-sized beasts that could barely glide, let alone fly. The dragons became the loyal servants of both Elves and Ancients, although it was the Ancients who took their obsession further, breeding the dragons until they reached massive sizes and could destroy entire villages. Though there were accidents, it didn’t stop the Ancients from playing — literally — with fire until some of them even tried combining dragon genes with their own.
The first successful Ancient-Dragon spawn was finally born, and he eventually became a King in his own right.
But the peace wouldn’t last for long.
The artificially-created being went mad, his mind developing into something dark and hateful that wished only to conquer and destroy. The Dragons flocked to him on his command, and the destruction began. Elf cities were torn to pieces and only their hidden villages in the forests and caves remained. The Ancients, however, were not as lucky. The Dragons knew where all of their cities and villages were. They were annihilated. Their allies, the Gnomes, and the Dwarves soon abandoned them when they saw that the threat was something the Ancients had created themselves and the Dragons swept the barely defended cities by storm.
The last Ancient died and so did their magic, the only magic in the world remaining in the hands of a few Elves and the Ancient-Dragon’s bloodline.
In the last frame of the story, it showed the fall of the final city in a beautiful, detailed picture.
It was only then that Zack and Sammy confirmed what they had guessed up to now.
The Ancients had been humans. Humans had been killed, down to the last man, woman, and child. Sammy took a step back, her eyes widening.
“We are, practically, the only living Ancients in this world.”
Chapter 12
Uncertain Fates
As they looked at the final page of the book, beside the detailed scene of the battle, something approached the village.
Samantha was leaning over to look at the Ancient-Dragon family tree when she caught a glimpse of metal shining outside the hut.
“Get down!” she screamed.
A warning arrow flew past, and soon the sound of light feet running towards them filled the air. There are many of them, Zack realized as he began to charge energy into his hands. He let his powers fade away into the air and sighed. It’s better if I don’t show them what I’m capable of.
“Stand down, Sammy. Let’s see what happens next.” The Elves came rushing into the hut and pointed at them with blades and bows. They were tall, thin but strong and their faces were delicate and unblemished. Their armor shone in the dim light and Zack lifted his hands.
“Have mercy; we were lost and looking for food—”
“Say no more,” a powerful voice said in their own tongue, as the tallest of the Elves walked in, a regal-looking officer with a greatsword strapped to his back. He looked like a king, Zack thought, though he had no crown on his head. “Come with us and be hasty. You are being hunted by several forces at this current time; we are both fortunate that it is us that found you first. Kelar was lucky to spot you before.” The scout that had left the note on the rocky wall was absent, but Zack was thankful to the mysterious Elf nonetheless.
The Elves got in position around them in instants, the leader grabbing the book off the table, glancing at its cover and pocketing it with a thoughtful smile. They set off immediately, their quiet feet taking them out of the village in instants as Zack and Sammy struggled to keep up in the middle of the formation.
“These guys move like Imperial Special Forces or Conglomerate Marines, wow,” Sammy breathed.
By the time they realized it, Sammy and Zack were entering a system of underground tunnels hidden within the forest by the roots of trees.
The Elf officer turned back to them with a stern face. “Get ready and move quickly. This is going to get confusing.”
By the time they exited the caves, the siblings had no idea where they were.
At least they won’t think we’ve memorized the way in; it’s virtually impossible…
They had emerged into an underground city of some sort, one that had bright lighting everywhere thanks to magic-infused crystals that shone like streetlights back home.
However, it wasn’t until Zack and Samantha saw the buildings that their jaws truly dropped.
“Wow.” Zack shook his head at the beauty in front of his eyes.
The structures were tall and elegant, gardens and balconies embellishing their upper floors and the soft lights of their entrances shining in different colors. The Elves themselves walked the streets peacefully with not a worry on their minds. The city was something marvelous, a true wonder of this world.
Samantha began to say something, but her words were drowned out by the loud sound of a war horn.
Horsemen approached; a heavily armed escort for somebody important, clearly. The horses they rode were strong and healthy, their manes long and flowing.
The Elves kneeled immediately, one of them pulling both Zack and Sammy to their own knees as well. The Elf in the center of the formation wore a crown, as well as a scowl on his beautifu
l but arrogant face.
“Captain Kallen,” he said almost with annoyance, “It appears that there were more.” He spoke in his language, and both siblings were unaware of what was being said.
“Yes, my Lord. We found these in a Goblin village. The Goblins had just left and they—”
“Imprison them.”
“My Lord?” The captain looked taken aback by his master’s words.
“You heard me. Take the creatures to the Crystal Fortress. They might find it…familiar…there.” He smiled cruelly. “At least until we can interrogate them and find out more about that sudden release of energy that we sensed a while back and who or what they are. I for one don’t believe that they are special as the scout said after spotting them.”
Captain Kallen turned nervously to the two Ancients — Zack and Sammy to everybody else — kneeling behind him. They smiled pleasantly until he spoke.
Beyond the Veil (Dawn of Hope, Book 1) Page 4
