Chapter 4

A weak smile played over Queen Molvena’s lips, “Thank you child.” She whispered gratefully.

The King sat up straighter “You must voyage across the planes and call together the other four dimension travellers,” The King’s gaze bored into Tom’s, “Then you must collect the Life Crystals, hopefully together you can harness their power and banish the Elee’ksh forever!”

Emily blinked and looked at Tom, “M…may we have a moment to take this in?” she asked the Royal pair hesitantly.

“Yes,” the King replied stiffly, “But remember, with every passing second Oleth falls further into the darkness.” He held his hand out to Molvena and the pair gracefully rose. Mirla nudged the teenagers to their feet and the trio bowed as the King and Queen left the room, followed by their Golden Guards.

“How the hell are we going to do this?” Tom exploded in a whisper, as soon as the door had closed.

“I don’t know,” Emily replied, “We don’t even know how to move between worlds! We don’t know what the other world’s are like! For all we know they could be like something out of Terminator with lasers and robots!”

“Las-errs? Ro-b-ots?” Mirla asked, the syllables rolling strangely off her tongue, “Well, whatever it is you speak of, you can’t wonder about the what-ifs. It is not just Oleth that will fall, but your home too. Dare you take the risk of remaining on the sidelines?” Mirla gazed intently at the humans. “Please,” she mouthed.

Tom nodded “Well we really have no choice. If these Elee’ksh are as bad as Molvena thinks they are then we’re really gonna have to do something.”

Mirla smiled “Thank you! I shall tell grandmother at once!” She hurried from the room, tactfully closing the door behind her.

Almost as soon as the soft clunk of the wood door closing resonated through the room, Emily dropped to her knees on the floor and buried her face in her hands trying to hold back the floods of tears threatening to consume her.

“Hey, Em, don’t cry…” Tom knelt next to her, wrapping a comforting arm around her.

“I just… I just want to go home!” Emily sniffed.

“And we will, but we have to do this first…” Tom pulled her closer, and Emily buried her head in his chest.

“They never show the heroes being scared in the movie,” Emily whispered into Tom’s chest, wiping away her tears.

“This isn’t a movie – this is real.” Tom replied.


“You ready?” Mirla called, as she watched Tom and Emily mount the white mare the Queen had given them. The teenagers were now dressed in the leggings and tunics typical of her people, with swords at their sides and arrows at their backs.

“Yeah,” Tom replied, he felt more optimistic now that they had rested and learnt the rudimentary skills of sword fighting and archery. The four days they’d spent in the palace had flown by, and Tom was actually feeling disheartened at leaving. But he knew he, Emily, and Mirla needed to track down Oleth’s Life Crystal and continue on to the third plane.

As the trio began to trot along a winding stone path Emily inquired of Mirla where exactly the Life Crystal was hidden.
“In a temple just beyond the Luin River,” Mirla had replied, “It is but a day’s ride from here. Perhaps along the way I could tell you the myth of the dimension travellers?” She smiled indulgently at the two humans, she admired their bravery – and she had to confess she liked them a lot; they were true and honest friends risking everything to help a land which they knew nothing of.

“Almost a millennia ago, an elf name Raiko travelled Oleth.” Mirla began, “His curiosity for the horizon was insatiable – a constant desire to explore kept him moving, homeless, rootless. After many years he reached the Tyel’ner desert, a place no living being had ever crossed, and vowed to reach this final horizon. For months he toiled through the baking sands and scorching heat, his loved ones despaired for his return. But one night as he walked, the sands grew thinner; the stars tumbled from heaven and met the earth. One night he found the end of the earth. Deafening silence surrounded him; there was no wind, no calls. Nothing. He stood, arms outstretched. Staring upwards into the stars and cried ‘Heavens! Is this all you care to show me? Is this all that there is?’. Before him, on the other side of the wall of stars, a shining figure appeared. A beautiful woman with golden tresses and luminous white skin; feathered wings were folded demurely behind her, nestling comfortably in her white robes. Raiko was in awe, for never had his elven eyes seen such beauty. As he watched this Angel he realised that she was speaking – or rather singing to him. She told him three worlds other than Oleth, lay beyond the wall before him, she told him that by her touch, he would be granted the power to travel between these worlds should he desire it. Raiko was astounded by this celestial gift, and fell to his knees before the angel, separated from her by the starlit wall. With pure heart he accepted her gift, and watched with eager anticipation as she reached through the wall as easily as a sheet of water, and rested her hand gently on his head. He rose to his feet, and to his delight found he could step through the wall. On the other side he was floating above four spinning globes – one he recognised as Oleth, but the others he had never seen before. The Angel laughed delicately at Raiko’s ecstasy and took his hand. The power to move between dimensions was a lonely one, she explained, gazing seriously into his eyes. Leaning together the Angel betrayed her Gods and immortality by bestowing a gentle kiss on Raiko’s forehead. The Gods cast her from the heavens, but took pity on her, allowing her to remain with Raiko and share his gift of Dimension travelling.
Together they flew across the planes, on your world, Oleth, and one other, Ellamine bore a daughter. In each child the power to travel between dimensions was inlaid within their souls. Yet knowing how lonely a traveller could be, the Gods invested the same power in each of the daughters’ soul mates. The power manifests itself first in the female, and then awakens in the male – the two are drawn together.”

Mirla trailed off and reined in Arlot, motioning for Emily and Tom to stop their horse. The trio were stood before a beautiful, glittering blue river. The ripples of the current caught the sunlight and dazzled like fallen stars in the clear water. Beyond the river women in pale blue gowns worked in the fields. They had swept back dark hair, and pale skin – the same as Queen Molvena.

“These are the Priestesses of The Crystal. I may not travel any further as I am but a simple wood elf.” Mirla turned to Emily, “Now it is up to you alone as you are the female.”

Emily looked slightly worried, but Tom shot her a reassuring smile “It’ll be fine Em, just hop over the bridge and ask the for the Crystal, it’ll be fine.”

“Ah… yes…” Mirla began, looking sheepish, “About claiming the Crystal…”

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