Chapter Five

Emily frowned at Mirla. “What about claiming the Crystal?”

“Well, it’s not quite as easy as Tom put it,” Mirla began hesitantly. “Never before in recorded history has it been necessary to use the Crystals. The Crystal of Oleth has not left the care of the Priestesses since it was first placed here by the Angel herself, in case of emergencies such as we face right now.”

“So…what?” Tom shrugged. “We tell them there’s this guy trying to take over Oleth and the four planes and they give us the Crystal. How hard can it be?”

“They won’t give it willingly. I think they might even test you, most vigorously, on your abilities as a traveller,” the elf admitted with reluctance.

“What! But I don’t know anything about being a traveller! Except for the fact that we can poof between these worlds, and a bit of that history lesson you just gave us. Nothing! Why didn’t you tell us before? Why weren’t we taught anything?” Emily was panicking. She’d always hated any kind of test, and now it was going to be on a subject she hadn’t even heard of until a few days ago!

“There was not enough time for Grandmother to begin proper training, and leaving you half trained would have left you worse off than before. I was told that she’d decided that letting you learn on your own would be the safest way.”

“Mirla, I hate to tell you this, but your Grandma is very, very wrong,” Emily growled, breathing heavily in an attempt to keep herself calm. “And I’d like to decide for myself what things will be good for me to know or not! Now, what…am…I…going…to…do?”

“We won’t know until you see the Head Priestess,” Mirla answered.

“Fine!” Emily threw up her hands in despair.

Tom patted her shoulder gently. “Good luck, glad it’s not me!”

Emily strode across the bridge and was immediately joined by two of the Priestesses. They kept to either side of her, silently guiding her to a building that looked like it could be the temple. They left her at the door, still without saying a word.

It was a small temple, with straight square walls and a bell shaped roof. The walls looked like they were made of clay and the roof of various woven branches. Yet despite its quaintness, it had an imposing air. Emily knocked tentatively.

“Enter!”

Emily pushed the door open. The first thing she saw was a pedestal in the centre of the room. On it was a small stone. She stepped closer to take a better look. Could this be the Life Crystal? It looked like just an ordinary stone. She reached out a hand to touch it.

Suddenly the stone burst with radiant light, causing Emily pull her hand back to shield her face. The light dimmed and she lowered her hand to see that the ordinary stone had become an extraordinary shining white crystal.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around to see an older elfin woman. She looked much like the Queen Molvena, except that her hair was streaked with white, and she held herself like one who has seen many more years than most of her kind.

“That is good,” the woman said, her voice cracking with age. “Only a traveller could call the Crystal to life from the charm we placed on it. But that does not tell me what you want with it.” The older woman turned from her and walked around the pedestal to a chair placed against the far wall. She sat down and seemed to be waiting for Emily to say something.

“But surely you know about the problems troubling Oleth?” Emily said with confusion.

“There is always something troubling Oleth,” the Head Priestess said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What makes this particular crisis important enough to need the Life Crystal?”

Emily was incredulous. “There’s this man, I think Raven was his name, who’s joined with the dark-”

“Yes, yes! I know of that! But the changes in power do not affect the Priestesses. That is an inconsequential matter. Just because someone doesn’t want to give up their throne, doesn’t make it a world devastating event,” the Head Priestess leaned forward in her seat. “There is nothing in the happenings of Oleth that require the Life Crystal! You have been sent on a false mission.”

No, decided Emily, No that’s not right. Deep inside her, she knew that there was something wrong with the dark elves taking over, she just knew it. Besides, it wasn’t just Oleth they were threatening, it was all the planes!

“I think you’re wrong.”

“You do, do you?” the Head Priestess’ eyes glinted and she smiled. “Well, if I can’t persuade you of the truth, then I shall have to test you, as I do anyone who should want the Crystal. However, I do realize that you think your mission must be done in haste. So I’ll keep it simple. I shall give you a single quest.”

Emily waited for a moment then grew impatient when the woman didn’t continue.

“Yes?” she prompted.

“I’m getting to it. You youth, always hasten-hasten-hasten!” she shook her head. “I have been alive longer than you could even imagine. Never have I met a child with such impatience! If this mission of yours is of such importance, you can wait!”

This time Emily waited with very forced patience for the old elf to go on.

“Your quest,” she said finally. “Is to go to Gabroy, and get the Gods permission to take the Crystal. You must bring proof of this permission back to me. If they see your mission fit, they will grant you what you want.”

“Then that is what we will do,” said Emily with confidence and relief. “Thank you.”

The Head Priestess looked surprised for a moment, then waved a hand for Emily to leave.

Emily left the temple. No Priestesses came to guide her to the bridge this time. She followed the path back on her own.

She had considered, with the Crystal right there, just taking it. They would return it after they had finished saving Oleth. It wasn’t as though they were going to sell it off to the highest bidder or something like that! But she was certain it was the wrong thing to do, and had held off. They had to get the Crystal the other way.

Tom and Mirla were still waiting for her. Mirla still stood on the other side of the bridge as though she’d never moved from the spot since Emily had left her there. Tom sat with his bare feet dangling in the river, looking absolutely bored out of his mind.

“I’m back!” she called. Finally.

“Finally!” Tom shouted back. “What’d ya do? Have a tea party?”

“What did the Head Priestess say?” asked Mirla.

“We just have to go ask the Gods for permission to have the Crystal. The way she said it, it sounded like we could actually talk face-to-face with them, so it must be possible. No severe testing involved, thank goodness!”

“Cool, let’s go!” Tom said, hopping around on one foot while trying to get his other shoe on.

“Oh no!” Mirla frowned. “That’s not good at all.”

“Why not?” Emily was disconcerted.

“I’ll tell you after we set up camp. We’ll leave for the castle tomorrow. We need Molvena’s guidance in this,” Mirla said.

“You mean we rode the whole day to get here, and now we’re just going to turn around and go back?” Tom asked indignantly. “Jeez, don’t mind if I stay behind next time! My butt is still sore because of that retched horse! And here I thought we were on our way…”


They made camp a little ways down the river, out of sight of the Priestesses’ feilds. Then, as dusk settled, they crouched around the fire to listen to Mirla’s reasons.

“The Gods live on the planet Gabroy,” she began. Tom interrupted her.

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about the worlds, and I have a question. A while back you said that there are six dimension travellers. I’m guessing two from each plane, right?” Mirla nodded, but Tom just frowned. “But there are four planes, or worlds, or whatever. So why aren’t there eight travellers?”

“That’s what I’m trying to say!” Mirla said. “The fourth world is inhabitable for mortal beings. Only the Gods can reside there, and so no traveller has ever gone to Gabroy. They can’t. I don’t even know how the Elee’ksh are planning to take over that one.”

“Then how are we…” Emily trailed off as realization hit her.

“We must speak with Grandmother. She’s the only one who can help us.”

“This is ridiculous!” Tom said grumpily. The whole mess kept getting worse. Just when he thought things were going to be easier. “Why do we have to do this? How come we’re the ones who got chosen to be travellers anyway?”

“I don’t know exactly how it works, but I’m sure Grandmother can tell us something,” Mirla repeated. “Molvena is a dimension traveller! All we have to do is ask-”

“I don’t think you’ll be asking anyone anything,” said a cold voice out of the darkness.

Cruel laughter echoed all around them.

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Next Chapter: The Chapter Six

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