Chapter Three

     Shage heard the humming from a distance and smiled excitedly. Hobah. Here at last. She let him in… she watched as he quickly approached her. She did not know why her friend seemed happy yet anxious. “Good Journey, my friend, tell me… what have you to reveal?”

    Hobah raised his hand to silence her, “Please, I must speak quickly, the guardians come and I will not have another opportunity to give you what you need…”

     Shage took Hobah’s outstretched hand, listening in silence. He spoke to her in the old way, no words but humming instead. This communication was quicker and Hobah knew he had run out of time.

     The guardians were just behind the entrance and so he gave Shage what she needed, telling her to go to the farthest corner of the white hills, this is where she would see a red stone, hidden between two valleys. This was the marker to the place of descent. But it only revealed itself at the exact time of rising.

     She must hurry. This is where Shage would leave the time of light and become mortal on earth. She could not take anything with her from the time of light and she must remember the destined spot in order to return with Jarib. Also, in order to return, Jarib must remember as well and the electric blue current must be connected once again.

     It was a risk, she must willingly take with only pureness in her heart or the red stone would not allow passage. The celtic gods had made it quite clear that not many had made the journey from one portal to another successfully. This was why it was kept secret for so long.

     Knowledge was power but if not used wisely or not used by the purest of hearts then descent was irreversible. All would be lost and no essence would survive. Descending to become mortal was not the same as being born mortal.

     Hobah cautioned Shage and quickly disappeared as the guardians burst through the entrance. Without a moment to lose, Shage hummed to the multiplying arena. Losing herself in the throng of others, she slipped past the guardians long enough to make it to the white hills.

     At the farthest corner, the air was cold but simultaneously a warmth filled the sky. The time of rising was just beginning and the red stone revealed itself in the shimmering light… Shage stared in awe and wonder as the two valleys beckoned to her.

 

     She had joy in her heart. Her essence, the blue current tingled softly, singing, calling out quietly. And she knew that after all this time of waiting, she would give all to find Jarib. The red stone felt her and answered her request. Opening up and allowing her passage. Now her journey was to truly begin.