Chapter 8: Lost in The Meadows

What's wrong with these stinking Portals?!

I Portaled out of the House, but I don’t know where I Portaled to. I’m standing on top of stacked stone huts and I try my best to see my surroundings in the fading twilight light. I begin to run along the roofs, thankful I had changed into more adventuring-type gear. A crow caws above me. I stop to look at it, but only for a second, before it lands on the ground next to me. In a silent swirling mist the raven transforms into a girl, about 15 years old. She has silvery blue hair and bright green eyes, gleaming like a cat’s in the night.

 

“Who are you?” I ask cautiously, brushing my pitch-black bangs out of my purple eyes.

 

“Sloan.” The girl replies in a quiet and silky voice.

 

“You’re one of the Maja’s Children.”

 

“Yes, I am. I am Sloan, Shapechanger Queen of the North Las Vegas Clan. Who are you, Keeper?”

 

“Keeper? I am not a Keeper! I am Arch-Princess Ryku Sylvera of Kryton!” I put my tanned hands on my hips indignantly, my eyes ablaze with rage.

 

“A Royal? How are you in Keeper gear, and so far from home?” Sloan coos gently.

 

“I don’t… wait. I don’t have to tell you anything! Leave me alone!” I storm away, pushing past Sloan and jumping onto the roof of the next apartment. I jump along at a steady pace, fuming silently, but stop suddenly as the rooftops dead-end in front of me.

 

I can’t make that jump! I think, looking to the next building. I look down below me. I can make that! I jump down and land on the roofs of the apartments’ garages five feet below. I run along 10 feet of the metal tops before jumping at the end and grabbing the edge of the next building. I haul myself up and continue running. I climb more and more until I’m standing above the black river I saw earlier.

 

“There are black rivers everywhere! So many strange people and those monsters that eat people!” I exclaim.

 

“Those ‘monsters’ are cars. They drive on the roads, which you so strangely call ‘black rivers.’” Sloan explains, landing softly beside me as a silver-blue cat with green eyes.

 

“Oh. This new world is so strange!” I think aloud.

 

“This world is Panayajaka.” Sloan notes nonchalantly.

 

“What?! No, it can’t be! Where are the castles and towns? And Jake called this place ‘Earth’! This can’t be Panayajaka! It just can’t!” I wail disbelievingly.

 

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. No one knows, but after a couple Royals went Rogue the Rolyks banned Magyk forever. They swore to leave that world behind, so they gave it a new name and studied to make life better for themselves, without Magyk. That new name was…” Sloan starts.

 

“No, no, no, no, no… Don’t say it. If you don’t say it, it’s not true!” I whine quietly, dropping my head into my hands and sinking to my knees.

 

“Earth.” Sloan finishes. Her voice is sad and full of pity for me. She gracefully unfolds herself into her human form, mostly hidden by a small cloud of glittering silver dust. Her long, shimmering green dress sits on itself on the ground as she crouches next to me and hugs me close. I sob quietly, a hiccupping and sniffling disaster, and breathe in her comforting scent of honey and fresh Spring grass.

 

“What will you do now?” She asks as I raise my head and wipe my eyes.

“I don’t kn-” I cut off as I hear a small whoosh, a quiet whisper of wind. I see, in the distance where I first Portaled here, a purple circle appear in the air and Kyrin jump out of it, landing gracefully and crouching on the edge of the building. I drop flat on my stomach as he looks around.

 

“He’s so smart, charting his surroundings…” I sigh lovingly.

“Do you love him?” Sloan turns her bright green eyes toward me. I can’t help but feel compelled to tell her everything.

 

No, no. She’s a shapechanger! She uses Charms to get people to believe her lies. Well, she’s been kind enough. I can’t just walk away from her without giving her anything. I wage a mental war against myself before finally speaking.

 

“Yes. I’ve loved him with all my heart since I first laid eyes on him as a child. We grew very close because he was always around. He is… was,” I correct myself, “my Elite Guard. But I’m running away so he won’t have to waste his life following me around.” I sound more like I’m convincing myself than Sloan.

 

“I see.” Is all the girl says, amusement and sorrow twinkling behind her eyes. “Well, you best get going before they see you! Hurry! Shoo!” She waves her pale, light blue hands toward me as I open a Portal.

 

“Promise you won’t tell them anything?” I turn around but she’s disappeared. The only thing that remains of her is a small silver cloud, out of which flies a raven. I shiver slightly from the chilly air and summon a dark purple velvet cloak. It forms around me, settling on my shoulders and hiding my gear. I use a Shrink Rune on the sword and it becomes the size of a dagger. I slide it into my right boot and feel its hilt resting against my lower calf, just above the boot top. The bow becomes a small stick that I slide into a loop on my belt. I smile and jump into the Portal, plummeting towards the light at the other end, and feel my cloak flying behind me.

 

            I jump out and land on my feet, drawing the hood of my cloak up. A cloud of sand billows from beneath me, making me cough and my eyes water. I rub furiously at my eyes. I suddenly hear shouting from a distance and see men in spotted tan gear running towards me. They carry strange metal things. One of them, an older man of about 40 years, stops about 10 feet away from me. He aims his weapon at my feet and metal darts shoot out, bouncing off the ground near my feet. I jump backwards and hold my hands in the air, fighting back tears.

 

“Don’t move! Stay where you are! I said don’t move!” He shouts at me as I step backwards, away from him.

 

“Please, leave me alone!” He motions with his weapon for me to get on my knees. I do and he commands his team, “Keep your guns on her! Don’t let her move!”

 

“Those are guns? But they’re as big as you are!” I exclaim. “Do you use Shrink Runes on them?”

 

“What are you talking about? You know what, never mind. Listen, girl. I’m taking you in and you can tell your nonsense to my commander.” He explains, tying my hands behind my back with strange metal loops.

 

“What is this? Don’t you know how to do a Bond Spell? Wow, Earth is strange.” I think aloud.

 

“Have you never heard of handcuffs? And what crazy-talk are you blabbing on about? Runes? Spells? Man, you must be crazy! How did you even get this far past the border, anyway?” the commander lifts me up, onto my feet, and starts pushing me.

 

“I Portaled. You should put up Wards if you don’t want people getting in.” I say simply, walking in the direction he wants me. I feel the tip of his gun in my back.

 

“I just don’t understand…” I trail off.

 

“Don’t understand what?” a young boy, only a few years older than I am, asks.

 

“Don’t encourage her, Smith!” the commander waves his hand at the boy.

 

“Sorry, Sir.” He lowers his head, casting me a final glance before staring ahead. A younger man, maybe 25 years old, walks ahead of us, and a man a few years older walks on my left.

 

“I am Colonel Stanford.” The commander introduces himself from behind me. “My second in command, Major Smith, will watch over you in your cell.” The boy looks towards me. The noon sun reflects off his hazel eyes and his dark brown hair shows slightly from under his uniform hat. He nods and looks forward again.

            We’ve climbed to the top of a hill by now. We stop for a moment and I look out on a bowl-shaped recess in the earth. A sandstone complex stands in the middle of it and gleaming metal half-circle domes are lined up behind it. A long strip of black road leads from the metal domes into nothing.

 

“Welcome to Area 51.” Colonel Stanford announces.

 

“Why do you have a road that goes nowhere?” I ask innocently and hear the group laugh.

 

“Don’t you know what a runway is? Where did you come from, girl?” Colonel Stanford laughs and we keep walking, towards a metal staircase on our right that’s been carved into the wall of the desert.

 

“Correct yourself, Colonel.” I warn angrily. “I am Arch-Princess Ryku Sylvera of Kryton, the strongest Magykier in all of Panayajaka! I am tired of your insults and crude methods. I demand that you Portal us to wherever we may be going and tell me what is happening!”

 

“Ha! Princess? You really are crazy!” The Colonel laughs at me and we keep marching down the stairs. “We are walking to the bottom of this lakebed where you will be held prisoner for trespassing on federal lands. And portals? Sorry, girl. I don’t know what medications you’re taking, but there’s no such thing as magic!”

 

“Nonsense! If this used to be Panayajaka, then there must be some people left who still practice Magyks! I don’t believe everyone gave up!”

 

“Well, sorry to say, but magic is fake.” Major Smith turns to me, his eyes full of worry.

 

“You must be the banals Jake was talking about… so it’s true. Magyk really is lost.”

 

“Sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Major Smith apologizes again.

 

“Tis not your fault… Tis mine.” I sigh, blinking away tears.

“Well, we’re here.” The older man in front of me says, holding open a metal door. As soon as I walk in a blast of cold air descends on me. I shiver greatly despite the long sleeve shirt I’m wearing. We descend a small set of metal stairs and walk about 20 feet down a long hallway. There are 3 cells on either. We walk past them all and the Colonel takes off the handcuffs before shoving me into a strange metal room at the end of the hall. I regain my balance and turn around as the door slams shut. I run up to it and kick it.

 

“Open this door immediately before I have you all banished to the DaemonRealm!” I shout, pounding on the door until my knuckles are bloody. I finally lean against the door and slump to the floor, crying pitifully. After a few minutes I hear a knock at the door. I jump up, stand against the back wall 10 feet away, and pull the matching daggers from their sheaths on my lower back. I pull my left arm back, ready to throw the deadly blade, when the door opens and a woman walks in. I lower my arms to a defensive position as she steps fully inside the room. The door closes with a locking sound.

 

“Well, when they said they caught a ‘crazy girl who appeared out of nowhere’, I wasn’t expecting you to be armed.” She smiles a cautious smile, her red lipstick standing out against her pale skin and straight black hair.

 

She’s a tall woman, about a head taller than me, and she’s dressed in a twilight gray suit. Her black shoes click loudly on the stone floor and add an extra fist-length to her height. She moves to the metal table in the middle of the room and sits in the black plastic chair on one side, setting a small case on the table next to her. She pats the tabletop across from her.

 

“Won’t you sit?”

 

“Nay. No qiro ya senthar.” I shake my head furiously, making it a point to defend myself in the corner.

 

“Do you speak English?” she looks at me quizzically. “Do you know what I’m saying?”

 

            I simply nod my head and tuck the daggers into their sheaths. I close my eyes for a moment and concentrate hard. When I open them, a silver rod the length of my hand appears in my left hand. I lower my hood to spiral my hair into a bun and use the rod to hold it in place. I raise my hood again and take out the right dagger.

“You’re ambidextrous. Interesting…” She mutters, writing on a notepad she pulled out of her case. “So you know what I’m saying, correct?” she asks me again.

 

“Utique. Creyyo que dega ood.” I nod my head again.

 

“Can you speak it?”

“Utique… vey nay.” I simply nod again.

 

“Can you talk in English, please? I don’t know what you are saying.” She seems to have infinite patience, speaking calmly and without a flash of anger in her eyes, despite my reluctance.

 

“I know what you are saying. I can speak English, but I cannot speak it.” I translate vaguely.

 

“Oh? How can you speak it and not speak it at the same time?” she tilts her head in a curious way.

 

“I used to learn it in my history lessons, as a child. As well, I have also used Understanding and Speaking Runes on myself.” I sheath the dagger to pull up the black silk sleeve on my left to present her with the fading black marks I drew earlier. I retrace them to renew their power.

 

“Very interesting.” She scribbles something else on the notepad. “Well, won’t you sit? I would love to talk to you.” She pats the table across from her.

 

“Utique, but I will not be unguarded.” I pull out both daggers and sit across from her. I squirm slightly in the hard plastic chair.

 

“There. Isn’t that better, to sit?” she smiles warmly. Like with Sloan the shapechanger I feel tempted to tell this woman everything but she’s still the enemy.

This woman… I don’t even know her name! She hasn’t revealed anything about herself… she shan’t be trusted!

 

“What is your name?” She asks me, folding her hands in front of her on the table.

 

“Nay. No dego ya has que dega ood.” She stares at me blankly. “I will not talk until you talk.”

 

“Ah. Well, a smart girl, such as you, would think so. My name is Kierra Silver. I am in charge of the female prisoners here. However, there are others who do the same as me.”

 

“So why you? I can sense you were very busy when they called you. They used strange little things that they held to their heads. They could hear you and talk to you, and you could do the same.”

“Do you mean the phone? Yes, they called me on my cell phone.”

 

She pulls out a flat black object and sets it on the table in between us. She presses a button on the side and it lights up with its own light. I pick it up in both hands and stare curiously at it. I slide my finger across its surface and the picture changes from an orange cat to a blank black picture with small pictures on it. I tap on one of the pictures and it enlarges before transforming into a solid white picture. She smiles like a mother watching her child learn how to use a jixia, or Magyk-ball.

 

“That’s the screen. It lets you see the things on the phone. You opened the drawing app I downloaded for my daughter.” She reaches across and slides her finger across the screen. A blue line follows where she touched. It startles me enough that I drop it on the table. She flinches slightly.

 

“I am sorry. Is this important?” I ask, picking it up carefully.

 

“Not really, but it costs a lot of money and breaks easily.”

 

“Oh. I’m very sorry. I do not mean to break it. Niitano ya mante.” I apologize, handing it back to her gently. “You never answered my question. Why you?”

 

“I am also the expert in supernatural cases.” She says plainly, tucking her phone in her case.

“Oh. Que meana ‘supernatural’?”

 

“I mean special cases where people claim to know or use magic. Since you sa-” I interrupt her.

 

“Magyk.”

 

“Yes, magic. That’s my specialty.” She repeats.

 

“No, no. Magyk. Mah-zheek. Uppercase ‘M’.” I try again.

 

“‘Magyk?’ That’s strange. Can you spell it?” she pushes a pencil and her notepad towards me but I shake my head.

 

“No. No seyo que wriita English.”

 

“You don’t know how to write it?” she asks and I shake my head again. “Oh. Can you spell it?”

 

“Poiiyo ya treia.” I nod. She holds her hand above the notepad and I spell it. “Uppercase M-a-g-y-k.”

 

“Oh! That’s the old way of spelling it. They used to spell it like that during the Middle Ages. It’s been centuries since anyone’s spelled it that way.” She explains. I simply blink at her. “In any case, I deal with people who claim to use Magyk,” she puts and emphasis on ‘Magyk’, “such as yourself. However, everyone who I deal with has simply been crazy. You, however, are different. You speak an old language, an old alien language, and you seem well prepared.” She nods towards the daggers I have on my back.

 

“Utique. I’m running away. Many bad things happened because of me and now my mother and friend are trapped in this strange world. We were erased from history and tis all my fault.” I angrily swipe at my eyes, blinking away the tears that blur my vision.

 

“It sounds as though you’ve had a rough day.” I nod my head wearily. “You seem tired. Would you like to sleep?” I nod again. “Unfortunately, I cannot let you go. You will have to stay here, in one of the cells. Is that okay?”

 

“Solo si cano ya kerepar mis quiteras.”

 

“Excuse me? Could you repeat that?” she blinks blankly at me.

 

“I said, ‘Only if I can keep my weapons.’”

 

“Hmm… I guess it’s no problem, so long as you don’t use them against anyone.” She contemplates.

 

“I swear on my name and pride as a Royal that I will not harm anyone here.” I hold up my left hand and place my right hand across my heart.

 

“Then yes, you may keep your weapons. Now, follow me. I’ll take you to your ce- umm… room, I guess you could call it.” She stands up and pushes the chair in. She knocks thrice on the door as I follow in her lead. The door creaks open and she steps through, leading me back down the hall to the center cell on our right. “You will stay here until I solve this case. If you need anything, ask the guards and they will call me. Will you be alright…” she trails off, waiting for my name.

 

“Ryku. You may call me Arch-Princess Ryku.” I stand straighter, taller, and prouder.

 

“Ryku. Well, if you need anything, just ask.” She holds out her hand.

 

“Thank you, Ma’am Kierra.” I shake it quickly before dropping into a curtsey. She returns it, wishes me good night, and walks away. I turn to the guard waiting by the cell door. It’s Major Smith.

 

“Might I do a favor for you?” I ask, turning towards him as he starts to shut the cell door on me.

“Umm… what kind of favor?” he blushes feverishly.

 

“I noticed the door to that room there squeaked horribly. Perhaps it would ease some people’s sanity if I could put a Silence Rune on it?” I suggest.

 

“Sure, I guess. But we have to make it quick! I could get in trouble for this.” The color fades from his tanned face as he opens the door again.

 

            I quietly step past him and he follows me back down the hall. There is a hallway that cuts across our path, leading left and right. Instead, I focus on the door and draw a small Silence Rune on it, next to its hinges. We sneak back to the cell and he locks the door.

 

“Am I a prisoner here?” I ask, sitting on the bed in the back left corner.

 

“Yes, you are. It’s illegal to trespass on federal lands. It’s a surprise you made it that far past the fence without setting off alarms. How did you do it?”

 

“I told you. I Portaled in. There were no wards so I thought it was okay.” I stare absently out the window above the bed and stare at the stars glittering faintly in the night sky.

 

“Oh. So you really believe in magic and all that?”

 

“Of course! And it’s Magyk. I went over this with Ma’am Kierra.” I turn to look at him. He’s looking thoughtfully at me through the bars, his hazel eyes glittering in the faint light from the ceiling lights. “What? Is something wrong?”

 

“No, no.” He blinks nervously and looks away. “I was just thinking about why your eyes are purple. Are they contacts? And how your hair is so black and straight and long. Is it real?”

 

“Of course they’re real. My purple eyes are a Mark of the Sylvera family. It runs in our blood from when my ancestor Kyru first learned Forbidden Magyks from the daemon Jyrika. And my hair is real, too. Tis not uncommon for Tyrilicans to have very dark hair and grow it long.”

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand that.” He apologizes, takes off his uniform hat, and runs his right hand through his chocolate brown hair before replacing his hat.

 

“Sorry. I get carried away sometimes. Simply put, my eyes are passed down from my ancestry, like a birthmark, and my hair is a normal thing where I come from.” I laugh gently.

 

“I kinda get it now.” He smiles crookedly, laugh lines wrinkling his eyes.

 

“You’re a Major? Why are you stuck with a Corporal’s job; guarding me, I mean?”

 

“Do you know about the military then?” he straightens up, intrigued.

 

“Utique. Royals are very aware of the military. Besides the Royal family and Cryunsel, the military is the second most important thing in the Rolyks.” He looks at me with disbelief.

 

            I simply shake my head pitifully and open two Portals; one beneath him and one beneath me. As soon as he falls out of the Portal and into the cell I place a Silence Rune on him and jump into it. The Portal closes and I jump up on the outside of the cell. He runs up to the bars and tries to shout but the Rune prevents him. I switch us back and he stares at me, dumbfounded. I wave a finger to him, motioning for him to step closer, and remove the Rune. He simply sputters.

 

“Do you believe me now?” I ask contemptuously as he nods, his mouth hanging open. I tap his jaw and he closes it. “I’m going to sleep now. Perhaps you should, too.”

 

“But you might escape with your Portals!” he manages to whisper but I simply shake my head.

 

“So why am I back in here and you’re out there?” I ask coyly, and with that I lay down to sleep, turning to face the wall and smiling, to myself, at his disbelief. Outside the cell I hear him shuffle his feet and collapse on the ground, exhaustion taking him. I listen quietly until I hear his breathing slow with sleep before I open another Portal and jump into it.