Chapter 11: Suspicions Confirmed

"Those people," I whispered to the darkness, still sobbing, as the cave slowly came back into focus before my puffy eyes, "All those people," I whispered, "How could they all have been-- obliterated like that so easily?" I paused, but no answer came, "Please tell me," I whispered; urging her-- unsure whether or not the unseen presence in the cave was Elaine.

She came nearer towards me, and I felt her cool breath on my damp cheeks although I still was unable to look upon her face, "The shaska see neither mercy nor number, Beatrice. And you've seen this firsthand," the voice answered from within the darkness. I paused, contemplating her meaningful words.

"It's not right though," I whispered, wiping tears away from my eyes as they continued to cascade downwards, "It's not right what was allowed to happen to them-- couldn't someone have intervened?" I paused, realizing that the answer was most likely a definite "no." I sighed, wearily, "Those children," I tried to shut out the images of the little ones as they ran around wildly; scared out of their wits-- children who had had their whole lives in front of them-- lives which had been cut short just like that.

"I know, Beatrice. I know," she replied, "but it could not be prevented-- as I'm sure you've come to realize."

"How many other worlds have suffered this fate?" I asked, after a momentary pause.

"Many, Beatrice… But what truly matters is that you now attempt to save the next. You-- we cannot let this happen again."

I now recognized Elaine's voice, "But what can I do fairy godmother?" I asked, "I'm nothing-- now, at least. Nothing."

"Do you honestly believe that deep down?" she asked; her voice trembling with mounting anxiety.

"Yes. They've taken everything from me, Elaine. I just can't stand it anymore," tears were falling more freely now, "My family, my friends… All lost to those creatures. I don't want them to be martyrs. I just want everything back to the way it was before."

"But it can't. You cannot change the past, Beatrice. It is virtually impossible-- not even I have the powers to do so. But, you can change the future."

The words that had been spoken the following year now echoed in the back of my mind quite loudly; as I relived hearing the words for the first time, my heart sank deeply into my stomach, "The prophecy?" I whispered, "The prophecy is nothing compared to this-- what they did then… What we're doing now. Words spoken by some lunatic thousands of years ago aren't relevant to me anymore."

"But the prophecy is everything," Elaine snapped, "The earth, D'Nalge… Life as we know it is in mortal danger, but the prophecy whispers that there is still a way to reverse it-- and you, of course, are the way."

"That world," I whispered, standing up from the corner where I had been sitting for the last five minutes, trembling as I did so, "I mean the one that was destroyed. Was it--?" I did not finish my question; it was ridiculous, after all. The moons did not necessarily have to confirm my first naïve beliefs.

She laughed, soothingly and gently; the notion that anyone could laugh after speaking of the horrors that had taken place filled me with both awe and discontent, "You know the answer though, don't you?" she whispered, after a moment of silence, "You've known it all along, haven't you?" Coming from her, the question sounded more like a statement-- a demand, almost.

"I thought-- but, no, that's insane. There could never have been advanced life-forms on such a planet; if science has proved--"

The tone of her voice suddenly became angry, "Would science explain everything that has happened to you thus far, Beatrice. The answer is no. Science is only a manmade tool to disprove what should be accounted for as the truth-- surely you know that much by now."

"Mars," I whispered, still not fully believing it, "that place was Mars, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

I stared into the darkness; the person who had actually sent me there-- for I knew it had not been Elaine who had shown me the destruction of Mars, had sent me there for a reason; to show me what would become of the earth if I didn't stand up, and do my best to prevent it… But why-- how could something so dreadful have ever taken place? How could the shaska have the ability to just hush everything away-- covering up their crimes, and just leaving as if nothing had happened at all? Though everyone I loved was gone, I simply could not allow something like this to happen to the millions and millions of people who inhabited the earth-- nor on any other world, for that matter, "How long do I have?" I whispered, wiping away the final tears still making their way down my cheeks, and staring into the direction where Elaine's voice was coming from.

"You now understand the full extent of all of this, don't you, Beatrice?" she asked.

I nodded, unsure if she could see actually see the curt gesture through the darkness-- she was yet to answer my question, so I prompted it again, "How long do you think I have to stop them?"

"I am unsure of that, Beatrice. It all depends on you. Some would say hours. Others, days. Others, weeks. Months-- years-- decades-- there has not been a mass killing in nearly four thousand years, but time is irrelevant to the shaska. If you can defeat them, you will also prevent the deaths of the other worlds."

There was a silence between the two of us as I processed this development, "This isn't right, Elaine!" I suddenly screamed, angrily standing up again, "All of this uncertainty… None of this is right! And why me? Why was this prophecy made to concern me-- and me alone?"

"At this present time, that, my child, is neither here nor there. When you are older-- more mature, then I am confident that you will be ready to know the answer. Hurry along. There is little time for you to remain here."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, seething, "'Mature?'" I mimicked, "There's no time for me to mature now, Elaine-- Travis drowned me just recently, if you've forgotten. I'm nothing now… Nothing. I caused Carla's death, and I'm sick of this guilt, this resentment, and this fucking self-hatred!"

"But are we ever truly dead or alive?"

My anger exploded and then subsided just as quickly, "Must you be so ambiguous now, fairy godmother?" I asked, wringing my hands in frustration, "Why must everything you tell me be filled to the brim with convolution?"

She laughed, "Beatrice, when you are older-- for you will grow, you will know," she paused, as if listening for something that only she could hear, "However, if you wish to survive those innumerable battles that lie ahead, you must compose yourself, and leave this place-- now."

"Leave?" I repeated, skeptically, nearly sure that I had misunderstood her, "But how can I leave? I'm not even sure how it was that I came to be here in the first place."

"There are ways," she whispered, "there always are. But before you set upon your journey once again, know that everything you see is important-- even the smallest detail," she paused, "and also remember that the shaska-- all of them know who you are, and what it is that you're trying to do. They are watching us even now, I fear. They will try dearly to stop you from leaving this desert place. And also know that your journey will be fraught with much peril-- and familiar faces; some of them not that savory. Also remember to remain strong if you wish to survive the next hurtles. Do you promise me that you will remain strong?"

I did not answer her.

"Do you promise?" she asked; her voice demanding.

I was not sure of it, but I nodded my head anyway, "Hurry," she whispered.

An invisible force-- Elaine began to push me outwards, "Wait," I began, against her strength, "You mean-- you're not going with me?"

"Heavens no!" she replied, skeptical at the thought, "I cannot remain with you-- a mere ghost for the duration; even the strongest magic will not allow for it, but don't worry-- it is-- better this way, I believe. Discoveries are best made alone, after all."

My face fell.

"Things have been pre-arranged by…" she drifted off.

"Who?" I whispered, eagerly, as she chose the best way to finish the sentence.

"…someone of great importance. I won't see you for a while, but when I've gained enough energy again, I'll do my best…"

"But--"

"Hurry," she urged, "they are sending a storm to stop you," she paused, "Do not be afraid," she warned for what seemed the millionth time.

"Goodbye then," I murmured, wearily, and slowly eased my way out of the cave, and into the desert; the sun was still shining harshly above in the sky, and all around me, the hot sands of the desert were fiercely dancing in the air; A sand storm, I realized, trying to keep the stinging fragments out of my eyes, by closing them, but the sand was not my only problem, for the wind was trying its best to stop me as well; my hair was blown wildly about, and I was forced to clumsily stumble out of the cave's entrance; frightened I'd blow away. I stared at the desert, as if expecting to find a cloaked figure to escort me out.

Instead, I found a tall door which materialized out of thin air before my very eyes.

I hesitated… It all felt like some bad dream. I stared at the door, and reached out to grab the doorknob that was a couple of feet away from me; the sand storm was worsening now; my hair and eyes were full of it.

A particularly strong gust of wind blew, and I was knocked to my feet, almost having reached the doorknob; the shaskas were obviously coming towards me-- and quickly. I coughed up sand, and reached upwards; after what seemed like hours, my hand clenched around the silver doorknob.

As I brought myself to my feet again, I bit my tongue, in confusion. I did not want to stay here, but all the same, I wasn't all that eager to rush into the unknown… But there was no time for hesitation; a male voice was calling my name in anger; I paused to look at him. It was a shaska, all right. I had to act. Now.

My grip tightened, and I pulled the door open; finding nothing but blinding white light on the other side; 'Do not be afraid,' my fairy godmother's words repeated in my head; I nodded, and stepped into the light. The door was slammed shut; cutting off the shaska, who had narrowly missed me, and was now struggling to open the door, but it was locked, and with that, I was on my way to another world once again.