Author's Note:
I hope the last chapter helped flesh out some of the side characters. We're back to the main story, but Horace will be making a return soon! Enjoy!
-Tangent
The wind whipped over the bay, stirring up the waves into violent breakers that rose and fell onto the shore. Boats, moored at the dock that led to the city of Verashema, rocked back and forth as they were battered by the water. However, one larger ship remained mostly unfazed by the weather as several figures leapt down onto the dock.
"Rough skies today." Rye muttered, glancing up at the dark clouds gathering overhead. "Are we prepared for a storm?"
"Should be." Ava said as she adjusted her eyepatch. "Though I think it should clear up in a few hours. I told the crew to be ready for a quick departure."
"I suppose you've got sailor instincts after so many years." Emma pointed out. Ava nodded, and the party made their way off the dock and into the shelter of the trees. They had retrieved the potion from Tilma early that morning, and had immediately set sail for Verashema once again. Now they had arrived, and were eager to free the spirit that Gulliver was experimenting on.
Iya clutched her staff a little tighter as they approached the same house they had entered before.
"We'll distract him again." Ean told her quietly as he raised his fist to knock. "Go upstairs and figure out what needs to be done." The elf rapped several times on the door, but it did not open.
"Great." Jack muttered. "He's not home." They waited for a minute, but they could not hear anything from inside. Not even Ean, with his enhanced senses, could tell if the old, slightly crazy elf was inside.
"Should I check the windows?" Emma offered, and Ean opened his mouth to respond.
"No." The voice resonated around him, and Ean spun to look at the door. Iya gasped next to him, and based on the reactions of the others, they had heard the sound as well.
"It's her!" Iya whispered. "Can you hear me?"
"Barely, young one. I am speaking to your minds, so as to not alert Gulliver. His plans have almost finished, and I suspect he will harness my power soon. You have the potion?"
"We do." Ean said. "But how do we give it to you?"
"Alas, that is not so simple. Gulliver is now working right next to my cage. When he finishes his research, he will use me to power other experiments. If that happens, it will be too late to save me."
"Then we break in." Jack said at once.
"Gulliver would destroy me before you could pour the potion on the bars. You will have to lure him out of the house. To escape, I would need several hours to regain enough strength."
"But how?" Gavin asked. "He doesn't care about anything except his research, as far as I can tell."
"He would leave if another creature was discovered, but… I do not know where you would find one. It would have to be rare indeed." Rye's eyes widened, and he pointed to Ean's pack.
"The creature, in Ravenwood! If it's still alive, we could bait him out while we rescue the spirit."
"A creature?"
"A cursed one, like me." Ean explained. "I'm sure he would be interested in it."
"Then go, young ones. My strength fails me, and I will not be able to talk to you again. Good luck…"
"We'll save you." Iya whispered, but the presence was already gone. Ean placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We should go, before Gulliver realizes we're out here." He turned to Ava. "How far is Ravenwood from here?"
"If I recall, another half-day." The pirate replied, frowning slightly. "If this weather doesn't worsen."
"We'll have to chance it." The elf replied. "The spirit may not have much time left. With any luck, we'll return by tomorrow evening."
"But what are we going to do there? How do you even know that the werebear is alive?" Gavin questioned, having heard the story of their first encounter with the mystical beings.
"The werebear there is not quite like me." Ean said. "He can't change back into his human self, but perhaps I can draw the beast spirit out of him. I asked someone to keep it alive until we returned, so perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone."
"Still, we can't turn it back into a human until Gulliver has seen it." Rye pointed out. "Or else he might not go."
"I know." The elf said with a sigh. "But I think this takes priority." The others nodded slowly, and Ava gestured back towards the ship.
"No point standing here. We've got sailing to do." With one last glance towards the upper floor of Gulliver's house, Iya turned and followed the rest of the group back through the trees.
When they were halfway to the mainland, the storm broke with a fury upon the ship. Waves, nearly as tall as the ship itself, slammed against the side, forcing Ava to turn or be overtaken by the water. The winds moved back and forth, sending a steady stream of foam onto the sailors still on the deck. As the ship rocked yet again, Iya glanced nervously towards the wooden ceiling. They were in the cafeteria, gathered around a table as the boat creaked and groaned under the pressure.
"It'll hold, right?" Jack said anxiously, barely visible in the dim light. They had extinguished most of the candles and lanterns, for fear that the violent movements would knock them over and start a fire.
"I've never been in a storm like this, but I trust Ava." Rye said, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure we'll get through this. Besides, it should go away in an hour or two." The boy did not say anything, but the worry in his eyes dimmed.
"The ship may not look the part, but it's crew is skilled." Nicholas put in suddenly, and Gavin glanced at him from across the table.
"That's one of the nicer things you've said about us." A smile crossed his face, and the prince shifted in his seat.
"Yes, well… I did entrust my life to them, after all."
"I think we've grown on you." Emma put in from her spot next to Rye and Jack.
"Well… I…" The man spluttered, and Iya raised her eyebrows.
"I for one am glad you came along, Nicholas. We needed a healer, and you're the one for the job."
Hopefully that helps. Nicholas subsided, a faint smile in his eyes. The boat shook again, more violently, and the elf's eyes shot towards the ceiling. A hand touched her arm, and she turned to see Ean looking at her. In his eyes, she could see that he was aware of her anxiety.
"It'll be fine, Iya."
"Are you sure?" She said quietly enough so the others could not hear with their human ears. Emma was telling a story to Jack and Rye, with Gavin and Nicholas as attentive spectators.
"Positive. I'll go check with Ava, see how we're looking, alright?" She reached up and squeezed his hand before he pulled it away.
"Be careful." He flashed her another smile before vanishing from the room.
Minutes passed, but the storm did not lessen. If anything, the shudders seemed to be growing stronger, as were the gusts of wind that howled faintly above her. If not for the others, she doubted she would have been so calm. Nevertheless, one pale hand gripped her staff that lay next to her. Ean had not returned, but perhaps that was a good thing.
"… And so I went into the ruins, only to find that whatever was inside was already gone!" Gavin said, and Jack raised his eyebrows.
"Somebody got there first?"
"Indeed." The warlock said. "But I tracked the man down, in a city a few hundred miles away. And, I managed to get the scroll from him as well."
"Impressive." Rye chuckled as his eyes traced the room. "So, that's how you learned to cast lightning?"
"Correct, although it did take me another decade to figure it out." The man said as he laughed.
"Nicholas, how did you learn to heal?" Emma put in curiously. "Were you born with the ability?"
"As far as we know, everybody is." The prince said quietly, turning to look at her. "But not with the same amount, which is why not all citizens are trained. Mine was a mix of talent and a lot of hard work. I-" The ship shook, so violently that Jack was knocked to the floor.
"What the-" Gavin said, rising from his seat.
"I knew it!" Iya said, seizing her staff from the table next to her.
"Iya, wait! What are you going to do?" Rye said, pulling Jack to his feet.
"Stay here. I'm going to get Ean." She said firmly, and bolted out into the hallway, towards the stairs.
When Ean arrived on the deck, he was nearly knocked over by the winds rushing across the stern. He staggered, but managed to seize the door as he moved across the deck. Instinctively, he drew strength from the spirits within him, planting his feet firmly on the deck. With his enhanced eyesight, he could the crew lashed to their positions with rope as they worked to keep the ship from capsizing. Turning, he made his way over to the wheel.
"Ean?" Ava shouted as she spun the wheel again, pitting her considerable strength against the sea threatening to swallow them. A rope was wrapped around her as well.
"Is it getting worse?" He shouted over the wind, and she nodded.
"We've got to… pass through this rough part before we can get to the eye. Once we do, I can get back on course for Ravenwood." Ava said, still shouting over the din.
"Can I help?"
"Not… sure. My men know what they're doing."
"Okay, then-" Ean eyes snapped up as he sensed, rather than saw, a squall of wind rushing directly towards them from the north. "Brace yourself!" He bellowed even as he poured more power into his limbs, keeping him in place as the air struck the ship.
Even with his power, he was still knocked to the deck by the force of the blast. Ava managed to cling to the wheel as she was thrown too. And then, a scream came from the main deck. The elf whirled as a man was thrown across the deck, rope snapped uselessly in two.
"Help!" He screamed again, and Ean acted. With blinding speed, he transformed, leaping across the deck in the form of a werebear. Just as the man hit the wooden railing of the ship, his paw caught him, stopping him from plunging into the stormy ocean. However, the wind had not abated, and he felt both himself and the man beginning to slide towards the railing once again.
Another flash of light, and he became the cyclops, seizing the man around the waist and holding him tightly as he braced against the wind. Suddenly, the squall ceased, and Ean turned to see Iya standing at the cabin door, one hand shining with chaos magic as she gestured at the sky, face tight with concentration. Her hair and cloak flapped in the wind, giving her the air of a powerful sorcerer.
I guess she wasn't that anxious after all, hm? The winds lessened even more, and Iya beckoned to him. Over the storm, he heard her shout:
"Bring him inside, quickly!" With a heave, Ean moved slowly to the cabin entrance, still holding the man tightly. Once at the entrance, the sailor scrambled inside, and he shifted back to his human form.
"What are you doing?" He asked the other elf as she continued to cast her spell.
"Trying to… calm the storm." She called back as she panted with fatigue. "But… it's really hard with only… one hand!"
"Here." He said, and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly as he anchored his feet to the deck with magic. He felt her body expand and contract beneath his as Iya raised her other hand, and a second chaos orb shimmered in her left hand. The wind slackened even further, and he thought he saw the sea fall a little bit.
Incredible. You're amazing, Iya.
"Keep it up!" He said in her ear. "I've got you!" They stood there for what felt lieke hours, until Iya's hands began to droop from exhaustion.
"We've entered the eye!" Ava shouted from above them. "Let it go, Iya!" Immediately, the elf let her hands drop, sweating and gasping with exhaustion. Ean felt his own sweat drip down his face, and found that he was just as tired as the elf he was holding.
"Back inside." He gasped, and Iya nodded as he pulled her back into the depths of the ship. The pair made it down the stairs before collapsing to the deck, thoroughly out of breath. They slumped against a wall, still searching for air.
"That was…"
"Dangerous? Reckless?" Ean offered, and her hand smacked his arm weakly. Drenched in sweat as they both were, it did not make much of a difference.
"Don't make me laugh. It hurts."
"I guess I can't talk. We should be safe now, though." He turned to look her in the eyes, and she smiled faintly as he touched her arm. "You saved them. I've never seen anything like it."
"We saved them." She replied, and he nodded slowly.
"I would kiss you, but I'm still too tired." This time, they both burst into weak laughter. Jack came around the corner, saw them, and let out a breath of relief.
"And here I thought you two were working hard out there."
When they made landfall a few hours later, it was past midnight. As the party filed onto the deck to look around, the crew wearily untied themselves as moved towards the cabin. Two men leapt down to secure the boat to nearby trees, keeping the ship anchored a few yards from the rocky beach. The moon shone down upon a thick, dark forest that stretched out to the south,
"Good work, you two." Ava said hoarsely as she descended to meet them. Her hair was tangled and messy, but she had a look of fierce satisfaction in her eyes. "You saved a member of my crew, and possibly the rest of us with that spell."
"I didn't know if it would work." Iya said quietly. "But I'm glad it did."
"Are you kidding me?" The pirate replied. "You almost single-handedly calm a storm, and that's what you say?" Iya smiled tiredly.
"I guess it can't be helped."
"Yes, well, we've arrived a little farther north than expected, but we'll anchor here until morning. My men need to rest, and so do I."
"We'll keep watch." Rye said, gesturing to himself and Nicholas. "Go get some sleep, Ava."
"You don't have to tell me twice." The woman said as she disappeared into the depths of the ship.
"You two, Iya and Ean." Gavin said. "Magic like that wears you out faster than anything."
"You sure?" Ean said, stifling a yawn.
"Yeah." Rye said, smiling slightly. "I'm sure." Turning, Ean followed Iya, Emma, and Jack down into the boat as well. As soon as his head hit his pillow, he was asleep.
Morning came a few hours later, and with it, the welcome sight of the sun. After a quick breakfast, Ean met the rest of the crew on the deck.
"Okay, so we've arrived. What's the plan now?" Ava said, small bags under her eyes. The rest of the crew was still sleeping, thanks to the ordeal from the previous night.
"I'm going into town to see what's happened." Ean replied, tucking his bag over his shoulders. "Iya and Rye, you should come. Anybody else who wants to, can." Unsurprisingly, all the others voiced their desire to see Ravenwood as well. Ava stayed behind, saying that she needed to supervise some repairs to the ship.
"We should be northeast of the town." Rye said as they moved across the rocky ground. "Ravenwood has no port, so it's not exactly easy to reach by ship."
The forest was not as ominous as Ean remembered, although he suspected it was because the werebear had been captured. The trees, composed of a dark oak, were damp from the storm, which made moving through the woods more difficult. More than once, the muddy ground beneath them gave way, revealing sinkholes and pits.
"Hey, I think I see the road up ahead!" Jack said suddenly, pointing through the trees. The boy was correct, and they emerged onto the path made of stone and dirt a few moments later. Ean glanced to the south, where he could see a faint trail of smoke in the sky. Rye marked their position on his map, as well as on a nearby tree, and they began moving down the road.
"So what's it like?" Emma asked after a moment.
"It's a small town, smaller than Ryva." Rye answered from behind her. "But really, it's the best place to stop if you're heading to or from Thais."
"Ravenwood… An adequate name." Gavin mused as he studied the trees. "The wood here is very dark."
"It grows like that." Nicholas supplied suddenly. "Something to do with the composition of the soil." Jack raised his eyebrows at the remark, but said nothing. "What?" The prince said defensively after a moment. "I read about more than healing, you know."
"Fair point."
As they drew closer to the town, Ean began to notice several things. Firstly, the trees on either side of the road had been cleared, leaving much more space to walk. Secondly, Ravenwood apparently had a lot more campfires than he remembered.
Did people move in after the werebear was caught?
"We should be almost-" Rye stopped after he rounded a corner, causing Emma to bump into him.
"This is new." Iya observed as they looked out on the large, now-empty plot of land. Several frames were already up, and Ean could see people moving around them, reinforcing and hoisting other pieces of timber into place. By his count, there was at least a dozen new homes that he could see, and he guessed that there were even more.
"What brought them here?" Emma wondered.
"Only one way to find out. Let's go into town and ask." The elf said. They moved past the houses and over the bridge into Ravenwood. They had just passed the inn when Ean noticed something rather different in the town square. A large, metal cage had been placed in the middle of the area, and a crows was gathering around it. There was far more people than had lived in Ravenwood the first time they had visited.
"What's going on?" Gavin asked as they approached, but Jack gestured wordlessly to the cage. Inside was a large, black animal with matted fur. It's eyes glowed red, and it's claws scraped the dirt as it moved.
"I think we found the werebear." Just then, the beast let out a loud growl, causing several people to leap back from the metal bars.
"Hold on there, folks. I'll need the entrance fee form you before you go closer." A man had approached them, holding a box with a slot on the top.
"Entrance fee?" Ean said, nonplussed by the statement.
"Yes, sir. Haven't you come to see the scourge of Ravenwood?" The man looked confused as well, as though he could not think of another reason for them being in front of him.
"I… Yes, I suppose." He said after a moment. He handed over some coins before turning to the others. "They put it on display?"
"I guess its their way of coping with what happened?" Iya said as the beast growled again.
"Interesting choice." Gavin said with a grin. "Well, at least it's here."
"True. Now all we need is some sort of proof to give Gulliver." Ean turned to look for the man collecting money, but he had gone.
"Rye? Is that you?" The female voice came from behind them, and Ean turned to see Linia striding towards them, a smile growing on her face.
"Linia!" Rye exclaimed, and the older woman embraced him in a hug.
"It is you! Goddess, it's been months since you last came to visit." She hugged Ean and Iya too before glancing around at the others. "But who are they? And why did you come back? I've heard rumors, but-"
"We've done quite a bit since we left." Ean said gently. "And these are our new companions." They each introduced themselves, and Linia made herself known as Rye's aunt.
"So it's true, then?" She said wondrously, looking at Iya. "You're fighting against Shaenlir."
"We are." The female elf told her. "We came back to see if the werebear was still alive. But, we weren't expecting something like this." Linia rolled her eyes.
"When the villagers found out the beast was trapped, they decided to keep it alive as an attraction. They sent a bunch of people out to Thais and Candar to spread the word, and it all grew faster than I thought. King Uthar even sent a troop of men to keep order out here, since so many are coming. I suppose it's not a bad thing, all in all. Now that more people have moved in, Ravenwood could become a proper town. There's already talks of formally joining with Thais."
Nicholas smiled slightly, and she turned to him.
"What is it?"
"It's funny, hearing my brother called the king." For a moment, he did not realize what he had said. Linia paled almost immediately and dropped to her knees.
"Prince Nicholas, I'm so-"
"Don't be." The man said, causing Ean's eyebrows to shoot up. Was this the same man that had been dragged kicking and screaming from Thais Castle a few months ago? "I'm not traveling in any formal capacity, so you don't have to treat me any different." Linia rose, but her face was still hesitant.
"It's fine." Ean assured her. "We just drag him around with us." The prince rolled his eyes in a very sarcastic fashion.
"Anyways, we need your help." The elf continued. " I need a flyer or something like that, to show to a person."
"Oh, that's easy." The woman said, and she moved towards the cage before returning a minute later. She handed Ean a piece of paper that advertised 'the most terrifying beast on the mainland.'
"Thank you." He told her. "Has anybody… tried to cure it?" His voice was lowered, and Linia seemed to understand.
"No, but I don't think the villagers want to. It's bringing in quite a bit of money." Ean nodded.
"I thought as much." The elf responded. "Again, I can't tell you everything, but I might be able to cure the beast when we return. Just don't let them hurt it."
"I'll do my best." Linia swore solemnly. "I promise you." He thanked her, and she managed to convince them to join her for lunch in her home. It was a nice affair, with lots of laughter from the middle-aged woman and Rye as they shared stories of Ryva. Emma in particular seemed interested, as she had missed many of the ranger's stories.
When the time came for them to leave, Linia bid them farewell as Ean opened the door.
"Stay safe, all of you." The woman pleaded. "I may not be here when you return."
"Why?" Rye asked.
"I didn't want to worry you, but Great-Grandma Nora has fallen ill. I received a letter a week ago. If it gets worse, I'll travel to Ryva and tend to her myself." The ranger paled slightly as he frowned.
"I… I see. Hopefully we'll return soon, but please send the town my regards."
"I will, Rye." Linia said softly. "Just take care of yourself first." She leaned over to hug him once more, and whispered, so softly that Ean's enhanced ears barely caught it: "And that girl too. She's something special." Rye's cheeks turned pink, but he ignored the comment as Ean hid his smile carefully.
"Be safe, Linia. Thank you for your hospitality." The elf said, bowing slightly to the woman before they stepped back out into the sunlight.
Their return to Verashema was, thankfully, unimpeded by the weather. With strong winds filling the sails, the ship made the trip in a mere seven hours. The sun had just set when Ean leapt down onto the wood and stone of the elven dock, accompanied by Iya.
"Everyone else except Jack, stay here." He said as the others disembarked. "We'll go to Gulliver and give him the flyer, and hope that he leaves right away. Jack can pick the lock to his door, and Iya can go free the spirit while I stand guard. Rye, send Emma to let me know as soon as Gulliver leaves."
"You got it." The ranger said, nodding as Jack leapt down to join Ean. They moved quickly up the path, and the elf was grateful that nobody stopped to task them questions. Elkian was nowhere to be found, and he guessed that he was busy in the forest once again.
Eventually, they arrived at Gulliver's house, and Ean knocked upon the door loudly.
"Gulliver? Are you there? We've found a beast for you to study!" His words were evidently heard, because the door opened not even a minute later, revealing the old elf.
"What was that, boy?" Ean handed him the flyer.
"This creature appeared in Ravenwood, captured by the locals. They have it on display there."
"Really?" Gulliver exclaimed, a look of manic excitement spreading over his face. "Incredible! I must go examine it immediately!" He slammed the door, and Ean could hear him rummaging around inside the house.
"Come on." He muttered, gesturing to a nearby tree. "It's too suspicious if we wait right here." The trio sat at the base of a large tree, keeping their eyes on the house a few yards away. Iya's face was tight with worry, and even Jack seemed nervous.
After a few minutes, the front door opened once more, and Gulliver emerged, dressed in his cloak and carrying a large bag. He hurried down the steps and almost ran towards the docks, not sparing them a second glance. They waited to see if he would return, but Emma arrived not a minute later.
"He's gone." She said quietly. "I'll keep watch out here while you go in, Iya." The female elf gave her a smile and a nod, and moved with Jack towards the door. The boy bent over the lock for a few seconds before inserting his pick. He jiggled it around, a look of concentration written across his face.
"Hm… Can't quite get it." Jack muttered, pulling his pick out the lock. "Maybe this?" He pulled the item he had found in a chest back in the Mists, and held it up to the lock. The bar of metal glowed faintly before twisting itself into a key. He inserted it, and the door clicked open.
"Nice, a magical lockpick!" He said quietly, before slipping away from the door. Iya passed through, and it closed behind her.
The inside of the house was dark, and Iya had to squint to see the staircase in front of her.
I hope we're not too late. She moved up the stairs slowly, clutching the potion in her hand. When she rounded the balustrade, she saw the same golden cage as before, tucked against a wall. This time, however, the spirit inside was not glowing brightly. Instead, a dull blue light barely illuminated her surroundings, and her heart fell. At her approach, the light seemed to change, and a voice echoed dimly.
"Young Iya… you have returned?"
"Indeed, and with the potion as well." Iya said calmly. "I'm going to pour it on the bars. Ready?"
"Of course." The elf tipped the potion sideways, and the liquid inside landed on the cage. Immediately, there was a flash of light, and the golden metal began to dissolve.
"My strength… It returns!" Another blast of light, and Iya ducked as the cage flew apart, sending golden chunks of metal everywhere. When she looked up again, she gasped. Standing in front of her was the spirit, but no longer formless. Instead, a majestic horse pawed the ground, a single shimmering horn jutting from its forehead.
"A unicorn…" She gasped.
"A memory of Aveyond." A voice said, and it was the spirit's, but not the same as it had been before. It was deeper, richer, and thrumming with a power that made her own feel insignificant. The unicorn lowered its head to gaze at her with gleaming golden eyes, and she was surprised to feel it nuzzle her affectionately. "You have my most heartfelt thanks, Iya Tiki."
"The pleasure was ours." She said calmly. "Now, go back to your home."
"I shall. My strength must be gathered before I can assist you. Come and find me as soon as you can." Iya nodded as the unicorn shimmered and began to disappear. "You have done me a great favor…" With a final flash, the spirit disappeared entirely, leaving the house dark once more.
When she came outside, she found that the others had joined Ean by the tree, and were staring wondrously at the house.
"Iya, did you see…" Ean said, and she smiled at him.
"I did. The spirit is gone now."
"Glad to hear it." Jack put in slowly. "I never thought I'd see something like that back in Thais, you know." Emma looked similarly shocked, although there was a smile on her face.
"Come on, let's go tell the others."
The water in the pond rippled slightly as vibrations from the earth caused it to stir. The mists opened up, and several figures emerged from the darkness, wrapped in cloaks and bearing weapons upon their backs.
"Is this the place?" Rye said as he surveyed the clearing. "Where the spirit said to go?"
"Yes." Iya responded, her hair rippling in the breeze. "The bridge between the Land of Man and Aveyond." Her tone was awed as she gazed around, as if she could feel the magic binding the two realms together. They had stayed the night in Verashema, and had sailed back to Storybook Island when daylight broke. Thankfully, the trip had passed without further incident.
"Only one of many, but the young elf is correct." The voice resonated around the clearing, and the mists seemed to recede as it passed. The pond next to them rippled, and blue light shone forth as the unicorn emerged from the water, casting light across the area. Ava inhaled sharply at the sight of the spirit, and Gavin's eyes bulged slightly at the sight.
"Wow…" Rye said quietly, his hands lying limply at his side. "This is incredible."
"Welcome, travelers. I am Phoebe, the Guardian of the Mists. For many centuries, I have watched over this gateway between the realm of Aveyond and your own. I owe you my thanks for rescuing me."
"It was our pleasure." Ean said, stepping forward and bowing slightly to the spirit. "But we have need of you all the same. Aisling is missing, and we cannot find her."
"I know." Phoebe said, and the horse's face seemed to shift slightly as she spoke. "I'm afraid I do not know where she has gone, only that she cannot leave this island. To do so would require power like that of the Goddess herself. She must be here, concealed."
"Is that possible?" Jack said, looking unsure of himself. "To hide a nymph?"
"Dark things are at work, young one." The spirit said gently, turning to look at him. "The Land of Man suffers from evil magic, and not even the nymphs can see what is behind it. Only one person can answer your questions." The unicorn turned to face the rock wall behind her, and Phoebe's horn began to glow with a brilliant light. A few seconds later, a beam shot out an struck the wall, causing it to crumble and fall. The light spread across the earth in the outline of a door, which crumbled away to reveal a glowing white portal.
"This will take you to the person whom you seek. But please, hurry. The door to Aveyond cannot remain open for long."
"What?" Nicholas said. "This door leads to Aveyond?"
"Everything does, Prince Nicholas." Phoebe replied serenely. "Now go." Iya stepped forward, examining the portal. She exhaled, stepped forward, and vanished into the swirling light. Ean followed her without hesitation, and Rye shrugged.
"I guess we follow them." One by one, the party filed through the portal.
Ean opened his eyes, expecting to see flowing green fields or a grand city, but he was greeted with…
"An empty room?" Rye said from behind him, and he turned to see the rest of the group coming through the doorway. The room was tiled with various colors, and he could see a door on the opposite wall. There were no windows anywhere. Iya stiffened next to him, and he spun back to see a figure appear between them and the exit. They were dressed in white robes, with a cape of blue and red. Her face was lined and wrinkled, but her eyes gleamed with intelligence and power.
"O…Oracle?" He said slowly, dimly aware of the others turning to look at the stranger. Rye paled, and the others looked at him, having never met the elderly lady. "But… you were in Shaenlir!"
"That is one of my titles, Ean Okho." Her voice was strong, and he could feel the magic radiating from it in waves. "And many others, besides. I foresaw that you would come here, Iya Tiki. The nymphs have blessed you, truly."
"How do you know that?" Iya said quietly, her eyes confused and wary. "Who are you?"
"I see the signs my daughters have left in you." The Oracle said quietly, and Ean's eyes widened.
"Your daughters? But then…"
"That's right, young man." The Oracle said with a smile. "I am the Goddess, mother of all, and ruler of Aveyond."