Lost in the Crossroads

Fourteen - Passages (Abelone)

They were in the world of Gaia, named after the Mother Nature as their patron Goddess. A realm of magic, a one big continent, inhabited by different races; Elves, Orcs, Ogres, Humans, Fairies, Sprites, Dragons, Mythos? and a lot more, capable of harnessing magic — something she had already expected in this world.

Though, the portals?

Totally uncalled for.

Abelone gritted her teeth, her eyes searching through the forest ground for the trails the bandits left.

It was still visible. That’s good.

Her hands—covered with fingerless gloves—tightened on the reins of her black stallion. She couldn’t believe that the different arch of stones in the map were actually Portals—Passages in Kael’s word. And they could be access by those who have magic and knew the words to opened it.

The bandits have mages working with them! It was strange according to Kael but Abel set that aside for a moment.

They got portals! Portals! And the bandits have mages with them! She can’t believe that the kid failed to mention that in the first place. God!

Abel had to wake up her friends two hours before the sun rises to prepare for the journey.

The Elven passage cannot be used, according to Kael. They needed someone who speaks Elven for the words to access it and Night Elves, even they speak Elven, are known for their avoidance towards the use of magic. He was an exception, he said but Abel thought there was more it than that. She didn’t push it, though. He hasn’t mention his brother yet. Their rarity had probably got something to do with their ability to use magic and most likely a taboo in their village.

The Mythos passage on the West was deep in the Land of the Moon that the bandits was not stupid enough to risk potential death via smiting.

The Mythos were the favored children of Gaia. They were known for their hatred on humanity, a story she would like to know. Though, the night elves believed that the Mythos held themselves to be the protectors of the world, and that they and their secrets were best left alone.

They were of magic, Kael said. Abel doesn’t even understand what it meant. They were basically labeled as a police force inside her head, only with the tendency to smite humans for just looking at them.

Sounds like an interesting people, she commented sourly.

No. They are not people, my lady. They are beings of magic. Kael admonished. No response came from her as she pushed the information aside. It was already established that Mythos hated and avoided contact with humans, so the chance of meeting one was close to impossible.

Which left the Dragon Passage in the Land of the Rising Sun to save the bandits from travelling a thousand miles in order to arrive in the Crossroads. It lies on the cursed land of the East.

For a large travelling group, Abel estimated it would take a week or two for them to arrive in the Passage, distractions not included. Kael had never been outside of the North nor he had visited the Crossroads. So, his estimations suck. His knowledge of the travelling time from the North to the Crossroads came from merchants who were mostly consisted with Blood Elves—an Elven faction that practiced magic—and most likely can uses the Elven Passage in their travels.

The mages knew the words to access the Dragon Passage by heart. The Dragons—a powerful clan of Mythos, benevolent, kind and fond of humans—graciously shared the knowledge to humanity during the time of the War of the Ancients. Shame, the clan had gone instinct. It would be interesting to meet a Dragon that was benevolent, kind, fond of humans and doesn’t steal the dwarves’ gold.

So, completely prepared for days of travelling and dressed in Elven clothing—it felt like cosplaying— they rode the horses Kael summoned from the woods to track the bandits’ trail, intent to not let them get close to the damn portal and rescued the Night Elves. It will be too late if they passed through the passage.

“Hurry up!” Abel called, forcing her horse to stop.

Kael trotted his horse by her side, face grim. With the long duration of their talk in the night, he had managed to made a quiver full of arrows from the bandit’s leftovers that was strapped on his back along with a long bow.

Fenella’s horse was following closely behind them. Another horse reins, carrying most of their belongings was held tightly in one of her hands. Animals naturally gravitated towards Fenella. Abel was not even surprised how quickly she adjusted in riding a horse for the first in a long time, like a duck to water.

“A moment!” Alex answered, her horse trotting carefully in the woods.

Her ears heard a smack, rustling of leaves then a cursing Kara.

“I told you to lower your head down!” Drishti hissed.

“Too late!” Kara shot back.

Abel also heard Hailey and Tabitha’s snickers. Their voices were easy to discern from the others.

Kael’s horse shuffled by her side. “Lady Abelone?” he asked, worry seeping in his tone.

“It’s good.” She said. “Don’t worry. It has been awhile since we rode horses. They will adjust soon enough.”

Abel signaled her horse to start walking. She could see a clearing before them. She felt her heart beat quickly. They were finally moving out of the protection of the forest.

Open fields could bring so much danger with their party but at the same time it brings a sense of adventure in it. It was a mystery land waiting to be explored.

It stirred a part of her she long buried when she became a soldier. Abel wasn’t sure if she wanted to push it back or let it rear its ugly head. What’s the point of feeding it? Their survival rate was practically wavering on its scale as they rode in this strange land filled with the unknown.

“Once we have reached the plains we’re going to pick up the pace!” She warned, her sharp gaze searched through the woods for any kind of threats. Nothing suspicious at the moment. Her eyes flickered to the Elf staying close to her—he was using her as a buffer from Dein and Drishti’s attention to her amusement—she noticed his ears was lightly twitching, straining to hear. A magnificent scout, really convenient.

Abel urged her horse to gallop as she reached the clearing. Her silver eyes widen and her mouth fell open as her horse continued to gallop in the green meadow before it slowly trotted having sense her rider’s shocked.

The sight struck her good. Abel managed to closed her mouth when her horse finally stopped, lacking the urging from its rider. The chilly morning wind caressed the bare skin of her arms softly as it created waves of dancing tall grasses on the meadow. She watched, fascinated by the movement—right, grasses tend to that along with the wind. The movies were not exaggerating.

There was not so much greenery in her world. Here though, it seems like it was endless. There are mountains far in the horizon as the forest of the North seemingly stretched forever.

Abel took in a deep breath—wood, bark, dirt, soil, dew, morning—an assortment of smell filled her nose and damn it felt so light in her lungs. Butterflies fluttered excitedly inside her stomach as she eagerly took in everything with her sight.

Her eyes caught large birds, different colors and of unknown specie flew out of the woods and into the sky. Kael once again trotted by her side, silent and not bearing any ill news. She didn’t bother to turned to him, gaze fixated in the morning sky of the strange world before her, even as her friends gasped behind her with shock similar to hers.

There was no danger lies on the land, only beauty. It was enchanting.

The moment they have arrived in this world, Abel had known they were in another world.

And it was because of its sky.

“Lady Abelone, is there something wrong?” Kael asked curiously.

“…The sky is beautiful here. I really like it.” Abel answered, closing her eyes for a moment. The memories of dark, smoke laden sky flashed beneath her eyelids—of duties and responsibilities, endless fighting, death and suffering. “This one seems almost…ethereal.”

I can’t believe it exist. She thought.

“Holy Mother of God.” Abel heard Alex breathed out somewhere on her back and she couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her lips.

“Goddess.” Kael corrected her, frowning. “Though, she doesn’t have a mother.”

Abel doesn’t even have to face her friend to know she was shooting a confused and incredulous look at the Elf. The butterflies in her stomach was going crazy now as her warmth filled her body despite the chilly wind of the morning. She was glad they arrived in this world together. She wouldn’t appreciate the beauty of this world without them.

“It was an expression.” Alex explained, the confusion was still audible in her voice.

“We really are in another world.” Dein muttered with amazement. Her eyes were darting everywhere as if she couldn’t believe the view was really there.

Chuckling lightly, Abel tracked once again the bandits trail. She saw it, clearly visible on the plains. The bandits were not doing their jobs as kidnappers quite well. They didn’t even understand the importance of discretion. Or were they that arrogant with mages on their side?

“I thought we’re going to pick up the pace?” Geneva questioned, always quick to recover.

A smirk tug on Abel’s slip and she steered her horse to face them, “Shall we race?”

Kael blinked, “My lady?”

Kara shut her mouth from gaping and eyed her curiously. Drishti’s eyes twinkled with understanding while Fenella panicked for a moment, shooting a worried look the other reins she was holding. Geneva arched a brow as Tabitha and Hailey grinned in response. Blake merely sighed in exasperation but steeled herself. Alex shot her a disbelieving look. Seriously, Abel?

“Well?” Drishti was the first to respond, her hair shining bright under the rays of the rising sun. Her horse stomped its forelegs on the ground impatiently. “She who attack first; wins!” she declared, urging her horse to gallop. And gallop it did.

And they started following.

“Cheater!” Kara shouted, ever-competitive.

“Did you see a freaking referee here or something?” Tabitha shot back, passing Kara.

“Ladies! This is not safe!”

“Guys!” Fenella wailed, “This is unfair! I got another horse!”

“More horsepower for you then!” Hailey responded, her laugh was like the tinkling bells in the air.

“Don’t lose the trail!” Geneva reminded them.

“I got it under control!” Blake answered, surprisingly on the lead with Drishti by her side.

“Keep a weather eye on the horizon!” Alex warned.

“You do know that works only with pirates!” Dein answered, following closely behind Blake.

“No, it doesn’t!” Alex argued. “It means to keep an eye out on your surroundings!”

“We know!” Hailey said, rich laughter dancing along the winds. “Just not the right reference at the moment!”

“What do you want me to say? They’re taking the hobbits to Isengard?”

“Oh my God!” Tabitha suddenly exclaimed, turning her head back to the direction of their only Elf companion.

“Goddess.” Kara said, mockingly mimicking the Elf.

Kael ignored them, not understanding their sudden interest on him, urging his horse to match hers. “Lady Abelone, I must beseech you! Stop this foolishness! It was dangerous trek this plains with carelessness!”

For a moment she taken aback with his big words. Beseech you, really now? Mentally shaking her head, Abel stretch out her senses and questioned him. “Tell me, Kael. What do you see and hear? Is there a threat?” She understood what he was trying to say but her friends were not that careless.

“None at the moment. But—”

“Do not take us lightly, Kael.” She said, cutting off his protest. Abel appreciated his worry but she trusted her instincts and they really need to catch up on the bandits before they arrive to the Passage. “Hurry up. Your losing.”

He blinked, noticing they were distance away from her friends. “So are you.”

“Oh?” Abel fondly watched their backs. She loved watching them interact with each other. The way they were grinning, glaring, spouting insults and challenging each other, they looked like siblings, still young and inexperienced in the world.

“I was just giving them a head start.” She chuckled, sometimes she like goading the childishness out of them so she could watch their interactions.

“Cocky much, aren’t you?” Alex shot back within hearing distance.

“Of course. I’m confident with my skills.” Abel’s smirk widened as she spurred her horse to gallop faster.

“Not today, b***h!” Kara mocked and it earned a sharp gasp from Kael, not used to colorful words.

Abel let her laugh rang freely in the wind, loud and clear. It was going to be a good hunting.