Chapter Fifty Two: The Crossing

The small battle was won. But Evany was gone. It was more of a loss than a victory. An ache of anguish stabbed his heart. His legs became like lead as he dragged them across the clearing.

He stepped around the last Floating Caravan and a sword came slashing past him, it was Jerry. Calin jumped away, all numbness gone in an instant.

“Whoa! Easy there Jerry, chill. The fight is over. You can relax.”

As the boy lowered the sword, Calin could see the boy was more relieved than he had ever seen him.

He tried to keep his shaking walls from tumbling down in front of his friends. He dropped his own swords and grabbed both Jerry and Kara in a great big hug. After a moment of confusion they both hugged him back. Finally Kara asked, “And what was that for?”

With a shake of his head he said, “Because you are alright. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if you weren’t.”

A worried expression settled on Kara’s face. She stepped closer and placed a hand on his arm. “Calin... I, um... about Evany—”

Swiftly, Calin held up his hand and said, “Don’t.” He stepped past the two and asked, “Is this Mictoria’s caravan?”

They both nodded, and as he threw open the door, Kara tried again. “Calin...”

But he stepped inside the caravan and found his rucksack. He made sure everything was in there before fishing out his water bottle. With much delight he drank from it deeply. Never had water tasted so good. It had been days since he last drank something. Which for a moment made him wonder how he survived through everything the last few days, while he was clearly supposed to be dehydrated? He shook off the thought and just enjoyed the water.

After another few mouthfuls he stepped over to the barrel that had the fresh water, filled his water bottle and capped it before going to don his rucksack. The familiar weight of it brought some comfort to his heart. He stepped outside and was confronted by Kara pressing her face in his personal space. She glared at him and said, “We will talk about what happened to Evany. You need to let it out.”

Calin took her by her waist picked her up gently and placed her next to him. “No.”

He started toward the archway that had stolen Evany away from him, alongside the traitor, Jael.

Walking across the clearing to one of the twelve arch ways, Kara called after him. The sounds of feet running across the ground brought her next to him, with Jerry close behind.

The girl asked, “What are you going to do then, if not talk about it? Calin, if we can find my father and the others we can all go together and find her... Are you listening to me? We need to regroup. This place is too dangerous for us alone!”

He spun on her, and gripped Kara’s shoulders.

“THERE IS NO TIME FOR THAT! So...”

He then inhaled deeply to calm himself. “I’m going after her. I’m going to get her back.”

With that, Kara stomped her foot and said,

“Wow, you’re infuriating, we can’t. It’s too dangerous! We need more help, Calin! Ugh... I’m going to get Mictoria.”

The girl stormed off.

There was no understanding her attitude at that moment, but Calin shrugged and moved to the archway. There seemed to be runes carved into the rock, but the blue light that had marked the gateway was nowhere to be seen. Calin pressed at the wall behind the arch. But nothing happened. Hopelessness threatened to press him into the ground, his muscles drew tight as he fought his emotions.

“Let me help.” Jerry asked from the side. It tore through Calin’s desperation and a weak smile managed to tug his lips. He nodded.

Jerry also started feeling if there was anything that would reveal the thing or place that would lead to Evany.

They both grunted with the effort of trying to find the secret behind the mysterious rock arch, but it didn’t do anything. The dark rocks stayed mute with the markings not giving up its secrets.

After a while, Calin sat down heavily and Jerry sagged down next to him. The boy patted his arm and said, “I’m sorry mate, but there must be a way. If there is, we’ll find it.”

All Calin could do in his state was look out over the clearing and watch as Tyas helped some of the other gypsies to get the bound traitors into the caravans. Though, before he could assess the rest of the clearing, Mictoria came looming over him.

Looking up, he expected a speech. But even in the moon light he couldn’t mistake the look of compassion on her face. He dropped his gaze again and asked, “How can I get through this thing?” He pointed at the Gate.

The woman regarded him for a second then placed her hands on her hips.

“Nísir Calin... you are truly a determined one. Come let me help you up and then we will speak of things.”

With a heavy sigh, Calin accepted the helping hand and he got up.

The gypsy woman pointed at the twelve arches and said, “These are the twelve Gates of Kailuvia. They are the heart of the network of pathways. You see these first three, Nísir.” He nodded before she continued. “They are the only three that work. I am not certain if there ever was a time that all twelve gates worked, but that is not the problem.”

Frowning, Calin asked, “There is a problem?”

The woman nodded vigorously before she said, “Indeed there are. You see once someone travels through a gate it needs to um, what’s the word... get energy back?”

“Recharge?” ventured Calin. The woman smiled immediately and said, “Yes, Nísir. Indeed. It takes a few hours.”

Calin smiled broadly and embraced her, twirling her as he shouted with elation.

“You wonderful woman! Thank you, thank you!”

After another round about, he placed her down and turned back to the gate and said, “So we wait a few hours and then go through, find Evany and bring her back.”

His hopes soared as he dropped his rucksack before sitting down, waiting in front of the archway. After a moment or two, his smile faded and he turned back to Mictoria almost afraid to ask, “What is the problem then?”

The woman’s shoulders drooped and she sat down next to Calin before she said, “The other two gates work perfectly Nísir, they go both ways to their ...uh destinations. This one however stopped working both ways nine years ago.”

A sinking feeling settled over Calin then. It was the one Evany and that other gypsy woman had disappeared through.

Then he asked, “How do you know it doesn’t go both ways?”

Mictoria shook her head and said, “Alas we didn’t, not at first. It wasn’t until we didn’t get word from our people from the Crown Basin. It was then that we started suspecting something was wrong. One day we were travelling towards Moons’ Reach, to a small little town that rests in a valley there. That night we were forced to seek refuge from an incredible storm. At the inn, we were staying, there was a man working there. So I got to talking to him—”

Calin stopped the woman briefly with a raised hand and asked, “What does that have to do with this gate?”

The woman raised both her hands indicating patience as she said, “What I gained from the man was the Gate in Crown Basin wasn’t working. And there are only two known ways by land, out of the basin, through this gate and the Rift Run, so named as it passes the city of Rift Arc,

‘But the road called Rift Run has a darker name and that is Slavers Run. It has been a very long time since the way past that city was safe... you can guess the rest Nísir.”

Thoughts bombarded Calin as he ran it all through his mind. There was a chance the place, Ta-Reen had mentioned to the gypsy Jael, was Slavers Run. If so... No, he couldn’t dare make conclusions like that. It would drive him mad. He opted to stare at the smooth wall of the Gate that would lead to Evany.

After a few seconds, he looked at Mictoria sideways.

“So if I go after Evany, there is only the road that passes Rift Arc to get back?” He asked softly.

The gypsy woman nodded gravely and said, “It’s a dangerous road you seek, Nísir.”

She stood up. But Calin grabbed at her dress and asked, “Can you give me provisions. I just have to try and get Evany back...please?”

The woman smiled gently and said, “Madam Kara was right about you, a mountain of courage and fiercely loyal to the end... Yes Nísir of course I will help.”

Mictoria left and headed towards her caravan.

Just then Jerry hit Calin on his shoulder. “Are you mad? This sounds exactly like the World Barrier all over again, just this time you will be without a guide. What are you thinking?”

“Can’t you think of a reason for going after Evany, our friend?” Calin asked intently.

Without hesitation Jerry cried out, “More than you think! But what about Kara? She’s going to Moons’ Reach for her dad and the others; that I can say for certain. And Tyas made it clear to me he was going after that lead. We cannot just leave them alone out here.”

Calin smirked at that and said, “Of course not, that’s why you are going with them.”

It was quite certain that the boy was thinking a hundred miles an hour, but then Jerry realized what Calin had said and he exclaimed, “WHAT? I am not! You can’t go alone.”

“I can and I will,” Calin said as he looked over to where Kara was arguing with Tyas about something. “I want you to watch over Kara please, I still don’t know if I can trust Tyas; not to mention that I don’t know if he cares for her safety as we do. Kara is set on that path, and rightly so. But, it is one she needs a lot of help with, far more than I would need for following two people.”

Jerry shook his head, his face flushed red with his frustration. The boy grumbled some things that Calin couldn’t make out, but finally the boy sat up and said, “There has to be a better way?”

Calin shook his head with quick jerks.

“Jerry, there is no time! If I don’t go after Evany right now, her trail might go cold and we might lose her... On the other hand, I greatly fear time for Kara’s group is running out too. Something a fellow prisoner and I discussed makes a chill run up my back about what awaits Kara’s dad and the others in Moons’ Reach. You guys need to hurry too. And Tyas is your best bet in that city... Maybe even along the way you will find answers about why all this is happening...”

All the fire was stolen from Jerry as he sat back down heavily and said, “Note that, I understand, and I admit I can’t think of another way right now... But I can’t say I feel right about this.”

“So you see,” Calin remarked as he watched Kara jogging back to them. “I have my job to do and you have yours.”

Then Jerry said, “You know? Kara is going to freak! Heck, I don’t like it one bit either, but... it does make sense.”

There was an ominous feeling of Kara’s reaction, Calin was dreading the moment she would find out, so he said, “But let’s leave the news to when the Gate opens again shall we? I’m not in the mood to hold her off for the next few hours.”

Jerry nodded vigorously, understanding that girl as well as Calin did. They both walked over to Kara and Calin said, “Okay let’s help these people clear the place.”

Surprise passed over Kara, probably not expecting his compliance and Calin smiled at her despite himself and went to help Christoff drag a ginger headed traitor to the caravan.

He would break the news of his travels when the time was right.

***

Calin lay sprawled on the bed in Mictoria’s Floating Caravan. Time was creeping along as slowly as it had the last day or two, if not slower.

It wasn’t an easy time after his little talk with Mictoria and Jerry. Especially not keeping what he planned to do from Kara, he would definitely not lie to the girl, but he didn’t say in specific terms he was going with them to Moons’ Reach.

Just then the door opened and Kara came in. Calin looked at the girl and asked, “So Kara, tomorrow the search for your father begins?”

Kara had a worried and conflicted look on her face as she sat down on the bed, holding her arms nervously.

“Calin... you know I care greatly about Evany. She’s been my best friend for years, but ...but I have to go get my father and the other scientists first. I’m scared. Mictoria told me some really scary things about what is going on in Moons’ Reach. After we get them, we will go for Evany.”

His fears were confirmed. Still, there wasn’t time for a detour like that for him. Evany might be taken to Rift Run in forty days and left for the Slavers to what they do best. Though... He understood Kara’s predicament completely.

On one hand she desperately wanted to go help her best friend, but on the other, there was a time limit for Evany yet none for her group. She feared deeply for her own father and her colleagues, who were imprisoned with people who were unpredictable at best. It was a nasty choice for the girl, and Calin couldn’t help but wonder what he would’ve chosen, if it was his parents, had he known them. He shook his head at the troubling thought and instead crossed his arms behind his head.

“I understand. We will get Evany back, but you’ll see to the safety of your people first.”

It was the complete truth. A frown flashed over Kara’s features again.

“Calin I know I haven’t been the most understanding person. I—

Mictoria threw the door open and came in.

“It is time, Nísir, Madam.”

The girl jumped up and said, “So, the other gate is ready to go to Moons’ Reach?”

The woman nodded and Kara lurched happily out of the caravan, frown forgotten.

The girl missed the look Mictoria and Calin shared. Mictoria had told him only the one gate needed to gain power again after it was used. Calin inclined his head in her direction. She had waited for him.

After taking a deep breath, Calin got up and walked outside. He looked up to the massive orb, the ‘lesser moon’, which hung a couple of kilometres up over the mountains in the south. The questions of the phenomenal object were many. But the second moon of Sambria would have to stay a mystery for a while longer. He retrieved his rucksack and donned it with his sword on his hip. The rucksack weighed much heavier after Mictoria had a go with it. He hardly knew what she threw in it, besides food. But if she deemed it necessary he would accept it. He moved between the Gates and dropped it off.

With a shrug of his shoulders he ventured over to Jerry who said, “Are you ready?”

Calin tried to smile bravely and only partly succeeded as he embraced the boy in a bear hug. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Jerry ... Mad as you are, you are like… No, you are a brother to me. Take care of Kara please?”

The boy laughed and patted Calin hard on his back as he said, “Me mad? No... YOU are mad. You jumped from a window that was, what? Hundreds of metres up!”

With a smirk, Calin could only agree, it had been an utterly insane idea. But then he said, “Then again, it was you guys who suggested it.”

Jerry stepped away and bowed in grand fashion. “Touché. You already know I see you as my brother too. So go get our friend back Calin, and be safe.”

It was an intense moment as they looked at each other, hoping their paths would cross again soon.

Calin gripped Jerry’s hand before stepping away.

***

The caravans were already busy lining up tightly in a row, touching back to front. Mictoria had explained a bit earlier that it had the same effect as to hold on to someone else when stepping through.

Yet, she had said, the more objects or people linked, the rougher and more dangerous it becomes. But there was the thrill of it in her eyes as they made ready to go through the second of the three working gates.

Calin eyed the third one as he approached Kara. He caught her off guard and gave her a hug. “Be careful Kara. I hope you find everything you’re looking for. And for crying out loud, let Jerry protect you once in a while!”

He knew she quickly realized what he was about to do, but he didn’t let her out of the hug as she tried to pull away with a fierce jerk.

She struggled, but he tightened the hug and said, “No. it’s not my path! You, Jerry and Tyas already have so much to do. There is no time. I have to go get Evany ... I promised.”

With those last two words, Kara stopped fighting. She dug her head into his shoulder and said weakly. “Oh please be safe you lump of a fool, and bring back my friend. And Calin... ... you’re my friend too. Remember that.”

As Calin let her go, he smiled at her. Her features were downcast, but it seemed as if she was putting an effort in to accept what he had to do.

Giving her one more hug, Calin moved away from her. He quickly found Mictoria and asked, “So I thought you weren’t going to Moons’ Reach?”

The woman got a sly grin and said, “Yes Nísir, you are correct, but due to some... changes in our plan we must head that way. Now we can offer your friends passage through the pas—”

He hugged Mictoria mid sentence and said, “Thank you so much for everything. I don’t know what I would have done without your help.”

The gypsy woman returned the hug and said, “You are stronger than you think Nísir Calin, much stronger. Now go get your friend.”

Calin retrieved his rucksack and drew it tight over his shoulders, starting his walk over to where Tyas was, but Mictoria stopped him. Her snow white hand shone in the moonlight.

As he turned back to her, she held out her other hand to give something and he questioningly held out his to accept it. A small object dropped into his hand. Warmth spread over his palm. Surprised, he looked down and gasped at it.

It was his ring. Tears started to brim at his eyes as he looked at Mictoria. She had a look on her face that showed so much caring and emotions he couldn’t start to analyze.

He was speechless as he stood there, but before he could utter a ‘thanks’ the gypsy woman smiled deeply.

“Nísir Calin, that such a mystery as you came to me… I don’t think I’ll ever understand.” She shook her head in wonder, then she got a look of worry before she continued,

“Though never mind that, keep that ring safe. It is an extremely rare and special gift. But be careful Nísir... that ring has three affinity stones in it. What kind even I do not know. If and when they find their light, you must be certain you can wear it safely. Those stones are a treasure, but dangerous if misused. Do not talk openly of it to strangers.”

Calin stopped. Mictoria’s words had struck him. And without waiting, he blurted,

“Is the ring why Ta-Reen kidnapped me?!”

Mictoria shook her head immediately.

“Not at all, Nísir! Everything would have happened differently if it had been so. There is something else... They went through far too much trouble. I will have to see if I can learn the truth.”

Relief flowed in him. He was glad his parents’ gift hadn’t caused all this and that Mictoria had brought it back to him.

He looked at her with a deep respect and said, “Thank you.”

She smiled and without saying anything, she shooed him away with a warm expression.

Still shaken, Calin cradled the ring that his parents saw fit to give him before they disappeared completely from his life and his memories. Finally, after a few seconds, he pulled himself together and approached Tyas. He shook the secretive man’s hand deftly and steeled his gaze with seriousness.

“Don’t you dare abandon them, Tyas. Keep them safe while I’m gone.”

The amber eyed man stared hard at him before he said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea whatsoever that we split up, my mom made me promise that I keep you safe.”

“Yes I know,” Calin said firmly. “But now I ask that you protect what is mine, my closest friends. I know that we set out to find certain answers, and I still want them. But you must go and ask them without me. But you understand now, what to ask when you do find someone who knows.”

There was a war going on behind Tyas’ eyes before the man finally nodded reluctantly and said, “Yes I do. I’ll find out why.”

The man didn’t let go yet, but gave Calin a golden coin. It weighed heavy for a coin and he looked up to ask, but Tyas waved him off with a silent farewell. Pocketing his ring and the coin Calin hoped Tyas would succeed in finding answers as he stepped away.

This is it, Calin thought as he moved to the third of the twelve Gates of Kailuvia. As he got close, the smooth rock started to pulse with a blue light that seemed to hide within the stone. Who knew there were ‘teleporters’ already hidden on Earth?

Inhaling, he readied himself. He was as equipped for the journey as could be. Yet before he could touch the arch, Mictoria shouted,

“Nísir Calin! I know it is not as simple to ask, but if you find your way to the city of Night Ever, be sure to seek out a man by the name of Abra Jenkins. Tough as rock that man, but he is loyal to the bone. Tell him, I sent you with a hope of knights. Try to find him first. The Cities of Ever are not to get lost in. Be very careful.”

With a smile of thanks, he waved.

“I sure will. Thank you for everything, Madam Mictoria.”

The woman laughed at that. Calin bowed slightly and waved goodbye to her and to his friends.

Stepping forward to the arch, the river of blue light flowed over the stone making the air shimmer, beckoning him to come closer, to make the leap of faith. It was the road that would lead him to Evany.

He would keep his promise to her, even to his dying day. With resolve, he stepped forward to cross over into the unknown, to fulfil a purpose written in stone.

Reaching out, he touched his hand to the light of the stone.

It embraced him in a whirlpool of intense light, taking him away to go and save his friend...

***~Nights of Sambria~ and the Wish of light***