The Crossing (Book One)

Chapter Twenty-One: Not Alone

The jarring light was an army of needles prickling through her eyelids. It brought an unwanted onslaught of sensation painful enough to penetrate the dark regions of her mind. That was where she had secluded herself out of instinct and fear. Yet, perhaps more treacherous than the fathomless darkness, was the elusive light that promised hope just beyond reach.

But she would try. She crawled her way out of the darkness, fought the army of needles, and opened her eyes.

Nothing.

She strained her eyes wider, willing herself to look--- to see, once again, to prove to herself that it had all been a dream--- a nightmare perhaps, but a harmless dream. Flashes of images she could not comprehend rushed toward her in a jagged stream with maddening speed causing her to recoil in fear and scream. What was happening to her?

"Steady, child. Steady." The rustling voice came at her from somewhere above.

Unsure of what to do, Lily crawled to where she perceived there was light for whatever comfort it gave. She felt so weak. Muscles protested against the foreign effort of use, trembling not only in fear but exhaustion.

Her parched throat begged for moisture as she forced her voice to speak. "Who--- who are you?" She did not recognize the foreign sound of her voice.

The cold, hard concrete slab against her pale cheek was a stark contrast to the voice that answered. "I am called Nim. And I am a prisoner here just like yourself." He studied her quivering mass, her brow wrinkled in concentration.

"I, I don't understand. Prisoners? Who? Who would do such a thing? Why? Where are we? What happened? Where is Aurora?" The effort to sit caused an incredible strain on her arms as she dragged her feeble body. A slender hand pulled the tangled hair away from her face. The effort to move had been great and her arms buckled under her weight.

"Easy, child, easy. I do not trust the drink they have been serving you. Nor should you. Spill as much as you can of the following serving without arousing suspicion." She whimpered weakly in agreement.

"Stay still and rest. I am sure you are full of questions. I will try to answer as many as I can." His voice reminded her of the gentle strumming of a guitar.

"We have been moved from the Labyrinth to the upper levels of the dungeon within Ilsurni castle. If you're wondering why, I can venture to assume that with my advanced years and your blindness we pose no threat of escape.

"The Sorceress Mimika and Lord Deiviaen Fennaris have watched your progress closely. They see you on almost daily basis. You have acquired some very nefarious people as your enemies, child. Do you know why?" His voice resonated with concern and wonder.

Lily shook her head weakly, storing her limited energy for speaking. "I do not even know this Mimika and Deiviaen you mentioned. What do they want from me? Who are they?"

"Filth." Nim replied without bothering to hide his disgust. "They sully the name of every elf upon our world. The Sorceress of Movien Tower is cruel and heartless. Many have died by her hands. Lord Fennaris is no different. He has killed many elves in the name of glory."

"Elves?" Her voice was a hoarse croak.

"Yes." Lily absorbed this information slowly. "Lord Fennaris is very dangerous and he rules over the elves of Mithoran, where we are. Mimika is his personal bodyguard and sorceress. Are you certain you do not know why they were after you? It is not like them to hunt for a human."

"No. Last I remember..." she swallowed to cool her burning throat. "Aurora needed help, I followed her...there was ice on the ground, shrieking noises before that. Then there was a ball of searing heat against my back...It was unlike anything I've ever felt before.

"The rest are flashes in my head I cannot sort. Was there another girl when they brought me? Her name is Aurora." She lifted her head toward where she believed Nim to be located.

"No. There was no other girl. I am sorry." His voice was genuine with remorse.

Lily thought about that. She hoped Aurora had escaped. That was all she had left, hope. "What is this labyrinth you spoke of? I've never heard of it."

"Never heard..." Nim had wondered about her strange clothing before, but her fragile state had dominated his thoughts. It made sense now. "You've come through the Crossing, have you not? Crossings are exceedingly rare. Where you given the potion upon your Crossing? If not, that could explain the loss of your sight." His voice softened at the conclusion.

"The Crossing?" Her brows creased in confusion.

"Yes, the Crossing is the portal between our worlds. Lord Deiviaen Fennaris and his sorceress must have gone through a lot of trouble to get you." He seemed to be speaking to himself now. "There must be something truly special about you. But why would they endanger it by not giving you the potion? Who are you?"

"I'm Lily. Just Lily." She could not wrap her mind around most of what he'd said.

"What about this other girl?" His questioning continued.

"Aurora? I hope they didn't get her." These must have been the people she was running from the other night. "This is all so incredible to believe as it is. But if these p--- elves are as terrible as you say, I hope she finds a way to hide and stay away. Are all elves evil?" She'd grown up protecting Aurora from bullies to isolation, and to her this was no different. She would continue to keep Aurora safe from harm.

Nim's chuckle brought her out of her thoughts. "My child, I am an elf too. But I will not harm you." He reassured her by padding her head though she flinched slightly at his revelation. "If you're friend is as devoted as you, then I'm sure she will come for you no matter the danger." Nim remained silent for a while.

"Please continue." Lily begged, "Your voice soothes my mind. It helps keep the images away. My father used to tell me stories about elves and magic. What do you look like? I've never seen an elf."

"Well, I'm no strapping young elf anymore, those years have long passed. My hair was once a fierce black and now it is nothing more than a dull gray. I remember my wife always telling me she saw the stars in my eyes and her happiness in my smile. I was never certain what she meant by that, but such is love, huh?" She heard his longing in his voice. "My body was once agile, but age has claimed it without regard to my objections, of which I have many." He saw Lily's face form a small smile.

"Are you, um... big?"

"I suppose I will not take insult to that since you do not have your sight. However, if you are asking if I am fat and short then the answer is no. I'm svelte as ever and I'm quite tall too." Lily's face broke out into a full smile as best she could. She thought of her father. It was a pity that the man who taught her to dream and create stories, could not share in her experience in meeting a real elf.

Thinking about Nim, she had a feeling that he was much fuller than what he was letting on. She could almost see him. A silly notion she was certain since she was blind. "It's strange," she began, "I can almost see shadows of you. Not in my imagination, but as if I was somehow seeing you with my own eyes. Is it possible?"

Nim's interest was piqued. "Has this happened before?"

Lily's brow creased once again, remembering. She nodded solemnly. "Only once. I remember seeing two shadows... a man and a woman. This was when I was alone, I suppose in the Labyrinth." Her voice lowered.

"While I was there, I also kept seeing strange flashes. It felt like falling down a tunnel of a kaleidoscope. I couldn't make out much of it." She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind.
.

Nim wanted to pursue the topic, but noises down the corridor held his attention instead. Footsteps echoed off the bare gray walls. Nim didn't need to guess to whom the footsteps belonged--- it was routine.

He huddled in a corner away from Lily appearing withered and dispirited, a farce. "Say nothing of this," he hissed.

The footsteps grew louder.