Two Worlds Between Stars: the Seer

Adilah opened her eyes, alarmed that she got any sleep at all. Someone she had made her way back into the tent. She looked to one side to see the crutches that Flame had made and then looked to the other to find that Ivy was missing from her bedspread. There was laughing from outside the tent, she got up and yawned, and got dressed. Using the crutch she hoisted herself out of the tent. The smell of fish and berries wafted through the air.

Adilah smiled when she saw Aamir then frowned as she remembered the night before, it’s a new day maybe he has forgiven me.

“Hey,” she said and sat down next to him.

He glanced at her with sad eyes before saying, “Yakir do you want to help me pack up the tent?” Adilah felt the tears welling up in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away.

“Sure” responded Yakir who had no idea of the situation.

“Is everything good with you and Aamir?” said Ivy in concern.

“No,” Adilah answered but she remained silent after that. Adilah rummaged through her satchel and grabbed out the compass and the journal that Ivy gave her. Ivy looked over her shoulder.

“This is weird right?” Adilah showed her the spinning compass.

Ivy shrugged, “I-I am not sure. If it is supposed to show us a direct path maybe it means we are near?”

Adilah nodded, “That is what I thought, I was going to ask,” She glanced at Aamir, “maybe Flame knows I’ll-I’ll go ask him.” Adilah used her crutch to help herself up as Dari trailed behind her. “Flame?”

“Hmm,” he responded as he put out the fire. “I have a question,” she said.

“Alright let’s hear it.” Adilah showed him the compass, “Any idea why it is spinning out of control?”

Flame studied the compass, “may I?” Adilah nodded and placed it in his hands shifting her weight onto the crutch. Flame continued to study the needles, “I think that it means that the Remaran Elems are,” Flame got up and walked around to some underbrush, “here,” he said in a mystic tone as he moved the bushes. Adilah got up using her crutches and limped over.

The Elems were beautiful. There was a giant stone platform in the middle with strange markings carved into it. Around the platform were stone pillars that had carvings of each of the elements in Remaria. There were willow trees with different colors falling from the tree as if they were leaves. Birds flew above the uncovered sky. Sunlight filtered through the willows and it showed that there was a podium in the middle of the platform with a box crusted with rust in the middle of it. “Guys, come here!!” yelled Adilah. In a matter of seconds, Aamir, Yakir, and Ivy had their heads peering through the bush.

“It’s amazing,” said Aamir with a smile.

Adilah smiled at him, “I know,” his smile disappeared quickly. Adilah used her crutches to walk around the bushes, she found stone stairs covered in moss that lead down to the platform and pillars.

“Over here!” she said, they all walked down the moss-covered steps. Walking down the stairs, Ivy helped to boost Adilah up onto the raised stone platform.

Aamir hoisted himself up behind her and immediately walked over to the box, “A?” “Yeah,” she responded with a little too much joy.

“Can you give me the key,” he said.

“Oh, yeah here,” Adilah, looking disappointed, reached into the satchel and pulled out the engraved golden key.

As she placed it in his hands she thought, What did I expect?! On the bright side at least he is talking to me again. “What do you think, Aamir?” He stayed silent still inspecting the box.

“For God’s sake answer me, please I-I’ll do anything,”

Her head hung down as the tears welled up again, “What do you want me to say?” responded Aamir.

“I-I don’t know Aamir, I’m sorry it’s just that, I really don’t have an excuse,″

Aamir cut her off, “A, I know your Pa but if you didn’t want my help why didn’t you say so. So I guess I’m just going to stop,” his face remained cold.

Adilah let a single tear run down her red cheeks before she responded, “I just literally feeling like I am cracking under the pressure and you not talking to me just made it worse, I’m really sorry. I was a fuckin’ idiot and-” Adilah heard footsteps coming closer and soon she felt Aamir’s warm wrap around her, she felt as safe as she did when they were in the forest after they met the centaurs. “A?” “Yeah?” she looked up with tears and before she knew it his lips met hers. A shock went through her body it was brief but when they parted she felt more elated than she had in days. “I didn’t exactly enjoy not talking to you, you know that right,” he replied. She smiled and leaned against his just, listening to his heartbeat.

She left his arms and realized that she was blushing again.

She quickly cleared her throat. “Can I have the key?” Aamir nodded and smiled as he placed the key in her hands. Adilah limped over to the box in the middle where Ivy waited for her, smiling.

“What?” Adilah said. Ivy started jumping up and down, “You look SOOOOOO cute together.”

Adilah shook her head, “We do not,” she crossed her arms and smiled.

Ivy rolled her eyes, “mhm, let’s open this box shall we?”

Adilah laughed, “We shall.” Yakir interrupted just as the key was about to be slipped into the hole.

“Ivy, you and Aamir should probably get off the platform. These markings show that the stone will run with water and then create something using the pillars if the book is correct.”

Adilah nodded in agreement, “I read about it in the book you gave me.”

Aamir and Ivy looked at each other and shrugged. They walked off the platform letting Adilah resume the key turning. Adilah slipped the key and unlocked the box. The rust started to run off and she stepped back. Rust ran down the sides and into the carvings. The rust turned to water that ran throughout the whole platform and into the pillars, it flowed upward into the carving of the elements, “Crystala, Fiare, Tara, Aenon and Nisha.” said Adilah as she stared in wonder at the pillars then she noticed another one covered in vines, soot, ice. Who is that sixth elder? she thought. Then the platform began to shake, the box rose on the podium, and as soon as it came everything came to a stop. The magic in the trees was gone, the water was gone and the light was gone. Then, it burst! Light erupted from the box, the willows began to sway and the carvings of the elements filled with color. The box slowly came back down and everything went back to normal. Adilah took a step closer to the box and opened it. All they lay there was a velvet red cushion, a note, and a potion of a deep blue. She picked up the items slowly and made her way to the group. “What is it?” asked Yakir.

“A note, some sort of potion and that’s it,” she said, moving the items around her palms. “Let’s read the note,” said Aamir.

Adilah nodded and gave the potion to Aamir as she unfolded the piece of parchment.

Dear Adilah,

I know this isn’t much, but I promise it will help. Use these items carefully, the potion can heal, the note gives guidance and the key will unlock the future you desire upon your return home. All I need are the elder crystals. If you can bring them to me at the Jagged Cliffs I will send you back home. If anything, you must help your friends. Take a moment and look at the people that are beside you and cherish that. Good luck with your adventures.

- Yours Truly, Nisha

"Whoa,” said Ivy. “Wait, it’s from Nisha and it has your name? Something doesn’t sit right.” “Agreed Ivy. A, I am not sure we can trust this,” said Aamir uneasily.

“Aamir you don’t need to trust this,” Adilah waved the box in the air, “you need to trust me.” Aamir scratched the back of his head and then nodded. Adilah put the key that opened the box on her necklace around her, and then placed the note and potion inside. She stood up with her crutch and smiled, “What?” said Yakir.

“It’s just that I can’t believe I might save Papa,” she responded. Dari got on her hind legs and barked as she wagged her tail.

After a long pause and taking a moment, someone finally spoke, “We need to go to the Dark Lands,” said Flame in a cautious voice.

The smiles disappeared but Flame continued, “I think that is where this “Seer” is,” he said. Adilah nodded. Then they all silently headed up the steps back towards the campsite.

Everything was packed and ready, Dari was on Flame with Yakir, and Adilah and Aamir were on Ivy. Aamir sat cross-legged on Ivy with Adilah’s head resting on his lap. “Thank you for being here, Aamir. I’m sorry,” she said just as she fell asleep.

He laughed, “you hurt this poor sensitive soul but, I was never going to leave.” He said.

They were going to the Dark Lands which meant they were going to go through the Fire Orlii and the Water pari. While they thought their adventure was soon over it was just beginning.