The Portal Key

CHAPTER ONE

DAVID EDWARDS' LIFE was a drab existence—until the day everything changed.

He pulled into the parking lot at a few minutes to 8 am. He worked for Covenant Holdings Inc. (CHI), doing data entry work.

It was in a gray, 20-story building in the city's ugliest district. He parked his beat-up Honda in an all-day parking lot a block away before walking to the building entrance.

He timed it so that he arrived at the security desk at exactly 8 am. Signing in earlier or later risked unwanted notice, which was a bad thing. Several coworkers had learned this approach, and so it was a rush to sign it. Gus, the grizzled old security guard, barely looked up from his newspaper. The CCTV would have an accurate record.

After security, the herd of employees headed to the elevators.

A faded plaque above the elevators boasted, “Committed to Stability”—words David amended to “Crushing Dreams” in his mind.

The bell dinged, and the elevator door opened. They all huddled inside the cramped elevator like cattle, but with grim or anxious faces. They ignored each other and watched the numbers as they ascended. David smelled the stale office air mixed with a hint of desperation.

Once the elevator reached the eleventh floor, the door opened with the usual ding. The coworkers herded out of the elevator and along aisles to their cubicles. It was like cows going into their stalls for milking.

David hurried to his cubicle, number G-47. On the outside, a sign read “David Edwards - Data Entry III”. This was where his soul withered and died daily. It died a little more with each mundane task. How he wished he’d learned anything other than computer skills at school!

David soon hung up his jacket and got his computer turned on. No sense in making himself an obvious target. Moments later, he sat facing a spreadsheet with hands on the keyboard. Computers were great if you needed to appear busy. If the boss visited, you were reviewing your work.

David checked his emails; they were mostly from the boss.

Subject: Urgent: Security Breach

We believe someone has compromised sensitive information. Investigations are underway. We expect all employees to cooperate fully.

Another one:

Subject: Company Policy Reminder

CHI expects all employees to adhere strictly to its policies and procedures. Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

David closed his email and got back to work.

David sat in his small cubicle, working on his current spreadsheet.

His boss was Mrs. Laura Ellis. She hovered around, looking for staff to criticize or berate.

Talking with co-workers was a clear sign of wasted time. She had drummed that behavior out of everyone. It was a dreary workplace and reeked of desperation.

A while later, David was busy typing in data. He was in the zone, and work flowed easily. Any faster, and he risked overachieving.

He suddenly heard a tapping sound from behind him. At once, he knew the source. Mrs. Ellis was tapping her pen on his cubicle wall. She was looking over his shoulder.

Looking over his shoulder was one of his hot buttons. He couldn’t stand it!

David dared not turn around and risk eye contact. However, her interruption broke his rhythm. Fear scrambled his brain, and he lost his place. He struggled to continue working and failed.

Her mere presence caused him to break into a cold sweat. She’d caught him. He awaited her words of micromanagement while keeping his eyes on the spreadsheet.

“Hmm,” said Mrs. Ellis. “And you were doing so well...”

She stomped off, looking for her next victim. David sighed. Not too loud, or she might hear him, and return.

It took a few moments before he could compose himself and resume his work. His stomach was acting up again. He stuffed a couple of antacids in his mouth and chewed them, hoping to stave off the problem.

Suddenly, David heard her yelling only a few cubicles away.

“No, you’re doing it all wrong! Come with me to my office.”

The level of keyboard clacking from nearby cubicles increased.

David slid his chair towards his cubicle opening and carefully peeked into the aisle. He’d seen this before far too often.

The coworker stood, all hope extinguished. They followed the boss down the dark corridor to her office, rather like the condemned walking to the gallows.

Rumor had it, few employees who crossed her threshold ever returned to their cubicles. It was the last step in your career at CHI.

David moved back to his computer and joined the throng of keyboard clacking.

That was so close. David could have been the one making their last walk. He felt his heart beating in his chest. It took much longer to compose himself and resume his work.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Once David regained his rhythm, he worked through his spreadsheets. In the back of his mind, he wondered about his coworker. Would he ever see them again?

David finished his last spreadsheet.

He quietly turned off his computer and grabbed his jacket from the cubicle hook.

He hurried to the elevator. The goal was to escape without getting caught by the boss.

He’d almost made it when he heard the familiar voice.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re sneaking off to?” she said.

“I finished my work, and it’s the end of the day. I’m going home,” said David.

“Are you certain? Did you submit all your TPS forms?”

“Yes, Mrs. Ellis.”

“You’re probably lying to me.”

“No, I’m not!”

“Very well then. Perhaps I’ll add more to your workload tomorrow, since you finished it all.”

David held back a groan as the elevator door opened.

“Good night, Mrs. Ellis.” He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button. The elevator door closed as Mrs. Ellis turned and walked away. Perhaps she’d find another victim.

As the elevator descended to the ground floor, David let out a breath.

At security, David signed out. He noticed his coworker, the one Mrs. Ellis had taken to her office, hadn’t signed out yet.

He walked back to his beat-up Honda in the parking lot. This routine was all too familiar.

He inhaled, exhaled, and imagined detoxing his soul from the day’s madness, but he needed a few more breaths before he could drive home.

David parked his Honda outside the apartment building where he lived. He couldn’t afford this without his late mother’s small inheritance.

The income from CHI wasn’t nearly enough. At least he had a roof over his head.

He walked through the main entrance and took the stairs up one level. David unlocked his door and entered his unit.

There were no family pictures on his walls. No plants or anything that consumed his valuable time. It was a typical bachelor apartment, of someone who rarely spent his days there.

The long workdays left David with scant opportunity for a social life. He had to sleep soon, or he’ll be tired tomorrow. David didn’t socialize at work; that was taboo.

He checked his answering machine; just one message from his brother asking about meeting up sometime. That was from last month. He left the message on the machine. It was a recurring reminder of his miserable life.

After a cup of tea, he binge-watched TV until it was time to sleep. Actually, he was unwinding from the day’s stress, much as usual. He had no energy left for extracurricular activities.

Finally, David went to bed. He needed his sleep.

The next day, David woke up in a panic. He thought he’d overslept, but he hadn’t.

He went through his morning ritual, including shower, shave, and dressing in his usual work attire. David had a cup of tea and was ready to leave.

David drove to work. He pulled into the parking lot before 8 am as usual.

He walked to the building entrance, looking up at the oppressive building. David signed in at security and entered the elevator. He felt numb as he stood in the cramped elevator next to his coworkers/victims.

The elevator reached the eleventh floor, and the door opened with a ding. The coworkers stumbled out and left for their cubicles/stalls.

“Nothing changes,” thought David.

David hung up his jacket and got his computer turned on. He checked his email. He had several messages from Mrs. Ellis. She’d rejected one of his TPS forms and increased his workload. Right then, he committed to working a little slower today.

It was mid-afternoon at CHI. David was in his small cubicle, working on his current spreadsheet, when he sensed a disturbance in the Force. Mrs. Ellis was out of her office again, on the prowl for more victims.

David made sure he was working — the best defense for when she passed by. Then he heard her a few cubicles away from his cubicle.

“I know you hate me. I remember how you looked at me a year ago!” Mrs. Ellis yelled at a female coworker/drone.

“I don’t know what you mean! I don’t remember looking at you last year.”

“You’re lying! Don’t deny it. You’re scheming against me.”

“I’m not. I just do my work.”

“You can quit lying to me. You’re a lying, cheating thief. I’m on to you.”

The female coworker was crying out loud now, and everyone was listening in.

“No, I...”

Mrs. Ellis cut her off. “You’re done here. Get your stuff and get out!”

The female coworker took her coat and crept out of her cubicle. David heard her sobbing as she passed by his cubicle.

“And don’t expect a reference from me!” said Mrs. Ellis towards the elevator.

The elevator dinged, and his coworker was gone.

“At least she didn’t have to go to Mrs. Ellis’s office,” thought David.

The level of keyboard clacking increased as Mrs. Ellis scanned the area for other miscreants.

She was at her most dangerous now. She believed in conspiracies, and would try to root out all the fellow conspirators.

Only seconds passed before David sensed her behind him. She watched him silently for a few minutes before moving on. His cursor blinked untouched for minutes as he stared straight ahead, paralyzed.

David finished his last spreadsheet of the day. He double-checked his TPS forms and submitted them.

He quietly turned off his computer and grabbed his jacket from the cubicle hook.

Today, he stood and looked around for his boss. The coast was clear, so he walked to the elevator and pressed the button.

Another coworker, Max, arrived while he waited for the elevator. Max nodded at him. It was a given not to speak aloud here.

Once inside the elevator and descending, the rule was gone.

“What a day!” said Max.

“Yeah. Two people have gone in two days. How long can we survive?”

“Not long. I’m looking for work elsewhere too.”

“How’s that going?”

“I didn’t mention CHI on my resume. I just said I’d taken some time off to travel.”

“Best of luck with that. I may attempt a similar approach.”

They didn’t get to say anymore as the elevator door opened. They hurried to security and signed out.

David walked back to his beat-up Honda in the parking lot.

On his usual way home, David drove past a curiosity shop.

“That’s strange. I don’t recall seeing that before,” he thought to himself.

Although it was getting late, the store was still open. A lighted open sign was in the window.

On seeing the shop, David wasn’t ready to go home. He needed respite from work. Perhaps this store could provide some much-needed diversion for a while.

David parked his beat-up Honda outside the store and approached the shop door, noticing the lighted open sign in the window. He saw no customers inside, which was fortunate, as he wasn’t in a sociable mood.

David opened the door, and a bell rang. He walked inside. There was a slight musty smell. It reminded David of a museum. He hadn’t visited a museum in ages, though.

“Hello. May I help you with something, sir?” A short, elderly woman asked him. The sudden appearance startled David; he’d been certain she wasn’t there an instant before. She had unusual-looking ears that gave her a strange vibe. David was on the defensive.

“Er, hello, I’m just browsing. I have nothing specific in mind.” It was true. He had nothing on his mind. His reason for being there eluded him.

“That’s alright, dear. I have an inkling you’ll find something special,” she said, moving back to give him space to explore. There was something different about the woman.

David wandered around the shop, looking at various items. Nothing here reminded him of work, and that cheered him up to no end.

“Perhaps down that aisle,” said the elderly woman, gesturing in a direction he hadn’t looked.

David almost had a heart attack. He hadn’t heard her approach him. She was just there.

David walked along the aisle she had gestured along.

Then, something on a shelf caught his eye. It was an old-fashioned brass oil lamp that made him think of Aladdin. Perhaps if he rubbed it, a genie would appear and grant him three wishes. His mind drifted to how he might use such wishes.

He reached towards the lamp.

“I’ll help you with that,” said the woman. She fetched the lamp from the shelf and placed it on the counter in front of him.

David glanced at her, then at the lamp. It looked old and dusty. Yet, it spoke to him. He felt an irresistible urge to reach out and…

“It’s ancient. I’ve owned this item for a while, and you’re the first one to notice it. Some say it has a strange aura about it. I don’t know if it means anything,” she said.

“It reminds me of the lamp in Aladdin.”

“You’re right; it does. Where can you imagine it in your mind?” It was strange, she said, in your mind, and not in your home.

“Perhaps on my dining table.”

“Excellent.” Before he had time to argue, or even to touch the lamp, she wrapped the lamp in a brown paper bag. “Cash or charge?”

David handed over his card, and she handed the bag to him.

“Best you not touch the lamp until you get home. As if you'd need me to tell you what might happen,” she said.

As he received the bag, David gave her a dubious look. That was a strange thing to say.

David soon left with his purchase. He wasn’t such an impulse buyer. He felt like he’d been steered into buying the lamp. But he could continue his fantasies of what he’d use his wishes on.

David parked outside the apartment building where he lived.

He exited his car and carried his purchase through the main entrance. He took the stairs up one level. David unlocked his door and entered his unit. Two tough days at work left him feeling exhausted.

He sighed and placed the lamp in its brown paper bag on the table. Next, David put on the kettle to boil. He liked to unwind with a cup of tea when returning home.

With a clean cup and a tea bag, David was ready. While he waited for the kettle to boil, his attention turned to his new purchase on the table.

David sat down, opened the bag, and took out the lamp. He held it in his hands and examined it. Why did he buy it? He didn’t know. Perhaps he was at a low point, and wasn’t thinking straight?

“What if I rub the lamp, like Aladdin?” he thought. His dream of wishes coming back to mind.

Before he even tried to rub the lamp, it vibrated and became warm in his hands.

“Whoa!” he said.

David immediately put the lamp on the table. This wasn’t what he expected! His insurance wouldn’t cover exploding artifacts.

As the lamp continued to vibrate, David rose and stepped away from the table, unsure of what would happen next. This was getting out of control!

Then everything went pitch black and silent.

David stood in the darkness, altogether confused. “What had happened? This wasn’t a genie. It was something else,” he thought. He felt dizzy and a little nauseous.

“I’m not unconscious, just somewhere else,” he thought.

It took a few moments to realize that he wasn’t in his apartment anymore. The air was cooler, and the ground beneath his feet felt different.

Perhaps he was in a cave? Dave pivoted at a slow pace, searching for clues. He didn’t have his phone, which he could have used as a flashlight.

He noticed that the floor wasn’t completely even. David crouched down and touched the ground. It was cold stone. More mystery!

After searching around for a while, David sensed it was less dark in one direction. He carefully crept that way. He was terrified that he might step off an underground cliff and fall to his death.

When you’re deprived of one of your senses, such as sight, the others compensate. David listened, and he thought he was in a tunnel. He snapped his fingers, and he could hear a slight echo. He wasn’t in a large chamber. David felt a slight breeze on his face.

His fears limited his progress to a slow crawl. But he thought the direction ahead was getting less dark.

David continued moving through the darkness, carefully testing each step with a hand out in front of himself. The view ahead got brighter! This was real progress. The ground beneath his feet appeared to be climbing a slight incline.

Minutes passed, and David arrived at a section of the tunnel where light streamed in, illuminating the walls. Encouraged, he increased his speed.

And then suddenly he stepped outside. The tunnel emerged at the base of a cliff. Ahead of him were trees and bushes, all unfamiliar to him.

David felt warm air on his skin, warmer than the tunnel he’d just left. It smelled different, somewhat fresher.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the tree canopy above, obscuring his view of the surrounding landscape.

“Wow!” he said to no one but himself. There was nothing like this near his apartment. Where was he?

David stood there, absorbing everything. Somehow, he came from his apartment to this place. He listened, but all he heard was the wind in the trees.

When he looked at where he had exited, the tunnel entrance was gone! Although it was dark and foreboding, it represented where he came from, and perhaps a way back home. Now that was gone!

The cliff was a gray stone face, showing no trace of where he’d emerged from.

David searched around. He checked for footprints, but saw none.

“Crap!” he said.

CHAPTER TWO

DAVID STOOD AT the base of a cliff, facing a forested area.

“What do I do now?” he thought. “I can’t stay here. Who knows what might come along? There might be wild animals!”

He pinched himself. Ouch! No change. David sighed. He half-hoped he was dreaming.

First, David marked a spot on the cliff with an X, using a rock, to indicate the tunnel's former location. He might have to return here.

Then he left the cliff, entering the forest. There were no discernible trails, and he pushed through bushes and plants. Some had a kind of bioluminescence and glowed in response to his touch. It was an unfamiliar experience. David noticed a fresh yet earthy smell.

“If I’m still on Earth, I must be in a different time zone, perhaps due west,” he thought. “But these plants are unlike anything I’ve seen before. I don’t know where I am.”

David continued downhill, and deeper into the forest. He heard birds in the distance. At least they could be birds.

Under the canopy, it was darker, and David needed to find shelter before nightfall. He was unsure whether predators lurked nearby.

“I can kiss my job goodbye. I don’t see myself returning soon,” he thought. Honestly, he found the prospect of no longer seeing his boss quite appealing..

About half an hour later, David heard water somewhere to his right. He remembered he never got his cup of tea, and he was getting thirsty. He adjusted his course towards the sound.

As the light dimmed, David brushed the bushes with his hand as he walked past, triggering their bioluminescence. Though their light output wasn’t so bright, it helped him see a little better.

At last, the creek's sound grew louder; he'd arrived. It looked about six feet wide, and perhaps a foot deep, running along.

David crouched down beside the water, intending to take a drink.

“Wait!” said a voice.

The voice, his first since arrival, startled him. He almost tumbled into the water.

David sat up, turning toward the voice. A small but pretty young female was standing beside a bush. Her skin was pale green, and she had pointed ears. With the hood of her cloak casting a shadow over her face, and her fingers resting lightly on the bowstring, the arrow poised for release.

“Don’t come any closer or I’ll shoot,” she said, pointing the arrow in his general direction.

“I’m just sitting here. I promise I won’t move.”

“You’re not álfar? Are you… human?”

“Yes, I’m human. I’m rather lost, and very thirsty.”

“That water isn’t safe to drink unless you have a strong stomach,” she said.

“Thank you for the warning.”

“You don’t work for the Dark Queen?” she asked. She stood tense.

“No, I’ve only just arrived here today. I don’t know any Dark Queen.”

“How did you arrive here?”

“I appeared at a cliff back there.” David gestured.

After a moment of consideration, she reached into her cloak and pulled out a flask, which she tossed to him.

“Here, drink this.”

He pulled out the stopper and took a sip. It tasted good. He drank some more before replacing the stopper and tossing it back.

“Thank you,” said David. He realized they were speaking the same language. Wherever he was, at least they spoke English.

“My name is Saria. I’m álfar.”

“My name is David. I mean you no harm. I’m lost, and I just want to go home.”

“Where is your home?” she asked.

“I don’t know. This is all strange to me. I have to get back, or I’ll lose my job.”

“You’d better come with me. It’s getting late. I can take you to my aunt. Perhaps she can help you,” she said.

They left the creek and walked on.

“How did you find me?" asked David.

“You kept touching the bushes, causing them to glow. I could see you from a distance. You’re lucky I found you and not someone else,” said Saria.

“Oh. I didn’t think about that.”

“Well, come along and stop doing it.” She grinned at him.

A while later, David and Saria walked out into a clearing. David saw several thatched buildings.

“This is my aunt’s home,” she said.

“Wow, I wouldn’t have known it was here unless I stumbled upon it.”

“That’s álfar magic for you. We conceal our homes for protection.”

David followed her to the largest building. She opened the door, and they went inside. He had to bend low to avoid hitting his head.

Inside was an elderly woman. Same green skin and pointed ears. She looked up at David with apprehension.

“Saria, why did you bring a human to my home?” she asked.

David was confused. This was the second person to treat him with suspicion.

“Auntie Kilyn, this is David. I found him wandering in the forest. He’s lost and wants to find his way home. I sense no evil in him,” said Saria.

“Are you certain? The only humans I’ve seen work for the Dark Queen.”

“He said he didn’t know her. I thought you’d want to bring him to the elders.”

“Very well. David, sit here. I must talk to my niece.” She gestured to a small table.

David sat gingerly on the tiny chair, hoping it wouldn't collapse beneath him.

Kilyn and Saria walked outside and talked for a few minutes. David sat and waited.

Warm light spilled from the fireplace, casting a golden glow over the room, but David had to duck to avoid hitting his head on the low-hanging beams.

Eventually, Kilyn returned.

“Saria has gone home. No doubt you haven’t had supper. I’ll get you something,” said Kilyn.

David looked at her and smiled. Gratitude showed on his face. Kilyn walked into an adjacent room, which he assumed was a kitchen.

Soon, she returned with a bowl of some kind of stew, piping hot. She placed it on the table in front of David, together with a spoon.

“This should suffice,” she said.

It smelled good. David tasted a spoonful. After hours in the forest, it was a relief to have some hot food. It reminded him of a stroganoff.

“Thank you, Kilyn. This is good.”

Kilyn sat down opposite him. “Few visit us here; none of them human.”

“I didn’t plan to visit. I, er, well, I’d just bought an old lamp. When I touched it, it transported me to a cave. I stumbled out of the cave, and I was in the forest,” said David.

Kilyn considered him for a moment, then spoke.

“So, magic brought you here?” she asked.

“It seemed like magic. Where I come from, we don’t much believe in magic.”

“I can’t speak for where you came from, but magic is real here.”

“I just need to return home.”

“You’ll need our help, which means you need to convince my people you’re worth helping,” she said.

“I’ll do my best. If I can help your people, it may convince them I’m a friend.”

“You might have to. Are there álfar in your world?”

“No. Or at least I’ve not met any,” said David. His mind wandered to the old lady in the curio shop. “None that identified themselves as such.”

“It’s getting late,” she said. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to meet others.”

“Thank you, Kilyn. I appreciate that.”

“David, we don’t normally trust humans. You have a good heart. Saria vouched for you, and that means a lot,” she said. It was perhaps the first time she smiled.

“I’ll set up a place for you to sleep.” Kilyn stood and went about organizing her tiny home. David sat and waited.

Kilyn rolled out a mattress in the corner opposite the entrance. “This should suffice for tonight.”

“Thank you.” David lay on the mattress and soon fell asleep.

David awoke the next morning feeling disoriented. It was unfamiliar, yet slightly comfortable. David lay on a mattress on the floor of a darkened room. He sat up with his back against the wall.

“Ahh, you’re awake,” said Kilyn. “I wasn’t sure about the custom of waking guests.”

Kilyn sat at the table across from him. She stood and pulled aside a curtain, letting the morning light stream into the room.

“Well, as I’m awake now, it doesn’t matter. Thank you for your hospitality. I slept well.”

“The privy is outside to the left.”

David got up and stumbled outside, regaining his sense of balance. He hoped to awaken and find it was a dream, but he remained here. The reality of his situation was disturbing.

When he returned a few minutes later, the mattress was gone, and Kilyn had served breakfast.

They both sat at the table to eat. A bowl of mixed nuts, berries, and vegetables sat before him, with colors and textures enticing despite his initial uncertainty. Not unlike a strange breakfast cereal, but with no milk.

Kilyn provided cups of herbal tea again, without milk. Perhaps they didn’t have cows here? At least the tea was hot.

“Tell me what it’s like in your world?” she asked.

“There's no forest like this. I live in an apartment, and I work in an enormous building, typing in numbers on a computer.”

“I don’t fully understand what you say. You don’t have a forest?”

“Not like the one you have here. If there was a forest, it’s gone now.”

“No forest, and you work inside another building. Is it satisfying work?”

“Not really. I wish I could do anything else. It’s really a horrible job.”

“And you want to hurry back there?”

“You’re right. I wish to return, but not to the job.”

“I’ll take you to meet others this morning. Perhaps they can help you further,” said Kilyn.

“Thank you. I appreciate everything you and Saria have done for me,” said David.

“It’s the right thing to do. If we met in your world, I expect you’d do the same for me.”

“Right,” he said, though he doubted he’d be so hospitable. His apartment wasn’t that large, and he didn’t have an extra room.

“Do you have someone back home? Someone who’ll miss you?” she asked.

“No, I live alone.”

“Perhaps you haven’t found the right person yet?”

“I lack a good job and financial resources. I have little to offer,” said David.

“Well, you’ve arrived here. Perhaps your fortune has changed.”

“It’s certainly changed. And because of you and your niece, it’s for the better.”

Kilyn smiled at his comment.

Once they finished breakfast, Kilyn donned her cloak and led David outside.

They walked into the forest, with Kilyn leading and David following. Kilyn stopped and pointed back the way they’d come so far.

“Can you see my home?” she asked.

“No. What happened? It was just back there.”

“Part of our magic. Without me, I doubt you’d ever find it.”

“Wow! That’s amazing.”

“Come along, I’ll show you more.”

They continued along. Despite her age, Kilyn bounded along. Her spryness surprised David, who struggled to keep up.

Every so often, Kilyn would stop and wait for David to catch up. She wasn’t panting like David was.

“By now, everyone will know about you. Understand they’ll be suspicious until you gain their trust. All humans we know are servants of the Dark Queen. You’re the first human that’s not evil,” said Kilyn.

“Got it. I’ll be careful not to make any sudden moves, or laugh maniacally.”

“I’m serious. Once you lose our trust, it’s seldom given again. Without the álfar on your side, you’re unlikely to get home.”

“Okay, sorry. I’ll be careful.”

They continued on. Kilyn bounded, and David stumbled behind.

After walking for a while, Kilyn stopped.

“We’ve arrived. Look around you,” she said.

“I only see forest.” David turned around, searching for something.

Kilyn took hold of his hand and approached a nearby tree. Suddenly, he saw a flight of stairs climbing up and spiraling around the trunk.

“Woah! Where did that come from?” asked David.

“It was there all the time, but we hid it from outsiders. Come on!”

They climbed up the stairs until they reached a platform. It was one of a series of platforms. On the platforms were buildings.

“Your village is in the trees?” asked David.

“Exactly.”

David was staring and taking it all in.

“This is amazing!” he said.

Their arrival got the attention of several álfar, who approached them, not looking too friendly. More than one aimed an arrow in his direction. Kilyn addressed them.

“This is David, a human. He doesn’t work for the Dark Queen. He arrived last night and needs our help,” said Kilyn. They stood facing each other for a few tense minutes.

Slowly, some of the álfar walked away. Kilyn ignored the remaining few.

“This way,” said Kilyn, gesturing.

David followed her along a pathway of bridges connecting the platforms. She stopped at a door and knocked.