The Web

Lucid stared out into the night. She took a deep breath, nothing bad was going to happen tonight. A year and a day ago, Paidom, the village Web Reader, had said, “With the death of the disbeliever, the final battle shall begin.” Today he had revisited that prophecy and had said ominously that the doom for this “disbeliever” was tonight. “But,” Lucid thought out-loud, “Paidom is wrong. Nothing is going to happen.” Her heart pounded as she heard a twig snap to her left, she felt like she was being watched. Goddess I hate this assignment, she thought. She shook her head to clear her thoughts causing her jet-black hair to jump around her shoulders. Suddenly a twig snapped, this time to her right. A great gust of wind hit her and she felt something dark pass right through her soul. Lucid screamed and started to run back to the village. But her flight was in vain, she had only gotten two steps when something hit her in the back. She collapsed, feeling a dark cloud of blood spreading from the knife wound. Her last thoughts before the black abyss swallowed her was: And so it begins

Olympia Snow looked out the window of the carriage. It was a hot summer here in the Realm of the Web. She thought back to before she had found the Web, even though it had only been a few days before with all that had happened since it felt like a lifetime.  Her life had been great, she had white-blond hair and beautiful ice-blue eyes, all the qualities of a girl in the popular crowd. She didn’t believe in fantasies, all that damsel in distress kind of junk, all that mattered was whether or not Hollister Co. was having a sale or whether or not Aaron McPhearson was asking her to the Valentines Dance. Then she had found the Web.

She had been walking, looking for cell phone reception, in a section of the woods behind her Grandmothers’ house that her she had always called the Old Wood. Olympia hadn’t noticed where she was going until she bumped into a tree. She stepped back, swearing under her breath. It was an old one for sure, its trunk was twisted and its gnarled bark was etched with the wear and tear of the years. Suddenly there was a creak and she watched as the twisted tree untwist to reveal a hole. Inside the hole was a spider web, threaded with sparkling beads of dew. Olympia reached out to touch the sparkling web. As soon as her finger brushed the web a tremor ran through it and up into her arm. She closed her eyes and when she opened them she was here.

         Tal came over and put his hand on her shoulder. She had never met anyone like him, with his smart, caring personality, he had taken her in and helped her even though her mission could cause his death and the death of his clan. They were a close knit group, First there was Tal, he was the leader of the group, Annika Grey was the second in command to Tal, she was a natural born leader but was inexperienced, Taylin was a newer member to the Clan but she was learning quickly, Audrea, Miceala, and Jessea were all fighters, they were experts at their craft, Syrah and Symphoniea were trackers, hunters, and handy when you needed them most, finally there was Tara, she was the magick of the group. Tara was a master at the Magickal Arts she had Web Magic running through her veins, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

“We’re here,” said Tal softly.

Olympia cringed. What if I’m too late? She thought, what if the Web has already been cut? Scissorhands wouldn’t wait, he would cut the Web any chance he got and he would kill to get that chance.

They had arrived at a small village in the middle of the desert. It was an odd place. The village itself was based in a dense forest, a forest in the middle of the desert. At first Olympia had thought it was a lie, “forests don’t grow in the middle of the desert” she had said with a look of disbelief on her face.  Now she was here and there was no turning back.

A warrior standing guard at the edge of the forest greeted Olympia and the Rivintal Clan.

“Are you the Keeper of the Web we were informed about?” he asked tentatively.

“Keep…” began Olympia, but she was cut off by Tal who said, “Yes, the Keeper as well as the Rivental Clan.”

“Good,” the guard mumbled trying to look anywhere but Olympia’s face, “Right this way.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Olympia.

“I’m just showing respect to you, great Web Keeper,” the guard answered.

Olympia shot a questioning look at Tal, but he kept silent.

Eventually they arrived at the village and were sent off to meet with the village leader. It was a large place for a village. The houses were elaborate, with intricate metalwork and multicolored stone decorating their sides and roofs.

The group walked along a small side path, winding their way through a small wooded glade. They heard them before they saw them. Wind chimes. Swaying from every branch, ledge, or hook imaginable were all sorts of chimes, all of which seemed to belong to a small shabby hut. It was it was painted a sad eggshell blue, rather then the cream adobe and all around its perimeter ran a high fence, covered in vines and flowers. There was a sudden noise making Olympia’s head turn, and there, trotting along the fence was a solid black cat with a bell strung on twine around its neck. Slowly she turned her head and on the previously bare porch sat a grizzled old man who was whittling wood. Now, if that wasn’t was weird enough, the old man wasn’t looking down at the wood he was carving, he was staring straight at Olympia, with the lightest blue eyes she had ever seen. He must be blind with eyes like those, Olympia thought. The trance was interrupted by Tal who, casting a dark look at the old man, pulled her away down the path. Despite the fact that they had passed by the house, a strange musical echo followed them and the hair at the back of Olympia’s neck pricked, as if they were being watched or followed.

As they emerged from the glade, Olympia began to feel more nervous then ever and kept glancing behind her. She was sure that something was following them. Finally the ten of them came upon the most elaborate home yet, which caused her to stop and stare. It was cream adobe, decorated with multi-colored stones like the others, but its roof looked like something from China. It was made in the same triangle fashion with metal rods curling from the ends. The doors were giant and dark wood with a metal handle and decorations. The doors swung open and a wizened servant appeared.

“Welcome to the home of the village leader.” He droned.

“Please go and tell him that the Keeper of the Web and the Rivintal Clan are here to see him.” Tal commanded.

Slowly the servant shuffled off to inform the leader and the group was left in the foyer to wait.

“Ahhh, welcome my friends!” cried the village leader, coming into the room.

“Musai, always a pleasure,” replied Tal, graciously.

Olympia toned out of the conversation. Not just because she was already bored, but also because the old man from earlier had quietly been let in. He didn’t seem to be moving either. He just stood there, blocking the door, staring with those unsettling eyes.

“I’m assuming that this is the Keeper,” mused the leader, Musai.

Before Tal could speak Olympia, her attention snapping back to the leader, answered, “Yes, that is my title.”

“That is true madame, but do you know what your title really means?” questioned Musai.

Olympia missed the question completely, she had resumed staring at the odd-eyed man.

Musai noticed her fascination and said, clearing his throat, “Please excuse our village Reader. Paidom hasn’t been himself as of late.”

“What exactly does he do?” Olympia questioned, with a curious tone.

“Paidom is a Web Reader. He is descended from a long line f ‘Readers’. A Web Reader has a special connection with the Web, they have the ability to ‘read’ it like a book and make predictions about the future,” Musai explained.

There was a low whistle from Audrea, an impressed look crossing her face.

“Now, as I said before, so you know what your title means?” Musai repeated.

“No, all I know is that I touched the Web and I ended up here.” Said Olympia, a slightly whining tone entering her voice.

“Then I’ll explain,” Musai replied. ”Long ago, before the Earth was populated with powerless humans a people called the Timeless Ones lived. They were skilled in the magickal arts and never aged. One day a powerful wizard rose to power and did great things for the Timeless Ones, but he was not unrivaled. Another powerful, but evil, magick came along and tried to kill the good wizard. The gods became angered and they punished the evil wizard, rendering him powerless. It was he that started the race of powerless humans. The Timeless Ones weren’t alone on the Earth though there were powerful creatures too. These creatures were no danger to the magickal Timeless Ones but the humans were being slaughtered. Finally the gods came up with a solution, they created creatures that were just as powerless as the humans that could co-exist with everything else. The world thrived and humans became more advanced. Over time the Timeless Ones became displeased, the powerless humans were now matched with them and they wanted war. It was to be a war that would determine who would live on the Earth for the rest of time, the result would be one group leaving for good. Many of the gods lost hope and left the Earth thinking all was lost, they all left except for one, the Goddess. The good wizard, who, being immortal, was still alive, watched as the world fell to pieces around him, so he partnered with the Goddess and called an end to the war. He created a separate dimension where the Timeless Ones, and all their creatures, could live in peace. Over time we lost our immortality, but our world still exists. The human’s advanced technology was lost in the war and had to start all over again. Before the good wizard died he created a magical web that he called the Web of Worlds. It allowed a person, the Keeper of the Web, to travel back and forth from different worlds, including back and forth in time. That is how it is 2010 on Earth and 1307 here. The position of Keeper of the Web was passed down from generation to generation, but eventually it was forgotten and no new Keeper rose to the job, until now.”

Olympia gasped, “So I’m the new Keeper!”

“Yes, and you have a duty now,” whispered the leader. “The threat of the evil wizard never went away. His threat and his evil have been passed down throughout his family line. The current heir to the evil is a shadow weaver, a Mage that has chosen black magick, named, as you know, Scissorhands. He came a few nights ago and killed our best guard.”

Tal tensed with grief. The guard that had been killed was a former member of the Rivintal Clan. She had been one of the first to join and, supposedly, was Tal’s first and last love.

“That’s when Paidom went bad,” Musai continued, “I imagine Scissorhands is with the Web already.”

“If that’s the case we’d better get down there!” said Tal, determinedly.

The clan raced out of the house and, following Musai’s careful instructions found the entrance to the Cave of the Web. It was damp and dark inside. Olympia shivered and a feeling of deep dread cam over her. After at least ten minutes of walking in the dark the group arrived in a brightly lit chamber. It was beautiful, the walls were covered in a detailed history of time and in the middle of the chamber there was a circular dais with steps all around. These steps lead up to a gorgeous metal pedestal where the Web was spun. Seated on the bottom step was Scissorhands.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” He said, his voice sounded like the whoosh of the wind and the popping of embers in a fire.

“I know, and I’m ready,” Olympia replied. “The Web is my responsibility and I will defend it with my life.”

“But it doesn’t have to be like this,” Scissorhands whispered.

“What do you mean?” Olympia asked suspiciously.

“You could walk away now, and spare your own life, as well as the lives of your friends,” Scissorhands replied.

Olympia looked at her companions. She studied each of their faces, seeing the time she had spent with them flash before her eyes. What if I do walk away? She asked herself. What if one of their lives will be spared if I do?

Suddenly, Annika looked straight at her and said, “What are you waiting for? This is your destiny. We traveled all this way with you, just dropping our lives in Surtaable, dreams, and hopes, chances that we have now lost because of the choice we made. Lucid came here to fight him, to protect you, the Keeper, she knew was coming. Do you want that sacrifice to be in vain?”

Olympia knew her answer now, “I…we will fight for our lives and the Web. No matter what happens you will be defeated.”

“So be it,” spat Scissorhands. And the fight began.

Scissorhands was not only a good fighter but a powerful Mage too. He could have knives flying at one person and be fighting hand-to-hand combat with another. But Olympia wasn’t helpless, she had learned a good amount of Web Magick on the journey and used that now to defend herself. Even though it would have been ten against one, he had conjured praeter-human (entities created from magick) minions to help.

Towards the middle of the fight Olympia noticed two of her companions fighting beside her. Annika was whirling ad twirling, fighting with her custom made rapier and at her back was Tal. He looked like a lion with his dirty blond hair and gold tunic, fighting a ninja-like praeter-human. The fight was like a dance, different partners leaping and jumping about, though always staying together, making blows that were only to be matched by their foes. In its own way, it was beautiful the thought left room for Olympia to think about what was going to happen if they won. Could she stay here, and live her life with Tal by her side?

She lurched out of her thoughts when Taylin screamed. She had been fighting a small imp-like praeter-human, but now a gigantic horned entity towered over her. Audrea leaped towards her only to run into Misceala. Jessay was next closest but still, by the time she got there it would be too late. It was Syrah that was practically next to the girl. Why didn’t she move?

Everyone knew that syrah didn’t really like Taylin. Thinking she was an inexperienced weight that the group shouldn’t have to pull. But would she let her die? Olympia held her breath. The being sword plunged. But right before it hit, Syrah was there, taking the blow instead of Taylin. She crumpled and Symphoniea screamed. She quickly killed her entity and dropped her sword. Quickly she rushed over to her fallen friend, but no one had time to falter, the battle continued.

Olympia released a burst of energy, knocking down Scissorhands. She had finally gotten the upper hand and she pushed Scissorhands toward the Web. Two of her friends now lay injured and the others were helping them. Olympia wasn’t sure exactly who besides Syrah, she didn’t have time to look. Suddenly Olympia had him right up against the Web. She dodged a blow and knocked him with her hand. He fell back and just barely touched the Web. Everything froze, everything except for Olympia.

A giant tremor passed through the Web and Scissorhands. And just like that he was gone. Motion was back and the fight was over. The only problem was, was that Olympia knew now what she had to do. She walked up to Tal and embraced him. Then he returned the hug and kissed her, slowly, sweetly, truly, full of his love. Despite Olympia’s urge to stay there, in his arms, happy forever she stepped away from him and let her finger connect with the Web, keeping where she wanted to go clearly in her mind. This time there was no tremor she just slowly slipped through it cleanly, as if through water. Just before she disappeared she looked back and raised a hand, waving a solemn good-bye. Then she closed her eyes, and was gone.

When she woke she was once again standing beside the old twisted tree. She knew no time had passed here, even though it had in the Realm. Olympia started to trudge back to the house, but before she left the clearing she took one look back, she had a feeling, deep in her heart that she would return here and travel the Web again. Scissorhands was not defeated, only gone for now. She would go back to the Realm. And when that day comes, she vowed, I will be ready.