As the three descended the jungle path, the small form of the griffin secure in George's arms, the sky that had been so bright began to darken as the twilights shifted into purples and blues. Mia led the way, her steps even, her eyes always scanning for movement through the thick vegetation around them. The path they were on was twisted and narrow, bordered by huge trees whose leaves formed a dense canopy overhead. The jungle was filled with sounds—chirping insects, distant cries of unseen animals, and leaves rustling in the evening breeze.
After what felt like hours of trekking, they finally reached their destination. It was a cave, but nothing George had ever seen before. From the outside, it was nearly invisible, completely concealed by a cover of vines and plants. Vines and leaves grew so densely around the entrance that it blended seamlessly into the jungle. Without Mia bringing him there, George would have walked by without a second glance.
Mia stopped a few feet short of the entrance and listened attentively, her ears cocked for every sound. Comfortable that they were not being followed, she headed for the cave. George waited, still grasping the griffin, his chest pounding in his ears. The hidden entrance to the cave, added to the night already gathering over them, filled him with foreboding. What if this were a trap? What if Mia brought him here for some evil purpose?
"Come on, George," Mia urged, noticing him resisting. "It's not safe out here in AlbëToryl's twilight."
With a deep breath, George thrust his legs forward, quickly closing the distance between them. He watched in wonder as Mia walked up to what appeared to be an impassable wall of vines and began to chant softly in an unknown language. The words issued from her mouth like a song, and the vines began to slowly unwind and retreat, revealing a dark opening in the rock.
George's eyes widened in shock. "What. how did you do that?"
"It's a protective spell," Mia replied, a small smile playing about her lips. "Now come on, we need to get inside before dark."
Reluctantly, George followed her inside the cave. As soon as they crossed into the cave, the opening sealed itself behind them, vines nesting together to make a maze pattern. They were plunged into blackness for one moment, then as they penetrated further into the cave, the space began to fill with soft light.
The walls of the cave were covered in luminescent crystals that sparkled like stars. George looked in awe at the radiant gems embedded in the coarse rock, casting a cool blue light that reflected off the damp surfaces. The ceiling was spangled with even more crystals, with the appearance of a night sky full of stars. The farther they traveled, the more filled with light the cave became, each step revealing more of its beauty.
The tunnel eventually yielded to an enormous, cavernous room. The ceiling went far, at least twenty-five feet, above them, and the air was cool, crisp, and clean, the opposite of the humid jungle outside. The room was enormous that it felt as if they had opened up a miniature underground world. The floor was smooth, shiny stone, and off around the edge of the room were smaller cave entrances branching off that George assumed led to other rooms.
As George lifted his eyes to the ceiling, he was astonished. Instead of a solid ceiling, it was as though the night sky itself had been contained within the cave. Clouds drifted lazily across a dark blue background, and stars twinkled down upon them, their glow gentle and comforting. The cave had no ceiling whatsoever, only an infinite sky.
"What is this type of magic?" George took a deep breath, his voice full of wonder.
Mia's gaze rose, her smile a gentle curve of her lips. "The cave is enchanted so we can appreciate the beauty of night even when we're in. It lends this area the feeling of being home."
Still dazed, George let Mia lead him to the middle of the room. She gestured for him to stay quiet and then retreated a few feet. She closed her eyes and let out an odd, singing noise that vibrated through the walls of the cave.
From the small caves that had encircled the chamber, creatures began pouring out. George's eyes grew wide as he watched them advance. Some of them were familiar—foxes, deer, and birds—but others were alien, creatures he'd never witnessed before. Yet there was something about them, something that caused him to believe they belonged there, in AlbëToryl's mystical realm.
They surrounded Mia, their curiosity-filled eyes looking at George and the little griffin he held. The atmosphere was serene, almost reverent, as the creatures seemed to be accepting the importance of this moment.
Standing in the great, magical hall, George was amazed by the unusual and magical creatures coming out of the adjacent cave rooms. Among them were fawns, whose human upper body was complemented by sheep or goat legs, their hooves producing a gentle clatter on the stone ground. Centaurs, muscular creatures whose man upper body was joined by horse lower body, glided along, their hooves resonating in the vast chamber. And the minotaurs—half human, half bull—towering beings of sturdy build and smoldering eyes, horns glowing in the weak light. Next came the gnomes, elves, trolls, and dwarves, each with characteristics unique to them, though native to AlbëToryl, to George they were myth and fantasy.
As these creatures surrounded Mia and George, their eyes fixed on the small wounded griffin, the atmosphere turned somber. The animals remained still, interest brought about by the presence of this visitor from another world.
Finally, from the shadows of one of the cave rooms, a female troll stepped forward. She was tall and broad, dressed in a flowing robe that swept the ground as she moved. Her skin was a deep, earthy green, and her face, though lined with age, held a gentle, maternal expression. George, still frozen in shock, could only stare as she approached him.
The troll extended a hand, her large knobby fingers bending toward the griffin. "Give it to me," she breathed, her voice surprisingly soft for one so large and formidable.
George sat frozen, his mind running. The implications were staggering—the he was on some other planet surrounded by creatures whose lives belonged on storybook pages and novel fantasies and he was now clutching a wispy one in his arms and was going to have him yanked from his arms by some big-jointed, ugly-faced troll was much. Too much to even keep up with.
"George," Mia spoke emphatically, dragging George back into the present. "Trust her."
Reluctantly, George eased his grip on the griffin and gently placed it in the troll's hands. Minerva, the troll, cradled the little creature in unexpected gentleness, then turned and disappeared back into the room she had emerged from.
"Who is she?" George asked, his voice still trembling with the experience.
"Her name is Minerva," Mia whispered. "She has been like a mother to all of us. She knows more about AlbëToryl than anyone and possesses an incredible knowledge of its secrets. Minerva is a healer, a guide, and a protector."
As they spoke, Minerva came back, her robe billowing behind her. George immediately asked the question that had been on his mind since he brought in the griffin.
"Will it be all right?"
Minerva nodded reassuringly. "The griffin is in intensive care. It will be all right."
Relief overwhelmed George, but his mind still swirled with questions. Where was he? What was this place? Why did he get there? He could sense the eyes of the other animals still upon him, some sitting in circles, others slowly pacing around the clearing, all waiting, watching.
Minerva noticed his unease and approached him once more. "I can tell you've got plenty of questions, George," she explained, speaking quietly and patiently. "Don't worry, you'll all learn about it in good time."
George hesitated before asking, "Why isn't night safe? What are we frightened of?"
Minerva's face darkened. "There is a strong beast that prowls these lands at night. It destroys everything in its path, and it leaves nothing but ruin behind. It is a wolf, but not a normal wolf—his name is Trevor."
George scowled. "But look around," he said, sweeping his hand across the large, powerful creatures that stood all around them. "There are so many strong creatures here. Surely you can defeat one wolf."
Minerva shook her head systematically. "You don't understand, son. Trevor is not an ordinary being. He is one of the Apex, one of a group of five protectors who guard AlbëToryl. Each of them possesses godlike powers, beyond our wildest imagination. They are the watchers, the protectors, and none of us can resist them."
Mia, who had sat in silence, added, "There are five Apex altogether—each a formidable creature. The lion, the elephant, the deer, the bear, and." She paused, looking at George.
"The wolf," George said quietly.
There was a silence that spread through the group, and Minerva's eyes snapped open in shock. "How do you know this?" she asked.
George breathed deeply and began. "I experienced visions prior to entering this world. It started when I first opened the book. I fainted, and in my dream—I use this term loosely, considering it was not a dream but a vision—I saw these creatures. I saw the wolf."
Mia and Minerva exchanged a concerned and interested glance. "Continue," they chimed in unison.
George nodded, beginning to explain. "It began when my father gave the book to me. He told me it was special, but I never could have dreamed that it would bring me here. Ever since I opened the book, strange things began to occur." George was going to share the details of his visions when a sharp, high-pitched voice interrupted.
"Get on with it!" snarled a gnome who had listened intently from the fringes. The rude interruption brought George back to reality, and he shot the gnome a disapproving look.
"Please, continue," said Minerva patiently, above the gnome's tantrum. "Your visions could unlock the purpose you were brought here for."
George apologized in a hurry for the intrusion and
then proceeded to explain the vision that had shaken him to the core.
To be continued.