Moon and Star - Part One

The Prophecy

~Chapter six~

"Where are we?" Mira muttered as they landed. Yellow brick roads. Hump-backed bridges. A clear blue sky above the beautiful greenery around them - flowers, trees and bushes. A small pond with lilies and small red and orange fish swimming inside. "Are you sure this is China?" Xiala asked. "Yes - it should be. But something's wrong." "Wait a minute. What time is it?" Xiala said. Mira gave her a quizzical look. "I mean, is this the twenty-first century? Look at our surroundings. They look ancient, but new." Xiala insisted. Mira looked around and frowned. "We need to get out of here. I have a feeling I know where we are, and we don't want to be spotted, especially if it's the timeline I'm thinking about." They ducked behind a flowerbush. The pink and white flowers, as wide and large as two of Xiala's fists together, were in full bloom. They had multiple, full petals, like a spread-out wide rose, except there was something more agreeable and open and welcoming about this flower. "Peony." Mira said. They walked over the peony bushes. The floor became tiled and the material was patterned china. A tall, thick oak tree loomed above them. A small temple for sight-seeing stood across the clearing. Suddenly they heard footsteps. Mira and Xiala ducked behind a lavender bush. A voice flowed across the clearing. It was a man's voice, and he spoke a language they couldn't decipher - Chinese. A moment later they saw a man wearing ancient blue robes come towards the peony bush. Behind him were two servants; they each carried a canvas and stand and multicolored paint with the best quality. Xiala squinted. The man had a long nose, a white beard and white eyebrows. He looked like a Santa Claus artist. The other people behind him had black hair, brown eyes and yellowish skin. "Who is that?" Xiala said. "SHH!" Mira cried. The person walked toward them. He said something in a tone they didn't know. "Who are you?" Xiala said, stepping out. He raised his eyebrows and signaled for his people to leave. They nodded and left. To their surprise he spoke English. "I am Lang Shining, the Chinese emperor's professional artist. Who are you, and why are you in the royal gardens of the Forbidden City?" Mira stole a glance at Xiala. "What would Eve say?" Xiala whispered, shaking her head, dismayed. The easiest way to get someplace was to give an act. Of course. Eve was giving them advice, wherever she was. "Oh, good sir, my sister is seven and is carrying a terrible disease!" Xiala cried over-dramatically, holding the back of her hand to her forehead and shedding a few fake tears. "What?" Mira hissed. "I'm ten!" "Just go with it." Xiala hissed back. "Well, if she's sick, I insist you come with me and the emperor will help you. What do you have to offer?" Lang Shining asked. "Gold!" Xiala immediately cried, holding out a black, empty, satin back. "It fills with gold when you want it to." She added. "Jewels!" Mira said, showing Lang her diamond bracelet. Xiala elbowed her. You are supposed to be sick! She hissed in Mira's mind. "I mean - cough - jewels - cough." Mira corrected herself. "Very well. Come with me." As they walked up the lilac paths, Mira hissed to Xiala. "We shouldn't stay here. This is not a good timeline for two wandering kids in the Forbidden City. We could be executed!" "Just because we wandered here by accident through a portal?" Xiala huffed. "How would you explain it?" Mira hissed back. "They would probably think we are lying to the emperor, which would give us an even heavier sentence." "Well, what should we do now?" Xiala whispered to herself. "Should we escape?" She rummaged through her satchel and felt her hands clasp on a small bottle - a portal drop. Yes. She pinched Mira and showed her the portal drop. Mira nodded and gave her a hand signal. Three - two - one - they disappeared in a flash of light.

"Where are we now?" hissed Xiala. They seemed to be in a dark space. The ground beneath them was solid rock. Xiala scraped her arm on the sharp stone wall to the left. A moment later she heard Mira's voice, deeper into the tunnel. "Xiala? Are you there?" "Here," Xiala replied, raising her voice so her sister could hear. "Alright, then," Mira breathed, inching closer towards Xiala's voice. "What's that?" Xiala asked, pointing to the flash of glowing light in Mira's pouch. "I think it's the prophecy gem. Does it want to take us somewhere?" Mira said just as a strong burst of light shot out from the prophecy gem and engulfed them in darkness.