Something's Wrong With the Different Realms

Prologue

Something's wrong with the different realms, Allurie thought as she tucked a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear and picked at a blade of grass. She was feeling lightheaded. Her chest was tight. Her breath was hitched. Curse the different realms, why did it have to be them? Why did they have to travel away from their homes for no apparent reason?

Allurie, are you still there? a voice in her head called.

Allurie took a deep breath in and straightened herself, then concentrated, for communicating with someone in a different realm required a high degree of concentration. Yeah, sorry, it's just hard to comprehend. Why did they have to pick them? I don't like what they're doing, but couldn't they have chosen someone else?

Honestly, I have no clue. When Cassie sets their mind on something, you know that it'll probably happen sooner or later. The best you can do in this situation is to help them prepare for it.

I guess, but I don't like that.

I know you don't. Anyway, do you know where they are now?

Allurie broke her communication and focused her energy on trying to see where Allaira and Horizon were. As soon as she spotted Allaira and Horizon pushing through the razor-sharp thorns to get to a glowing puddle-like object hidden in the Beyond, she stood up immediately and ran.

It had been at least a season since Allaira and Horizon had visited the Sheen. Maybe even an annum. Seasons usually lasted 91 days. Annums usually lasted 365 days. That was a lot of days.

Allaira and Horizon first discovered the Sheen four years ago, when Allaira was 11 and Horizon was 10. They made a ritual to visit the Sheen each season, fascinated by the swirling colors that seemed to pop up when there was at least one full or new moon.

Last annum, Allaira and Horizon had been swamped by their studies so they paid no heed to the Sheen. But tonight, there were going to be two full moons so they knew they had to visit the Sheen.

So, Allaira and Horizon stood in the long grasses that surrounded the Sheen peering at it with a strange curiosity on their faces. They had only visited the Sheen when there was a single full moon, and once during a lunar eclipse. The Sheen had glowed then, in bright vivid colors that encompassed everything that surrounded them. How was the Sheen going to look when there were two full moons out? Would the colors be more vivid?

As the two beautiful moons peeked out from the clouds, Allaira nudged Horizon's elbow. "It's starting!" she exclaimed with animosity.

It was quite beautiful. One moment it was dark but for the slivers of light coming from the two full moons. The next moment, there was a faint golden glow coming from a glassy, puddle-like surface hidden in the middle of the Forest. The glow gradually became brighter. And brighter. And brighter. Eventually, it encompassed the whole area. Golden light flooded the forest, sparkling, dancing, and glowing. Eventually, the light became so engulfing that Allaira and Horizon had to shield their eyes from the glow of the Sheen.

"It's bright! Very bright!" Horizon yelped. "The last time we visited, we didn't have to shield our eyes from the glow of the Sheen."

"Yeah! I know!" Allaira agreed excitedly. "Did you capture the light of the two full moons?"

Horizon took out a piece of shiny glass from his bag. It was a special glass that was designed to capture light and paste it on a flat surface. Then, Horizon unscrewed a carefully rolled-up slip of special paper. On it, the two full moons peeked out, identical to the two moons hanging overhead.

"Want to try capturing the Sheen's light again?" Allaira asked, squinting her amber-brown eyes.

Horizon pondered for a moment. The last time he tried to capture the Sheen's light, he felt a sharp pain that spread from his stomach to every part of his body. For some reason, there was something preventing him from capturing the Sheen's light. He couldn't tell if it was because the light was different.