Through The Door

Strangers in a Warring World

"Lantern,” I whispered. Jordan lit the lantern. Then, he put down his backpack and his eyes widened. He looked at me. I looked down at myself.

I almost screamed.

I was no longer wearing my blue t-shirt and white shorts. I had a grey-blue tunic, pants, and dark grey boots, and I had a dark blue cloak on. Around my neck was a silver necklace with a blue gem that I had never seen before. I had a dagger and a long knife at my belt. Jordan was wearing a dark red tunic, light brown pants, black boots and a black cloak. He was armed with a long, two handed sword and throwing daggers, and he was taller than me.

“Where are we?” he whispered.

Just then, we heard a deep voice in the darkness. The two of us got down and Jordan covered the lantern with his cloak. A torch was lit, and the light illuminated the walls of the cave some yards away. Two men were walking along the cave walls, one fingering engraved symbols on the walls.

“The prophecy will soon be completed, my lord,” the latter said.

“Very good. All is on our side. In ten days’ time, General… only ten days’ time…”

My brother and I listened, horrified and confused all at once. The two men left the cave, and after waiting for a few minutes, my brother got up and had just uncovered the lantern, when I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder, and jumped.

“Friend or foe of Argonen?”

I turned around, and behind me was a young man, not much older than myself. He looked like a soldier of some sort, and had a dagger unsheathed and ready in his hand.

“What do you mean?”

What was Argonen, and what were those two men talking about earlier? Questions whirled around in my head with no answer.

“You cannot possibly -” the man started, when my brother interrupted.

“We are unfamiliar with these parts, and do not know where we are, or what we have just seen.”

The man frowned, took a scroll of parchment from one of his pockets and laid it out on the ground before us.

“This,” he said, pointing to a bordered area on the map, “is the kingdom of Argonen.”

“And those were your enemies plotting against the king? Or do I miss the mark?” I asked, guessing at what had just taken place.

“You have guessed right. He is Alexander, no longer worthy of his title as lord, as he has attacked the kingdom and the king many times. We have had peace - or rather, order, in Argonen for twenty years now. I will not call it peace, for our hearts have not been at rest ever since the last time he escaped from our hands.”

“Then we must report to the king right away,” Jordan exclaimed.

“So you are friends,” said the soldier, mostly to himself. “What are your names?”

“I’m Maia.”

“And I am Kirian,” Jordan said, using his middle name.

“Rionen.”

Without warning, the cave was filled with light, and I had to blink to adjust my eyes to the light. Everything happened too fast.