The Elucaen Curse

Ch. 6

The sun was set by the time we left the ice cream parlor. The air was brisk yet inviting, a very welcome change as contrast to the blistering summer heat. The shops were illuminated with radiance of the sunrise, and as the previous bustling street lessened into hushed conversations, it gave my mind an opportunity to digress the situation. But it didn't.

Names and words jargon to the Elucaen world swarmed my mind and gave rise to questions that started to explode like a million firecrackers going off at once; logical and illogical explanations alike started to tangle like it never did before, yet there was none that would put my mind at ease.

"Erin, we're here," Dad said, and it was then that I noticed we've came to a halt in front of a...wall. An ivory-bricked wall.

"This looks familiar," I mumbled."Well, it's the way home. After visiting here every summer ever since my teen years, your dad bounds to know some tips and tricks," he reassured, giving me a wink.

"I don't understand. How can it be a portal when there aren't any doors?"

"That's because it's not a portal. Well, not the normal kind anyways. These are calledGariam portals, which takes you to the capital of one of the five nations in the Elucaen world.Mind you, these portals are incredibly rare, and if memory serves me right, there are only five in each nation; one for each capital. In fact, the portal that took us to Berxley earlier was indeed a Gariam portal as well. But as luck would have it, this portal can take us straight to Mirstone, which we can then use to go home."

"So that's why the ivory looked familiar...but how did you know it was a Gariam portal?"

Dad leaned closer and whispered, "Well, there are some perks to being the son of agovernment official. Since these portals are really rare, only the government and its officials know the precise location for each and every one of them. Believe it or not, your grandfather used to make me memorize some of the locations just in case of an emergency; I guess that knowledge finally comes in handy."

After resuming his previous posture, he said, "Watch me carefully. And always make sure to bevery careful when saying the spell; we don't want it falling into the wrong hands."

Before I could respond, Dad swiftly muttered an incantation, and after tapping each corner three times, the bricks started to gradually disintegrate until a glowing arch remained inits place. To say I was surprised was an understatement.

"What on earth did you say?"

After glancing back and forth to make sure there was no one else in sight, he mumbled,"No doubt in my mind you would sooner or later forget this, but every time a person enters Gariam portal, they must chant 'Astalium, then the capital name, and then ends it with Indeas' three times while tapping the corners every time."

I turned to Mom. "Did you know about this?"

She shrugged. "Well, I've heard of it, but it's been so long I guess I just forgot. I have noidea how your father can remember the exact location though, even after two decades."

Dad rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to your mom, Erin. She's just jealous," he playfully whispered before walking into the arch.

Once we arrived on the other side of the portal, I felt as if a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders. Regardless of the fact that I was able to understand the language in Gallia, it stilldidn't feel as much as home as it did when we visited Almeria. Perhaps it was because Almeriawas the counterpart of America, but it just felt..right. The thought suddenly hit me that I wouldbe leaving for Anglia in less than a week, but by this point, I decided to go with the flow.We soon came to a stop in front of the familiar teal-colored door, and not a minute later,we finally returned to the sweet, dusty, attic.