Free Fall - Into Other Worlds

Chapter 22 - Decision

As Mage Wix rolled out the large world map on the floor, Kara felt nervousness bubble up within. Soon she'd finally have the answer, she'd know if Mia and Ren were somewhere in this world. Though she didn't know what result she truly wanted. If they were in this world, then she wouldn't get to go home until she found them, and who knew how long that would take. If they weren't here, then she could go home, but once there how would she go about finding them? Either way, the moment of truth was about to be upon them.

"Here, you need to put this on," said Wix as he held out a leather strap with a pale crystal handing from it. "Give me your wrist and I'll tie it on for you."

Kara held out her arm and watched the mage tie the bracelet around her wrist. "What does it do?" she asked while looking at the pinkish-white quartz style crystal.

"This is a scrying bracelet that can also be used as a tracker, but it can only find people not objects," he explained. "The crystal absorbs and holds magic naturally, while the spell inscribed on the leather controls it. That's why it will work for even you."

"So what do I need to do?" Kara asked. After wearing a translating bracelet for weeks, there being such a thing as a locating bracelet didn't surprise her.

"Step up to the map and think about one of the friends you wish to find. It can only locate one person at a time, so only picture and focus on one of them." The mage stepped back and let her have some space to focus.

Kara closed her eyes and pictured Ren. The image of him waiting outside her house to go to school together was as clear as watching a video clip. She'd seen the same image almost everyday for years, so it was imprinted in her memory. Opening her eyes, she looked down at the crystal. It hung motionless from the leather strap, as if a normal bracelet. "Are you sure this thing works?" she asked Mage Wix.

"Yes it works," he assured her. "If there's no reaction, then they aren't locatable. Which means, whomever you were thinking of isn't within this world. Try your other friend now."

With a sigh, Kara closed her eyes once more. This time she pictured Mia looking up from a book with a smile as she greeted her friends. For as long as Kara had known her, Mia was always carrying a book around with her to read whenever she got the chance. Opening her eyes, she found that once again there was no reaction from the crystal. Was it truly working properly? What if it was broken?

"It seems that your friends didn't fall into this world like you did," said Mage Wix with a short sigh.

Kara still wasn't convinced the bracelet was actually even working. "Do you have a map with the Living Forest on it? I want to see where Eron is," she told Wix. This would prove if the bracelet truly worked or not. Plus, she really needed to know that Eron was okay.

"Yes, I have one," he replied trying not to let his concern show on his face. "I'll get it now." He'd hoped she'd forgotten about locating Eron, but it seemed she was still determined to know where he was. What could she even do once she found out? All it will do is upset her.

Tapping her foot impatiently, Kara waited for the mage to retrieve the map. Why hadn't he brought both maps out together? When he approached with a paper roll in hand, she went and took it off him. Striding over to the desk, she rolled out the map. Kara saw that the Living Forest stretched the entire width of the country and into the neighbouring ones, and took up an entire quarter of the nation's lower half. She could see two thick lines drawn all the way through the forest, and knew they must be the river and the gorge they had crossed on their journey. Mage Wix seemed fidgety and nervous, making Kara feel suspicious. Maybe the bracelet was actually fake, and he just didn't want her to find out. He wanted her to quickly leave back to her own world after all. It wouldn't be good for him if she asked for help in saving her friends as well.