Pearl walked into the grand hall and bowed, hands behind her back. She was in the presence of the great Portal Lords. In the tall hall, seven large portraits looked down at her, one of which was empty. It was embroidered with purple and had beautiful flowery designs that almost came to life along its purple frame. The figures in the portraits began to move and one of them spoke.
'Rise' a deep voice bellowed, it was the Black Portal Master.
'Yes my Lord', Pearl rose and faced them. They were the sustainers of all the portals to the seven dimensions, it was a grave burden to bear. Six Portal Lords were in attendance, black, gold, blue, green, peach, and pecan. All were addressed by a colour. Each had eyes with colour matching their title.
'Do you have the information?', the Gold portal lord asked in an airy voice.
'Yes ma' Pearl responded.
Pearl was very special. She was one of the few whose transition was not merely due to a wish on the part of a loved one. No, Pearl was specially requested because of her gift. As a matter of necessity, she had to be recruited before the other side got their hands on her, as soon as her gift was discovered.
'The attack will be launched on Lilac of the Portal Lords' Pearl declared and bowed again. At this the Blue portal Lord's stoic demeanour cracked, and his left eye twitched, a barely noticeable tick, but the Green portal Lord caught it out of the corner of his eye. There was a deathly silence.
'Smart move on their part' Pecan suddenly broke the silence. 'She is the weakest link' he said with a chuckle, stroking his moustache. Although, the situation rarely warranted any form of gaiety.
'What day will the attack be launched?' Peach asked, worried.
'It is not known,' Pearl replied.
'What manner of attack will it be? How will the attack on Lilac be launched? Green asked.
'It is not known' Pearl's response was the same
'How many soldiers will the enemy deploy?' Pecan asked.
'It is not known' Pearl answered again.
'It is not known, it is not known, child! What is known?' Gold impatiently asked.
'The attackers are called Harold and Suzanne. Harold has the ability of a portal maker, but he is weak. He seeks the power of a portal master in order to exploit the decree of the portal Lords. Suzanne has the ability of premonition, but it is severely weakened' Pearl stopped speaking and bowed again.
'Suzanne, Suzanne, I know that name' Gold tried the name, while the others recovered from the shock that a portal maker was on the enemy's side.
'Only two enemies?' Green asked, surprised at the number.
Pecan stroked his moustache, looking thoughtfully at no one in particular then voiced his speculations.
'They are spies, sent by their superiors, they were probably there to retrieve Pearl. Judging from the combination of their gifts, premonition was there to identify her and the portal maker' he paused, taking in the severity of this rare and sought-after gift 'the portal maker was there to ensure a smooth getaway. But they failed in their mission.' Pecan stood in his frame, still stroking his moustache 'Instead of facing their superiors, they have conjectured this new plan on their own to redeem themselves' he concluded, satisfied with his deductions.
'That explains the many unknowns in the strategy' Green completed, giving Gold with a look of disappointment. Gold, who also felt foolish for her earlier outburst appeared very mellow in her seat. Pearl on the other hand was amazed. The portal Lords were incredible. They were exactly right, piecing together the incidents leading up to this moment without even consulting her or her gift.
Pecan took one look at Pearl's face and turned to the other five, 'It seems we are right' He proclaimed.
'That will be all, Pearl' Black boomed. She bowed again and turned to leave, as she did, she heard Blue, who had remained silent throughout the meeting making enquiries as to how this information was to be passed to Lilac.
Pearl stepped into the portal hall and let out a breath. Just standing before the portal Lords made her nervous. It was all so imposing, it was, without doubt, a privilege only a select few would ever get to experience but she was relieved to be out. Her role as an informant wasn't all that bad though, it meant she had to be close to a portal in case she was summoned, an indirect consequence of this was, she also got to see Ophelia. Pearl went down the hall looking for Ophelia's room and was glad to see her about to sleep. Since Ophelia already knew the intricacies of Pearl's condition, there was no need to pretend to be a part of her dreams, Pearl jumped out of the portal with her book in her hand, nearly giving Ophelia a heart attack in the process.
When Ophelia got over the shock of seeing Pearl leap out of the mirror towards her, she took the book that hovered over her, in Pearl's hand, while Pearl hung freely in mid air above her. Pearl collapsed on the bed beside her and Ophelia got a better look at her wings.
'So how was your day?' Pearl asked stretching, then stopped when she saw Ophelia staring at her wings.
'They're almost transparent,' Ophelia commented.
'That's to the untrained eye' Pearl responded, knowing that Ophelia had not yet matured to the extent where she could see her wings clearly.
'Sorry, I didn't hear what you said earlier'
'I said, how was your day?' Pearl repeated.
'Uneventful, really. I finally returned Mr. Guilever's book!'
'Do you know anyone named Harold or Suzanne?' Pearl asked suddenly, Ophelia shook her head in response. The suddenness of the change in topic disturbed her.
'Why?' she asked.
'Nothing, you should read the book now' Pearl's response shut the door to further questioning. Ophelia knew better than to try to coerce Pearl to reveal more when she had decided against it. She therefore obliged and started. The book contained Pearl's story.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
6 months ago
'Premonition', she heard a husky voice call.
'Are you sure she's the one?', it was a male voice, and judging from the echo, they were in a wide, empty room.
Abducted. Pearl's hands and feet were tied, her mouth was gagged and she had been blindfolded.
'I am Premonition, I cannot be wrong!', a female shrill rang. Doubt laced her words, Pearl could feel the tension where she lay.
'I say we watch her', her male captor replied, obviously untrusting of the abilities Premonition claimed to possess.
'No!' Premonition's voice rang and echoed, revealing just how large the empty room was.
'We call them now! We have our target. Our mission has ended'. A deafening silence enveloped the space.
Fear gripped Pearl's heart as she realized they may have discovered that she was awake. Pearl laid as still as she could, barely breathing.
'WE WAIT' came the male voice, calm, domineering, and final. He was obviously in charge of the operation.
Pearl heard a frustrated sigh, then receding footsteps.
Pearl waited with bated breath for the footsteps to recede further, out of earshot so she could be alone. She didn't dare move, talk less of plan an escape when her captors were so close. The whole affair was entirely puzzling to her, why had she of all people been kidnapped, but then again, Pearl, rational as ever, concluded that most people who found themselves in similar situations were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The wrong place? The wrong time? How? The last thing she could remember was sleeping, so how in the world did she find herself here?
The footsteps had stopped.
'She's awake' the female voice said.
Pearl's heart skipped a beat, then resumed beating with increased intensity. The footsteps approached until her captors were just before her. She felt herself being raised and thrown on a chair. The gag was removed and she coughed and wheezed involuntarily.
'Declare your gift', the female voice hissed through clenched teeth.
'Stop it!', the male voice addressed not her, but his partner. Pearl heard them both leave but only one came back.
'I apologize', it was the male captor. 'I'm sure you're very confused right now but I assure you, we don't want to hurt you', He started.
Pearl kept silent, her mind racing. You don't want to hurt me? You already have! What is the end game here? Her thoughts chased each other but of course she was silent on the outside. In all honesty, she was starting to distrust this captor even more than the first, at least that one was honest about her intentions. But this one, this one had a hidden motive. Pearl determined to go along with him until she could find a means of escape.
'Do you need something to eat?' He asked.
Poison was the first thing that came to her mind. Or perhaps a truth serum. But to extract what information? What could she possibly have that would be of value to him?
'Why did you kidnap me?' She asked. This question was real, she needed to know.
'You see, our people have found that your gift may be of great service to us' He answered.
She knew he was telling the truth.
'My gift? Like my talents?' She asked, still perplexed. She could sing a bit but she doubted that was worth kidnapping her.
'No, not that' her captor seemed torn. Providing further information seemed detrimental to him somehow.
'I honestly don't understand what you are saying' She replied. Silence followed.
'I think you might have the wrong person', it was worth a shot, she honestly believed that anyway.
'No!' A voice broke out from the distance, 'she's the one, I'm sure of it'. It was Premonition.
There it was again, 'the one', 'our target', 'gift', all words suggesting that this wasn't some fluke, she had been targeted for some reason.
'What do you mean, I'm the one? I don't know what your target did to you but I promise, I'm innocent.' Pearl pleaded.
'Why are we just waiting around? I told you, let's just take her home! They'll decide if she's the one or not', the female voice returned.
'I don't have the liberties you do. I cannot afford to use trial and error. I have to bring back the one, no second chances. I can't fail.' He said.
'Is this about your ego or your sentiments?' Premonition slurred.
'You have no right to talk to me about sentiments', He returned harshly, 'We both know why you're so eager to return'.
Premonition kept silent in response to his provocation.
'What's wrong?' He asked
'They're here' Premonition said, then with fear in her voice, 'Quick make a portal!'.
Pearl heard a whirring noise, then complete silence.
Pearl was alone in the dark for close to 2 hours. No one came. Pearl finally understood why her male captor had distrusted Premonition. She fell asleep in the darkness.
When she awoke, it was on her bed, Ophelia was still asleep beside her. She thought that the preceding events may have been a dream unknown to her, that was just the beginning.
The events of the day following that were completely unnatural. For one thing, Pearl felt light headed throughout, as though a fog were blocking her consciousness. Ophelia obviously noticed and tried several times to get her to snap out of it but all to no avail. Pearl couldn't bring herself to maintain a conversation or even focus on a task for more than 5 minutes. While having one of such conversations in which Ophelia had to do most of the talking while Pearl struggled not to drool, a lady came over to where they sat out on a bench by the road.
'What's wrong with your friend?' It was a slightly familiar face. Pearl had a feeling she had seen her before or maybe not. Thinking was a chore right now.
'I'm not sure' came Ophelia's concerned response. The lady seemed to be a nurse or some sort of medical personnel. Kneeling down, she inspected Pearl quickly.
Pearl felt her personal space being intruded upon and quickly snapped out of her dizzy half-awake state.
'What do you think you're doing?' She asked, irritated.
'It seems you can see me,' the unwelcome intruder said, with a kind smile, 'How many fingers am I holding up?' She asked, popping three fingers in Pearl's face, she waved the fingers around slowly.
Pearl stared, mouth agape. She could see the three fingers clear as day but behind this lady were wings! Beautiful purple wings that looked like those of a butterfly. She closed her mouth and rubbed her eyes, thinking she must be seeing things but when she reopened them, there they were, still iridescent, still magnificent, and yet still completely unbelievable.
Ophelia grew worried at this point, Pearl still hadn't answered the lady's question as to the number of fingers before her. She began to suspect that her condition was much worse than it appeared.
'Pearl?' Her worry seeped into her voice.
'It's much worse than I suspected.' The lady said, turning to Ophelia, 'I need water, immediately!'
Ophelia dashed out towards the river nearby to fill her can with water. If it was an emergency, that water would do. It was clean enough to drink, although no one drank it and clear enough to use.
'Wings!' Pearl exclaimed as soon as Ophelia was gone. She had the common sense to wait until her close friend was out of earshot to speak, so she was evidently still in possession of her wits.
'Yes' the lady who had been kneeling, stood upright.
'What do you remember from last night?' She asked authoritatively.
'Last night? I was kidnapped and bound. My captors, they wanted something from me. They kept talking about a gift, but that was all a dream' Pearl added uncertainly, but as she uttered the last words her hands subconsciously rubbed her wrists where she was tied, then she noticed the marks, faint as they were where the rope had been.
'It wasn't a dream' the lady returned. 'You are very special, there's much about yourself that you don't know and your gift would prove very useful to whichever side you choose to give it to.' She glanced at the direction in which Ophelia took off, she was already in earshot.
'Any way, you'll need plenty of rest and water.'
She turned to leave as soon as Ophelia came but before she did, she left these words for Pearl to muse on 'I will see you again soon'
Ophelia brought the water for Pearl to drink but Pearl was too busy watching the mysterious lady with large purple butterfly wings sticking out her back walk away.
'Do you still need the water?' Ophelia asked, forcing Pearl to tear her eyes away from the splendor on the back of the lady.
'No, I don't' then she tried, 'Did anything seem off about that lady to you?'
'No, she seems very nice. Only also familiar somehow' came Ophlelia's response. It seemed Ophelia had not noticed the wings. Something remarkable was happening to Pearl and she knew it.
That night, the winged lady visited. Pearl was woken by a gentle tap on her temple and when she got up, she locked eyes with the lady she had seen earlier. Her initial reaction wasn't fear, only surprise. How had she entered the house?
'There's not much time Pearl. You must come with me.' she whispered, then the lady gracefully pulled Pearl out of bed and into the mirror. Before Pearl was aware of what was going on, she was in a glassy blue hall.
Pearl tried to wrap her head around the event that had just taken place. 'This was in my mirror?' She asked, taking in the sheer magnitude of the seemingly endless hall.
'There's no time for explanations. You are in grave danger. Your family is in grave danger if you stay' the lady hurriedly explained.
'I don't understand. How? Why? If I stay? Where else can I go?' Pearl's confusion was understandable.
'You have to come with me, we will cross the plane to the other side, to Legandanl' the lady seemed to assume she was making sense, that Pearl could follow the conversation. 'In order to do this, you must prepare yourself, first, you must learn to fly, then you must learn your gift. Then we will leave'
Her tone and expression left no room for interjection or question. She spoke as though she had the final say on Pearl's life. But Pearl wouldn't be intimidated.
'And if I refuse?' She suddenly asked, stunning the lady into silence.
'You don't have a choice,' She replied. Her manner, a bit more foreboding.
'Sure I do, there's always a choice' Pearl tried her hand.
'What are you saying?' her voice came low and warning.
'I'm saying that maybe the other people who want my gift won't ask me to leave my home and family' her rebellious nature was rearing its ugly head and at the worst time.
A harsh sound that could be hardly called laughter erupted from the other lady. She stepped forward slowly.
'You think this is a joke? Do you know what your captors would have done to you? Do you know what happens to people who are taken in by them? Do you know how they ensure compliance?' She lowered her tone with each sentence and stood before Pearl, stooping so she was at Pearl's eye level.
'My captors were a single man and woman. Besides, the guy was nice to me. I didn't exactly agree with their methods but all he wanted to do was talk.' Pearl tried to make light of the situation. She knew in fact that those weren't the only people after her. They kept making mention of a base, and 'taking her back' so they were obviously an elite team, probably sent to locate her with others on the way once she was found to apprehend her.
But she knew something else, this emboldened her. Her captors were afraid. Whoever this lady before her was or whoever she worked with, her captors were afraid of them and wouldn't dare try anything funny with her while these guys were protecting her. Armed with this information, Pearl tried to take up a negotiating position. What she truly wanted was to continue living her normal life, at least for as long as she could while these people offered her protection from the kidnappers until she made a decision, which she would drag out for as long as was possible.
Silence hung in the air as Pearl took her stance, irritating the lady before her to no small measure. She lifted her hand in a gesture that expressed her frustration and held out her open palm in Pearl's face.
'Five months' came her voice in a controlled tone.
'In this time, you will be here, training with me so you can unlock your gift. I won't be held responsible for whatever happens to your family' She said firmly.
Pearl's apprehension showed and the lady cruelly smirked.
'My only obligation is to protect you.' She clarified.
'But I have one condition, the girl who shares a room with you, you must protect her. She is the closest to you and in the most danger because of her association with you. Promise me that you will take responsibility and protect her whatever the cost.'
It was a strange request coming from someone who evidently didn't care a hoot about what happened to anyone but Pearl, but Pearl consented, obviously, she would protect Ophelia.
'That would be all for tonight' the lady said then took a stance. 'Tonight we start with defense' After that, Pearl suffered a severe training session in which she was taught various things, how to fall being the first. She was also taught to see opportunities to run and at last, she was taught how to avoid an aerial opponent.
After the intense training session, the lady placed a hand against Pearl's side and she felt a hot sensation run through her body, before she knew it, she was as good as new.
'How did you-' she started but the lady cut her short.
'I'm a healer' she said then smiled at her own words, as though at an inside joke.
'Now you must return before you are missed'. She then took Pearl back to her room.
Pearl lay down to rest, wondering how many minutes of sleep she would be able to get when she realized something important, she had forgotten to ask the lady for her name.