Relics (20 page)

We were switched to a close-up of the basilisk. The camera went to a slow motion replay of a basilisk coming through the portal. It ran through a planter full of flowers that immediately shriveled.

Two people who had been off camera quickly moved in and sprayed it with fire extinguishers. It shriveled up, much like the flowers it had just killed. The camera showed the few onlookers cheering. The reporter continued.

“We are uncertain why the fire extinguisher worked, but the creature is thought to be dead. When asked why they used the extinguishers, the two men confessed they just thought it was worth a try. They declined to be interviewed and have since left the scene. We're waiting for authorities with hazardous materials expertise to arrive.”

I hated reptiles. This one gave me the creeps. Knowing it was loose in a city just made my skin crawl.

“Interesting choice of weapon,” said Thulu.

“Daemons,” answered Jones. “They would know that the contents would work.”

Thulu and I exchanged glances as the channel switched to another location. A voice-over told us portals were continuing to open.

This time it was outside Odense, Denmark. The portal was again shown in the background. Next to it sat what had to be one of the ugliest creatures I've ever seen. He was easily twice as big as a human. You could see that even though he was sitting down. He wore a big smile, neat shorts and shirt and what looked like sandals. He sat quietly in what appeared to be a non-threatening way. His skin was gray, and his face was hideous, with a large bulbous nose, tiny eyes and thick lips. His arms were gigantic and heavily muscled. Large hands were folded neatly in his lap. Now and then, he waved cheerily at the camera. Obviously, trolls had gotten some bad press in times past. I was impressed with this one, though. He seemed nice.

The view changed back to the studio where the anchors were looking shell-shocked. A pretty brunette told us that reports were starting to come in from different locations all over the globe, with portals letting in creatures previously thought to be nothing more than myth.

As the night went on, we had reports of fairies, genies, leprechauns, centaurs, goblins, gryffins, harpies, and banshees. Thulu, Stuart and I were amazed as story followed story. It seemed as if all the magic I'd ever heard of was coming back. Sure I'd seen the dead, but they were from Earth. I'd even thought daemons were simply another form of spirit until meeting Jones. These people were different. They were actually from other worlds. Yeah, I know Jones said he was too, but he looked human. These people definitely weren’t human, and that changed everything I thought I'd known.

“Jones, I don't get it. I thought Light Ones wanted to make people happy. This is pure chaos.”

“I told you what they have done in the past. This is on a scale that is – insane.”

Thulu looked at him sharply. “An insane angel?”

Jones grimaced, staring at the TV. Taking out his phone, he pressed a couple of buttons.

“Secure the property. Under no circumstances are you to allow anyone in without my permission in person. Do not accept phone calls as permission. Even if someone has been there before, they may not come in. Even if they have been a frequent guest, they may not come in. No one is allowed in, not even staff, until I arrive. If anyone does drop by to visit, you are to call me immediately.” He clicked off the phone and turned to us with a serious expression.

“You are welcome to be my guests, should you need the protection. I have already taken the liberty of putting protection around this house, but I am not at all sure it will be enough. My property, on the other hand, has strong wards, some of which have been in place for years.”

Jones nodded at Stuart, who rose, thanked us and left to get the car.

“I'm not sure I understand.” I was trying to get my mind around this. “Are all of these portals to a different world or more than one?”

“More than one world, but there are multiple portals to each of them.”

“How are they able to open portals without the relics?  I thought you needed those to open the portals,” Thulu said, frowning.

Jones shook his head. “No, you need the relics to banish Light Ones or us and to open or seal our portals, unless you have a very, very powerful entity. Usually anyone that powerful will not be bothered, though. However, there are a few angels and daemons who have the power to open portals into these other worlds. That is what is happening now. Just as I am able to open the portals I use.”

“Oh, right.” Thulu frowned. “Why the relics for yours, but not these others?  I meant to ask you that before.” Thulu tilted his head to one side as he looked at Jones.

“Because their worlds are closer to yours. Think of it as a train station with stops. Both of our realms are far down the line, and our portals require enormous power. These others are much closer and take far less power to open.”

“Let me get this straight, we are getting some portals into the same world?  So, who are the players?  Who comes from which worlds?” I asked.

“Unicorns, fairies, trolls are from the same world. Gryffins, elves and goblins are from another world.”

“My god,” said Thulu. “How many worlds are they opening?”

“I think there are four at the moment. The problem is worse though. Not all of these creatures get along. Harpies and banshees despise each other. So do goblins and leprechauns. The various races being thrown together in one world could be problematic.”

I wondered if that was an understatement.

Jones was quiet for a bit. When he continued, it seemed to be with chagrin. “I honestly thought we could head this off. I imagined that we could retrieve the relics and other items and banish the Light Ones and seal their portal, with no one the wiser. I never expected this.”

“This is a pre-emptive strike, isn't it?” Thulu said.

Jones thought about it and nodded his head. “Yes, that is a good possibility. I just wish I knew what was behind it.”

I thought of something Reo had said. “So, why can't you find this stuff on your own?”

“Because I have some powers, La Fi, but I also have limits. I certainly do not have Thulu's gift for finding things.”

“Oh.” Well that answered that. I was curious, though. “What kind of powers?”

Jones smiled, “A bit of this, a bit of that.”

“God, you sound like Reo.” I hated when people were cryptic.

“Please, call me if you need me.” He stood, threw one last glance at the TV.

“I thought you wanted to go over the game plan,” I said.

“That was before I realized this was going to be worldwide and on such a scale. I apologize to both of you. I honestly thought we had at least a year, possibly two to three before they made a move. Obviously, I have seriously miscalculated. I need to find out why they moved and why now. I also need to get some of this under control.” He shook his head sadly and left the room.

We followed him out. At the door, I looked at Jones. He seemed very disturbed by this. Even more than Thulu and I were. I was sure it would hit us later.

“Jones,” I called after him as he went down the steps, “are you going to be all right?”

He nodded graciously at me, “Yes, La Fi. This is a setback, but I will consult with the others and think of a Plan B, as you would call it. Thank you for asking, though. That was very kind of you.” He continued down our walk to his car, where Stuart stood holding open the door.

Thulu and I went back inside, locked the door behind us and set the alarm. We returned to the family room and sat in front of the TV with the sound off.

I was leaning comfortably against Thulu when a thought occurred to me. I sat bolt upright and called, “Parker, Jenna, Sophie, come home right now!” I'd realized I hadn't seen the kids all day. I wondered if they had taken any of the portals that were popping up so enticingly all over the world. I needn't have worried though, as they immediately materialized in front of us, with Parker looking concerned.

“What, Fi? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I –” I stopped, a bit embarrassed. Everyone was looking at me, even Sophie.
“
I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” Really?  They were already dead, I told myself. And my next thought was yes, but they are
here
, on this world and not in the next.

“And I want you all to stay away from the portals, do you hear me?” I think my voice was a bit shrill and strained.

Parker looked at me with exasperation, “Honestly, La Fi, we aren't stupid. We wouldn't go into those, would we Jen?”

Jenna's eyes were big. “No Mama Fi, we stay with you. Don't be scared.”

I felt like an idiot. Consoled by a four-year-old ghost. Even Sophie seemed to look at me with concern, little tail drooping. “Well, see that you stay clear of them. They're dangerous,” I finished weakly.

“We know and we will,” Parker assured me.

Parker looked at Thulu, who had remained judiciously quiet through all of this, then back at me. “I told you those angels were bad news.”

We nodded. “Yeah, Park,” I said. “You sure did.” I didn't ask how he knew they were behind it. At that point it really didn't matter.

We all sat and watched as news anchors tried to get a handle on what was happening. People had started claiming to have won jackpots, been granted wishes or cursed, or other magical interventions. Story after story was pouring in.

I thought of hitting the Internet, but was already dangerously close to information overload. I'd just make do with the live reports.

The gambling establishments started closing when record numbers of people started winning beyond all possible odds.

The world governments announced that none of the stock markets would be opening until further notice, due to “special circumstances.” A wise precaution, I thought.

People in non-essential jobs were urged to stay home, if at all possible. Of course, who was to determine what was or was not essential was anyone's guess. Obviously police, emergency and medical services, but other than those, no one was defining “essential” yet.

The number of portals trickled off until it seemed they had stopped appearing. Most were in Europe, Africa and Asia, with only a very few in isolated areas in the Americas and Australia. The portals already open had gone back to small, pulsating lights. Now and then, one would open large enough to admit something or someone, but that started to trickle off too.

The Tripoli portal continued to stay blocked. The tables had been replaced with large heavy wooden walls, held in place with more sandbags on stabilizing braces. They were taking no chances in case it reached the size of some of the other portals.

The report came that another new portal had opened up. This one was in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, in Scotland. No one knew if anything had come through, but there were no reports of anything odd happening, other than the portal itself.

When camera crews arrived, it was to find locals from nearby Aberfoyle waiting patiently and calmly. Witnesses later said it seemed as if those who came through had been waiting for the cameras.

We watched as the portal remained small and stable. It began pulsating, which often occurred whenever other portals began to grow. It stabilized and nothing happened, while the young female reporter spoke in hushed tones, describing what we could see for ourselves and the reaction of the crowd.

A tall, golden figure, emanating a soft glow, stepped from the portal onto the grass, followed by four others. They were all taller than most humans by about a foot or so. We heard sounds of awe from the crowd.

The camera backed away as the group approached the reporter. She was a young, pretty woman with red hair. Her face took on the look of a deer caught in headlights. The camera continued to retreat a few more steps. I imagined that the cameraperson wanted a head start if he or she needed to run.

The figure, who appeared to be male, was dressed in a tunic style white shirt, with long billowy sleeves and loose beige trousers tucked into soft beige boots. A gold belt glittered at his waist. He had long golden blonde hair pulled back, showing definitely pointed ears.

He spoke in a deep, velvety voice, which was almost hypnotic even through the TV. His English was clipped, with a definite British accent and completely modern. He smiled down at the reporter. “Hello, Megan, I believe the conventional saying is 'Take me to your leader.'  You may call me Belus.”

The reporter dropped her microphone and fainted. The elf caught her and, with a bemused expression, asked for medical attention for her. Two men came forward tentatively, and Belus handed the unconscious reporter into their care. He had a surprisingly current grasp of our world, since he picked up the mic, turned to the camera and spoke into it. His next words were well known and held a touch of irony, “We come in peace. Please, don't be afraid.” He smiled straight into the camera.

To the camera operator's credit, the camera stayed firmly focused on Belus.

A voice from the crowd called out, “I always said you folk were here somewhere. Thank you for coming back. We're finally vindicated.”

We heard laughter from the crowd, and Belus graciously nodded his head to someone off-camera.

We cut back to the studio again, where they recapped the events.

“No, go back!” I demanded of the TV.

Thulu looked at me and shook his head. “You're losing it, girl.”

“Well –” I gestured helplessly at the TV, “That was a stupid time to cut, you know?”

He tried and failed to hide his smile. I hit him with a pillow before snuggling next to him.

The recap went on for a few more minutes. There was no real new information. They were just repeating scenes from earlier.

Eventually they returned to the portal in Scotland. Belus had surrendered his mic to an older, presumably more seasoned reporter. This woman was in her forties and was sturdily built. She appeared to have a no-nonsense way about her as she questioned Belus. Her manner reminded me of a Scottish Jane.

Two chairs had been provided and the two sat, apparently chatting comfortably. The sun was starting to rise and threw a golden glow over the scene, in addition to the lights that had been set up.

“So you're saying your people did not open the portals?”

“Exactly right. We tend to keep an eye on things here on Earth. We have descendants here, so we do like to know what is going on. When we saw the portals were being opened, we decided that we should come through and lend any assistance or advice, should your leaders care to have it.”

“Do you personally have descendants here?”

“Yes,” he answered, “I come through occasionally to check on them. I disguise myself at those times. This time, I didn't feel that subterfuge was necessary, and we came through in our usual forms.”

“What advice or assistance can you offer?”

“That will depend on each situation, and who else might be coming through the portals. Information is one thing we can offer immediately. My people are familiar with the people and creatures coming through.”

“We've heard that the – you called them portals?”

“Yes, that's correct. They are portals to other realms, worlds, dimensions, whatever you choose to call them.”

The reporter remained stoic at this news. “Thank you. We've heard that they have all gone quiescent and nothing has come through in the last hour, except you folks here. Is this a lull before any others come through?  Can you tell us what to expect?”

“Please understand that while we opened this portal, we are not the ones who opened the others. Until we actually speak to those responsible, we cannot speculate as to their motives or their future intentions. However, we have begun monitoring the portals and have asked the other races to please not use them for the time being.”

“Who is responsible for opening the other portals? Any advice for anyone who makes contact with them?”

Belus hesitated. “We have always called them the 'Light Ones.' As for advice, I would urge people to have little contact with those from other worlds. Until your governments can stabilize the situations, it's best to not – encourage them.”

“Judging by some of the reports we're hearing, Mr. Belus, I'd say some people are already out of control in some areas.”

“It's just 'Belus.' Well, actually Prince Belus. My father is our king.”

At that moment, three black SUVs pulled up.  The camera swung around to catch their arrival. The impromptu interview was interrupted by people I assumed were agents of some kind. Belus and his people were ushered off and into the waiting vehicles, which immediately drove off again.

We were switched back to the studio, where anchors did more recaps, but no other portals opened. They focused on stories of people interacting with the various “guests.”

A report came in that the first basilisk had been found and killed. A young man had caught it after hearing that fire extinguishers were an effective weapon against them. Unfortunately, he hadn't thought to use the nozzle, and he clubbed it to death. The animal was so deadly that it's toxins spread through the canister and onto the unfortunate young man, who died within moments.

His friend, who attempted to help, moved the fire extinguisher and also died. The friend's screams had alerted neighbors, who had sense enough to call the authorities. I was sorry at the loss of life, but relieved the animal had been found and killed.

However, this was a perfect illustration that humans were out of their depth.

When there was little news and a lot more rehashing of earlier events, Thulu and I decided to rest while we could. We asked the kids to please stay inside and went upstairs.

Thulu and I sat in the window seat in our bedroom, looking out over the city. It seemed deceptively calm. I wondered how long the shock would last and when the panic would set in.

Thulu stroked my hair gently. “She called you Mama Fi.”

“I know.”

“Is it wise to get attached to a dead child, love?”

“No, Thulu, it isn't wise at all.”

He continued to run his fingers lightly through my hair.

“It's too late for that, though, isn't it?”

I sighed. “Yeah. It will be hard to let her go. But when the time comes, I will. It's the right thing to do.” I tried to sound firm.

I changed the subject. “So, what do you think Jones will decide to do?”

“I don't know about Jones, but I say we go ahead with our original plan. Find the relics, banish the Light Ones back to their realm and seal their portal.”

“Yeah, but the genie is well and truly out of the bottle – literally. I have a feeling it's not going to be so easy to get some of our visitors to leave. I don't think I want them to go either.”

“I agree. The world is changed forever, love. That doesn't mean we can't go ahead, though. It just means we have a bit more reason to try to find the relics quicker. Reo needs to convince Mason to wake up. Or at least remember where the dagger is, if he refuses to come back. I'm completely clueless for the other items, though. Sometimes, I almost feel like I'm getting a sense of – something – but then I lose it. It just fades away.” It was becoming a refrain, and I could sense his frustration.