16
The Dagger of Moonlight
Beyond the veil of green was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. There was a hidden vale within the forest that appeared to be carved out of the rock of the earth. Across the way was a glittering waterfall, that flowed to create a pool of clear blues and greens. There was an edifice of an ancient castle, surrounded on all sides by lush meadow grasses. The moonlight streamed down on the scene. The old woman crossed the tall grasses in front of the castle without ceremony, but I couldn't help but take it in slowly. We entered the castle. There was no roof on many of the rooms, but it didn't matter. The air was neither too warm nor too cool.
She led me to a room that was outfitted with a long wooden table. Vines were growing up around the legs of the table as if the forest was taking this place back. I sat in one of the chairs, and she said. I'll be back. She left her basket sitting on the table. It seemed homely and out of place in the ruins of such a grand castle. I took in everything while I was waiting. When she finally returned I was shocked to see who was with her.
"Lucian?" I asked, feeling my heart start to race. What had happened to him? "Are you...?"
"Dead?" He asked, smiling to himself. "Well technically yes, but it's complicated because I was actually already dead before."
"What? Like back at the academy?" I asked. I tried to piece this all together. Was he some kind of zombie? That didn't seem right.
"Yes," He said. "I was a restless wandering spirit. It happens sometimes when people die in certain ways and are unable to find the Liminal World."
"And you're here now?" I asked.
"I had to come find you. This part is not good news." He sighed.
"I guess you better just get it over with," I said, cringing. I had no idea how bad it was going to be.
"To put it simply, the connection between the Liminal World and the Physical World is growing weak. The Gates need to be opened. Spirits are unable to find the way and are getting stuck on earth. Also, demons are coming down in droves to hunt the spirits. It's a bit of a mess." He tried to maintain an upbeat tone, but the strain in his voice was clear.
"Whoa, Slow down," I said. "The Guardian of the Gates is missing so how are we supposed to get the Gates open?"
The old woman was back and Lucian glanced at her tentatively. "I assumed you knew already, you've been gone for a while, Esther. You are the new Guardian of the Gates."
I felt crestfallen. I hadn't been able to gather any more information about my mother's whereabouts and now Lucian was confirming what I had feared to be true.
"I thought..." I paused, embarrassed to explain my true motives. "I guess I thought that I could find my mother and find some way to bring her back."
The woman pressed her lips together, "Oh my dear." She rubbed her temples, muttering "I knew this would happen."
Lucian looked down, his eyes somber. I asked. "What are you guys not telling me?"
The old woman walked over and patted my hand. She said, "Let's take a walk." I followed her even though I had just seen Lucian for the first time. He nodded for me to go with her. We ventured out of the castle and towards the waterfall.
"Your mother made this place, you know." She said. "I always thought that she made it with you in mind."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"Well, she built everything for there to be many guests. The castle has enough room for hundreds of guests, and yet she never brought anyone here. It was her refuge. Except for him."
"Lord Morningstar?" I asked.
She nodded gravely. "You must have met the Djinn." She surmised. "Yes, she only ever brought him. I knew him as Phosphoros then before he adopted that rather ridiculous title. They were in love." She explained sadly.
"What happened?" I asked. The old woman walked toward the waterfall. She maneuvered into the pool of water at the base and waved for me to follow. She swam, with her tunic billowing wildly around her. She kept swimming until she went right under the falls. The water created a rainbow mist where she disappeared. I followed, letting the powerful force of the water rush over me. On the other side was a cavern. Sconces hung along the walls with lit torches. At the end was a large stone shrine. It was simple and covered in moss. It had not worn like everything else here. Except for the carpet of green, it looked new.
The woman brought me under it. "You have to understand that your mother loved you." She said.
I could feel the heat growing in my face. This was not going to be nice. "What are you saying?"
"Your mother is gone, Esther." She said gently.
"How can you know that?" I asked. "One of the Innkeepers told me that Goddesses never really die. They only go dormant."
"Your mother's case is different. She died to create you." The woman said as she grasped my hands in her older wrinkled ones.
"What does that even mean?" I demanded.
"She created you as her daughter. She gave you a physical body so that you could live a life on earth, but you retained her power. The witch's power. When you were first born, she
