Faru pulled his legs underneath him, so he was floating cross legged. He steepled his forefingers together and fell silent for a moment, as if trying to recall a forgotten speech. Finally he spoke, pointing his joined fingers at me.
“The Veil is like an ancient, natural doorway. Back when Earth was far younger, it was divided by this doorway. However, if one were to pass through, they would not end up on the other side you see here, but rather another world entirely.”
“Like a parallel dimension?” I gasped.
“Exactly,” smiled Faru. He smoothed out his robes before continuing. “Earth is a twin to another world. Whilst in some ways the two are very alike, such as sharing similar laws of physics and gravity, in others they are remarkably different. In fact to a human, some differences would seem unbelievable and could probably be best described as magic.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A parallel world, full of magic? I shook my head in disbelief. “Alexander, are you alright?” Faru asked. I made a squeaking noise which he took as a cue to continue. “Well as I’m sure you are aware, the world is in a perpetual state of evolution. It is forever changing.” I nodded.
“The same applies to the Veil. What was once an entire ring that encompassed the world has eroded away over Millennia. Parts dissolved, or broke off and sunk to the depths of the seabed. Now only a few sections of the doorway remain, all of which are well hidden and well-guarded. Though before that, many of the life forms existing on the other side escaped through into the human world.”
My mouth dried up. Life forms?
“In the parallel world, creatures exist that you couldn’t imagine in your wildest dreams…” he paused and took a deep breath, “…and some you will be all too aware of, although would never have believed could possibly exist.”He looked up at me with his blazing white eyes.
“Like what?” I asked, not sure if I wanted to know.
“Take my hand,” he replied.
I extended my arm towards Faru. It glided in slow motion through the black nothingness and my palm connected with his. My arm was yanked so hard that for a moment I was convinced my shoulder had been wrenched from its socket. We plunged back towards the Earth. My stomach lurched and cheeks flapped from the sheer speed.
Then silence.
All I could hear was the frantic beat of blood pulsing in my ears. We continued to blaze downwards into the planet’s atmosphere.
Boom!
We broke through the sound barrier. The explosion echoed behind me and noise returned as a torrent of wind and my own yells. The ground spun around like a broken fairground ride, rushing up to greet us. We weren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Fear began to rise in my chest. If Faru didn’t do something, we’d smash right into it. For a fleeting moment I considered letting go of his hand, but what good would that have done — I’d fall anyway.
But it’s not real! I can’t die…can I?
Either reading my thoughts or sensing my distress, Faru slowed and changed the angle of our descent. The landscape was now parallel and about twenty feet below us. We rocketed over a carpet of treetops; flocks of birds fluttered out of the dense leaves in fright.
I’d finally managed to calm down enough to stop screaming, when I forced my chin up enough to see ahead and started all over again.
We were heading straight for the Veil.
Up close it appeared to be a shimmering pool of thick silver water. Rising vertically, like a giant liquid wall. We plunged in head first and the chord to my scream was cut. A sensation like slimy, ice cold fingers pressed hard against my skin, starting at my head and rushing down my body. I shuddered. As I slid deeper at incredible speed, the pain began. At first it felt like someone pressing down on me, but the further I was drawn into the Veil, the stronger and more forceful it became. Soon it was an unbearable crushing pressure, like being squashed under a rock. The air compressed from my lungs and my eyes were forced shut. I tried to gasp for oxygen, but couldn’t even part my lips a millimetre to draw anything in.
I can’t breathe!
The thought was loud and clear. An alarm bell which shrieked into every corner of my mind. I’m trapped in this thing until it spits me back out…alive or dead!
The pressure rolled upwards and collected at my head. The pain amped up to a level I didn’t think possible. It felt as if someone had clamped my skull in a vice and was happily twisting the lever. Bursts of white hot pain seared through my temples and bloomed in yellow patches behind my scrunched eyelids. Just when I thought I would pop, drown, implode and suffocate all at the same time, I felt a new, unexpected sensation — similar to breaking through the surface of water, but denser. The slimy fingers raked my skin again and then the pressure vanished. We shot out of the veil like a bullet. Faru landed on the ground, sliding gracefully along the dirt. I followed, tripping over my own feet and toppling forward. His iron grip snapped me back like a seatbelt, keeping me upright.
I spent the next few minutes doubled over, greedily gulping oxygen back into my aching lungs. I vowed that from then on, I would never take the beautiful gas for granted again.
Faru walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Blind with anger, I shoved it away and swung my fists at him. He dodged every punch and caught my wrists, holding them tight. He was surprisingly strong.
“Please calm down.”
“What the hell was that?” I screamed in pure fury. “I almost died!”
Faru’s voice remained placid. “Alexander, please believe me. You were never in any real danger. The sensations of travelling through the Veil are unpleasant but rarely fatal.”
“ Unpleasant? ” I shrieked. “Stubbing your toe is unpleasant! That was horrific!”
Faru nodded. “I apologise. I merely wished to show you the other side first hand. I felt it beneficial for you to experience the whole process as completely as possible to help you understand better.” He paused. “Perhaps it was a little too soon.”
“Yeah perhaps! Or perhaps you could’ve given me some warning before you fed me to a celestial grinder,” I seethed. “Give me my hands back please.”
I tugged against Faru’s shackling grip. He seemed to weigh up the options for a second before releasing my wrists. I glowered at him as I rubbed the sore spots.
“I am sorry. I promise that you will come to no more harm whilst you are on this mind journey.” He attempted a friendly smile.
For a moment I said nothing. Then I softened. It was difficult to stay angry at someone who kept apologising. Plus I was starting to feel more comfortable around Faru. Something about him I hadn’t noticed before; maybe because I’d been so initially shocked by his appearance. He seemed noble — kind even. Even his white eyes appeared to give off a soothing glow.
I sighed. “It’s okay. I’m sorry too. It’s just that all this…it’s a lot to take in you know?” I turned away from Faru and froze. I’d been so busy being angry, I hadn’t noticed the place we’d travelled to…until now.
It was terrifying.
There was no other word that could describe what my eyes could see and even that failed to truly capture the horror. Menacing clouds the colour of fresh bruises dominated the sky, making the scene as dark as a moonless night. The only source of illumination came from the constant stream of jagged lightning bolts, which forked down on the horizon. They were immediately followed by thunderous booms like battle cries from a war God. The ground was as black as midnight, with pale, jagged rocks jutting out of it like broken bones. To the right, an angry sea heaved waves onto a blood red beach. In the distance, I could just make out the twisting spire of a towering fortress. It resembled a gnarled finger, accusing the skyline.
A fierce wind picked up and whipped around us, yanking at my trousers and seizing my hair. Faru’s robes billowed around him as if they were alive.
“W-what is this place?” I shouted above the roaring of the wind.