Chrysalis: The Secret Gateway

The gateway(Part 3)

Deeanna slowly stood up, jaws dropped and eyes opened wide.

"What-just-happened-here?" she gasped, quickly looking all around her.

Her village was gone. The young girl slowly eyed her surroundings and gulped. She was standing on a huge grassy mountain with some shrubs and flowery trees here and there. The night was clear with millions of stars visible in the sky and a huge building with pointy tops could be seen on the horizon as well. It was a castle.

"I know!" Deeanna suddenly cried, "I feel that I've hurt my head...and now...I am still unconscious and...dreaming...that's it!"

She was trying to reassure herself in any way she could. She felt her heart race. She blinked several times, touched the grass and looked around her carefully, but nothing. Everything remained the same. She had to accept it. She was not dreaming. This was as real as it could get.

The girl decided to stroll a bit on the mountain looking around her. Each step she took seemed unreal. As she thought that things could not get any weirder a light appeared in the sky. After a moment more shades of colourful lights joined the first one to form something which looked like a Borealis aurora.

"Beautiful..." she muttered in an admiring tone, captivated by what her eyes beheld, feeling the panic and uneasiness leaving her slowly.

"It is."

Deeanna jumped at the voice behind her. She quickly looked back, imagining the worst, but seeing the best.

"Who are you?" both Deeanna and the unknown stranger asked each other.

Deeanna gulped as she stared at the man in front of her. He was taller than her and seemed well-built too. He had high cheek-bones, a slightly oval face and was clean-shaven. He seemed to be in his mid 20's. Deeanna found him handsome. The lights in the sky reflected on his face, making him appear more handsome. His eyes were glistening too, but then they widened and Deeanna felt compelled to answer his question.

"I am not from here," she said swiftly.

"I was guessing so" the man replied, "Where are you from?"

"From my village...Kestrel avenue..." she replied, worry visible in her eyes, "I don't know how all of this happened. What is this place? And how do I go back? Oh and...You still haven't told me who you are."

"My name is Darius" the man replied confidently, fixing her.

"Ok. Um...my name is Deeanna" Deeanna smiled awkwardly.

She felt that this was the most embarrassing conversation she ever had. It seemed to be going nowhere.

A silence swallowed them. The man, whose name was apparently Darius, kept his eyes on Deeanna while she kept smiling nervously. Deeanna had the feeling that she was being x-rayed with his eyes. With all the lights shining above them, he could clearly make out the figure of Deeanna.

When a stranger looks at you for no reason and you don't know what to do, Deeanna thought to herself. This might be a nice meme. What was she even thinking??

"It's dangerous to be out here alone at night and on top of that you're not even familiar with the place."

"Yes. You're right." Deeanna admitted, "But I don't know how I even got here so..."

"Yes...how? I mean, what do you remember?" Darius questioned.

"I just got through the gate. Instead of entering a vast empty meadow I just arrived here! I might have muttered the words on the gate before getting in. It's really unbelievable. What is this place? And how is this even possible?"

"It's another world here. One which is very different from yours." Darius smiled.

"Oh yes!" Deeanna agreed, "It's really beautiful though!"

"Thank you," the young man said with a nod and a smile, "It's also beautiful in the morning as well."

"Is it?" Deeanna smiled, "I'd love to see it in daylight then."

"I don't know about that, but if you want you can visit it tomorrow as well. There's a...kind of ball tomorrow at the palace. Want to come?"

"A palace?" Deeanna gasped, "You mean there are royal people here as well?"

"Kings, queens, princes, princesses etc...yes" Darius smiled, "I will give you an invitation later then. Will you come?"

"I want to! Yes!" Deeanna happily agreed, without giving it a second thought.

This seemed to be going too fast, but Deeanna could not help herself, but eagerly accept the opportunity of coming in this extraordinary place again. And besides...what could go wrong? She would only learn about a new place and new people. It would be like having a trip.

"Fantastic!" Darius chuckled.

His voice suddenly sounded like a 10-year-old.

"Oh, but are you allowed to give me an invitation just like that? I don't even know the people..." the young girl said, now realising she does not even know the people here, except for this man in front of her...whom she just met a few seconds before....was it even alright to trust him? He did seem kind though. Deeanna decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Are you allowed to invite me just like that?" Deeanna repeated, now putting emphasis on her question.

Darius looked at a tree in the distance, smirked and gave a small 'tch' before saying:

"Yeah. I'm allowed to do that."

"Oh ok then." Deeanna beamed.

"Tomorrow then? Same time? There'll be lots of guards patrolling everywhere. I'll make sure one of them hands you your invitation. Ok?"

"But...should I come alone? I mean...I'd be more comfortable if..." Deeanna could not end her sentence.

"You want to bring a friend with you?" Darius raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. If possible...or maybe I am just asking too much of you."

Darius smiled at her politely and nodded as he said:

"Fine then. I'll prepare one for your friend too."

"That's really nice of you," Deeanna whispered, her eyes not wanting to leave him.

It was not every day that she could meet such a handsome young man...he almost looked like a prince...

"My pleasure" Darius muttered, "Let me walk you back now. I think I know how you could get back to your village."

"Ok" She nodded, "Thank you."

They walked side by side along a pathway on the high green mountain, their eyes illuminated by the lights shining above them. Although they were both silent, the only sound being that of their shoes marching on the ground, there was an atmosphere of pure pleasure which made Deeanna's heart happy for no reason. In the past few moments, she had visited another world and met the most handsome and polite man she had ever seen.

"It lights the night, up in the sky, bright it shines, the rays of light." Darius' now coarse voice resounded in the still night and the gate mechanically opened, still showing the mountain on the other side.

"It will lead you back to your village. Goodbye Deeanna. It was an honour meeting you. I hope I will see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Darius. Yes, I'll try my best to make it." Deeanna answered in a sweet voice and walked through the gate.