One chipped glass bead, glowing emerald under the pale lights, strung onto a thin silver chain around my neck.
I was never the smartest kid. I didn't do too well in school, however hard I tried. I knew I needed to – in order to follow my dream I would need a bachelor's degree in one of the subjects specified by NASA – but I could never get above a C, at my best.
I was quiet and unobtrusive, focusing on getting better. For most people, I was barely a shadow in their peripheral vision. As a result, my friendship group was comprised only of a select few. People like me, who didn't want to cause or be subjected to trouble, preferring to stay in the shadows.
It didn't help me. I was never bullied, only teased. But it was relentless. Nobody ever touched me or my things, it was all in the words. I was too focused on schoolwork for those at the bottom of the class – to them, I was a nerd, unhealthily obsessed with grades. I wasn't smart enough for those at the top, so I was teased by them too.
My parents saw this, and my struggle to do well, but there was little they could do about it. They talked to me, but I felt awkward discussing it, so they left me alone.
In the end, all they could do was give me the bracelet.
The beads were smooth green disks, lying flat against my wrist. They told me, when they gave it to me, that it had belonged to my great, great, great grandma. That was a lie, of course. They picked it up in a charity shop not long before presenting it to me. But it was what I needed.
They told me that, whenever I needed to be brave, I should just to remember the bracelet. That it would act like armour for me, making me immune to any attack. There was nothing special about the bracelet by itself, but I made it special. I believed wholeheartedly that it had some kind of power.
It worked. I stopped being bothered by the teasing, and eventually, they got bored and left me be.
The bracelet broke eventually, but by that time I had already discovered my illness. I didn't need it any more. Knowing I didn't have long left was armour enough. Nobody wanted to tease the dying girl, and I didn't need good grades to be an astronaut any more.
Kea stares at me, the blood that pools in my palm glaring evidence of my illness. I crumble before his gaze, tearing my hand free and wiping the blood on the grass.
'Cassie.'
I bury my face in my arms to hide my tears. 'I'm dying, okay?'
It's muffled by my jacket, but he hears me. 'What do you mean?'
'I'm sick. I'm dying. You should probably just leave me here – no point helping a girl who isn't going to make it past her sixteenth birthday.'
To my surprise, he laughs. I bolt up, the pain in my leg forgotten in the heat of the moment, snarling 'What? Is my death funny to you?'
'You would not believe how many people we get coming here in just your situation. It's the most common way – people with nothing more to lose, pushing the boundaries, exploring their worlds closer than ever before, finding the cracks between theirs and the next. Usually, this is the next. This world is a hub; it's more difficult to find a reality that doesn't connect to this one than one that does. That doesn't make it any easier to return, however. Most never do. The majority of the roads are one-way.'
Stunned, I try to decide which aspect to concentrate on. A whole load of information has just been dumped on me, and I need a little time to process it, bit by bit. 'You mean... I'm not the only one? Maybe not even from Earth?'
'Of course not. I'd never seen one of you before, but that doesn't mean much. There are way too many different species spanning the hundreds of worlds that link to this one for anyone to know them all.'
I look out over the surreal landscape. 'So you get a lot of otherworldly visitors?'
'There are more people like you than there are natives, at this point. Anything can be a doorway – a wish on a shooting star, a crack in reality found in a secluded area close to nature, a place once feared-'
'-a black hole?'
'Never heard that one before, but if that's how you got here, then sure.'
I clutch the bead around my neck, winding the chain through my fingers. 'And a lot of them are sick, like me?'
'Not for long, once they get here. We have people from hundreds of different worlds, both those with and without magic. Our healers are usually magic, and can help anyone just by touching them. You'll be fine, if we can just get you to Avet.'
'One more question...'
'Go ahead.'
'How can I get home?'
For the first time, I see pity wash over his face. 'You can't.'
I slump. 'But... you said you have people with magic, didn't you? Surely there's someone who can send me back? Or a falling star – you said that could be a gateway with a wish? Can't I just wish on one here?'
He shakes his head. 'I'm sorry. Nobody has magic that strong anymore. They all left as soon as they realized there was no helping this world. Even when they were here, magic like that takes a lot out of the caster, and you would have had to offer a massive sum of money. And the stars left soon after.'
I have a sudden, sharp urge to cry, my throat aching with the effort of holding it in. Kea doesn't talk to me, and I'm grateful for this. If he speaks to me, asks me if I'm alright, I won't be able to hold tears in.
Eventually, when I feel the wave of emotion die down, I ask him again. 'Is there really nothing? No chance at all?'
'Other than the small hope the option of fixing your ship offers, no. there isn't a chance. Don't get your hopes up, because then you are more likely to be disappointed.'
I nod, and store everything away in a box in the back of my mind, planning to open again when I am alone.
I rise to my feet. 'We'd better get going. How far is it?'
'Not too far. We should be able to make it today if we hurry.'
'Then let's hurry!'
He pushes himself up. 'Alright.'
The road melts into uneven slabs of pale rock, trailing weeds growing through the cracks. My crutch taps against the stones, trapping tiny leaves beneath the tip. Before long, my leg is hurting again, and I take the patch from my pocket, pulling the tab and pressing it to the inside of my wrist. It melts into my skin, sending a rush of coolness through my body. My lungs relax, the pain in my leg lessening.
The hills and rolling grassland seem to be endless, stretching far ahead and behind us. After a while, Kea stops me next to a pond, pulling a disk of metal and a rattling tube from his bag. He flicks his wrist, and the disk extends into a cup. He scoops up some water and shakes a pill into it from the tube. It dissolves instantly.
He hands me the cup. 'It should be safe to drink now.'
I do so, handing the empty cup back to him. He goes through the same procedure for himself, then compresses the cup back into a disk and slides it back into his bag. After a bit of rummaging, he pulls out a box of some kind of biscuit. He takes one in his teeth and hands me another, putting the box back.
We continue, fuelled by the food.
Although a sprawling mass of dark buildings can just about be seen from the crest of the next hill, it takes the remainder of the day before we reach them. The pale sun dips below the lilac sky, throwing shards of blue across the horizon.
The streets are paved with stone, uneven but worn smooth by the passage of many people. Any weeds were stamped into the ground long ago, leaving only dirt between the stones. Although it is late, people still fill the streets, and shops still show off their window displays, lit up with tiny balls of energy hanging from wires or resting in small glass dishes. Street lamps cast a bright glow, with similar but larger balls encased in glass spheres.
This seems to be the primary light source, with some people cupping tiny glass spheres in their hands, or wearing them integrated into jewellery.
We move deeper into the town, and I stare around me at the people. The snippets of conversation I catch seem to be far too normal for the bizarre speakers – they talk about their friends or family, the things that have been happening in their lives, how well their stall or shop has been doing today... things you could find anybody chatting about in a town back on Earth.
Some are almost human, but with certain things that make them different, like Kea; a girl with rainbow crests stretching from the back of her neck to her ankles and eyes that shift from blue to silver, or another with four arms and skin of a deep, midnight purple. Others are shocking to me, seeming like monsters from stories, inhuman in every way; some kind of giant insect, or a shambling creature covered in fur, each strand as thick as my wrist. One boy we pass seems to be human, but closer inspection shows crimson eyes and sharp, jagged teeth.
Stalls line the streets along with the shops, selling all manner of objects, from food and drinks to charms or herbs. I see one with an array of those energy spheres, resting on soft cushions. They range from barely the size of a pinhead to as big as a basketball, bathing the street with their brightness. The spheres encasing them have varying levels of value, from a simple ball to an elaborately swirled structure encased in glittering decorative metal. The stall is manned by a humanoid figure with the head of a wolf-like creature, bright flames hemming its long cloak.
I stick close to Kea's side, afraid of the strange people surrounding us. He soon halts before a large house, with bay windows overlooking the street, lit welcomingly with strings of marble-sized lights. A sign is stuck to the window, promising a warm bed for the night.
My leg aches persistently, the painkiller beginning to wear off, and I'm relieved to see Kea duck through the low doorway. I follow, nervous but trusting.
It springs to mind that, for someone I met only a day ago, I trust him an awful lot. He has an aura about him, a feeling of safety and dependability.
He stops in the hallway, picking up a large bell from a tall table behind the door and ringing it twice before placing it back down. I hear movement in the room to our left, and a creature pushes its way through. Its dark eyes light up when it sees Kea, and it embraces him. 'Kea! You brought another one?'
Its voice is gentle, as is its face. Huge, dark eyes are set deep into wrinkled yellowish skin, the wide, toothless mouth opening into a welcoming smile. 'Hello, little one.'
'Uh – hi.'
Shell-like plates cover most of its body, and it moves clumsily when it walks closer to me. It examines me, and I try not to squirm. 'Human.' it says. 'What is your name, human?'
'Cassie. Cassandra. Call me Cassie.' My fear is evident in my speech, and I hope I'm not hurting its feelings. It was easier, with Kea, to adjust to the inhuman aspects – after all, mostly he is just a boy.
Kea slings an arm around the creature's shoulders. 'This is Novo. He's an old friend of mine – we'll be staying with him tonight. Unless he objects?' The last part is aimed at Novo.
'Of course not. You know you are always welcome here, along with whatever waifs and strays you happen to pick up. Now, leave me to talk to the girl. I'm sure she's frightened and confused, and I feel I will be better equipped to answer any questions she may have than you will.' He glances down, noticing my leg. 'And besides, she needs healing. Go and get a healer.'
Kea nods, backing out of the door. I see him pass by the window, then he is gone from my sight.
Novo leads me into a living room furnished with plush armchairs, sinking down into one. I sit awkwardly opposite him, staring at my hands in my lap. After a short while, I realise that there is something I would like to ask him. 'Excuse me?' I say.
He smiles. 'Yes?'
'What did you mean by "another one"?'
'Kea is away from town a lot, preferring to stay in the forests. As such, he is often the first person newcomers to this world see. He's made a habit of bringing them to me, as do some others in the area. I give them a bed for the night, or for as long as they need to get back on their feet.'
'That's very kind of you.'
'Ah, don't mention it. I like to meet the people, and hear their stories. It's not just Kea who brings the people he finds to me – most around here do. That's how I knew you were a human. I had one of you, a few years back. Not from Kea, from another.' He rises, walking to a small cabinet and pouring two glasses of a thick grey liquid. Handing one to me and taking a sip from the other, he sits back down. 'If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.'
'Why is everyone so nonchalant? If what Kea said is true, this whole world is dying. Shouldn't people be panicking? Trying to do something about it?'
'We've accepted that there's nothing we can do. The Umbra is far too powerful for anyone here to stand against. As I'm sure he told you, some tried, but they were either killed on the spot, or died soon after returning. There are some who plan to destroy her, but they have not yet found a way.'
I take a sip from my cup. The liquid is sweet, almost cloying. 'Couldn't the ones she sent back be healed with magic?'
'No. She would draw the colour from them, leaving them as shells. No magic worked on them. Believe me, we tried everything.'
Kea pushes his way through the door, followed closely by a man with long tentacles like those of a sea anemone sprouting from his head instead of hair. His skin is pale blue, his face strangely flattened.
He walks to me first, looking me up and down. His orange eyes glow slightly, so low that I might have missed it if the room was not so dimly lit.
The glow is extinguished when he blinks. 'Ratio Mortis and a bite from a Forest Beast. Correct?'
I nod, impressed. 'Yes, that's it exactly! How did you know?'
'Ah, just a little magic. Hold out your hand.' I do so, and he takes it between his palms. 'This is going to hurt. Prepare yourself.'
Heat spreads throughout my body, and the pain in my leg intensifies. I gasp sharply, biting into my lip. Glancing down, I can see that the bandage has fallen away, and the flesh is knitting back together, skin stretching over the wound.
'Deep breath.' The doctor says, closing his eyes.
I fill my lungs, chest burning.
Immediately, all the breath is expelled. My lungs empty in a whoosh of air, and I am unable to take in any more. I feel like each of my ribs is breaking in turn, jagged and twisted. I bit through my lip, blood running warm and sticky down the corner of my mouth.
As quickly as it arrived, the pain is gone. I can feel a vague itching sensation as he heals my lip, then he releases my hand and steps backward. 'You should be okay now. Come to me if you have any problems.' He turns to Novo. 'That'll be 150 scales, please.'
Novo reaches into his pocket, bringing out a handful of small copper coloured coins and counting them out slowly. He drops fifteen into the outstretched hand. 'Thank you for doing this. I know you don't do house calls for most people unless it's an emergency.'
The doctor smiles, stowing the coins in the pouch around his waist. 'It's no problem. You know I'm always happy to help you.' He turns, sliding past Kea and waving once before he pushes through the door.
I lick the blood from my lips, wiping the rest away with the back of my hand. 'If you have healers this powerful, how come the people here have any restraint? Won't they just be healed each time they're hurt?'
'It's not that simple.' Novo tells me. 'All magic has drawbacks – that's the first thing anyone wanting to be involved with magic has to learn. For healing magic, the user suffers nothing, but if the subject is healed too many times they can develop immunity. It doesn't take much for this immunity to take root – I'd say that, if you need healing to that extent just twice more, healing magic will stop working so well on you. More power will be needed to heal you, and so it will be more expensive. Eventually, it will stop working altogether.'
'Oh. Alright.' All magic has a price... I've heard that, in my world, in books and movies. Even without magic, we can understand that much.
My fatigue takes over my body, forcing me to yawn. Novo sees this, and stands. 'Let me show you to your room.'
'Thank you.' I turn to Kea, still standing by the doorway, seeming deep in thought. 'Goodnight.'
He glances at me, then back out of the window. 'Goodnight.'
Novo takes me up a steep flight of stairs, ending at a small landing splitting into three doors. He motions to the door on the right. 'You can have this room. Make yourself at home.'
The room is tiny, and barely furnished, with only a bed and a small table. One wall is taken up by a large window overlooking the street, and a single energy sphere hangs from a chain on the low ceiling. Curious, I reach out, brushing my fingers over the glass. It is warm, but not too hot. The energy inside reacts to my skin, sending out tiny dancing feelers to brush over the pads of my fingers, and I can feel the heat increasing. After a second, it is too hot for me to touch any longer, and I pull my hand back. The feelers retract.
I look around for a way to extinguish the sphere, but there is no switch to flick or pull. Giving up, I collapse onto the hard bed. Curling on my side, I close my eyes.
My second night in another world. My first night being completely healthy in over a year. I would have thought I would be too excited to sleep, but I'm so tired from my journey that I slip into dreams almost immediately.